Toronto Raptors

Today, the NBA and FIBA announced 80 of the top high-school-age prospects from across Africa who will participate in the 19th edition of Basketball Without Borders (BWB) Africa, which will be held July 28-31 at the American International School of Johannesburg (AISJ) in South Africa.
BWB Africa 2023 will bring together 80 boys and girls from more than 25 African countries &ndash; including 19 NBA Academy Africa and NBA Academy Women&rsquo;s Camp Africa 2022 prospects &ndash; to learn directly from current and former NBA, WNBA and FIBA players, legends and coaches and compete alongside their peers from across the continent.&nbsp;
The campers will be coached by two-time NBA All-Star Bam Adebayo (Miami Heat; U.S.; ties to Nigeria), 2022 NBA All-Star Darius Garland (Cleveland Cavaliers; U.S.), 2022 NBA champion Jonathan Kuminga (Golden State Warriors; Democratic Republic of the Congo) and Jalen Suggs (Orlando Magic; U.S.).
Five current and former NBA head coaches will also serve as BWB Africa 2023 coaches: Cavaliers head coach J.B. Bickerstaff; two-time NBA Coach of the Year, Nigeria Men&rsquo;s National Team head coach and Sacramento Kings head coach Mike Brown; 2018 NBA Coach of the Year Dwane Casey (most recently with the Detroit Pistons); Los Angeles Lakers head coach Darvin Ham; and veteran NBA coach Dave Joerger (most recently with the Philadelphia 76ers).
Several former NBA and WNBA players will also serve as BWB Africa 2023 coaches, including 2015 FIBA AfroBasket champion Olumide Oyedeji (Nigeria), 2011 NBA champion Ian Mahinmi (France; ties Benin), former NBA player and Basketball Africa League Head of League Operations Ruben Boumtje-Boumtje (Cameroon), former NBA player Tacko Fall (Senegal), 2003 WNBA champion Astou Ndiaye (Senegal), two-time WNBA champion Taj McWilliams-Franklin, four-time WNBA champion Sheryl Swoopes and Mozambique basketball legend Clarisse Machanguana.&nbsp;
Toronto Raptors Vice-Chairman, Team President and Alternate NBA Governor Masai Ujiri; New Orleans Pelicans Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations David Griffin; and Portland Trail Blazers Assistant General Manager Mike Schmitz will serve as camp directors, while David Crewe and Frank Adams (Phoenix Suns) will serve as the camp&rsquo;s athletic trainers.
The players and coaches will lead the campers through a variety of activities, including movement efficiency drills, offensive and defensive skill stations, three-point contests, 5-on-5 games, and life skills and leadership development sessions.&nbsp;&nbsp;A ceremony on the final day of the camp will award the Kim Bohuny Camp MVP, the Patrick Baumann Sportsmanship Award, the B.J. Johnson Most Improved Player Award, the Three-Point Champion and the Defensive MVP to the boys and girls who distinguish themselves on the court and as leaders.
As part of the camp, NBA players and coaches will also participate in several community outreach initiatives around Johannesburg, including a hospital visit and a Her Time to Play seminar for the female campers on July 28, and a court unveiling in the Alexandra Township on Saturday, July 29.&nbsp; In addition, BWB Africa 2023 coaches will lead a development clinic for local coaches at AISJ on July 30.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Also on July 29, select&nbsp;NBA players&nbsp;will visit the NBA Store at Sandton City Mall in Johannesburg and engage with fans.
BWB Africa 2023 will be supported by Nike, a global partner of BWB since 2002, which will outfit participants with Nike apparel and footwear, and Gatorade, which will keep players and coaches hydrated throughout the camp.
BWB has reached more than 4,100 participants from 136 countries and territories since 2001, with 112 former campers advancing to the NBA or WNBA.&nbsp; The NBA and FIBA have staged 70 BWB camps in 47 cities across 32 countries on six continents.
The following is a complete list of players participating in the 19th&nbsp;BWB Africa camp (rosters subject to change):
&nbsp;
<table style="width: 447px;" width="447">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 403px;" colspan="2">
GIRLS
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Name
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Country
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Ines Bellahmer
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Algeria
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Filomena Luis
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Angola
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Guigma Sadia
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Burkina Faso
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Gisele Kipo*
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Cameroon
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Hannah Dibadjou
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Cameroon
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Salma Khedr*
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Egypt
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Leila El Sanadily
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Egypt
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Aisha Hassan
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Egypt
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Lucie Mounganga
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Gabon
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Fatoumata Sylla
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Guinea
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Roseline Ooko
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Kenya
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Harena Randriamasimanana
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Madagascar
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Fitahiana Ratsimason
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Madagascar
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Joanie Rakotonanahary
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Madagascar
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Fatoumata Samake*
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Mali
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Oumou Soumare
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Mali
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Aya El Kallali*
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Morocco
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Albertina Matsinhe*
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Mozambique
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Bata Lurdes*
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Mozambique
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Shanaya Matusse*
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Mozambique
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Joy Biribebe
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Nigeria
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Benitha Ngarambe
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Rwanda
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Jane Dusabe
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Rwanda
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Fatou Sima
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Senegal
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Marie Diouf
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Senegal
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Ndickou Matar Diop*
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Senegal
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Tacko Sy
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Senegal
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Sheriffa Rahman
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Sierra Leone
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Onnetse Molokwame
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
South Africa
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Luhle Ndaba
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
South Africa
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Reneilwe Motebele
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
South Africa
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Susan Peter
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
South Sudan
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Asunta Ring
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
South Sudan
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Nawasa Lazaro
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Tanzania
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Ibouanga Moussounda
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Togo
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Arwa Ghorbel*
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Tunisia
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Eya Nasri
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Tunisia
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Afef Bengoula
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Tunisia
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Christine Namyalo
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Uganda
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 191px;">
Immaculate Adongpiny
</td>
<td style="width: 212px;">
Uganda
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
*Participated in NBA Academy Women&rsquo;s Camp Africa 2022
&nbsp;
<table width="447">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 418.75px;" colspan="2" width="447">
BOYS
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Name
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Country
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Aginaldo Neto*
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Angola
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Manuel Camboma*
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Angola
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Inacio Anatoli Da Silva
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Angola
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Claudino Capangaa
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Angola
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Sansao Wika
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Angola
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Philippe Ntungicimpaye
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Burundi
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Arnold Eyadi Kenfack
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Cameroon
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Hermann Bel Gassina
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Cameroon
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Chris Naguidebe
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Central African Republic
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Tahir Doungous*
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Chad
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Zie Cheikh Conde
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
C&ocirc;te d&rsquo;Ivoire
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Tarek Khairy
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Egypt
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Ahmed Nedale
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Egypt
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Karim El Gizawi
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Egypt
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Courage Agbekpornu
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Ghana
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Kiggundu Austin Omondi
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Kenya
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Chouhaybou Keita
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Mali
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Mahamadou Konate
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Mali
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Hamza Bechchar
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Morocco
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Bolaji Oderinlo
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Nigeria
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Sultan Baruwa
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Nigeria
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Ibrahim Dan-Mutum
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Nigeria
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Jonah Precious
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Nigeria
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Ezekiel Obe*
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Nigeria
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Andre Bonazebi
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Republic of Congo
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Jude Fred Nkouka Silaho
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Republic of Congo
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Khadim Mboup*
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Senegal
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Assane Mandian*
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Senegal
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Yakhya Diop*
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Senegal
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Amar Diop*
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Senegal
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Mouhamed Camara
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Senegal
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Siyanda Radebe
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
South Africa
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Gilchrist Storm
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
South Africa
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Khaman Maluach*
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
South Sudan
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Moses Marial Mandiria
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
South Sudan
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Bol Wieu Mou Thet
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
South Sudan
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Lual Deng Lual Aguek
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
South Sudan
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Rayen Rouissi
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Tunisia
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Amen Hammi
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Tunisia
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 197.167px;" width="208">
Liberty Fusire*
</td>
<td style="width: 221.583px;" width="239">
Zimbabwe
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
*NBA Academy Africa prospect

Bam Adebayo, Darius Garland, Jonathan Kuminga and Jalen Suggs will coach 80 top high-school-age prospects from across Africa.

Adebayo, Garland, Kuminga, Suggs to coach prospects at BWB Africa 2023

The NBA announced that 242 players have filed as early-entry candidates for the 2023 NBA Draft. Here is the complete list.

NBA announces 242 early-entry candidates for 2023 NBA Draft

Rudy Gobert had 22 points and 21 rebounds, and the Utah Jazz clinched a playoff berth with a 121-115 overtime victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday night.
Jordan Clarkson also finished with 22 points for Utah. Donovan Mitchell added 20 points, eight rebounds, and five assists. Hassan Whiteside tallied 14 points and 10 boards off the bench.
Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 28 points for the Grizzlies. Tyus Jones added 24 points and Desmond Bane had 23 points, seven rebounds and four steals.
Memphis played without its top two scorers. Ja Morant (right knee soreness) and Dillon Brooks (right hip soreness) were both inactive. The same injury has sidelined Morant since mid-March. Their absence didn&rsquo;t stop the Grizzlies from producing big baskets as the fourth quarter wound down.
Jackson made a pair of 3-pointers in the final minute of regulation and Kyle Anderson put back Bane&rsquo;s airball on a 3-pointer before the buzzer to force overtime. Mitchell went 1 for 2 from the free throw line with 5.6 seconds on the clock and the Jazz leading 109-108.
Utah went ahead for good when Mitchell and Gobert scored on back-to-back possessions to help the Jazz carve out a 119-113 lead. Memphis was held without a basket for four minutes in overtime.
Utah built a 30-19 lead a minute into the second quarter after Clarkson and Mike Conley capped a 10-1 run with back-to-back 3s.
Memphis erased the double-digit deficit right before halftime. The Grizzlies tied it on a corner 3 from Bane and took a 50-48 lead on a pair of free throws from Jackson with 7.2 seconds left in the half.
Bane scored four baskets in 3 &frac12; minutes after halftime to help propel Memphis to a 68-57 lead. The second-year guard had 12 points in the third quarter alone. With Bane leading the way, the Grizzlies made six of their first nine shots in the second half.
Utah surged back ahead 91-83 early in the fourth quarter behind a 21-7 run fueled by three baskets and three assists from Clarkson. Danuel House, Jr. capped the surge with a four-point play and an alley-oop dunk.
TIP INS
Grizzlies: Jackson finished with three blocks, passing Pau Gasol for the franchise single-season record. Jackson has totaled an NBA-best 172 blocks this season. &hellip; Steven Adams led Memphis in rebounds (13) and assists (8). Adams&rsquo; assist total matched his season high.
Jazz: Clarkson beat the first-quarter buzzer with a reverse backdoor layup and Gobert beat the halftime buzzer with an alley-oop dunk. &hellip; Rudy Gay returned to Utah&rsquo;s rotation after recording a DNP-CD in back-to-back games. Gay played 13 minutes and finished with two points on 1-of-4 shooting. &hellip; Conley had a team-high eight assists.
UP NEXT
Grizzlies: Visit the Denver Nuggets on Thursday.
Jazz: Host the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday.

Rudy Gobert had 22 points and 21 rebounds, and the Jazz clinched a playoff berth with a 121-115 overtime victory over the Grizzlies.

Jazz clinch playoff spot with 121-115 OT win over Grizzlies

I've never fully understood how to weight rebounding proficiency in the general sphere of NBA skills.
Rebounding is logically coveted by teams. Boards extend possessions on offense and flip possessions on defense. At the most fundamental level possible, a rebound equals another opportunity to score.
Yet, individual rebounding doesn't seem to be a base skill for stardom. Hassan Whiteside led the NBA with 14.8 rebounds per game five years ago, yet has bordered on the fringe of rotations in recent seasons. Andre Drummond paced the league in rebounding for three straight years, but was ultimately bought out by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2020-21.&nbsp;
What does it mean to be "good" at rebounding, and how much does individual rebounding ultimately matter? I don't know the final answer, but I dug into some stats to try and highlight how proficient glass-cleaners could be identified.
The NBA uses Second Spectrum tracking data to identify <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/help/glossary/#fifteen_top_key" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rebound chances</a>, which occur when a player is "the closest player to the ball at any point in time between when the ball has crossed below the rim to when it is fully rebounded." With this, you can then find the rate players grab rebounds from those chances, and even remove the results when a chance is deferred to a teammate &mdash; ultimately arriving at a state called Adjusted Rebound Chance percentage. Here are the NBA leaders to date on a decent volume of chances (min. 30 games played, 10.0 chances per game):
<ol>
<li> Luka Doncic - 72.1% (13.7 chances per game)</li>
<li>Jayson Tatum - 70.8% (12.7 chances per game)</li>
<li>Andre Drummond - 70.0% (13.3 chances per game)</li>
<li>Giannis Antetokounmpo - 69.5% (17.4 chances per game)</li>
<li>Marvin Bagley III - 69.4% (10.8 chances per game)</li>
</ol>
These numbers can also be separated by offensive and defensive rebounds. We actually posted some leaders earlier this week, and I found the names incredibly interesting:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
These guys are crashing the glass hard 💪 any surprises? <a href="https://t.co/ht3w7ZaHzD">pic.twitter.com/ht3w7ZaHzD</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1496147145094844429?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 22, 2022</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Going back to the first set of leaders &mdash; was it surprising to find Doncic and Tatum atop the list? Both grab over 8 boards per game, but neither are considered among the game's greatest glass-cleaners. They've done a great job with their chances this season; however, their chances appear to be much easier.&nbsp;
Contested rebounds happen where the nearest opponent is within 3.5 feet of the rebounder. Less than 25% of Doncic and Tatum's rebounds are contested. That's far less than some of the top interior paint presences; Mitchell Robinson, for example, has a whopping 61.7% of his rebounds listed as contested.
On an offhand search through the data, a 40% contested-rebound rate seems to be a fair baseline for a challenging workload. These are the Adjusted Rebound Chance percentage leaders with that additional filter applied.
<ol>
<li>Andre Drummond - 70.0% (13.3 chances per game)</li>
<li>Marvin Bagley III - 69.4% (10.8 chances per game)</li>
<li>Nikola Jokic - 69.3% (21.2 chances per game)</li>
<li>Nikola Vucevic - 68.2% (18.4 chances per game)</li>
<li>Kevin Love - 67.6% (11.8 chances per game)</li>
</ol>
There's one more stat in the NBA database worth exploring: box-outs. The league actually tracks this itself (unclear on the accuracy here) and describes it as such:
"A player made physical contact with an opponent who was actively pursuing a rebound, showed visible progress or strong effort in disadvantaging the opponent, and successfully prevented that opponent from securing the rebound."
Box-outs imply that more effort went into maneuvering in front of an opponent and sealing them off to get a rebound versus flying in for one. Most rebounds don't come via a textbook box-out as the site tracks. But some of the league's top board-getters are the best at boxing out for rebounds. Five players corrall over 2 rebounds per game via an NBA-tracked box out:
<ol>
<li>Jonas Valanciunas - 2.4 rebounds (3.9 box outs)</li>
<li>Rudy Gobert - 2.3 rebounds (3.4 box outs)</li>
<li>(tie) Nikola Jokic - 2.1 rebounds (3.3 box outs)</li>
<li>(tie) Steven Adams - 2.1 rebounds (3.8 box outs)</li>
<li>Mitchell Robinson - 2.0 rebounds (3.7 box outs)</li>
</ol>
Boxing out and getting individual rebounds ultimately doesn't correlate to overall team success. But it's assuredly a good tool to have. Some squads &mdash; like the Memphis Grizzlies, New York Knicks and Utah Jazz &mdash; thrive on second-chance points. Others &mdash; like the Dallas Mavericks, Chicago Bulls and Philadelphia 76ers &mdash; don't need them to be playoff contenders. Like most of the NBA, it comes down to fit and approach.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
I'd like to highlight two players who appeared briefly on these leaderboard snapshots, but post some exciting numbers. Robert Williams III pulls down 67.3% of his adjusted-rebound chances, ranking near the top, while his contested-rebound percentage is also a considerably difficult 52.0%. The Boston Celtics have long searched for a player who can rebound while defending at a high level, and the young centers seems to have finally plugged the hole.
Brooklyn Nets rookie Day'Ron Sharpe has also shown rebound promise in limited action. Keeping a small sample size (373 minutes) in mind, Sharpe is averaging 4.8 box outs per 36 minutes, which puts him in the upper tier of the leaders. Over 61% of his boards are contested and he's averaging 5.1 rebounds in just 12.4 minutes per game this season. With Sharpe on the rise and Drummond in the fold, Brooklyn has players who can clean up on the glass.
THE OUTLIERS (a.k.a. other random interesting numbers I find in the void):
<ul>
<li>I highly recommend you read <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-most-volatile-scorers-in-basketball-right-now" target="_blank" rel="noopener">this exploration from Mat Issa</a>, who attempted to pin down the most volatile scorers in the league this season.</li>
<li>Mikal Bridges is averaging 19.4 points per game on a 70.6% True Shooting percentage while doubling his free-throw rate over the past 11 games. <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/mikal-bridges-leap-offensively-is-vital-for-the-phoenix-suns" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jackson Frank has more</a> on his offensive surge.</li>
<li>Tom Bassine made a super interesting thread charting how teams succeed in different playtype clusters. Definitely take a look at his full work on Twitter here:</li>
</ul>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Here is how these clusters look when you stack the offenses from best to worst. Lots of PnR heavy attacks at the top! <a href="https://t.co/louLqNHpDT">https://t.co/louLqNHpDT</a> <a href="https://t.co/VsZmJC2M6v">pic.twitter.com/VsZmJC2M6v</a>
&mdash; Tom Bassine (@tvbassine) <a href="https://twitter.com/tvbassine/status/1495887838323552256?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 21, 2022</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!

Ethan Fuller looks at NBA tracking data to discern how the league's best rebounders pull down their boards.

Stats Notebook: What can data tell us about the NBA's best rebounders?

After rolling out my<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/ranking-the-top-150-nba-players-for-fantasy-basketball-in-2021-22" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Top-150 NBA Fantasy overall rankings</a> last week, I have broken down each position into tiers.
It is important to state that these rankings are based on a nine-category roto format (points, assists, rebounds, steals, blocks, three-pointers, field goal percentage, free-throw percentage and turnovers). Also, please note position eligibility is based on Yahoo&rsquo;s fantasy settings and, as a result, many players qualify at multiple positions.
Guards
The two biggest question marks among all guards reside in Philadelphia and Brooklyn. Ben Simmons has (awkwardly) returned to Sixers, but it is still unclear whether Big Ben plans to "merely report to the team or truly rejoin the team," <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/ben-simmons-arrives-in-philly-takes-covid19-test" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN</a>. Thus, Simmons is arguably the biggest boom-or-bust fantasy pick in the NBA this season.
Irving, on the other hand, is <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/itll-be-difficult-for-kyrie-and-the-nets-to-come-back-from-this" target="_blank" rel="noopener">persona non grata in the borough of Brooklyn</a>. Although Kyrie is eligible to participate in the Nets' away games, Brooklyn general manager Sean Marks said Tuesday that Irving will not be allowed to play or practice with the team at all until he gets vaccinated. &ldquo;He has a choice to make, and he made his choice,&rdquo; Marks <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nets-say-kyrie-irving-cant-play-or-practice-with-team-while-unvaccinated" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told reporters Tuesday</a>. &ldquo;And my job here is to make what we deem is the best choices for the organization moving ahead and as a whole.&rdquo; There is certainly still a chance Irving gets his jab and is cleared to play, but it&rsquo;s too much of a risk to roll the dice until late in the draft, in my opinion.
Tier 1: James Harden PG, SG (BKN)&nbsp; Luka Doncic PG, SG (DAL) Stephen Curry PG, SG (GSW) Damian Lillard PG (POR)
Tier 2: Bradley Beal SG, SF (WAS) Trae Young PG (ATL) Jimmy Butler SF, PF, SG (MIA) LeBron James PG, SG, SF, PF (LAL)
Tier 3: Fred VanVleet PG, SG (TOR) Shai Gilgeous-Alexander PG, SG (OKC)
Tier 4: Jrue Holiday PG, SG (MIL) Chris Paul PG (PHO) &nbsp; Zach LaVine SG, SF (CHI) Donovan Mitchell PG, SG (UTAH)
Tier 5: Khris Middleton SF, PF, SG (MIL) Jaylen Brown SG, SF (BOS) De'Aaron Fox PG (SAC)&nbsp; Devin Booker SG, SF, PG (PHO)
Tier 6: LaMelo Ball PG, SG (CHA) CJ McCollum PG, SG (POR) Russell Westbrook PG (LAL) Kevin Porter Jr. SG, SF, PG (HOU)&nbsp; Dejounte Murray PG, SG (SAS) Malcolm Brogdon PG, SG (IND)&nbsp; Terry Rozier PG, SG (CHA)
Tier 7: Mikal Bridges SG, SF (PHO) Lonzo Ball PG, SG (CHI) Gordon Hayward SG, SF (CHA) Ja Morant PG (MEM) Bogdan Bogdanovic SF, PF, SG (ATL) Darius Garland PG, SG (CLE) Anthony Edwards SG, SF (MIN) DeMar DeRozan SF, PF, SG (CHI) Kyle Lowry PG (MIA) Tyrese Haliburton PG, SG (SAC) Derrick White PG, SG (SAS)
Tier 8: Mike Conley PG (UTAH) Jalen Suggs PG, SG (ORL) Spencer Dinwiddie PG, SG (WAS) Cade Cunningham PG, SG (DET) Ben Simmons PG (PHI) Caris LeVert SG, SF (IND) D&rsquo;Angelo Russell PG, SG (MIN) Collin Sexton PG, SG (CLE) Marcus Smart PG, SG (BOS) Jordan Poole PG, SG (GSW)&nbsp;
Tier 9: Andrew Wiggins SG, SF (GSW)&nbsp; Nickeil Alexander-Walker SG, SF, PG (NOP) Devonte&rsquo; Graham PG, SG (NOP) Evan Fournier SG, SF (NYK) Buddy Hield SG, SF (SAC) Norman Powell SG, SF (POR) Kemba Walker PG (NYK) RJ Barrett SG, SF (NYK) Reggie Jackson PG, SG (LAC) Dennis Schroder PG (BOS) Jordan Clarkson PG, SG (UTAH) Joe Ingles SG, SF, PF (UTAH) Joe Harris SG, SF (BKN)&nbsp; Malik Beasley PG, SG, SF (MIN) Kyrie Irving PG, SG (BKN)&nbsp;
Tier 10:&nbsp; De&rsquo;Anthony Melton PG, SG (MEM) Jalen Green SG (HOU) Klay Thompson SG, SF (GSW) Dillon Brooks SG, SF (MEM) Matisse Thybulle SG, SF (PHI) T.J. McConnell PG, SG (IND) Derrick Rose PG, SG (NYK) Tim Hardaway Jr. SG, SF (DAL) Kelly Oubre Jr. SG, SF, PF (CHA) Eric Bledsoe PG, SG (LAC) Kevin Huerter SG, SF (ATL) Josh Giddey PG, SG, SF (OKC) Tyrese Maxey PG, SG (PHI)
Forwards
Looking for a potential sleeper at forward? I&rsquo;d suggest highlighting Pascal Siakam or Evan Mobley on your cheat sheet.&nbsp;
After a phenomenal 2019-20 campaign, in which he was named to the All-NBA Second Team, Siakam failed to live up to expectations last season; his scoring average, three-point makes and effective field goal percentage all decreased. In addition, Pascal is still working his way back from surgery on a torn labrum, which has forced his ADP (Average Draft Position) to plummet. However, earlier this week, Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse said his star forward has been &ldquo;going 100%&rdquo; without contact for about 4-6 weeks, and could return later this month.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Evan Mobley is going to be a special defender in the NBA. GMs believe that Mobley will be the best player from his draft class in five years 👀 (🎥 <a href="https://twitter.com/Mike_Schmitz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Mike_Schmitz</a>) <a href="https://t.co/iPiaabn2Gu">pic.twitter.com/iPiaabn2Gu</a>
&mdash; NBA Central (@TheNBACentral) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheNBACentral/status/1446161049753882629?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 7, 2021</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Mobley&rsquo;s stock is soaring after impressive performances and extended usage for the Cleveland Cavaliers in the preseason (he&rsquo;s leading his team in playing time, logging 28.4 minutes per game). Mr. Mobley is probably worth the gamble, as his upside is emarkably enticing.&nbsp;
Tier 1: Nikola Jokic PF, C (DEN)
Tier 2: Jayson Tatum SF, PF (BOS) Giannis Antetokounmpo PF, C (MIL) Kevin Durant SF, PF (BKN) Joel Embiid PF, C (PHI) Anthony Davis PF, C (LAL)&nbsp; Bradley Beal SG, SF (WAS) Paul George SF, PF, SG (LAC)
Tier 3: Jimmy Butler SF, PF, SG (MIA) LeBron James PG, SG, SF, PF (LAL) Domantas Sabonis PF, C (IND) Bam Adebayo PF, C (MIA) Michael Porter Jr. SF, PF (DEN Zach LaVine SG, SF (CHI)
Tier 4: Khris Middleton SF, PF, SG (MIL) Jaylen Brown SG, SF (BOS) Julius Randle PF, C (NYK) Devin Booker SG, SF, PG (PHO) Myles Turner PF, C (IND) OG Anunoby SF, PF (TOR)&nbsp; Tobias Harris SF, PF (PHI)
Tier 5: Richaun Holmes PF, C (SAC) Brandon Ingram SF, PF (NOP) Christian Wood PF, C (HOU) Kristaps Porzingis PF, C (DAL) John Collins PF, C (ATL) Kevin Porter Jr. SG, SF, PG (HOU)&nbsp; Zion Williamson PF (NOP)
Tier 6: Pascal Siakam PF, C (TOR) Mikal Bridges SG, SF (PHO) Jaren Jackson Jr. PF, C (MEM) Chris Boucher PF, C (TOR) Gordon Hayward SG, SF (CHA) Bogdan Bogdanovic SF, PF, SG (ATL) Anthony Edwards SG, SF (MIN) DeMar DeRozan SF, PF, SG (CHI) Robert Williams III C, PF (BOS)
Tier 7: Draymond Green PF, C (GSW) Jerami Grant SF, PF (DET) Caris LeVert SG, SF (IND) Robert Covington PF, C, SF (POR) Miles Bridges SF, PF (CHA) Kelly Olynyk PF, C (DET) Buddy Hield SG, SF (SAC)&nbsp; Isaiah Stewart PF, C (DET) Andrew Wiggins SG, SF (GSW)&nbsp;
Tier 8: Nickeil Alexander-Walker SG, SF, PG (NOP) Evan Fournier SG, SF (NYK) P.J. Washington PF, C (CHA) Norman Powell SG, SF (POR) Kyle Anderson SF, PF (MEM) Jonathan Isaac SF, PF (ORL) Evan Mobley C, PF (CLE) Larry Nance Jr. PF, C (POR) Harrison Barnes SF, PF (SAC) Mason Plumlee PF, C (CHA) Bobby Portis Jr. PF, C (MIL) De&rsquo;Andre Hunter SF, PF (ATL) Daniel Gafford C, PF (WAS)
Tier 9: Thaddeus Young PF, C, SF (SAS) Joe Ingles SG, SF, PF (UTAH) Lauri Markkanen PF, C (CLE) Joe Harris SG, SF (BKN)&nbsp; Keldon Johnson SF, PF (SAS) Malik Beasley PG, SG, SF (MIN) T.J. Warren SF, PF (IND) Jae'Sean Tate SF, PF (HOU) Daniel Theis PF, C (HOU) Brandon Clarke PF, C (MEM) Saddiq Bey SF (DET)\ Klay Thompson SG, SF (GSW) Derrick Favors C, PF (OKC) Al Horford PF, C (BOS)
Tier 10: Kyle Kuzma SF, PF (WAS) Matisse Thybulle SG, SF (PHI) Nicolas Batum SF, PF, SG (LAC) Derrick Rose PG, SG (NYK) Marcus Morris Sr. PF, C, SF (LAC) Dillon Brooks SG, SF (MEM) Alperen Sengun PF, C (HOU) Tim Hardaway Jr. SG, SF (DAL) Montrezl Harrell PF, C (WAS) Kelly Oubre Jr. SG, SF, PF (CHA) Nerlens Noel PF, C (NYK)&nbsp; Isaiah Roby C, PF (OKC) Kevin Huerter SG, SF (ATL) Khem Birch PF, C (TOR) Aaron Gordon SF, PF (DEN)
Centers
Centers take on added importance in fantasy hoops due to the scarcity. That&rsquo;s part of the reason why Jokic is viewed as the near-unanimous top overall selection in drafts this year.&nbsp;
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Last season, Jokic authored a season for the ages. Not only did he score a career-high 26.4 points and rip down 10.8 rebounds per game, but he also dished out an average of 8.3 dimes each night, joining Russell Westbrook and Oscar Robertson as the only players in NBA history to average at least 25 points, 10 boards and 8 assists over a season. Incredibly, Jokic tallied a total of 599 assists in 2020-21, which was the third-most in the entire league. Wilt Chamberlain, who led the NBA with 8.6 APG in 1967-68, is the only center to post a higher assist-average over a full season. As a fantasy cherry on top, the Joker proved incredibly durable, appearing in every game last season.
Tier 1: Nikola Jokic PF, C (DEN)
Tier 2: Karl-Anthony Towns C (MIN)
Tier 3: Giannis Antetokounmpo PF, C&nbsp; Joel Embiid PF, C (PHI) Anthony Davis PF, C (LAL)
Tier 4: Nikola Vucevic C (CHI) Domantas Sabonis PF, C (IND) Bam Adebayo PF, C (MIA) Rudy Gobert C (UTAH)
Tier 5: Myles Turner PF, C (IND) Clint Capela C (ATL) Julius Randle PF, C (NYK) Richaun Holmes PF, C (SAC) Deandre Ayton C (PHO) Christian Wood PF, C (HOU)&nbsp; Kristaps Porzingis PF, C (DAL) John Collins PF, C (ATL)
Tier 6: Jaren Jackson Jr. PF, C (MEM) Jusuf Nurkic C (POR) Pascal Siakam PF, C (TOR) Chris Boucher PF, C (TOR)&nbsp; Robert Williams III C, PF (BOS) Jonas Valanciunas C (NOP) Draymond Green PF, C (GSW) Robert Covington PF, C, SF (POR) Jarrett Allen C (CLE) Kelly Olynyk PF, C (DET) Isaiah Stewart PF, C (DET)
Tier 7: P.J. Washington PF, C (CHA) Evan Mobley C, PF (CLE) Mitchell Robinson C (NYK) Larry Nance Jr. PF, C (POR) Jakob Poeltl C (SAS) Wendell Carter Jr. C (ORL) Brook Lopez C (MIL) Mason Plumlee PF, C (CHA) Bobby Portis Jr. PF, C (MIL)
Tier 8: Daniel Gafford C, PF (WAS) Thaddeus Young PF, C, SF (SAS) Lauri Markkanen PF, C (CLE) Daniel Theis PF, C (HOU) Brandon Clarke PF, C (MEM) Ivica Zubac C (LAC) Derrick Favors C, PF (OKC) Al Horford PF, C (BOS)
Tier 9: Marcus Morris Sr. PF, C, SF (LAC) Mo Bamba C (ORL) Montrezl Harrell PF, C (WAS) Thomas Bryant C (WAS) Nerlens Noel PF, C (NYK)&nbsp; Alperen Sengun PF, C (HOU)&nbsp;
Tier 10: Khem Birch PF, C (TOR) Isaiah Roby C, PF (OKC) Andre Drummond C (PHI)&nbsp; Steven Adams C (MEM) Serge Ibaka PF, C (LAC)&nbsp; James Wiseman C (GSW) Naz Reid C (MIN) Marvin Bagley III PF, C (SAC) LaMarcus Aldridge PF, C (BKN) Nicolas Claxton PF, C (BKN) Kevin Love PF, C (CLE) Hassan Whiteside PF, C (UTAH)

Tommy Beer divides the top NBA fantasy guards, forwards and centers into 10 tiers each based on their value.

2021-22 NBA Fantasy Basketball Rankings: 10 tiers for each position

Everyone who knows basketball knows Adrian Wojnarowski's name -- or at least the name of his scoops, a.k.a. "Woj Bombs."
Wojnarowski is one of the premier insiders in all of sports. How did he rise to prominence and earn a TV role on "NBA Countdown"? By learning from his fellow journalists, as he <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/behind-the-scenes-of-nba-countdown-preparation-woj-role-espn-covid-abc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told Alex Kennedy of BasketballNews.com.</a>
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve learned a lot from watching Adam Schefter and how he handles news on 'NFL Countdown&rsquo; and &lsquo;Monday Night Countdown,&rsquo;" Wojnarowski said. "Those are longer shows, so he&rsquo;ll do multiple hits over the course of three hours on Sunday morning. But it helped to watch Adam, and we bounce things off each other all the time."
Schefter has worked as an NFL insider for ESPN since 2009 and amassed a whopping 8.3 million followers on Twitter. That dwarfs even Wojnarowski's 4.7 million follower count. But Wojnarowski takes pointers from other journalists across sports.
"We talk all the time. At least a couple times a week, we&rsquo;ll have a lengthy conversation about this stuff. I&rsquo;m always learning stuff from him. Adam has been an incredible resource for me, and we consider each other close friends. [MLB reporter] Jeff Passan, who I worked with at Yahoo, is another person. Emily Kaplan on the NHL [beat] at our place is in that realm now, and she&rsquo;s going to be great...Chris Mortensen is another person I lean on," Wojnarowski said.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Adam Schefter had a mini 💣 amidst NBA free agency with DeAndre Bembry signing with the Raptors And <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@wojespn</a> went full savage: &ldquo;Announce Schefter back to the NFL&rdquo; <a href="https://t.co/bAr8U0HIDj">pic.twitter.com/bAr8U0HIDj</a>
&mdash; ClutchPoints NBA (@ClutchPointsNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPointsNBA/status/1330740988864720899?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 23, 2020</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Part of an insider's persona requires having a constant ear to the news. They are one of the few on-air talents who&nbsp;should be on their phones during a show. As Wojnarowski explains, sometimes that means news breaks live.
"I remember the Lakers waived DeMarcus Cousins during the show last season...I do remember having to hold my phone up to Maria [Taylor]'s face during one show last year, so she saw what I just tweeted and could come back to me. I didn&rsquo;t know if the mic was on and we were showing some kind of B-roll on the screen, so I was sticking my phone in her face. Afterward, we were laughing about it,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;
The ESPN crew has been floored by Wojnarowski's seamless transition to television.
&ldquo;I was literally with Woj during his first real television hits when we did the NBA Combine in Chicago about three years ago," Taylor said. "It was one of his first big-time [moments] being on TV, and we were there literally all day -- Mike Schmitz, Woj, Jay Bilas and I were on the desk and we were on for the entire time. Literally, that was his first time; he was like, &lsquo;Okay, what camera are we looking at?&rsquo;"
"To see where he is now," she added, "where he&rsquo;s like, &lsquo;Here&rsquo;s what I want to hit on and here&rsquo;s what the segment will roll like...&rsquo; He is his own producer! He comes in, knowing what information he has, and he&rsquo;ll say, &lsquo;I talked to so and so, so I&rsquo;ll say this and then that will be a great lead-in to the topic that you want to get to.&rsquo; I mean, it&rsquo;s been more than an evolution. It&rsquo;s been incredible to watch.&rdquo;
Even NBA legends are sometimes floored by Wojnarowski's knowledge.
"There are times when he&rsquo;ll say certain inside things that I know from my playing days and I&rsquo;m trying to figure out, &lsquo;How does he know that?!&rsquo;" said Paul Pierce. "People trust him with their lives, with the information that he has. That&rsquo;s just a sign of respect.&rdquo;

Wojnarowski has developed into the standard for insider journalism while becoming an on-air talent.

Adrian Wojnarowski shares what he’s learned from close friend Adam Schefter

Paul Pierce, Jalen Rose, Jay Williams, Adrian Wojnarowski and Maria Taylor gave Alex Kennedy an inside look at ESPN's "NBA Countdown."

Behind the scenes of NBA Countdown: Woj's role, preparation, COVID's impact

Ethan Fuller breaks down the state of each NBA franchise and ranks the most frustrating teams ahead of the 2020-21 NBA season.

NBA 'Sour' Rankings: Preseason Prelude

We enter the new week with much changed and much still the same. With the draft behind us and all of the major free agents either signed or committed, a crazy week in the NBA is now over. 
Training camps are eight days away, and the upcoming week promises to include the finalization of several trades that have been worked on for quite some time -- and perhaps we'll get some clarity from the NBA office on where games are going to be played.
This site <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-considering-playing-regular-season-games-practice-facilities-g-league-arenas-control-costs-pandemic" target="_blank" rel="noopener">has already reported that NBA arenas may be mothballed for a while with teams playing in G-League and practice facilities</a>, but the ever-changing COVID rules from state-to-state make everything day-to-day.&nbsp;
Thanksgiving is four days away, so let&rsquo;s take stock of went down over the past several days in The Association. The 10 things listed below will be worth watching through the entirety of the 2020-21 season:
1. Will Giannis Antetokounmpo sign his supermax deal? 
After the Bucks went down in five games against Miami in the second round of the playoffs, the Greek Freak has been in Milwaukee since draft night working with the front office on which moves the team should consider. The Bucks were not all that good in the bubble, losing five of eight games, and they had dropped three in a row before the season was suspended in March. Wes Mathews, Eric Bledsoe, George Hill and Robin Lopez are gone, but a starting five comprised of Giannis, Jrue Holiday, Khris Middleton, Brook Lopez and someone else (perhaps Donte DiVincenzo) is not all that bad. 
What is worrisome is the lack of bench production that Hill provided, so they have a lot riding on D.J. Augustin, Bobby Portis and whoever else is added as the backup center (currently, they do not have one). It is noteworthy that the Miami Heat, Dallas Mavericks and New York Knicks have kept max cap space available for the 2021-22 offseason. If Giannis does not sign his supermax by the Dec. 21 deadline, all bets are off in terms of him playing his entire career with the Bucks.&nbsp;
2. Gordon Hayward and Bogdan Bogdanovic were free agency&rsquo;s biggest winners. 
Hayward landed a four-year, $128 million contract to join LaMelo Ball and the Charlotte Hornets as Michael Jordan continues his years-long quest to become relevant as an NBA owner. Terry Rozier is coming off the best season of his career, as is Devonte' Graham, and P.J. Washington is clearly a keeper. They still look like a .500 team, but if Hayward is super productive as a featured scorer, that changes. 
Regarding Bogdanovic, folks thought he was nuts when he turned down a chance to join the Bucks and make $60 million over the next four seasons. But he got $12 million more than that with the Atlanta Hawks, who now can field a starting five of Trae Young, Bogdanovic, Danilo Gallinari, John Collins and Clint Capela, with Rajon Rondo leading a second unit that includes Cam Reddish, Kris Dunn and Kevin Huerter. The Hawks will still be good even if Bogdanovic&rsquo;s offer is matched by Sacramento. When was the last time we could say this this team is good?
3. The Lakers are probably going to the NBA Finals again.
Nothing is ever certain in the NBA, as we learned two seasons ago when LeBron James was injured, keeping him out of the NBA Playoffs and Finals for the only time in the past decade. But they now have Montrezl Harrell at center (backed up by Marc Gasol) instead of the JaVale McGee/Dwight Howard duo that split time at the position a year ago, and Avery Bradley and Rajon Rondo have been replaced by Dennis Schroder and Wes Mathews, both of whom should be considered upgrades notwithstanding what Rondo did in the Finals to close out the Miami Heat.
4. The Brooklyn Nets are a monster. 
Those James Harden rumors may have some legs, but Sean Marks would be nuts to bring in a ball-dominant player to use alongside Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant... unless Irving was one of the players going out. As it is, the Nets are stacked with a starting lineup of Irving, Durant, Caris LeVert, Joe Harris and Jarrett Allen, with a second unit that includes Spencer Dinwiddie, Bruce Brown, Landry Shamet, Jeff Green and Taurean Prince. If Steve Nash&rsquo;s team is not performing well by midseason, maybe then is the time to take a harder look at Harden. But for now, these guys are legit 10 deep. If it ain&rsquo;t broke, don&rsquo;t fix it.
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/usatsi_14017574-1_lg.jpg" alt="" width="860" height="AUTO" />
5. It looks like Russell Westbrook is staying in Houston.
He may want out, but teams who watched him in the playoffs saw a player who struggled with his shot and struggled to co-exist with Harden in Mike D&rsquo;Antoni&rsquo;s super small-ball system. Westbrook is on the books for $132 milllion over the next three seasons, and new Rockets general manager Rafael Stone may just be stuck with him until the trade deadline at the very least. There is a saying in the NBA that nothing ages faster than a point guard in his 30s; that may or not apply here -- let&rsquo;s not forget that Westbrook was coming back from coronavirus in the bubble.
6. The Clippers will be OK despite losing Sixth Man of the Year Montrezl Harrell.
That&rsquo;s what happens when you bring in Serge Ibaka, a proven playoff performer who will share time with Ivica Zubac and give the Clippers some maturity at that position, if not the energy that Harrell provided. But first and foremost for coach Ty Lue is getting superstars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George to get over this &ldquo;load management&rdquo; nonsense. When you are getting paid to play basketball, you have to play basketball. Doc Rivers did not stand up to those two superstars and used 33 different starting lineups last season, and in the playoffs the Clippers did not look like they were familiar with each other... because they weren&rsquo;t. Luke Kennard may or may not replace Landry Shamet&rsquo;s shooting, whether it's in the starting five or off the bench. He certainly has had enough time to rest after sitting out most of last season with the Pistons.
7. Is Hassan Whiteside going to find a job? 
He has been the forgotten man in this year&rsquo;s free-agency class after having a dominant regular season pre-bubble, averaging 15.5 points and 13.5 rebounds in his best season in four years. He went to the bench for the first couple games in the postseason, as Jusuf Nurkic was coming off an "All-Bubble" performance. Enes Kanter has been brought in as the backup, and Zach Collins can play that position, too. 3-and-D expert Robert Covington is on the wing and Carmelo Anthony is back, presumably as a scorer off the bench. Gary Trent Jr. is a known commodity, and we shall see what they got in Derrick Jones Jr., who was kept on the bench in the Finals by Miami coach Erik Spolestra (when he should have been out there intentionally fouling LeBron James). Whiteside has a tarnished reputation, which is why he was playing in Lebanon not so long ago. For now, 29 NBA teams seem uninterested. Perhaps that changes in the next day or so, but he will only get mid-level money.
8. Who will be the worst team in the NBA? 
This looks like a toss-up between the New York Knicks and Oklahoma City Thunder.&nbsp; Leon Rose had a good draft in getting A-10 Player of the Year Obi Toppin and SEC Player of the Year Immanuel Quickley, but struck out in free agency and ended up getting Austin Rivers, Alec Burks and Nerlens Noel. And so the rebuild continues, presumably with Antetokounmpo as the target. As for the Thunder, Chris Paul, Danilo Gallinari and Steven Adams are gone, and there are three guys in their 30s &ndash; Al Horford, Trevor Ariza and George Hill -- who may or may not get traded as the season moves along. This team is being built around Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luguentz Dort and all of the future No. 1 picks that Sam Presti is squirreling away, and a final preseason judgment on them cannot be made until Presti is finished dealing.
9. Can Doc Rivers do what Brett Brown could not? 
Daryl Morey had a terrific week in bringing in Seth Curry, Terrance Ferguson and Dwight Howard along with drafting DePaul sleeper Paul Reed, but the true test will come when he and Doc Rivers are in the locker room trying to motivate Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons -- and getting them to run plays correctly. At a certain point, both of those players have to lose some of their immaturity, and it is unclear who on the roster will play the role of locker room leader. J.J. Redick and Robert Covington did that in years past, but they are long gone.
10. How good will the New Orleans Pelicans be? 
Load managing Zion Williamson&rsquo;s bubble minutes was ridiculous, but it was what it was and it helped cost Alvin Gentry his job. New coach Stan Van Gundy is armed with Williamson, Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram (assuming he re-signs), Steven Adams, Eric Bledsoe and an array of young players with potential including Kira Lewis Jr., Jaxson Hayes, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Frank Jackson.

Chris Sheridan lists the NBA storylines that will be worth watching throughout the 2020-21 season.

10 things we did (and didn't) learn in the NBA's past 10 days

"Limbo" and "Lakers" were the words of the day as the sun came up Saturday following an eventful Friday night that saw the Los Angeles Lakers, New Orleans Pelicans, Utah Jazz and Atlanta Hawks get a whole lot stronger.
The Toronto Raptors, New York Knicks, Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers are the teams in the biggest states of limbo. With Gordon Hayward&rsquo;s situation unresolved, and the same thing happening with Serge Ibaka, Bogdan Bogdanovic, dozens of other unrestricted free agents will be scrambling for deals today before the teams will use all of their significant cap space up.
The defending champions may have pulled off the stunner of the night by <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-free-agency-rumors-los-angeles-lakers-agree-two-year-deal-montrezl-harrell" target="_blank" rel="noopener">agreeing to terms with Montrezl Harrell</a> of the Clippers, who will replace Dwight Howard on a Lakers team that is going through some roster turnover despite last season&rsquo;s success. They still have unanswered questions about who will comprise their backcourt, but their weakest position last season is a whole lot stronger.
Toronto (or should we call them Tampa?) has reportedly <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-free-agency-fred-vanvleet-agrees-four-year-85-million-toronto-raptors-return" target="_blank" rel="noopener">agreed to a four-year, $85 million deal with VanVleet</a>, who was considered the best available point guard on the market. With VanVleet spurning the Knicks and deciding to return to the team that drafted him, New York will have a whole lot of money without anyone to spend it on...unless Gordon Hayward cannot get to his preferred destination, Indiana.
We still have the James Harden and Russell Westbrook situations in limbo to look forward to, but the Rockets are in no hurry to accommodate either of their trade desires. For now, Houston still looks like a playoff team, but the 2020-21 season does not begin for another 31 days, so a whole bunch of stuff can still happen before opening night.
For now, we know that New Orleans will have a much better center flanking Zion Williamson after acquiring Steven Adams from the Oklahoma City Thunder for...you guessed it, draft picks. This will be an expansion of the Bucks-Pelicans deal that is sending Jrue Holiday to Milwaukee, and there are moving parts that will be agreed upon over the course of the next day or so.&nbsp;
The Bucks&rsquo; pursuit of Bogdan Bogdanovic is over, and we will soon learn whether the Serbian made the right move in turning down $60 million over the next four years and the opportunity to play alongside Holiday, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Brook Lopez.
Utah reunited with glue guy Derrick Favors, who is leaving the Pelicans, while also re-signing Jordan Clarkson. Atlanta added Danilo Gallinari and Kris Dunn, and still has cap space remaining to add another top-notch player to the core of Trae Young, John Collins and Clint Capela. I have been hearing all week that Rajon Rondo is a strong candidate for the Hawks to back up Young and be a mentor for the 22-year-old.&nbsp;Lest we forget, Rondo was arguably the second-best player for the Lakers when they defeated Miami 4-2 in the NBA Finals. 
In a somewhat stunning move, the Pistons signed Denver&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-free-agency-detroit-pistons-agree-three-year-deal-jerami-grant" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jerami Grant for three years and $60 million</a>, taking away a key piece of Denver&rsquo;s core. He will be replaced by JaMychal Green, who left the Clippers for Denver.
Brooklyn also is emerging as a winner, having retained Joe Harris while also adding Bruce Brown from the Pistons and Landry Shamet from the Clippers. There are reports that Kevin Durant is recruiting Ibaka, which would give the Nets another center/power forward to play alongside Jarrett Allen and DeAndre Jordan.
The Nets&rsquo; crosstown rivals have added Alec Burks, but the Knicks begin the day wondering whether this free-agency window will look a lot like the last free agency window when Durant and Kyrie Irving both spurned them.&nbsp; But Leon Rose and William Wesley are the new management team, and both are brilliant executives who know that free agency plays out on an hour-by-hour basis. If the Celtics and Pacers cannot agree to terms on a deal that would land Hayward in Indiana, New York is waiting.&nbsp;
So the player to watch most closely over the course of the day today was VanVleet, who <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/ranking-top-10-nba-free-agents-agency-players-2020-offseason" target="_blank" rel="noopener">colleague Spencer Davies had ranked as the No. 3 free agent</a> on the market behind Anthony Davis (making the Lakers wait) and Brandon Ingram (restricted), before he re-upped with the Raptors. 
Of Davies&rsquo; Top 10, No. 4 Harrell (Lakers), No. 7 Gallinari (Hawks), No. 8 Goran Dragic (resigning with Miami) and No. 10 Bertans (re-signing with Washington) are off the board. Ibaka (No. 5), Hayward (No. 6) and Bogdanovic (No. 9) are still out there, along with Ingram. But Ingram and Bogdanovic are restricted, meaning their current teams would have 48 hours to match any offer sheet they sign.
Going position-by-position in Davies&rsquo; rankings, the players still out there are:
Point Guards: Reggie Jackson, Jeff Teague, D.J. Augustin, Shabazz Napier, Shaquille Harrison and Rondo.
Shooting Guards: Bogdanovic, Austin Rivers, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Kent Bazemore and Jordan McRae.
Small Forwards: Ingram, Hayward, Jae Crowder, Glenn Robinson III and Torrey Craig.
Power Forwards: Davis, Carmelo Anthony, Paul Millsap, Dario Saric (restricted) and Harry Giles III.
Centers: Ibaka, Marc Gasol, Tristan Thompson, Hassan Whiteside and Aron Baynes.
It should be an eventful Saturday, and by Sunday there will be clear winners and losers. The start of next week will leave some of the losers trying to figure out whether any trades are out there to salvage their offseason, and by Tuesday we can all take a deep breath. Oh, and Trevor Ariza will probably be on his fourth team in a week.
Stay tuned.

Chris Sheridan details Day 1 of free agency and looks ahead to what could shake out on Day 2.

Day 1 free-agency recap: Epic night leads into epic Saturday

With the NBA&rsquo;s salary cap remaining at $109 million for the 2020-21 season, a $3-$12-million decrease from pre-COVID-19 projections, it is entirely possible that teams will be forced to look elsewhere when trying to improve their roster.
Travel restrictions limit the NBA&rsquo;s ability to scout overseas, as has been successful in previous years, and the NBA Draft may prove relatively fruitless since teams can't do many in-person workouts with prospects. The safest option for any team that's rebuilding or tweaking their roster would be to look right in their own backyard, adding players directly from the G League.&nbsp;
Created in 2001 under NBA Commissioner David Stern, the goal of the G League (previously known as the D-League or Development League) was to serve as a farm-team system while still remaining competitive. The G League has been successful in recent years, churning out players like Hassan Whiteside, Fred VanVleet and Pascal Siakam (the NBA's Most Improved Player in 2019).&nbsp;
We have a free-agency date. We have a start date. We are finally approaching the finish line, or the starting line, depending on where you&rsquo;re measuring from. We have covered the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/g-league-could-be-answer-nba-salary-cap-decrease-eastern-conference-team-fits" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Eastern Conference teams and which G Leaguers could help them</a>; now, without further ado, here is the Western Conference:
Dallas Mavericks (43-32)
Problem: After experiencing injuries to both Kristaps Porzingis and Dwight Powell, it would be beneficial for Dallas to find a versatile forward who can improve their frontcourt depth and play multiple positions.
Solution: Justin Anderson, Long Island Nets
If you stumbled upon this article via my Twitter, then it will come as no surprise to see Justin Anderson on this list. The more surprising thing is that he wasn't selected as the best fit for every single team. Unfortunately, according to the rules that I made up myself, a player can only be suggested for one team. Because we cannot clone Justin Anderson (yet), the best-case scenario for him would be returning to the team that drafted him with the No. 21 pick in 2015.
Anderson is a powerhouse who already knows the Mavs' system and culture. A five-year NBA journeyman, he has proven that he can help in any position, on any team -- G League or NBA. Every teammate he has crossed paths with speaks highly of him, and he could provide some veteran leadership in Dallas.
Denver Nuggets (46-27)
Problem: Paul Millsap is an unrestricted free agent and Denver may not re-sign him. Also, Will Barton is dealing with ongoing knee injuries that could have him sidelined longer than would be ideal, so perhaps adding another forward would be beneficial.
Solution: Ignas Brazdeikis, Westchester Knicks
If Denver continues to build around Murray, as all signs point to them doing, inserting a teammate whom Jamal is familiar with iwould seemingly make a lot of sense. Ignas Brazdeikis, a fellow Canadian, is currently signed to a two-way contract with the New York Knicks. But if the Knicks don't re-sign him, the Nuggets do have the roster room and cap space available to rescue him from the clutches of James Dolan and Co. Like Murray, Brazdeikis is a graduate of Orangeville Prep Academy (Canada&rsquo;s highly-recruited basketball prep school), and as a 6-foot-6 small forward who averaged 20.9 points per game in the G League last year, he could provide a big return on a very small investment.&nbsp;
Golden State Warriors (15-50)
Problem: Recency bias has fans and teams alike forgetting just how great the Golden State Warriors were during their dynasty. Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry are expected back this season, and if the Warriors are expecting to make another deep playoff run after a hiccup of a 2019-20 season, they will need a center or a small forward. Kevon Looney is great at what he does, but is constantly playing through injuries sustainable? Golden State has three players currently signed to max contracts and though the team has been open about shopping the contract of Andrew Wiggins, there are few teams that seem seriously interested. They don&rsquo;t need another scorer, as they already have two of the best in the NBA, but they need a defender who can screen for Thompson and Curry and hustle back after baskets.&nbsp;
Solution: Donta Hall, Grand Rapids Drive
Donta Hall has all of the accolades that should appeal to Golden State: G League All Defensive Team, G League All Rookie Team, and two-time SEC All-Defensive Team -- and he&rsquo;s only 23 years old. He is aware of his shooting limitations, and instead focuses on his <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUJkEe5koto&amp;t=62s" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interior impact and defensive abilities</a>.&nbsp;
Houston Rockets (44-28)
Problem: Daryl Morey and Mike D&rsquo;Antoni followed their hearts to greener pastures (in Philadelphia and Brooklyn, respectively), Russell Westbrook reportedly <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-rumors-russell-westbrook-trade-demand-deal-possible-destinations-houston-rockets-los-angeles-clippers-indiana-pacers-dallas-mavericks-charlotte-hornets-out-request" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wants out of Houston</a>, and PJ Tucker is allegedly furious about his contract situation. All signs point to Houston having a problem (that was funny, admit it), but luckily for James Harden, I have a solution!
Solution: Briante Weber, Sioux Falls Skyforce
Like Russell Westbrook, Briante Weber isn&rsquo;t afraid to shoot (from literally anywhere). He&nbsp;was named the Canadian Elite Basketball League&rsquo;s Clutch Player of the Year after his first season. He has the potential to become a key contributor should Houston decide to blow up their roster, and he would be <a href="https://twitter.com/Sir_deuce2/status/1290115168555261953?s=09" target="_blank" rel="noopener">extremely fun to watch</a> in the interim.
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/usatsi_10777009-1_lg.jpg" alt="" width="860" height="AUTO" />
Los Angeles Clippers (49-23)
Problem: The saying &ldquo;don&rsquo;t cut off your nose to spite your face" has never been more relevant than it is when reflecting on the 2019-20 Los Angeles Clippers. They gave away nearly everything, including all future assets, in order to acquire Paul George, forgetting that they also needed a point guard.
Solution: Tyler Ennis, Raptors 905
This makes so much sense that it almost feels like I&rsquo;m doing the front office's job for them. Ennis has six years of professional basketball experience under his belt. Though the Clippers have been rumored to be interested in Russell Westbrook, they don&rsquo;t have the cap space available to take on his contract, and adding another massive personality to the team that is already bursting at the seams with bravado is basically begging for chaos.&nbsp;
Ennis has played with Patrick Beverley, he&rsquo;s played with Lou Williams and he&rsquo;s played with Montrezl Harrell. He led the entire G League in assists last season, and his calm-and-quiet leadership will be a perfect match beside the similar-in-demeanor Kawhi Leonard.&nbsp;Make good choices, Clippers.
Los Angeles Lakers (52-19)
Problem: The Lakers are fresh off of winning the NBA Finals, meaning that a number of their players with options will likely opt out in order to test the free-agent market and secure a long-term contract. Rajon Rondo and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, for example, have reportedly decided to opt out. They could re-sign their own free agents, but that isn't guaranteed.
Solution: Jordan Bone, Grand Rapids Drive
Jordan Bone is a fun, fast and crafty point guard. You don&rsquo;t really need anyone else when you have both LeBron James and Anthony Davis, but he sure is fun to watch. And if the Lakers' bus leaves without Quinn Cook again, at least they'd have Bone to fill in.
Memphis Grizzlies (34-39)
Problem: The Grizzlies need a guard who embodies the Memphis culture and can play alongside Ja Morant while they make another playoff push.
Solution: Milton Doyle, Windy City Bulls
Milton Doyle is a great scorer, but an even better passer. His court vision allows him to pass through double teams, finding teammates in the least obvious of spaces, which is handy for a quick-and-sneaky player like Morant.
Minnesota Timberwolves (19-45)
Problem: The Timberwolves have two players on maximum contracts, and 33-year-old James Johnson will definitely opt-in to his nearly $16 million salary. Minnesota has made some questionable decisions in prior seasons, giving away both Jimmy Butler and Andrew Wiggins to build around Karl-Anthony Towns.
Solution: Kyle Alexander, Sioux Falls Skyforce
If Minnesota plans to build its future around big men, a backup center or power forward would be the best bet. Kyle Alexander, a former Tennessee Volunteer, checks both of those boxes and averaged nearly a double-double in points and rebounds at 24 years of age in the G League.&nbsp;
New Orleans Pelicans (30-42)
Problem: The Pelicans have a new head coach who excels with young players in Stan Van Gundy, and they will need a youthful player that is always ready, calm, cool and collected.
Solution: Justin Reyes, Raptors 905
Reyes, a guard-forward hybrid, did not get a lot of minutes with the Raptors 905 due to being squeezed out of the rotation. But having had the privilege of watching him all season, I can confirm that he is the perfect fit for Van Gundy&rsquo;s Pelicans. His abilities extend to both ends of the floor, and he is a 25-year-old <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COHfVgBnBmA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Swiss Army knife of fresh talent</a>.
Oklahoma City Thunder (44-28)
Problem: Getting rid of Chris Paul is not the answer, especially for a team that many (myself included) had zero expectations for after massive offseason trades. They have roughly a million future picks and one of the more well-rounded rosters in the league. Their best bet would be to run it back and bring in a backup for Steven Adams, who is somehow still only 27 years old.
Solution: Sir&rsquo;Dominic Pointer, Canton Charge
Though a year older than Adams, Pointer has some of the freshest legs ever witnessed for a 28-year-old forward. He was one of the players named to the G League All-Defensive team, and his four years of overseas experience would be an asset to OKC.
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/usatsi_12278640-1_lg.jpg" alt="" width="860" height="AUTO" />
Phoenix Suns (34-39)
Problem: With 12 of their 15 players expected to return, the Phoenix Suns don&rsquo;t have a lot of wiggle room. Their core is established around Devin Booker, although there have been <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-rumors-offseason-chris-paul-trade-talks-phoenix-suns-oklahoma-city-thunder" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recent rumors surrounding a trade for Chris Paul</a> in the past week.
Solution: Johnathan Motley, Agua Caliente Clippers
The Suns need a big man who can shoot and isn&rsquo;t afraid to do so. Insert Johnathan Motley, a two-way player for the Los Angeles Clippers (who could be available if the Clippers choose not to re-sign him). Motley excels on both ends of the floor, and his speed is remarkable for someone who's 6-foot-8. He can rebound -- evidenced by his 8 boards per game -- and he averaged 24 points per game too.
Portland Trail Blazers (35-39)
Problem: The Trail Blazers are not the Jail Blazers of yesteryear. Currently, they are entering the season without a power forward, and they need to find one who can coexist in the laid-back-but-still-flashy environment created by CJ McCollum and Damian Lillard.&nbsp;
Solution: Mfiondu Kabengele, Agua Caliente Clippers
With both CJ and Dame scoring primarily from the outside, a heavy paint presence would give them a relative boost on interior scoring and rebounding. As the 2019 ACC Sixth Man of the Year at Florida State, Kabengele was always ready off of the bench, and after being inserted into the starting lineup of the Agua Caliente Clippers, he <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdgyqzrNzck" target="_blank" rel="noopener">proved he could succeed as a first option as well</a>.
Sacramento Kings (31-41)
Problem: Russell Westbrook's desire for a trade has dominated the basketball news cycle, but Buddy Hield has been rumored to be disgruntled in Sacramento too. Pile this on top of De&rsquo;Aaron Fox&rsquo;s looming player option, and the Kings may struggle with scoring should both of them exit.&nbsp;
Solution: Jaylen Adams, Wisconsin Herd
Jaylen Adams, in the absence of Fox and Hield, would be able to fill a scoring hole. Fifty-five percent of his 20.9 points per game came via two-pointers, and he shot 40 percent from deep as well. He isn&rsquo;t as fast as De&rsquo;Aaron Fox, but he is still able to get where he needs to be in a flash.&nbsp;
San Antonio Spurs (32-39)
Problem: The Spurs have a fairly balanced roster, but their starters are primarily in their 30s, and after landing in San Antonio as the result of a blind-side trade, DeMar DeRozan probably won&rsquo;t be re-signing with the Spurs once free agency begins.&nbsp;
Solution: B.J. Johnson, Lakeland Magic
WIth the hometown Los Angeles Lakers <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-news-los-angeles-lakers-san-antonio-spurs-trade-rumors-demar-derozan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">apparently expressing interest in DeRozan</a>, the potential of losing him increases. Should that be the case, San Antonio will be without a shooting guard and will need someone to take over the mid-range shooting duties. It is entirely likely that the Spurs focus their attention on developing two-way player Keldon Johnson into a DeRozan prototype, restarting the circle of player development.
In a Gregg Popovich world, the Spurs will target a shooter who doesn&rsquo;t attempt many threes, but can still score. B.J. Johnson shot 150 threes with the Lakeland Magic throughout the entire season, which isn&rsquo;t many when you factor in that he played 36 minutes per game. Still, he managed to put up 23 points per game, making him the perfect Popovich player.
Utah Jazz (44-28)&nbsp;
Problem: If the Utah Jazz care at all about team chemistry, then one of either Rudy Gobert or Donovan Mitchell will not be with the team come Dec. 22. Because Mitchell is still on his rookie-scale contract, and Rudy is commanding nearly $26 million per season, it is safe to assume that Mitchell&rsquo;s price tag -- and the fact that he did not cause a league-wide shutdown -- makes him the more enticing of the two.&nbsp;
Solution: Gabe Vincent, Sioux Falls Skyforce
Not only does Vincent average nearly 30 points per game, but at 24 years old, he could benefit from Conley&rsquo;s playmaking while simultaneously soaking up his basketball IQ like a sponge.

Kelsea O'Brien selects a G League player who could help each NBA team in the Western Conference.

Selecting a G Leaguer to help each Western Conference team

A Memphis staffer chats with BasketballNews.com's Spencer Davies to provide an in-depth analysis on top prospect James Wiseman.