Conquistadors

The Tyrese Haliburton era is well on its way in Indianapolis, which means it&rsquo;s likely time to say adios to Malcolm Brogdon in an Indiana Pacers uniform. Brogdon is one of the more <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/five-nba-players-who-feel-destined-to-be-traded-this-offseason" target="_blank" rel="noopener">obvious trade candidates in the NBA this offseason</a> thanks to his consistent injury issues and Haliburton&rsquo;s quick emergence. Despite Brogdon's missed games, he will still attract interest from rival teams.
During Brogdon&rsquo;s three-year tenure with the Pacers, he averaged 18.9 points, 6.3 assists, 5.1 rebounds and 0.8 steals per game on a 55.3 True Shooting percentage. Brogdon always produced when he was on the court for Indiana, but his availability was an issue. Going forward, it&rsquo;s going to be hard for Brogdon to shed the &ldquo;injury prone&rdquo; label because it&rsquo;s been an issue dating back to his collegiate career at the University of Virginia.
Aside from injury concerns, Brogdon&rsquo;s market will be robust with playofff or championship-hopeful teams lining up for his services. As a versatile multi-positional defender, connective playmaker and secondary scorer, Brogdon can really help a team that's going in the opposite direction as the rebuilding Pacers.
Without further ado, let&rsquo;s go ahead and dive into the most realistic trade packages Indiana could expect for Brogdon this offseason. As Indiana turns the page to Haliburton, it&rsquo;s time to extract some value from a potential Brogdon deal.
Phoenix Suns
Pacers receive: Landry Shamet, Dario Saric, 2024 1st-round draft pick (lottery protected)
Suns receive: Malcolm Brogdon, 2022 No. 31 pick
Phoenix&rsquo;s lack of guard depth was exposed throughout the playoffs. They simply can&rsquo;t rely on Cameron Payne anymore, who was a DNP-CD when it mattered most in the Western Conference Semifinals. Phoenix flirted with the idea of chasing Brogdon before signing Ricky Rubio back in 2019. Three years later, bringing Brogdon to the Valley as the Suns&rsquo; short-term backup and long-term fit alongside Devin Booker is a home run transaction.
Also, there has been some buzz that the Suns are trying to get into the 2022 NBA Draft. They have met with multiple players projected to be selected in the mid-to-late first round, including LSU&rsquo;s Tari Eason, Ohio State&rsquo;s E.J. Liddell and Duke&rsquo;s Wendell Moore. Adding any of those prospects will be impossible without adding a pick. The Suns could always buy an early second-round pick for $3 million, but that&rsquo;s never been their way of thinking.
Is this where Suns GM James Jones could get creative to snag a championship piece at discounted value? Brogdon and Chris Paul sharing minutes is a dream scenario for Phoenix since all 48 minutes at point guard would provide well above-average production. Also, we could see three-guard lineups galore thanks to Brogdon&rsquo;s versatility.
In this scenario, Indiana would add a shooter in Shamet who only has two guaranteed years left on his extension. Maybe Shamet could be their Buddy Hield replacement if they also decide to trade him soon. Adding a future first for Brogdon is the right risk for Indiana to take as well.
Utah Jazz
Pacers receive: Mike Conley, Jared Butler, 2025 2nd-round pick
Jazz receive: Malcolm Brogdon
The Jazz desperately need to shake things up. Stagnation is on the horizon in Salt Lake City, if it hasn&rsquo;t reached that point already. Utah may blow it up this offseason, but even if they don't, they need to do something in order to keep Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert happy long-term.
As we saw during the Jazz&rsquo;s quick postseason exit, Conley seems like a shell of himself. Looking back on that trade now, Utah has to be kicking themselves for surrendering so much for the veteran point guard.
Utah needs to get creative to avoid moving one of Mitchell or Gobert soon, so Conley going back home to Indianapolis makes a lot of sense here. Brogdon is a huge upgrade over Conley, and he helps address a dire need of perimeter defense.
Indiana would add a veteran mentor for Haliburton to lean on for a year since Conley&rsquo;s contract isn&rsquo;t fully guaranteed in 2023-24. Adding a young scoring guard in Butler alongside a future second-round pick might not be enough for the Pacers, but it's at least enough to start negotiations.
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Los Angeles Lakers
Pacers receive: Russell Westbrook, Talen Horton-Tucker, 2023 2nd, 2025 2nd, 2027 1st (lottery protected)
Lakers receive: Malcolm Brogdon, Buddy Hield, Goga Bitadze
This only makes sense if the Pacers are willing to take on the final year of Westbrook&rsquo;s contract, which would have any team second-guessing themselves beforehand. Surprisingly enough, Indiana is actually the betting favorite to land Westbrook if the Lakers offload him this offseason.
The Pacers would need a hefty return in order take on Westbrook while also relinquishing Brogdon and Hield. Adding Horton-Tucker, two future second-round picks and the Lakers&rsquo; next available first-round selection gets the job done. Los Angeles would hate to part with THT and even more draft capital, but Brogdon and Hield are perfect pieces to place alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Who knows, maybe Bitadze slides into the Lakers&rsquo; rotation as the backup center?
Indiana is embracing a full-scale rebuild, and pulling off a move like this would be consistent with that approach.
Minnesota Timberwolves
Pacers receive: D&rsquo;Angelo Russell, No. 19 pick, No. 40 pick
Timberwolves receive: Malcolm Brogdon, Goga Bitadze, No. 31 pick, 2023 2nd (via San Antonio Spurs)
As <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/examining-potential-trade-destinations-for-dangelo-russell" target="_blank" rel="noopener">our Nekias Duncan recently wrote</a>, a D&rsquo;Angelo Russell departure from Minnesota feels imminent this summer. It&rsquo;s another unfortunate turn in the career for Russell, who continues to bounce around the Association, unable to find a long-term home. The fit in Minnesota alongside good friend Karl-Anthony Towns had its moments, but Russell&rsquo;s negatives popped up in the postseason when it mattered most. After being benched in crunch-time situations by head coach Chris Finch and not having his name mentioned in The Athletic&rsquo;s recent story on new executive Tim Connelly, it wouldn't be shocking to see Russell playing elsewhere in 2022-23.
Even with the Pacers already having Haliburton and Chris Duarte, this feels like a spot where they could take a year-long look at Russell as a potential long-term backcourt piece. As a former top-three pick, Russell would bring more fanfare to the Pacers&rsquo; rebuild. And if he meshes well alongside Haliburton, Russell could become a long-term piece in Indiana and finally find a home.
From the Timberwolves&rsquo; point of view, this makes a whole lot of sense. Brogdon is a much better fit alongside Towns and Anthony Edwards, as he's easily able to slide into the No. 3 scoring role while providing an ideal complementary low-usage skill set. Taking a flier on Bitadze, a former top-20 pick, is also interesting, and as he could back up Towns.
Miami Heat
Pacers receive: Duncan Robinson, Max Strus, 2023 1st (lottery protected)
Heat receive: Malcolm Brogdon
As we&rsquo;ve seen unfold late in the postseason, Miami needs to find another offensive creator. Simply put, the Heat need more weapons to compete with the NBA&rsquo;s current juggernauts. Luckily for Miami, some much-needed flexibility could be on the way.
The Duncan Robinson contract looks like a disaster, but what if they could use his bloated salary and some future draft capital to bring in an immediate impact piece? Brogdon feels like the perfect remedy for Miami since he can take playmaking pressure off of Jimmy Butler, Tyler Herro and Kyle Lowry. Brogdon and Lowry could split minutes, which is a huge benefit for both players and would help keep them fresh and out of the training room.
For Indiana, they could be comfortable taking on Robinson&rsquo;s contract with all of their salary-cap space currently available. Adding Strus and a draft pick could make this deal worth it for the Pacers.
All of a sudden, Miami is now in a strong position to make another deep postseason push with Brogdon onboard for 2022-23 and beyond.
***
Every team in the NBA needs shooting, defensive versatility and playmaking. Even with his injury history, Brogdon would be well worth the risk for any team looking to take the next step forward.
If Brogdon is able to stay healthy, adding him at this price could be a coup for whichever team is next after Milwaukee and Indiana.
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With the Tyrese Haliburton era blossoming for the Pacers, Malcolm Brogdon is one of the most logical NBA trade candidates.

Examining potential trade destinations for Malcolm Brogdon

The energy in The Bay was palpable, a crowd starved for its team's first Western Conference Finals berth since 2019. The dominant rule of this Golden State dynasty had been rudely interrupted by a once-in-a-generation global pandemic, a slew of untimely injuries and a superstar migrating across the country to skyscraping lands. Even the Chase Center flooring glimmered in anticipation.
The only thing that gleamed more was the twinkle in the eye of the Warriors' team defense.
The Warriors faced a new challenge in the West Finals, going from containing the quick-twitch athleticism strewn across the Memphis Grizzlies' roster to now containing the pick-and-roll craftsmanship of Luka Doncic, arguably the best player of the 2022 postseason. Luka's a nightmare to deal with, to say the least. He can attack your bigs or smalls on switches in isolation. He makes passes that only a select few across the globe can make should he even gain the slightest bit of an advantage. Most of all, he's a true-blue three-level scorer, geared up with step-back threes, post-ups with Dirk Nowitzki-legged fadeaways, sikly floaters and elongated layups at his disposal.&nbsp;
Containing a player of that ilk is not as simple as just throwing one perimeter player his way and hoping for the best. And while Luka's primary defender, Andrew Wiggins, did an admirable job on Wednesday of holding Doncic to 4-of-10 shooting, it was Golden State's medley of defensive coverages that kept Dallas at bay during the 25-point evisceration.&nbsp;
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Steve Kerr's crew threw out six different coverages in the first half &mdash; blitzes, hedge-and-recovers, a shallow drop coverage, pick-and-roll switches, a 3-2 zone and even a Box-and-1 &mdash; to stifle Dallas' second-ranked playoff half-court offense to a crawl. Golden State's coordinated chaos worked effectively, as Dallas put up just 78.8 points per 100 possessions in the half-court during Game 1 (10th percentile, yikes!), well below the 101.3 Offensive Rating that Dallas normally averages in this setting.&nbsp;
We'll touch on a few of those coverages momentarily, but it was Golden State's zone looks that were particularly interesting. The Mavericks haven't seen a ton of zones this postseason, especially coming off a series against the Phoenix Suns that featured mostly drop coverage or the occasional switch with Deandre Ayton manning the middle.
Interestingly, Golden State aligned its 3-2 zone so that Stephen Curry was atop the formation, meaning that he was typically Luka Doncic's primary defender. This goes against conventional thinking; normally, you'd expect the Warriors to hide Curry in the corners on one of Dallas' non-threatening options (think: how Miami deployed Duncan Robinson and Tyler Herro in the 2020 postseason) instead of guarding the best mismatch-hunter on the floor. The Warriors, however, felt confident about shuttling defensive possessions to Curry at the point-of-attack, trusting their superstar to <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/stephen-currys-defense-continues-to-shine-for-the-warriors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">utilize his best defensive attribute</a> &mdash; his quick hands&mdash; to frustrate Maverick ball-handlers.
Of course, it helps with Wiggins and Draymond Green situated at the nearby wings, able to sink down and contain should Doncic bullrush his way past the slighter Curry. That's exactly what happened during this first-quarter possession below; Curry bothered Doncic's dribble by sticking in an arm, and when Doncic gathered himself and prepared his attack, Wiggins provided assistance at the nail to erase the driving lane and coerce the kick out. Jalen Brunson, of course, misses the spot-up three (a trend on Wednesday night), and Golden State gets its desired result from the 3-2 zone.
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There's some irony in the Warriors &mdash; the same team that once complained about Toronto's "junk defenses" in the 2019 NBA Finals &mdash; throwing out Box-and-1s to fluster Dallas' heliocentric offense. And yet, a minute later, Golden State busted out that janky look, with Curry, Jordan Poole, Green, and Otto Porter Jr. spread across the lane lines to form the "box," and Wiggins smothering Luka from basically the mid-court line.
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When Maxi Kleber comes to set a screen for Doncic, Poole and Wiggins trap Luka and use the sideline as a third defender to force the pass. Dallas hot-potatoes the ball across the perimeter, frantically searching for a vialble option, and eventually the Mavs are left with a 27-foot three from Kleber. A result the Warriors will live with.
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The Mavericks mustered up just 18 total points in the first quarter, which effectively set the tone for the rest of Game 1. Looking ahead after the brutal loss, it begs the question: Where can the Mavericks go next?
Well, there's the obvious answer, for one: Make more friggin' threes. Duh. The Mavericks whiffed on 37 of their 48 total outside looks, with some of those misses being <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OT-vnjKYwf0&amp;ab_channel=MattBrooksNBA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pretty dang brutal</a>. But there's more to the game than just blindly hoping for better results.
Thinning Out the Hedges
As mentioned, one of the coverages that Golden State threw at Luka was hedging and recovering on pick-and-rolls. Typically, this was done when Doncic and the Mavericks looked to target Curry in screening actions. Dallas would have Curry's defender &mdash; Reggie Bullock in the first clip; Spencer Dinwiddie in the second&mdash;set a screen on Luka's defender, Wiggins.
Rather than having Curry switch outright onto Doncic, Steph would instead jump out toward the 6-foot-8 ball-handler to buy Wiggins time as he recovered back to his assignment. Though it goes in, a tightly contested step-back three &mdash; which Luka is shooting just 32.1% on in the postseason &mdash; is a result the Warriors can stomach, especially with one of its smallest defenders (Curry) involved in the play.
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Thus, going at Curry with a slew of straight pick-and-rolls wasn't particularly profitable in Game 1. Golden State is too experienced, too disciplined and too even-tempered to be caught off-guard by opponents repeatedly targetting its superstar. After all, that's been the game plan since, what, 2015? Steph is well-versed in evading such narrow offensive game planning.
But Dallas has some unexplored avenues.
One such way could be to mix in more slips to the rim. Below, after Golden State pre-switches to initially neutralize the Doncic-Bullock pick-and-roll, Luka calls for a second screen from Brunson to bring Curry into the fold. When Steph hedges, Brunson then cuts to the rim instead of flaring out to the perimeter. And although the possession is smothered by Draymond Green audibling a switch with Curry and playing some free safety (goodness was he ever incredible in Game 1!), Dallas was able to get two feet into the middle of the paint to make decisions.&nbsp;
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Flipping the angle of the screen at the very last second, which is something the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/grizzlies-flattening-out-the-warriors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Grizzlies did against the Warriors</a> in the second round, is a counter yet to be tested by the Mavericks' offense. When Dallas did elect to re-screen in Game 1, it was only because the initial screen failed to connect.&nbsp;
Dallas could also add some intricacy to its pick-and-rolls by forcing Golden State to navigate secondary screens. Screen-the-screener (STS) plays were, once again, something the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/memphisminnesota-game-5-was-a-masterclass-in-playcalling-wizardry" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Grizzlies tinkered with</a> in the earlier rounds of the postseason, and forcing Curry to navigate an off-ball screen before being dragged into a ball-screen for Luka could put him behind the play, thus throwing off the timing of his hedge.
All Doncic needs is a moment of hesitation to create for himself or others, so mixing in each of the following&mdash; re-screens, slips to the rim, ram screens and/or STS plays and straight pick-and-roll&mdash;to keep the Warriors on pins and needles could prove to make the difference going forward.
Sniffing Out the Proper Switches
So yes, scoping out Curry on pick-and-roll-induced switches didn't go as planned for Dallas in Game 1 given his comfort level with hedging those plays into oblivion; but that's not to say that Dallas failed to get any sort of traction when Golden State swapped assignments after ball screens.
Here's something that should keep Mavericks fans up at night: Dallas was hunting the wrong Warrior guard. Poole was tested by both of Dallas' secondary and tertiary options (Brunson and Dinwiddie), and he looked like a fish out of water on switches. Collectively, Dinwiddie and Brunson went 2-for-3 from the field when defended by Poole in Game 1.
Dinwiddie is both too tall and too quick to be even slightly bothered by Golden State's prolific 22-year-old, and Brunson's veteran craft left Poole stumbling. Jalen's portfolio of pump-fakes, B-Boy dancer pivots and up-and-unders was one hell of a handful for the third-year player.
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Even when Golden State attempted to hide Poole with hedges, he just wasn't disciplined enough to masterfully pull off this coverage with regularity. Here, he "shows" (or hedges) way, way too high up the floor against Brunson, who has yet to burn Golden State with pull-up threes, and Poole ends up getting flamb&eacute;d in isolation.
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Dallas' one-two punch of Doncic and Brunson also got off some pretty clean looks when served up Kevon Looney on a platter. Look, Looney had himself one hell of a Wednesday evening and was maybe the Game 1 MVP, but his lateral mobility was tested by Dallas' lead options. Take a look for yourself:
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Dallas should continue to hammer this home in the series. Though it's admirable that Looney feels empowered to pick up individual creators of Doncic and Brunson's ilk so high up the floor, his hip flexibility doesn't afford him the requisite oomph when changing directions on either player's array of dribbling moves. Doncic found relative consistency in forcing Golden State rotations and passing to open shooters after beating Looney off the dribble; Brunson, meanwhile, danced and jitterbugged his way to his spots to go 3-of-4 when defended by the Warriors' starting center.
It's integral that Dallas continues to exhaust Curry by involving him in a never-ending loop of pick-and-rolls. The more mileage put on his body defensively, the better. But there's also some value in getting some easy ones against guys like Looney and Poole.
Other notes:
<ul>
<li>Testing Klay Thompson, still fresh off two major injuries, is inherently not a terrible idea. Doing so by posting him up and allowing him to use his strong base and 6-6 frame, however, is not so brilliant. Doncic wasn't able to gain any ground against Golden State's sturdy wing, and the Mavericks would be better suited having the bursty Dinwiddie or even the guileful Brunson go at Thompson in space.</li>
</ul>
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<ul>
<li>Speaking of Brunson, how often he can make Golden State pay via pull-up threes should be a major theme in the West Finals. Golden State regularly went under ball-screens against Brunson, daring him to shoot, and he responded with a whole bundle of record-scratch moments. Brunson has shot a combined 30.4% on pull-up three-pointers in the regular season and the postseason on just 105 total attempts, and if he continues to feign at chucking them up when the defense drifts underneath screens, Dallas' offense will sludge itself to death.</li>
</ul>
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<ul>
<li>The Mavericks are one of those teams where you just wish they'd incorporate a little more movement into their offense. Dallas leaves food on the table with screening actions on the weak side of the floor, and it allows the low man to stay engaged when helping over should Doncic (or Brunson or Dinwiddie) discover a crack in the defense. That's particularly problematic against a team like the Warriors and Green, a hellish secondary defender to tangle with. Notice how Golden State preoccupies Luka, the low man in the clip below, with screening action between Wiggins and Thompson. When Looney slips to the rim, Doncic is late on his rotation because of the ensuing traffic on the weak side.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
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It'd be great if Dallas could incorporate some of&nbsp;that&nbsp;stuff into their pick-and-roll heavy offense.
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Matt Brooks goes in-depth to break down what the Mavericks can improve on offensively against a stout Warriors defense.

How the Warriors' defense flummoxed Dallas, and where the Mavs go next

The 2022 NBA Draft Lottery was last night, so we now have our top-14 picks!
Unfortunately, many of these teams &mdash; like the Sacramento Kings, Orlando Magic, Detroit Pistons and Charlotte Hornets &mdash; have grown accustomed to picking in the lottery year after year.
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Of those top-14 teams, some should try to win now. And no, that doesn&rsquo;t necessarily mean they have to trade their first-round pick, especially after observing how Rookie-of-the-Year winner Scottie Barnes and runner-up Evan Mobley impacted winning this season. But, for some teams, you could say that if they were better at development, they wouldn&rsquo;t be in the lottery this often.
But we digress. Here are some teams who should strongly consider using their lottery pick in a win-now trade so that they&rsquo;re not back in the same position next season in an increasingly wide-open NBA.
(Did we include specific trade ideas? No, we aren't firing up the trade machine here. It's May, and what do you want? 2,500 words? On the Lottery? During the Conference Finals?)
Sacramento Kings
The Kings, who were the only team to jump in the lottery last night, have picks No. 4 and No. 37 in the upcoming draft, <a href="https://www.prosportstransactions.com/basketball/DraftTrades/Future/Kings.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">along with all of their pending first-rounders</a> and many of their seconds.
Absolutely no team in the NBA needs to make the playoffs more than the Kings. The team was a perennial playoff participant from 1999 through 2006, which is hard to fathom since they haven&rsquo;t reached the postseason ever since. Their eight-straight playoff trips included four consecutive runs to at least the Western Conference Semifinals, with a Western Conference Finals trip in 2002. They have not made the playoffs since 2006; they&rsquo;ve only finished above 10th place in the West once, in 2019, when they went 39-43 &mdash; their best record in 16 years, and one of only two seasons in which they&rsquo;ve had more than 33 wins.
Last season, they made the now keystone Kings-Pacers trade, dealing Tyrese Haliburton, Buddy Hield and Tristian Thompson for Domantas Sabonis (who represented them at the lottery), Justin Holiday, Jeremy Lamb and a 2023 second-round pick. With the pairing of Sabonis (26 years old) and De&rsquo;Aaron Fox (24 years old), it may make more sense to add a similarly aged starter who can help their 2022-23 presumed playoff push.
Also, expected on the roster next season is Davion Mitchell, who will enter his sophomore season but is already 23 years old and may earn an All-Rookie selection soon. Richaun Holmes saw his role take a hit once Sabonis arrived and missed much of the latter portion of the season <a href="https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/being-accused-ex-wife-domestic-010013091.html">dealing with a personal issue</a>. Otherwise, for now, Holmes, Harrison Barnes and Mitchell are among the players under contract for next season.
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Dealing the No. 4 overall pick could land them a damn good player. John Collins, Gordon Hayward, Julius Randle, Jerami Grant and Christian Wood are among those who <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/five-nba-players-who-feel-destined-to-be-traded-this-offseason" target="_blank" rel="noopener">may find a new home this summer</a>. Could the Utah Jazz look to move on from <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/examining-potential-trade-desinations-for-donovan-mitchell-2022" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Donovan Mitchell</a> or <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/examining-potential-trade-destinations-for-rudy-gobert" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rudy Gobert</a>&nbsp;in the coming months?
The Kings will have to attach players to the No. 4 pick, but imagine if Sacramento could put another win-now piece alongside Fox and Sabonis? They should make some calls to see what a package built around the No. 4 pick could return.
Oklahoma City Thunder
Despite all of the draft picks the Thunder own, they simply can&rsquo;t draft everyone. In this year's draft, OKC owns No. 2, No. 12, No. 30 and No. 34. Over the next five years, they will have 17 first-round picks and 30 selections in total. This is something you do in NBA 2K when you plan on building a dynasty, but at some point, most virtual GMs realize that you need to start having actual players on your roster to win rather than just continually flipping players for picks while toiling at the bottom of the standings.&nbsp;
At some point, Oklahoma City needs to make its run. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is about to enter the first season of his five-year, $172 million extension, which will see him earn just under $30 million next year. SGA turns 24 years old this summer and is a cornerstone for the franchise as their best player at the moment. Last year's No. 6 overall selection Josh Giddey looks like a keeper who almost certainly will be on an All-Rookie team this season. Lu Dort, Tre Mann, Kenrich Williams, Darius Bazley, Ty Jerome and Aleksej Pokusevski are all under contractual control for next season.
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OKC could quickly assemble a package for a high-level starter or borderline star to join SGA and Giddey, particularly with whoever else is retained. They have more than enough draft capital and could probably get close to anyone they want as a result. In terms of their roster, they just need good two-way players who fit what they&rsquo;re trying to build culturally and schematically. Literally, anything goes here.
At some point, the Thunder will have to package some of these draft picks or prospects. We'll see when Sam Presti decides to flip that switch.&nbsp;
Portland Trail Blazers
The Blazers are in a tough spot with Damian Lillard, and what Lillard wants will factor in to their decision-making. He clearly wants to win but, by all accounts, he prefers to stay in Portland. It may be difficult to check both of those boxes with the Blazers as presently constructed. In the Lillard-CJ McCollum era, Portland made the playoffs every season and reached one Western Conference Finals in 2019. They were <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/a-salute-to-the-defiance-of-damian-lillard-and-cj-mccollum" target="_blank" rel="noopener">often failed by suboptimal roster construction around Lillard and McCollum</a>, and then the elite backcourt would be unfairly blamed for the team's struggles.
With the No. 7 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, and the assumption that Lillard remains, what&rsquo;s their next move as they once again attempt to win with their elite 6-foot-3 shot creator? Lillard is due over $42 million next season, the second season of a four-year supermax that will include a player option worth close to $49 million in 2024-25.
Eric Bledsoe&rsquo;s $19 million and Josh Hart&rsquo;s $12 million are the only other big salaries on the books for next season. A decision awaits on dynamic guard Anfernee Simons, who is reminiscent of the aforementioned McCollum, as he is up for an extension this summer as he enters restricted free agency. <a href="https://nba.nbcsports.com/2022/02/25/restricted-free-agent-to-be-anfernee-simons-i-100-want-to-stay-in-portland/#:~:text=signed%20a%20three%2Dyear%2C%20%2451.8,board%20career%20highs%20this%20season." target="_blank" rel="noopener">He reportedly wants to stay in Portland</a>.
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Ultimately, if the Blazers decide to package the No. 7 overall with some combination of players, could they look to include Simons via a sign-and-trade? It depends how aspirational a supposed deal could get and who they are getting in return. Only $3.9 million of Bledsoe&rsquo;s deal <a href="https://www.spotrac.com/nba/portland-trail-blazers/eric-bledsoe-6900/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">is fully guaranteed until June 29</a>, making him a prime trade-and-waive candidate between now and the draft.
Here's the reality: Portland&rsquo;s roster requires a full rebuild, but if Lillard is going to remain, selecting a rookie at No. 7 might not be ideal. And given their history and Simons' fit alongside Lillard, you might want to look at a big.

Bryan Fonseca argues that there are three NBA teams who should look to trade their lottery pick for a win-now piece.

Which NBA Draft Lottery teams should make a win-now trade?

The Milwaukee Bucks are in a sneaky-strange position after relinquishing their place as defending NBA champions.
They still have a core in Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday that figures to keep Milwaukee in contention for several years. There's no major drama surrounding the team and no marquee free agent hitting the scene this summer. The Bucks have more stability than most of the recent ousted champions. In fact, I'd argue that you'd have to go back to the Kobe Bryant-era Los Angeles Lakers, Big Three Boston Celtics or early-dynasty San Antonio Spurs to find teams who gave up the title but still had promising outlooks.&nbsp;
Yet, the Bucks also seemed like they were playing from behind in most of the second round despite leading the series against the Boston Celtics multiple times. Their half-court offense was horrendous; Milwaukee averaged a putrid 81.9 points per 100 possessions on half-court plays, per Cleaning the Glass. Their defense was solid but solvable, as shown by the Grant Williams Game 7 extravaganza and Al Horford's explosion in Game 4.
How much failure can be atrributed to the loss of Middleton? How much can the Bucks stand pat as other Eastern Conference powers continue to make moves? How much will they weigh postseason failure against regular-season success and injuries?
These are the questions leadership will ask itself as Milwaukee approaches a murky offseason.
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The Bucks have their star trio locked down for the next two years (though Middleton holds a player option in 2023-24). However, they will have several smaller free agents to manage. Bobby Portis holds a $4.5 million player option, per Spotrac, and should command over twice that amount if he decides to hit the open market. Pat Connaughton ($5.3 million) and Thanasis Antetokounmpo ($1.8 million) also hold player options.&nbsp;
Wes Matthews, despite his low scoring numbers, was <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/wes-matthews-twoway-play-deserves-your-attention" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one of the most impactful Bucks in their playoff run</a>. His defense on Jayson Tatum in particular made the second round a slog for the Celtics' star, helping keep Milwaukee in contention. Matthews will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason. At 35 years old, and with a limited offensive ceiling, he'll be an interesting player to watch this summer. I'm all for Milwaukee doing what they must to return Matthews, but will his age and injury history make them hesitant? If so, does another team pounce?
Serge Ibaka will also hit unrestricted free agency, and was not much of a factor in Milwaukee this season after being acquired at the 2022 trade deadline. Jevon Carter joins him and Matthews as an unrestricted free agent; his case might be more intriguing after he emerged as a rotation-caliber guard and shot the ball better than he ever has in his short career. Jordan Nwora and Lindell Wigginton will both be restricted free agents.
This free agency period ultimately forces Milwaukee to evaluate its supporting cast around the three stars. Giannis is the rudder for every decision the franchise makes for at least the next four years. Milwaukee has to reflect on which players best fit his strengths and needs, particularly on offense.
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Unfortunately, they won't have much free agent flexibility. The Bucks only have the $6.3 million taxpayer mid-level exception to go out and sign a complementary piece. They also hold a $1.5 million trade exception that has almost no functional value. So if they want to chase a player with more stature, they'll have to get creative with trades.
However, unlike many past champions, Milwaukee does still hold its first-round pick outright at No. 24 overall. The NBA Draft could be an easy way for them to add a rotation piece either by selection or with a trade. The franchise forfeited its second-round pick, however, in the fallout from the Bogdan Bogdanovic fiasco of the 2020 offseason.&nbsp;
Our Senior NBA Draft Analyst Matt Babock currently projects the Bucks to select Blake Wesley in his most recent <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2022 NBA Mock Draft.</a>&nbsp;A 6-foot-5 freshman guard from Notre Dame, Wesley brings an enticing mix of length, slashing, scoring potential and defensive upside.
Does a seven-game sample dictate how the Bucks approach this offseason? It feels unfair to the larger roster and the shooters who ultimately went cold in a pivotal Game 7. But Milwaukee's expectations are now to win in these seven-game series, and when the offense looked as bad as it did in Round 2, running it back seems illogical.
It's not a call for Mike Budenholzer's ousting or saying that any particular player is holding the team back. The Bucks instead have to take a long, hard look at what team they want to be and what current players fit into that mold. They're still very much title contenders, but this season was a reminder that contention doesn't get you very far in the NBA.
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The Bucks have a stable foundation, but does a second-round exit force a change with the franchise?

2022 NBA offseason preview: What's next for the Milwaukee Bucks?

Ever since Artūras Karni&scaron;ovas and Marc Eversley took over the Bulls&rsquo; front office two years ago, Chicago has been one of the most aggressive teams in the NBA. Their fingerprints are all over this roster, with notable acquisitions such as DeMar DeRozan, Nikola Vucevic, Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso.
These moves have translated to on-court success, as the Bulls posted their best winning percentage since the 2014-15 season and ended their four-year playoff drought. This year, Chicago was 46-36 &mdash; more wins than they had in the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons combined. (Zach LaVine and Coby White are the only remaining players from that 2019-20 squad).
The Bulls entered the playoffs as the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference while boasting the NBA's 11th-ranked offense (scoring 111.0 points per 100 possessions) and 23rd-ranked defense (allowing 111.1 points per 100 possessions).&nbsp;
While this season marked a step in the right direction, the Bulls&rsquo; first-round series against the Milwaukee Bucks showed that there&rsquo;s still plenty of work to be done. Despite Milwaukee losing their second-best player, Khris Middleton, to a sprained MCL in Game 2, the Bucks completed a gentleman's sweep against the Bulls. Chicago wasn&rsquo;t at full strength either, with Ball sidelined due to a knee injury and LaVine (COVID-19) and Caruso (concussion) each missing Game 5. Still, the reigning champions were a good litmus test.
Entering the offseason, where does Chicago go from here? Are big changes coming?
RE-SIGNING ZACH LAVINE
Entering this offseason, Chicago&rsquo;s top priority should be re-signing LaVine, who is set to hit unrestricted free agency. The 27-year-old has emerged as a perennial All-Star, earning a spot on the Eastern Conference squad in each of the last two seasons.&nbsp;
This year, LaVine averaged 24.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.8 threes, while reducing his turnovers to 2.6 per game and shooting 47.6% from the field, 38.9% from three and 85.3% from the free-throw line.&nbsp;
LaVine will certainly expect a maximum contract from the Bulls, which would <a href="https://hoopshype.com/lists/bulls-offseason-preview-zach-lavines-free-agency-nikola-vucevic-extension-more/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pay him</a> $212.3 million over five years. The most he could receive from another team is $157.4 million over four years. This is a relatively weak free-agent class, so it seems very likely that LaVine will get a max deal from some team.&nbsp;
The Bulls would be wise to re-sign their star shooting guard, as replacing his production would be difficult, and the team would certainly take a step back if LaVine signed elsewhere.
"I plan to enjoy free agency," LaVine said recently. &ldquo;We're going to have to experience A through Z without making any fast decisions. I think that's something me and [Rich Paul] are going to go through and experience."
LaVine was asked if the Bulls are the front-runners to sign him, but he wouldn&rsquo;t say.
"You guys have been a really, really soft spot in my heart," LaVine said to the Chicago media. "I have to do this as a business decision, as a man, to not just be viewed one way and be like, 'I'm automatically coming back,' or, 'I'm automatically leaving.'"
In multiple interviews, LaVine has reiterated that he wants to be paid what he feels he deserves.
"I just want my respect. I think that's the main thing," LaVine <a href="https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/bulls/zach-lavine-prepares-olympic-quarterfinal-bulls-free-agency" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> last August. "I outplayed my contract; I've been very loyal to Chicago, I like Chicago. I just want my respect."
FREE AGENCY
Aside from LaVine, the bulk of Chicago's core is under contract for the foreseeable future.&nbsp;
The Bulls have $103,181,950 in guaranteed salaries on the books for next season, spread across nine players: DeRozan, Vucevic, Lopez, Caruso, White, Patrick Williams, Javonte Green, Ayo Dosunmu and Marko Simonovic. Projections set next year&rsquo;s salary cap at $122 million and the luxury tax at $149 million.
Derrick Jones Jr.,Tristan Thompson and Matt Thomas will be unrestricted free agents. Tony Bradley has a player option worth $2,036,318, so he could opt out and test the market as well.
The team will have three restricted free agents (assuming Chicago extends a qualifying offer to each): Troy Brown Jr. ($7,228,448 QO), Tyler Cook ($1,576,305) and Malcolm Hill ($1,576,305).
Last year, the Bulls were very aggressive in free agency, making splashy moves left and right. Given their cap situation, it seems unlikely that Chicago will be able to go star hunting, but they&rsquo;ll likely try to improve their depth and add certain specialists. For example, Chicago could use a rim protector, as they averaged just 4.0 blocks per game (which ranked 27th in the NBA). Can they afford Mitchell Robinson? Could they throw an offer sheet at or sign-and-trade for a restricted free agent like Nic Claxton or Mo Bamba? Can they add a veteran like JaVale McGee or Hassan Whiteside?&nbsp;
In addition to a rim protector, it would make sense to add other defensive reinforcements as well (especially if Jones signs elsewhere). Caruso and Ball give Chicago a strong defensive backcourt, but they need some help if the Bulls want to improve their 23rd-ranked defensive rating (113.2). Some of the top defensive role players who are hitting the market include Bruce Brown, Gary Payton II and PJ Tucker. Lu Dort and Jae'Sean Tate each have a team option, but it seems unlikely that either will be available given their bargain contracts.
The Bulls will look to add a contributor or two using the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, which is worth $10,349,000. Last offseason, that is how Chicago was able to sign Caruso to a four-year, $37 million deal, which ended up being a terrific addition. Other players who signed for the non-taxpayer MLE last offseason include McGee (Phoenix Suns), Tucker (Miami Heat), Reggie Bullock (Dallas Mavericks) and Khem Birch (Toronto Raptors).
It will be interesting to see what the Bulls do in free agency. However, keep in mind that some of Chicago&rsquo;s biggest additions in recent years were acquired through trades.
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TRADES
After watching the Bulls&rsquo; front office trade for Vucevic, DeRozan and Ball, fans are understandably thinking big when it comes to Chicago&rsquo;s trade targets entering the offseason.
Myles Turner has been mentioned as a possible target for the Bulls since he could solve their rim-protection issues, but the window on acquiring Turner may have slammed shut as a <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/despite-trade-talks-the-pacers-want-to-keep-myles-turner-longterm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recent report</a> suggested that the Indiana Pacers are now expected to keep the 26-year-old long-term.
Another dominant shot-blocker who may become available is Rudy Gobert. The Utah Jazz just had another season end in disappointing fashion, and there has already been a <a href="https://twitter.com/realOCsports/status/1521141215411941376" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> that the Jazz will be forced to choose between Gobert and Donovan Mitchell. If Utah opts to keep their young shooting guard, a three-time Defensive Player of the Year and five-time All-Defensive First-Team selection could suddenly be obtainable.
If that happens, the Bulls should at least reach out and start a conversation. Our Evan Sidery recently <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/examining-potential-trade-destinations-for-rudy-gobert" target="_blank" rel="noopener">broke down potential destinations for Gobert</a> and listed Chicago as the top landing spot. Here&rsquo;s what he wrote:
Imagine the possibilities for Chicago with Gobert patrolling the paint with Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso hawking the perimeter. It&rsquo;s the perfect complement to offensive dynamos Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan. Chicago&rsquo;s new starting lineup of Ball, Caruso, LaVine, DeRozan and Gobert would seemingly have no holes in it from a two-way perspective. I absolutely love this idea for Chicago, and they should be blowing up the Jazz&rsquo;s phone this summer if it seems plausible.
Jazz receive: Nikola Vucevic, Patrick Williams, Coby White, draft compensation Bulls receive: Rudy Gobert
It remains to be seen if either side would do this, but it&rsquo;s an intriguing idea.
With that said, if the Bulls are committed to Vucevic and don&rsquo;t want to trade for a new big man, HoopsHype&rsquo;s Yossi Gozlan <a href="https://hoopshype.com/lists/bulls-offseason-preview-zach-lavines-free-agency-nikola-vucevic-extension-more/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">points out</a> that an extension for Vooch could make sense this offseason.
If that happens, perhaps Chicago just looks for a complementary shot-blocker who can play behind Vucevic like one of the free agents we mentioned above or more of a minor trade target such as New York&rsquo;s Nerlens Noel or Minnesota&rsquo;s Jarred Vanderbilt.
It&rsquo;s also worth noting that the Bulls have a $5,000,000 trade exception that expires on July 7, 2022, from their Daniel Theis deal.
DRAFT
The Bulls have the No. 18 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. In BasketballNews.com's <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2022 NBA Mock Draft</a>, our senior NBA Draft analyst Matt Babcock has Chicago selecting Ohio State forward <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-nba-mock-draft/players/ej-liddell" target="_blank" rel="noopener">EJ Liddell</a>.&nbsp;
The 6-foot-7, 21-year-old junior is a well-rounded, NBA-ready player who makes sense for a Bulls team that wants to win now. Last season, Liddell averaged 19.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 2.6 blocks, 1.4 threes and 0.6 steals, while shooting 49.0% from the field, 37.4% from three and 76.5% from the free-throw line.
&ldquo;Although he is a bit undersized for the position, the Buckeyes often used Liddell as a 4 or 5 in their lineups,&rdquo; Babcock noted in his scouting breakdown. &ldquo;He is physical and versatile on both ends of the floor, scoring both inside and out. He appears more comfortable in the mid-range and paint, which works well for his college system but raises questions in regards to his translatability to the NBA. Liddell filled up the box score and played with great effort and toughness. He has certainly carved out a spot for himself in the 2022 NBA Draft.&rdquo;
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Other players who are projected to be available in that range are G League Ignite wing <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-nba-mock-draft/players/marjon-beauchamp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MarJon Beauchamp</a>, Baylor forward <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-nba-mock-draft/players/kendall-brown" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kendall Brown</a>, LSU forward <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-nba-mock-draft/players/tari-eason" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tari Eason</a>, Notre Dame guard <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-nba-mock-draft/players/blake-wesley" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Blake Wesley</a>, G League Ignite guard <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-nba-mock-draft/players/jaden-hardy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jaden Hardy</a>, Serbian forward <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-nba-mock-draft/players/nikola-jovic" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nikola Jovic</a> and Tennessee guard <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-nba-mock-draft/players/kennedy-chandler" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kennedy Chandler</a>.&nbsp;
If the Bulls aren&rsquo;t interested in any of these prospects, or if Karni&scaron;ovas and Eversley continue to be aggressive on the trade market, Chicago could look to deal the No. 18 pick as part of a win-now move.
It&rsquo;s worth noting that Chicago must forfeit their next-available second-round pick after an NBA investigation revealed that they contacted Ball prior to the start of the NBA&rsquo;s free-agency period. As it stands, the Bulls&rsquo; next-available pick is the team&rsquo;s 2026 second-rounder, but Chicago can&rsquo;t acquire a second-round pick before then because they&rsquo;d have to forfeit it.
***
After a few rough years, the Bulls seem to be back on the right trajectory, and there&rsquo;s no question that this team has the talent to be a perennial playoff squad in the East. Winning 46 games despite trying to get so many new players acclimated is impressive, especially when you factor in the injuries to Ball, Caruso, Williams, etc.
Even if the Bulls bring back largely the same roster, they will benefit from that continuity and improved chemistry. However, given what we&rsquo;ve seen from this front office in recent years, don&rsquo;t be surprised if they look to wheel-and-deal in order to take the roster to the next level.

After winning 46 games and losing in the first round, where will the Bulls go from here? Alex Kennedy previews Chicago's summer.

2022 NBA offseason preview: What's next for the Chicago Bulls?

We have reached the point where Stephen A. Smith is conjuring up the narrative that Zion Williamson is holding back the New Orleans Pelicans from contending for a title.
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When did we get to this part of the Twilight Zone, I need to get out 😭😭😭 <a href="https://twitter.com/PelicansNBA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PelicansNBA</a> <a href="https://t.co/sOnggL7FYf">pic.twitter.com/sOnggL7FYf</a>
&mdash; Devonte Graham Bricks (@Marvason) <a href="https://twitter.com/Marvason/status/1521244564966756359?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 2, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Let's not discuss that clip any further besides pointing out how dramatically <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/wednesday-was-a-celebration-of-how-far-the-pelicans-have-come" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the Pelicans changed course and captured the respect of the national basketball audience</a> this season. Stephen A.'s rant is less relevant for its substance and more noteworthy because ESPN is&nbsp;still talking about the Pelicans even after they were eliminated from a hard-fought, first-round series. New Orleans started 1-12 (!!) and turned into one of the NBA's true darlings in a matter of months &mdash; all without its most marketable star.
Brandon Ingram asserted his star status, averaging 22.7 points, 5.8 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game (27.0/6.2/6.2 during the postseason) while taking a leap as a playmaker. CJ McCollum fit right in as a "1B" creator and microwave shooter after the trade deadline. Herb Jones is the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/reassessing-herb-jones-upside" target="_blank" rel="noopener">certified steal of the 2021 NBA Draft</a>, and undrafted rookie Jose Alvarado isn't too far behind.
There is no hyperbole fit to describe the sheer joy I had watching the Pelicans through the wins and losses of this season, and if you followed along, you recognize the progress that far exceeded the record and results.
Perhaps the best part is that New Orleans remains built for the future.
Only three players hit free agency this offseason: Tony Snell, Jared Harper and Gary Clark. Everyone else is under contract for 2022-23 &mdash; no team options, no restricted free agents and no partial guarantees, per Spotrac. On the signing front, Zion is the biggest domino, as he'll be eligible to sign a rookie extension before hitting restricted free agency in summer 2023. At least publicly, he is giving positive indications:
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I asked Zion Williamson if offered an extension this summer by the Pelicans would he sign it? His answer. &ldquo;Of course, I couldn&rsquo;t sign it fast enough.&rdquo;
&mdash; Fletcher Mackel (@FletcherWDSU) <a href="https://twitter.com/FletcherWDSU/status/1520095546752516096?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2022</a></blockquote>

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However, Williamson has now missed a whopping 141 games in his NBA career. Even if he inks a max extension, which Dan Feldman of NBC Sports says <a href="&ldquo;Obviously,%20that%20conversation%20is%20going%20to%20be%20one%20that%20will%20be%20a%20challenge,&rdquo;%20Griffin%20said.%20&ldquo;When%20it&rsquo;s%20time%20to%20have%20that,%20we&rsquo;ll%20have%20it.%20And%20right%20now%20what%20we&rsquo;re%20focused%20on%20is%20him%20being%20healthy,%20and%20(being%20in)%20kind%20of%20elite%20condition%20to%20play%20basketball%20and%20we&rsquo;ll%20start%20there.&rdquo;" target="_blank" rel="noopener">could be worth well over $180 million</a>, Pelicans executive vice president David Griffin implied that talks might be complicated.
&ldquo;Obviously, that conversation is going to be one that will be a challenge,&rdquo; Griffin said. &ldquo;When it&rsquo;s time to have that, we&rsquo;ll have it. And right now what we&rsquo;re focused on is him being healthy, and (being in) kind of elite condition to play basketball and we&rsquo;ll start there.&rdquo;
Ultimately, Williamson's health and wealth are the rudder of the Pelicans' ceiling. But Griffin still has much to address on other fronts.
New Orleans has the Lakers' first round pick with zero protections &mdash; an exciting opportunity given that pick has the eighth-best lottery odds. At the very least, the Pelicans get a free chance to add another young talent to the rotation, and if things break right, they could add another franchise cornerstone.
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Senior NBA Draft Analyst Matt Babcock projects New Orleans to pick Duke freshman AJ Griffin in <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">our latest mock draft</a> if they remain at No. 8. Griffin is a high-upside choice as one of the youngest players in the draft class. A long, 6-foot-6 wing, he's returned from injuries in high school and at Duke, and flashes traits of a dynamic three-level scorer and creator.
The Pelicans send their first-rounder to Charlotte as part of last summer's Devonte' Graham trade. But they still hold their own second-round pick (No. 41 overall) and a pick from Utah (No. 52). Babcock has Kentucky center Oscar Tshiebwe and Villanova guard Collin Gillespie mocked to New Orleans in the second round.
Even with a packed roster and their draft picks, the Pelicans still have assets to get frisky in free agency. They'll have $10.2 million non-taxpayer mid-level exception to use on a free agent along with a $4 million bi-annual exception. More notable is their $17 million trade exception generated from trading Steven Adams to the Memphis Grizzlies. New Orleans could absorb a player into that exception with some financial flexibility.
But how much should the Pelicans shake things up? Since Jan. 1, they sported the 17th-best offense and defense, according to Cleaning the Glass, and were still only the ninth seed in a deep Western Conference at season's end. Yet we saw other young prospects &mdash; most notably Jaxson Hayes and Trey Murphy III &mdash; visibly develop as the year moved along. The five-man unit of McCollum, Ingram, Jones, Hayes and Jonas Valanciunas played 294 possessions after the trade deadline and was a solid plus-7.1 points per 100 possessions.
New Orleans receives one of the NBA's biggest boosts if Zion Williamson comes back healthy to open 2022-23. Willie Green gets a summer to prepare after a stellar first season as a head coach. The Pelicans have a bright future ahead, and this offseason should purely be icing on the cake.
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The Pelicans surprised everyone with their run to the NBA Playoffs, and have only just begun an exciting trajectory.

2022 NBA offseason preview: What's next for the New Orleans Pelicans?

We&rsquo;re officially two months away from 2022 NBA Free Agency officially kicking off. Although the class is rather shallow &mdash; especially on superstar movement &mdash; the headliners provide some intrigue and there are endless possibilities in terms of the potential domino effects.
Will Zach LaVine and Deandre Ayton be viewed as max-level talents by their respective organizations? What will happen with James Harden and Kyrie Irving? Will Bradley Beal once again commit long-term to the Washington Wizards?
Let&rsquo;s dive into my predictions on what the top-five projected free agents will likely do this offseason, and how those moves could alter the calculus of the entire NBA.
James Harden
Player Option ($44.7 million)
Philadelphia 76ers president Daryl Morey accomplished his long-awaited dream when he helped James Harden and Joel Embiid join forces in Philadelphia earlier this season. When Harden wanted to get out of Brooklyn (an era we'll look back on as a huge "what if" in NBA history), the Sixers pushed their chips all-in on the dominant inside-out duo&rsquo;s potential.
However, having sent out Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond and future draft capital to the Nets, it hasn&rsquo;t gone as smoothly as many expected for Harden. After a fast start with his new team, Harden's production has tailed off. Now, with Embiid's postseason status in jeopardy due to an orbital fracture, can Harden recapture his form before another important career decision?
Harden averaged 21.0 points, 10.5 assists and 7.1 rebounds in 21 regular-season games with the Sixers, and through six playoff games, has produced to the tune of 19.0 points, 10.2 assists and 5.0 rebounds.
Since these numbers aren't anywhere close to vintage-Harden levels of offensive production, does Morey feel comfortable shelling out a gigantic long-term extension to the 32-year-old, high-usage guard? It feels like we&rsquo;re entering into the next phase of Harden&rsquo;s career, and if that&rsquo;s the case, he&rsquo;s probably not a $40-plus-million player.
It seems like Philadelphia is backed into a corner in this situation though. After shipping off Simmons and future assets to Brooklyn, the Sixers have committed to Embiid and Harden hopefully delivering a championship within their short-term window.
Prediction: Harden opts out and re-signs on three-year max contract
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Kyrie Irving
Player Option ($36.5 million)
Who knows what the future holds as it relates to Kyrie Irving? Unwilling to get vaccinated against COVID-19, Irving cost the Nets a realistic chance at competing for an NBA championship this season; this should've never been an issue, but he had to try to catch up and learn on the fly with his teammates.
Brooklyn still holds those championship expectations moving forward, especially with Kevin Durant and Simmons alongside Irving.
Irving is the true wildcard to watch this summer. If he decides to <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/why-the-nets-should-part-ways-with-kyrie-irving" target="_blank" rel="noopener">move on from the Nets</a>, it wouldn&rsquo;t be a surprise at all. Honestly, even retirement wouldn&rsquo;t be a complete surprise with Irving. In the end, though, the Nets are also married to this idea of competing for rings over the extended window with Durant.
The reason why Durant joined the Nets was to play with his best friend in Irving. It&rsquo;s hard to envision Irving leaving Brooklyn, and he echoed similar sentiments after the Nets&rsquo; disappointing first-round exit against the Boston Celtics.
&ldquo;There&rsquo;s no way I&rsquo;m leaving my man 7 anywhere,&rdquo; Irving said after the series.
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"I don't really plan on going anywhere.... when I say I'm here with Kev [Durant] I think that it really entails us managing this franchise together alongside Joe [Tsai] and Sean [Marks]... we're cornerstones here but we have Ben, we have a few other guys..." -Kyrie Irving on FA <a href="https://t.co/ulk86MzHTK">pic.twitter.com/ulk86MzHTK</a>
&mdash; DaveEarly (@DavidEarly) <a href="https://twitter.com/DavidEarly/status/1518782963579867138?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 26, 2022</a></blockquote>

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The Nets should definitely reconsider their stance on handing out a potential five-year max extension to Irving though. Understanding his unpredictability, who knows what could happen in the future with him? With Durant still dominating, Irving will likely align his next contract on a similar path.
Prediction: Irving opts out and re-signs on four-year max contract
Bradley Beal
Player Option ($36.4 million)
Will Bradley Beal really decide to stick around in D.C. for the long-term? I have serious doubts on that idea, and Beal should as well for his legacy. Even in a down year for the Washington Wizards &mdash; one in which he was shut down due to a torn ligament in his left wrist on Feb. 8 &mdash; he&rsquo;s still a star-level player in the NBA. Capable of dropping 30-plus points with ease at anytime, Beal has consistently shown the team around him has been the main issue. Carrying subpar teams on his back since John Wall left, Beal needs to consider doing the greater good for his own individual outlook.
From Beal&rsquo;s perspective, looking around at other options to win right now would be the best-case scenario. While he's been very loyal to the Wizards since being drafted by the organization, this could become very awkward rather quickly once the offseason window opens.
Washington has done a fantastic job retooling its team on the fly since trading away Russell Westbrook. Rolling the dice on Kristaps Porzingis at the trade deadline is a massive risk, but he&rsquo;s the closest thing to a star-level player who would be willing to stay long-term. With Porzingis and a plethora of young talent led by Kyle Kuzma, will Beal lock himself into this situation for another four or five years?
The trade market will be the most realistic route to see star movement in the summer. Beal is one of those names to watch via sign-and-trade. If Beal opts out, don&rsquo;t be surprised to see him sign elsewhere while not leaving the Wizards high and dry with nothing back in return. Beal seems destined to spread his wings elsewhere and serve as the cherry on top of a true title contender's roster.
Prediction: Beal opts out and the Wizards pull off sign-and-trade to recoup some assets
Zach LaVine
Unrestricted Free Agent
Zach LaVine is one of the more underrated players in the league. He&rsquo;s a highlight reel on the offensive end, but his defense leaves so much to be desired. We&rsquo;ve seen incremental improvements with LaVine on that end with better talent around him, but will the Bulls view him as a max-level player? Committing that type of money to LaVine could be risky &mdash; especially with an upcoming offseason knee surgery &mdash; but it&rsquo;s the Bulls&rsquo; best bet to keeping their core together long-term.
If the Bulls balk at paying LaVine, many teams with cap space will come knocking on his door. San Antonio Spurs point guard Dejounte Murray has already started <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPointsApp/status/1519870631180791808?s=20&amp;t=vGdMwWWoEEc20-pQbx0udg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recruiting LaVine on social media</a> with photoshops of him in their jersey, for example.
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LaVine and DeMar DeRozan showed throughout this season that they are a lethal scoring combination that is very difficult to contain. Before injuries ravaged Chicago&rsquo;s roster, they were one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference. Maybe the Bulls try to move Nikola Vucevic, who has a $22 million expiring contract; <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/examining-potential-trade-destinations-for-rudy-gobert" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rudy Gobert could be a name to watch</a> if the Bulls try to take their team to another level.
But LaVine is a different story.
A core in Chicago of LaVine, DeRozan, Lonzo Ball, Patrick Williams and Alex Caruso is a fun one. Chicago runs it back and doesn&rsquo;t hesitate coughing up huge money to its star shooting guard.
Prediction: LaVine signs a five-year max extension with Bulls
Deandre Ayton
Restricted Free Agent
This is one of the more interesting situations to follow heading into the offseason. After the Phoenix Suns shockingly decided not to pay 2018 No. 1 overall pick Deandre Ayton before the season began, questions are still bubbling under the surface on his long-term future with the organization. Ayton hasn&rsquo;t let this impact his on-court performance though, as he's continued to be a two-way anchor to the Suns&rsquo; immense success. The Bahamian big man keeps proving his game is tailor-made for the postseason as well.
Will the Suns actually allow Ayton and his representation to test the open market as one of the top free agents available? It would be stunning, but it feels like we could be heading in that direction.
ESPN&rsquo;s Adrian Wojnarowski has mentioned that, in negotiations, the Suns didn&rsquo;t view Ayton as a max-level player at the time, which stunned many executives around the NBA. Has Phoenix&rsquo;s stance changed after Ayton&rsquo;s consistent performances throughout this season and the playoffs?
Here&rsquo;s a little nugget: According to a league source, Phoenix is more than comfortable paying up and going deep into the luxury tax as long as its roster is competing for championships. Ayton is part of that puzzle, and 2019 lottery pick Cameron Johnson is eligible for an extension this offseason. Do with that information what you will, but it would truly be stunning to see Ayton playing elsewhere in 2022-23.
Prediction: Ayton tests the market and signs four-year max offer sheet elsewhere, which includes a player option; Phoenix eventually matches the offer sheet and keeps him long-term 
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What will happen with the best projected 2022 free agents this offseason? Evan Sidery shares his predictions for the top five.

2022 NBA Free Agency: Predicting where 5 stars will land this summer

The Utah Jazz&rsquo;s 2021-22 season is officially over. The Jazz believed they were a championship contender, but this marks another season ending in disappointment and heartbreak. Now, looking ahead at what&rsquo;s to come in Salt Lake City, massive changes seem to be on the horizon. Whether it be Donovan Mitchell or Rudy Gobert on the move, something&rsquo;s gotta give. Other veterans such as Mike Conley and Bojan Bogdanovic could be on the move too.
While our Bryan Fonseca recently broke down <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/examining-potential-trade-desinations-for-donovan-mitchell-2022" target="_blank" rel="noopener">possible trade destinations for Mitchell</a>, it's seems likely that the Jazz will try to appease their young star shooting guard. Gordon Hayward already broke Utah&rsquo;s heart a few years ago when he left in free agency. If Mitchell requested a trade, it would send shockwaves throughout Utah. Unlike Hayward, Mitchell has star power that transcends Utah and he could potentially lead the team to heights they haven&rsquo;t reached since the 1990s with John Stockton and Karl Malone.
If the Jazz have to move their homegrown three-time Defensive Player of the Year in order to keep Mitchell, I'm almost certain it would happen. It&rsquo;s an unfortunate twist of fate for Gobert, but leaving the Jazz&rsquo;s system might be the best thing for him so he can truly blossom into a true two-way presence.
As seen throughout Utah's first-round series against the Dallas Mavericks, Gobert was ignored or simply used as a decoy more often than not. If Gobert is used on a more consistent basis in a different environment, who knows what he could accomplish as one of the NBA&rsquo;s premier lob threats?
Gobert hitting the trade market would result in a feeding frenzy around the Association. Whether it be title contenders or rebuilding teams who feel close to a massive leap, Gobert could be viewed as the missing piece to the puzzle.
Without further ado, let&rsquo;s dive into five realistic destinations for a Gobert blockbuster deal this offseason.
Chicago Bulls
Chicago knows they&rsquo;re in desperate need of a defensive jolt. Adding Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso in the backcourt already brought a new identity to the Bulls, who were seemingly allergic to defense before their arrival. Myles Turner has been mentioned as a possible target for Chicago, but the Indiana Pacers are <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/despite-trade-talks-the-pacers-want-to-keep-myles-turner-longterm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> expected to keep him long-term. Why not swing for the fences with Gobert? Acquiring the 29-year-old would be a crown-jewel moment for the organization.&nbsp;
Imagine the possibilities for Chicago with Gobert patrolling the paint with Ball and Caruso hawking the perimeter. It&rsquo;s the perfect complement to offensive dynamos Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan. Chicago&rsquo;s new starting lineup of Ball, Caruso, LaVine, DeRozan and Gobert would seemingly have no holes in it from a two-way perspective.
I absolutely love this idea for Chicago, and they should be blowing up the Jazz&rsquo;s phone this summer if it seems plausible.
Jazz receive: Nikola Vucevic, Patrick Williams, Coby White, draft compensation
Bulls receive: Rudy Gobert
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New York Knicks
The Knicks are bound to blow it up one way or another soon enough. Julius Randle feels like <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/five-nba-players-who-feel-destined-to-be-traded-this-offseason" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one of the most obvious trade candidates</a> to potentially hit the market this offseason. If the Knicks are done with Randle, could they parlay him and other young pieces to acquire Gobert? While <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/examining-potential-trade-desinations-for-donovan-mitchell-2022" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New York would love to land Mitchell</a>, the Knicks should seriously explore a Gobert trade since the organization needs some sort of game-changing move.
The 2022-23 season feels like a make-or-break year for the current Knicks regime. Head coach Tom Thibodeau&rsquo;s seat is red-hot, plus the Knicks&rsquo; front office has to be itching to make some sort of move to change course from a stale build.
Gobert&rsquo;s arrival would signal New York is ready to finally ascend the Eastern Conference standings. Sure, Gobert isn&rsquo;t a true &ldquo;superstar,&rdquo; but he&rsquo;s far and away the most impactful player the Knicks could realistically reel in this offseason. Gobert being the adult in the room for an accelerated rebuild in the Big Apple is a fun scenario, especially as it provides a high-floor outcome immediately.
New York&rsquo;s current roster has ample flexibility to turn it all over again by 2023. If the Knicks clear out all of their contracts with team options and expiring deals, sans the young core, they will have a max slot open for the loaded 2023 free-agent class. Would Gobert and RJ Barrett be able to sell a star on New York? If Barrett takes the leap forward that many expect, that&rsquo;s a fun big/wing duo to build around long-term.
Utah will likely want at least another young asset or two in return as part of this projected blockbuster, but the framework is strong enough to build off it.
Jazz receive: Julius Randle, Alec Burks, Quentin Grimes, draft compensation
Knicks receive: Rudy Gobert
Atlanta Hawks
Want to find the perfect fit for Gobert outside of Utah? The Hawks are the ideal destination for Gobert, who would be able to shine outside of the Jazz&rsquo;s system. Trae Young pick-and-rolls with Gobert would simply be unfair to try to guard, and it would help insulate their star point guard in a better situation.
Atlanta also has the right amount of assets to make this compelling for Utah to pull the trigger. Whether it be John Collins or Bogdan Bogdanovic, either one could be the centerpiece to a Gobert deal. Also, Atlanta has an upcoming expiring salary in Danilo Gallinari with only $5 million guaranteed on his contract. If you throw together Collins, Gallinari and future draft compensation, it could be enough for the Jazz to take negotiations more seriously. Clint Capela could also be re-routed to another team to free up further cap flexibility as well.
For Atlanta, they are ready to win right now with Young leading the way. With Young, Kevin Huerter, De&rsquo;Andre Hunter, Onyeka Okongwu and Jalen Johnson, they have a young core that's ready to take the next step. Gobert brings a star piece to an organization that has the urgency to compete right now in the East, and they'll want to bounce back after how they crashed and burned to end their 2021-22 season. Also, the Hawks had the NBA's 26th-ranked defense this season (allowing 112.1 points per 100 possessions), so adding a three-time Defensive Player of the Year could be just what they need.
It wouldn&rsquo;t be a surprise to see a player of Young&rsquo;s caliber push for Gobert to join him in Atlanta too. With all the trade rumors swirling around Collins since he signed a five-year extension, this deal makes a lot of sense for both sides to explore further.
Jazz receive: John Collins, Danilo Gallinari, future draft compensation
Hawks receive: Rudy Gobert
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Golden State Warriors
Smoke is already forming around this possibility, if the Jazz indeed decide to blow it up in a few months. For the Warriors, it&rsquo;s an all-in move to create another dynasty in the final prime years of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. With so much young talent climbing the ladder in the reloaded Western Conference, the time is now for the Warriors to make a splashy move to keep themselves atop the standings.
This will be the last time the Warriors can explore potential deals revolving around Andrew Wiggins&rsquo; bloated salary as well. Next season, Wiggins will be on an expiring contract making $33.6 million. With Wiggins, Golden State can immediately enter the conversation for Gobert while also having some intriguing young pieces that could appeal to Utah.
Jonathan Kuminga is likely off limits from the Warriors&rsquo; perspective, flashing real two-way potential throughout this season. However, what about a combination of Moses Moody and James Wiseman? Instantly, Utah can replenish their young core with two immediate contributors to place alongside Mitchell long-term. Throw in some future draft picks and the Jazz might be the ones who are ready to press &ldquo;accept&rdquo; on this hypothetical trade.
Golden State&rsquo;s new-age lineup of dominance would simply be unfair. Take a look at the Warriors&rsquo; projected lineup with Gobert: Curry, Jordan Poole, Thompson, Green and Gobert. With all of the versatility on display here, it could vault Golden State into a different stratosphere entirely.
Jazz receive: Andrew Wiggins, James Wiseman, Moses Moody, future draft compensation
Warriors receive: Rudy Gobert, Rudy Gay
Detroit Pistons
Here&rsquo;s a surprise team that could become very aggressive in the Gobert sweepstakes if the chips fall their way this offseason. No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham flashed superstar potential for the Pistons during his rookie campaign, especially after the All-Star break.
If the Pistons get lottery luck once more with a top pick in this year&rsquo;s draft, could they decide to push some chips into the middle of the table for Gobert? Imagine if the Pistons had a trio of Cunningham, Gobert and a top prospect (Jabari Smith or Paolo Banchero?) to build around for the next five-plus years.
For the Pistons, acquiring stars via the draft or trades is the only realistic route to obtaining a game-changing talent. We already saw it on display with their former regime when they traded for Blake Griffin, which led to little progress long-term. Unlike Griffin, Gobert actually fits into the organization's long-term calculus.
From the Jazz&rsquo;s perspective, they would be asking for a heavy return from a team like Detroit. We&rsquo;re talking two key pieces to their core as well as veteran wing Jerami Grant. Would the Pistons feel comfortable moving Saddiq Bey and Isaiah Stewart for Gobert? That may be Utah's asking price.
Jazz receive: Jerami Grant, Saddiq Bey, Isaiah Stewart, Kelly Olynyk, future draft compensation
Pistons receive: Rudy Gobert, Nickeil Alexander-Walker
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Entering a pivotal offseason, will the Utah Jazz blow it up? If so, which teams make sense as a landing spot for Rudy Gobert?

Examining potential trade destinations for Rudy Gobert

In spite of Luka Dončić only playing half of the series, the Utah Jazz have been eliminated by the Dallas Mavericks in the opening round of the NBA Playoffs, which can only mean it&rsquo;s time to blow them up!
Okay, not really... but maybe? Virtually everyone is expecting organizational changes given the team's recent underachievement in the playoffs stemming from successful regular seasons. This incarnation of the Jazz was established in 2017-18, behind then-rookie Donovan Mitchell&rsquo;s quick rise to stardom and Rudy Gobert&rsquo;s emergence as an annual Defensive Player of the Year candidate.
That season, Mitchell &mdash; filling the void left by Gordon Hayward &mdash; finished his first season as a 20-point-per-game scorer despite being picked No. 13 overall and averaging just over 14 points per game in his first 19 appearances. Gobert, even having played only 56 games, was awarded his first of now three DPOY awards.
In these five years, there have been as many playoff trips &mdash; three as the No. 5 seed (including this season), one as the No. 6 in the Orlando Bubble, and another as the top overall seed in the Western Conference last year.
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In 2017-18, the Jazz overachieved, taking down the Russell Westbrook-Paul George-Carmelo Anthony-led Oklahoma City Thunder in six games before losing to the No. 1 seed Houston Rockets in five contests.
In 2018-19, Utah lost to the Rockets again in five, this time in the first round, and Houston even led 3-0 with a +55 scoring margin before dropping Game 4.
In 2019-20, the Jazz squandered a 3-1 lead to the Denver Nuggets, losing Game 7 in the final seconds of the opening round.
Last season &mdash; despite the Los Angeles Clippers losing Kawhi Leonard to a torn ACL (that he&rsquo;s still not back from) &mdash; the Jazz <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CD2yBy-EqnU" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lost in six games to the Clippers</a> in the West semifinals, and Gobert was dunked on by both Terance Mann and social media in the ending.
And finally, this postseason &mdash; in a series with Dončić missing the first three games with a calf injury, in which Utah still trailed 2-1 upon his return &mdash; Utah lost on yet another last-second heartbreaker.&nbsp;
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THE PLAYOFF DROUGHT IS OVER. THE DALLAS MAVERICKS ADVANCE TO THE SECOND ROUND SINCE 2011!<a href="https://twitter.com/dallasmavs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@dallasmavs</a> | 📺 BSSW | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/dALLasIN?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#dALLasIN</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAPlayoffs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAPlayoffs</a> <a href="https://t.co/VcWGAdSOL4">pic.twitter.com/VcWGAdSOL4</a>
&mdash; Bally Sports Southwest (@BallySportsSW) <a href="https://twitter.com/BallySportsSW/status/1519896562079518727?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Given <a href="https://twitter.com/tribjazz/status/1482077811019902980">the sniping back-and-forth between Mitchell and Gobert</a>, the Jazz's inability to break through and how far behind they appear from the top teams in the West, this seems like the summer where sizeable moves will be coming.
Personally speaking, it feels like we&rsquo;re heading toward Mitchell requesting a trade and moving on, but either way, one of Mitchell or Gobert &mdash; perhaps both &mdash; may be on the move in the coming months. Our Evan Sidery <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/examining-potential-trade-destinations-for-rudy-gobert" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recently looked at five trade ideas involving Gobert</a>.
Today, let's look at where Mitchell could end up, <a href="https://fanspo.com/nba/trade-machine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">using this trade machine</a>.
Mitchell is due $30.3 million next year, $32.6 million in 2023-24, $34.9 million in 2024-25, and has a player option for $37 million in 2025-26. Keep that in mind as we embark on this journey together. (Why did I sound like Professor Oak there?)
New York Knicks
Mitchell&rsquo;s father, Donovan Sr., works with the New York Mets organization. The 25-year-old Mitchell himself is a native of Elmsford, New York. Naturally, with the New York Knicks, there will be Mitchell smoke until a deal (or something else) actually happens. Because Tommy Beer already <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/expect-the-knicks-to-make-a-real-run-at-donovan-mitchell-this-summer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">broke down the possibility of a Mitchell-to-New-York trade</a>, we won&rsquo;t stay here too long.
Regarding the Knicks&rsquo; actual proposal, the first look would be to RJ Barrett, who is extension eligible this summer, entering year four and making $10.9 million next year. The idea, for New York, should be to team Barrett and Mitchell together. If that&rsquo;s not possible, and the Mitchell deal were to have to get done, Barrett is your chief trade chip, along with first-round draft picks. The Knicks have all their own first-rounders as of this writing.
Usable salaries for the Knicks next year include Evan Fournier, who&rsquo;ll be at $18 million, Derrick Rose at $14.5 million, Alec Burks at $10 million, Nerlens Noel at $9.2 million and Kemba Walker at over $9.1 million. Rose, Burks and Noel all have team options for 2023-24, so they have ostensibly expiring deals. Walker&rsquo;s next season is his last under contract, and Fournier is signed through 2025, but that also includes a team option. Cam Reddish and Taj Gibson also enter the last year of their respective deals, at about $6 million and $5.1 million each, respectively.
The contract elephant in the room is Julius Randle&rsquo;s, which is a four-year, $117 million extension that begins next season at $26.1 million. It&rsquo;ll gradually increase until his player option for $32.4 million kicks in for 2025-26. The Knicks might try to move Randle instead, but what sense does that make for Utah? And if Utah isn&rsquo;t getting Barrett, would they want a package of the aforementioned veterans (say, Fournier and Burks), along with one or two of Immanuel Quickley, Quentin Grimes, or Miles McBride (who make between $1.6 and $2.3 million next year) and picks?
It&rsquo;ll be hard to do without Barrett, and maybe Randle gets involved in a three-team deal, but the Knicks have the picks, salaries and prospects to make it work, if that&rsquo;s the route the Jazz want to go.
Detroit Pistons
The Pistons seem like a team that could be a version of this past season&rsquo;s Cleveland Cavaliers &mdash; not in terms of play style or once being a top-four team in the Eastern Conference standings necessarily, but from the standpoint of being competitive a year sooner than we think and playing meaningful games down the stretch (like one or two in the Play-In Tournament).
Given that 20 of 30 NBA teams will have games beyond the regular season, the Pistons may (should) attempt to get one of those spots.
Last year&rsquo;s No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham is <a href="https://youtu.be/I9OLPXxgYWk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">someone you can build with</a>. Saddiq Bey should be a more efficient scorer with more experience and better teammates. Most of the rest is to be determined, but Detroit can start by using Jerami Grant&rsquo;s near $21 million expiring deal next summer.
What comes next depends on what stage the Jazz want to be closer to. If this is a rebuild, you can ask for a combination of Killian Hayes and Hamidou Diallo (both of whom make over $5 million next year), for example, and Hayes has a $7.4 million team option for 2023-24. If not, Kelly Olynyk has $12.8 million coming to him next year that&rsquo;s usable. Utah can in throw in, hypothetically, Royce O&rsquo;Neale&rsquo;s $9.3 million deal next year and get Olynyk anyway.
So the player framework can look something like:
<ul>
<li>Donovan Mitchell for Jerami Grant and Kelly Olynyk</li>
<li>Donovan Mitchell for Jerami Grant, Killian Hayes and Hamidou Diallo</li>
<li>Donovan Mitchell and Royce O&rsquo;Neale for Jerami Grant, Killian Hayes, Hamidou Diallo and Kelly Olynyk plus a sh*t ton of draft picks. The Pistons would be moving something like three first-rounders in the deal, and potentially multiple first-round pick swaps.</li>
</ul>
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Miami Heat
I brought this up during <a href="https://youtu.be/XBQwn0pOAa4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BasketballNews.com's NBA Trade Deadline stream</a>.&nbsp;
The Heat didn&rsquo;t do it then, but it might still be on the table depending on how these playoffs go. The Heat might not offer the best return package because of their draft picks, but they did unlock additional firsts by moving KZ Okpala to Oklahoma City in February. And, for Miami, we&rsquo;re mainly talking about one package. But again, it depends on the results of this postseason.&nbsp;
Currently, the Heat are getting ready to face the Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference semifinals, a matchup they&rsquo;re favored to win (albeit narrowly). If they lose this particular series, or if they win and Tyler Herro continues to struggle in the playoffs, or even if Miami makes a deep run and Herro elevates from a slow start, he&rsquo;d be the primary chip in a Mitchell deal. Furthermore, the <a href="https://twitter.com/GregSylvander/status/1482101290964504580" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Heat are on Mitchell&rsquo;s shortlist</a>, according to Greg Sylvander of Five Reasons Sports.
The deal, as I mentioned on our stream, would include Herro &mdash; who is still on a rookie-scale contract ($5.7 million next year), but is extension-eligible this summer and wouldn&rsquo;t kick-in until 2023. Then comes Duncan Robinson, who&rsquo;ll enter the second year of a five-year, $90 million deal next season, which bookends with a near $20 million player option and rises to $16.9 million next season.
According to the trade machine, Omer Yurtseven&rsquo;s $1.7 million next season makes the math work, and would give Utah a Gobert backup who&rsquo;ll, if nothing else, get you 10 rebounds in 15 minutes on occasion. Would the Heat have to throw in at least one of Gabe Vincent, Max Strus or Haywood Highsmith (all of whom make between $1.7 and $1.8 million next year)? Perhaps. And from there, Miami has tradeable first-rounders in 2022, 2024 and 2026. So, in summation, it could look like this:
<ul>
<li>Donovan Mitchell for Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson, Omer Yurtseven, one of Gabe Vincent/Max Strus/Haywood Highsmith, draft capital</li>
</ul>
But if Herro has a big playoff run moving forward, the Heat may instead opt to move Robinson in a separate, smaller deal for a worthy big man in their rotation, and mostly run it back otherwise.
Atlanta Hawks
Alright, now you saw what the Heat did to Trae Young in the first round. The Hawks clearly are not only poised to get Young some help, but make a 3-for-1-ish deal to consolidate some depth into a higher-end starter &mdash; or in the case of Mitchell, a fellow offensive starter. His teammate, Gobert, is probably the better fit, but one, I&rsquo;m not writing about Gobert (our Evan Sidery will handle that) and two, if Gobert is frustrated with Mitchell&rsquo;s defense...
But anyway, you gotta start somewhere. And for Atlanta, part of why the Heat neutralized Young is their malleability defensively, but also, the Hawks don&rsquo;t have another true star to account for on the perimeter. Mitchell would give Young a viable tag team partner offensively to spread the defensive focus. To do so, the Hawks could play this a few different ways.
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The obvious trade chip is John Collins, and there could be questions about his fit next to Gobert, but it&rsquo;s not a bad place to start if you&rsquo;re moving someone of Mitchell&rsquo;s caliber. Collins will make $23.5 million next year, and between $25.3 and $26.6 million through 2025-26. Collins has had rumored friction with Young, though they&rsquo;ve downplayed it over the years. From there, if you use Collins in a possible deal, it gets interesting.&nbsp;
De&rsquo;Andre Hunter &mdash; who makes $9.8 million next year in the last season of a rookie deal and is extension-eligible this summer &mdash; seems logical for both the Jazz to want and the Hawks to keep. Hunter was Atlanta's best player against the Heat, and has been a quality two-way wing when healthy. Is a framework of Collins and Hunter for Mitchell straight up enough of a deal for both sides? Sheeeeeiiiiit, ask them, but it sounds good to me!
<ul>
<li>Donovan Mitchell for John Collins and De'Andre Hunter</li>
</ul>
No Collins? Okay. You&rsquo;re not moving Clint Capela&rsquo;s long-term deal for Utah in a Mitchell move, so that&rsquo;s out of the picture. Kevin Huerter would absolutely have to be part of this, and no, that&rsquo;s not a white Utah joke. Hu-why would you think that?&nbsp;
Huerter begins his $65 million extension next year, the first of four, banking $14.5 million in 2022-23. Hunter probably stays in the deal because Utah has to get something really good, and the Hawks simply can&rsquo;t extend everyone. Again, Atlanta should want to keep Hunter, but this is the price of doing business. But if you&rsquo;re throwing in Huerter instead of Collins (which does work on the trade machine since different rules apply in the offseason than in-season), you&rsquo;ll need multiple first round picks &mdash; of which the Hawks have all their own &mdash; so that could get done.
Could Utah also want Onyeka Okongwu? Sure, but he seems like Atlanta's 5-man of the future, and a separate deal moving off Capela might be more likely. So the second proposal could look like this:
<ul>
<li>Donovan Mitchell for De'Andre Hunter, Kevin Huerter, draft capital</li>
</ul>
Now, the Hawks would still need to figure some things out defensively, seeing as how they&rsquo;d be led by two 6-foot-1 scorers in the backcourt. They could just became the new Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum to some extent, but <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/a-salute-to-the-defiance-of-damian-lillard-and-cj-mccollum" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the Portland Trail Blazers are as much to blame for that &ldquo;not working,&rdquo;</a> and the Hawks can learn from those team-building mistakes.&nbsp;
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Bryan Fonseca takes a look at four logical landing spots for Utah Jazz star guard Donovan Mitchell.

Examining potential trade desinations for Donovan Mitchell 

The last time Ben Simmons appeared in an NBA game was June 20, 2021.&nbsp;
It was Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, which the Philadelphia 76ers lost to the Atlanta Hawks, 103-96. Simmons contributed 5 points, 13 assists, 8 rebounds and a steal, but the most memorable play occurred with 3:30 left in the fourth quarter when he passed up a wide-open layup. The loss ultimately led to the Simmons saga, which culminated in a trade to the Brooklyn Nets. 
Simmons has yet to suit up for the Nets, but that may change very soon. ESPN&rsquo;s Adrian Wojnarowski <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/woj-ben-simmons-targets-first-rounds-game-4-to-be-his-nets-debut" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reports</a> that Simmons is targeting Game 4 against the Boston Celtics to make his season debut. The 25-year-old has been dealing with a herniated disc in his back, but he's made progress this week.
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Based on Ben Simmons&rsquo; progress in practices this week &ndash; and the anticipation of him further accelerating in the coming days &ndash; Game 4 vs. Boston on Monday is looming as a realistic target for his Brooklyn debut, sources tell ESPN.
&mdash; Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1516830553160527889?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 20, 2022</a></blockquote>

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If Simmons does get cleared, does it even make sense for Brooklyn to play him against Boston? Do the risks outweigh the rewards? We asked our BasketballNews.com writers to weigh in:
Mark Schindler: I'd probably lean toward not playing Ben. I understand the impact he&nbsp;could have, but the precedent of bringing players who haven't logged a regular-season minute into the middle of a playoff series makes me lean "no." I don't think it's as simple as, &ldquo;Well, he could just play 15-to-30 minutes&rdquo; because he needs rhythm. The players in the rotation already have a rhythm, and even then, it's still being sorted out. Brooklyn&rsquo;s rotation has been in flux and has varied all year, and it finally feels close to right. Given that, as well as Ben&rsquo;s injury timeline, it's murky for me.
Nekias Duncan: The Nets could use Simmons, particularly on the defensive end. They currently don't have a forward-sized player aside from Kevin Durant who is completely trustworthy. Considering the role Simmons would have to play on both ends, I don't think it'd be a crazy adjustment period for him. Defend, push after misses, execute some handoffs and hang around <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/podcasts/the-dunker-spot" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the dunker spot</a> otherwise.
Alex Kennedy:&nbsp;This is complicated. Simmons has been sidelined for nearly a year, so he's going to be rusty. It also seems unlikely that he'll be 100% healthy. A few weeks ago, Simmons needed an epidural because his herniated disc was causing him so much pain. Also, he hasn't played with any of these current Brooklyn players (aside from 49 games alongside Seth Curry in Philadelphia). He'll be trying to learn a new system, a new role and new teammates' tendencies on the fly; meanwhile, the other players will be trying to adjust to Simmons and the new rotation. If that wasn't tough enough, Simmons also has dealt with confidence issues and has struggled in high-pressure moments. This isn't throwing him into the deep end; it's tossing him into the Mariana Trench. I understand the temptation to play him since he's a Defensive Player of the Year runner-up, and the Nets had the NBA's 15th-ranked defense this season (third-worst among the East playoff teams). There's no question that he'd help on that end, especially against Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Still, I lean toward sitting him and focusing on next season. Playing him is the high-risk, high-reward move, but it feels like that could blow up in the team's face.&nbsp;
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Sharon Brown: I would play him in limited sets. Simmons' role with the Nets is different than it was with the Sixers. Defense comes naturally to him. He will be able to get rebounds, alter passing lanes, block shots and more. All the Nets need him to do is play defense and pass the ball to either Kyrie or KD. I don't see how that can hurt the Nets.
Bryan Fonseca: F**k no! You're really going to take a guy who had that playoff experience last year and &mdash; fresh off a back injury and alleged mental-health issues &mdash; just throw him into this series? How does that make sense? Can he help from a basketball standpoint on the floor? Sure. That's why Brooklyn made the trade, isn't it? And maybe the Nets are confident in how they've gotten him ready, his progress, their culture and things of that nature. Cool. But to throw him back in there after a year off, after the conclusion to last season and after all that's unfolded since, I'm not sure what sense this makes. Perhaps he's mentally and physically ready, but it feels like a desperate-times-call-for-desperate-measures move.
Spencer Davies: Despite having the luxury of an All-NBA defender and All-Star-caliber threat in the open floor, it'd be wise for the Brooklyn Nets to ease Ben Simmons back into competition. If that means he plays 10 total minutes in short, separated stints, so be it. He'd likely be tasked with roaming off the ball on defense and trying to create pick-sixes, in addition to containing Jayson Tatum and/or Jaylen Brown directly. There's always an inherent risk with debuting a player who hasn't played with your team in a playoff setting, particularly one where you could be experimenting in a situation that needs to be concrete (pending the series score). Still, there's always room for a playmaking, athletic, rangy weapon in the postseason, no matter how little Simmons is out there.
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Moke Hamilton: I&rsquo;m torn on this. I argued that the Nets <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/at-some-point-nets-may-be-wise-to-rule-ben-simmons-out-for-season" target="_blank" rel="noopener">should shut Simmons down</a>, but I also recognize that Kevin Durant is no spring chicken. He and Kyrie don&rsquo;t necessarily have all the time in the world to bring a championship to Brooklyn, so you figure Simmons can help while they&rsquo;re both playing at a high level. Why not, right? At the end of the day, if you&rsquo;re Sean Marks, you have to trust your medical staff. If I&rsquo;m Brooklyn, I&rsquo;d let him run if everyone thought he was good to go. My major concern is that after a one-year layoff, coming back in the playoffs &mdash; especially against a team like Boston &mdash; is going from zero-to-100 pretty quickly. And let&rsquo;s keep in mind, medical staffs can be wrong. The Warriors probably didn&rsquo;t think Durant could do further damage to his &ldquo;calf strain&rdquo; by returning against Toronto in the 2019 NBA Finals. Wrong they were, obviously. I&rsquo;d let Simmons play, but I would slowly ramp him up. I also wouldn&rsquo;t be expecting him to be as effective as usual. At that point, you&rsquo;d have to wonder if he&rsquo;d even be a net-plus over the guy whose minutes he&rsquo;d be taking (Bruce Brown, in most instances)&hellip; But that&rsquo;s Steve Nash&rsquo;s problem.
Ethan Fuller: I don't think a mid-playoff-series toss into the teeth of the Celtics' defense is going to get Ben Simmons feeling confident and in rhythm after nearly a year on the sidelines. The Nets have already faced trials of team chemistry with the James Harden trade and Kyrie Irving&rsquo;s return to full-time play. Now they want to roll out Simmons and further disrupt a rotation that's finding its footing? Simmons is an All-World defender, and maybe that's what the Nets will need if they face elimination. But until then, I just can't logically picture him instantly clicking with the high stakes of the postseason.
Tommy Beer: I understand the hesitancy to introduce a new player into a heavily competitive series when he clearly hasn&rsquo;t had enough time to practice with his new teammates. However, I think throwing Ben Simmons into the mix is worth the gamble for Brooklyn, primarily because of the significant contributions he can make on the defensive end. Keep in mind, Simmons was named to the All-Defensive First Team for a second consecutive season in 2020-21 and was one of just two unanimous selections (along with Rudy Gobert). The Nets will need quality defenders if they hope to slow down a Celtics squad featuring Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Also, Simmons brings incredible versatility to the table. He is one of the very few players in the league capable of covering quick point guards (like Marcus Smart) as well as burly power forwards (like <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/appreciating-a-brilliant-showing-from-al-horford" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Al Horford</a>). While the downside is obvious (expect Boston to send Simmons to the free-throw line early and often), the pros outweigh the cons for Brooklyn.
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Jesse Blancarte: I am guessing that most people think the Brooklyn Nets should not play Ben Simmons this postseason. I understand the arguments. He has not played in a long time. He has struggled mightily in past postseasons. His shooting is a problem. He is playing on a new team and will have to try and fit into their offensive and defensive systems on the fly. He could become a distraction if he clams up and the collective focus turns to his struggles like it did in Philadelphia. I still think the Nets should integrate Simmons immediately if he is healthy. Assuming Simmons is healthy, he is one of the most versatile defenders in the league. He has the length, mobility and strength to defend guards and forwards and can jump passing lanes to create easy fastbreak opportunities. Integrating him on offense will be more complicated, but a progressive ramp-up could pay off down the road, assuming the Nets can advance past the Boston Celtics (which is not a certainty at this point). If he doesn&rsquo;t look healthy, or if he is struggling, then bench him or scale back his minutes. But considering his skillset, his playmaking ability and the fact that he has Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving to distribute the ball to, I think there is too much upside to not give him a chance. Without him, the Nets are viable contenders, but if Simmons is activated and plays well, the Nets could become the favorite to win it all.
Justin Lewis: The Nets clearly need a body to throw at Jayson Tatum and another playmaker to take some pressure off of Kyrie and KD. They don't need Simmons to score a single point. His defensive prowess and ability to start a fastbreak and make plays for his teammates are valuable enough to throw him out there despite the rust.
Drew Maresca: Simmons is a risky play at best. Back injuries are fickle, and proceeding without sufficient time to gauge how well he responds to contact is dangerous. Simmons may have caught a break in that he avoided surgery. Why tempt fate? If his back is re-injured in any way, surgery is all but guaranteed, and that would result in additional complications. As much as Brooklyn and its fans are dying to push their chips to the center of the table, I'd proceed with caution.
Matt John: There are just so many unknowns surrounding what Ben Simmons could do for the Nets. He hasn't played all season and he's playing for a new team that will put him in a different role from what he was accustomed to in Philadelphia. Simmons could be a game-changer for Brooklyn, but that remains in the abstract until further notice. He's a great passer, but he's not going to have the ball too much playing next to Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. He's a great defender, but there's only so much ground he can cover for a sub-par defensive team like the Nets. Right now, Brooklyn's problem is that they need guys who can help them on both ends of the floor outside of KD and Kyrie. Defensively, Simmons helps them immensely. Offensively, he may pose spacing problems. On paper, Simmons should help slow down Jayson Tatum, but since he's coming off a back injury, there's no telling if he's physically capable of covering one of the league's best players. If he comes back, he won't be eased in because the Nets will be throwing him to the wolves. If he thinks he's ready, he'll have to prove it right away.
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Ben Simmons is hoping to make his season debut in Game 4 against the Celtics. Should the Nets to play him? Our writers weigh in.

NBA Roundtable: Should the Brooklyn Nets play Ben Simmons right now?

Jackson Frank breaks down the film and collaborates with Nekias Duncan and Mark Schindler to pick the 2021-22 All-NBA teams.

2021-22 All-NBA Teams: Praising this season's 15 best players

Award talk is ramping up as the season winds down. We all love debating these topics, but that's also the bad news. We&nbsp;all love debating these topics. Fun conversations devolve into bad-faith arguments if you aren't careful.&nbsp;
(Are you even online, watching television, having conversations with friends, if you aren't being bombarded with "Player X is the obvious, no-questions-asked MVP" arguments?)
I won't act like I'm above the awards talk &mdash; <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-dunker-spot/id1547857052" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Dunker Spot</a> will be having an awards episode later this week &mdash; but this also seems like a good time to go off the beaten path since everyone's talking about the major awards.
Basketball is a simple game in its own right, but it is ruled by microskills. Wins and losses are decided by which teams &mdash; which players &mdash; can fill their roles the best. It would only make sense, then, to dig deeper and highlight players who are excelling within those roles.
With that in mind, I elicited the help of resident smart guys Jackson Frank and Mark Schindler to hand out some skill-specific awards. Before digging in, let's do some housekeeping.
<ul>
<li>We do not hate your favorite players. If they are not mentioned, it is simply because they weren't held in as high of a regard as the players who are mentioned.</li>
<li>To that point, there will be honorable mentions listed. That doesn't mean they are the&nbsp;only&nbsp;players worthy of that distinction.</li>
<li>You're more than welcome to disagree with these choices! That's the fun of it. Heck, we&nbsp;didn't have the same guys or order for these awards, but we were able to whittle things down.</li>
</ul>
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Now, let's hand out some awards.
BEST SCREENER: DOMANTAS SABONIS
Honorable mentions: Steven Adams, Rudy Gobert, Bam Adebayo, Nikola Vucevic
I'll never forget Caitlin Cooper's article on Domas <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/nba/2019/12/2/20991829/domantas-sabonis-indiana-pacers-art-of-screening" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sabonis' screening</a> back in 2019. To that point, it was one of the first &mdash; if not the&nbsp;first &mdash; deep dive I've seen on someone's screening.
She touched on the sheer volume of screens Sabonis set; his sense of flipping the angle on screens to pry ball-handlers open. Knowing when to slip if defenses went with more aggressive coverages. Those astute observations remain true roughly three years later.
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Sabonis is more of a revolving door than a brick wall, but his ability to do both at a high level is what earns him this distinction. He only ranks <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/hustle/?sort=SCREEN_ASSISTS&amp;dir=1&amp;Season=2021-22&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season" target="_blank" rel="noopener">third in screen assists</a> (5.5) this season, though he's led the NBA in each of the past two seasons.
It's worth pointing out the prowess of Rudy Gobert, who leads the NBA in screen assists (6.4). He's long been an underrated linchpin of Utah's offensive success. Heck, it feels like he's the reason screen assists have become part of the non-casual fan's vernacular.
Nobody has set more on-ball picks than Nikola Vucevic (3,167) this season, per Second Spectrum. His work with freeing Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan has been invaluable, especially at the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/explain-one-play-demar-derozans-dagger-dime" target="_blank" rel="noopener">end of games</a>.
If you're a fan of bone-crushing screens, look no further than Steven Adams and Bam Adebayo. Second Spectrum tracks the percentage of screens that a defender "dies on"; it should come as no surprise that Adams leads the NBA by a solid margin (5.7%) among high-volume screeners, while Adebayo ranks third (3.9%). Quick hat tip to Kevon Looney (4.7%) for being sandwiched between those two; he <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/kevon-looney-the-warriors-unsung-hero" target="_blank" rel="noopener">deserves more love</a>.
BEST SCREEN NAVIGATOR: HERB JONES
Honorable mentions: Alex Caruso, Mikal Bridges, Gary Payton II
The NBA is a pick-and-roll game. With the heightened emphasis on spacing and three-point shooting (linked, but not the same thing), elite ball-handlers have more room to operate. Add in the fluctuating scale of physicality allowed from defenders, and it's pretty darn hard to contain people.
The fact that Herb Jones, a second-round draft pick, is already among the NBA's elite defenders is flat-out insane. You simply can't keep this guy out of a play unless you have a crowbar present.&nbsp;
He does a phenomenal job of staying attached to ball-handlers. He's able to re-connect if he's bumped on screens, but also has the length to duck under picks and offer strong contests anyway.
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If you want a number, let's go back to the die-on-screen percentage. Among 28 players who have faced at least 1,000 picks this season, only Desmond Bane (0.6%) has been washed out less frequently than Jones (0.9%).
There's some context needed. Players in heavy switching schemes will naturally have a lower percentage than those who have to fight over screens while their big drops back. Even if you filter only for the screens being fought over, Jones has a top-five mark among high-volume defenders (minimum 300 picks fought over), per Second Spectrum.
Now, factor in Jones getting the opposing team's best perimeter option; because of that, Jones defends more picks per 100 possessions (29.7) than Bane does (22.4). He should be getting legit All-Defense love.
The same could be said for Alex Caruso before injuries derailed his season. During the Bulls' run as the East's top seed, Caruso set the table with his gnarly defense at the point of attack.
Mikal Bridges likely&nbsp;will&nbsp;make an All-Defensive team this year for his work. He doesn't miss games, he plays high minutes and he relishes the matchups he's tasked with.&nbsp;
There may not be a better point-of-attack defender than Gary Payton II on a per-possession basis, though he gets dinged a bit for his lack of workload.
BEST HELP DEFENDER: GIANNIS ANTETOKOUNMPO
Honorable mentions: Rudy Gobert, Draymond Green, Robert Williams III, Marcus Smart, Evan Mobley
Here's a minute's worth of help rotations from Giannis this year. Hit me up on Twitter (<a href="https://twitter.com/NekiasNBA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@NekiasNBA</a>) and let me know which clip is the one that makes you laugh, because it will absolutely happen.
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It remains wild to me that this can be considered a down year for Giannis, and he's still been one of the most destructive forces in basketball. He's had to toggle more roles this year with the extended absence of Brook Lopez. When tasked with being an off-ball roamer &mdash; his best role &mdash; he's been able to blow things up.
It's been a pretty wild year for mess-cleaner Rudy Gobert. He is <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/defensive-impact/?sort=DEF_RIM_FG_PCT&amp;dir=-1&amp;CF=DEF_RIM_FGA*GE*4&amp;Season=2021-22&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one of three players</a> defending at least four shots at the rim (7.0) and allowing a field-goal percentage under 50% (49.9%); Defensive Player of the Year candidate Jaren Jackson Jr. (4.8, 49.6%) and <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-stats-notebook-isaiah-hartenstein-is-the-clippers-secret-weapon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Isaiah Hartenstein</a> (4.7, 47.6%) are the others.
The same can be said for Robert Williams III (get well soon!), whose deployment on weak shooters has unlocked his prowess as a shot-blocker. That hack has been a pretty big part of Boston's elite defense.
It feels like some of the shine is wearing off of Evan Mobley's campaign. He's been more of an anchor than helper since Jarrett Allen has gone down; don't sleep on what he's been able to do in the helper role though. His unique blend of size, length, mobility and discipline has allowed him to shut things down. Whether he's rotating from the weak side or causing havoc as part of the zone, he's already one of the most feared defenders in the league.
Kudos are in order for the work Draymond Green and Marcus Smart put in. They are two of the best communicators in the NBA, able to call out opposing sets and direct switches to flatten out actions. Neither are traditional weak-side rim-protectors, but Green wins with his positioning and verticality while Smart takes charges like he doesn't give a single [expletive] about his well-being.
SHORT-ROLL THREAT: NIKOLA JOKIC
Honorable mentions: Joel Embiid, Dwight Powell, Deandre Ayton
In normal circumstances, I'd call Jokic a basketball computer due to his ability to map the floor and make great decisions on a whim. In light of the banter around the MVP conversation, it's probably best to keep Jokic and "computer" out of the same sentence.
With no Jamal Murray, you don't see Denver ball-handlers get all-out trapped too often. But on the occasions that Jokic is able to face a 4-on-3, 3-on-2 or 2-on-1, the inevitablitity pops out. What do you with a player with Jokic's passing chops and intermediate scoring ability?
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You pray. That's what you do.
His MVP-candidate counterpart in Joel Embiid doesn't exhibit the same skill as a passer, but he brings the funk as a scorer. Whether it's bullying smaller defenders at the rim, or slowing things down to sprinkle in pull-up jumpers, scrambling defenses don't have much of a shot.
Deandre Ayton has made real strides as a scorer in these situations. If we want to talk about intermediate scoring, you have to shine line on his career-high 59.0% clip on shots between 3 to 10 feet.
And then, there's Dwight Powell. He's generating well over 1.2 points per possession when shooting or passing out of a trapped ball-screen, a number sandwiched between Jokic and Embiid. He's long been one of the NBA's underrated roll men; his improvements as a passer have nearly made trapping Luka-led pick-and-rolls untenable.
BEST DRIVER: LUKA DONCIC
Honorable mentions: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Ja Morant
Speaking of Luka, he narrowly edged out our candidates as the NBA's best driver. It's become commonplace to describe a lead ball-handler as one that plays at their own pace &mdash; oddly enough, sub-elite athletes seem to make up 100% of the list of those players. But Luka really does.&nbsp;
He doesn't blow past you; he freakin'&nbsp;bodies you while going 6 miles per hour, then contorts his body for rim finishes or dimes to open teammates.
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Doncic ranks <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/drives/?sort=DRIVES&amp;dir=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">second in the NBA</a> in drives (22.4), leads the NBA in assists via drives (3.0) and is converting 55.3% of his shots off drives. That 55.3% clip ranks fifth among 53 players averaging at least 10 drives a game.
If Luka's style isn't your speed, I'd once again like to present Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as the NBA's funkiest driver. Differing stride lengths, off-foot gathers, quicker-than-usual scoop shots against unsuspecting defenders. He's got the juice, man.
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SGA's got the stats, too. He leads the NBA in drives and free-throw attempts drawn, and boasts a comically low turnover rate despite passing at a higher rate than Trae Young.
And then there's Ja Morant, who glides through the air like he belongs there. He's the NBA's leader in paint points for a reason.
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Three unique talents with contrasting driving styles. You truly love to see it.
BEST PASSER: TRAE YOUNG
Honorable mentions: Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, Chris Paul
While we're on Trae Young, there's nobody in the league doing what he's doing right now. He may just join Nate "Tiny" Archibald as the second player to lead the NBA in total points and assists. And to the latter point, he gets the "best passer" tag for being able to make every read in the book while being my size.
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Teams are geared to defend Young. They throw size on him. They trap him. They pre-rotate to take away his common reads, and yet, he counters all of your counters. He's the NBA's premier lob-thrower while being a skip-pass savant. He doesn't need to see over your defense because he already knows where everyone is.
If you do enjoy the advantage of looking over the top of defenders, it's hard to argue against Luka Doncic. There really isn't a coverage you can play that prevents him from dotting you up. A growing favorite: watching Doncic get trapped, only for him to casually string it out before tossing a dart.
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I'm not sure there's much more to be said about Nikola Jokic at this point. Between his long distance hookups after boards and preternatural sense for finding cutters, it's been&nbsp;time to discuss where he ranks among the top passers of all-time, period. He's top five in my book, and that's probably conservative.
Oh, right, Chris Paul is leading the NBA in assists without really turning the ball over. Another year in the office.
BEST DUNKER: MILES BRIDGES
Honorable mentions: Giannis Antetokounmpo, KJ Martin, Obi Toppin, Jarrett Allen
It is hard not to enjoy the musical stylings of Miles Bridges. It is also hard not to enjoy the musical&nbsp;stylings of Miles Bridges.
I could bore you with the numbers, like him being one of four non-bigs to <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_2022_shooting.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rank in the top 15</a> of total dunks (13th, 116). But honestly, just look at what this dude does with a runway. It's skillful violence.
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The combination of power and pretty (he has some fire&nbsp;windmills in his film) gives him the edge over the inevitability of Giannis (third, 174) and Jarrett Allen (fourth, 164), as well as the suddenness of KJ Martin (15th, 111) and Obi Toppin (23rd, 93).
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Nekias Duncan, Jackson Frank and Mark Schindler team up to hand out some skill-specific awards for the 2021-22 season.

Introducing the 2021-22 NBA Superlative Awards

For years, when people debated an NBA team's best players, they'd often focus on the squad's scoring hierarchy. However, over time, we&rsquo;ve seen players like <a href="https://www.one37pm.com/strength/sports/lamelo-ball-jason-kidd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jason Kidd</a> and Ben Wallace lead teams to great success by providing impact outside of the &ldquo;points&rdquo; section of the traditional box score.
So naturally, this got me thinking: in today&rsquo;s analytically friendly basketball world, how indicative is a rudimentary stat like points per game (PPG) of a team's best player?
To answer this question, I tracked each team&rsquo;s PPG leader for the last three seasons and matched that up against that team's leaders in five one-number metrics (<a href="https://backpicks.com/metrics/historical/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Backpicks BPM</a>, <a href="https://www.bball-index.com/lebron-database/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">LEBRON</a>, <a href="https://dunksandthrees.com/epm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">EPM</a>, <a href="https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/nba-player-ratings/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">RAPTOR</a>&nbsp;and <a href="https://app.cerebrosports.com/portal?tab=Players" target="_blank" rel="noopener">C-RAM</a>).&nbsp;For the sake of this study, the player who led the team in the most of these catch-all statistics in a given season was considered that team's best player.
All of the raw data can be found&nbsp;<a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/12mQO4tf8E9fcldAQ-KqXZVxqvNsIJIRA8vyhjTNX7fQ/edit#gid=0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.
GUIDELINES
For a player's season to be eligible for our exercise, said player must have started at least 45 games for that team during that particular season. That player also could not have been traded at any point during that year.
These restrictions disqualified five teams &mdash; the Detroit Pistons, Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, Indiana Pacers and Orlando Magic &mdash; because they didn&rsquo;t roster a single player who fit this criterion and who averaged at least 13 PPG. I felt it would be best to remove them from the collection process to avoid any extra noise.&nbsp;
Before we dive deeper into what I found, there are a few caveats I want to make here. First, all the data was entered manually, and while it was done so meticulously, one must always account for human error. Two, one-number metrics are a useful tool but far from an end-all-be-all when it comes to player evaluation. For instance, I would say Pascal Siakam has been better than Fred VanVleet this year, but many of the metrics I cited would say otherwise. And lastly, the sample size is solid but could always be larger.
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RESULTS&nbsp;
Out of the 85 case studies (yeah, that&rsquo;s what we&rsquo;re calling them) from 2019-22, there were 57 (~67.1%) where a single player was listed as both the team&rsquo;s best player and overall leader in PPG. So, based on this sample, more often than not, a team&rsquo;s best scorer also doubled as their best player.
Here are several other interesting takeaways from the data:
&bull; Only six players have led their teams in all five of the one-number metrics in each of the last three seasons: Luka Doncic, LeBron James, Karl-Anthony Towns, Jimmy Butler, Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
&bull; These metrics love Jonas Valanciunas, who scored higher than Ja Morant in all five of the advanced stats in their two seasons together. Plus, Valanciunas has scored higher than Brandon Ingram this season in Backpicks BPM, C-RAM, LEBRON and RAPTOR WAR.
&bull; All five of the one-number metrics had Mitchell Robinson as the Knicks' best player, offering a reminder that these metrics tend to love shot-blockers and aren't the end-all-be-all when it comes to talent evaluation.
However, what I found most interesting after all this digging was the circumstances surrounding the 28 examples that didn&rsquo;t fit in this paradigm. With the exception of the 2019-20 Pacers and the 2020-21 Kings (which is ironic given their recent trade), the other 26 case studies fit in at least one of three categories.&nbsp;
By keying in on these categories, we can better understand some of the variables that come into play when assessing who the best players are.
Category 1: Paired with a Two-way Big
Members: Cole Anthony (2021-22), Malcolm Brogdon (2020-21), DeMar DeRozan (2019-20), De&rsquo;Aaron Fox (2020-21), Darius Garland (2021-22), Brandon Ingram (2021-22), Donovan Mitchell (three times), Ja Morant (twice) and Trae Young (2020-21)
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This category is made up primarily of guards/lead initiators whose contributions on offense are not large enough to outweigh the (mostly) minimal value they offer on the defensive side of the floor. These players didn't bring enough to the table on defense in their respective seasons to outweigh the two-way impact of their big-men counterparts.
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Category 2: Paired with the Hybrid Playmaker/Scorer
Members: Devin Booker (twice), Miles Bridges (21-22), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (19-20), Pascal Siakam (three times)
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I like to think about this category as the <a href="https://fansided.com/2022/03/15/phoenix-suns-pick-and-roll-defense/">Devin Booker/Chris Paul</a> category. Yes, Booker is the scorer, but Paul&rsquo;s playmaking combined with his scoring sets him over the top. No matter how good of a player you are, if you&rsquo;re playing in a good offense, the open shots you create for your teammates are always going to be more efficient. The players in this category are all flanked by guards who create advantages and make plays for others.
Category 3: Young Scorer on Bad/Injured Team
Members: Cade Cunningham (21-22), Spencer Dinwiddie (19-20), Jerami Grant (20-21), Reggie Jackson (21-22), and Kyle Kuzma (21-22)
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These players are all younger guys (or at least young to the world of being an offensive number one) who get a ton of scoring opportunities because more suitable offensive alternatives don&rsquo;t necessarily exist. Unfortunately, their inexperience in this new role and lack of gravity-bending teammates lead to them being relatively inefficient, which bogs down their overall impact on the floor.&nbsp;
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 83.6814%; height: 132px;" border="1">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 7.36986%; height: 22px;">Name</td>
<td style="width: 19.9016%; height: 22px;">Relative True Shooting</td>
<td style="width: 22.5898%; height: 22px;">Team Offensive Rating</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 7.36986%; height: 22px;">Cunningham</td>
<td style="width: 19.9016%; height: 22px;">-5.9</td>
<td style="width: 22.5898%; height: 22px;">28th</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 7.36986%; height: 22px;">Dinwiddie</td>
<td style="width: 19.9016%; height: 22px;">-2.4</td>
<td style="width: 22.5898%; height: 22px;">22nd</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 7.36986%; height: 22px;">Grant</td>
<td style="width: 19.9016%; height: 22px;">-1.6</td>
<td style="width: 22.5898%; height: 22px;">26th</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 7.36986%; height: 22px;">Jackson&nbsp;</td>
<td style="width: 19.9016%; height: 22px;">-7.5</td>
<td style="width: 22.5898%; height: 22px;">26th</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 7.36986%; height: 22px;">Kuzma</td>
<td style="width: 19.9016%; height: 22px;">-1.7</td>
<td style="width: 22.5898%; height: 22px;">21st</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Overall, it's neat that foundational counting measures often provide a bit of a shortcut to identifying the best player on a given team. But one must not get lost in the sauce and forget to examine the circumstances surrounding each team's context because, after all, in our line of work, you can't afford to be wrong one-third of the time!
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How often is a team's scoring leader also their best player? Mat Issa looks back at data from the last three NBA seasons to find out.

NBA Study: Is the top scorer typically the best player on the team?

The NBA playoffs are fast approaching and as the season winds down, there are a total of 21 teams fighting for 16 playoff spots across the two conferences.
Every game matters.
Injuries have had a major impact on this season. In the Western Conference, a number of potential playoff teams are missing key pieces, including the Golden State Warriors (Stephen Curry and James Wiseman), Denver Nuggets (Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr.), Los Angeles Clippers (Kawhi Leonard and Paul George), Memphis Grizzlies (Ja Morant), Los Angeles Lakers (Anthony Davis), New Orleans Pelicans (Zion Williamson) and Portland Trail Blazers (Damian Lillard).
There are fewer injured stars in the Eastern Conference, but Jarrett Allen (CLE), Ben Simmons (BKN), Lonzo Ball (CHI), Gordon Hayward (CHA) and Colin Sexton (CLE) are currently sidelined.
Between now and the start of the playoffs on April 12, some important players are expected to return to their respective teams, which could alter the NBA landscape in a major way.
<h2>WESTERN CONFERENCE</h2>
DENVER NUGGETS
On March 15, the Nuggets assigned Jamal Murray to their G-League affiliate (the Grand Rapids Gold) to get some additional work at practice. This sent waves through social media, as fans anticipated Murray's long-awaited return to the Nuggets' lineup. However, just a few days later, Nuggets head coach Michael Malone said that Murray is "not close" to suiting up.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Denver Nuggets HC Michael Malone says Jamal Murray is "not close" to rejoining the lineup, per <a href="https://twitter.com/HarrisonWind?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HarrisonWind</a> <a href="https://t.co/7leLWbJe5W">pic.twitter.com/7leLWbJe5W</a>
&mdash; Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) <a href="https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/1505676501303320576?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 20, 2022</a></blockquote>

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It seems unlikely that Murray will be able to play during the regular season, but perhaps he'll be able to return at some point during the postseason.
Michael Porter Jr. is also on the mend, but the reports about his availability have been all over the place. There were rumblings that his rehab didn't go great and that he was further away than Murray. Then, there was a rumor that he's <a href="https://theathletic.com/3198516/2022/03/21/nuggets-hopeful-jamal-murray-and-michael-porter-jr-could-be-back-by-playoffs-but-no-immediate-return-on-the-horizon/?source=nbatw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">due back very soon</a>.

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A little over a week ago, Malone was asked about the possibility of Murray and Porter returning, and he <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/malone-michael-porter-jr-and-jamal-murrays-wont-be-back-soon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>, "There is no immediate return on the horizon for either one of those players."
Denver is currently the sixth seed in the Western Conference, trying to stave off the Minnesota Timberwolves and avoid the Play-In Tournament.&nbsp;
Nikola Jokic has played at an MVP level (again) and the absence of these two stars has allowed for Bones Hyland to emerge as a legitimate rotation player as a rookie. Adding even one of these two players back into the fold would make the Nuggets a significantly more threatening first-round opponent for the Grizzlies, Warriors or Mavericks.&nbsp;
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NEW ORLEANS PELICANS
Since the acquisition of CJ McCollum on February 8, the New Orleans Pelicans rank No. 10 in offensive rating and No. 6 in net rating. While the Pelicans won't be getting All-Star power forward Zion Williamson back at any point this season, they did just have another impact player return to their lineup.
Larry Nance Jr. was acquired as part of the McCollum trade and he made his Pelicans debut a few days ago. The 29-year-old is a seamless fit on the offensive end and he'll give New Orleans some defensive versatility.
Even though we all wanted to see how this team would look with a healthy Zion, they have a solid core with McCollum, Brandon Ingram, Jonas Valanciunas, Herb Jones, Devonte' Graham, Nance and Co. &mdash; making them a scary opponent in the Play-In Tournament.

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New Orleans likely won't catch the Clippers for the eighth seed, but they could steal homecourt advantage in the 9-10 game against the Lakers, as they are currently a half game behind L.A.
LOS ANGELES LAKERS
With LeBron James on roster, there always seems to be this lingering feeling that the Lakers will catch their stride and figure this thing out. But without Anthony Davis, it seems unlikely that Los Angeles will be able to escape the Play-In Tournament.
There has been no official word on a potential return date for Davis, but the Lakers would need him available if they hope to play beyond April 12.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Anthony Davis continues to do on-court shooting, per Frank Vogel, and is progressing each day: &ldquo;Anthony has had a good week &hellip; He&rsquo;s had a productive week.&rdquo;
&mdash; Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) <a href="https://twitter.com/LakersReporter/status/1504943043669106699?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2022</a></blockquote>

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The presence of Davis would inject a tiny sliver of hope that he and James could will this team to victory and into a revenge series against the Phoenix Suns in the first round.
GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS
Stephen Curry is expected to be out until mid-April at the earliest, which is a huge blow to the Warriors. Fortunately, Curry has <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/breakingnews/warriors-curry-expects-to-return-by-start-of-playoffs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that he should be back in time for the first game of the playoffs.
The team has reintroduced Klay Thompson back into the fold, and Draymond Green is back in the lineup too. While Golden State's star-studded trio has only played three games together this season, at least the Warriors should have all three vets together for the postseason (barring any setbacks or new injuries).
Unfortunately, Golden State won't be at full strength, as James Wiseman was recently <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/warriors-james-wiseman-ruled-out-for-remainder-of-the-season" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ruled out</a> for the remainder of this season. The sophomore is still recovering from a torn meniscus that he suffered last April. Wiseman's size and versatility would have helped the Warriors, especially when facing the likes of Nikola Jokic, Rudy Gobert and Jaren Jackson Jr.
Golden State has been struggling without Curry, dropping four of their last five games (including surprising losses to the Orlando Magic, San Antonio Spurs and Atlanta Hawks). Golden State surrendered the No. 2 seed to the Memphis Grizzlies, and the Warriors could slip to fourth in the Western Conference, leading to a potential second-round matchup against Phoenix (instead of Memphis or Utah).&nbsp;
Still, assuming the Warriors have their Big Three, they will be dangerous in the playoffs.
LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS
Recently, Clippers head coach Ty Lue was asked about Kawhi Leonard and Paul George potentially returning prior to the playoffs, and he didn't shoot down the possibility.
"If guys are able to [return], they are gonna do it," Lue said. "But the most important part is making the sure the players are taken care of and making sure they're ready to go and fully healthy."
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Ty Lue says he&rsquo;ll keep the door open on Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, and/or Norman Powell returning if it&rsquo;s less than a week until the playoffs. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Clippers?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Clippers</a> <a href="https://t.co/iebGp2sRcp">pic.twitter.com/iebGp2sRcp</a>
&mdash; Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) <a href="https://twitter.com/TomerAzarly/status/1505958728125739011?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 21, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Leonard has been sidelined since last postseason, and Clippers fans have been holding out hope for a late-season comeback. ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/33579571/nba-playoffs-injury-updates-steph-curry-zion-williamson-anthony-davis-more" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reports</a> that Leonard may be able to return if the Clippers make it out of the Play-In Tournament.
George has been sidelined due to a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, and there is no timetable for his return. Recently, he has <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/33579571/nba-playoffs-injury-updates-steph-curry-zion-williamson-anthony-davis-more" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> made progress and been cleared for 4-on-4 and shooting drills, so a return still seems possible.&nbsp;
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<h2>EASTERN CONFERENCE</h2>
CHICAGO BULLS
The Bulls skyrocketed to the top of the East standings early in the season thanks to a supernova DeMar DeRozan and stellar defense. Two key cogs of that defense were Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso, who have played just 35 and 36 games, respectively. Chicago also played most of the season without forward Patrick Williams, who's another important rotation player.&nbsp;
The absence of those two elite perimeter defenders caused the Bulls to slip to the East's five seed, and they are just one game ahead of the sixth-seeded Toronto Raptors.&nbsp;
Caruso returned on March 12 and Williams returned on March 21. But if Ball is able to return to the starting lineup, that could significantly affect the outcome of a series against the Celtics or 76ers.
However, here's the bad news:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Lonzo Ball will stop running on his knee for the next 10 days, per Billy Donovan. They&rsquo;ve been trying to ramp him up but he hasn&rsquo;t responded well
&mdash; Jamal Collier (@JamalCollier) <a href="https://twitter.com/JamalCollier/status/1506033717608865798?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 21, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Ball may not be needed for Chicago to avoid the Play-In Tournament, but his return is crucial in order for the Bulls to make a deep run in the playoffs.
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS
Colin Sexton is not coming back this season. In fact, it's possible that he has played his final game as a Cavalier since he's set to become a restricted free agent.
However, one of the main reason that the Cavaliers have exceeded expectations this season is the play of Jarrett Allen. Ricky Rubio was also a key cog in the Cleveland machine, but his injury back in December led to the acquisition of Rajon Rondo... who is also currently out with an ankle injury.&nbsp;
Allen's presence defensively next to Evan Mobley is crucial to the success of the Cavs. Cleveland's opponents take the ninth-most shots at the rim in the league, but they shoot the worst percentage. Their perimeter defense funnels opponents to the rim because of the three 7-footers they have on the floor.&nbsp;
For Cleveland to pull off a first-round upset, Allen must be present and continuing his career-year.&nbsp;
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Unfortunately, injuries are a part of the game and oftentimes play a major factor in the postseason. This year is proving to be no different, as the field seems wide open due to injuries and the players who are returning could have a major impact on who is eventually crowned champion.
BROOKLYN NETS
After arriving in Brooklyn, Ben Simmons began ramping up his conditioning and preparing to make his season debut, but then his back started giving him trouble. Initially, it was being described as back soreness, but he was recently diagnosed with a herniated disc and he needed an epidural for the pain.
Nets head coach Steve Nash has said that surgery isn't currently being considered. Simmons is working with a physical therapist and trying to get healthy enough to make his Nets debut. Nash told reporters that he's "fully expecting" Simmons to play at some point this season.
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/33520712/brooklyn-nets-hold-hope-ben-simmons-return-couple-regular-season-games" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that Brooklyn hopes to have Simmons for a "couple" regular-season games so that he can start shaking off the rust and getting acclimated prior to the postseason.
Whenever he returns, the Defensive-Player-of-the-Year runner-up will provide a huge boost for the Nets. Last season, Simmons averaged 14.3 points, 7.2 rebounds, 6.9 assists and 1.6 steals with the Philadelphia 76ers.
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Several NBA playoff teams are hoping to get back key contributors in time for the postseason. Justin Lewis examines these situations.

Examining 11 impact players whose return could alter NBA playoffs

Trae Young had 45 points and eight assists in his first game at Madison Square Garden since last season's playoffs, leading a late surge that gave the Atlanta Hawks a 117-111 victory over the New York Knicks on Tuesday night.
Picking up right where he left off last spring, Young made seven 3-pointers, including one that tied the game at 105 with 2:54 to play. He then set up Bogdan Bogdanovic for a go-ahead 3 and followed another by De'Andre Hunter by leaving Taj Gibson behind off the dribble and knocking down a jumper to cap an 11-0 spurt and make it 113-105 with 1:04 left.
Bogdanovic added a season-high 32 points for the Hawks, who dropped the Knicks six games behind them for 10th place in the Eastern Conference, the final spot in the play-in field.
RJ Barrett had 28 points and 13 rebounds for the Knicks, who fell to 30-42 to clinch their eighth losing season in the last nine. The only winning record was when they went 41-31 last season to earn the No. 4 seed in the East.
The Hawks then beat them in five games in the first round of the playoffs. Young was the star in his first postseason series, ignoring the profane taunts from fans and getting the last word when he bowed to the crowd from near midcourt late in Game 5.
Young missed the return trip when he was sidelined for the Christmas game because of the NBA&rsquo;s health and safety protocols. Fans booed him every time he touched the ball early Tuesday, though that didn&rsquo;t last.
Alec Burks had 21 points for the Knicks, who played without Julius Randle because of a sore right quadriceps tendon. They led by 10 early in the fourth, but the game changed when Young re-entered with 7:45 remaining.
The Knicks led 34-30 after one, a lead that would have been six if not for Bogdanovic taking the ball out after Barrett's basket with 0.6 seconds left and <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1506422037480419336?s=20&amp;t=WiDja1qbxTcEeO-xDCYEeg">flinging it the length of the court to Young</a>, who caught and tossed it in all in one motion.
New York extended it to 12 in the second before the Hawks surged ahead by nine and took a 64-58 lead into halftime. Bogdanovic had 15 points and Young 13 in the second quarter, combining for four more points than the Knicks scored.
TIP-INS
Hawks: Bogdanovic had been questionable to play because of a bruised right quadriceps. ... Though they won the four that mattered most last spring, the Hawks had lost six straight regular-season matchups with the Knicks.
Knicks: Coach Tom Thibodeau said Randle has been dealing with soreness that hasn't gone away and that rest was probably the only thing that would help. He said the forward was day-to-day. ... Thibodeau said Derrick Rose, recovering from a procedure to address a skin infection on his surgically repaired right ankle, was doing a little bit more work but still not practicing yet. ... Immanuel Quickley scored 17 points.
PAY UP
Randle was <a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-york-knicks-utah-jazz-nba-sports-rudy-gobert-7fe0913910827edda9bc39abb023fede">fined $40,000 by the NBA</a> for directing hostile language at a referee after the Knicks' loss to Utah on Sunday, when he also shoved Jazz center Rudy Gobert. Randle has been fined four times for a total of $130,000 this season.
&ldquo;You&rsquo;re human, there&rsquo;s going to be emotions involved in it,&rdquo; Thibodeau said regarding Randle's outbursts, &ldquo;but we have to make sure we&rsquo;re controlling our emotions.&rdquo;
SUPPORTING SCHOOLS
The Knicks hosted HBCU Night, which included Howard University's Air Force ROTC taking part in the pregame festivities and the Delaware State marching band performing at halftime. The NBA and National Basketball Players Association, led by past president Chris Paul, have made supporting the schools a priority.
&ldquo;My daughter is a graduate of Howard University, so they&rsquo;re great universities and for the NBA and our players to bring attention to those universities, to try to get more support to those universities, I think is very important,&rdquo; Hawks coach Nate McMillan said.
UP NEXT
Hawks: Visit Detroit on Wednesday.
Knicks: Visit Charlotte on Wednesday.

Trae Young had 45 points and 8 assists in his first game at Madison Square Garden since last season's playoffs.

Trae Young scores 45 in return to MSG, Hawks beat Knicks 117-111

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) &mdash; Donovan Mitchell tries to keep his cool with the officials.
In a tie game against Chicago, Mitchell protested a non-call with an especially vocal and demonstrative outburst in the third quarter. He got a technical foul and the switch was flipped.
&ldquo;I was hot," Mitchell said about his anger.
Mitchell went on to score a Utah-record 25 of his 37 points in the third quarter, Jordan Clarkson added 26 and the Utah Jazz beat the Bulls 125-110 on Wednesday night.
Feeling nostalgic before the game, Mitchell was watching Game 6 of his first playoff series against Oklahoma City his rookie season. He remembered that level of confidence and how big the hoop seemed when he led the Jazz to the win. Then he replicated it against Chicago.
&ldquo;Once I saw the 3 on the wide pin go down, it was on,&rdquo; Mitchell said. &ldquo;From there, I just started getting to my spots and do what I do. Sometimes you just gotta go to that place inside you.&rdquo;
Mitchell made a franchise-record seven 3-pointers in the third period on nine attempts. He broke Karl Malone&rsquo;s team mark of 22 points in a third quarter. Mitchell finished with nine 3-pointers, besting his previous career best of seven.
&ldquo;He just got really hot. That&rsquo;s the type of player he is. We know that. We could have tried to do a better job of trying to take him out of that (rhythm) and get the ball out of his hands,&rdquo; Zach LaVine said.
In the fourth quarter, Bulls coach Billy Donovan said &ldquo;we did trap him some to try to slow him down&rdquo; but that just opened the door for other players like the seldom-used Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who scored 14 of his 16 points in the fourth quarter.
Alexander-Walker, who came to Utah in a Feb. 9 trade from New Orleans, had only nine total points in his first seven games with the Jazz. So what happened?
&ldquo;Don happened! The gravity he pulled to himself because of the shots he was making &hellip; they were so hyper-focused on him,&rdquo; Alexander-Walker said.
LaVine, who has been affected by a sore left knee, made five 3s and had 33 points in tying his highest scoring output in four months. DeMar DeRozan added 25 points. The Bulls have dropped seven of nine.
&ldquo;We had a really hard time controlling the ball. Our guards could not get the ball under control at all from Clarkson and Mitchell and Conley. They kind of really had their way with (us) and they&rsquo;re great off the dribble,&rdquo; Donovan said on the Bulls&rsquo; second-half defensive struggles.
Ayo Dosunmu&rsquo;s layup trimmed Utah&rsquo;s lead to 103-99 before the Jazz responded with a clinching run.
Alexander-Walker had two 3-pointers from the corner in a 14-0 run that featured suffocating defense and floor-spacing offense. Rudy Gobert&rsquo;s free throws capped the run and lifted the Jazz to a 117-99 lead with 4:38 to play.
&ldquo;We raised our level and did a great job defensively, especially with the scorers they have,&rdquo; Gobert said.
Mitchell&rsquo;s huge third quarter pushed the Jazz ahead 89-81 entering the fourth quarter.
Gobert had 14 points, 20 rebounds and three blocks while Mike Conley had in 14 points and seven assists.
The Jazz played without second-leading scorer Bojan Bogdanovic (left calf strain), along with key reserves Trent Forrest (right wrist sprain), Danuel House (left knee bone bruise) and Udoka Azubuike (right ankle sprain).
BREAKFAST CLUB
Alexander-Walker, Juancho Hernangomez (who got his first start with Utah) and other Jazz players who rarely get meaningful time in the games are the first ones to practice on game days.
&ldquo;I was really happy for Nickeil because people don&rsquo;t see that every morning before shootaround those guys are in there at 8 o&rsquo;clock working out and going hard too,&rdquo; Mitchell said.
Sometimes they get on the court again after the starters leave and then come early before the game starts. That makes three sessions whether they get game time or not.
&ldquo;Since being here, I can&rsquo;t even count the number of corner 3s and other stuff we have been working on in practice,&rdquo; Alexander-Walker said. &ldquo;That work with the Breakfast Club is paying off. Gotta trust it.&rdquo;
TIP-INS
Bulls: Chicago had 22 fast-break points to seven for the Jazz. &hellip; DeRozan had seven of the Bulls&rsquo; 28 assists. &hellip; Dosunmu had 15 points and six assists.
Jazz: Mitchell picked up a technical in the third quarter. He was especially animated at a non-call and followed the official while shouting. &hellip; The Jazz reserves outscored their Chicago counterparts, 49-22.
UP NEXT
Bulls: At Phoenix on Friday night.
Jazz: Host the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night.

Donovan Mitchell scored a Utah-record 25 of his 37 points in the third quarter as the Utah Jazz beat the Bulls 125-110.

Mitchell scores 25 of 37 points in 3rd, Jazz beat Bulls

Mark Schindler teams up with Nekias Duncan and Jackson Frank to create a consensus All-Defensive Team ballot and choose a DPOY.

Celebrating defense: Selecting the 2022 NBA DPOY, All-Defensive Teams

Every day, <a href="http://BasketballNews.com">BasketballNews.com</a> gives you NBA betting analysis before tip-off. Make sure you subscribe to our daily podcast &ldquo;Nothing But Bets&rdquo; on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nothing-but-bets/id1589799249">Apple Podcasts</a>, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/6zNxt0NQXPmKuryAdz89m0?si=1038d121100444fd">Spotify</a> or wherever you listen to podcasts. This season, &ldquo;Nothing But Bets&rdquo; is up thousands of dollars on PrizePicks.
Without further ado, let&rsquo;s dive into our favorite NBA betting plays for Friday&rsquo;s fun slate.
Memphis Grizzlies (-9.5) vs. New York Knicks
Quietly, the Grizzlies continue to stay near the top of the Western Conference hierarchy. Ja Morant has taken the leap to superstar, plus their young core is all ascending simultaneously as well. In this matchup against the Knicks, who have to be one of the Association&rsquo;s most inconsistent teams, this is setting up well for a Grizzlies blowout win at home. If Morant gets going early, this isn&rsquo;t going to be close. Hammer with emphasis Memphis in this spot.
Pick: Grizzlies -9.5
PrizePicks Power Play: Ja Morant over 30.5 points, R.J. Barrett over 23.5 points, Steven Adams over 10 rebounds, Julius Randle over 9 rebounds
San Antonio Spurs vs. Utah Jazz (-6)
After a nightmare January stretch, the Jazz are bouncing back in the West as well. Thanks to such a well-balanced attack on both ends of the court, Utah is one of the more dangerous teams when they get rolling. On Friday in San Antonio, this is a great opportunity for Utah to flex their muscles. If Rudy Gobert is able to deter Dejounte Murray from doing damage around the rim, this feels like an ideal cover spot for the Jazz.
Pick: Jazz -6
PrizePicks Power Play: Donovan Mitchell over 26.5 points, Rudy Gobert over 13.5 rebounds, Jakob Poeltl over 8.5 rebounds, Dejounte Murray over 8.5 assists
Phoenix Suns (-5) vs. Toronto Raptors
The Suns are 40 games above .500 with a 53-13 record, which is absolutely incredible. Running away with the NBA&rsquo;s best record, Phoenix returns home to the Valley for an intriguing matchup against the Raptors. Although Phoenix is still without Chris Paul, we&rsquo;re forecasting a big game from his backcourt running mate in Devin Booker. At home, the Suns are so tough to beat. In this scenario, it&rsquo;s not different for our projection.
Pick: Suns -5
PrizePicks Power Play: Devin Booker over 25 points, Pascal Siakam over 21 points, Deandre Ayton over 10.5 rebounds, Fred VanVleet over 5.5 assists
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For an intriguing Friday slate in the NBA, "Nothing But Bets" drops off their picks and PrizePicks Power Play options.

Best Bets: BasketballNews' picks and fantasy advice for 3/11/22

When the Phoenix Suns and 2018 No. 1 overall pick Deandre Ayton failed to agree on a rookie-scale maximum contract extension leading into the 2021-22 season, it surprised everyone throughout the NBA. What was believed to be a no-brainer following Phoenix&rsquo;s miraculous Finals run turned into a stalemate on perceived value between player and organization.
From the beginning of negotiations, which saw little to no room for budging on either end, Ayton and his representation rightfully viewed him in the same tier of player as his fellow draft classmates who received long-term, big-money deals (Luka Doncic, Trae Young, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Michael Porter Jr.). On the other end of the bargaining table, the Suns&rsquo; front office never viewed Ayton as someone deserving of a five-year, $172.5 million extension.
Throughout this season, Ayton has not let his lack of long-term clarity get in the way of his on-court performance. As was the case during the Suns&rsquo; resurgent first season with Chris Paul running the offense, Ayton is still maintaining his elite two-way efficiency. There have been some bumps in the road with consistency, but they don&rsquo;t show up as frequently for Ayton as they did earlier in his NBA career.
For the 51-13 Suns, who own the league&rsquo;s best record by a considerable margin, Ayton is doing everything asked of him to keep the operation afloat. And most recently without Paul (avulsion fracture) and Devin Booker (COVID health and safety protocols) in Phoenix&rsquo;s starting lineup, Ayton has proved to be capable of having the offense run through him when necessary, pouring in a season-high 30 points in a close loss against the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday.
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Averaging 16.6 points, 9.7 rebounds and 0.8 blocks per game on an outstanding 66.0% True Shooting percentage, Ayton has already cemented himself within the above-average tier of starting-quality bigs. Ayton taking massive strides as a rim-protector helps project what could be the next level of production during his expensive second contract that looms. Only five centers in the NBA are allowing less than 45% of the shots they defend to end in points (minimum 15 shots per game): Rudy Gobert, Jarrett Allen, Anthony Davis, Evan Mobley and Ayton.
While Ayton is building upon a rock-solid foundation around the rim on both ends, he has shown that he can already make an eye-opening impact on the NBA's biggest stage. The question for Phoenix and the 7-foot Bahamian product is how his long-term market shakes out within the next few months.
At this point, it seems like a plausible reality that the Ayton many hoped to see when he entered the draft from nearby University of Arizona would appear. Playing out of position in college as a power forward, Ayton was laying waste to Pac-12 defenses thanks to his athletic profile &mdash; more so fit for a wing than a big. From the very beginning, Ayton was seemingly labeled in the wrong category. In some people&rsquo;s eyes, Ayton could become Hakeem Olajuwon, David Robinson or Shaquille O&rsquo;Neal 2.0, bullying defending giants with reckless ferocity. That certainly hasn't happened with the Suns during his four seasons; however, the 23-year-old has transformed into a more than serviceable pillar piece.&nbsp;
Ayton isn&rsquo;t going to wow the general basketball fan with high-flying dunks and blocks, but what he will do is run the floor like his life depends on. The Suns&rsquo; center will seal and screen for his teammates, providing ample room for his superstar backcourt to operate within. And when he rolls to the rim, Ayton has already become one of the NBA&rsquo;s most dangerous pick-and-roll threats when being set up by Paul or Booker. Ayton isn&rsquo;t able to create offense for himself, which knocks him down a peg from the modern, demigod big-man scorers like Joel Embiid, Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Karl-Anthony Towns.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
I'll live with a few more 5 TO games from Deandre Ayton if he keeps developing this type of purposeful aggression out of PnR as a result. <a href="https://t.co/9wCMipb6D4">pic.twitter.com/9wCMipb6D4</a>
&mdash; David (@theIVpointplay) <a href="https://twitter.com/theIVpointplay/status/1468169076555927555?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 7, 2021</a></blockquote>

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

The thing is, even if Ayton isn't a top-15 or 20 player, he can still make a gigantic impact on and off the stat sheet. Ayton is beginning to explore once more with his three-point shot, an area that was left alone for the last few seasons. If he can continue to expand his offensive profile to be a consistent threat from beyond the three-point line, it brings his value to even higher levels.
What has to be noted, though, is that Ayton is already a special scorer. With some of the best footwork around the basket I&rsquo;ve seen, Ayton is like a dancing bear on the block who can quickly create a shooting pocket with spins to his patented hook shot. Ayton stepped into the NBA as an elite big from an efficiency standpoint, which has only grown in Year 4.
When looking through his overall shot profile for conversion rates, it&rsquo;s hard to find a blemish on Ayton&rsquo;s resume:
Restricted Area: 75.2% on 4.7 FGA
In The Paint: 60.8% on 4.7 FGA
Mid-Range: 47.3% on 1.3 FGA
Above-The-Break Three: 38.5% on 0.3 FGA
It&rsquo;s an obvious plus when Paul and Booker are the ones setting up Ayton consistently, but this great touch has been there since the big man was dominating his competition in high school and college. The offense isn&rsquo;t run through Ayton &mdash; which is the smart choice in today&rsquo;s pace-and-space game &mdash; but he serves as a lifeline for the Suns' offense when everything else fails. If the Suns throw a pass down on the block to Ayton, more often than not it&rsquo;s going to end with him converting a highly efficient opportunity.
The on-court value of Ayton has fallen a little under the radar with the Suns stacking together wins. While he&rsquo;s not going to break the internet and deliver nightly SportsCenter highlights, Ayton is a valve in the Suns&rsquo; system and he's crucial to their success now and in the future.
Entering this offseason as a restricted free agent in a historically bad class, a team looking to make a splash is going to offer the big bucks to Ayton. The question is: What will the Suns&rsquo; front office do when Ayton eventually signs a four-year max offer sheet elsewhere? This is a foregone conclusion, the only question is: Which team? The Oklahoma City Thunder, Detroit Pistons and San Antonio Spurs all make sense as teams who should aggressively pursue Ayton on the restricted market. This could be those teams' only opportunity to coax a max-level player into signing the dotted line for their respective organizations, which again brings us back to Phoenix&rsquo;s perspective.
Suns general manager James Jones has remained relatively coy on the subject of Ayton&rsquo;s annual value since no deal occurred back in October. Once the calendar hits July, how will Jones and Co. view Ayton from a monetary perspective? Since Ayton is a restricted free agent, the ball is essentially in the Suns&rsquo; court. If Phoenix was so hesitant to pay Ayton last offseason, how will the Suns feel after another season of similar production? If you compare Ayton&rsquo;s numbers from this season to his 2020-21 stats, they are very similar.
2020-21 Ayton: 14.4 points, 10.5 rebounds, 1.2 blocks, 65.3 TS%
2021-22 Ayton: 16.6 points, 9.7 rebounds, 0.8 blocks, 66.0 TS%
So, what must happen for the Suns to cough up what Ayton rightfully believes he deserves this summer? As is the case with most restricted-free-agent stories, this could soon become worse before it&rsquo;s better. John Collins and the Atlanta Hawks are a perfect example from last offseason, which saw a stalemate eventually end in a five-year, $125 million mutual agreement. Collins was holding out for max or near-max money, but the closest he could get was $25 million annually. It also doesn&rsquo;t help Ayton&rsquo;s case that Cleveland Cavaliers big man Jarrett Allen is producing a career-best season after signing a new four-year deal paying him $20 million annually.
Zooming out on the situation, it seems very clear that we&rsquo;re heading for a good ol' fashion standoff between Ayton&rsquo;s representatives and the Suns. Phoenix will likely begin negotiations in the Allen/Collins range of money, but Ayton&rsquo;s camp will hold firm on a max offer &mdash; from the Valley or elsewhere.
Ayton hasn&rsquo;t become a transformative player for the Suns, but he&rsquo;s one of the main reasons why the Suns went from bottom-feeder to juggernaut. With a moldable game that fits within their system well, Ayton is once again showing why he deserves a pay day.
&ldquo;Deandre Ayton, we&rsquo;re going to get him a bag this summer,&rdquo; Paul said after the Suns&rsquo; Game 4 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers in the 2021 Western Conference Finals.
A year later, we will find out exactly how Ayton and the Suns will move forward together.
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Will Deandre Ayton get the max-contract pay day that he desires? Evan Sidery looks ahead to the Suns' big offseason decision.

Will Deandre Ayton eventually get his bag from the Suns?

The following is a press release from the NBA:
CLEVELAND&nbsp;&ndash; Fifteen international players from 12 countries, including six international All-Stars and a record-tying four international All-Star Game starters, will participate in NBA All-Star 2022 in Cleveland from Friday, Feb. 18 &ndash; Sunday, Feb. 20.&nbsp; NBA All-Star 2022 will reach fans in 215 countries and territories in a record 60 languages on their televisions, computers, mobile phones and tablets.
Below are international highlights of this year&rsquo;s global celebration of basketball:
INTERNATIONAL PLAYERS
<ul>
<li>The 71st NBA All-Star Game, which tips off on Sunday, Feb. 20 at 8 p.m. ET on TNT, will feature six international All-Stars and a record-tying four international starters.&nbsp; Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks; Greece; ties to Nigeria) and Nikola Jokić (Denver Nuggets; Serbia) will start for Team LeBron, while Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers; Cameroon) and Andrew Wiggins (Golden State Warriors; Canada) will start for Team Durant.&nbsp; They are joined by Team LeBron reserve Luka Dončić (Dallas Mavericks; Slovenia) and Team Durant reserve Rudy Gobert (Utah Jazz; France).</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Clorox Rising Stars, which will take place on Friday, Feb. 18 at 9 p.m. ET on TNT, will feature a new format of four seven-player teams competing in a three-game mini-tournament, with each game played to a Final Target Score.&nbsp; The pool of 28 players includes six international players: Precious Achiuwa (Toronto Raptors; Nigeria), Chris Duarte (Indiana Pacers; Dominican Republic), Josh Giddey (Oklahoma City Thunder; Australia), Alperen Şeng&uuml;n (Houston Rockets; Turkey), Franz Wagner (Orlando Magic; Germany) and Dyson Daniels (NBA G League Ignite; Australia).</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>With their participation in Clorox Rising Stars, Giddey and Daniels, who were teammates at NBA Global Academy in Canberra, Australia, from 2019-2020, become the first NBA Academy alumni to participate in NBA All-Star.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>The Taco Bell&reg; Skills Challenge, which is part of State Farm All-Star Saturday night on Feb. 19 at 8 p.m. ET on TNT, will also feature a new format in which three teams of three players will participate in a four-round competition that tests shooting, passing and dribbling ability.&nbsp; One of the teams is composed of three Antetokounmpo brothers: Giannis and Thanasis Antetokounmpo (Bucks; Greece; ties to Nigeria) and Alex Antetokounmpo (NBA G League&rsquo;s Raptors 905; Greece; ties to Nigeria).</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Eight players competing at NBA All-Star 2022 are from or have ties to Africa: Achiuwa, the three Antetokounmpo brothers, Desmond Bane (Memphis Grizzlies; ties to Nigeria), Ayo Dosunmu (Chicago Bulls; ties to Nigeria), Embiid and Isaac Okoro (Cleveland Cavaliers; ties to Nigeria).</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>New this year, the NBA G League&rsquo;s top young players, including G League Ignite&rsquo;s Daniels and Fanbo Zeng (China), will be on display in the inaugural NBA G League Next Gem Game, which will feature G League Ignite taking on the Cleveland Charge on Sunday, Feb. 20 at 2 p.m. ET on NBA TV, NBA TV International, and in China on Tencent and MIGU.</li>
</ul>
GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION
<ul>
<li>A total of 72 international broadcast partners will televise NBA All-Star 2022.&nbsp; Six international television and radio networks &ndash; from France, Greece, Latin America, Mongolia, Poland and Spain &ndash; will conduct live onsite commentary from Cleveland, and three television networks &ndash; from India, Netherlands and Norway &ndash; will broadcast NBA All-Star remotely for the first time.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Fans outside North America will also be able to watch Clorox Rising Stars, State Farm All-Star Saturday Night and the NBA All-Star Game live and on-demand through NBA League Pass via <a href="https://insights.nba.com/PoliteMail/default.aspx?page=zoU9Gcb3YESIAP7onvjQYw&amp;ref_id=r2DLozbAkESbJ37egIWA4A" target="_blank" rel="noopener">watch.NBA.com</a> and <a href="https://insights.nba.com/PoliteMail/default.aspx?page=BGLjtJbUSEKZ3TxszIgasA&amp;ref_id=r2DLozbAkESbJ37egIWA4A" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the NBA App</a>.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Fans around the world will be able to vote for the MVPs of the Ruffles NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, Clorox Rising Stars and the NBA All-Star Game via NBA.com, the NBA App and Twitter.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>On Sunday, Feb. 20 from 11 a.m. &ndash; 2 p.m. ET, fans around the world can watch a livestream of All-Star Game players and coaches conducting media availabilities at <a href="https://insights.nba.com/PoliteMail/default.aspx?page=3HYWzdXImUWzU3gUE-9O-g&amp;ref_id=r2DLozbAkESbJ37egIWA4A" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mediaavail.nba.com</a>.</li>
</ul>
CELEBRITIES &amp; INFLUENCERS
<ul>
<li>The Ruffles NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, which tips off on Friday, Feb. 18 at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN, will feature Puerto Rican rapper and singer Anuel AA; Indian American singer/songwriter Anjali Ranadiv&eacute;; Bollywood superstar Ranveer Singh; 2020 Olympic high jump gold medalist Gianmarco Tamberi from Italy; and Cleveland Cavaliers Legend and Brazil native Anderson Varej&atilde;o.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Singh, who in September was named the NBA Brand Ambassador for India, will be one of more than two dozen influencers attending NBA All-Star 2022, where he will post behind-the-scenes social media content and have the opportunity to meet NBA players and legends.&nbsp; Singh will also become the second Bollywood star to play in the Celebrity Game.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Singh headlines a group of international influencers from Argentina, France, India, Japan, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Senegal, South Africa, Spain and the UK who will experience NBA All-Star 2022 in person, receiving exclusive access to the weekend&rsquo;s events and creating All-Star-themed content for fans in their home markets.</li>
</ul>
ALL-STAR CELEBRATIONS ABROAD
In addition to the events in Cleveland, fans around the world will be able to share in the excitement of NBA All-Star 2022 through a variety of international activations and programming:
<ul>
<li>In Canada, the &ldquo;NBA 75th Shop,&rdquo; a digital retail experience that pays tribute to the players and moments that have shaped the growth of basketball across the country, features a <a href="https://insights.nba.com/PoliteMail/default.aspx?page=2icFrxLx0UmWFb58V9B7Vw&amp;ref_id=r2DLozbAkESbJ37egIWA4A" target="_blank" rel="noopener">figurine depicting eight-time All-Star and Raptors Legend Vince Carter</a> at the 2000 Slam Dunk contest and an &ldquo;<a href="https://insights.nba.com/PoliteMail/default.aspx?page=Ss8TfIZrIUqK4tlSdhYWOQ&amp;ref_id=r2DLozbAkESbJ37egIWA4A">ice block</a>&rdquo; commemorating the 2016 Slam Dunk contest in Toronto, the first NBA All-Star held outside the U.S.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>On Feb. 18, Mexican artist Alee Baes is launching exclusive All-Star-themed merchandise and giving away 16 special-edition Wilson basketballs in collaboration with the NBA at the league&rsquo;s official retail location in Mexico, NBA Tienda in Polanco.&nbsp; The collection will also be available at <a href="https://insights.nba.com/PoliteMail/default.aspx?page=ibGQ_qNzG0KhKkx1nZQUsA&amp;ref_id=r2DLozbAkESbJ37egIWA4A" target="_blank" rel="noopener">nbatienda.com</a>, the league&rsquo;s official online destination in the country.&nbsp; In addition, Cavaliers Legend Anderson Varej&atilde;o is filming a number of content pieces while on site in Cleveland that will be shared on the NBA&rsquo;s social media platforms in his native Brazil.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>From Feb. 7-21, Cosmote Sport, the league&rsquo;s broadcast partner in Greece, is running a 24/7 NBA pop-up channel featuring live NBA All-Star events, original programming, classic games, highlights and more.&nbsp; Eleven Sport and beIN SPORTS, the league&rsquo;s broadcast partners in Belgium and France, respectively, are hosting competitions in which winners will attend All-Star 2022.&nbsp; In addition, the NBA Fan Clubs in Greece and Spain are organizing NBA All-Star sweepstakes and quizzes featuring merchandise giveaways and special prizes.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>The league&rsquo;s social media platforms in Australia, Japan and the Philippines will produce All-Star-themed programming to promote the weekend&rsquo;s events.&nbsp; The Dime, a recap show on the NBA&rsquo;s Facebook page in Australia, will feature Australian Rising Stars participants Josh Giddey and Dyson Daniels.&nbsp; NBA Zoom-In, a show on the NBA&rsquo;s TikTok channel in Japan hosted by Japanese influencer Rikuto, will preview and recap highlights from the weekend.&nbsp; Republika Huddle, the league&rsquo;s social media talk show in the Philippines, will revisit previous editions of NBA All-Star and provide predictions for this year&rsquo;s marquee events.</li>
</ul>

Fifteen international players, including six All-Stars and a record-tying four All-Star Game starters, will represent in Cleveland.