Cougars

In Game 2 of the Western Conference Semifinals between the Memphis Grizzlies and Golden State Warriors, Dillon Brooks committed a flagrant foul that caused Gary Payton II to fall and fracture his left elbow. Brooks was ejected and suspended one game, and Warriors head coach Steve Kerr blasted Brooks after the game.
&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t know if it was intentional, but it was dirty,&rdquo; Kerr said. &ldquo;There&rsquo;s a code that players follow. You never put a guy&rsquo;s season or career in jeopardy by taking someone out in mid-air and clubbing him across the head and ultimately fracturing Gary&rsquo;s elbow... He broke the code. Dillion Brooks broke the code."
Now, after a Ja Morant injury in Game 3, the Grizzlies have accused the Warriors of breaking the very same code.
Morant had to exit Game 3 with a knee injury, and the replay showed Jordan Poole grabbing and pulling Morant&rsquo;s knee. Is that what ultimately caused Morant's injury? Ja seems to think so, as Morant tweeted (and later deleted) the following video with the caption, &ldquo;broke the code."
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Ja Morant reacted to Jordan Poole grabbing his knee. (via <a href="https://twitter.com/JaMorant?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JaMorant</a>) <a href="https://t.co/9XhvkPfYxG">pic.twitter.com/9XhvkPfYxG</a>
&mdash; SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) <a href="https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/1523148192551899136?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 8, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Poole told reporters that he hadn&rsquo;t gotten a chance to see the replay. After watching the video, he defended himself.
&ldquo;Yeah, it was a basketball play when we doubled him, and I hit the ball and I was going for the ball,&rdquo; Poole said. &ldquo;I mean, obviously you don't want to see anybody get hurt. I'm not even that type of player. I respect everybody. So I mean, obviously, hopefully he gets better, and we can see him out there next game. I don't even play like that, for real. That's not my type of game.&rdquo;
When asked specifically about Morant&rsquo;s &ldquo;broke the code&rdquo; tweet, Poole refused to engage.
&ldquo;We've got another game on Monday,&rdquo; he said.
Some Grizzlies players and coaches were frustrated and felt this was a dirty play.
&ldquo;We just watched the replay: He was going after a dribble and Jordan Poole actually grabbed his knee and yanked it, which kind of triggered whatever happened, so I'm actually going to be very curious to see what happens after that,&rdquo; Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins said. &ldquo;There was a grab. I'm just curious what happened.&rdquo;
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&ldquo;It's unfortunate. Ja is obviously having a great series,&rdquo; Desmond Bane added. &ldquo;For something like that to happen, something that is somewhat controllable... Jordan Poole reached out and grabbed his knee and kind of put him in an awkward position. It's unfortunate.&rdquo;
Jaren Jackson Jr. brought up &ldquo;the code,&rdquo; just like Kerr did following Payton&rsquo;s injury.
&ldquo;We're going to ride for our own. You know our mentality&hellip;&rdquo; Jaren Jackson Jr. said. &ldquo;It's unfortunate. You never want to see that type of stuff. No one is out here [playing] dirty. No one is out here like that. But it's just unfortunate. You know the code. We&rsquo;ll talk about the code all series at this point.&rdquo;
The Warriors argued that the play wasn&rsquo;t intentional or dirty, with Klay Thompson even laughing when asked about Morant&rsquo;s tweet (and taking another shot at Brooks).
&ldquo;That's playoff talk,&rdquo; Thompson said. &ldquo;Me personally, I've been through a tough knee injury, and I don't think there's any malicious intent from Jordan. I don't even think he's strong enough to affect somebody's knee. But we're not out there trying to hurt people or trying to club people in the back of the head on a fastbreak. We play the game the right way and I'm going to have his back.&rdquo;
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If you think Poole&rsquo;s tug is what caused Ja&rsquo;s knee injury, stop. Not nearly enough force to cause it &amp; seconds prior Poole&rsquo;s knee hits the outside of Ja&rsquo;s which can cause medial (inner) stress on the knee. That&rsquo;s where Ja &amp; the training looked to be examining.
&mdash; Dr. Rajpal Brar, DPT (@3cbPerformance) <a href="https://twitter.com/3cbPerformance/status/1523153717553352707?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 8, 2022</a></blockquote>

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&ldquo;It's unfortunate that that's a conversation right now because obviously nobody wants to see anybody get hurt,&rdquo; Stephen Curry added. &ldquo;But there's nothing malicious about what Jordan did. There's no comparison to what Dillon did or Draymond [did], nothing in that vein. So it's not a joking matter that Ja is hurt, but all the rest it is total BS in terms of the conversation right now. I remember <a href="https://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/warriors/steve-kerr-jokes-about-nbas-hot-stove-contact-ruling-steph-curry" target="_blank" rel="noopener">that term they came up with</a>: &lsquo;hot-stove contact.&rsquo; That's what it felt like. Keep it moving.&rdquo;
Draymond Green thought they bumped knees, then added: &ldquo;No, [we&rsquo;re] not going to sit here and go tit-for-tat. We've got a basketball game to try to win on Monday.&rdquo;
Morant has been incredible during this series, averaging 38.3 points, 8.3 assists, 6.7 rebounds, 4.3 threes and 3.0 steals on .518/.451/.797 shooting splits. If he&rsquo;s forced to miss any time, that would be a huge blow to the Grizzlies.
However, Memphis is a very well-rounded, deep team that managed to go 20-5 without Morant this season. His teammates know that he&rsquo;s going to do whatever he can to take the court on Monday night.
&ldquo;I mean, we've seen Ja, he's like Wolverine out there,&rdquo; De&rsquo;Anthony Melton said. &ldquo;He could be limping one day, the next day be fine. He's a warrior. He's a competitor. He's just a hooper. Who knows what his level of injury is at? He understands his body, and he understands what the team needs, so he'll make the best decision.&rdquo;
&ldquo;He's good,&rdquo; Jackson added after speaking to Morant. &ldquo;He's going to do whatever he's got to do. War mentality. He has the same mentality he always has. Yeah, we'll bounce back, play great. We've got to finish the game.&rdquo;
Game 4 between the Grizzlies and Warriors is tomorrow at 10 p.m. ET. Golden State leads the series 2-1.
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Did Jordan Poole try to hurt Ja Morant by grabbing his knee in Game 3? The Grizzlies and Warriors shared their thoughts after the game.

Did Jordan Poole 'break the code' and hurt Ja Morant in Game 3?

A perfectly orchestrated out-of-bounds set is a thing of beauty.&nbsp;
Plays ran after timeouts, or ATOs as they're commonly referred to, are by far the most intricately designed sets in any NBA game.
We hear the phrase "read and react" quite frequently, but that's truly the best way to describe the typical flow of NBA offenses. Possessions in the half-court without any sort of stoppage regularly feature some sort of pick-and-roll or handoff action, maybe with 1-to-2 additional tinkerings depending on the team you're watching. But the point is: There is a great deal of freelancing going on out there. These guys are pros for a reason &mdash; they don't need a guy in a suit telling them exactly&nbsp;what to do for every second of the game.
ATOs, however, are quite different. They allow head coaches to step in, sit down with their players for a full minute and 15 seconds, precisely rehearse and recall a scripted action from practice, and, most of all, tactically prey on the weaknesses of an opponent.&nbsp;
And when they're executed well? Sheesh, there's truly nothing better.&nbsp;
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Now, just for size, imagine watching two back-to-back successful ATOs in the final eight seconds of a playoff game. That'd be crazy, right? Huh?! For all my play-by-play geeks out there?
Alas, that is what happened during Tuesday's Game 5 between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Memphis Grizzlies.
Let's set the stage a little bit: This contest was not a gorgeous showing of pristine execution. It was a back-and-forth, frenetic affair, with both teams streaking up-and-down the floor like the Gatorade coolers had been spiked with C4 pre-workout. All of that speed didn't necessarily equate to production; collectively, both teams turned the ball over a ghastly 39 total times, and Memphis couldn't hit the broad side of a barn from deep at just 25.0% (7 of 28).
Minnesota controlled the tempo for most of Tuesday's game, building a lead as large as 13 in the second half. The Grizzlies looked dead in the water on their home floor, unable to get much of anything going in the halfcourt. Then, Ja Morant did this, and the mood completely changed...
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Chasing History -Episode 12 🏆 A jaw-dropping dunk&hellip;.a clutch late 3&hellip;.a game-winning shot. Ja Morant did it all in game 5, leading the Grizzlies to victory over the Timberwolves to take the 3-2 series lead. <a href="https://t.co/pKbwxriEws">pic.twitter.com/pKbwxriEws</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1519677816828313601?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 28, 2022</a></blockquote>

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(Seriously, it's tough to get enough of this freakin' dunk. BBN's Mark Schindler even <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/ja-morants-jadropping-dunk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote an entire article on it</a>! I mean, what the actual HECK, Temetrius Jamel Morant.)
That audacious poster lit something inside of Morant, who went on <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/how-the-grizzlies-helped-ja-morant-find-himself-as-a-scorer-in-game-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">an absolute tear in the final period of the game</a>, eventually boosting his fourth-quarter point total to 16 after a pair of free throws. This put Memphis up by 3 with just eight seconds remaining.
With the first-round series hanging in the balance at 2-2, Minnesota needed a three-pointer more than ever to even things up at 109 apiece. And gosh darn it, Wolves head coach Chris Finch delivered.&nbsp;
Minnesota sets things up with Jordan McLaughlin inbounding, its two strongest offensive players &mdash; Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards &mdash;on the strong side of the floor and D'Angelo Russell and Jaden McDaniels on the weak side.
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McLaughlin inbounds the ball to Towns at the left slot to initiate things. All the while, McDaniels streaks toward the left dunker spot and Russell brushes a backscreen for McDaniels. Then, Russell proceeds to "ghost" or fake a secondary back-screen for Edwards cutting up from the low block to the right slot.
Here's a video of that specific action involving that trio of players:
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In the end, it was a simple exchange of positioning; McDaniels had replaced Russell in the right dunker spot, Edwards had taken McDaniels' place as the lifted shooter on the weak side of the floor, and Russell was now in Edwards' spot on the strong side. But most importantly, Brandon Clarke, the largest Grizzly available, was now tasked with manning rim-protection duties as the "low man."
Now, let's zoom out a bit. Minnesota inbounds the ball to its most dangerous offensive player, Towns, who at this point has scored a team-high 28 points on the night. Yet as the inbounder, it's McLaughlin who is technically the most dangerous player on the floor, and so Towns immediately returns the rock to give the zippy backup a running start. As such, McLaughlin gains a step on his defender, Kyle Anderson, and this causes Clarke to hesitate for a second, unsure if he's supposed to protect the rim or track the weak-side shooters.
Because Clarke decides to hold his ground in the paint, Morant then becomes responsible for "zoning up" and guarding the two weak-side offensive players, Edwards and McDaniels. So, Edwards drifts down to the baseline for deep positioning to create a brutally tough angle of recovery, and McDaniels sets a back-screen on Edwards' man (Morant).
This specific screening setup is known as "exit" action, where one offensive player pins the "zoned-up" defender with a screen to generate a corner three for his teammate. (Finch loves&nbsp;his exit-screen plays, I tell ya.)
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McLaughlin flicks a ridiculous bounce pass to the corner like he's skipping rocks across a pond, and Edwards&mdash;quietly shooting ~42% on catch-and-shoot threes in the regular season and postseason&mdash;nails the corner jumper over an excellent closeout from Clarke.
Here's Finch's pi&egrave;ce de r&eacute;sistance in full:
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Tie game at 109.
Which meant it was Taylor Jenkins' time to cook for the Grizzlies' response.
Unlike Minnesota, Memphis set up by overloading one side of the floor with Desmond Bane, Anderson and Morant all sharing the strong side, and Tyus Jones on the weak side.
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/screen-shot-2022-04-27-at-5-24-36-pm_lg.png" alt="" width="700" height="376" />
Morant sets a cross-screen for Jones to cut across the paint, only to have Ja then come off a pindown screen from Desmond Bane. This specific action is known as "screen the screener," in which a player (Morant here) sets a screen for one teammate (Jones) and then receives a screen from another (Bane). Meanwhile, Anderson cuts across the paint from the left corner to the right slot to drag Minnesota's only rim-protector, Towns, completely out of the play.
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Memphis' screen-the-screener setup, or STS, forces Morant's defender (Edwards) to navigate not one, but two&nbsp;off-ball screens while tracking the hottest player on the floor. Edwards falls slightly behind the lightning-quick Morant, and exasperates things by gambling for the steal. Ant giveth, Ant taketh.
Now, Morant has the advantage with a free lane to the rim and Clarke in the right dunker spot. Jarred Vanderbilt rotates over to the stop the drive, and Towns inexplicably (??) turns his body away from the ball instead of rotating down to Clarke. This effectively leaves Vanderbilt in no man's land, forced to defend perhaps the best downhill dude in the league and&nbsp;a premier lob-threat... and, well, you know the rest.
Let's see the full play.
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Game. Set. Match. The Grizzlies went on to win Game 5 by a final of 111-109, and took an emphatic 3-2 lead in the series all behind Morant's 18 fourth-quarter points.
And sure, the night was dominated by the highlights (again, whew, that dunk), but it's sequences like the final eight seconds that make this NBA game what it is &mdash; great.
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Matt Brooks gives kudos to both Chris Finch and Taylor Jenkins for their ATOs in the crucial moments of Game 5 in Memphis.

Applauding Chris Finch and Taylor Jenkins' ATO play-calling wizardry

With the 2021-22 NBA regular season in the books, let's examine the numbers and hand out some hardware to the cream of the fantasy crop.
Fantasy MVP: Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
In regards to the NBA's actual Most Valuable Player award, a strong case could be made for several players (<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-mvp-rankings-jokic-edging-out-embiid-antetokounmpo-chasing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">as I detailed two weeks ago</a>). However, in the fantasy-hoops universe, Nikola Jokic reigns supreme for the second-straight season. And it wasn't particularly close.
Not only was the Joker durable, appearing in 74 games, but he was remarkably efficient (shooting over 58% from the floor and 81% from the charity stripe). His all-around statistical production was mind-boggling, as he became the first player in NBA history to tally more than 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds and 500 assists in the same season. As a cherry on top, Jokic saved some of his best work for the fantasy playoffs. Over his last five games, he averaged 37.8 points, 16.6 rebounds, 6.6 assists and 2.2 steals (joining Karl Malone as the second player in league history to record five-straight double-doubles with 35+ points in each game). Whether you played in a head-to-head or roto league, nobody was more valuable than Mr. Jokic.&nbsp;
Fantasy Rookie of the Year: Scottie Barnes, Toronto Raptors
Detroit's Cade Cunningham, Orlando's Franz Wagner and Cleveland's Evan Mobley all posted impressive numbers in their rookie campaigns, but Barnes wins this race by a nose. Scottie appeared in 74 out of 82 games and became the only rookie since Luka Doncic to average at least 15.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and a steal in their first season. Barnes is also the first rookie in Toronto's franchise history to record 1,000+ points, 500+ rebounds and 250+ assists. He finished the season ranked 66th overall in nine-category roto formats.&nbsp;
Most Improved Fantasy Player: Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers
This is another award that could go to a bevy of deserving players (such as Darius Garland, Jordan Poole and Ja Morant); however, in my opinion, Maxey gets the nod. Due to the drama and uncertainty surrounding Ben Simmons coming into this season, some fantasy pundits pegged Maxey as a late-round sleeper, but nobody could have expected Maxey to step in and step up as he did.&nbsp;
As a rookie in 2020-21, ​​Maxey averaged a modest 8.0 points, 2.0 assists and 1.7 rebounds in 15 minutes a night while shooting just 30% from downtown, which resulted in him ranking 330th overall (behind players such as Edmond Sumner, John Konchar and Dean Wade) in nine-category fantasy leagues. Yet, as a starter out of the gates this season, Maxey averaged 17.5 points, 4.3 dimes, 3.2 boards and 1.8 treys, while converting 48.5% of his field goal attempts and 42.7% of his triple tries (including 48% from deep over the second half of the season). He finished the 2021-22 season ranked 35th overall in total fantasy value (ahead of fantasy stars such as Khris Middleton, Kristaps Porzingis and Domantas Sabonis). &nbsp;
Fantasy Coach of the Year: Chris Finch, Minnesota Timberwolves 
On Monday, the Minnesota Timberwolves announced that they signed Finch to a multi-year extension. And many fantasy GMs surely applauded the decision. The Timberwolves led the NBA in pace (101.47), which is the way into the hearts of fantasy folks. The Wolves also led the league in points per game (115.9) for the first time in franchise history, made three-pointers (1,211) and turnovers forced (1,339). Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Edwards, D'Angelo Russell and even Patrick Beverley benefited statistically from Minny's up-tempo offense.&nbsp;
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Defensive Player of the Year: Jaren Jackson Jr., Memphis Grizzlies
For those of us who invested in JJJ on draft day the last few years, he finally rewarded us with a monster campaign in 2021-22. Jackson was able to stay healthy (making 78 appearances), and not only did he lead the league in blocked shots per game (2.3), he also averaged just shy of one steal and six rebounds. Factor in his effectiveness and efficiency from behind the arc (he knocked down 128 triples), and it's easy to see why Jackson returned fourth-round fantasy value this season.&nbsp;
Biggest Bust: Tie between Russell Westbrook and Julius Randle
After Randle finished in the top-40 overall in 2020-21, Knicks fans and fantasy GMs who drafted him back in October were hoping the burly power forward would be able to replicate his shockingly impressive production. Yet, although his counting stats were solid, Randle's field goal percentage dropped from 45.6% down to 41.1%, his three-point percentage tumbled from over 41% all the way down to below 30.8% and his free throw percentage dipped from above 81% to 75.6%. Randle also tied his career-high in turnovers (3.4). Due to the poor shooting numbers, turnovers and lack of defensive stats, Randle ranked 127th overall (or just behind Bruce Brown in per-game value).&nbsp;
Westbrook also badly burned fantasy GMs in 2021-22. Russ racked up plenty of points, rebounds and assists (18/7/7) but didn't come close to matching the 22/12/11 he averaged with the Washington Wizards the year before. In addition, Westbrook's extraordinary inefficiency and high turnover rate ruined many a fantasy matchup for GMs who rostered Russ.
Pickup of the Year: Herb Jones, New Orleans Pelicans
Jones, the 35th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, was a complete unknown to the vast majority of fantasy hoopers heading into the 2021-22 season. He went undrafted in even the deepest of leagues and went scoreless in just three minutes of action in the Pels' season opener. However, due to his defensive tenacity and efficient offense, Jones carved out a role in New Orleans and began being scooped up off of waiver wires nationwide. He had earned a spot in the starting lineup by late November and never relinquished it.
Jones finished the season averaging 9.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.7 steals and 0.8 blocks. He led all rookies in total steals with 130 (50 more than Scottie Barnes, who ranked second) and was third in blocks. According to Basketball-Reference, he is the only rookie in New Orleans' franchise history to tally more than 125 steals and 50 blocks (and just the seventh rookie in NBA history to do so, joining Michael Jordan, Nerlens Noel, Ron Harper, Ben Simmons, Willie Anderson and David Robinson). Of those seven, Jones is the only one to commit 100 or fewer turnovers. Jones finished the season ranked 77th overall in nine-category formats.&nbsp;
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With the 2021-22 NBA regular season in the books, Tommy Beer hands out some hardware to the cream of the fantasy crop.

2021-22 Fantasy Basketball Awards: MVP, ROY, Most Improved and more

For a third of the NBA, summer break comes early.&nbsp;
Though 10 teams didn't make the playoffs, it's not all doom and gloom. Several NBA bottom-feeders took tangible steps forward in their rebuilding efforts, while others &mdash; well, they're not supposed to be here.
Every franchise enters the offseason with summer plans. As teams get eliminated from the postseason, I'll be rounding up every team's offseason outlook and posing one question they must answer over the summer. You'll see each squad's 2022 NBA Draft chest, plus their potential free agents, along with the central question.&nbsp;
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Let's get started!
DETROIT PISTONS 
Draft assets: First-round pick (14.0% chance at No. 1), Second-round pick (via Brooklyn)
Potential free agents:&nbsp;Marvin Bagley III (restricted), Cory Joseph (player option), Hamidou Diallo (team option), Frank Jackson (team option), Luka Garza (team option), Carsen Edwards (team option), Rodney McGruder 
Central question: How do the Pistons build an offense around Cade Cunningham?
This was a pretty solid season for Detroit as far as rebuilding efforts go. Cade Cunningham emerged as a Rookie of the Year front-runner and two-way centerpiece who has fans ecstatic about his ceiling. The Pistons finished a solid 10-14 after the All-Star break, and have shown flashes of an improving defense. They did still finish with the 28th-ranked offense, per Cleaning the Glass, and one of the worst shooting rates in the NBA.
Cunningham had to carry a ridiculous offensive load in the latter stages of the season. Detroit has the power to change that in 2022-23, starting with its high draft pick. Maybe Jabari Smith's lights-out scoring means he's an ideal secondary option? Perhaps Paolo Banchero thrives as an additional creator, or maybe Chet Holmgren makes sense as a finisher and spot-up threat? The fun part about Cunningham is that his versatility creates so many pathways for the Pistons in the draft &mdash; whether or not the ping pong balls fall their way.
Detroit wields a cap hold of approximately $28 million on Bagley, and once that lifts (either via a new contract or letting him walk), the Pistons should have a solid chunk of cap space to add to the supporting cast.
HOUSTON ROCKETS
Draft assets: First-round pick (14.0% chance at No. 1), better of Brooklyn/Miami first-round picks
Potential free agents: John Wall (player option), Dennis Schroder, Bruno Fernando (restricted), Jae'Sean Tate (team option), Anthony Lamb (qualifying offer), Trevelin Queen (qualifying offer)
Central question: How patient is the front office willing to be?
Houston's 2021 draft strategy of "draft talent, figure out the fit later" appears to be working out. Jalen Green demonstrated an Anthony Edwards-esque leap post-All-Star break, Alperen Sengun is already one of the NBA's best passing bigs, and guys like Josh Christopher and KJ Martin routinely hinted at upside. Houston gets another prime shot at a franchise cornerstone this draft cycle. We're approaching Stage 2 of the strategy, though: figuring out how the pieces fit.&nbsp;
The Rockets were one of two NBA teams with bottom-five ratings on offense and defense. They led the league in rim frequency and were fourth in three-point frequency, but posted mediocre shooting clips. Houston evokes memories of the rebuilding Nets, who played a similarly extreme brand of ball for a few years as the team slowly reshaped into a fun playoff squad. Does the front office have the foresight to let head coach Stephen Silas work things out with his roster of young guns?&nbsp;
INDIANA PACERS
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How is there a &ldquo;rebuild&rdquo; to afraid of if it isn&rsquo;t a rebuild? <a href="https://t.co/0pDD7E6Mss">pic.twitter.com/0pDD7E6Mss</a>
&mdash; Caitlin Cooper (@C2_Cooper) <a href="https://twitter.com/C2_Cooper/status/1512127632758001664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 7, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Draft assets: First-round pick (10.5% chance at No. 1), First-round pick (if 15-30, via Cleveland), Second-round pick (via Houston), Second-round pick (via Phoenix)
Potential free agents: Ricky Rubio, T.J. Warren, Jalen Smith, Lance Stephenson, Nate Hinton (restricted), Oshae Brissett (team option)
Central question: How extreme is the incoming rebuild, and what veterans mesh with the future vision?
Notably unlisted among the potential free agents are Malcolm Brogdon, Myles Turner, Buddy Hield and T.J. McConnell. All range from solid starters to rotational complements, and 3 of the 4 (not Turner) will be 30 next season. The Pacers are clearly retooling, as evidenced by their trade-deadline fireworks and Tyrese Haliburton's subsequent high usage. They also have publicly flip-flopped regarding the direction of the team; see the above Tweet.
Indiana doesn't have the pure depth of talent to straddle the line. The Pacers can trade many of these talented players and build up a chest of draft picks and young pieces, or they can charge ahead, turn their picks into win-now players and hope Haliburton is ready for the playoff push. But a middle ground doesn't exist in an Eastern Conference where just about every team has solidified its direction.
LOS ANGELES LAKERS
Draft assets: None
Potential free agents: Russell Westbrook (player option), Kendrick Nunn (player option), Austin Reaves (team option), Stanley Johnson (team option), Carmelo Anthony, Avery Bradley, Wayne Ellington, Dwight Howard, Kent Bazemore, Malik Monk, D.J. Augustin, Wenyen Gabriel, Mason Jones (restricted)
Central question: What does team-building around two injury-prone superstars look like?
LeBron James <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/lebron-james-i-dont-have-a-cap-on-how-long-i-want-to-play" target="_blank" rel="noopener">turns 38 next season</a>, and has played 60-plus games just once in the past four seasons. Anthony Davis has now missed more than half the season in back-to-back years. Sure, the Lakers were a mess regardless of their stars' health, but going forward, is pursuing fits next to James and Davis even worthwhile if the two won't consistently be on the court?
With just three players under contract (the aforementioned stars, plus Talen Horton-Tucker), the Lakers enter another offseason of a roster overhaul. This time, I'd recommend almost entirely forgetting about James and Davis when building the squad and simply try to assemble units that make sense together.&nbsp;
NEW YORK KNICKS
Draft assets: First-round pick (2.5% chance at No. 1, could change based on Play-In results), Second-round pick via Boston and Charlotte (if 56-60)
Potential free agents: Mitchell Robinson, Ryan Arcidiacono 
Central question: What's going to happen with the veterans?
The top six moneymakers for the Knicks next season are all 27 or older, and I think many fans would say that out of the group, only Julius Randle should have started &mdash; and he seriously regressed this season. The young Knicks <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/explain-one-play-young-knicks-playing-chess" target="_blank" rel="noopener">clearly showed they're ready to take the mantle</a>.
So what happens with Randle, Evan Fournier, Derrick Rose, Alec Burks, Nerlens Noel and Kemba Walker? Is Tom Thibodeau prepared to reduce their (their meaning Burks specifically in this case) minutes and usage, will trades be coming, or will Madison Square Garden burn when Immanuel Quickley opens the season by playing 16 minutes off the bench? New York has drafted extremely well in recent seasons, but the ceiling of the young core is capped if these youngsters don't get a chance to prove themselves in meaningful situations.
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OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER 
Draft assets: First-round pick (12.5% chance at No. 1), First-round pick via Clippers, First-round pick via Phoenix, Second-round pick
Potential free agents: Derrick Favors (player option), Mike Muscala (team option), Lu Dort (team option), Isaiah Roby (team option), Melvin Frazier (restricted)
Central question: What is the pathway in the frontcourt?
I've stanned Sam Presti's team-building strategy for years now, and I still think it's on track for a serious payoff. Josh Giddey slots in somewhere on your All-Rookie ballot, and draft classmates Tre Mann, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl and Aaron Wiggins flashed rotation-caliber play as well. It is simply a joy to watch a random young player have a breakout game on any given night, and OKC has already shown the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-oklahoma-city-thunders-emerging-defensive-identity" target="_blank" rel="noopener">early stages of a prominent defense</a>.
Next up: Capitalize on a draft loaded with intruiging frontcourt players. Banchero, Holmgren and Smith are obviously the best of the best. But even if the Thunder slide in the lottery, they could pounce on an athletic shot-blocker like Jalen Duren, or use one of their later picks on a center like Mark Williams. I'm just spit-balling, but the point is that OKC has plenty of chances to find its big-man anchor and further flesh out its core.
ORLANDO MAGIC
Draft assets: First-round pick (14.0% chance at No. 1), Second-round pick, Second-round pick via Indiana
Potential free agents: Gary Harris, Robin Lopez, Bol Bol (restricted), Ignas Brazdeikis (restricted), Admiral Schofield (restricted)
Central question: How do the offensive pieces fit together?
Orlando quietly logged a 17th-ranked defense this season, and an 11th-ranked unit since Feb. 1. A dismal offense ultimately doomed the Magic, who were riddled with inconsistent shotmaking and poor team efficiency marks throughout the half-court. We don't need to sound any player alarms; it takes time for young guards in particular to grasp the responsibilities of running NBA offenses.&nbsp;
But what if I told you Orlando has wielded bottom-10 offensive ratings every season for the last decade?&nbsp;
Change can start in the draft, again with some of the top offensive forward options like Banchero or Smith. Adding another ball-dominant guard in Jaden Ivey might be overkill, but AJ Griffin and Bennedict Mathurin feel like good wing fits at first glance. Spotrac estimates the Magic could have up to $30 million in practical cap space, leaving plenty of room for veteran players to accentuate the young talent.
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
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THE D IN DREW STANDS FOR DUNK DO NOT GOOGLE THIS <a href="https://t.co/2AojdAskYV">pic.twitter.com/2AojdAskYV</a>
&mdash; Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) <a href="https://twitter.com/trailblazers/status/1508636734900166659?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 29, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Draft assets: First-round pick (9.0% chance at No. 1), First-round pick via New Orleans (if 5-14), Second-round pick, Second-round pick via Memphis
Potential free agents: Joe Ingles, Jusuf Nurkic, Ben McLemore, Anfernee Simons (restricted), CJ Elleby (restricted), Elijah Hughes (restricted), Keljin Blevins (restricted)
Central question: Is Portland actually trying to win "now" or win soon?
Some really great development happened for the Blazers during the "wash" portion of the season in the form of players like Trendon Watford, Keon Johnson and Drew Eubanks. Add them to Anfernee Simons, Nassir Little and the incomng draft picks, and Portland suddenly has... kind of a sneaky-deep prospect pool? There's real potential to mold this group into a rotation cast that gives Portland one of its deepest rosters in years.
That's why these <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/jerami-grant-trade-rumors-portland-is-still-the-frontrunner" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jerami Grant trade rumors concern me</a>. Giving up a possible lottery pick to try and piece together a short-term playoff team risks too much and keeps the Trail Blazers in the limbo they have lounged in for several years. Understandably, the franchise wants to build a contender while Damian Lillard is invested and in his prime. With some patience, Portland can without sacrificing sustainibility.
SACRAMENTO KINGS
Draft assets: First-round pick (7.5% chance at No. 1), Second-round pick, Second-round pick (via Chicago)
Potential free agents: Jeremy Lamb, Josh Jackson, Damian Jones, Donte DiVincenzo (restricted), Neemias Queta (restricted), Trey Lyles (team option)
Central question: How does Sacramento turn into a competitive NBA defense?
The Kings have trotted out lackluster defenses for as long as I can remember. In fact, they haven't ranked above 20th in Defensive Rating since 2005-06 &mdash; notably, the last time they made the playoffs.
And that didn't change under interim head coach Alvin Gentry. (Gentry will not return as head coach next season, but is <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/shams-alvin-gentry-no-longer-interim-coach-of-the-kings" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in talks for a front-office role</a>, per ESPN.) However, the on-paper roster actually shines some hope. Davion Mitchell made highlight reels out of his "Off-Night" defense. Justin Holiday is a solid individual defender, as is Harrison Barnes, and even De'Aaron Fox has his sporadic moments.&nbsp;
Can Sacramento find a head coach who turns a group of intriguing players with defensive potential into even an average squad? What draft and free agency options exist? Of course, the Kings would like to end their NBA-leading playoff drought. That'll come with changing the culture on defense.
WASHINGTON WIZARDS
Draft assets: First-round pick (2.5% chance at No. 1, depends on Play-In results), Second-round pick (via Dallas)
Potential free agents: Bradley Beal (player option), Thomas Bryant, Raul Neto, Tomas Satoransky, Anthony Gill (restricted), Cassius Winston (restricted)
Central question: What style of guard play is a feasible best fit?
Okay, so obviously the biggest question mark surrounds Bradley Beal's free agency. But from a conceptual standpoint, Washington has tried and failed over the past few seasons to find Beal's best-fitting partner in crime. John Wall, Russell Westbrook and Spencer Dinwiddie were each supposed to provide the downhill juice Beal lacks. The Wizards either did this at serious expense of another skill area (Wall, Westbrook), or it just didn't translate their at-rim ability (Dinwiddie). All battled injuries as well.
"I think we need bigger guards," <a href="https://www.nbcsports.com/washington/wizards/bradley-beal-outlines-what-wizards-need-build-contender" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Beal said in March</a>. "We need more guys that can get in the paint for us, more ball-handlers, more guys that can really create and get two feet in the paint, but also who can knock down threes."
I mean, Beal's needs make total sense. The problem is that every other basketball team on Earth also wants this type of guard.
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Ethan Fuller sets the offseason stage for each team that missed the NBA playoffs.

Summer plans for the NBA's 10 non-playoff teams

The nail was finally put into the Los Angeles Lakers' coffin on Tuesday night in Phoenix, as the purple and gold's postseason hopes are no more following the team's 121-110 loss to the Suns.
Even after a splashy offseason, headlined by Hollywood&rsquo;s newest Big Three in LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook, it was an unmitigated disaster on multiple levels in L.A. Due to injuries, the Lakers&rsquo; star trio only played 21 total games together; it's far too little time to have an extended viewpoint on the subject, but even the small glimpses occasionally provided nightmare fuel.
Westbrook turned out to be an extremely poor fit next to Davis and LeBron, because none of them could adequately space the floor at a consistently above-average clip. Also, the role players for Los Angeles simply didn&rsquo;t get it done. The all-in bet on veterans backfired for Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka.
Now, the pressure cooker has turned up to a whole new level for the Lakers entering an offseason with massive long-term ramifications.
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At points during the 11-point loss to the Suns on Tuesday, the Lakers looked shell-shocked, which eventually turned into a complete lack of energy once hit with a massive counter run in the second half. Just like that, Los Angeles folded at the first sign of resistance.
Already knowing of their postseason fate at halftime when the San Antonio Spurs upset the Denver Nuggets on the road, the Lakers' effort turned into an all-out embarrassment. Devin Booker was easily getting whatever shot he pleased. Chris Paul was bending the Lakers&rsquo; defense to his will, as the future Hall-of-Famer usually does.
Overall, the sense throughout was a team knowing its season was already over. Without James, the 2021-22 Lakers were toast long before their latest shellacking.
&ldquo;Extremely disappointed,&rdquo; Lakers head coach Frank Vogel said postgame. &ldquo;Disappointed for our fan base. Disappointed for the Buss family, gave us all this opportunity. And we want to play our part in bringing success to Laker basketball. We fell short, we were eliminated tonight. I can say it&rsquo;s not due to a lack of effort. We have all put in the work. All of our guys stayed fighting right until the end.&rdquo;
Reminiscing on one of the most disappointing seasons from any title contender in recent memory, the Lakers&rsquo; main theme was how injuries mangled a team with NBA Finals hopes.
&ldquo;You can&rsquo;t take the injuries out, but championship,&rdquo; Davis said of the Lakers&rsquo; potential entering this season. &ldquo;When we first put the team together our goal was to win a championship. I feel like we had the pieces, but injuries got in the way of that. That&rsquo;s the difference in our season.&rdquo;
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Davis is correct on how injuries charted the Lakers off their path into rocky waters over the last few months. Davis himself missed 42 games while James missed 26. When you&rsquo;re missing the two foundational building blocks for at least one-third of the regular season, the game of catch-up will be seemingly impossible at the end. That&rsquo;s exactly what happened here with the Lakers, but the issues run deeper than simply injury issues.
&ldquo;When we put this team together we had championship aspirations. Once again, injuries kind of got in the way of that," Davis added. "The world love to see, we would love to see, what this team would look like if healthy for a full 82 (games).&rdquo;
Zooming out for a moment: Where exactly would the Lakers have finished in the Western Conference standings with a fully healthy AD and LeBron? It&rsquo;s an interesting question, but one that has holes. Westbrook looked like a deer in the headlights trying to mesh his game within the Lakers&rsquo; system. And without any real three-point threats from the outside, opposing teams could simply stack the paint to prevent real interior damage.
It was a flawed roster from the beginning, seen through purple-and-gold-shaded glasses in Los Angeles thanks in large part to two superstars covering gaps all over the place.
Realistically, based off the pedigree with LeBron alone, you could place the Lakers within the same tier as the Denver Nuggets, Dallas Mavericks and Utah Jazz. All three teams could win a round or two in the postseason, but the ceiling is eventually capped. Even with a dynamic one-two punch, it&rsquo;s not enough without the right pieces to cook with on the basketball court.
&ldquo;I mean that&rsquo;s the plan, but nothing is promised,&rdquo; Russell Westbrook said when asked about playing alongside James and Davis again next season. &ldquo;You kind of got to take it one day at a time each day. And like I said all season long, you play the cards you [are] dealt. We want to be able to see what that looks like, what it entails over the course of an 82-game season. We not sure that&rsquo;s guaranteed either, so hopefully we&rsquo;re able to do something in the future.&rdquo;
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If the Lakers truly are in run-it-back mode &mdash; and use injuries as the main excuse with Vogel as the scapegoat &mdash; they&rsquo;re in deep trouble for next season and beyond.
With the greatest player in the NBA&rsquo;s modern era on their roster, Los Angeles is back at the same spot it was when LeBron first arrived. And that&rsquo;s saying something when the roster is chock-full of current and former heavy-hitters past their prime years. The excuses are running thin in Los Angeles, and now it&rsquo;s time to see what all the issues under the hood truly are.
With the Lakers&rsquo; playoff plans officially dashed, Carmelo Anthony put what I believe to be a succinctly perfect bow on their disappointing campaign.
&ldquo;I would say this was a season we just didn&rsquo;t get it done,&rdquo; Anthony said. &ldquo;We had the tools. Some things we could control, some things we couldn&rsquo;t. It&rsquo;s nothing else more than we didn&rsquo;t get it done. You can&rsquo;t make no excuses about it. We didn&rsquo;t get it done.&rdquo;
No excuses, so what&rsquo;s next in Hollywood? The possibilities truly are endless &mdash; whether you view it from a positive or negative perspective.
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With the Lakers' postseason hopes officially finished, what's next? It's time to look in the mirror.

Are the Lakers truly ready to look in the mirror this offseason?

Deep down, everyone knew.
All of you knew once you finalized your picks: The half-ass research, the questions to your even less knowledgeable friends, the &ldquo;expert&rdquo; analysis &ndash; none of it was going to matter. Your bracket was going to be busted by the end of the night. You didn&rsquo;t know how, you didn&rsquo;t know by whom, but you had an idea that even on day one of the men&rsquo;s NCAA Tournament, your bracket would get cooked.
You probably just didn&rsquo;t know it would be by Saint ******* Peter&rsquo;s University &ndash; against Kentucky, at that &ndash; who won 85-79 in overtime, destroying the evening of bracket-builders, parlay-players and spread-bettors alike.
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PEACOCKS. WIN. <a href="https://t.co/Jf10r5zyb4">pic.twitter.com/Jf10r5zyb4</a>
&mdash; Saint Peter&rsquo;s Athletics (@SPUAthletics) <a href="https://twitter.com/SPUAthletics/status/1504634900875550723?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2022</a></blockquote>
If you don&rsquo;t know, Saint Peter&rsquo;s is a private Jesuit school in the middle of Jersey City, New Jersey. And if you&rsquo;ve ever been to the campus, you'd be even more surprised by this upset. Depending on who you ask, Saint Peter&rsquo;s could have either <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanFieldABC/status/1504645256586973185" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2,300</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/GaryGrumbach/status/1504634530338160642" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2,600</a>, or <a href="https://twitter.com/BryanAGraham/status/1504634903484375043" target="_blank" rel="noopener">3,500</a> students; either way, we know the University of Kentucky likely has 10x that, if not more.
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How's that bracket looking??<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StrutUp?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#StrutUp</a>🦚 <a href="https://t.co/c5JXAN2kzb">pic.twitter.com/c5JXAN2kzb</a>
&mdash; Saint Peter's Men's Basketball (@PeacocksMBB) <a href="https://twitter.com/PeacocksMBB/status/1504664039338782721?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2022</a></blockquote>
The gap actually has nothing on the wage disparity between each team&rsquo;s head coaches. John Calipari reportedly banks in $8.5 million annually from Kentucky, which doesn&rsquo;t included bonuses of any kind. Shaheen Holloway was hired as Saint Peter's head coach in 2018, and he reportedly made less than $270,000 (including bonuses) in 2019. That means Coach Cal is paid 30x more than Coach Holloway before his first bonus check.
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St. Peter's men's basketball coach Shaheen Holloway made $266,344 in 2019, including bonuses paid and value of benefits, per school's most recent federal tax dox. John Calipari's basic pay from UK for this season -- not including bonuses, benefits and perks -- is $8.5 million.
&mdash; Steve Berkowitz (@ByBerkowitz) <a href="https://twitter.com/ByBerkowitz/status/1504647038163726362?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2022</a></blockquote>
More on the financial side, <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/saint-peter-kentucky-win-marks-111130742.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a Yahoo Sports report says</a>, &ldquo;In the 2019-20 school year, the most recent season unaffected by COVID-19, Kentucky outspent Saint Peter&rsquo;s $18.3 million to $1.6 million in men&rsquo;s basketball, per the U.S Department of Education. In terms of both expenditures ratio and raw difference between budgets, that is the biggest disparity since 2007, as far back as data is publicly available... Kentucky outspends Saint Peter&rsquo;s in basketball by a multiple of 11.7, just edging out the 11.5 ratio from CJ McCollum and Lehigh&rsquo;s win over Duke exactly 10 years ago.&rdquo;
Furthermore, Kentucky reportedly spent over $138 million for its sports teams in 2020. Saint Peter&rsquo;s? Only $7.2 million.
We&rsquo;ve watched the University of Kentucky become a factory for producing countless pros. And it's not just the high-level NBA stars we see thriving in the league today like Anthony Davis, Devin Booker, Bam Adebayo and Karl-Anthony Towns. On opening night of the 2021-22 NBA season, <a href="https://ukathletics.com/news/2021/10/19/mens-basketball-uk-mbb-leads-nation-with-27-players-on-nba-opening-day-rosters.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kentucky had 27 alums on rosters around the league</a>. In their history, they&rsquo;ve had <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/friv/colleges.cgi?college=kentucky" target="_blank" rel="noopener">125 players appear in the NBA</a> &ndash; a number that's sure to increase following the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2022 NBA Draft</a>. The Wildcats have potential 2022 lottery picks in TyTy Washington and Shaedon Sharpe, and a possible late-first-rounder in Oscar Tshiebwe, among other expected NBA prospects.
Kentucky has the most wins, highest winning percentage, second-most national titles, most national-title-game appearances (tied with UCLA), most NCAA Tournament appearances, most <a href="https://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-men/article/2021-07-30/these-college-basketball-teams-and-conferences-have-most-nba-first-round-draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">first-round draft picks</a> and most NCAA tournament wins.&nbsp;
By the way, how many NBA players came from Saint Peter&rsquo;s program? <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/friv/colleges.fcgi?college=stpeters" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Four. Just four</a>.
Bill Smith played nine NBA games in 1962. Harry Laurie played nine games in 1971. Elnardo Webster played 24 games in 1972. And Rich Rinaldi played 84 games between 1972 and 1974. That&rsquo;s it. Even Keydren Clark &ndash; who was the <a href="https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/keydren-clark-1.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NCAA's scoring leader in 2004 and 2005</a> while at Saint Peter&rsquo;s &ndash; didn&rsquo;t sniff the league after graduating in 2006.
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Four is also the number of NCAA Tournaments that MAAC Champion Saint Peter&rsquo;s has made in their history, with zero victories until last night. Their 85-79 win over Kentucky nuked all your hopes of a perfect bracket, and simultaneously reminded us why March is one of the best sports months on the calendar.
This only marked the ninth time in tournament history that a No. 15 seed knocked off a No. 2, and all of them have happened since 1991, including Oral Roberts taking down Ohio State &ndash; also in overtime &ndash; just last year. This one, because of the distinctions between the two institutions both in size, recruiting advantages, budgets and basketball history, could be the biggest upset we&rsquo;ve ever seen.
People love blue-blood programs, and in the case of Kentucky, love to hate them. But this is why people gather around TV screens this time of year, to see improbable stories like these unfold.
Others say they want the best facing the best with no upsets, and that&rsquo;s cool, but where&rsquo;s the enjoyment in that? If you only watch basketball for &ldquo;starzzzzz&rdquo; and &ldquo;hooperzzzzz,&rdquo; this probably doesn&rsquo;t excite you, but if this level of improbability can&rsquo;t resonate with you, why? That&rsquo;s strange. The fact is, in life, more people can and should be able to identify with the Saint Peter&rsquo;s element of this. Chances are, if you&rsquo;re reading this, you&rsquo;re closer to them than Kentucky, and that&rsquo;s OK. So don&rsquo;t be disappointed that Kentucky blew it. Embrace the uncanny underdog Peacocks from Jersey City, led by their badass head coach from New York City, who reminded you after the game, that it&rsquo;s just ball after all.
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Q: &ldquo;Did you ever get nervous.&rdquo; Shaheen Holloway after No. 15 Saint Peter&rsquo;s upset No. 2 Kentucky in OT &ldquo;For what? It&rsquo;s basketball.&rdquo; <a href="https://t.co/t0odjVyGWb">pic.twitter.com/t0odjVyGWb</a>
&mdash; George Balekji (@GeorgeBalekji) <a href="https://twitter.com/GeorgeBalekji/status/1504637225685987342?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2022</a></blockquote>

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No. 15 Saint Peter's managed to beat No. 2 Kentucky in overtime. Bryan Fonseca explains why it may be the biggest upset ever.

Putting Saint Peter’s shocker over Kentucky in historical context

From a mid-season blockbuster swap involving two disgruntled stars, to rumors that a former No. 1 overall pick wants a change of scenery in only his third season, the topic of player empowerment is front and center in the NBA. &nbsp;
Superstars wanting off their team isn't a new concept. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar forced a trade from the Milwaukee Bucks to the Los Angeles Lakers in 1975. In recent years, superstars demanding to be dealt is so common that the term &ldquo;player empowerment&rdquo; established itself in our NBA lexicon.&nbsp;
But this season feels different, in that it is rife with unique trade demands. Like Ben Simmons' refusal to play a single minute for the Philadelphia 76ers while requesting a trade, with a whopping four years left on his contract. Or James Harden asking off of his second team in as many years. Even the Zion Williamson situation &mdash; rumored to be disgruntled in New Orleans after playing a total of 85 games &mdash; is unprecedented. With every new trade demand, it feels like stars are pushing the limits and boundaries of player empowerment.
Either the NBA's Mercury is in retrograde or we&rsquo;re witnessing the dawn of a new era.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Player empowerment&rdquo; was popularized in 2010 after LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh conspired to play with each other in Miami. Suddenly, players realized they could control their own destiny and team up to form super-teams.
Since then, player empowerment has largely come to mean trade demands from superstars. &nbsp;&nbsp;
Many executives have decried it as ruining the league's parity and even the sanctity of the game. &nbsp;
"Player empowerment is a catchall for the fact that the league has done a terrible job of empowering teams, the players have all of the leverage in every situation. I think it's the worst thing that ever happened to professional sports on all levels," an anonymous NBA general manager <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/06/07/lebron-james-agent-is-transforming-the-business-of-basketball" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told Isaac Chotiner of The New Yorker</a>.&nbsp;
Many fans view it as a win for laborers.&nbsp;
The NBA is, after all, the most progressive sports league. However, without even touching the racial undertones that weave throughout the narrative about the league, it is easy to see why the masses support the players. Fans have watched players lose the battle over the means of production &mdash; from owning 57% of league revenue in 2005 down to only 50% today &mdash; so witnessing players gain autonomy over their playing career by stripping control from owners is celebrated as a nice consolation prize.&nbsp;
As we become inundated with debate over the merits of player empowerment, we&rsquo;ve seemed to skip over what the term actually means and how it actualizes itself in the league.&nbsp;
There is no denying that some players have power and some of those players have controlled the make-up of the league for over a decade. The issue is that player empowerment is a term that poses as the league's players uniting, but instead, it is merely a select few exercising their power over everyone else.&nbsp;
Let&rsquo;s break this down.&nbsp;
Were the Los Angeles Lakers' young core of Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram and Josh Hart empowered when Anthony Davis forced his way to Los Angeles? Not likely.&nbsp;
It&rsquo;s also impossible to imagine all six of Jarrett Allen (Brooklyn to Cleveland), Taurean Prince (Brooklyn to Cleveland), Caris LeVert (Brooklyn to Indiana), Rodions Kurucs (Brooklyn to Houston), Dante Exum (Cleveland to Houston) and Victor Oladipo (Indiana to Houston) felt empowered after being forced to uproot themselves midseason during a pandemic because Harden wanted to join the Nets.&nbsp;
Framing the whims of a small few that can disrupt the lives of many as player empowerment feels disingenuous. A better term would be &ldquo;superstar entitlement.&rdquo;&nbsp;
With the knowledge that player empowerment really means superstar entitlement, it&rsquo;s easy to understand how empowerment stories are often framed as prima donnas throwing tantrums until they get their way.
But maybe it should be framed as superstars earning power through loss of salary.&nbsp;
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With the advent of max salaries, stars are never fairly compensated. The bigger and brighter the star shines, the more they lose out &mdash; with their play forever eclipsing the money they make. Ergo, player empowerment is less about empowering all or even most players and more about compensating superstars in a salary-cap league.&nbsp;
Heliocentric is another popular term in our NBA vernacular; we&rsquo;ve heard the term &ldquo;heliocentric offense,&rdquo; and we&rsquo;ve heard stars described as heliocentric. But it&rsquo;s also a term that can refer to the league itself.&nbsp;
To briefly go back to the 1500s and Copernicus &mdash; heliocentrism is a cosmological theory that the Earth and planets revolve around the sun. And in the NBA, everything revolves around certain stars. The bigger and brighter the star, the stronger their gravitational pull &mdash; the LeBronicus Theory, if you will.&nbsp;
Superstars wield more power than ever. They influence nearly every aspect of an organization &mdash; from coaching hirings and firings, to player personnel and roster construction.
The Harden-for-Simmons swap is an interesting case to dissect, because it centers around two stars whom everything doesn&rsquo;t revolve around.&nbsp;
On one side, there&rsquo;s Harden, whose status as a heliocentric star diminished as soon as he left Houston for Brooklyn. And on the other side is Simmons, a player who could never cement himself into anything more than a secondary star in Philadelphia.
Though both players had leverage, Harden had more because of the status of his contract. Neither were in a place to force their teams to bend to their will &mdash; at least not in the same way Harden was able to back when he told Houston they had a problem.&nbsp;
In Brooklyn, Harden <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/33259122/james-harden-wants-trade-philadelphia-76ers-formally-request-deal-due-concern-public-backlash-sources-say" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly never voiced his desire to leave</a>, and 76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey threatened to hold out on trading Simmons for the duration of his contract.
&nbsp;"You're going to think I'm kidding, I'm not. This could [go on for] four years... We're in the prime of Joel's career... Either Ben Simmons is playing for us, or we have to get back a difference-maker," Morey said.
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Morey on his timeline: "You're going to think I'm kidding, I'm not. This could (go on for) 4 years. ... We're in the prime of Joel's career...Either Ben Simmons is playing for us, or we have to get back a difference maker."
&mdash; Derek Bodner (@DerekBodnerNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/DerekBodnerNBA/status/1451288448875343872?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 21, 2021</a></blockquote>

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It wasn't Simmons' refusal to play games or Harden&rsquo;s pouting that forced their teams&rsquo; hands.&nbsp; It was that Embiid&rsquo;s play pressured Morey to make a deal, and Kevin Durant <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2953512-inside-kevin-durants-role-in-brooklyn-nets-james-harden-trade" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly wanted one too</a>.&nbsp;
Ultimately, the deal came down to what was best for the biggest stars. While James and Ben were the players who used their leverage to request out, Durant and Embiid &mdash; being the heliocentric star of their respective teams &mdash; made the final call.&nbsp;
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/usatsi_17432379_lg.jpg" alt="" width="695" height="464" />
What Harden lost in star power in moving to Brooklyn, KD gained by doing the same. Though Durant&rsquo;s play has always been stellar, it&rsquo;s clear he has more power within the Nets' organization than he did with the Warriors. It was Durant, after all, who <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2953512-inside-kevin-durants-role-in-brooklyn-nets-james-harden-trade" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly requested Kyrie Irving be allowed to play road games</a> despite <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nets-say-kyrie-irving-cant-play-or-practice-with-team-while-unvaccinated" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the stance Sean Marks and the Nets took</a> earlier in the season.&nbsp;
Who has power and how much they have is determined by a number of variables, like their standing in the league, their standing on their team, their health, the length of their contract and market size, etc. And this list of powerful players is still arguably fewer than 10 names long in any given season (with some variance).
The variables at play that make Durant&rsquo;s star shine brighter with the Nets than with the Warriors are as simple as the fact that there's another superstar in Golden State &mdash; and he was there first and couldn&rsquo;t be eclipsed.
Of course there are titans like LeBron James, who can completely shift the paradigm of the league with a flippant comment &mdash; like over All-Star Weekend when he hinted at a possible return to Cleveland.&nbsp;
&ldquo;The door&rsquo;s not closed on that&hellip; &nbsp;I&rsquo;m not saying I&rsquo;m coming back and playing, I don&rsquo;t know. I don&rsquo;t know what my future holds. I don&rsquo;t even know when I&rsquo;m free.&rdquo; James <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/lebron-james-on-cleveland-return-the-doors-not-closed-on-that" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told The Athletic</a>.
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LeBron is back in Cleveland this weekend. His picture is on the building again. At first he said he hasn&rsquo;t thought about returning to play for the Cavs, but then we kept talking. &ldquo;The door&rsquo;s not closed on that,&rdquo; he said. LeBron had a lot to say today. <a href="https://t.co/cdg8RIoxZb">https://t.co/cdg8RIoxZb</a>
&mdash; Jason Lloyd (@ByJasonLloyd) <a href="https://twitter.com/ByJasonLloyd/status/1495148179410591745?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 19, 2022</a></blockquote>

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LeBron&rsquo;s comments dominated the news cycle over the league&rsquo;s busiest weekend, and that's in large part because he will be a free agent in 2023. James signs short-term deals to maximize his leverage even though it means leaving long-term NBA money on the table.
Player empowerment isn&rsquo;t limited to team decisions &mdash; the NBPA also caters to the stars. With recent negotiations featuring superstars at the helm, contract negotiations often prioritize their needs.&nbsp;
Take for example the 2017 CBA. Superstar and NBPA president Chris Paul managed to help push forward the NBA supermax deal, given to players who have either won an MVP award, a Defensive Player of the Year award or earned an All-NBA selection in the previous season &mdash; or two of the previous three. The NBA supermax allows these stars to earn massive five-year deals with a starting salary of up to 35% of the cap.
Paul also helped change the "over-36" rule that prevented players from signing multi-year deals if they are to turn 36 or older over the course of the contract to "over-38." Not lost on anyone, Paul was set to be a free agent the summer of 2017, and pushing the rule back two years would have positively affected how much and how long he could have signed for.&nbsp;
In any collective bargaining, there&rsquo;s a give and a take &mdash; so both parties can walk away feeling like winners. So as collective bargaining agreements continue to reward those at the top, that leaves little for the rest.&nbsp;
Now, let's take a look at punishments. More often than not, disciplinary action comes in the form of fines. Technical fouls, for example, come with a fine of $2,000 for a player&rsquo;s first five offenses.&nbsp;
On Jan. 25 this season, the Sixers faced the New Orleans Pelicans. Embiid and rookie Jose Alvarado got into it and were each assessed technical fouls. That means Alvarado, who earns $462,629 this season, and Embiid, who's making $31.58 million, are meant to pay the same amount. Though Embiid generously offered to cover the fine for Alvarado, the benevolence of stars shouldn&rsquo;t make up for this obvious imbalance.&nbsp;
Fines are meant to disincentivize players from committing offenses, but when by setting these as a specific dollar amount as opposed to a percentage of their salary, they disproportionately&nbsp;hurt the lowest earners. And consequently, they allow the elite to do as they please.&nbsp;
Calling out NBA officials comes with a hefty $25,000 fine &mdash; this would be astronomical to rookies like Alvarado, but not to a superstar like Embiid who has been fined for doing just that. In Feb. 2019, Embiid told reporters the "referees f**king sucked" after a missed call in a close loss to the Boston Celtics. Though the fine undoubtedly hurt his pocketbook, it was a calculated risk he and other high earners like him have the freedom of taking.&nbsp;
From afar, superstar entitlement looks like stars picking their teams; a closer look unveils real inequities like financial penalties and disproportionate representation at the top of the players' union. A more granular look reveals that every scenario and every superstar is unique.&nbsp;
There is, however, one constant amidst the chaos in understanding power dynamics in the league, and that&rsquo;s team control. The NBA draft, rookie contracts, restricted free agency and good old-fashioned trades are just some of the ways in which teams have maintained ultimate control. The difference is when teams wield their power, it&rsquo;s not much of a news story.
We clutch our pearls at Kawhi Leonard demanding a trade but not at the Raptors for sending out DeMar DeRozan. We expect teams to make moves to better their situation, yet players who have become brands in their own right aren&rsquo;t given the freedom to do the same.&nbsp;
Any team would be over the moon to have a superstar play for them &mdash; we recognize this and they recognize this. So, they aren&rsquo;t going to sit back and wish upon a star for a trade. They ask, and if they're good enough, teams will acquiesce. It is a star-driven league, after all. So, we can&rsquo;t be surprised at who's steering the ship. And I&rsquo;d argue it&rsquo;s high time for the rest of the league to just grab on to their seats and hold on, because the era of player empowerment has only started taking off.&nbsp;
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Imman Adan details what "player empowerment" in the NBA truly entails and how it's been framed incorrectly.

The truth about 'player empowerment' in the NBA

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/heres-how-special-joe-johnsons-return-really-is/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
After ending a three-year absence from NBA basketball, "Iso" Joe Johnson is back with the Boston Celtics. He played less than one minute in his return to the NBA, but was able to knock down a late-game jumper for the team that drafted him in 2001.
Now, only he and the prestigious Dirk Nowitzki have scored buckets for the same team as a 20-year old and a 40-year old.&nbsp;
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Players to score as a 20-year-old and a 40-year-old for the same NBA team: - Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas - Joe Johnson, Boston
&mdash; Tim Reynolds (@ByTimReynolds) <a href="https://twitter.com/ByTimReynolds/status/1473851864584183809?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 23, 2021</a></blockquote>

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For those who don&rsquo;t remember Johnson in a Celtics uniform during their famous Eastern Conference Finals juggernaut run in 2002, there&rsquo;s a key reason. The Phoenix Suns sent Tony Delk and Rodney Ray Rogers (who was once famous for scoring &zwnj;nine&zwnj; &zwnj;points&zwnj; &zwnj;in&zwnj; &zwnj;eight&zwnj; &zwnj;seconds&zwnj; &zwnj;against&zwnj; &zwnj;the&zwnj; &zwnj;Utah&zwnj; &zwnj;Jazz) away to Boston for Johnson in &zwnj;a&zwnj; &zwnj;late&zwnj;-February&zwnj; &zwnj;trade.
Is there a reason the Celtics had no idea that Iso Joe would go on to be one of the most gifted scorers of the 2000s, toppling over 20,000 points for his career and counting? The Celtics coach at the time, Rick Pitino, couldn&rsquo;t recognize young talent even if it started for him. Guess who the Celtics drafted No. 3 overall and let walk before the season even started?&nbsp;
Chauncey Billups! Thanks Pitino...
In the present day, there is a chance Johnson might mentor Jayson Tatum and teach him how to become an even greater iso player than he already is. Of course, this is only inhibiting the part of Tatum&rsquo;s game that doesn&rsquo;t involve teammates and leads to the occasional Marcus Smart callout. But hey, it&rsquo;s not like Johnson can do any harm to the Celtics&rsquo; chemistry and stylistic problems.
Would you have guessed that Johnson was a seven-time All-Star and an All-NBA player in 2010? That&rsquo;s as many All-Star appearances as Scottie Pippen, Kevin McHale and Willis Reed &ndash; all while competing with Allen Iverson, LeBron James, Tracy McGrady, Paul Pierce, Dwyane Wade, Gilbert Arenas, Vince Carter and Carmelo Anthony during his peak in the East from 2007-14.&nbsp;
Even if he doesn&rsquo;t stay past his 10-day contract, he is now on a Mount Rushmore with only Dirk Nowitzki&rsquo;s face beside him. Those accomplishments last forever.
With Lance Stephenson on the Hawks, Isaiah Thomas on the Lakers and now Johnson on the Celtics, it's only fitting to ask when Jamal Crawford is making his return. (He might be too busy with Quentin Richardson doing their &lsquo;NBA Hooper Vision&rsquo; stream for league pass games, though.)
Here's another name that comes to mind...
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😂😂😂😂😂 I can&rsquo;t <a href="https://t.co/aRHFJrw44b">https://t.co/aRHFJrw44b</a>
&mdash; DWade (@DwyaneWade) <a href="https://twitter.com/DwyaneWade/status/1473890924694413316?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 23, 2021</a></blockquote>

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It looks like Wade&rsquo;s already made it clear that you can cross him off of your Christmas wish list.&nbsp;
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

When Joe Johnson made an isolation jumper late in the fourth quarter for the Celtics, he joined another legend in NBA history.

Joe Johnson's NBA comeback was historically special

What if I told you the Houston Rockets now have the longest active winning streak in the NBA, and that the New Orleans Pelicans have won more over their last 10 games than many playoff contenders?
We've hit the holiday season with a bizarre stretch of basketball, where it truly seems like any non-Oklahoma City Thunder team can win on any given night. But with every surprise winner somes a disappointed loser, and as the .500-ish squads stack up, many fans are growing increasingly frustrated.
These are prime conditions for a much-needed Sour Rankings shakeup. Over half of this week's field is comprised of previously-unranked teams.
If you're new to the Sour Rankings, here's a refresher: Unlike the typical "power rankings" that repeat themselves throughout sports media, Sour Rankings are a bizarro-world counter. These rankings highlight the top-10 most frustrating NBA franchises throughout the season, and they will be updated every week to match the twists and turns of the league.&nbsp;
This is not merely a bottom-10 of your typical best-to-worst power rankings. You will see championship contenders and playoff hopefuls mixed in with struggling squads. Teams well under .500 may never touch the Sour Rankings because they are on track with their respective processes. Injuries, drama, transactions and generally underwhelming play will earn you a spot on this list.
The central question is ultimately this: How good should you feel about the direction of each franchise? Let's get going:
Escaping the Sour Rankings:&nbsp;Cleveland is officially back with Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen has been playing at an All-Star level lately. Even the losses have been of good quality. The Philadelphia 76ers went 2-1 this past week and beat the Atlanta Hawks on national TV behind Joel Embiid's return to his normal self. Pascal Siakam's 31-point game in Toronto's win on Sunday inspired enough confidence in his return to push the Raptors out of these rankings.
Houston also makes the most impressive escape of the season to date. Its six-game winning streak propels the team out of our No. 2 spot. Meanwhile, New Orleans is a respectable 5-5 in the last 10 games and breaks out after holding the No. 1 ranking for most of the early weeks. Good on the Pels.
10. Miami Heat (14-10)
Bam Adebayo is down for an extended period due to thumb surgery, and the Heat have won just one game in his absence against the rudderless Indiana Pacers. They were hit by two crushing losses to the Cavaliers and Milwaukee Bucks who, not coincidentally, have some dominant interior presences. In the defeat to Milwaukee, Miami rolled with a Dewayne Dedmon/PJ Tucker/Max Strus/Omer Yurtseven frontcourt rotation. They're fine players, but none bring the combination of defensive acumen and offensive playmaking of Adebayo.
(Last week: Unranked)
9. Detroit Pistons (4-18)
The Pistons are tied for the longest winless streak and worst record in the NBA &mdash; not exactly coveted crowns. Things have still been touch-and-go for most of the young prospects, but Cade Cunningham does appear to be growing into his role as the offensive hub of the franchise. Cunningham dropped 26 points, 7 rebounds and 3 blocks against the Trail Blazers, and then 19 points and 5 assists vs. Phoenix.&nbsp;
(Last week: 8)
8. Sacramento Kings (10-14)
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Marvin Bagley III (<a href="https://twitter.com/MB3FIVE?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MB3FIVE</a>) in the Kings last 3 wins 20 MINS vs Clippers 12 PTS, 11 REB, 67% FG 35 MINS vs Lakers 13 PTS, 7 REB, 4 AST, 100% FG 19 MINS vs Blazers 10 PTS, 8 REB, 2 3PTS, 67% FG<a href="https://t.co/RbwXyg4woi">pic.twitter.com/RbwXyg4woi</a>
&mdash; Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) <a href="https://twitter.com/Ballislife/status/1467520387697287168?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 5, 2021</a></blockquote>

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A solid week for Sacramento, who rebounded from a loss to the Los Angeles Lakers by sweeping the L.A. Clippers in a two-game series. Terence Davis logged two outings of 20-plus points to help grab that win, and Marvin Bagley III chipped in a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds in the second victory over LAC. The Kings are in the midst of a pretty odd stretch, having played just one game in five days. Hopefully that's given interim head coach Alvin Gentry some time to stabilize things.
(Last week: 6)
7. Oklahoma City Thunder (6-16)
Look, I'm still a massive believer in the overall franchise direction of the OKC Thunder franchise. And a young team is going to take its lumps as part of the rebuilding process. But a 73-point loss is a 73-point loss, and an eight-game losing streak is an eight-game losing streak. OKC has to find some way to play meaningful, competitive hoops for the sake of learning and development. Nine of the team's 16 defeats have been by double digits.
(Last week: Unranked)
6. Dallas Mavericks (11-11)
The Mavericks are 2-7 in their last nine games, with those wins coming against the Clippers and Pelicans. They missed Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis on Saturday and lost to a Ja Morant-less Memphis Grizzlies squad in a contest that was not as close as the final score indicates. In this nine-game stretch, the once-high-octane Mavs offense has cleared 110 points just three times.
Dallas fans had to watch with longing as Texas native Desmond Bane, who the team passed on in favor of Josh Green in the 2020 NBA Draft, lit up the court. Green has played 54 minutes this season.
(Last week: Unranked)
5. Portland Trail Blazers (11-13)
So Neil Olshey is finally out as general manager, and based on the reports of his workplace culture (and the team's perpetual mediocrity), that seems like a long overdue move. But the act of firing a general manager midseason should never make you feel good about the team &mdash; it's just an obvious sign that things are not going well. <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/report-damian-lillard-wants-to-play-with-ben-simmons" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Damian Lillard wants to play with Ben Simmons</a>, but would this theoretical pairing be enough to drastically alter Portland's ceiling?&nbsp;
Meanwhile, Lillard is out with an abdominal injury, and the Blazers are 1-5 in their last six games.
(Last week: Unranked)
4. Denver Nuggets (11-11)
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Joker leads the way 🃏 Nikola Jokic goes for 32 PTS, 11 REB and 5 AST in 27 minutes as the <a href="https://twitter.com/nuggets?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nuggets</a> pick up the win in NYC! <a href="https://t.co/uLvOrnFDIn">pic.twitter.com/uLvOrnFDIn</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1467233497051926530?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 4, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Nikola Jokic returned and yanked Denver out of the No. 1 ranking with his 32-point performance in a win over the Knicks. The Nuggets did still drop one to the lowly Orlando Magic, and now Bones Hyland, Austin Rivers and Bol Bol are all in the league's health and safety protocols. We'll see how this ragtag rotation does with four games in the next six days.
(Last week: 1)
3. Los Angeles Lakers (12-12)
The Lakers have played one contest in six days &mdash; a loss to the Clippers. Frank Vogel has now labeled Dwight Howard as the only center in the rotation, which is most notable because it means he still won't label Anthony Davis a center. L.A. gives up the fifth-most turnovers in the league and allows the fourth-most opposing offensive rebounds, so teams receive plenty of chances to score. Next up is a pivotal rivalry rematch against the Boston Celtics on Tuesday.
(Last week: 3)
2. New York Knicks (11-12)
Shaking up the rotation hasn't changed the results. The Knicks are on a three-game losing streak, and got trounced by the injury-plagued Nuggets this weekend. Julius Randle sporadically flips from All-NBA superstar to two-way negative, and RJ Barrett still cannot buy a consistent jump shot. New York got shredded by Denver's bench, consisting of Facundo Campazzo, Zeke Nnaji, Vlatko Cancar, JaMychal Green and the recently-signed Davon Reed.
(Last week: 4)
1. Indiana Pacers (9-16)
Indy Cornrows' Caitlin Cooper wrote an excellent analysis of just <a href="https://www.indycornrows.com/2021/12/5/22815853/how-crunch-time-defines-the-current-state-of-the-pacers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">how bad the Pacers are when crunch time comes</a>. Our own <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/pacers-must-accept-new-reality-and-become-sellers-at-trade-deadline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Evan Sidery slammed the franchise</a> for languishing in mediocrity well past due. Indiana is 9-16 and on the thin edge of the playoff race. Altogether, that alone should explain why the Pacers have plummeted to the No. 1 spot in these rankings.
(Last week: Unranked)

Five new teams appear in the Sour Rankings after some major shakeup.

NBA Sour Rankings: With losers winning, the rankings turn upside down

The NBA released the remaining 25 players of the league's 75th anniversary team Thursday night on TNT.
Here is the official release from the NBA, which lists all 75 players that made the team and the people that voted on the NBA's top 75 players of all-time team:
"A total of 158 NBA championships and 730 NBA All-Star selections. &nbsp;A combined 110 Kia NBA Most Valuable Player Awards and Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP Awards. &nbsp;More than 1.5 million points scored.
Those are just some of the collective accomplishments of the players who comprise the NBA 75th Anniversary Team, which was announced across TNT and ESPN from Oct. 19-21 as the league tipped off its landmark 75th Anniversary Season.
The NBA 75th Anniversary Team was selected by a blue-ribbon panel of current and former NBA players, coaches, general managers and team and league executives, WNBA legends and sportswriters and broadcasters. &nbsp;Voters were asked to select the 75 Greatest Players in NBA History without regard to position. &nbsp;Panelists did not rank their selections. &nbsp;Current and former players were not allowed to vote for themselves.
As a result of a tie in the voting, the 75th Anniversary Team features 76 players. &nbsp;Team highlights include:
&bull; Eleven active players have been named to the 75th Anniversary Team: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Carmelo Anthony, Stephen Curry, Anthony Davis, Kevin Durant, James Harden, LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard, Damian Lillard, Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook.
&bull; All 50 members of the NBA 50th Anniversary Team, which was named in 1996, have been selected to the 75th Anniversary Team.
&bull; The 75th Anniversary Team includes four players who played in the first NBA All-Star Game in 1951 (Paul Arizin, Bob Cousy, George Mikan and Dolph Schayes), the first winner of the Kia NBA Most Valuable Player Award (Bob Pettit for the 1955-56 season) and the first winner of the Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP Award (Jerry West for the 1969 NBA Finals).
&bull; Bill Russell joins Cousy, Mikan and Pettit as the only four players who have been named to all four NBA Anniversary Teams: the 25th Anniversary Team (10 players named), 35th Anniversary Team (11 players named), 50th Anniversary Team and 75th Anniversary Team. (The 25th Anniversary Team was the only one of the four teams that did not allow for the inclusion of active players at the time.)
&bull; Six international players from six countries and territories have been selected to the 75th Anniversary Team: Antetokounmpo (Greece), Tim Duncan (U.S. Virgin Islands), Patrick Ewing (Jamaica), Steve Nash (Canada), Dirk Nowitzki (Germany) and Hakeem Olajuwon (Nigeria).
&bull; The five NBA legends who are serving as ambassadors for the 75th Anniversary Season are part of the 75th Anniversary Team: Clyde Drexler, Magic Johnson, Nowitzki, Pettit and Oscar Robertson. Representing different eras of the league&rsquo;s history, the ambassadors will make appearances throughout the 2021-22 season and have a significant presence at NBA All-Star 2022 in Cleveland.
The NBA 75th Anniversary Team is listed below in alphabetical order, followed by the list of voters. &nbsp;The balloting was tabulated by the independent accounting firm Ernst &amp; Young LLP. &nbsp;For player profiles on each member of the 75th Anniversary Team, click here and visit NBA.com/75."
<table style="width: 95.7926%; height: 464px;">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 27px;">
<td style="text-align: center; width: 149.879%; height: 27px;" colspan="4" width="691">NBA 75TH ANNIVERSARY TEAM</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 23px;">
<td style="width: 27.0755%; height: 23px;" width="173">Kareem Abdul-Jabbar</td>
<td style="width: 27.5653%; height: 23px;" width="173">Clyde Drexler</td>
<td style="width: 19.6609%; height: 23px;" width="173">Damian Lillard</td>
<td style="width: 75.5776%; height: 23px;" width="173">Scottie Pippen</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 23px;">
<td style="width: 27.0755%; height: 23px;" width="173">Ray Allen</td>
<td style="width: 27.5653%; height: 23px;" width="173">Tim Duncan</td>
<td style="width: 19.6609%; height: 23px;" width="173">Jerry Lucas</td>
<td style="width: 75.5776%; height: 23px;" width="173">Willis Reed</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 23px;">
<td style="width: 27.0755%; height: 23px;" width="173">Giannis Antetokounmpo</td>
<td style="width: 27.5653%; height: 23px;" width="173">Kevin Durant</td>
<td style="width: 19.6609%; height: 23px;" width="173">Karl Malone</td>
<td style="width: 75.5776%; height: 23px;" width="173">Oscar Robertson</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 23px;">
<td style="width: 27.0755%; height: 23px;" width="173">Carmelo Anthony</td>
<td style="width: 27.5653%; height: 23px;" width="173">Julius Erving</td>
<td style="width: 19.6609%; height: 23px;" width="173">Moses Malone</td>
<td style="width: 75.5776%; height: 23px;" width="173">David Robinson</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 23px;">
<td style="width: 27.0755%; height: 23px;" width="173">Nate Archibald</td>
<td style="width: 27.5653%; height: 23px;" width="173">Patrick Ewing</td>
<td style="width: 19.6609%; height: 23px;" width="173">Pete Maravich</td>
<td style="width: 75.5776%; height: 23px;" width="173">Dennis Rodman</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 23px;">
<td style="width: 27.0755%; height: 23px;" width="173">Paul Arizin</td>
<td style="width: 27.5653%; height: 23px;" width="173">Walt Frazier</td>
<td style="width: 19.6609%; height: 23px;" width="173">Bob McAdoo</td>
<td style="width: 75.5776%; height: 23px;" width="173">Bill Russell</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 23px;">
<td style="width: 27.0755%; height: 23px;" width="173">Charles Barkley</td>
<td style="width: 27.5653%; height: 23px;" width="173">Kevin Garnett</td>
<td style="width: 19.6609%; height: 23px;" width="173">Kevin McHale</td>
<td style="width: 75.5776%; height: 23px;" width="173">Dolph Schayes</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 23px;">
<td style="width: 27.0755%; height: 23px;" width="173">Rick Barry</td>
<td style="width: 27.5653%; height: 23px;" width="173">George Gervin</td>
<td style="width: 19.6609%; height: 23px;" width="173">George Mikan</td>
<td style="width: 75.5776%; height: 23px;" width="173">Bill Sharman</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 23px;">
<td style="width: 27.0755%; height: 23px;" width="173">Elgin Baylor</td>
<td style="width: 27.5653%; height: 23px;" width="173">Hal Greer</td>
<td style="width: 19.6609%; height: 23px;" width="173">Reggie Miller</td>
<td style="width: 75.5776%; height: 23px;" width="173">John Stockton</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 23px;">
<td style="width: 27.0755%; height: 23px;" width="173">Dave Bing</td>
<td style="width: 27.5653%; height: 23px;" width="173">James Harden</td>
<td style="width: 19.6609%; height: 23px;" width="173">Earl Monroe</td>
<td style="width: 75.5776%; height: 23px;" width="173">Isiah Thomas</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 23px;">
<td style="width: 27.0755%; height: 23px;" width="173">Larry Bird</td>
<td style="width: 27.5653%; height: 23px;" width="173">John Havlicek</td>
<td style="width: 19.6609%; height: 23px;" width="173">Steve Nash</td>
<td style="width: 75.5776%; height: 23px;" width="173">Nate Thurmond</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 23px;">
<td style="width: 27.0755%; height: 23px;" width="173">Kobe Bryant</td>
<td style="width: 27.5653%; height: 23px;" width="173">Elvin Hayes</td>
<td style="width: 19.6609%; height: 23px;" width="173">Dirk Nowitzki</td>
<td style="width: 75.5776%; height: 23px;" width="173">Wes Unseld</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 23px;">
<td style="width: 27.0755%; height: 23px;" width="173">Wilt Chamberlain</td>
<td style="width: 27.5653%; height: 23px;" width="173">Allen Iverson</td>
<td style="width: 19.6609%; height: 23px;" width="173">Hakeem Olajuwon</td>
<td style="width: 75.5776%; height: 23px;" width="173">Dwyane Wade</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 23px;">
<td style="width: 27.0755%; height: 23px;" width="173">Bob Cousy</td>
<td style="width: 27.5653%; height: 23px;" width="173">LeBron James</td>
<td style="width: 19.6609%; height: 23px;" width="173">Shaquille O&rsquo;Neal</td>
<td style="width: 75.5776%; height: 23px;" width="173">Bill Walton</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 23px;">
<td style="width: 27.0755%; height: 23px;" width="173">Dave Cowens</td>
<td style="width: 27.5653%; height: 23px;" width="173">Magic Johnson</td>
<td style="width: 19.6609%; height: 23px;" width="173">Robert Parish</td>
<td style="width: 75.5776%; height: 23px;" width="173">Jerry West</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 23px;">
<td style="width: 27.0755%; height: 23px;" width="173">Billy Cunningham</td>
<td style="width: 27.5653%; height: 23px;" width="173">Sam Jones</td>
<td style="width: 19.6609%; height: 23px;" width="173">Chris Paul</td>
<td style="width: 75.5776%; height: 23px;" width="173">Russell Westbrook</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 23px;">
<td style="width: 27.0755%; height: 23px;" width="173">Stephen Curry</td>
<td style="width: 27.5653%; height: 23px;" width="173">Michael Jordan</td>
<td style="width: 19.6609%; height: 23px;" width="173">Gary Payton</td>
<td style="width: 75.5776%; height: 23px;" width="173">Lenny Wilkens</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 23px;">
<td style="width: 27.0755%; height: 23px;" width="173">Anthony Davis</td>
<td style="width: 27.5653%; height: 23px;" width="173">Jason Kidd</td>
<td style="width: 19.6609%; height: 23px;" width="173">Bob Pettit</td>
<td style="width: 75.5776%; height: 23px;" width="173">Dominique Wilkins</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 23px;">
<td style="width: 27.0755%; height: 23px;" width="173">Dave DeBusschere</td>
<td style="width: 27.5653%; height: 23px;" width="173">Kawhi Leonard</td>
<td style="width: 19.6609%; height: 23px;" width="173">Paul Pierce</td>
<td style="width: 75.5776%; height: 23px;" width="173">James Worthy</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
&nbsp;
<table style="width: 97.1703%; height: 798px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center; width: 170.677%;" colspan="4" width="719">NBA 75TH ANNIVERSARY TEAM VOTING PANEL</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 24.5989%;" width="180">Kareem Abdul-Jabbar</td>
<td style="width: 24.8663%;" width="180">Tim Duncan</td>
<td style="width: 24.5989%;" width="180">Jack McCallum</td>
<td style="width: 96.613%;" width="180">David Robinson</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 24.5989%;" width="180">Marv Albert</td>
<td style="width: 24.8663%;" width="180">David DuPree</td>
<td style="width: 24.5989%;" width="180">Brian McIntyre</td>
<td style="width: 96.613%;" width="180">Bill Russell</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 24.5989%;" width="180">David Aldridge</td>
<td style="width: 24.8663%;" width="180">Wayne Embry</td>
<td style="width: 24.5989%;" width="180">Ann Meyers</td>
<td style="width: 96.613%;" width="180">Bob Ryan</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 24.5989%;" width="180">Sam Amick</td>
<td style="width: 24.8663%;" width="180">Julius Erving</td>
<td style="width: 24.5989%;" width="180">Yoko Miyaji</td>
<td style="width: 96.613%;" width="180">Bill Simmons</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 24.5989%;" width="180">Giannis Antetokounmpo</td>
<td style="width: 24.8663%;" width="180">Patrick Ewing</td>
<td style="width: 24.5989%;" width="180">Earl Monroe</td>
<td style="width: 96.613%;" width="180">Sam Smith</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 24.5989%;" width="180">Steve Aschburner</td>
<td style="width: 24.8663%;" width="180">Walt Frazier</td>
<td style="width: 24.5989%;" width="180">Steve Nash</td>
<td style="width: 96.613%;" width="180">Stephen A. Smith</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 24.5989%;" width="180">Charles Barkley</td>
<td style="width: 24.8663%;" width="180">George Gervin</td>
<td style="width: 24.5989%;" width="180">Rachel Nichols</td>
<td style="width: 96.613%;" width="180">Marc Spears</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 24.5989%;" width="180">Rick Barry</td>
<td style="width: 24.8663%;" width="180">Russ Granik</td>
<td style="width: 24.5989%;" width="180">Dirk Nowitzki</td>
<td style="width: 96.613%;" width="180">Erik Spoelstra</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 24.5989%;" width="180">Howard Beck</td>
<td style="width: 24.8663%;" width="180">Becky Hammon</td>
<td style="width: 24.5989%;" width="180">Shaquille O&rsquo;Neal</td>
<td style="width: 96.613%;" width="180">John Stockton</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 24.5989%;" width="180">Dave Bing</td>
<td style="width: 24.8663%;" width="180">Elvin Hayes</td>
<td style="width: 24.5989%;" width="180">Robert Parish</td>
<td style="width: 96.613%;" width="180">Hannah Storm</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 24.5989%;" width="180">Sue Bird</td>
<td style="width: 24.8663%;" width="180">Ernie Johnson</td>
<td style="width: 24.5989%;" width="180">Candace Parker</td>
<td style="width: 96.613%;" width="180">Sheryl Swoopes</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 24.5989%;" width="180">Carol Blazejowski</td>
<td style="width: 24.8663%;" width="180">Magic Johnson</td>
<td style="width: 24.5989%;" width="180">Chris Paul</td>
<td style="width: 96.613%;" width="180">Isiah Thomas</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 24.5989%;" width="180">Mike Breen</td>
<td style="width: 24.8663%;" width="180">Sam Jones</td>
<td style="width: 24.5989%;" width="180">Bob Pettit</td>
<td style="width: 96.613%;" width="180">Rod Thorn</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 24.5989%;" width="180">Doris Burke</td>
<td style="width: 24.8663%;" width="180">Michael Jordan</td>
<td style="width: 24.5989%;" width="180">Scottie Pippen</td>
<td style="width: 96.613%;" width="180">Rudy Tomjanovich</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 24.5989%;" width="180">Jerry Colangelo</td>
<td style="width: 24.8663%;" width="180">Steve Kerr</td>
<td style="width: 24.5989%;" width="180">Gregg Popovich</td>
<td style="width: 96.613%;" width="180">Peter Vecsey</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 24.5989%;" width="180">Doug Collins</td>
<td style="width: 24.8663%;" width="180">Bob Lanier</td>
<td style="width: 24.5989%;" width="180">Shaun Powell</td>
<td style="width: 96.613%;" width="180">Bill Walton</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 24.5989%;" width="180">Cynthia Cooper</td>
<td style="width: 24.8663%;" width="180">Kara Lawson</td>
<td style="width: 24.5989%;" width="180">Ahmad Rashad</td>
<td style="width: 96.613%;" width="180">Rick Welts</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 24.5989%;" width="180">Bob Costas</td>
<td style="width: 24.8663%;" width="180">Lisa Leslie</td>
<td style="width: 24.5989%;" width="180">Willis Reed</td>
<td style="width: 96.613%;" width="180">Jerry West</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 24.5989%;" width="180">Dave Cowens</td>
<td style="width: 24.8663%;" width="180">Nancy Lieberman</td>
<td style="width: 24.5989%;" width="180">Tim Reynolds</td>
<td style="width: 96.613%;" width="180">Michael Wilbon</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 24.5989%;" width="180">Billy Cunningham</td>
<td style="width: 24.8663%;" width="180">Zach Lowe</td>
<td style="width: 24.5989%;" width="180">Bill Rhoden</td>
<td style="width: 96.613%;" width="180">Lenny Wilkens</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 24.5989%;" width="180">Stephen Curry</td>
<td style="width: 24.8663%;" width="180">Jerry Lucas</td>
<td style="width: 24.5989%;" width="180">Pat Riley</td>
<td style="width: 96.613%;" width="180">James Worthy</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 24.5989%;" width="180">Clyde Drexler</td>
<td style="width: 24.8663%;" width="180">Jackie MacMullan</td>
<td style="width: 24.5989%;" width="180">Oscar Robertson</td>
<td style="width: 96.613%;" width="180">Jeff Zillgitt</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Some notable snubs include Tracy McGrady, Bernard King, Alex English, Vince Carter, Tony Parker, Chris Bosh, Dwight Howard, Bob McAdoo, and Pau Gasol to just name a few. This list was part of the NBA's marketing campaign for the league's historic 75th season and will surely spark a conversation/debate amongst NBA fans all over the world.

The NBA released the final 25 players of the 75th anniversary team Thursday on TNT.

Final 25 members of NBA's 75th Anniversary Team announced

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

2021-22 NBA Season Preview: Southeast Division

NBA players understand the importance of having an adequate basketball court better than most. It&rsquo;s obviously a fundamental part of their well-being.
But basketball courts are about more than a basket. There&rsquo;s pride in best aspects of your local court, as well as in the idiosyncrasies. But certain aspects are absolutely necessary, and Luka Doncic is one player that is intimately familiar with this fact.&nbsp;
According to an <a href="https://marcstein.substack.com/p/going-home-with-luka-doncic" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interview with Marc Stein</a>, Doncic&rsquo;s local court in the Bežigrad district of the Slovenian capital of Ljubljana &mdash; where Doncic began playing at age 7 &mdash; lacked lights, and Slovenia can &ldquo;get dark early.&rdquo;
So Doncic, now an adult, has ensured that this will no longer be a problem for hoopers at the court in Savsko naselje sports park. He was part of a recent effort to update the basketball court, which is located a short walk from the apartment in which he grew up. In partnership with 2K Sports&rsquo; philanthropy arm, 2K Foundation, Doncic refurbished the court. In addition to the sufficient lighting, it received a new paint job (Dallas Mavericks blue) and now features Doncic&rsquo;s Jordan brand logo.
Doncic was present for the court&rsquo;s unveiling, which was done on a recent Saturday afternoon featuring ribbon-cutting, 3-on-3 games, full-court scrimmages and skills challenges for kids.
&ldquo;Now the kids can play longer,&rdquo; <a href="https://marcstein.substack.com/p/going-home-with-luka-doncic" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Doncic said</a>, referring to the benefit derived from the new lights.&nbsp;
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The idea of donating time and money to the improvement of local basketball courts is incredibly noble, but Doncic is far from the first NBA player to do so. Utah Jazz star Donovan Mitchell unveiled new basketball courts this July in Dobbs Ferry, New York, where his grandmother worked; seven-time All-Star Grant Hill also oversaw the refurbishment of basketball courts in Durham, North Carolina and Detroit, Michigan in 2019; and in 2013, 10-time All-Star Carmelo Anthony spearheaded the refurbishment of basketball courts in his hometown of Red Hook, Brooklyn among others.&nbsp;
After signing a $207 million extension this summer with the Mavericks, Doncic will probably update more courts in the future than just the one in Savsko naselje sports park; and if the recent philanthropy of other NBA players like LeBron James and Kyrie Irving is an indication, Doncic will probably do more than just provide basketball courts, too.

Doncic gave back to the community he grew up in by upgrading local courts in the Bežigrad district of the Slovenian capital of Ljubljana.

Luka Doncic helps refurbish basketball court in hometown

At the moment, the Phoenix Suns are an even better team than they were last season. They improved an already strong roster that was good enough to make the NBA Finals two months ago, which should be a scary thought for other organizations around the Association.
Chris Paul re-signed on a four-year, $120 million extension. However, only the first two years are fully guaranteed. Backup point guard <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/cam-payne-ready-for-next-chapter-of-improbable-journey-lifes-crazy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cameron Payne</a> re-signed for a bargain three-year deal worth $19 million. Phoenix acquired Landry Shamet via trade, sending the No. 29 overall pick&nbsp;plus Jevon Carter to the Brooklyn Nets on draft day. Then, the Suns signed JaVale McGee to a one-year, $5 million deal to become Deandre Ayton&rsquo;s backup.
The Suns still might not be satisfied with their rotation; Thaddeus Young continues to be a name that's <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/suns-among-contenders-showing-interest-in-thaddeus-young" target="_blank" rel="noopener">connected to Phoenix in trade rumors</a>. If the Suns were to bring Young aboard, he&rsquo;s another win-now piece who would give Phoenix arguably best 10-man rotation in the NBA.
Simply put, Phoenix isn&rsquo;t going anywhere. They&rsquo;re only getting better with four primary building blocks age-25 or under in Devin Booker, Deandre Ayton, Mikal Bridges and Cameron Johnson. Phoenix showed during their magical run in the Bubble that they were on the cusp of taking a significant leap. Little did we know it would be CP3 as the catalyst, helping propel the Suns from missing the playoffs for 11 consecutive seasons to their first NBA Finals since 1993.
The elite tier in the Western Conference is still fortified, and many teams are preparing for a big-time run of their own. As many as 12 teams in the conference have realistic playoff aspirations in 2021-22, which is not only great parity for the league, but also a sign of how tough the West has truly become. Phoenix used to always be the cellar-dwellers, but the script has completely flipped.
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General manager James Jones and head coach Monty Williams have built a rock-solid culture with a family-like environment in which everyone <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/phoenix-suns-credit-tough-conversations-and-constructive-criticism-nba-finals-run-2021" target="_blank" rel="noopener">holds each other accountable</a>. So many good things have transpired since this duo took over the organization, giving Phoenix perhaps one of the best GM-head coach combos in the league. The entire young core is developing nicely. Ayton, in particular, has become one of the best two-way centers in the NBA. Bridges is closing in on an offensive leap that could vault him into the conversation as one of the most underrated two-way wings. Booker is Booker, continuously improving his flaws intro strengths every offseason.
Phoenix has become an attractive destination for win-now veterans, and their incredible run to the NBA Finals made them even more appealing. With the perfect blend of veterans and young talent, the Suns will contend for titles in the short-term. However, they are also in terrific position for the future and their window is wide open, even post-Paul and Jae Crowder.
Jones had to pick up the pieces left behind by former GM Ryan McDonough, who made head-scratching player-personnel decisions while alienating management-player relations along the way. Now, under Jones, the Suns are widely regarded as one of the best organizations in terms of management-player cooperation &ndash; another feather in his cap that flies well under the radar nationally. After winning the NBA's 2020-21 Executive of the Year award, Jones&rsquo; championship mentality is showing through in his first offseason without assistant GM Jeff Bower by his side. Making the trade for Shamet added even more floor-spacing equity for Booker and Ayton to work with, while McGee is the exact prototype of a big man that&rsquo;s been missing within the Suns&rsquo; rotation over the last two seasons.
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Jones realizes the Suns' window is open right now and they may never have a better opportunity to win their first championship in franchise history, especially since Paul will turn 37 years old in May. (Although, Paul's game is aging wonderfully &ndash; similar to what we've seen from Tom Brady &ndash; so betting against him probably isn't a smart investment.)
The infrastructure around Paul is perfectly set up for him to age gracefully and potentially remain a full-time starter into his age-40 season. Booker is still a few years away from his prime and his potential is truly limitless as a three-level scorer. If Ayton reaches his full potential, he could become a more well-rounded Rudy Gobert in the near future. Bridges and Johnson are terrific complementary, low-usage wings who could also thrive with more offensive sets run for them. There&rsquo;s a scenario where Paul transitions to the team's third or fourth option within the next two seasons, and I think that&rsquo;s exactly how Paul and the Suns hope it plays out.
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It remains to be seen if the Suns can swing a trade for a win-now piece like Young, who would slide right in to the role that Dario Saric vacated after tearing his ACL in Game 1 of the Finals. However, even they can't land Young, their rotation is excellent and their strengths beautifully complement one another.
Starters: Chris Paul, Devin Booker, Mikal Bridges, Jae Crowder, Deandre Ayton
Bench: Cameron Payne, Landry Shamet, Cameron Johnson, JaVale McGee
The Suns have kept one roster spot open and are one of the few teams poised to truly capitalize once the NBA&rsquo;s buyout season gets underway. Since they still have half of their mid-level exception ($4.5 million) as well as their bi-annual exception ($3.7 million), Phoenix is primed to pounce on ring-chasing veterans.
Who wouldn&rsquo;t want to play alongside Paul, Booker and a roster that has already proven it can succeed at the highest levels of playoff-intensified basketball? It truly is remarkable how the Suns have gone from laughingstock to potential juggernaut in seemingly record time. Remember, during the 2018-19 season, Phoenix won just 19 games and ranked dead last in the Western Conference. Two years later, they made it to the NBA Finals and were two wins from hoisting the Larry O'Brien trophy. A storybook turnaround like this is unprecedented: the Suns became the first team in NBA history to miss the playoffs for a decade or more and then bounce-back with a Finals run.
Phoenix has star power (Paul, Booker and potentially Ayton if he makes a big Year 4 leap), continuity, a strong bench, plus a head coach and GM who have league-wide respect. This is a well-put-together team that can go 10 players deep on any given night. There's little reason to doubt the Suns, and it's very possible that this team could return to the NBA Finals for a second-straight year. Sure, they had some injury luck during their Finals run (with Anthony Davis, Jamal Murray and Kawhi Leonard going down). However, I think they still would've won each of those matchups (albeit in much closer series) had those stars been healthy. And with an ascending core that isn't close to its collective prime, they have the staying power to remain atop the West for a very long time.
The Phoenix Suns are not a fluke. What they are is a well-run organization that pressed all the right buttons when needed. That&rsquo;s why many rebuilding teams will try to follow the Suns&rsquo; model moving forward. Potentially a 60-win team during the 2021-22 season, Phoenix is poised to keep their elite-contender status thanks to a balanced roster that improved its weaknesses throughout the offseason.

The Suns are poised to be an elite contender once again in 2021-22. They're not a fluke; they're a potential perennial powerhouse.

Suns have the depth, stability to stay formidable in the West

At the halfway mark of 2021 NBA Summer League, we're seeing prospects rapidly adapt to the next level. In some cases on Thursday, players visibly evolved over the course of a single game.
Rookies like James Bouknight and Cam Thomas turned frustrating first quarters into dominant performances. Other veterans continued to show their overall grasp on the NBA. We saw two more games reach overtime, underscoring what has been a competitive slate so far.
Below are the studs and duds from Day 5:
STUDS
Tre Jones, guard, San Antonio Spurs
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TRE JONES GETS IT TO GO! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBASummer?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBASummer</a> on ESPNU <a href="https://t.co/UkiNhTrqMU">pic.twitter.com/UkiNhTrqMU</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1425926354894266386?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 12, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Box Score Stats: 34 points, 8 rebounds, 9 assists, 12-for-20 FG, 1-for-3 3PT
This was arguably the most dominant performance of NBA Summer League thus far. Jones was in complete command on the offensive end, beating players off the dribble, pulling up in the mid-range and dishing all sorts of impressive passes. He pushed the ball in transition and consistently pressured the defense in what became a close shootout.
In the closing seconds, Jones scored the go-ahead bucket on a tough layup, and then stole the ball from Vernon Carey Jr. to ice the 106-105 win over Charlotte. Simply a masterclass from the second-year point guard.
James Bouknight, guard, Charlotte Hornets
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Absolutely filthy hesi from James Bouknight as he finishes this lay high up off the glass!! <a href="https://t.co/8Z7LyWSUZM">pic.twitter.com/8Z7LyWSUZM</a>
&mdash; Aram Cannuscio (@AC__Hoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/AC__Hoops/status/1425922734022856710?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 12, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Box Score Stats: 23 points, 4 rebounds, 8 assists, 11-for-23 FG, 1-for-4 3PT
Thursday's matchup against Tre Jones and the Spurs was a challenge. Bouknight felt the pressure early, and played hesitantly for a large portion of the first half. But I was thoroughly impressed with how he adapted. The 2021 lottery pick found his confidence and got to his spots off the dribble. He also consistently forced the defense into tough spots when he attacked the basket.
Bouknight floored me as a passer as well. He should have finished with double-digit assists; on multiple occasions, such as one fast-break blunder, teammates blew impressive dimes from the rookie guard. Bouknight also finished with zero turnovers &mdash; even more amazing when considering his usage.
Cam Thomas, guard, Brooklyn Nets
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CAM THOMAS IS REALLY LIKE THAT 🤯 A game-tying bucket followed by a one-legged three to win it in sudden-death! <a href="https://t.co/8mdLLqD1HY">pic.twitter.com/8mdLLqD1HY</a>
&mdash; SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) <a href="https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/1425966738638721024?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 12, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Box Score Stats: 31 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 10-for-23 FG, 2-for-6 3PT
Thomas did not play his best 33-plus minutes of basketball on Thursday. He started off by forcing a lot of shots, not looking to beat defenders or pass. But towards the latter stages of the game, the rookie guard seemed to see the floor better, make the right decisions and find his shooting touch.
Of course, he canned two monster buckets to end things &mdash; one three to send the game to a sudden death double-overtime, and then the golden shot. That microwave potential is the way Johnson can earn immediate playing time off the bench for the Nets.
Sam Hauser, forward, Boston Celtics
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Undrafted rookie Sam Hauser proving he belongs in the league. 21pts/7ast/6-10 3PA <a href="https://t.co/MF4Tu8ZTku">pic.twitter.com/MF4Tu8ZTku</a>
&mdash; High Motor Hoops (@HighMotorHoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/HighMotorHoops/status/1425991310486425603?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 13, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Box Score Stats:&nbsp;21 points, 4 rebounds, 7 assists, 7-for-12 FG, 6-for-10 3PT
This was a statement game for Hauser, who had sputtered out of the gate with the Celtics. The sharpshooting forward looked like his Virginia self, drilling threes off the catch as part of a team-wide hot streak. He also moved the ball much better compared to his prior two contests, helping Boston set a summer league record with 33 team assists. Then, on the defensive end, he seemed to keep defenders in front of him and shuffle his feet well. Good showing from the Celtics' two-way signing.
Ishmail Wainright, forward, Toronto Raptors
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Two years ago, Ishmail Wainright played in the German 2nd division finals. Now he's under the contract with Toronto Raptors. The first time <a href="https://twitter.com/Wainright24?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Wainright24</a> stepped on the court straight from the airport, his coach Buzas saw his success was all programmed: <a href="https://t.co/R83Dwkv3Mb">https://t.co/R83Dwkv3Mb</a>
&mdash; Donatas Urbonas (@Urbodo) <a href="https://twitter.com/Urbodo/status/1425820905855324173?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 12, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Box Score Stats: 20 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 steals, 2 blocks, 7-for-12 FG, 4-for-6 3PT
Wainright may be an unheralded name to most; the 26-year-old forward played for Baylor until 2017 and spent 2020-21 playing with Strasbourg in France. But people who tuned in surely will remember the name. The 6-foot-6 wing was engaged on both ends, made quality shots and did not force himself into the action. it was a poised all-around performance, and it makes sense why Toronto has Wainright signed to a two-year contract.
Tyrese Maxey, guard, Philadelphia 76ers
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My play of the night: Tyrese Maxey perfectly executes the Matisse Thybulle blocked jumper [pretty much] for the win. cc: <a href="https://twitter.com/TyreseMaxey?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TyreseMaxey</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/MatisseThybulle?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MatisseThybulle</a> <a href="https://t.co/ocnCCseHCt">pic.twitter.com/ocnCCseHCt</a>
&mdash; Lauren Rosen (@LaurenMRosen) <a href="https://twitter.com/LaurenMRosen/status/1426029134510268417?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 13, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Box Score Stats: 31 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 11-for-23 FG, 1-for-8 3PT
Maxey didn't have his three-point shot falling Thursday night and bricked a couple of bad looks. But otherwise, the slashing guard displayed his signature ability to get to the rim at will. Maxey also had a couple of nice pull-up jumpers and step-backs he used to mix things up. And he finished off a 96-88 overtime win against Atlanta by clamping up Sharife Cooper in the closing seconds.
Other notable performers: Paul Reed (Sixers), Sharife Cooper (Hawks), Chris Duarte (Pacers), Payton Pritchard (Celtics), Jaime Echenique (Wizards), Jalen Smith (Suns)
DUDS
Ayo Dosunmu, guard, Chicago Bulls
Box Score Stats:&nbsp;2 points, 5 rebounds, 1 block, 1-for-7 FG, 0-for-3 3PT
The Bulls only scored 59 points as a team, and there were a couple of dud-worthy performances that came from Chicago. Dosunmu had a hard time gaining separation from the Timberolves defenders and didn't get many quality looks at the basket. As a defender, he got shaken often and was hit with some bruising screens. It didn't seem like Dosunmu was involved in the offense; he often stayed on the wings and in the corners.
Marko Simonovic, center, Chicago Bulls
Box Score Stats: 10 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 1-for-8 FG, 0-for-4 3PT
Eight of Simonovic's 10 points came at the charity stripe. The 21-year-old was otherwise effective for most of the game, and didn't play with the strength and physicality necessary in the paint. He was not particularly impactful as a screener, and in the second half was part of a team-wide collapse defensively.&nbsp;
Emmanuel Mudiay, guard, Portland Trail Blazers
Box Score Stats: 6 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assists, 3-for-7 FG, 0-for-3 3PT
Unfortunately, Mudiay's summer league play is reminiscient of his last seasons in the NBA. The 25-year-old did post a threat offensively and was inconsistent defensively. His shooting form is still an issue. He does not command the offense like a five-year NBA veteran should at this stage. The veteran trio of Mudiay, Michael Beasley and Kenneth Faried have been collectively underwhelming, and it's hard to feel good about their NBA comebacks right now.
R.J. Hampton, guard, Orlando Magic
Box Score Stats: 3 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1-for-6 FG, 0-for-1 3PT
The entire Magic squad was frigid in the 108-71 loss to Boston. Hampton was no different, but he seemed to seal his fate with his shot selection. The second-year guard often drove headstrong into crowds and finished poorly. He's not the type of guard who probes and gets to his spots around the court while keeping his head up. I'd like to see Hampton take his time a bit more, although in fairness, he's probably third in the pecking order for facilitation duties behind Jalen Suggs and Cole Anthony.
Zeke Nnaji, forward, Denver Nuggets
Box Score Stats: 6 points, 9 rebounds, 2-for-10 FG, 0-for-4 3PT
Nnaji has appeared seriously out of sorts offensively in summer league. The 2020 first-round pick just does not have a consistent post move he can go to in the half-court, and coughed up five turnovers in large part from being unable to create anything on his own. Nnaji is now 0-for-10 from long range in his two games played. There's no sugarcoating it: the offensive game is a mess right now.

Viewers witnessed an epic battle between Tre Jones and James Bouknight, two of the standout performers on the fifth day in Vegas.

Studs and duds from the fifth day of NBA Summer League

The 2008 U.S. Olympic men&rsquo;s basketball team is regarded as one of the greatest collections of basketball talent ever assembled.
LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul, Dwyane Wade and Carmelo Anthony headlined the star-studded group. The &ldquo;Redeem Team,&rdquo; as it was dubbed, was expressly constructed to restore America&rsquo;s basketball glory after a disappointing bronze finish in 2004. The 2008 team achieved its objective, defeating Spain in the gold medal game to reclaim America&rsquo;s place atop the Olympic podium. Basketball fans were in awe of LeBron, Kobe, and the rest of the Redeem Team's dominance.
There&rsquo;s one detail, however, that gets obscured when recounting the United States&rsquo; brilliance in Beijing. With 2:15 to go in the gold medal game, the Redeem Team was only leading Spain by four points. In other words, despite having more talent than nearly any basketball team in history, Team USA was in danger of losing the gold on the biggest international stage.
While the current iteration of the U.S. men&rsquo;s national basketball team is not as lauded as the 2008 version -- the 2021 squad recently lost back-to-back exhibition games to <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/breakingnews/shocker-us-falls-to-nigeria-in-preolympic-opener" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nigeria</a> and <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/usa-basketball-falls-again-this-time-9183-to-australia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Australia</a> -- the Americans still have the most talented group in the field, by far. Given the immense NBA firepower on the roster and its superb coaching staff, the U.S. should handily bring home gold. That doesn&rsquo;t mean it will.
(Editor's note: Team USA's <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/united-states-loses-to-france-83-76-25-game-olympic-win-streak-ends" target="_blank" rel="noopener">25-game Olympic winning streak was snapped in an 83-76 loss to France</a> in the its opener on Sunday morning.)
The international game is just different, and that will organically create challenges for Team USA in subtle, yet significant ways. As soon as any U.S. Olympic basketball team steps foot on the floor, it faces headwinds that begin to mitigate its sizable talent advantage. That is something to monitor in Tokyo, where that advantage will <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/obn-founder-former-maryland-terp-obinna-ekezie-qa-on-nigeria-beating-us-" target="_blank" rel="noopener">not be as insurmountable for other nations</a> as it&rsquo;s been in the past.
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The sounds of the gym &gt;&gt;&gt; 🇺🇸 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/USABMNT?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#USABMNT</a> fellas got after it today 💪 <a href="https://t.co/S8ZqrUfzl7">pic.twitter.com/S8ZqrUfzl7</a>
&mdash; USA Basketball (@usabasketball) <a href="https://twitter.com/usabasketball/status/1416182106439495685?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 16, 2021</a></blockquote>

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One of the most basic factors that closes the talent gap between international teams and the United States is roster continuity. In formidable basketball nations like Spain, France and Argentina, top players make commitments to represent their countries over the course of their careers. These national teams are typically comprised of the same handful of elite players who grew up playing together and look forward to joining forces each summer to wear their country&rsquo;s colors. Because of this stability, the transition from pro competition to national team competition is seamless. Instead of spending time feeling each other out and learning how best to cooperate, these groups are fine-tuning their attacks and focusing on their goals.
The United States system, by contrast, has so many extraordinary talents in the pipeline and offers so many off-the-court opportunities, that star players tend to cycle through the national program with higher velocity. Team USA has worked hard to prioritize roster consistency in recent years, but it still can&rsquo;t match the commitment, unity and familiarity of its competitors. As a result, Team USA is usually at a connectivity disadvantage relative to its peers.
Another element that diminishes the United States&rsquo; talent edge is the natural unfamiliarity that homegrown NBA players have with the international game. Perhaps most notably, the spacing and physicality of FIBA competition are dramatically different than in the NBA. With a shorter three-point line that compresses the court, and no defensive violations to prevent defenders from packing the paint, there is considerably less room to maneuver in international play. And while officiating rules in the NBA protect offensive players, no such benefit is given by FIBA refs. Defenders are allowed to be more physical, which can be <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/what-is-going-on-with-the-usa-mens-national-team-in-exhibition-play" target="_blank" rel="noopener">jarring to NBA stars</a> who are used to going to the foul line after minimal contact.
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Since referees give more freedom to defenders to obstruct movement, and since there is less space to create opportunities off the dribble, the value of the pass increases. NBA offenses often rely on pick-and-rolls and dribble drives, so this tactical nuance aids Team USA&rsquo;s opponents, who are accustomed to playing the pass-first style that is favored internationally. On the defensive end of the floor, Team USA also faces an adjustment period; specifically, it needs to calibrate to the enhanced physicality of the international game. It&rsquo;s an adjustment that other international teams don&rsquo;t require, as all of their players developed in the FIBA system and have been programmed to know exactly how much defensive force they can apply in this setting.
Lastly, it cannot be overstated that each time Team USA takes the court at the Olympics and in other international competitions, it has a target on its back. The United States has been so dominant in basketball over the years that its losses are still newsworthy. The U.S. will always get its opponent&rsquo;s best effort, whether it&rsquo;s the gold medal game, the tournament opener or a closed-door scrimmage. There is never, if any, a margin for error, which week after week can create pressure on players as they fight to avoid upsets. If Team USA doesn&rsquo;t come to play or has an off night shooting the basketball, it might be vulnerable against motivated and cohesive competition. One thing is certain: the rest of the world will show up when facing Team USA.
As the Olympic basketball competition starts in Tokyo, I have every expectation that the United States will bring home the gold. They are determined, have an excellent coaching staff and possess the physical ability, basketball IQ and technical skills that are second-to-none. Still, there are factors working against Team USA that are largely out of its control.
The international game is unique, and it&rsquo;s played by teams who have passion, consistency and camaraderie. That combination helps create a series of small uphill battles for the Americans. Team USA&rsquo;s amazing collection of talent should be enough to overcome these challenges; we should just be prepared that it might not be.
If the incomparable Redeem Team could be pushed to the limits by a worthy international adversary, then this 2021 team can be, too. And with a slimmer talent gap than we&rsquo;ve seen in prior years, these external factors become particularly important.
In the end, they may just be a deciding factor when there&rsquo;s gold on the line.

Dan Grunfeld shares why the United States men's national team could be pushed to its limits in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Why Team USA’s Olympic climb is inherently uphill

Hi, hello, and welcome to yet another edition of Roaming The Baseline! This will be a weekly endeavor where I point out some things that caught my eye: a hot or cold streak from a player, a developmental flash, a well-run play, a funny tweet, who knows? There will be film -- it&rsquo;s me, so of course there will be film -- but this will also be a bit looser. It&rsquo;s an extension of my Twitter feed, if you will.&nbsp;
With that said, let&rsquo;s roam the baseline.
RUSSELL WESTBROOK KEEPS ON FLYIN'
There's always a "but..." with Russell Westbrook.
He can get to the rim whenever he wants! But the free throws...
He can make any pass in the book! But the turnovers...
He can hound dudes as an on-ball defender! But when he's off-ball...
Even the triple-doubles -- his teams have won roughly 75% of their games in which they occur -- draw some casternation. How contested were those rebounds? How friendly was the scorekeeper for those assists? How many shots did he take?
As someone who has been on both sides of the fence -- I appreciate his rim pressure and passing chops, not so much a fan of the decision-making and defense on a per-possession basis -- even I find the discourse around him exhausting.
My favorite part of the Westbrook Experience may be the rebounding, but on the offensive end. He's technically tied with Bruce Brown atop the guard list for offensive rebounds (1.7) this season, though calling Brown a guard may be a stretch due to his role.
At any rate, Westbrook's penchant for timely clean-ups are uniquely him. Beating the odds may be underselling the ridiculousness of his adventures.&nbsp;
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That's Westbrook high-pointing a ball with two Pacers in the vicinity, then flinging a dart to Alex Len before touching the floor. That, uh, is not an easy play to make! And somehow, that wasn't even the most impressive board Westbrook snagged.
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Following a Bradley Beal pull-up jumper, there are three Pacers -- all taller than Westbrook -- who have better rebound positioning. Westbrook is able to slither inside of Kelan Martin, dislodge the ball from Martin and Domantas Sabonis, then beat Doug McDermott to the ball. He then caps off that feat by dishing the rock to a cutting Rui Hachimura for an open flush.
Westbrook finished with four offensive rebounds (19 total) in that game, the seventh instance of Westbrook having at least four offensive rebounds in a game this season.&nbsp;
Regardless of how you feel about the man, these things remain true:
1) Westbrook is one of the best guards in NBA history, and will be a first-ballot Hall-of-Famer.
2) That man brings it. Every single night. Even when the result isn't great, it's hard not to respect the process.
3) He is the primary reason that the Wizards would be incredibly annoying to play against during the play-in and playoffs.
IS ANDREW WIGGINS... UNDERRATED?
Let's start with a wonky stat query, shall we?
Wiggins is averaging 18.6 points while shooting 37.7% from deep (5.2 attempts), and also blocking a shot (1.0) per night. The only two players <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/traditional/?sort=FG3_PCT&amp;dir=-1&amp;CF=FG3A*GE*5:PTS*GE*18:BLK*GE*1&amp;Season=2020-21&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season" target="_blank" rel="noopener">matching or besting those marks</a> are Kevin Durant and Karl-Anthony Towns.
That means next-to-nothing from a big picture perspective -- Wiggins is no KD or KAT. It's only to point out that it isn't easy to find that combination of scoring, three-point shooting proficiency, and event creation defensively.&nbsp;
But dig into Wiggins' season a bit, and you should come away... mildly impressed. He isn't just flying down the court and operating as a play-finisher alongside Steph Curry. He grades out well in self-created actions, per Synergy: post-ups (51st percentile), pick-and-rolls (71st percentile), and isolation (83rd percentile).
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After an outlier bad start as a finisher, Wiggins is converting a career-high 70.7% of his shots <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/wiggian01.html#shooting" target="_blank" rel="noopener">inside of three feet</a>. It's a shame that's coming with a career-low free throw rate (.226), but hey. Baby steps.
More surprisingly, Wiggins has seemingly graduated from the good-when-he-cares class on defense. The Warriors have trusted him with a variety of tough assignments thorughout the season. Not only has he held his own, he's flat-out shut the water off sometimes.
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Who the heck had this on the Bingo! card before the year?
A fun stat to round things out: the Curry-Wiggins-Draymond Green trio without Kelly Oubre on the floor has a <a href="https://www.pbpstats.com/wowy-combos/nba?TeamId=1610612744&amp;Season=2020-21&amp;SeasonType=Regular%2BSeason&amp;PlayerIds=203952,1626162,201939,203110" target="_blank" rel="noopener">plus-11.9 net rating</a> in 631 minutes.&nbsp;
WES MATTHEWS, FILLING IN THE GAPS
It's no secret that the Lakers have been injury-ravaged this season, with notable absences from their two superstars. It feels like we've had a microsope on their role players -- sometimes unfairly -- because of how their level of importance has fluctuated. Talen Horton-Tucker shouldn't be the only credible ball-handler the Lakers have available. Heck, I just wrote about Marc Gasol's playing time <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/marc-gasol-should-get-more-minutes-los-angeles-lakers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a week ago</a>.
If we're tossing out hat-tips for recent play, I'd like to nominate Wes Matthews. His per-game numbers won't pop for you -- 7.3 points in 25.3 minutes over the last four games -- but he's doing what's needed.&nbsp;
He's knocking down threes at a high clip; the Lakers will take 37% on five attempts from him. Defensively, he's taken on an assortment of tough matchups recently: CJ McCollum, Chris Paul, and RJ Barrett (boy was he <a href="https://twitter.com/NekiasNBA/status/1392349962785153028?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">put in a tough spot</a> at the end of that game) are just a few.&nbsp;
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The Lakers have been [checks notes] over 17 points per 100 possessions better with Matthews on the floor over the past four games. That number 1) isn't entirely on him and 2) seems unsustainable, but it's at least a testament to Matthews providing plus-value on both ends.
THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GO "HMMMM"
<ul>
<li>All-NBA is tough. There are a lot of great players in the league. Injuries/COVID will make those discussions even tougher. But, like, where is the Trae Young buzz for an All-NBA team? He's 15th in scoring (25.6) and second in assists (9.5). He's the&nbsp;creator for a team with home-court advantage, and the Hawks have been 8.5 points per 100 possessions better <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/vs/advanced/#!?TeamID=1610612737&amp;VsPlayerID=1629027&amp;Season=2020-21&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season" target="_blank" rel="noopener">with Young on the floor</a>. I encourage you to look at the same stat for <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/vs/advanced/#!?TeamID=1610612742&amp;VsPlayerID=1629029&amp;Season=2020-21&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a guy in Dallas</a>, just for funsies.</li>
<li>Keep an eye on Evan Fournier, now that Jaylen Brown is done for the season with a wrist injury. He's averaging 21.3 points (59/59/75 shooting split) in the four games since Brown went out.</li>
<li>Uhhhh, Kelly Olynyk is #not #slowing #down. He's putting up 18.9 points (56/38/85 shooting split), 8.6 rebounds, 3.7 assists since the All-Star break. Pick-and-pops, herky-jerky post-ups, fake handoffs. I keep waiting for his usual regression and it... just hasn't happened. His free agency should be fun.</li>
<li>Jaxson Hayes' last three games: 19 and 8 with 3 blocks, 18 and 8 with 6 blocks, and then 13 points against Memphis on Monday... and he went 3-of-3 from deep. #2KWasRight.</li>
<li>Speaking of former lottery bigs we don't quite know what to think of: Marvin Bagley is averaging 17 and 8 in May. The pathway to being a high-level play finisher, on the interior anyway, is still there.</li>
</ul>
PLAYS I LIKED
The Butler Did It
It's always a good time when the Heat 1) run some screening action for Duncan Robinson or 2) clear a corner. It's especially fun when they do both.
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An Iverson cut brings Robinson from one side of the floor to another. But from there, the Heat pivot.&nbsp;
Jimmy Butler darts from the left corner to the right block, giving off the illusion of a post-up clear-out. With Marcus Smart top-locking him (a heavy theme from this game), Butler uses Smart's positioning against him, back-cutting him and getting a lob from Goran Dragic in the process.
One might say it was a Smart play from Butler.
Masterful Misdirection
This is freaking hilarious.
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The play initially caught my eye because I was like, "Hmmm, is this a 'Floppy' look? Teams are still doing that?" I like the set up regardless; Kevin Huerter, Bogdan Bogdanovic, and John Collins form this weird triangle and it immediately throws the Wizards for a loop.
Westbrook calls out a switch early; clearly some wires get crossed because of it. Bogdanovic flies through the escape hatch beofre relocating to the left wing. Hachimura starts chasing Bogdanovic for... some... reason. That leaves Westbrook caught between Huerter and Collins, and they win that 2-on-1 pretty easily.
Fun stuff. Confusing stuff. Creative stuff. Effective stuff.
Bringing Down the House
Seems a bit mundane, but I wanted to give a quick shout to the budding chemistry between Tyrese Maxey and Dwight Howard off the bench.
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We get a variation of HORNS Flare to kick things off; Anthony Tolliver (still alive!) ghosts a screen for Maxey before relocating to the right wing. The action then flows into a pick-and-roll between Maxey and Howard.
With George Hill stashed in the left corner -- he's shooting 46% from there over the past three seasons, per InStat -- TJ McConnell can't tag Howard on the roll in good conscious. Maxey does a phenomenal job of driving deep enough to engage Goga Bitadze, then flips a lob over his head for the easy slam.
THE READING LIST
There is plenty of high-level basketball content out here if you know where to look. I wouldn&rsquo;t be where I am as a writer without reading a ton of Zach Lowe or Chris Herring or Caitlin Cooper or Mirin Fader or, well, you get the point.&nbsp;
Anyway, here are some -- not all, but some! -- of the stories I&rsquo;ve read this week that I think you should check out. Their Twitter handles will be linked under their names, so click and follow if you don&rsquo;t already.
<a href="https://twitter.com/ariivory">Arielle Chambers</a> on the <a href="https://twitter.com/SInow/status/1391860599555039235?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">25 greatest moments</a> in WNBA history.
<a href="https://twitter.com/DorothyJGentry">Dorothy Gentry</a> with <a href="https://twitter.com/DorothyJGentry/status/1392119386585042946?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a fantastic feature</a> on WNBA legend Cynthia Cooper.
<a href="https://twitter.com/mellentuck">Matt Ellentuck</a> gives you a guide to help <a href="https://twitter.com/mellentuck/status/1392146591436390402?s=20">pick your favorite WNBA team</a> (if you don't have one already.)
<a href="https://twitter.com/juscarts" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Justin Carter</a> gave his <a href="https://twitter.com/juscarts/status/1392493429108744194?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WNBA preseason power rankings</a>. It would appear the Sky is the limit.
<a href="https://twitter.com/MirinFader">Mirin Fader</a> came through with the goods on <a href="https://twitter.com/MirinFader/status/1392476775356108800?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WNBA superstar Breanna Stewart</a>.&nbsp;

In Nekias Duncan's weekly notebook, he shares things that have caught his eye. He breaks down players, teams, plays and stats.

Roaming the Baseline: Russell Westbrook, Andrew Wiggins, Wes Matthews

Hi, hello, and welcome to yet another edition of Roaming The Baseline! This will be a weekly endeavor where I point out some things that caught my eye: a hot or cold streak from a player, a developmental flash, a well-run play, a funny tweet, who knows? There will be film -- it&rsquo;s me, so of course there will be film -- but this will also be a bit looser. It&rsquo;s an extension of my Twitter feed, if you will.&nbsp;
With that said, let&rsquo;s roam the baseline.
GIANNIS ANTETOKOUNMPO IS EVOLVING
Back-to-back games against the Brooklyn Nets. Back-to-back wins against the Brooklyn Nets. Back-to-back eye-opening performances from Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The first game was dominant. The Nets once again went with DeAndre Jordan as their Giannis stopper of sorts, tasking him with hanging back at the rim and absorbing blows whenever Giannis touched the paint.&nbsp;
Giannis straight up gave it to him. Body blows into jump hooks. Fadeaways. Stepbacks. Face-up jumpers.&nbsp;
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The three-ball was going for him as well. When doubles came, Giannis calmly passed out of them. He sprung guys free with screens. The Nets simply had no good answer for any possession that involved Giannis. Hard to sneeze on 49-8-4 plus the W, amirite?
If the first game was dominant, the second one was resilient. Giannis dropped 36-12-4, but it certainly wasn't as smooth as the outing on Sunday. An 11-of-30 shooting clip ain't pretty, though the 4-of-12 clip from deep was intriguing.&nbsp;
The Nets didn't change their coverage. They were more than willing to concede above-the-break triples. Giannis obliged to keep things honest, but still found room to be aggressive (seven shots at the rim, 12 free-throw attempts).
These two games aren't entirely instructive of a future playoff matchup; James Harden's absence is a pretty big variable. What the games did reinforce, however, is that Giannis can dictate terms whenever he wants to. There's no true answer for him.
The hang-back-and-wait plan only goes so far if Giannis is gonna bring the funk anyway. Living with jumpers is cool until he catches a rhythm. It's especially tough if Giannis flows effortlessly into pick-and-rolls or dribble handoffs with either of his All-Star running mates.
In short: good freakin' luck.
MATISSE THYBULLE'S HOUSE OF TERROR
One of my favorite bits of this god forsaken regular season has been my friend, a born-again Sixers fan, hitting me up on Twitter to tell me how quickly Matisse Thybulle racks up a steal or block whenever he checks in.&nbsp;
Sometimes it's a minute. Sometimes it's 30 seconds. It could be even less than that. Thybulle checked in for Danny Green at the 7:17 mark of the quarter, by the way.
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It can be a bit cliche to describe a defensive player as being able to be multiple places at once. It's pretty freaking accurate in the case of Thybulle.&nbsp;
There's almost no way to accurately describe how rangy Thybulle is. Stuff like&nbsp;this&nbsp;is routine for him.
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That's Thybulle dropping to the left block in anticipation of a cut. He finds himself behind the play as Lauri Markkanen lefts to the wing, but is able to block the shot anyway. Seth Curry drops down to the "nail" to pick up Markkanen; Thybulle then rotates over to Garrett Temple, picking off the pass in the process.
Thybulle leads the NBA in blocks on above-the-break threes (16), <a href="https://www.pbpstats.com/totals/nba/player?Season=2020-21&amp;SeasonType=Regular%2BSeason" target="_blank" rel="noopener">per PBP Stats</a>. Overall, Thybulle is <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/traditional/?sort=PTS&amp;dir=-1&amp;Season=2020-21&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season&amp;PerMode=Totals&amp;CF=STL*GE*75:BLK*GE*50" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one of four players</a> to have at least 75 steals and 50 blocks this season. This may shock you, but he's logged the least amount of minutes of that group by a pretty wide margin.
I don't think there's a (public) site that tracks it, but my bet is that Thybulle leads the NBA in rearview contests/blocks. As pesky as he is at the point of attack, he still has a tendency to get snagged on screens. What makes him so special is his ability to recover from behind.
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I am literally begging for the three-ball to become a passable weapon for him so we can see more of him.
DEATH, TAXES, AND ISO MELO
The Blazers aren't far removed from a five-game losing streak, capped off by a pair of disappointing showings against the Memphis Grizzlies. Damian Lillard was laboring; CJ McCollum was slumping a bit; the defense was as bad as it's been all season.
So, in typical Blazers fashion, they've won four of their last five.
The stars have bounced back, and the starting lineup (Lillard, McCollum, Norman Powell, Robert Covington, Jusuf Nurkic) has flourished because of it. Their staggered second unit, with Carmelo Anthony operating as the Robin to Lillard's Batman, has blitzed teams <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/lineups/advanced/?Season=2020-21&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season&amp;TeamID=1610612757&amp;LastNGames=5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">over the past five games.</a>
Anthony's been on a heater, averaging a little under 15 points off the bench with a 56/57/100 shooting split over his last five. He's been able to capitalize on catch-and-shoot looks when the defense is scrambled elsewhere. His mid-post play is popping right now; smaller defenders just can't keep Melo from getting to his spots. The fadeaway is still money, and the release point is impossible to bother.
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Anthony grades out as a plus contributor in isolation (80th percentile) and post-up (52nd percentile) possessions this season, per Synergy. He's run even hotter over the past five.
Enjoy the run.&nbsp;
THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GO "HMMMM"
<ul>
<li>Who is the Mavericks' third best player behind Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis? Tim Hardaway Jr. is making a strong push, averaging 31.3 points&nbsp;over his last three games. He's fresh off a night where he drained 10 threes in a blow-out win against Miami. Just as a quick aside: sign me up for any player with a sway on their jumper. &nbsp;</li>
<li>I don't think enough has been made of the fact that Kevin Durant is shooting nearly 58 percent from two, almost 48 percent from three, and 88 percent from the line. I'm not sure what you're supposed to do with that.</li>
<li>There are 13 players generating at least 1.00 PPP when coming off of screens (min. 75 possessions). Nikola Jokic (1.13 PPP) is the only center on the list. It is absolutely wild watching a man that big (and slow) coming off pindowns for middies.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Another Chris Paul update, because I can't get enough of these: he's now up to 16 games with 10+ assists with two or fewer turnovers this season.</li>
<li>There are 43 players who have logged at least 500 pick-and-roll possessions (passes included) this season, per Synergy. Your most efficient initiator? Kawhi Leonard (1.15 PPP). Second? DeMar DeRozan (1.12). Shoutout to 2019.</li>
</ul>
PLAYS I LIKED
Improvisational Jazz
Watching the Jazz fly around during one of their intricate sets are one of my niche joys. Call me a nerd, I don't care.&nbsp;
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We get the illusion of HORNS Flare to start, but it's a decoy. Joe Ingles "ghosts" the Rudy Gobert screen as the big fella "chases" Mike Conley on the left wing. Instead of stepping up, Royce O'Neale clears the left corner to set up an empty side pick-and-roll between Conley and Gobert.
Even&nbsp;that's&nbsp;a decoy.
Instead of running the pick-and-roll, Conley pitches the ball to Ingles. O'Neale, after clearing the left side, sets a pin-in screen on an unsuspecting Jaden McDaniels, freeing Bojan Bogdanovic for a triple.
Whew.
Bucks clearing a side
Another opening set, another empty corner look, this time from the Milwaukee Bucks.
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I like the moving parts here. Donte DiVincenzo loops around Giannis before petering out to the dunker spot. Giannis comes off a Brook Lopez screen, receives the pass, fakes a handoff with Jrue Holiday, then flows into a two-man action with Khris Middleton.
The Nets attempt to switch, but Giannis does a fantastic job of sealing Kevin Durant off. Middleton recognizes Giannis has inside leverage, and floats in a pinpoint lob.
Slicing for Sabonis
Domantas Sabonis handles the ball a lot. And I mean&nbsp;a lot.&nbsp;He'll grab and go after defensive rebounds. He'll initiate the offense in Delay sets above the break. Pitches to the elbow lead to split action, in which he's the conductor of it all. It's nice to see the Pacers work to get him open sometimes.
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A wing pitch that flows into Double Drag is fancy enough to catch my eye. Having a guard screen for Sabonis at the same time just adds to the funk. The inverted screen is key; it dislodges Alex Len long enough to throw him behind the play. He recovers decently enough, but his front foot is exposed. Sabonis attacks almost immediately, gaining inside leverage on the drive before finishing through contact for the and-one.
THE READING LIST
There is plenty of high-level basketball content out here if you know where to look. I wouldn&rsquo;t be where I am as a writer without reading a ton of Zach Lowe or Chris Herring or Caitlin Cooper or Mirin Fader or, well, you get the point.&nbsp;
Anyway, here are some -- not all, but some! -- of the stories I&rsquo;ve read this week that I think you should check out. Their Twitter handles will be linked under their names, so click and follow if you don&rsquo;t already.
<a href="https://twitter.com/loganmmurdock" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Logan Murdock</a> with <a href="https://twitter.com/loganmmurdock/status/1389776822905184256?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a tremendous feature</a> on Kings rookie Tyrese Haliburton.
<a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jackson Frank</a> on the <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1389598688230612993?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">budding stardom of Darius Garland</a>.
<a href="https://twitter.com/seeratsohi" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Seerat Sohi</a> slams the door on the <a href="https://twitter.com/seeratsohi/status/1387931245816946693?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MVP conversation</a>.
<a href="https://twitter.com/WillAldrich_" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Will Aldrich</a> on Indiana Fever rookie Kysre Gondrezick looking to break barriers <a href="https://twitter.com/WillAldrich_/status/1389286735234969602?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on and off the court</a>.
<a href="https://twitter.com/ZachLowe_NBA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Zach Lowe</a> with <a href="https://twitter.com/ZachLowe_NBA/status/1389929521458159617?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a fantastic feature</a> on Hawks center Clint Capela.

Roaming the Baseline: Giannis, Matisse Thybulle, Carmelo Anthony, more

Hi, hello, and welcome to yet another edition of Roaming The Baseline! This will be a weekly endeavor where I point out some things that caught my eye: a hot or cold streak from a player, a developmental flash, a well-run play, a funny tweet, who knows? There will be film -- it&rsquo;s me, so of course there will be film -- but this will also be a bit looser. It&rsquo;s an extension of my Twitter feed, if you will.&nbsp;
With that said, let&rsquo;s roam the baseline.
STEPHEN CURRY IS UNCONSCIOUS
40.8 points, 6.2 rebounds, 4.4 assists.
56-of-90 (62.2%) from two, 72-of-143 (50.3%) from three, 80-of-88 (90.9%) from the free throw line.
43-of-83 (51.8%) on threes off the dribble, per Synergy. 124 points on 75 shots out of pick-and-roll, per Synergy.
This is Stephen Curry's April, and it. is. glorious.
It is easy to get lost in the flamethrowing, the inevitible nature of his deep shotmaking. But to watch Curry in action is witness not just outlier skill on display, but a level of detail -- footwork, body positioning, body reading -- that is nearly unrivaled in NBA history.
It's not enough to say Curry only needs a sliver of space. The fun is in watching Curry create that sliver.
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Blink, and you'll miss the goodness. Curry runs Marcus Smart (elite defender, by the way) off the screen from Kevon Looney. He then begins to dart inside with Smart trailing him, before abruptly (and subtly) branching off from Smart to fly outside&nbsp;of another screen from Andrew Wiggins. In a vacuum, Smart puts together a B+ possession; you need "A+" and a little luck to bother Curry, much less force a miss.
The win column dictates that we stop short of calling this the best version of Curry we've seen. 73 wins and a unanimous MVP in 2015-16; more flamethrowing and a title during his 2017-18 campaign. I get it.
It's hogwash, though.
This man isn't riding a heater; he&nbsp;is&nbsp;a heater. The three-point shot has never been hotter; beyond that, he's leveraging it to score at an efficient clip in the other two levels of the floor. He's doing this with, well, let's say "suboptimal" circumstances around him. He has managed to be an offense unto himself without being anywhere near a liability on defense, which is something we can't say for... other guards.
Curry may be the purest definition of MVP, even if he won't win the award. And Curry agrees.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
On "The Rex Chapman Show," <a href="https://twitter.com/RexChapman?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RexChapman</a> asked <a href="https://twitter.com/StephenCurry30?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@StephenCurry30</a> if he's this year's MVP. "I gotta be," Curry said. Watch the full exclusive interview with Steph Curry tomorrow on YouTube. Subscribe: <a href="https://t.co/3SiHwo86MB">https://t.co/3SiHwo86MB</a> <a href="https://t.co/t75b6kf7A1">pic.twitter.com/t75b6kf7A1</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1384961091390824450?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2021</a></blockquote>

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

REGULAR SEASON RAJON RONDO
Well, hey, I might've been wrong about this one.
As the student marshall of Rondo's Bad, Man, University (RBMU), I was baffled when the Clippers gave up Lou Williams, second-round pick capital, and&nbsp;cash to bring Rondo into the fray.&nbsp;
Why would a team that needs rim pressure trade away a (historically) high free throw rate guy for a guard that teams don't defend as a scorer?
Why would you give up a better player and assets for this guy?&nbsp;
Why are we still making lemon pepper wing jokes?
I can't answer the third question, but the first two can be (and have been) answered by plays like this.
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Rondo may not be bringing the funk as a scorer, but he's boosting the Clippers' rim volume by virtue of his passing ability. It introduces a level of randomness that the Clippers just didn't have. Instead of designed plays or gentle nudging to get their jumper-centric (super)stars downhill, players can simply cut into space. Tight-window throws that risk-averse humans wouldn't make are pretty routine to Rondo.
To drive the point home (heh): the Clippers are plus-85 in Rondo's 167 minutes while winning eight of their nine games with him. Seems good!
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TREVOR ARIZA HAS SOME JUICE
Stop me if you've heard this one before: the Heat have been searching for a Jae Crowder repla-
Ah, good!
The acquisition of Trevor Ariza was made to do just that: give the Heat a 4 man to knock down threes and defend up a position if needed. The unexpected development is that Ariza hasn't looked out of place. guarding down&nbsp;a position.&nbsp;
He's spent plenty of time switching onto bigs -- Karl-Anthony Towns, Deandre Ayton and others are on the list. He's defended both forward spots. Him getting point-of-attack reps -- like, "your assignment is Kyrie Irving" reps -- wasn't something I expected. The results have been promising, though.
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Ariza has allowed the Heat to go multiple. His switchability allows the Heat to keep actions in front. His length helps him bother bigs, or puts pressure on ball-handlers when they opt to blitz pick-and-rolls. Add in the 37% clip Ariza is firing from deep, and you have yourself a much needed two-way contributor.
THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GO "HMMMM"
<ul>
<li>The games have been spread out due to injury, but Lu Dort has drilled 41% of his threes on nearly seven attempts over his last 15 games. He already has some "oomph" as a driver, using a surprisingly effective crossover to get where he wants to go. If he makes enough threes to where teams defend him tighter, there will be more close-outs to attack. Fun dude to watch.</li>
<li>Josh Jackson. He makes me go "hmmmm." He drives like he's fleeing the defense instead of attacking it, attempts passes that are way above his pay grade, and the Pistons are ... plus-40 in his minutes this month, while he's averaging nearly 17 points (47/47/77) per contest. I don't know, man.</li>
<li>RJ Barrett is still doing it, y'all. And by doing it, I mean he's shooting 44% from deep on 4.6 attempts since the All-Star break. He isn't that&nbsp;as a shooter, but becoming a good one should be enough to unlock more passing reads and driving lanes for him. How open those lanes will be due to his supporting cast is another question entirely.</li>
<li>We were all wondering where Denver's guard play would come from once Jamal Murray was injured. One player who has stepped up: PJ Dozier, quietly averaging 12-4-4 over the past three games. He's feasting from the corner, either shooting threes, cutting for twos, or flying in to crash the offensive glass.</li>
<li>The Wizards are doing that thing where they're winning a bunch of games. They're 7-1 in their last eight, with <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-washington-wizards-russell-westbrook-first-player-in-nba-history-with-multiple-triple-doubles-vs-every-team-bradley-beal-james-harden-assists" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a bunch of triple-doubles from Russell Westbrook</a>. Bradley Beal still can't be guarded; Davis Bertans is firing again, and, as off-the-cuff as it is, I am really enjoying the violence that Daniel Gafford is playing with on both ends. Keep an eye on 'em.</li>
</ul>
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PLAYS I LIKED
Phoenix Goes to Spain
If you've followed my work for any amount of time, you know my affinity for Spain (or Stack) pick-and-rolls. High-ball screen to start, back-pick on the screener's man with a flare following. It's a pretty common action throughout the league, though there are teams -- Phoenix, Charlotte, Utah -- that run it more than others.
I love the way the Suns stretched this one out against the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday night. Chris Paul receiving the screen at darn-near half-court allows for more room to operate. Devin Booker gets an easy one here.
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And a quick shoutout to <a href="https://twitter.com/protectedpick" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mike Vigil</a> (very good Suns follow, if you're into that sort of thing) for posting this one from the Suns-Kings game last Friday. Instead of the back-pick, Jevon Carter "ghosts" the screen and gets an open triple out of it.
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Fun stuff.
The Upside Down
Inverted pick-and-rolls -- wings or bigs running pick-and-rolls with small guards as the screener -- have been a staple of the Point Zion experience. The premise is simple enough: force an unfavorable switch, or draw two to the ball to create a numbers game. Sprucing up that dynamic with an empty corner is flat-out cruel.
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The clear-out allows Zion and Kira Lewis to work in tandem without a third defender shading down. Lewis using Kyrie's face-guard against him to take Blake Griffin out of the play is some vet stuff. And of course, all Zion needs is a step to get to the rim.
What are you supposed to do about that as a defense?
Spurs Go Empty
Keeping with the empty-corner theme, peep the Spurs flowing out of Double Drag.
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Well, it's a Double-Drag alignment, but it's pretty fake. No real screen from Lonnie Walker as he pops out, and Drew Eubanks doesn't dive just yet. Instead, Devin Vassell clears the right corner before Derrick White and Eubanks start their two-man dance. There's no help available on the roll, leading to the open window for the lob.
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THE READING LIST
There is plenty of high-level basketball content out here if you know where to look. I wouldn&rsquo;t be where I am as a writer without reading a ton of Zach Lowe or Chris Herring or Caitlin Cooper or Mirin Fader or, well, you get the point.&nbsp;
Anyway, here are some -- not all, but some! -- of the stories I&rsquo;ve read this week (since April 14) that I think you should check out. Their Twitter handles will be linked under their names, so click and follow if you don&rsquo;t already.
<a href="https://twitter.com/TylerRickyTynes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tyler Tynes</a> talked to Ben Simmons about ... <a href="https://twitter.com/TylerRickyTynes/status/1383096814371532800?s=20">a little bit of everything</a>.
<a href="https://twitter.com/britnidlc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Britni de la Cretaz</a> with important work on the <a href="https://twitter.com/SInow/status/1383043429534470144?s=20">plight of nonbinary athletes</a>.
<a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf">Jackson Frank</a> with a dope feature on <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1382419187981639682?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shake Milton and his development</a>.
<a href="https://twitter.com/MrMichaelLee">Michael Lee</a> profiled a few athletes, including New York Liberty guard Asia Durr, on the <a href="https://twitter.com/MrMichaelLee/status/1384127686138732548" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lingering effects of COVID</a>.
<a href="https://twitter.com/abovethebreak3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PD Web</a> on the concept of <a href="https://twitter.com/abovethebreak3/status/1384666910613250053?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pre-drafting players</a>.

In Nekias Duncan's weekly notebook, he shares things that have caught his eye. He breaks down players, teams, plays, stats, etc.

Roaming the Baseline: Stephen Curry, Rajon Rondo, Trevor Ariza, more

Hi, hello, and welcome to yet another edition of Roaming The Baseline! This will be a weekly endeavor where I point out some things that caught my eye: a hot or cold streak from a player, a developmental flash, a well-run play, a funny tweet, who knows? There will be film -- it&rsquo;s me, so of course there will be film -- but this will also be a bit looser. It&rsquo;s an extension of my Twitter feed, if you will.&nbsp;
With that said, let&rsquo;s roam the baseline.
PAUL GEORGE, IN ATTACK MODE
Don't look now, but the Clippers have won six in a row, and 12 of their last 14 games. They're getting a little bit of everything from everyone, though we should probably be paying more attention to Paul George's recent run.
He's tossing flames, averaging 28.3 points with a 51/54/97 shooting split. A 54 percent clip from deep on nearly seven attempts is absurd; the 5.2 free throw attempts in that stretch, as modest as that number looks on the surface, is the more important number to note.
We know what George can do as a shooter. He can kill drop coverage with pull-up triples. He's a monster off of corner pindowns or free-throw-line curls. Any semblance of space is an invitation to be picked apart with his quick trigger and high release point.
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What's more encouraging is that George has tuned his attack method. The volume of his drives hasn't changed much -- breaking it down monthly, he's been floating between 12.2 and 13.1 drives per game since the turn of the year, per <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/drives/?Season=2020-21&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season&amp;Month=7&amp;TeamID=1610612746&amp;sort=DRIVE_FGA&amp;dir=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Second Spectrum tracking.</a> George has been more forceful and more intentional with those looks.
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The number of drives may not have risen, but his shot attempts have. He's putting up nearly seven shots on drives in April, and converting those at a 56.1 percent clip. The free throw attempts have risen in tandem with his aggressiveness.
While the Clippers have been an elite offense all year long, the lack of rim pressure has been a question mark with serious playoff implications. That's gotten better as of late -- the Clippers rank 12th in the percentage of shots at the rim (33.6) since March 17, per Cleaning The Glass -- and George has been a major reason for that.
THE MONSTER MASH
"The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated."
- Mark Twain, allegedly
- Kim Jung Un, allegedly
- Post-up offense
The post-up ain't dead; the bar for success is just higher. The increase in weak side zoning, the added length and athleticism of digging defenders and a shift in developmental priorities for young big men have been key factors in the rate of post-ups going down across the league. That doesn't mean we don't still have practitioners.
Jonas Valanciunas is one of my favorite players to watch on the block. It's akin to a bear doing ballet -- a grizzly bear, if you will. He's a massive human, but a massive human with superb footwork and a slow-but-effective over-the-head fake that helps him get defenders off balance. The way he can dislodge dudes with his shoulder is high comedy, and a welcomed change-up from the Memphis floaterfest.
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Valanciunas has been on fire as of late, averaging 22 points on 68.4 percent shooting from the floor in April. He's converted 12 of 22 shots (54.5 percent) on post-ups this month per Synergy, identical to his season average. Among 33 players that have logged at least 75 post-up possessions this season, Valanciunas ranks seventh in field goal percentage.
HE CAN'T KEEP GETTING AWAY WITH IT
T.J. McConnell just keeps doing it. He can't keep doing it.
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Allowing McConnell to get to the baseline is a cardinal sin at this point. He's become one of the NBA's best Nashers, circling around the baseline to hunt dump-offs, kick-outs or quick-hitting turnaround jumpers.&nbsp;
It's especially criminal to toss lazy passes in the backcourt against him. After going through all of McConnell's steals this season, he's racked up 14 steals in the backcourt after dead balls this season -- 15 if you count this one.&nbsp;
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Whether it's 14 or 15, I'm just going to assume that mark leads the NBA by a wide margin.
A question to ponder: Is there a player better at an obscure skill than McConnell is at pilfering after the inbound?
I'm open to hearing your suggestions.
THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GO "HMMMM"
<ul>
<li>155 players have logged at least 100 possessions as the pick-and-roll ball handler (passes included), per Syngery. Pascal Siakam ranks No. 6 (!) in points per possession generated (1.13 PPP). Pick-and-rolls only account for 17.1 percent of his offensive possessions. If you're looking for a way to unlock a next level for him offensively, maybe it's leaning into more of that? Inverted ball screens since the guard room (Kyle Lowry, Fred VanVleet) is so good at setting them? Just spit-balling.</li>
<li>More Synergy fun: the NBA's most efficient isolation player (including passes, min. 100 possessions) is, you guessed it, Andrew Wiggins (1.27 PPP). Zach LaVine (1.23), Paul George (1.18), Giannis Antetokounmpo (1.15; come back, king) and Kyrie Irving (1.15) round out the top five. Do with that information as you will.</li>
<li>There are 11 players averaging at least 1.0 steals and 1.0 blocks. Eight bigs, two forwards and Matisse Thybulle, who is the only player on the list doing so in fewer than 20 minutes per game. Just a ridiculous event creator, and his work off the bench might <a href="https://www.pbpstats.com/wowy-combos/nba?TeamId=1610612755&amp;Season=2020-21&amp;SeasonType=Regular%2BSeason&amp;PlayerIds=1627732,1629680&amp;OnlyCommonGames=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">skew the on-off numbers</a> enough to kill Ben Simmons' DPOY case.</li>
<li>Very quietly, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is on a heater: 42.7 percent from deep since the beginning of March, and a 51.2 percent clip on nearly six attempts in April. The Lakers have struggled to shoot all year long; getting KCP going, especially on the type of movement looks he feasts on, is wildly important as they get closer to the postseason.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
<li>I know I mentioned him last week, but Clint Capela is averaging 20 &amp; 15 with nearly three blocks per game in April (7-0 with him). Him good, him real good.</li>
</ul>
PLAYS I LIKED
Cutting Loose
Karl-Anthony Towns has been unleashed since the hiring of Chris Finch -- higher usage, more elbow touches, better numbers almost across the board. The high-post touches are key, as they allow the Wolves to maximize his scoring gravity and passing ability to unlock opportunities for others.
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This is a beautiful switch-beater from the Wolves. After the pitch to Towns, D'Angelo Russell gives the illusion of screen setting. Jaden McDaniels instead ghosts the screen -- the best way to beat a switch is with a slip, folks! -- and jets to the basket. This puts Marcus Smart behind the play and causes Grant Williams to offer some help. The sink from Williams ultimately opens up a wider window for another cut, this time for Anthony Edwards.
Sheesh.
Reversing Course
If you're looking to find some fun in Magic games, as a fan or a neutral observer, try to track the way they generate looks for Terrence Ross. Always a gunner, he's become even more important to their offense due to his ability to bend defenses with movement.&nbsp;
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We get some Iverson action at the beginning of the play (Ross running off the two elbow-area screens), though he cuts it short to set up a pick-and-roll...or so we think. A cross-screen underneath the basket frees Chuma Okeke (he's fun and&nbsp;good!) for a low-post touch. Mo Bamba then flips his screen to free Ross for a corner look.
It would've been nice if the Bamba screen was better -- a theme for him at this stage -- but it's essentially an empty corner with built-in counters depending on the way it's defended. I like the design.
The Power of Gravity 
There are players that force extra attention due to their on-ball prowess. There are players that strike fear in the heart of defenders off the ball because of their shooting ability. Then, there are guys like Damian LIllard, who can fill both roles at an elite level.&nbsp;
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A double-stagger look for Lillard ends with an Enes Kanter layup. How?&nbsp;
It all boils down to the Heat being terrified of what Lillard can do with the ball in his hands. As he begins to come off the first screen, he cuts his path short to screen for Robert Covington. Against normal humans, the Heat would simply switch it. But because Lillard is the screener, Jimmy Butler outright refuses to give up the assignment to Duncan Robinson.
This kicks off the chain of events. Covington comes off the screen, forcing Bam Adebayo to leap out to prevent an open triple. Kanter slips to the rim and gets a layup because Butler is behind the play. Despite not touching the ball, the two points scored are a direct result of Lillard.
THE READING LIST
There is plenty of high-level basketball content out here if you know where to look. I wouldn&rsquo;t be where I am as a writer without reading a ton of Zach Lowe or Chris Herring or Caitlin Cooper or Mirin Fader or, well, you get the point.&nbsp;
Anyway, here are some -- not all, but some! -- of the stories I&rsquo;ve read this week (since April 7) that I think you should check out. Their Twitter handles will be linked under their names, so click and follow if you don&rsquo;t already.
A double dip from <a href="https://twitter.com/wtevs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Katie Heindl</a> (please follow her) -- a research-heavy piece on the <a href="https://uproxx.com/dimemag/nba-soft-tissue-injuries-2020-2021-season-analysis/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rise of soft-tissue injuries</a> in the NBA this season, and a dope feature on <a href="https://uproxx.com/dimemag/kevin-huerter-atlanta-hawks-interview-feature-profile/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hawks guard Kevin Huerter</a>.
<a href="https://twitter.com/MarcoRomo_" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Marco Romo</a> gives some <a href="https://uptempo.substack.com/p/terance-mann-through-the-wreckage?r=1fb9n&amp;utm_campaign=post&amp;utm_medium=web&amp;utm_source=copy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">love to Terance Mann</a> for becoming an important role player on a title contender.
<a href="https://twitter.com/MSchindlerNBA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mark Schindler</a> goes deep on <a href="https://premiumhoops.org/2021/04/11/rj-barrett-is-controlling-the-driving-lanes-on-both-ends/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">RJ Barrett's development</a> on both ends.
<a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jackson Frank</a> on the <a href="https://uproxx.com/dimemag/michael-porter-jr-denver-nuggets-2020-2021-analysis-breakdown-videos/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">development of Michael Porter Jr.</a> on both ends.
<a href="https://twitter.com/Herring_NBA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chris Herring</a> on <a href="https://www.si.com/nba/2021/04/08/jalen-brunson-mavericks-offense" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jalen Brunson operating</a> as a great complement to Luka Doncic.

In Nekias Duncan's weekly notebook, he shares things that have caught his eye. He breaks down players, teams, plays, stats and more.

Roaming the Baseline: Paul George, Jonas Valanciunas, T.J. McConnell, more

Hi, hello, and welcome to yet another edition of Roaming The Baseline! This will be a weekly endeavor where I point out some things that caught my eye: a hot or cold streak from a player, a developmental flash, a well-run play, a funny tweet, who knows? There will be film -- it&rsquo;s me, so of course there will be film -- but this will also be a bit looser. It&rsquo;s an extension of my Twitter feed, if you will.&nbsp;
With that said, let&rsquo;s roam the baseline.
CLINT CAPELA OWNS THE PAINT
The Atlanta Hawks are currently three games over .500 (27-24), good enough for the fourth seed in a crowded Eastern Conference. Trae Young stirs the drink and sips it too, currently vibing as the NBA's only player averaging at least 25.0 points and 9.0 assists this season. He probably isn't getting enough attention for how good he's been, but the general consensus is aware of him being Atlanta's best player.
Clint Capela has a strong case for being second, an upset once you consider how good the bouncy John Collins is. But Capela has his bouncy moments too, like when he met Zion Williamson at the apex:
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How about this for a basic stat comparison:
<ul>
<li>Player A: 18.3 points (60.1 TS%), 17.3 rebounds, 2.8 blocks per 75 possessions, 51.3% allowed at the rim (8.4 FGA)</li>
<li>Player B: 16.9 points (66.6 TS%), 15.3 rebounds, 3.4 blocks per 75 possessions, 51.2% allowed at the rim (8.1 FGA)</li>
</ul>
Player A is Capela; Player B is Rudy freakin' Gobert.&nbsp;
To be clear: Gobert is better than Capela on both ends. Teams treat him with more reverence -- they duck in a little harder on rim runs, and avoid the paint with more ferver when Gobert is on the court. The fact that Capela is statistically outpacing Gobert on a per-possession basis is a feather in the cap of Capela's underrated case.
He's been an effective pick-and-roll partner with Young, with the two hooking up for 57 alley-oops through 45 games, per InStat tracking. With Young being such a dynamic pull-up threat, Capela has been able to flip and flow into open runways for lob opportunities.
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He's been able to toggle through defensive coverages in Atlanta, flowing between drops and the occasional switch. The swat on Zion shines bright, but he's made plenty of boring-but-impactful contests to save buckets this season.
What do you get when you combine rim-running, glass-cleaning, and rim protection at that level? You get this stat: the Hawks are nearly 10 points per 100 possessions better with Capela on the floor, <a href="https://www.pbpstats.com/wowy-combos/nba?TeamId=1610612737&amp;Season=2020-21&amp;SeasonType=Regular%2BSeason&amp;PlayerIds=203991">per PBP Stats</a>.
KEVIN PORTER JR. GETTING THE REPS
John Wall has missed the last four games for the Houston Rockets, opening the door for Kevin Porter Jr. to get even more on-ball responsibility. The results: 16.0 points (44/29/68), 5.3 rebounds, 6.8 assists, and 4.0 turnovers,
Catch him on the right possession, and you'll be wowed by the fluidity he plays with. As of today, there are only a handful of players in the NBA who can generate legitimate separation the way that Porter Jr. can. I would say he's slithery, but that may downplay how difficult he is to defend in space. A tight handle plus an elite ability to decelerate can lead to seemingly mundane plays like this:
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Or more advanced plays like this:
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Porter Jr. is a scorer at heart, but it's been fun watching him leverage the threat of his bucket-getting to create for others. He's waxing between making the simpler reads faster and pounding the air out of the ball, a natural push-and-pull for young ball-handlers. His turnovers are mostly a result of him trying to do too darn much. But you hang in for the high-level flashes. The Wallian jump-passes, the tight window pocket-passes.
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He's a fun dude to watch.
KYRIEDICULOUS
Kyrie Irving is:
A) one of the best shooters of all-time
B) one of the best ball-handlers of all-time
C) one of the best finishers of all-time
D) all of the above
You'd technically be right if you chose "D", though even that sells him short. The handle is connected to the shot; the shot is connected to the finishing. All of it is compounded by Kobe-esque footwork that allows him to generate whatever shot, from wherever, over whomever, from a multitude of angles that mere mortals couldn't dream of.
Here's a game for you. Watch this compilation. It's only a minute and eight seconds long.
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Watch all of it, then hit me up on Twitter (<a href="https://twitter.com/NekiasNBA">@NekiasNBA</a>) with the hashtag #KyrieClip telling me which highlight you laughed at first.&nbsp;
THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GO "HMMMM"
<ul>
<li>A quick nod to Aari McDonald, Arizona's superstar guard that declared for the WNBA draft earlier this week. She balled out for Arizona all year as one of the nation's best pick-and-roll creators (78th percentile, passes included via Synergy). Things just didn't go as planned in the title game against Stanford: she dropped 22 points on 5-of-21 shooting, and ended the game with her own personal <a href="https://twitter.com/NekiasNBA/status/1378864236747755522?s=20">Kobe moment</a>. Man, a pass to the corner might've won them the game. Rough night aside, she's good, fiery, and fun. She has a fan here.</li>
<li>Joel Embiid returned over the weekend after a 10-game absence. He's played twice, both wins, and has taken 37 free throws in those games. Even with him working himself back into the flow of things, defenders can't really defend him. The pump fake remains infuriatingly effective, his rip-through on face-ups are equally tough to navigate.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Lonzo Ball is 12-of-29 from three (41.4%) ... over his last two games. The volume increase from Ball over the past two years has been just as (if not more) important than the bump in efficiency. But, man, this has been jarring. Buddy's getting the shots up.</li>
<li>Chris Paul remains the #PointGawd for a reason. He's racked up 37 assists with only four turnovers over his last three games. He has 18 games with at least 10 assists this season; he's committed two or fewer turnovers in 12 of them. Absurd.</li>
<li>Per Synergy, 86 players have taken at least 100 shots off the dribble this season. Guess who leads that group in field goal percentage? TJ McConnell at 52.8%. He's one of five players converting over half of his looks. The others: DeMar DeRozan (52.4%), Kyrie (51.1%), Kevin Durant (50.4%), and Shake Milton (50.0%). How about that?</li>
</ul>
PLAYS I LIKED
Death by a million slices
The Chicago Bulls got off to a rough start following the trade for Nikola Vucevic, losing their first four games with the big man. They've reeled off two straight since then, beating the Brooklyn Nets and Indiana Pacers respectively. It's been fun watching the Bulls figure out how many ways they can utilize Vucevic. He's operated as a roller and popper in pick-and-rolls; those actions have been especially effective with <a href="https://twitter.com/NekiasNBA/status/1379622268528132099?s=20">an empty corner</a>.&nbsp;
I like this set they've been running to get Vucevic post-up opportunities.
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The defense simply can't rest. Vucevic is a good enough passer to hit Coby White on the cut if he gained a little more separation. Heck, if White didn't cut, he could've screened for Troy Brown Jr. before flowing into a handoff (Chicago action).&nbsp;
White instead screens for Vucevic after the cut, putting the Pacers in a pick-your-poison situation. Switching that screen would've put McConnell on Vucevic, a massive size advantage that would've forced a double. With no switch, you're asking a center to fight over a screen at a weird angle and hoping he can beat Vucevic to his spot on the catch.&nbsp;
Vucevic takes his time and scores later in this possession, but I like the quick-hitting nature of the action.
Stanford is flipping the script
Stanford won their first national title since 1992 on Sunday night. They're blessed with elite coaching -- Tara VanDerveer is the NCAA's winningest coach -- and a deep, versatile roster. No two players highlight the blend of size and skill quite like do-it-all guard Haley Jones and Cameron Brink. So, why not put those two in actions together?
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You get an exchange of positioning on the baseline before Jones lifts to the left elbow. Brink does a great job of clearing space for Jones to lift into while putting 'Zona behind the action in the process. Jones resets, attacks versus the drop, then uses her defender's positioning against her to spin back for the contested finish.
The Kings have counters for their counters
The Sacramento Kings have some fun wrinkles out of Double Drag. Not only do you have to worry about the one-pops, one-rolls nature of the action, you also have to worry about one of the screeners reversing course and setting a pick for Buddy Hield to fly off of.&nbsp;
Oh, and you have to worry about this too:
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How much credit you want to assign to Hield for the screen, and how much blame you want to assign to Anthony Edwards (and Karl-Anthony Towns) for getting lost in the sauce is entirely your prerogative. It was great execution for the Kings either way.
THE READING LIST
There is plenty of high-level basketball content out here if you know where to look. I wouldn&rsquo;t be where I am as a writer without reading a ton of Zach Lowe or Chris Herring or Caitlin Cooper or Mirin Fader or, well, you get the point.&nbsp;
Anyway, here are some -- not all, but some! -- of the stories I&rsquo;ve read this week (since 3/31) that I think you should check out. Their Twitter handles will be linked under their names, so click and follow if you don&rsquo;t already.
<a href="https://twitter.com/codyhoudek">Cody Houdek</a> started a much-needed discussion on the nuances of <a href="https://premiumhoops.org/2021/04/06/evaluating-nba-perimeter-defense-establishing-and-using-a-rubric/">evaluating perimeter defense</a>.
<a href="https://twitter.com/seeratsohi">Seerat Sohi</a> talked to Zion Williamson about his football traits, and how they <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/zion-williamsons-football-frame-blended-with-basketball-finesse-could-be-next-frontier-195906171.html">translate to the basketball court</a>.
<a href="https://twitter.com/YourManDevine">Dan Devine</a> waxed poetic on Aaron Gordon and the Denver Nuggets <a href="https://www.theringer.com/nba/2021/4/6/22369360/aaron-gordon-trade-denver-nuggets-nikola-jokic">unlocking each other</a>.&nbsp;
<a href="https://twitter.com/natalieweiner">Natalie Weiner</a> came through with <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/04/sports/ncaabasketball/arizona-aari-mcdonald.html">a fantastic feature</a> on Arizona star Aari McDonald.
<a href="https://twitter.com/LeverFever">Katie Lever</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/azimbalitw">Andrew Zimbalist</a> tag-team on a piece highlighting the <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewzimbalist/2021/04/05/march-misogyny/?sh=2e790559137c">lack of resources given</a> to NCAA women's basketball.&nbsp;