Bulldogs

Anyone else love going back and looking at old box scores and falling down afternoon-long rabbit holes, or am I the weirdo?
You might&rsquo;ve read the headline and either recalled this event actually happening, or are befuddled at how such a thing could take place, even in that NBA.
This article, published on April 6, 2022, marks 25 years since the Del Harris-led Los Angeles Lakers held Jim Cleamons and his Dallas Mavericks to 2 points in the third quarter of a regular-season game.
The contest was held at the LA Forum, where a 50-24 Laker team met a 22-53 Mavs squad with two weeks remaining before the playoffs started. Staples wasn&rsquo;t that big yet, and Crypto didn&rsquo;t exist. (Some might say it still doesn&rsquo;t, but you can fight about that amongst yourselves.)
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A large-ass, Biggie verse-having, All-Star center named Shaquille O&rsquo;Neal had been <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1997/02/14/sports/injury-to-o-neal-is-a-blow-to-lakers.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">out with a knee injury</a> suffered that February, which he returned from five days later. Something tells me, if you made it here, you&rsquo;ve heard of him. Also on the Lakers, quite famously, was a talented rookie named Kobe Bryant, who had been playing regular rotation minutes at 18 years old, but wasn&rsquo;t yet Kobe.
The Mavericks had traded a controversial-but-talented point guard in Jason Kidd earlier in the season &mdash; along with Tony Dumas and Loren Meyer &mdash; to the Phoenix Suns for a package highlighted by Michael Finley, Sam Cassell and A.C. Green. They also dealt Jamal Mashburn to the Miami Heat several weeks later for Kurt Thomas, Sasa Danilović and Martin M&uuml;&uuml;rsepp.
And right before the deadline, Dallas rerouted Cassell as part of a five-man package including Jim Jackson, George McCloud (who wound up on the Lakers retroactively), Eric Montross and Chris Gatling for Shawn Bradley, Khalid Reeves, Robert Pack and Ed O&rsquo;Bannon &mdash; famously the Most Outstanding Player of the 1995 Final Four, and <a href="https://www.primerus.com/business-law-articles/ed-obannon-shines-a-light-upon-student-athletes-right-of-publicity-624201.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">killer of EA's NCAA Football and NCAA Basketball video game franchises</a>. This move not only cemented Dallas&rsquo; rebuild, but it officially made way for a <a href="https://www.dallasnews.com/sports/mavericks/2018/06/06/flashback-jamal-mashburn-on-what-really-happened-between-jason-kidd-jim-jackson-and-toni-braxton/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Toni Braxton-less future in Texas</a>.
The Mavericks, <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/DAL/1997_games.html">who came in as losers of 10 straight heading into this game</a> &mdash; a lengthy skid that never saw the team score more than 92 points &mdash; went into Hollywood and started Pack, Finley, Green, Bradley and Derek Harper. Without Shaq, the Lakers began with Derek Fisher, Eddie Jones, Jerome Kersey, Corie Blount and Sean Rooks, who played a game-high 43 minutes (33 over his season average).
<a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/199704060LAL.html">The Mavericks led 30-17 after the first quarter and 51-37 at halftime</a>. The teams combined to attempt 12 threes in the first half, which most teams would typically combine to do in a quarter today. The Mavericks shot 21 of 44 from the field and outrebounded the Lakers 24-16 while holding L.A. to 12 of 32 shooting.
Bryant and Robert Horry went a combined 2 of 9 off the bench, and Rooks had logged 10 points and 7 boards to that point. Harper and Finley combined for 25 points on 9 of 15 shooting, while Bradley had 9 points and 9 rebounds.
Okay, now let's get to why you&rsquo;re here.
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Not only did the Mavericks score 2 points in the entire third quarter, but the points came from a pair of Harper free throws with 1:51 left in the quarter. So it took over 10 minutes to even get on the board in this period.
Anyway, the Mavericks shot 0 of 15 from the field for the quarter and missed all 4 of their three-balls. They also had 9 turnovers and only made one substitution over the entire 12 minutes, removing Pack for Sa&scaron;a Danilović about halfway through the third. That meant Green, Harper, Finley and Bradley were each a minus-25 for the quarter, and Pack was a minus-20.
For good measure, the Mavericks third quarter could be summed up like this:
<ul>
<li>Points: 2</li>
<li>Fouls: 3</li>
</ul>
The Lakers outscored the Mavericks 27-2 and still just led 64-53 after three. L.A. shot 10 of 17 in the quarter, made 5 of 7 triples, only needed to pull down 8 rebounds and turned the ball over just twice.
The Mavs outdid their horrific third quarter only 48 seconds into the fourth with two layups. They even cut their deficit to as close as 7 points in garbage time before the Lakers pulled away with a 87-80 win.
Fisher scored 21 points &mdash; not even close to a career-high for him &mdash; but to that point, his highest point tally had been just 14. In fact, the 21 points would remain a career-best mark for Fisher until he netted 26 points on March 13, 2001 in a win over the Boston Celtics four years later.
Sean &ldquo;2019 Bam Adebayo&rdquo; Rooks ended the night with 15 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 blocks. Bryant logged about 22 minutes off the bench, netting 13 points on 3 of 9 shooting, also finishing with 3 steals and going a perfect 5 of 5 at the free-throw line.
Harper led the Mavs with 18 points on 6 of 15 shooting. Finley only put up 9 shots in over 34 minutes of play. The next time he put up just 9 shots in that many minutes? <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200203310WAS.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">March 31, 2002</a>.
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So, what ended up happening to these two teams? Glad you asked!
The Lakers finished 56-26 and fourth in the Western Conference, sweeping the Kenny Anderson, Isaiah Rider, and Rasheed Wallace-led Portland Trail Blazers in Round 1. Then, in the West semifinals, L.A. fell to the No. 1 seed Utah Jazz, who eventually lost to the Chicago Bulls in the 1997 NBA Finals. The Lakers still had a few more years of Harris before Phil Jackson eventually came to clean things up prior to the 1999-2002 three-peat era.
The Mavericks finished 24-58 and were actually still fourth in the Midwest Division among seven teams, completing 1996-97 with only the sixth-worst record in the league. Unfortunately, they didn&rsquo;t own their own draft pick, but fortunately, the Celtics &mdash; who had it at No. 6 &mdash; used it on Ron Mercer, so it wasn&rsquo;t an egregious miss.
Tracy McGrady did go No. 9 overall, and the Mavs did settle on Kelvin Cato at No. 15, but they landed with a kid named Dirk Nowitzki in the 1998 NBA Draft after another 20-win season.
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Bryan Fonseca revisits when the Mavericks only mustered a measly 2 points in the third quarter against the Lakers.

25 years ago, the Mavericks scored just 2 points in an entire quarter

Devin Vassell and Keldon Johnson each scored 20 points to help the San Antonio Spurs beat the Denver Nuggets 116-97 on Tuesday night, securing a spot in the play-in tournament.
Since the Los Angeles Lakers lost to the Phoenix Suns tonight, the Spurs locked up at least the 10th seed in the Western Conference.
Not that they're really thinking about it. Or at least Spurs coach Gregg Popovich wasn't.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve got a game on Thursday and we&rsquo;re going to play that,&rdquo; Popovich said. &ldquo;Not worry about anything else. It&rsquo;s not like we&rsquo;re world beaters.&rdquo;
Reigning MVP Nikola Jokic had 41 points and 17 rebounds for the Nuggets, who squandered a chance to clinch a playoff spot with a win after Minnesota lost to Washington.
"We wasted a golden opportunity,&rdquo; Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. &ldquo;I just didn&rsquo;t think we had the requisite focus, determination, urgency, desperation &mdash; whatever adjective you want to use. I just didn&rsquo;t think we had it tonight.&rdquo;
The Spurs had six players score in double figures as they won a regular-season game in Denver for the first time since Jan. 5, 2017. But it wasn't easy even after San Antonio built a lead that stretched to 21 late in the second quarter.
The Nuggets cut it to four early in the fourth, only to see the Spurs go on a 14-2 surge to regain momentum. One of the key plays was when Davon Reed tried to make a behind-the-back pass that was stolen by Tre Jones, who went in for a layup. Jones finished with 14 points and 10 assists.
&ldquo;Every team has nights like that and I think this was one of those for the Nuggets,&rdquo; Popovich said. "Nothing went right for those guys, even to start the game. ... We took advantage of it.
&ldquo;So I think for them it was one of those nights, but I was really happy with our aggressiveness the whole game.&rdquo;
The Nuggets fell to sixth in the Western Conference, a half-game behind Utah and two games in front of the seventh-place Timberwolves. Denver can wrap up a top-six seed and avoid the play-in tournament with a Minnesota loss or by winning one of its final two remaining home games.
Teams seeded Nos. 7-10 compete in the play-in tournament.
Malone was given a technical in the second quarter for arguing a call with official Tony Brothers.
It came almost a week after Austin Rivers was ejected by Brothers when the guard faked throwing an elbow on Indiana's Lance Stephenson. Malone said Brothers told him it was a malicious act by Rivers.
Jokic later picked up a technical in the second half as well &mdash; not from Brothers.
TIP-INS
Spurs: G Dejounte Murray didn't play due to a respiratory illness. ... It was San Antonio's fifth straight road win. ... Josh Richardson had 18 points and four 3-pointers. Vassell and Richardson were a combined 8 of 11 from 3-point range.
Nuggets: G Jeff Green (personal reasons) was a late scratch. ... Rivers had a basket overturned when officials later determined he stepped out of bounds. ... F Aaron Gordon had 18 points and 13 boards.
STOPPING JOKIC
Asked the best way to contain Jokic, Popovich responded: &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t think anybody has figured that out. He&rsquo;s a great one.&rdquo;
OFF NIGHT
Jokic finished 18 of 35 from the floor, including 1 for 5 from 3-point range.
Malone had a simple explanation: "That he is fatigued. He&rsquo;s been carrying a team for 80 games, and I can&rsquo;t take him out of the game.&rdquo;
HOME SWEET HOME?
At 22-17, the Nuggets haven&rsquo;t been as dominant at home this season. On the road, though, they&rsquo;ve won a franchise-best 25 games.
&ldquo;Can&rsquo;t explain it. I really can&rsquo;t,&rdquo; Malone said of the struggles at Ball Arena.
MPJ &amp; MURRAY UPDATE
Malone didn&rsquo;t rule out a possible return of forward Michael Porter Jr. (back) and point guard Jamal Murray (knee) at some point.
&ldquo;Yes, you have that in the back of your mind. We could get reinforcements,&rdquo; Malone said. &ldquo;But you also have to help the guys that are ready and available to play.&rdquo;
UP NEXT
Spurs: At Minnesota on Thursday.
Nuggets: Host Memphis on Thursday.

The San Antonio Spurs secured a spot in the play-in tournament by beating the Denver Nuggets 116-97 on Tuesday night.

Spurs beat Nuggets, secure a spot in West Play-In Tournament

Terry Rozier scored 31 points and the Charlotte Hornets beat San Antonio 123-117 on Saturday night, leaving Spurs coach Gregg Popovich a victory short of the tying the NBA record.
San Antonio has lost four straight since beating Washington on Feb. 25 to move Popovich within one of Don Nelson's record of 1,335 regular-season victories.
LaMelo Ball added 24 points for Charlotte, P.J. Washington and Montrezl Harrell each had 15 and Mason Plumlee had 13 rebounds. The Hornets made 19 of their last 20 free throws.
Keldon Johnson led San Antonio with 33 points, but was limited to five in the second half. Dejounte Murray had 25 points and 10 rebounds, and Devin Vassell added 14 points.
Ball gave Charlotte a 117-113 lead with two free throws with 55.5 seconds left. Murray&rsquo;s layup drew San Antonio to 119-117 before Martin hit four foul shots on two trips to the line in the final 33.6.
With Charlotte ahead 115-111, Plumlee contended with Jakob Poeltl for a rebound. The two locked up on the ball, and Plumlee slung Poeltl to the floor in an effort to control the ball. Officials ruled it a jump ball and no foul on Plumlee.
TIP-INS
San Antonio: Johnson was perfect in the first period, making all seven of his shots &mdash; two of them 3-pointers &mdash; and his lone free throws. He had 17 of the Spurs' 30 points.
Charlotte: Gordon Hayward missed his fourth consecutive game with a left ankle sprain.
UP NEXT
Spurs: Host Los Angeles Lakers on Monday night.
Hornets: Host Brooklyn on Tuesday night.

Terry Rozier scored 31 points and the Hornets won, leaving Spurs coach Gregg Popovich a victory short of the tying the NBA record.

Hornets top Spurs, leaving Popovich win short of NBA record

CAMDEN, N.J. (AP) &mdash; James Harden wrapped a resistance band around his upper torso and took off. He sprinted the length of the basketball court and repeated the drill designed to build strength and endurance.
With the 76ers in championship-or-bust mode, Harden needs both traits if he wants to carry the team into June.
But parade talk can wait: Philly is in a tizzy over Harden&rsquo;s impending home debut. Almost three weeks since he was acquired in a trade, two road games, billboards welcoming his arrival, and a spawning cottage industry of &ldquo;Beard&rdquo; T-shirts later, Harden will finally play in Philly for the Sixers on Wednesday night against the New York Knicks.
Much like the beard that&rsquo;s as synonymous with Harden as his skillful scoring, anticipation is growing.
So are ticket prices.
The cheap seats start at $100 on the secondary market and the Wells Fargo Center will surely have a playoff feel for what would have been an otherwise routine weeknight game without Harden.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s going to be turnt in there,&rdquo; Harden said over the weekend, &ldquo;and I&rsquo;m ready for it.&rdquo;
Harden was the last Sixer off the court after Tuesday&rsquo;s practice, sharing laughs with All-Star center Joel Embiid and jamming to music during shooting drills with assistant coach Sam Cassell.
&ldquo;The city&rsquo;s excited. We&rsquo;re excited,&rdquo; coach Doc Rivers said.
With good reason.
Harden, the 2018 NBA MVP, in his short sample size has impressed as expected. He had 27 points, 12 assists and eight rebounds in his debut against Minnesota and followed with 29 points, 16 assists and 10 rebounds against the Knicks. The number that matters most: 2-0. The issue that matters most: Philly is free of the Ben Simmons saga that weighed on the franchise until the All-Stars were traded for each other.
&ldquo;This is not a forced-together team. This is a want-to-be-together team,&rdquo; Rivers said. &ldquo;We get to be together and we want to be together. I think that&rsquo;s a good thing.&rdquo;
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Tobias Harris&rsquo; production dipped in those two games -- he went 5 of 18 combined after taking 20 shots in the 76ers&rsquo; last game without Harden. Tyrese Maxey, meanwhile, has benefited the most from Harden&rsquo;s arrival. He went 12 of 16 against the Timberwolves thanks in large part to fastbreak points instigated by Harden and catch-and-shoot 3s against the Knicks off Harden kick-outs. Embiid, Harden and Maxey combined for 176 points in their first two games together, the most for any debuting trio in the NBA since 1961.
&ldquo;It is fun,&rdquo; Harris said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re going into full arenas. The hype is there for our group, our team. That always brings excitement to it. What&rsquo;s not to like about it?&rdquo;
Harden seems recovered from the left hamstring issue that sidelined him his final games in Brooklyn and his first games in Philadelphia (37-23, third in the Eastern Conference).
Teamed with Embiid, already an MVP frontrunner, they might be the most punishing duo in the NBA. Harden, who joked over the weekend he was still &ldquo;winging it&rdquo; on offense, is getting his teammates involved while still having the ball in his hands enough to dominate. The real-time game-time may slow with Harden&rsquo;s arrival: Embiid and Harden are first and third in the NBA in average free-throw attempts. Embiid made a career and NBA season-high 23 free throws against the Knicks.
The 76ers can only hope a parade of free throws can help them get to planning a real one for the first time since 1983.
But they were the No. 1 seed in the East last season and home court didn&rsquo;t help them. Maybe Harden will.
Embiid, scoring 29.8 points per game and averaging 11.1 rebounds, says the best times with Harden are ahead.
&ldquo;What are you really going to do? He&rsquo;s a great passer and, obviously, (I&rsquo;m) someone that attracts a lot of attention, too,&rdquo; Embiid said. &ldquo;You&rsquo;ve got to make a decision. Do you stay on me or do you stay on him?&rdquo;
Decisions, decisions.

Almost three weeks since the 76ers added James Harden, he's finally set to make his home debut vs. the Knicks on Wednesday.

The Beard is here: Philly hyped for James Harden's home debut

MIAMI (AP) &mdash; Bam Adebayo scored a season-high 36 points, Tyler Herro added 27 off the bench and the Miami Heat overcame an early 16-point deficit to beat the San Antonio Spurs 133-129 on Saturday night.
Jimmy Butler scored 27 points in 30 minutes to help Miami improved the Eastern Conference's best record to 40-21. Butler didn't play in the fourth quarter.
Kyle Lowry had maybe the biggest shot of the night, a 3-pointer with 1:37 left to put Miami up by seven. San Antonio got within two on a 3-pointer by Keita Bates-Diop with nine seconds left, but Miami held on.
&ldquo;I've got to do my part," Adebayo said.
The Heat win kept Spurs coach Gregg Popovich at 1,334 regular-season wins in his career, meaning he remained one victory behind Don Nelson &mdash; one of his former bosses &mdash; on the NBA's career list.
&ldquo;Being in this position is awkward, surreal, unexpected, never planned and all of the above,&rdquo; Popovich said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s the best way to describe it.&rdquo;
Devin Vassell had a career-high 22 points for the Spurs. Bates-Diop and Lonnie Walker IV also had 22 apiece for San Antonio, which got 19 points and 11 assists from Tre Jones.
Lowry finished with 13 points and 10 assists for Miami.
The Spurs were without their three leading scorers. All-Star Dejounte Murray was held out with a bruised left knee &mdash; &ldquo;probably being overly cautious,&rdquo; Popovich said &mdash; while Olympic gold medalist Keldon Johnson and starting center Jakob Poeltl were both sidelined by low back soreness.
Perhaps it lulled Miami into a seriously false sense of early security, because the Spurs got whatever they wanted for most of the first half.
The Spurs scored 157 points &mdash; the most ever by a San Antonio team in the Popovich era &mdash; in a double-overtime win at Washington on Friday, then kept the scoring going to get things started in Miami. San Antonio led 28-12 early and 40-28 when the first quarter was done, matching the most points the Heat had yielded in any quarter this season.
After 16-1/2 minutes, the Spurs were already up to 50 points.
And over the final 7-1/2 minutes of the half, San Antonio managed only eight points. Miami outscored the Spurs 20-8 to close the quarter, got its first lead of the game on a three-point play by Butler with 38.6 seconds left before intermission and went into the break up 61-58.
The Heat pushed the lead out to 68-58 after a quick start to the third, but the defense went missing again and Miami wound up allowing 39 points in the quarter &mdash; with the teams going back and forth on the lead.
Adebayo made a 21-footer at the buzzer to put Miami up 99-97 going into the final quarter. That was the start of him scoring 15 points in a span of 4:02, but the Heat still had to sweat it out all the way to the end.
TIP-INS
Spurs: San Antonio&rsquo;s first 18 points were all scored from inside the paint. ... Vassell had a four-point play with 8:43 left in the third, his corner 3 being accompanied by a foul from P.J. Tucker. He then hit another 3 on the next possession, giving him seven points in 26 seconds. ... Murray didn&rsquo;t play in either game against Miami this season.
Heat: A monster week awaits Miami, with the team&rsquo;s next four games coming up against fellow Eastern Conference contenders Chicago, Milwaukee, Brooklyn and Philadelphia. ... Miami committed seven fouls in the first half, then was whistled for 12 in the third quarter alone, plus a technical on head coach Erik Spoelstra. ... The Heat got down double-digits almost immediately for the second consecutive night; it was 10-0 at New York on Friday, 12-2 against the Spurs in this one.
FAN NIGHT
Among those in the crowd: new Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel, along with Floyd Mayweather, Antonio Brown and Alex Rodriguez.
STATEMENT MADE
A fan unfurled a Ukrainian flag inside the arena during the first half, drawing cheers. Later, the Heat displayed the same flag on the massive video screen that adorns the front of the building.
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SPURS MOVE
A few hours before the game, the Spurs waived guard Tomas Satoransky. He appeared in one game with the Spurs after being acquired in a trade two weeks ago.
UP NEXT
Spurs: Visit Memphis on Monday.
Heat: Host Chicago on Monday.

Bam Adebayo scored a season-high 36 points, Tyler Herro added 27 and the Heat overcame an early deficit to beat the Spurs 133-129.

Adebayo scores season-high 36 points, Heat top Spurs 133-129

Nekias Duncan thoroughly grades every NBA trade from 2022 Deadline Week.

Grading every move from 2022 NBA trade deadline week

R.J. Barrett made a career-high seven 3-pointers and scored 32 points, and the New York Knicks snapped a three-game skid, beating the San Antonio Spurs 121-109 on Tuesday night.
&ldquo;Things may not be going well and, all of a sudden, you take a charge, get to a loose ball, you get a tip from behind, you get a block,&rdquo; Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. &ldquo;That could ignite you and all of a sudden you get an easy score, a couple of easy buckets and now you find your rhythm and things change quickly in this league. They can go from being terrible to being great real fast and vice versa. You&rsquo;ve just got to keep going.&rdquo;
Alec Burks scored 18 points, Immanuel Quickley added 16 points and Julius Randle had 15 for the Knicks, who won at San Antonio for the first time since Jan. 2, 2014.
&ldquo;Heck yeah, we needed that,&rdquo; New York center Mitchell Robinson said. &ldquo;We needed that win bad. We&rsquo;re desperate right now.&rdquo;
Derrick White had a season-high 26 points along with six rebounds and seven assists for the Spurs, who have dropped two straight after a season-long three-game winning streak. Dejounte Murray added 15 points, seven rebounds and seven assists.
&ldquo;That first game, being a back-to-back, after a road trip, we knew that would be tough energy-wise,&rdquo; San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said. &ldquo;But I thought we competed our (butt) off. Guys gave their effort. I was really happy with that.&rdquo;
The Knicks were 18 for 38 on 3-pointers, with Barrett going 7 for 8.
Barrett said he's feeling &ldquo;a lot better&rdquo; after suffering from a stomach bug for two weeks.
&ldquo;It was annoying, but I tried to do my job to the best of my ability no matter what,&rdquo; Barrett said.
Barrett, who finished 11 of 20 from the field overall, made two 3s during a 10-2 run that gave New York a 13-point lead midway through the third quarter. The Spurs briefly got within nine points in the fourth but couldn&rsquo;t trim the lead any further.
&ldquo;I think the defense was really, really focused on Julius,&rdquo; Barrett said. &ldquo;They were doubling on him every time he had the ball and we just moved it. We moved it and I was able to knock them down.&rdquo;
New York took advantage of the Spurs&rsquo; smaller lineups, out-rebounding the Spurs 56-49 and enjoying a 21-8 advantage in second-chance points.
San Antonio got even smaller when starting forward Keldon Johnson exited early in the third quarter with a sprained right ankle. Johnson was injured with 1:21 left in the first half after stepping on Poeltl&rsquo;s foot. He started the second half but appeared to be in some pain before heading to the locker room.
Popovich said X-rays on Johnson's ankle were negative.
A CHANGE
Thibodeau started Nerlens Noel at center instead of Robinson, who had started all 20 games he had played previously this season.
&ldquo;We feel really strongly about both guys,&rdquo; Thibodeau said. &ldquo;We just wanted a different look. Those guys are interchangeable, just go as hard as you can for as long as you can and then the next guy comes in and does the same thing.&rdquo;
Robinson had 11 points and 14 rebounds in 22 minutes. Noel had two points and nine rebounds in 26 minutes.
Robinson endured a scare when he injured his back with 56.4 seconds left in the third quarter after an awkward landing. He went flying after his legs were clipped when Spurs center Drew Eubanks dived for a loose ball.
Robinson stayed in the game but said he was in pain afterward. He walked gingerly into and out of the interview room.
&ldquo;The ground ain&rsquo;t never lost,&rdquo; Robinson said.
TIP-INS
Knicks: New York had lost seven straight at San Antonio. Carmelo Anthony and Iman Shumpert each had 27 points to lead the Knicks in their previous win. ... New York is 7-4 on the road but entered having lost three of four away from home.
Spurs: G Devin Vassell missed his third straight game with a bruised right quadriceps. ... The Spurs entered Monday having played the fewest games of any NBA team. That will change quickly as the Spurs play five games in seven days. ... San Antonio is 4-7 at home and has not had a winning record at AT&amp;T Center since winning its season opener.
UP NEXT
Knicks: At Indiana on Wednesday.
Spurs: Host Denver on Thursday.

R.J. Barrett made a career-high seven 3-pointers and scored 32 points, and the Knicks snapped a three-game skid.

Barrett makes 7 threes, Knicks beat Spurs to snap 3-game skid

LeBron James and Chris Paul represent the faces of the fight against Father Time in today's NBA. Kevin Durant deserves more praise for his Luke Skywalker-esque brush-off of aging and injury.
Durant, now 33, should be beginning the conventional decline of his professional career. Except he isn't. The Brooklyn Nets star returned last season after tearing his Achilles, one of basketball's most devastating injuries, and came two inches shy of a conference finals appearance in a thrilling playoff series against the Milwaukee Bucks.
This season, one of the sport's greatest players ever is somehow at his peak on a Nets team that has won six of its last seven contests. Durant has been an impossible matchup on a scale that might even surpass his 2013-14 MVP campaign. He's on pace (small sample size alert!) to have the best offensive season of his life.
According to Cleaning the Glass, Durant is averaging a ridiculous 136.2 points per 100 shot attempts, which is a career-best for him and in the 97th percentile league-wide for his positional group. That number pops further when you realize he's currently shooting threes at the second-lowest frequency of his career (24%).
We have to get into these shooting numbers to grasp how elite Durant is, so let's start with various shot distances, per Basketball Reference:
<ul>
<li>0-3 feet: 81.3% (career-high)</li>
<li>3-10 feet: 57.9% (career-high)</li>
<li>10-16 feet: 57.7% (career-high)</li>
<li>16 feet-3PT range: 71.0% (career-high and insane!!)</li>
<li>3P%: 40.4% (not a career-high, but still very good)</li>
<li>Overall True Shooting Percentage: 67.4% (career-high)</li>
</ul>
So that's ridiculous.&nbsp;
Among 99 players with at least 30 pull-up shot attempts this season, per NBA Stats), Durant's Effective Field Goal percentage (eFG%) of 59.8% is third behind Darius Garland and Seth Curry, and once again, on pace to be a career-high. It should be noted, however, that Durant's 130 pull-up attempts are more than those two have combined.
His mid-range game is killer: Durant's 63.5% clip from NBA Stats' mid-range zone ranks second among all players with at least 20 attempts, behind only his Nets teammate LaMarcus Aldridge.
Twenty players have logged at least 30 isolation possesions this season, per NBA Stats (it should be noted that the league's playtype data is inconsistent). Durant is second behind only Ja Morant in points per possession at 1.19, and he has doubled Morant's workload in this playtype.&nbsp;
Then there's the passing. Durant is averaging 5.0 assists per game, which is pretty standard for him in recent years. But his assist percentage (27.5%) is a career best, as is his assist-to-usage rate, according to Cleaning the Glass. This isn't an offensive stat, but Durant is even grabbing a career-high 8.5 rebounds per game.
Of course, KD also leads the league with 29.5 points per game despite not topping eight three-point attempts in a single contest. His season-low in a game is 22 points. Most recently, he made 11 of 12 shots en route to 30 points in a win over the Magic.&nbsp;
His Instagram handle, @easymoneysniper, is a pretty apt descriptor.
THE OUTLIERS (a.k.a. other random interesting numbers I find in the void):
<ul>
<li>You know who's been a sneaky good pull-up shooter? Devin Vassell (55.7 eFG%), who ranks seventh among all players with at least 30 attempts this season.</li>
<li>Per NBA Stats, the Detroit Pistons pass the ball more than any other team with 324.7 per game. They're also sixth in "wide open" shots generated where a defender was no closer than six feet away. Unfortunately, the Pistons are the worst team in the league (34.8 FG%) at hitting those shots.</li>
<li>The Bucks, meanwhile, pass the ball only 263.8 times per game &mdash; third-fewest in the NBA. But they're second in generating those wide-open shot attempts.&nbsp;</li>
<li>This... should not be happening:</li>
</ul>
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Luka's best year was in 19/20. 26% of his shot attempts came from within three feet of the basket and only 7.2% were between ten feet and the three-point line. This year, 9% of his shots come within three feet and 33.1% from ten feet to the long line. That's.. really bad.
&mdash; Morten Stig Jensen (@msjnba) <a href="https://twitter.com/msjnba/status/1458852838231191559?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 11, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Ethan Fuller takes a look at Kevin Durant, who is on pace for a historic offensive year.

Stats Notebook: Kevin Durant on pace for his best offensive year ever

Nekias Duncan previews the Southwest Division for the 2021-22 NBA season.

2021-22 NBA Season Preview: Southwest Division

In 2006, I worked as a summer intern for a sports agency called Wasserman Media Group. With that job, I had a wide range of tasks and responsibilities. One of my duties was being the travel companion and, essentially, manager for Joel Freeland, a British NBA prospect who ultimately became the No. 30 pick in the 2006 NBA Draft.
Among the many stops that Joel and I made together prior to that draft was Memphis, Tennessee. He auditioned in front of then-Grizzlies general manager Jerry West ("The Logo" himself) and his staff. That was the first time I ever made a trip to Memphis, and little did I know at the time that I would come back to visit many more times throughout my career.
Well, this past week, I traveled to Memphis yet again. This season, in addition to my typical draft coverage, I will also be providing some NBA rookie coverage for BasketballNews.com.
So the first thing on my agenda, other than stopping by Gus&rsquo;s to get their world-famous fried chicken, was to take in a preseason game that had the Milwaukee Bucks facing off against the Memphis Grizzlies. In that contest, Ziaire Williams &mdash; who was selected No. 10 overall by the Grizzlies &mdash; was the highest pick from the 2021 NBA Draft who was playing.
I must say, I really enjoyed watching him lace 'em up and play in NBA threads for the first time. I have been following Williams since he was in high school, and it is a joy to watch players as they gradually tip-toe toward accomplishing their goals. Williams didn&rsquo;t start, but he was put into the game pretty quickly and got a steal right away. He ended up with 4 points on 2-for-4 from the field, playing 18 minutes in total. He had some rookie mistakes, but overall, I&rsquo;d say this was a productive first NBA game for the rookie.
Also worth mentioning is Sandro Mamukelashvili, the No. 54 pick by the Bucks. Last year, &ldquo;Mamu&rdquo; was among the favorites among our BasketballNews.com scouting staff. At 6-foot-9 and 240 pounds, Mamu is a fun player to watch, as he is extremely versatile for a big man; he can handle, pass and shoot the ball. He also plays with a high motor and a great pace. In that game vs. the Grizzlies, Mamu scored 9 points, grabbed 7 rebounds and dished out 3 assists in 29 minutes of floor time. I&rsquo;ll admit I&rsquo;m a bit biased here (my dad is <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/breakingnews/growing-up-a-buck-millewahque-milwaukee-bucks-nba" target="_blank" rel="noopener">director of player personnel of the Bucks</a>), but Mamu looks like a great pick considering he was taken at the tail end of the second round.
I'd be remiss if I didn&rsquo;t mention how incredible Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant was in this game, and in general. He scored a smooth 27 points in 24 minutes. I remember watching Morant score 27 points and dish out 12 assists at a Murray State home game against Southeast Missouri State a few years ago. In hindsight, even considering the lower level he was playing on, it was one of the most memorable performances that I&rsquo;ve ever seen by a draft prospect. It has been great to see Morant develop into the star that many of us thought and hoped he&rsquo;d become. It&rsquo;s crazy to think that he&rsquo;s still developing.
Perhaps the key storyline of the night was the game's abrupt end. Following the third quarter, the fire alarm went off, and the fans and teams subsequently evacuated the building, prematurely concluding the game. Although I attend games on a regular basis, that was quite different. Also, this was my first game of the 2021-22 campaign&mdash; certainly a strange way to kick the season off.
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I&rsquo;m set to watch many games throughout the 2021-22 season. The Bucks vs. Grizzlies game tonight was my first. It ended in an evacuation and cancellation after the 3rd quarter due to a fire alarm. And I thought things were getting back to normal&hellip; 😬 <a href="https://t.co/Fyh68OYWOs">pic.twitter.com/Fyh68OYWOs</a>
&mdash; Matt Babcock (@MattBabcock11) <a href="https://twitter.com/MattBabcock11/status/1445586285368729612?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 6, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Although I enjoyed attending the Bucks and Grizzlies game, let&rsquo;s not forget that I&rsquo;m an NBA Draft Analyst first and foremost, so my main focus when putting together my travel schedule is to see NBA prospects. Well, with that strategy in place, Memphis was naturally a top-priority destination for me, as the Memphis Tigers are loaded with NBA talent.
I attended the Tigers&rsquo; pro day on Wednesday afternoon and walked away impressed. Here are my thoughts on a few of their top NBA prospects:
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-big-board/players/jalen-duren" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jalen Duren</a> | Center | 6-foot-11, 250 pounds | Freshman
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I have watched Jalen Duren for years. I first saw him at a USA Basketball camp in Colorado Springs, Colorado. At the time, Duren&rsquo;s physical tools instantly popped, and they still do. However, he has grown physically since then, as he is now 6-foot-11 and a chiseled 250 pounds while sporting an impressive 7-foot-5 wingspan. He has also grown as a player and seemingly as a young man. In high school, I first questioned his motor and approach, but he has improved in those areas significantly.
From a skill-set standpoint, Duren's key attributes are certainly his physical tools; he is an absolute brute. He will be most effective utilizing his physicality and explosivenss. Expect a lot of powerful dunks, blocks and rebounds. However, he continues to show flashes of skill as well; he has a good feel as a passer and a soft touch as a mid-range shooter. In fact, on one possession during live-play at pro day, he made an incredible move in the mid-post where he jab-stepped into a stepback turnaround jumper. I looked over and gave a staff member a look and simply said, &ldquo;Wow." Duren is currently slotted as the No. 4 prospect on our <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2022 NBA Draft Big Board</a>, and after attending that pro day, I can confidently say he&rsquo;s in a good spot.
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/fivestar-recruit-emoni-bates-commits-to-university-of-memphis-" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Emoni Bates</a> | Guard/Forward | 6-foot-9, 190 pounds | Freshman
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At this point I think anyone that follows basketball knows of Emoni Bates. I mean, he was on the cover of Sports Illustrated when he was 15 years old, with the headline being &ldquo;Born for This.&rdquo; In <a href="https://www.si.com/high-school/2019/10/29/emoni-bates-nba-draft-prospect-kevin-durant" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the article</a>, it suggested that he was a prodigy next in line to follow in the footsteps of LeBron James. The hype surrounding Emoni has taken on a life of it&rsquo;s own. In the last year or so, Bates has seemingly become a target of constant criticism due to the unreasonable expectations of him. Following the Memphis pro day, social media platforms went crazy over Bates&rsquo; physical measurements and testing. Although he was measured at an impressive 6-foot-9, his wingspan was measured only 6-foot-7 1/4, and his standing vertical was only 24.5 inches. I&rsquo;ll admit those numbers are very underwhelming but let&rsquo;s not lose sight of Bates&rsquo; talent, versatility, and upside. He&rsquo;s 6-9 and is just a natural scorer and playmaker.
I believe that long-term Bates would be best used as a shooting and scoring wing, but it seems as if head coach Penny Hardaway is going to use him at point guard &mdash; at least some of the time. Although I don&rsquo;t think that&rsquo;s his long-term position, it&rsquo;s impressive that at 6-9 they have the confidence to even try to use him that way. My biggest concern with Bates is not his short wingspan or his underwhelming vertical jump, it&rsquo;s his lack of physical strength. However, let&rsquo;s not forget Bates is only 17 years old; in fact, he is not even old enough to be eligible for the 2022 NBA Draft. Despite the criticism, I still think Bates is a big-time prospect. The good thing for Bates is that he has plenty of time to prove the naysayers wrong. Either way, I&rsquo;m looking forward to continuing to watch his development.
Earl Timberlake | Guard/Forward | 6-foot-6, 220 pounds | Sophomore
Although I had watched plenty of film of Earl Timberlake, I had not seen him in person prior to the Memphis pro day, so I was eager to see him. At 6-foot-6 and 220 pounds, Timberlake has a strong and physical profile for a wing. Aside from his physical tools, he has what seems to be a knack for passing and playmaking; I expect for those parts of his game to be utilized greatly this year, as the Tigers&rsquo; overall guard play is questionable. We do not currently have Timberlake on our Big Board, as I&rsquo;m still working toward a more conclusive evaluation of him. But I am indeed intrigued, and will be tracking Timberlake closely.
Landers Nolley II | Forward | 6-foot-7, 220 pounds | Junior
I spent a lot of time watching Landers Nolley II while he was at Virginia Tech. I first saw him at the Maui Invitational, and then saw him in Blacksburg as the Hokies played Florida State, which included current NBA players Patrick Williams and Devin Vassell. At 6-foot-7 and 220 pounds, Nolley's key attribute is a good one &mdash; he really shoots the ball well from outside. He&rsquo;s capable of putting the ball on the floor for mid-range pull-ups or straight-line drives; however, I view him as a shooter. Possessing a quick release, the issue has not been his ability, but more so his decision-making and shot selection. After watching him at the Memphis pro day, it seems as if he has improved his shot selection. He is not currenty on our 2022 NBA Draft Big Board, but like his teammate, Earl Timberlake, we will be tracking him closely.&nbsp;
DeAndre Williams | Forward | 6-foot-9, 205 pounds | Senior
If DeAndre Williams is able to put together another quality season for the Tigers, I would not be surprised at all to see him claw his way into the NBA somehow. As a senior, Williams will certainly be a high priority for the <a href="https://www.tampabayprocombine.com/">Tampa Bay Pro Combine</a> Player Selection Committee, which I am co-chair of alongside former coach and current ESPN analyst Fran Fraschilla.
Lester Quinones | Guard/Forward | 6-foot-5, 208 pounds | Junior
A do-it-all glue guy, Lester Quinones is a great piece for the Tigers&rsquo; team. Since I first saw him at the Memphis pro day a couple of years ago, he has transformed his body; he looks great! I&rsquo;m looking forward to watching his progress this season.
Josh Minott | Forward | 6-foot-8, 205 pounds | Freshman
Josh Minott is a long and athletic hybrid forward worth keeping a pulse on. I&rsquo;m not certain of the role he&rsquo;ll fill for the Tigers this season, but I do like his upside long-term.
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During my time as a sports agent, I represented two former Tigers in D.J. Stephens and Chris Crawford. I came to Memphis multiple times to recruit each one of them, and I also had each of them train locally with my friend Frank &ldquo;Hell&rsquo;s Trainer&rdquo; Matrisciano following their senior seasons. I remember having dinner with D.J. at Itta Bena, a great restaurant above B.B. King&rsquo;s that is a speakeasy and can only be entered through a fire escape. I also remember signing contracts with Chris at the historic Peabody Hotel, which is known for their ducks that march throughout the hotel on a red carpet. I became fond of the city during that time.
Since leaving the agent business in recent years, I have continued to come back to Memphis as an NBA Draft Analyst somewhat frequently to scout NBA prospects. I attended the Tigers&rsquo; pro day a couple of years ago to see James Wiseman and Precious Achiuwa. In addition, I watched R.J. Hampton&rsquo;s team, the New Zealand Breakers, play an exhibition game versus the Grizzlies and Anthony Edwards&rsquo; Georgia Bulldogs play the Tigers. I also spent time with and watched local product Kennedy Chandler, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/tennessee-volunteers-point-guard-kennedy-chandler-intent-on-showing-size-isnt-everything">who is now a freshman for the Tennessee Volunteers</a> and is currently slotted as the 13th-best prospect on our <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2022 NBA Draft Big Board</a>.
Once again, attending the Tigers' pro day was certainly fruitful from a scouting standpoint. Memphis will certainly be a high priority for our scouting staff to keep an eye on moving forward.&nbsp;
I thoroughly enjoyed my latest trip to Bluff City: great food, great people, warm southern hospitality and even better basketball.
Until next time, Memphis.

Matt Babcock details his trip to Memphis for the Tigers' pro day and NBA preseason action, and what he took away from both events.

Babcock: Takeaways from a trip to Memphis for Tigers pro day

With NBA training camps open for business, teams are getting back in the swing of things. Since Sunday afternoon, the preseason has been in full swing, meaning the 2021-22 campaign is right around the corner.
Building a team is not an easy task without a dash of draft luck and a pinch of good chemistry. Once you find the combination that sticks, there's no telling how high your squad's ceiling can get. While we've seen a handful of organizations struggle with their inexperience year-after-year, we've also seen others soar and show that they'll be around for quite some time.
In our latest Roundtable, we asked our BasketballNews.com writers the following question:
Which NBA team has the best young core?
Alex Kennedy: This is tough. The New Orleans Pelicans&rsquo; young core has the most upside, with two potential superstars in Zion Williamson (21) and Brandon Ingram (24), plus talented prospects like Nickeil Alexander-Walker (23), Trey Murphy III (21), Kira Lewis Jr. (20) and Jaxson Hayes (21) among others. However, if we&rsquo;re talking about the &ldquo;best young core,&rdquo; I have to go with the Atlanta Hawks after what they showed during their Eastern Conference Finals run. Trae Young (23), John Collins (24), De'Andre Hunter (23), Kevin Huerter (23), Cam Reddish (22) and Onyeka Okongwu (20) is a very talented young nucleus that&rsquo;s already succeeding in the postseason. In a few years, this team could be a juggernaut.
Nekias Duncan: Trae Young, John Collins, De&rsquo;Andre Hunter, Onyeka Okongwu, Cam Reddish, Kevin Huerter and Jalen Johnson are all 24 or younger. All but Johnson were contributors on a team that made the conference finals last season. I don&rsquo;t think I need to say much else.
Spencer Davies: There are a number of teams that intrigue me around the NBA as far as a youth movement is concerned. If we're talking about a young core that contends for a championship &mdash; let's call 26-and-under the cutoff &mdash; I like the Denver Nuggets a lot. Nikola Jokic has already won the league MVP and continues to only get better. Jamal Murray, when healthy, is as electrifying as any guard in the NBA. Michael Porter Jr. just earned himself a maximum rookie contract extension due to his outstanding scoring capabilities and potential to expand his game. Aaron Gordon's athleticism and defensive abilities make him the ideal complement to all three. That's a fantastic four to build around for a number of years to come, and ultimately, compete for a title in the process. Throw Monte Morris and P.J. Dozier in there with rookie Bones Hyland and mystery-box Bol Bol, and that's just about the perfect mixture of youth and experience.
Ethan Fuller: It's the Oklahoma City Thunder for me by a significant margin. Oklahoma City has the youngest roster in the NBA per RealGM, and those players are a mix of high-upside swings and crystal-clear NBA fits. The team has guys like Lu Dort, Tre Mann, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, Darius Bazley and Theo Maledon, who are safe bets to be solid rotation players or elite specialists. Then, they have the potential game-changers like 7-foot wing Aleksej Pokusevksi and 2021 No. 6 pick Josh Giddey. Of course, OKC already has a rising star as well in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. There's just so much to like across the board.
Drew Maresca: Easily the Hawks. Atlanta advanced to Game 6 in the East Finals last season, way before anyone expected them to be competitive. And they did so without two key youngsters (Cam Reddish and Onyeka Okongwu). They&rsquo;ll only go as far as Trae Young takes them, but Young proved that putting him in any kind of a box is a fool&rsquo;s errand. The Hawks are going to struggle with expectations in 2021-22, but that doesn&rsquo;t change the fact that they&rsquo;ve arrived way ahead of schedule, and they&rsquo;ve done so with three starters who are 23 or younger.
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Ja gotta chill it&rsquo;s PRESEASON 🤣 (via <a href="https://twitter.com/NBAonTNT?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NBAonTNT</a>)<a href="https://t.co/VdSPG66MvE">pic.twitter.com/VdSPG66MvE</a>
&mdash; Overtime (@overtime) <a href="https://twitter.com/overtime/status/1445547212516192259?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 6, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Moke Hamilton: If I had to choose one, I&rsquo;d probably say Memphis. For a 22-year-old, Ja Morant is damn good, and the Grizzlies seem to be further along in their development than other contenders for this label such as New Orleans. Ditto for Minnesota. Now that I think about it... Who else is even a credible contender for this title?
Jesse Blancarte: The Phoenix Suns. Devin Booker rose to a new level last season and led his talented team to the NBA Finals. With Deandre Ayton, Mikal Bridges, Cameron Johnson, Landry Shamet and other young, talented players on the roster, the Suns are well-positioned to compete at the highest levels &mdash; this season and beyond.
Jackson Frank: Young core is such an ambiguous term to define because everyone cuts off the &ldquo;young&rdquo; moniker at different thresholds. But I&rsquo;ll make 25 the high-end here and go with the Atlanta Hawks. Trae Young is a superstar. John Collins is a marvelous pick-and-roll/pop big, and tenable defender. When healthy last season, De&rsquo;Andre Hunter looked the part of a mighty fine two-way wing. Kevin Huerter took a leap last season as a 2-point scorer and defender. Onyeka Okongwu dazzled at times in the playoffs with his defense and finishing. Cam Reddish continues to hint at enticing on-ball defense and pull-up shooting; consistency and health are the vital pillars. Jalen Johnson and Sharife Cooper probably won&rsquo;t play much next season, but you saw their allure at NBA Summer League. Skylar Mays is even a useful combo guard. I hope I didn&rsquo;t miss any member of the Hawks&rsquo; young core, which is both deep and very good. There's a bright present and future for this team.
Alexander Cohen: Best young core is always a tricky question unless it&rsquo;s quantified. Based on sheer young talent, it&rsquo;s the Dallas Mavericks alone for simply having Luka Doncic. But if we&rsquo;re focusing on true young core of players that have a chance to grow together, I&rsquo;ll take the San Antonio Spurs for Devin Vassell, Dejounte Murray, Lonnie Walker IV, Keldon Johnson and even Tre Jones. There&rsquo;s not one player there that I would anticipate becoming an All-Star, but I&rsquo;d be shocked if any didn&rsquo;t turn into at least high-level role players.

Which NBA team has the best young core? BasketballNews.com's writers shared their thoughts.

NBA Roundtable: Which team has the best young core?

This summer, there were a handful of teams that got better through the NBA Draft and free-agency period. Recently, our staff discussed the organizations that <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/roundtable-which-nba-team-had-the-best-offseason" target="_blank" rel="noopener">had the best offseason</a> as well as the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-roundtable-breaking-down-this-offseasons-most-underrated-moves" target="_blank" rel="noopener">most underrated moves of this summer</a>. But who didn't take advantage of this window to add to their roster?
Today, we asked our writers:
Which NBA team had the worst offseason?
Nekias Duncan: I&rsquo;m just not a fan of what the Portland Trail Blazers did. Their coaching hire of Chauncey Billups was mired in controversy. There&rsquo;s been no major swing on the roster, with their best free agent acquisition being Cody Zeller. They got virtually nothing from the draft, then followed that up by building a summer league roster that frankly <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/news/authors/nekias-duncan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">didn&rsquo;t make much sense</a>. I can&rsquo;t say I&rsquo;m a fan of how things have been handled.
Jackson Frank: It&rsquo;s the Dallas Mavericks for me. They didn&rsquo;t get substantially better in an offseason when they touted lots of cap space and resemble a very similar team to last year. They still need a secondary creator to aid Luka Doncic. The wing defense is lackluster. The center rotation is worrisome. This just felt like a considerable misstep, given Luka&rsquo;s superstardom and the financial flexibility drying up moving forward.
Alex Kennedy: In one of the most important offseasons in the Portland Trail Blazers' history (given what's at stake with Damian Lillard's future), Neil Olshey and Co. dropped the ball. The team lost Carmelo Anthony, Enes Kanter and Zach Collins, and their only notable moves were re-signing Norm Powell and adding Cody Zeller, Tony Snell and Ben McLemore. Entering this offseason, Lillard said: "I think if you look at our team as it is going into next season, I don&rsquo;t see how you can say, &lsquo;This is a championship team. You just need a new coach.&rsquo;" He's 100% right, and now the roster is arguably worse than when he made that comment. When asked about Portland's free-agency moves, Lillard <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/damian-lillard-not-unhappy-with-blazers-despite-losses-in-free-agency" target="_blank" rel="noopener">was honest</a> and said, "We weren&rsquo;t able to go out there and get some of the guys that we would have liked."&nbsp;
Spencer Davies: Surprisingly, I am asking myself what the San Antonio Spurs are doing with their money. Bringing in veterans like Thaddeus Young, Doug McDermott, Zach Collins, Bryn Forbes and Al-Farouq Aminu would make more sense if they were contending for a postseason spot... but that almost certainly won&rsquo;t be the case. From a developmental standpoint, it should be good to have these guys around to mentor Dejounte Murray, Derrick White and Keldon Johnson. Still, it kind of takes time away from Lonnie Walker Jr. and Devin Vassell, and that&rsquo;s the last thing you want for a team that&rsquo;s going to reset after losing DeMar DeRozan and a slew of vets who had been around for years. That said, taking Josh Primo as a take-your-time project is intriguing... just maybe not so much for the other young players who play that position. Oh, and Jakob Poeltl signed an extension not too long ago too, yet R.C. Buford decided to invest in Collins. This summer just seemed like an interesting, maybe not-so-smart way to use cap space for one of the best-run organizations in sports.
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Imman Adan: The New Orleans Pelicans. They went all in, giving up two future first-round picks in the Memphis Grizzlies deal for Jonas Valanciunas, and a pick swap. They also didn&rsquo;t re-sign Lonzo Ball, moved off of Eric Bledsoe and Steven Adams' money and gave up Wes Iwundu with very little to show for it. I&rsquo;m all for big swings, but this didn&rsquo;t feel all that calculated. It's hard to understand what they&rsquo;re trying to accomplish, and they certainly took a step back.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Evan Sidery: I have no idea what the Spurs are doing. Why sign Doug McDermott to a big contract, while also signing Bryn Forbes? Zach Collins on a multi-year deal was another head-scratching move. The Spurs <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/with-veterans-moving-on-san-antonio-spurs-would-be-wise-to-hit-the-reset-button" target="_blank" rel="noopener">should be trying to tank this year</a>, but that might not be their plan internally. Give those minutes opened by veteran departures to your young core, not new free agents. Now, players like Devin Vassell and Lonnie Walker are still stuck to the bench.
Ethan Fuller: Portland could win this off of the Chauncey Billups hiring (and subsequent fallout) alone, and I'm sure some of our fellow writers picked the Trail Blazers. So I'll add another team in the Dallas Mavericks, whose offseason <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/mavericks-gm-donnie-nelson-agree-to-mutually-part-ways-" target="_blank" rel="noopener">consisted of a front-office blowup</a>, three minor roster additions <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/reggie-bullock-mavs-agree-to-threeyear-deal-worth-305m">headlined by Reggie Bullock</a> and the hiring of Jason Kidd as head coach. Kidd not only was convicted of domestic abuse in 2001 &mdash; and has done little publicly to atone for it &mdash; but he also has a 183-190 record as the head coach of talented teams. And there is <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/book-jason-kidd-held-christmas-163516649.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">anecdotal evidence of a problematic past</a> in Milwaukee. It's hard for a team to regress with a rising star, but that seems to be what the Mavs are doing despite Luka Doncic's ascension.
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Jesse Blancarte: In an offseason where the Portland Trail Blazers are at risk of superstar Damian Lillard demanding to be traded, the franchise failed to make any moves that would quell the situation. Re-signing Norman Powell was a good move. However, Portland lost notable players like Enes Kanter, Carmelo Anthony and Zach Collins. The only other additions so far include Cody Zeller on a minimum contract, Tony Snell and Ben McLemore. Unless Portland has a few tricks up its sleeves, it seems likely Lillard and C.J. McCollum are going to lack the support they need on the court to take Portland on a deep playoff run next season.
Drew Maresca: I was on the fence between the Dallas Mavericks and Portland Trail Blazers, but Doncic&rsquo;s re-signing made the difference for me. Ultimately, Dallas is now where Portland was two years ago. The Blazers needed to do something to impress Damian Lillard, and they failed. Lillard is insanely loyal, but even the most loyal among us has limits. Lillard will end up giving Portland an ultimatum at some point in the near future, and the Blazers might find themselves stonewalled into trading Lillard instead of building around him. Who knows, it might already be too late.
Chris Sheridan: That is a tough one because the summer is a time of hope for all 30 teams. But the Orlando Magic are the winners of this category. They added Robin Lopez and head coach Jamahl Mosley, but little else outside of their draft picks. I hated the Nikola Vucevic trade when they made it. I hated it even more when Khem Birch was waived and outplayed his replacement Wendell Carter Jr. with the Toronto Raptors late last season. I do not see much hope here for an Orlando win total north of the teens.

Which team did the worst job during the 2021 NBA offseason? Our writers share their thoughts.

Roundtable: Which NBA team had the worst offseason?

As NBA Summer League gets into a groove, viewers should notice some players quickly outclass the environment.
Experienced sophomores and third-year players often "graduate" summer league early. You'll know these players when you see them -- simply playing with pace and awareness well beyond the rest of the players on the court.
On Monday, some of these players popped up with monstrous performances. As <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/five-studs-and-five-duds-from-the-first-day-of-summer-league-action" target="_blank" rel="noopener">we wrote yesterday</a>, we've collected five "studs" and five "duds" and noted our observations from their individual games. Once again: this is not meant for drawing long-term conclusions. Rather, it sets a baseline for a prospect's strengths and weaknesses upon entering this next step up in competition.&nbsp;
On to the players:
STUDS
Immanuel Quickley, guard, New York Knicks
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32 for IQ 🔥 Immanuel Quickley drops 32 PTS and 8 AST to lead the <a href="https://twitter.com/nyknicks?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nyknicks</a> to the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBASummer?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBASummer</a> win in Las Vegas! <a href="https://t.co/THXE64GJjX">pic.twitter.com/THXE64GJjX</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1424825144225173513?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 9, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Box Score Stats: 32 points, 8 assists, 2 steals 11-for-21 FG, 4-for-12 3PT
Quickley piqued my curiosity on Sunday when the Knicks rolled him out at point guard. He did a much better job navigating the pick-and-roll on Monday, being more decisive with his passes and drives. The second-year guard attacked the basket and demonstrated an immaculate floater. His eight assists also came against just one turnover; he now has 16 assists and only four giveaways through two games. Quickley's offensive command was eye-popping, even when the jump shot didn't fall.
Trey Murphy III, forward, New Orleans Pelicans
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Sizzling at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBASummer?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBASummer</a> 🔥 No. 17 pick Trey Murphy drops 26 PTS with 6 3PM in his <a href="https://twitter.com/PelicansNBA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PelicansNBA</a> debut! <a href="https://t.co/kId4rXieF2">pic.twitter.com/kId4rXieF2</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1424839063115374593?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 9, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Box Score Stats: 26 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 9-for-15 FG, 6-for-9 3PT
Murphy laid down the best summer-league debut from any rookie so far. He splashed threes facing up and off the catch, making open and contested looks. On the defensive end, he rotated properly and remained engaged, living up to the 3-and-D archetype that he projects into as a prospect.
But then Murphy did more. He consistently ran the floor in transition and served as a lob threat and finisher. He was unafraid to put the ball on the deck, and hit a cutting Kira Lewis Jr. on one particularly nice bounce pass. Honestly, there was very little to dislike, and Murphy's high bar makes him a prospect to watch over the coming days.
Tyrese Maxey, guard, Philadelphia 76ers
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Yeah, Tyrese Maxey wasn&rsquo;t doing this last year. Very promising development to see him seeking out his own perimeter shots. He&rsquo;s already up to 19 points in the half. <a href="https://t.co/V6xHdLEQuB">pic.twitter.com/V6xHdLEQuB</a>
&mdash; Harrison Grimm (@Harrison_Grimm) <a href="https://twitter.com/Harrison_Grimm/status/1424836194681163777?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 9, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Box Score Stats: 21 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, 8-for-15 FG, 3-for-6 3PT
Maxey absolutely owned the Mavericks on drives. The 6-foot-2 guard slashed to the rim quickly and frequently for easy buckets. It shouldn't come as a surprise; Maxey has been burning defenders his entire basketball life.&nbsp;
The second-year Sixer also set the tone on the defensive end with on-ball pressure. Most notably, he looked confident attempting three-pointers, which is one key swing skill in his development. I'd also like to shout out teammate Isaiah Joe, who is not in this list, but who played a fantastic game of his own next to Maxey.
Desmond Bane, guard, Memphis Grizzlies
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Desmond Bane (<a href="https://twitter.com/DBane0625?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DBane0625</a>) scores 32 PTS to fuel the <a href="https://twitter.com/memgrizz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@memgrizz</a> to the win at the MGM Resorts <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBASummer?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBASummer</a> League 🔥 <a href="https://t.co/5JSkJ2H7Dg">pic.twitter.com/5JSkJ2H7Dg</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1424876608729538562?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 9, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Box Score Stats: 32 points, 4 assists, 2 steals, 10-for-19 FG, 6-for-8 3PT
To put it bluntly: Bane has very clearly outgrown NBA Summer League. After making the All-Rookie Second Team in 2020-21, the scoring guard owned his first game of the tournament. Bane drilled six long-range looks, and his form is as crisp as ever.&nbsp;
Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins said during the broadcast that he wanted to get Bane more reps as the primary playmaker. The 23-year-old ran the offense seamlessly and tossed some clean passes to the corners for open shooters. Bane's statement game was a plain reminder that he is a rotation staple for Memphis.
Jalen Suggs, guard, Orlando Magic
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Jalen Suggs said 🖐🚫 <a href="https://t.co/nTh83IUAUA">pic.twitter.com/nTh83IUAUA</a>
&mdash; Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) <a href="https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/1424916922479497219?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 10, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Box Score Stats: 24 points, 9 rebounds, 2 steals, 3 blocks, 9-for-22 FG, 3-for-6 3PT
Suggs' defense was the story of the game in Orlando's 91-89 OT win over Golden State. The rookie point guard came up with a number of big-time blocks down the stretch, including a two-on-one stop that essentially forced overtime. Suggs hounded his matchups and played above his size, frequently seen on the floor in pursuit of a loose ball.
Offensively, it was a mixed bag. The efficiency numbers don't look great, but Suggs was able to get to his spots in the mid-range and navigate some pick-and-roll opportunities. This was a question mark for him pre-draft, so it's good to see a somewhat promising start as a lead guard. Suggs also battled for quite a few rebounds and pushed the ball in transition.
Other notable performers: Jordan Nwora (Bucks), Jay Scrubb (Clippers), Obi Toppin (Knicks), Jaylen Nowell (Timberwolves), Devin Vassell (Spurs), Davion Mitchell (Kings)
DUDS
Santi Aldama, forward, Memphis Grizzlies
Box Score Stats: 4 points, 2 rebounds, 1-for-7 FG, 0-for-4 3PT
We're a long way from Baltimore. Aldama was one of the surprise picks of draft night when Memphis selected him No. 30 overall. Aldama was chosen partially because of his complete dominance at Loyola Maryland. Making the leap from mid-major college hoops to the NBA is no easy task. Aldama didn't get a whole ton of touches in the early going and really struggled against stronger opponents.
James Bouknight, guard, Charlotte Hornets
Box Score Stats: 11 points, 2 rebounds, 4-for-11 FG, 1-for-5 3PT
The Hornets' lottery pick had to match up against Davion Mitchell on the second night of a back-to-back. So it's understandable that Bouknight struggled against one of the toughest defenders in NBA Summer League. He couldn't get shots to fall, and often tried to take Mitchell in isolation instead of calling for screens and running off of actions. Bouknight finished with five turnovers; the Hornets ended with a ghastly 22.
The shooting guard did have some nice moments, particularly on tough finishes at the rim. But overall, it was a down night from a scoring perspective -- even Bouknight's lone three-point make was after an odd hesitation.&nbsp;
Cole Anthony, guard, Orlando Magic
Box Score Stats: 6 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1-for-9 FG, 1-for-4 3PT
Viewers saw Orlando's first attempts at a three-guard lineup with Anthony, Jalen Suggs and R.J. Hampton. Anthony appeared to really struggle with the inconsistent responsibilites. He spent a good portion of the game running the offense, but danced around and didn't seem to find a rhythm. Then, he looked uncomfortable in catch-and-shoot situations. These lineups will obviously have a learning curve for all of the young Magic guards.&nbsp;
Jonathan Kuminga, forward, Golden State Warriors
Box Score Stats: 16 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals, 6-for-16 FG, 0-for-4 3PT
The glimpses looked really&nbsp;good from Kuminga. He can thread passes to cutters. He can power through defenders to the rim. He can ignite a fast break by jumping a passing lane.
Unfortunately, those flashes were few and far between for the seventh overall pick. Kuminga typically steamrolled down the lane, tossing up a shot at the rim that either missed wildly or drew a forgiving whistle. He bricked each of his four three-point attempts and was never really a threat to make plays from the perimeter. Guards often breezed by him in defensive switches.
If Kuminga can be less predictable with his moves, he'll become a threatening offensive weapon. He has the tools; it's about learning how to use them.
Keon Johnson, guard, Los Angeles Clippers
Box Score Stats: 8 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals, 4-for-16 FG, 0-for-5 3PT
Johnson's efficiency ultimately doomed him in his summer-league debut. The bouncy guard certainly displayed his athleticism on fast breaks, but ultimately missed a bunch of jumpers and took a couple of awkward shots. He was active and quick on defense, but did also get burned multiple times on backdoor cuts. Overall, this was by no means a concerning result from Johnson -- just a reminder that his offensive polish is generally a work in progress.
By the end of Tuesday, we'll have second samples to evaluate for nearly every player in summer league. I'll be excited to see who finds their groove and who learns from their debut game.

Some of the league's best sophomores showed out at the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.

5 studs and duds from the second day of NBA Summer League

Every offseason presents an opportunity. Teams can stay the course or shift directions, completely shaking up their team or just making moves around the edges. It starts with the NBA Draft and trickles into free agency, as rosters receive a facelift (for the most active organizations).
But as teams tinker by adding fresh faces to the mix, what happens to the players who previously had a significant role on the team? Unfortunately, when new talent comes in, that means somebody is going to lose out. Whether that means scaled-back playing time or a change of scenery, there will be altered roles for some going into the 2021-22 campaign.&nbsp;
Here are some of those players who could fit the bill.
Lonnie Walker IV, San Antonio Spurs
It&rsquo;s no secret that the San Antonio Spurs are currently in an odd position. With DeMar DeRozan and LaMarcus Aldridge no longer present, in addition to the departure of longtime veterans Patty Mills and Rudy Gay, their longest-tenured players will be Dejounte Murray and Derrick White. Given the moves, you'd think that Lonnie Walker, entering his fourth season, would be a focal point for this ball club. And yet, it seems like the Spurs don&rsquo;t have the trust in him yet, and that&rsquo;s backed by the moves they&rsquo;ve made so far this summer.
For starters, San Antonio drafted the youngest player in the 2021 class in Josh Primo. The Alabama freshman not only slots in as a shooting guard, but has plenty of size at the position at 6-foot-6. Then, on Wednesday morning, the team decided to bring back Bryn Forbes on a deal. Couple those moves with the signing of Doug McDermott (who will probably play a lot of small forward based on current roster construction), and where is there room for Walker? Surely he&rsquo;s not going to supersede Dejounte Murray and Derrick White in the rotation. Keldon Johnson is playing for the Team USA men&rsquo;s squad. And don't forget, they selected Devin Vassell at No. 11 overall last year. It&rsquo;s tough to find a pathway to significant, consistent minutes for Walker, who scored 11.2 points per game and increased his three-point shooting volume tremendously last season. Any team looking for a guard/wing with athleticism who takes care of the ball and has plenty of time to mature on the floor should give R.C. Buford a call.
Josh Jackson, Detroit Pistons
We had to see this one coming, and unfortunately, Josh Jackson may very well be the odd man out again. With the Pistons drafting Cade Cunningham, Jerami Grant coming off a career-season and Saddiq Bey lighting up the eyes of everybody in Motown, Jackson is going to have to fight with Hamidou Diallo (granted he comes back on a matched offer sheet or qualifying offer) as a backup 2 or 3.&nbsp;
Jackson came in with promise after rediscovering his game with the Memphis Hustle in the G League and the Grizzlies, and looked to have found his footing with Detroit in the first few months as a slashing, rim-pressuring presence who oftentimes had the ball in his hands. While his three-point shooting leaves much to be desired and he&rsquo;s prone to turning the ball over at times, his defensive abilities are incredibly intriguing. Jackson hasn&rsquo;t had much organizational stability since coming into the NBA, and is just 24 years old with four seasons of experience. Given his 6-foot-8 frame, team-friendly contract and potential that&rsquo;s still there, it&rsquo;d be wise for teams to contact Troy Weaver and inquire about his availability.
Markelle Fultz, Orlando Magic
Regarding the Magic&rsquo;s guard room, there were already too many cooks in the kitchen before the NBA Draft came around and now they add Jalen Suggs as well. Sure, it's "a good problem to have," but&hellip; maybe not so much for the players in the room. New head coach Jamahl Mosley will have the following at his disposal in the Orlando backcourt: Jalen Suggs, Cole Anthony, R.J. Hampton, Terrence Ross, Michael Carter-Williams and potentially Gary Harris and Dwayne Bacon pending on rotations... plus Markelle Fultz. The former No. 1 overall pick got off to a great start in the 2020-21 season before going down with another devastating injury that cut his campaign short before it could even get started.
Knowing that Suggs is likely the face of the franchise moving forward, and that he plays point guard along with many others on the Magic roster, where exactly does that leave Fultz? It&rsquo;s not as if he&rsquo;s a great player yet off the ball or can consistently shoot. Fultz can explode to the rim and is somebody who can turn the corner well, but you&rsquo;d have to imagine his usage will decrease if he stays there. Remember, he was brought in to play alongside the likes of Nikola Vucevic, Aaron Gordon and Evan Fournier under Steve Clifford, so who knows what John Hammond and his front office have in mind for Fultz. Luckily for him, he still fits the &ldquo;rebuilding&rdquo; timeline at just 23 years old; finding the right niche for him, though, will be easier said than done.
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Coby White, Chicago Bulls
After an exciting finish to his rookie season, Coby White found himself in the starting lineup in Year 2. He had a brand new coach in Billy Donovan, plus a determined and motivated Zach LaVine as his backcourt partner. White took a small step forward in the scoring department (15.1 points) and came close to doubling his assist output (4.8). However, the defensive side of the ball is still a work in progress for the 21-year-old guard, and now with Lonzo Ball, Alex Caruso and DeMar DeRozan coming to the Windy City, one would be inclined to think that his role will be reduced if he stays on the team.
White averaged over 31 minutes per night this past year and started in 54 games. It&rsquo;s probably not out of bounds to say that those figures will take a hit, in addition to his production in general. It&rsquo;s unfortunate for White, whose development will take a back seat to a Bulls squad that's clearly aiming to win now.
Dorian Finney-Smith, Dallas Mavericks
This may be a stretch considering the previous names mentioned, but hear this out. The Mavericks just re-signed Tim Hardaway Jr. to a long-term contract, brought in Reggie Bullock on a three-year deal that pays upwards of $10-11 million annually and the team has a brand-new head coach in Jason Kidd. Although we know how important Finney-Smith is on the defensive end of the floor, is it possible that his already-low usage dips even more?&nbsp;
Bullock typically will assume some of that role and be more aggressive as a scorer and shooter, likely similar to what Seth Curry brought to the table two seasons ago for Dallas. We know that Kristaps Porzingis is still on the roster, so that means that power forward is likely a spot that&rsquo;s commandeered by a mixture of the 7-foot-3 Latvian and Maxi Kleber. In addition to acquiring Moses Brown, the Mavs re-signed Boban Marjanovic and Willie Cauley-Stein, so that could shift the bigs rotation a bit. Unlike the aforementioned names, Finney-Smith still makes sense on this team &mdash; just maybe not in quite as large of a role.

Spencer Davies lists several players who may see their role negatively affected following the NBA draft and free agency.

Breaking down 5 NBA players whose roles may be diminished

For the first time in decades, the San Antonio Spurs are in a spot to do the unthinkable within their organizational history: Tank.
Missing the playoffs in consecutive seasons, which has never happened in the franchise&rsquo;s 54 years in the NBA, San Antonio has the opportunity to hit the full reset button during the 2021-22 campaign.
After LaMarcus Aldridge was bought out midseason, and with DeMar DeRozan hitting unrestricted free agency with a very slim chance of re-signing, San Antonio&rsquo;s roster is filled to the brim with young players. Add in veterans Patty Mills and Rudy Gay hitting the open market, and there&rsquo;s a real chance that 27-year-old combo guard Derrick White will be the Spurs&rsquo; oldest player throughout next season. So in an absolutely loaded Western Conference where potentially 11 or 12 teams have realistic shots of making the playoffs, San Antonio would be wise to embrace the tank completely.
The cupboard is not completely barren in The Alamo, though.
White and Dejounte Murray are great complements to one another in the backcourt, both averaging over 15 points per game last season. Keldon Johnson is beginning to emerge as an underrated two-way wing, and his confidence will only grow after being on Team USA in the Olympics. Devin Vassell, San Antonio&rsquo;s No. 11 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, has the potential to become another two-way wing with high-end potential flanking Johnson.
Jakob Poeltl, who was acquired alongside DeRozan in the Kawhi Leonard trade, is a throwback big who can anchor a defense. Bouncy wing Lonnie Walker and stretch big Luka Samanic are other young prospects off the Spurs' bench who could emerge with more playing time and bigger roles next season.m
Altogether, that&rsquo;s an impressive collection of talent with the ability to grow together under Gregg Popovich, and it also doesn&rsquo;t include the Spurs&rsquo; upcoming No. 12 pick in Thursday&rsquo;s draft.
&ldquo;I wouldn't say [there&rsquo;s] pressure. You just want to go out there and compete,&rdquo; White&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-san-antonio-spurs-derrick-white-dejounte-murray-gregg-popovich-colorado-buffaloes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told BasketballNews.com's Spencer Davies in an interview this past May</a> about the changing of the guard. &ldquo;You're aware of the history and all that, but just going out there, competing, playing the game you love. San Antonio fans are great, so you want to do well for them... I mean, basketball as a whole is changing, so you kinda have to change with the times, and we're no different. So it's just exciting that this is the way that basketball is going. It's been entertaining and it's fun to play.
&ldquo;I'm just blessed to be a part of this organization. You kinda see the day-to-day, what goes into it. Just their great history, going back from '99 to where we are now. So I'm thankful to be a part of this organization and learning from Coach Pop, probably the greatest coach of all-time. So, it's been great.&rdquo;
Shown in the advanced metrics as well, there&rsquo;s promise in the long-term for San Antonio. The Murray, White and Johnson trio a.k.a. "<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-san-antonio-spurs-derrick-white-dejounte-murray-gregg-popovich-colorado-buffaloes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the 29 Boys</a>" &mdash; arguably the three most important pieces of the next great Spurs team &mdash; carried a positive net rating (+0.5 in 532 minutes) on the court last season. With that foundation in place for multiple years, all that&rsquo;s missing for the Spurs is a true star. Murray, White and Johnson are solid starters, but not ones that will wow you, nor can you build an entire organizational plan around.
Five-star recruit Chet Holmgren, who committed to Gonzaga, is the odds-on favorite to become the No. 1 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. Let&rsquo;s say Holmgren lands in San Antonio, inserting his tantalizing modern two-way ability for a big man alongside Murray, White and Johnson. The trajectory would completely change for an organization that seems to be stuck in no man&rsquo;s land at the moment.
The smart play for the Spurs is to finally go in the direction they&rsquo;ve avoided throughout their history. It&rsquo;s a tough pill to swallow, but it needs to be done. Gregg Popovich is 72 years old and wants to field an immediate contender, but there needs to be a realistic outlook on where the roster currently sits.
Over the last 30-plus years, the Spurs landed the No. 1 pick twice. Those prospects were David Robinson (1987) and Tim Duncan (1997). Championships soon followed once those foundational moves occurred in San Antonio.
Entering a crucial rebuilding season for their young core, San Antonio must realize the next Robinson or Duncan is needed to vault the organization back to where it belongs as a consistent playoff threat and NBA Finals contender.

For the first time in a long time, the Spurs could hit the reset button. Evan Sidery explains why that would be a wise move.

As vets depart, the time has come for the Spurs to embrace a rebuild

Sometimes, it feels like the reality of possessing cap space does not line up with the rainbows-and-unicorns world of possibilities that some people imagine.&nbsp;
Fans can daydream about their favorite franchise hunting for a star because they have enough cap space to offer a max contract. But even if their team is capped out, many fans still spend hours on their online trade machine of choice until the result pops up with a green "Success!" and they've cracked the financial code on a title-winning maneuver.
If every NBA team can still wheel-and-deal, what's the benefit to having cap space, especially with a free-agency class generally viewed as mediocre?
It helps a lot &ndash; and often in unsuspecting ways. Take a look at the Oklahoma City Thunder, who have absorbed undesirable contract after undesirable contract to help add to their war chest of draft picks. Or the Brooklyn Nets, who kept their books clean enough to eventually pull off the James Harden blockbuster. Same with the Atlanta Hawks, who picked up some key depth pieces in 2020 free agency en route to the Eastern Conference Finals.
Teams get rewarded for being smart with their money. This offseason, eight teams will have an easy path to meaningful cap space while the rest would have to jump through more hoops. These squads range from playoff hopefuls to aggressive rebuilders. Who should capitalize with a spending spree or headliner trade, and who should wait for the longer-term future?
Let's break down each team's situation, using cap numbers provided by <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/contracts/">Basketball Reference.</a>
Charlotte Hornets &ndash; Possible Cap Space: approx. $27.4 million
This estimate means the Hornets let Devonte' Graham and Malik Monk hit restricted free agency. They'll also have Cody Zeller, Bismack Biyombo and Nick Richards as unrestricted free agents &ndash; notably, all bigs. Graham is probably the most coveted of the five, and if the Hornets re-sign him, they'd have a pretty nice guard rotation between Graham, LaMelo Ball and Terry Rozier.&nbsp;
Charlotte barely missed out on the postseason, and that was with a rookie leading the way and clear improvement areas inside. They can absolutely make the necessary depth moves (<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/hornets-mavericks-expected-to-pursue-richaun-holmes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Richaun Holmes?</a>) to get close to playoff contention, and they have the No. 11 overall pick to help as well. Outside of Gordon Hayward's $120 million contract, Charlotte isn't tied down to too many deals right now.
Should they spend?&nbsp;Yes.
Miami Heat &ndash; Possible Cap Space: approx. $34.5 million
The Heat would currently be over the cap, but that's before making a decision on team options for Goran Dragic ($19 million) and Andre Iguodala ($15 million). Those should probably be declined, and if they also ditch Omer Yurtseven's non-guaranteed deal, that suddenly gives Miami a ton of space.
However, the Heat would also have just five players on the team. They have to make re-signing decisions on Victor Oladipo, Duncan Robinson (RFA), Kendrick Nunn (RFA), Trevor Ariza, Nemanja Bjelica, Dewayne Dedmon, Udonis Haslem and the aforementioned players (Dragic, Iguodala and Yurtseven).
Miami is in a tough position. The Heat should be increasing their threat level as a playoff team, but first they simply have to worry about keeping the roster intact.
Should they spend?&nbsp;Yes.
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Memphis Grizzlies &ndash; Possible Cap Space: approx. $24 million
The Grizzlies are in fantastic financial standing. With this estimate including Justise Winslow's $13 million team option being declined, only two players (Jonas Valanciunas and Dillon Brooks) will be making eight figures. Memphis will have 13 players, plus the No. 17 and No. 51 overall draft picks, at its disposal.
At the same time, the Grizzlies have been on the doorstep of the playoffs in two consecutive seasons, despite boasting one of the youngest rosters in the Association. There's no need to make a move simply to make a move. Everything should be purposefully built around Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. &ndash; even if that means politely passing on splurging this summer.
Should they spend?&nbsp;Probably not.
Toronto Raptors &ndash; Possible Cap Space: approx. $22 million
Perhaps the single biggest offseason decision, outside of some superstar player options, is Kyle Lowry's unrestricted free agency. Does the face of the Raptors make sense on an expensive contract as he approaches age-35? Or do the Raptors sign-and-trade him and take that gut punch? They also have to think about paying restricted free agent Gary Trent Jr.&nbsp;
Toronto can get to about $22 million in room prior to those decisions by renouncing Rodney Hood and Aron Baynes. Considering they're still very much a win-now team with long-term commitments to Pascal Siakam, Fred VanVleet and OG Anunoby, I think the franchise should pay up to keep both Lowry and Trent Jr. It's unlikely they can match that short-term value with another move.
Should they spend?&nbsp;Yes &ndash; to re-sign their own talent.
Dallas Mavericks &ndash; Possible Cap Space: approx. $20.5 million
This is not a hot take by any means, but Luka Doncic desperately needs help on both sides of the ball. Dallas has to <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/for-dallas-building-around-luka-doncic-is-only-going-to-get-harder" target="_blank" rel="noopener">make something happen</a> after a pretty tumultuous start to the offseason. They get some space with Tim Hardaway Jr. and J.J. Redick hitting free agency.&nbsp;
While $20 million is not a max slot, it can assuredly net a secondary scorer or prominent 3-and-D player who can take some pressue off of Dallas' franchise cornerstone. The Mavericks should feel the most pressure to spend of any team here. Every season that they underwhelm, the "Free Luka" chants will get louder.
Should they spend?&nbsp;PLEASE Yes.
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Oklahoma City Thunder &ndash; Possible Cap Space: approx. $38 million
Even with Kemba Walker getting $36 million next season, the Thunder are free and clear in cap contexts because their second-largest contract will be the approximately $6 million given to the No. 6 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. That's simply amazing.
OKC should continue to lean on its staple move: taking on bad contracts paired with picks or prospects. The full-scale rebuild is still in effect, though pieces are quickly coming together. There's no need to get sidetracked with spending money when everything is going according to plan. With 11 current players and six picks in the 2021 NBA Draft (three first-rounders and three second-rounders), the roster will fill itself out.
Should they spend?&nbsp;No &ndash; except to take on contracts for young talent.
San Antonio Spurs &ndash; Possible Cap Space: approx. $48 million
San Antonio is at a crossroads unlike any other team. Veterans DeMar DeRozan, Patty Mills and Rudy Gay are unrestricted free agents, and the oldest player currently under contract is now 27-year-old Derrick White. After hanging on the fringes of contention since Kawhi Leonard departed, this feels like a real reset for the Spurs, who now have the <a href="https://www.spotrac.com/nba/san-antonio-spurs/cap/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">youngest roster in the entire NBA</a>.
They should keep things that way. The Western Conference is as loaded as ever and even play-in spots will be a battle. Dejounte Murray, Keldon Johnson and Devin Vassell lead an intruiging young core that still appears well away from the playoffs.
San Antonio has been winning for decades, but they should not shell out larger deals to keep the team afloat when they can focus on developing something bigger long-term.
Should they spend?&nbsp;No.
New York Knicks &ndash; Possible Cap Space: approx. $50 million
New York's playoff berth was <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/roundtable-which-teamplayer-surprised-you-most-this-year" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the biggest surprise of the season</a>, so many people are forgetting that this was supposed to be a youth-focused team. But now that the postseason is the expectation, there's no turning back, and the Knicks have the potential to build out a deep roster without sacrificing young talent.
Assuming New York picks up Julius Randle's team option, they still have a ton of room to add better-fitting parts around Randle, R.J. Barrett, Mitchell Robinson and Immanuel Quickley. The franchise can choose to retain or bypass unrestricted free agents Derrick Rose, Taj Gibson, Nerlens Noel, Elfrid Payton or Alec Burks. They will also be the easiest financial facilitator for any blockbuster trades.&nbsp;
Obviously, they shouldn't get reckless, and unless the perfect storm comes, they shouldn't part with their youth. But otherwise, go crazy, Leon Rose and Scott Perry.
Should they spend?&nbsp;Yes.

Eight NBA teams have an easy path to meaningful cap space this summer. Which franchises should splurge on free agents or trades?

Which NBA teams have cap room this offseason, and should they use it?

Matt Babcock concludes his series by detailing the post-2001 years in Milwaukee and his father's role in finding talent deep in drafts.

Growing up a Buck: From Ray Allen to Giannis, my dad remains in Milwaukee

The NBA still has a long, long way to go as it relates to opportunities being given to Black head coaches, but one thing I can say is that, at least with respect to Brad Stevens and the Boston Celtics, we&rsquo;ve taken a step in the right direction.
Ime Udoka is going to get the opportunity he&rsquo;s been working for, and at the end of the day, that&rsquo;s all that most aspiring coaches &mdash; especially former players &mdash; want.&nbsp;
I know because I am one&hellip; We just want a fair shake. For some, that opportunity never comes. Thankfully, that&rsquo;s not the case this time.
By the time I left Boston after we won the championship in 2008, I was already thinking about what I wanted to do after my playing career ended. The Players' Association was really good about helping us prepare for life after our playing careers ended, and they had separate programs to help players who wanted to go into the media or coaching or management.
For me, and Ime, coaching was the route that we chose.
Now I won&rsquo;t sit up here and act like I was good friends with Ime or anything like that, because that would be disingenuous, but I do have some firsthand experience with him. And I can tell you, straight up, that he&rsquo;s been preparing for this opportunity for a long time.
I know because, about 10 years ago, I was there.
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I first got wind of the NBPA&rsquo;s coaching camps at the University of Virginia from some of the union leaders somewhere around 2010. During the offseason, the NBPA would invite aspiring coaches to the school, where it would host a week-long program specifically designed for those who wanted to lead teams. The union would organize coaches to come in and do workshops with us and give us a bootcamp to teach us how to become effective motivators, as well as introduce us to the hard work and dedication needed to succeed on the bench. It was an eye-opening experience; we had 14-hour days, beginning at 7:30 a.m. and we wouldn&rsquo;t get back to our hotel room until 9:30 p.m...
Some of us have unrealistic expectations about what it takes to be an effective coach. As players, most of the time, once you leave the gym or the training facility or whatever, you have some time to unwind and relax. When you&rsquo;re a coach, though, the work never stops. That&rsquo;s one of the first things I learned at UVA.
There, we&rsquo;d do our own workshops and training sessions before eventually having the opportunity to coach some of the top high-school kids from across the country. They were invited to UVA&rsquo;s campus to participate in the camp and allow us to apply what we learned.
Although it was only a total of about three weeks, my experience at those mini-camps was amazing; it&rsquo;s what helped me get my feet wet and decide that coaching was truly for me. I&rsquo;m pretty sure that Royal Ivey, Jarron Collins and John Lucas III would all say the same thing. Those are just a couple of the other guys I remember working alongside at those camps.
Afterward, I got an opportunity to coach in the D-League (which has since been renamed the G League) and to work under Tyronn Lue in Cleveland. Royal is currently on Steve Nash&rsquo;s staff in Brooklyn, while Jarron got an opportunity with Steve Kerr and the Warriors and John served as an assistant in Minnesota.
There are a lot of other guys from those camps that I don&rsquo;t remember, but there&rsquo;s one more that I do: Ime Udoka.&nbsp;
Ime and I didn&rsquo;t really talk that much, but we stood shoulder-to-shoulder as we tried to absorb everything we could. The one thing that stands out to me more than anything else was us both recognizing that being a great coach would require a lot of time, energy, effort and sacrifice. Obviously, after all these years, he&rsquo;s stuck with it, and now, he&rsquo;s getting the benefit.
That&rsquo;s a big part of why his <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/boston-celtics-to-hire-ime-udoka-as-next-head-coach" target="_blank" rel="noopener">being hired by the Celtics</a> feels good.&nbsp;
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As former players and aspiring coaches, especially former players who are Black, we view a team hiring someone like Ime as a victory for the communities that he represents &mdash; the player community, and the Black-player community.
Us former players know all about competition. As players, we compete against one another, and at the end of the day, the competition doesn&rsquo;t end on the basketball court. Whether you want to go into media, the front office or coaching, you&rsquo;ve got to compete against other guys for a limited number of opportunities. There&rsquo;s just not enough of the cake for everyone to get a slice.&nbsp;
Unfortunately, most of us get passed over way more than anyone would ever know. Some of us put in the work for years and never get a shot. Some of us, like Mark Jackson or Brian Shaw, don&rsquo;t get second chances when it comes to being a head coach.
Meanwhile, we see other coaches getting recycled and getting one opportunity after another. It just makes you wonder.&nbsp;
As it relates specifically to former players, we have to overcome some negative stereotypes about our work ethic, IQ and leadership abilities. Some people assume that players are just &ldquo;dumb jocks&rdquo; and that some of us are lazy and incapable of becoming successful head coaches. It&rsquo;s tough to overcome that.
When you&rsquo;re trying to get your feet wet and learn about coaching, you typically are fed lines about &ldquo;working your way up&rdquo; and &ldquo;working hard&rdquo; and &ldquo;building a resume,&rdquo; but when you constantly see other people jump the line, doubt creeps in. I&rsquo;m sure that, at one point or another, we&rsquo;ve all been there. Is it really the resume and the accomplishments that get you hired? Or do front offices just hire whoever they want because of preexisting relationships?
At the end of the day, it is what it is. If you&rsquo;re hired to run a team as a president or a general manager, you&rsquo;re free to hire whoever you want. That&rsquo;s one of the benefits of the job. But when we continually see qualified people who&rsquo;ve put in the work over the years get passed over for great opportunities, it&rsquo;s discouraging to the entire community.
Fortunately, though, in this case, the opposite happened.
The hiring of Ime Udoka in Boston is uplifting to us all.
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So to Ime, I need to just say: Congratulations, bro. We see you and we&rsquo;re inspired. I know, firsthand, that you put in the work and that you deserve the opportunity to be the head coach of the Boston Celtics. You're someone who worked your way up from the bottom and you haven't taken any shortcuts, so it&rsquo;s great seeing you succeed Brad Stevens.
After a seven-year playing career and nine years as an assistant (including a championship in 2014), this is a well-deserved opportunity, and Brad and the Celtics organization deserve credit for opting for some fresh blood who&rsquo;s paid his dues.
Experience counts, so of course we&rsquo;ll see accomplished coaches switch teams and get multiple opportunities with NBA teams &mdash; Doc Rivers, Dwane Casey and Rick Carlisle, to name a few. But at the same time, the league needs to be just as open-minded about giving former players chances to lead teams.
Patrick Ewing and Juwan Howard both had to go to the NCAA to get a shot, while guys like Sam Cassell have been putting in the work for years, and to no avail.
Fortunately, the same won&rsquo;t be said for Ime Udoka. The league is better for this, even if we still have a long way to go.&nbsp;

James Posey congratulates Ime Udoka and shares why it's a step in the right direction for Black players who aspire to be head coaches.

Celtics hiring Ime Udoka as head coach is step in right direction

Before we know it, the 2021 NBA Draft will be upon us, and it&rsquo;ll be even more of a crapshoot than the last one because NBA scouts have been unable to attend most college games or travel overseas to look at international prospects.
Veteran scouts used to working in packed gyms and arenas are instead poring over grainy game film from overseas and DVR&rsquo;d recordings of college games in order to get the best info they can on the players who will be available on July 29 &ndash; exactly three months from today.
With the 2020-21 NBA season winding down, this is a good time to look back at the 2020 draft and see how each of the first-round picks have panned out.
<ol>
<li>Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves: Either Edwards or LaMelo Ball will win Rookie of the Year, and Edwards probably wouldn&rsquo;t even be in the conversation if Ball had not gone down with an injury. The 19-year-old has increased his field goal percentage and three-point percentages over the course of the month of April, but his scoring has dipped from 24.2 points per game in March to 21.3 in April. His team has won five of seven, including two against the league-leading Jazz. He leads all rookies with 142 threes. (<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/revisiting-the-2020-nba-draft-how-are-firstround-picks-doing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Our Spencer Davies believes Edwards deserves ROY</a>). </li>
<li>James Wiseman, Golden State Warriors: He is out for the season after he had surgery to fix a meniscus injury in his right knee. The recovery time will be months rather than weeks. Wiseman averaged 11.5 points and 5.8 rebounds and showed flashes during his first season. The Dubs will be able to pair him with another top young prospect if Minnesota&rsquo;s pick falls outside of the top three. Golden State acquired it in the D&rsquo;Angelo Russell-Andrew Wiggins trade. It is unprotected the following season. </li>
<li>LaMelo Ball, Charlotte Hornets: He has not played in five weeks, but he is expected back any day after recovering from a broken wrist. He will have only a few days to re-acclimate himself with his teammates, including Malik Monk, whose return from a sprained ankle will coincide with Ball&rsquo;s. The rookie is averaging 15.9 points, 6.1 assists and 5.9 rebounds in just 28.6 minutes per game. </li>
<li>Patrick Williams, Chicago Bulls: He has started all 61 games he has appeared in, but he&rsquo;s averaging only 9.1 points and 4.6 rebounds and has eclipsed the 20-point mark only twice all season. He has reached double figures in points in only one of the Bulls&rsquo; last 11 games, but let&rsquo;s not forget he is only 19 years old &ndash; same as Edwards and Ball. Some 19-year-olds adapt quicker than others. </li>
<li>Isaac Okoro, Cleveland Cavaliers: He has started all 57 games he has played in, but the 20-year-old&rsquo;s numbers are quite pedestrian: 8.5 points, 42.2% from the field, 28.9% from three-point range, 2.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists. He had a season-high 20 points against Toronto on Monday, but went 1-for-8 on threes. He leads all rookies in minutes (31.8). </li>
<li>Onyeka Okongwu, Atlanta Hawks: He was never going to get a ton of run on a roster that already included Clint Capela and John Collins, and he is logging only 11.3 minutes per game. He has reached double figures in points three times and in rebounds once in 41 games. </li>
<li>Killian Hayes, Detroit Pistons: The French-American teenager has been getting consistent minutes this month after recovering from a hip injury (torn labrum) that sidelined him for three months. He has shown a knack for getting steals, but needs to learn how to draw fouls and get to the free throw line. He is 7-for-7 from the line in 10 games this month. </li>
<li>Obi Toppin, New York Knicks: He has appeared in 53 games without a single start and has scored in double figures only three times. But he plays for a coach, Tom Thibodeau, who brings rookies along slowly, and he has shot below 50% in only four of 15 games this month. </li>
<li>Deni Avdija, Washington Wizards: The rookie from Israel is out for the season with a hairline fracture in his ankle after starting 32 of his 54 games. He had been unspectacular, averaging only 6.3 points and making 53 three-pointers. </li>
<li>Jalen Smith, Phoenix Suns: He was sent down to the G-League in February, and he has seen mostly garbage time minutes in his 22 appearances. He&rsquo;s averaging 1.1 points, and he has attempted only three free throws all season (making one). </li>
<li>Devin Vassell, San Antonio Spurs: He has made two starts in 51 appearances and has shown some flashes, but he needs to become more consistent. He has seven double-figure scoring nights, two of which have come in the Spurs&rsquo; past six games. </li>
<li>Tyrese Haliburton, Sacramento Kings: Right now, he has to go down as the steal of the lottery and he&rsquo;s almost certain to finish third in Rookie of the Year voting behind Ball and Edwards. He&rsquo;s averaging 12.8 points and 5.3 assists with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 3.44, ninth-best in the NBA. In 18 games as a starter, he's averaging 14.6 points, 5.8 assists and 1.1 steals. </li>
<li>Kira Lewis, Jr., New Orleans Pelicans: The 20-year-old backs up Lonzo Ball and plays 16.5 minutes per night. He is steady but has had limited opportunities, having gone for 20 points one time. He ranks 12th among rookies in assists with 2.3 per game. </li>
<li>Aaron Nesmith, Boston Celtics: He had his best game of the season on Wednesday in a victory over Charlotte with 15 points, nine rebounds, three steals and three blocks. It was only his fourth double-figure scoring game of the season. He became <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-news-aaron-nesmith-is-first-boston-celtics-rookie-with-15-points-3-steals-and-blocks-since-paul-pierce">the first Celtics rookie to record a 15-3-3 game since Paul Pierce</a> did it in 1998-99. </li>
<li>Cole Anthony, Orlando Magic: He&rsquo;s experiencing trial by fire after the early-season injury to Markelle Fultz, and has improved every month. He is currently on a run of 10 consecutive double-figure scoring games and ranks fourth among rookies in scoring (12.0), third in assists (4.4) and fourth in free throw percentage (81.3%). </li>
<li>Isaiah Stewart, Detroit Pistons: He leads all rookies in rebounds (6.6), field goal percentage (57.4) and blocks (1.15) despite playing only 20.4 minutes per game. A very solid building block for Troy Weaver. </li>
<li>Aleksej Pokusevski, Oklahoma City Thunder: The 19-year-old is second among rookies in blocks per game (1.1) and is getting a lot of run on Sam Presti&rsquo;s rebuilding project, logging 25-plus minutes in 20 of the past 22 games. He&rsquo;s sixth among rookies in rebounding (4.6). </li>
<li>Josh Green, Dallas Mavericks: The Aussie shooting guard gets a little bit of run here and there, but his season-high is 8 points. He&rsquo;s only playing 10.3 minutes per game, but he has started in five games. </li>
<li>Saddiq Bey, Detroit Pistons: He&rsquo;s second among rookies in made three-pointers (139), seventh in scoring (11.3), seventh in three-point percentage (37.7%), second in free throw percentage (87.1%), 12th in rebounding (4.2) and ninth in minutes played (25.8). He might be Detroit&rsquo;s best rookie. </li>
<li>Precious Achiuwa, Miami Heat: He has appeared in 55 games and does not appear among the rookie league leaders in any category except rebounding, where he is 16th with 3.6 boards per game. He&rsquo;s only playing 12.4 minutes per game. </li>
<li>Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers: Maxey is a very solid player who caught everyone&rsquo;s attention on Jan. 9 when he dropped 39 points on Denver, which got Rafael Stone of Houston quite interested and may have kept James Harden from becoming a member of the Sixers. He has made 10 of his last 11 shots in the past two games. He&rsquo;s eighth among rookies in field goal percentage (46.1%). </li>
<li>Zeke Nnaji, Denver Nuggets: He cracked the rotation in February and March, but he hasn&rsquo;t played as much recently on a veteran-laden Nuggets team. He has scored just five points this month. In February, he averaged 5.9 points and 1.3 threes while shooting 46.7% from three. </li>
<li>Leandro Bolmaro, Minnesota Timberwolves: He&rsquo;s having a strong season in the ACB for FC Barcelona, where he is teammates with Pau Gasol and Nikola Mirotic. His coach is Sarunas Jasikevicius. Heck of a draft-and-stash. </li>
<li>R.J. Hampton, Denver Nuggets: He was dealt to Orlando as part of the Aaron Gordon trade, and let&rsquo;s just say he was winning a lot more in Denver. He is playing 23 minutes per night with the Magic and has made one start. With the Magic, he's averaging 8.6 points and 4.0 rebounds in 23.0 minutes. </li>
<li>Immanuel Quickley, New York Knicks: He has captured the imagination of Knicks fans, is fifth among rookies in scoring (11.7) and leads all rookies in free throw percentage (89.5%). He is also fifth among rookies in three-point percentage (38.7%). </li>
<li>Payton Pritchard, Boston Celtics: He has been much more productive than Nesmith. He has appeared in 57 of 63 games, is second among rookies in three-point percentage (41.6%, trailing only Desmond Bane) and he has only missed four free throws all season (in 41 attempts). </li>
<li>Udoka Azubuike, Utah Jazz: He has appeared in only 12 games and has a season-high of 4 points. Rudy Gobert is sort of in his way. </li>
<li>Jaden McDaniels, Minnesota Timberwolves: One of the few people who can say &ldquo;I beat the Jazz twice this season,&rdquo; McDaniels is 20th in scoring (6.8), 15th in rebounding (3.7), third in blocks (0.96) and 10th in three-point percentage (36.6%) among rookies. </li>
<li>Malachi Flynn, Toronto Raptors: One of the league&rsquo;s older rooks (22), he has been tutored by Kyle Lowry and has seen his role increase significantly this month as the team from Tampa plays out the string. He&rsquo;s shooting over 40 percent on threes in April, while taking a bunch of them. </li>
<li>Desmond Bane, Memphis Grizzlies: He leads all rookies in three-point percentage (45.5%), and he is 10th in scoring (9.1) and sixth in field goal percentage (47.1%). He averages 22 minutes for a team that has eight players averaging in double figures.</li>
</ol>
With the condensed schedule, limited practice time and COVID protocols, this season has not been easy for these rookies. Let&rsquo;s hope their sophomore campaign isn&rsquo;t as strange or difficult.

As the 2020 NBA Playoffs approach, some rookies are separating themselves from the pack, writes Chris Sheridan.

Revisiting the 2020 NBA Draft: How are the first-round picks doing?

At the beginning of the 2020-21 NBA campaign, I took a look at how this year's lottery class <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-rookies-lottery-draft-2020-picks-anthony-edwards-james-wiseman-lamelo-ball-patrick-williams-killian-hayes-deni-avdija-tyrese-haliburton-kira-lewis-isaac-okoro-jalen-smith-devin-vassell-aaron-nesmith" target="_blank" rel="noopener">began their individual seasons</a>.
Players aren&rsquo;t expected to grasp every concept and adjust to the physicality of the league right away, so the first season is where mistakes are made, where roles change and minutes aren&rsquo;t guaranteed (*ahem* Malachi Flynn).
Regardless, it&rsquo;s a good time to recognize strengths and take some risky bets on a rookie&rsquo;s future successes.
Simply put, it&rsquo;s no longer too early to note the 2020 lottery picks who have already begun to find their NBA identity, so here&rsquo;s a list of five players doing quite well in their roles as freshmen, or, at least as well as one can do under the circumstances of this unpredictable, first-of-its-kind season.&nbsp;&nbsp;
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Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves, No. 1 overall pick Stats: 16.4 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.5 assists per game
Okay, so that Edwards dunk on the Toronto Raptors&rsquo; precious Yuta Watanabe has been immortalized. In the initial article where I took a look at how the rookies were adjusting to playing NBA basketball, I wondered whether Edwards&rsquo; charisma and charm would bleed its way onto the court, and I&rsquo;m delighted to confirm that it has.
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"I&rsquo;d rather get dunked on than give up an easy two points by missing it." Yuta Watanabe isn't dwelling on that Anthony Edwards poster dunk. <a href="https://t.co/ipKPiiwOVH">pic.twitter.com/ipKPiiwOVH</a>
&mdash; NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNNBA/status/1367630669304778766?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 5, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Edwards is already looking to be a poised, bonafide scorer and has already endeared himself to NBA viewers and players alike, who frequently praise his highlights and postgame interviews. There&rsquo;s no doubt greater efficiency will come along with reps -- he&rsquo;s shooting just 38.5% from the field. But in spite of those numbers, the Timberwolves should be pleased with the assertiveness Edwards&rsquo; 15.6 field goal attempts per game represent. It&rsquo;s tough to teach that kind of confidence.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
James Wiseman, Golden State Warriors, No. 2 overall pick Stats: 11.8 points, six rebounds, 0.6 assists per game
I can&rsquo;t think of a stranger scenario for a top prospect to end up in.
Due to injuries that decimated the Warriors&rsquo; roster for the 2019-2020 season, the tank that followed has led to a perennial NBA Finals contender landing the second pick of the draft. For Wiseman, that means entering a dynastic system that employs a superstar like Steph Curry and the championship aspirations that come with it. Because of the franchise&rsquo;s goals, Wiseman&rsquo;s flaws and drafting have been ruthlessly scrutinized since the season began. But for his sake, let&rsquo;s remove these caveats and judge his play alone.
One thing I&rsquo;ve already come to enjoy is Wiseman&rsquo;s understanding of his role, when rolling to the basket.
His agility needs to improve since his build has the potential to give the Warriors a lot of defensive versatility, but for a big man, cleaning up his ball handling and finishing lobs goes a long way. It isn&rsquo;t where his development will end, though finding some strength and using his athleticism early is a great start.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
LaMelo Ball, Charlotte Hornets, No. 3 overall pick Stats: 15.7 points, 5.9 rebounds, 6.2 assists per game
So who doesn&rsquo;t love the Hornets? Who doesn&rsquo;t love LaMelo&rsquo;s funky strides and funkier passes? Who doesn&rsquo;t love their panicky home team commentators and the visceral, unabashed joy in his wails? Who doesn&rsquo;t love Scary Terry and the Gordon Hayward memes that come with any political unrest? I do, and you should too!
There was some shock when Ball wasn&rsquo;t selected with the first pick, with discourse about whether teams should draft according to &ldquo;fit&rdquo; versus &ldquo;best available guy&rdquo; flooding feeds everywhere.
It&rsquo;s too early to say whether the shock was warranted, and either way, LaMelo has eased his way into the league and has made his NBL professional experience obvious (only took him a few months to tune up his lower body shooting from). The ability to elevate team play, confuse opposing defenses and instill confidence in lineups is every trait you want to see in a lottery point guard. One thing to note is his decent defensive instinct. LaMelo still has ways to go, but an ability to cut off passing lanes &ndash; evidenced in his 1.6 steals per game -- is interesting indeed for a 6-foot-6 point guard.&nbsp;&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Patrick Williams, Chicago Bulls, No. 4 overall pick Stats: 9.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.3 assists per game
It&rsquo;s hard for me to talk about Patrick Williams without mentioning that his video for the e-draft featured a segment detailing his job delivering flowers for his mother&rsquo;s florist business, but I&rsquo;ll try.
It&rsquo;s tough to find a niche on a team searching for an identity, which Chicago is. Williams has, though, and that&rsquo;s a testament to his steadiness. Having across-the-board efficiency with such low usage is no small feat. Gaining a power forward with a good shot would be an awesome addition for the Bulls and with reps, it&rsquo;s reasonable to think that Williams will be more than capable to build on the potential he&rsquo;s been flashing.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Tyrese Haliburton, Sacramento Kings, No. 12 overall pick Stats: 12.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 5.2 assists per game
Haliburton has become a favorite of mine among the rookies this season.
If there is a formula, &ldquo;first year players that execute like a veteran on the court&rdquo; is probably the easiest indication of future success. Already a 42.3% three-point shooter (on a significant amount of attempts), Haliburton has a knack for draining long-range shots. Paired with his 5.2 assists (against just 1.5 turnovers) in a secondary role while playing less than 30 minutes a game? The possibilities for him are endless.
At 6-foot 5, his rebounding should improve, and with the confidence Haliburton already has in excess, it&rsquo;s exciting to think of how he&rsquo;ll use his positional height advantage.
Stylistically, the Sacramento Kings have an awesome contrast between him and De&rsquo;Aaron Fox. With more time alongside one another, they can act as backcourt puzzle pieces that give plenty of playmaking and pace versatility for the Kings&rsquo; offense.
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The 2020 rookie class has been somewhat impressive thus far, including some who were drafted outside of the lottery. But so far, these five are my favorites.

Yasmin Duale checks in on the progress of her five favorite lottery picks from the 2020 NBA rookie class.

A.J.