Tigers

Yeah, the Minnesota Timberwolves' repeated shipwreckings in the first round might be tough to swallow for the next month. However, the blown leads and Karl-Anthony Towns trash talk undermine what was, in my estimation, one of the most promising seasons in recent franchise history.
Minnesota has made the playoffs twice since 2004. The only other time was a whimper of a first-round exit in 2018 that foreshadowed the collapse of a Jimmy Butler-led, Tom Thibodeau-coached roster. This season, Minnesota constructed a top-10 defense with the league's seventh-youngest roster, per RealGM, and went 30-17 in the 2022 calendar year.
Make no mistake: This franchise is on a positive trajectory, and is finally turning potential into production. Now, Minnesota has to make one of the most difficult leaps in basketball &mdash; going from a winning team to a true contender &mdash; at a time where the NBA wields some of the widest parity in recent memory.
The 2022 offseason can be a pivotal building block towards that leap. First, the franchise needs to secure its chief decision-maker.
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Sachin Gupta assumed interim duties as president of basketball operations following Gersson Rosas' departure last fall. The Wolves made all of five in-season acquisitions under his tenure (three of which were 10-day signings), and executed zero trades. It was a quiet season on paper for the creator of ESPN's Trade Machine.&nbsp;
According to the <a href="https://www.startribune.com/timberwolves-sachin-gupta-chris-finch/600169496/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Minneapolis Star Tribune</a>, Gupta seems prepared to navigate the Timberwolves through the summer, though the franchise has not made any move towards announcing a permanent head of operations yet. Wolves head coach Chris Finch has voiced his support for Gupta.
"They know my feelings about Sach," Finch said. "They know that I think he's outstanding and he's been a huge reason that we have stability in this organization right now. He's very smart. We have complete alignment. The players love him. He's appropriate in his presence around the team. He's not heavy-handed with the coaching staff. He does his job.
"I'm a huge fan, and I've advocated for him to have his opportunity to be the guy to run this team. Nothing would make me happier than that."
So time will tell if the new ownership group, currently including Glen Taylor, Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore, feel the same.
Minnesota has most of its current roster contractually intact. The team holds $1.9 million team options on 2019 second round pick Jaylen Nowell and undrafted Naz Reid, who have both emerged as quality rotation-caliber players. Perhaps the biggest free agent name is Taurean Prince (UFA), who solidified a solid floor-spacing role off the bench in the regular season, but struggled in the playoffs.&nbsp;
Meanwhile, defensive-minded wing Josh Okogie enters restricted free agency after playing just 10.5 minutes per game this season. The former 2018 first-round pick has seen his playing time decrease in each of the last three years. Nathan Knight and McKinley Wright IV also enter restricted free agency, while Jake Layman and Greg Monroe hit the unrestricted open market.
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The Wolves likely won't have the salary cap room for flashy free agent acquisitions. According to Spotrac, Minnesota is all-but guaranteed to be over the cap before free agency even opens. Their best spending asset will be a $10.2 million non-taxpayer exception. Interestingly, Gupta has already commented on a potential team need.
"Defensive rebounding was obviously a big issue in this series and all year long," Gupta said. "That might be a more personnel thing and more size can certainly help. There's a mix for sure in terms of how we can address some of those areas and weaknesses just with development and internal growth and others that we may have to address with the roster."
Minnesota should have plenty of chances to fill this need with its exception. Purely spitballing, but some rebounding bigs who might fit in the $10.2 million exception include: Derrick Favors, Ivica Zubac, Thomas Bryant and Andre Drummond.&nbsp;
But if the front office feels a greater compulsion to act, they have the players and draft picks to create enticing trades. Minnesota holds the No. 19 pick in the first round of the NBA Draft, and Nos. 40, 48 and 50 in the second round. How many of these selections will stay in the Twin Cities with a roster nearly full already?&nbsp;
Our Senior NBA Draft Analyst Matt Babcock projects Minnesota to select Kennedy Chandler at No. 19, and then Ismael Kamagate, Jalen Williams and Hugo Besson in the second round of <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">his latest 2022 NBA Mock Draft</a>. Chandler could develop into a steady backup point guard behind D'Angelo Russell, while the others profile as high-upside swings that Minnesota doesn't need to step into the game right now.
One more wrinkle to monitor is Leandro Bolmaro, the No. 23 pick from the 2020 NBA Draft. The Argentinian wing spent most of 2021-22 with the Iowa Wolves in the G League, and put up 12.9 points, 5.4 assists and 5.0 rebounds per game. Is Bolmaro ready to make an NBA impact?
The Timberwolves don't need to rush their franchise timeline. Anthony Edwards is only in his second season, and as we saw in the playoffs, still radiates untapped potential despite his ascendancy. Towns is the second-oldest player currently under contract, and even he's still just 26.&nbsp;
But there's no turning back once a young roster makes the NBA playoffs. Minnesota has set postseason play as the minimum standard for next season, and with youth comes expected improvement in each subsequent season.
Now Gupta, or whoever the next president of basketball operations is, must steer the franchise toward a path to greater heights this summer.
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A disappointing first-round series masked what was a breakout season for the Minnesota Timberwolves.

2022 NBA offseason preview: What's next for the Minnesota Timberwolves?

Let's start here: Kyrie Irving is an incredible basketball player.&nbsp;
Nobody in the league has a better handle, and he probably possesses the best layup package of all-time. He hit one of the <a href="https://youtu.be/ORqiqbJYl0w" target="_blank" rel="noopener">biggest and most memorable shots</a> in NBA history. Irving has earned a spot on the All-NBA team three times in his career. He'll presumably be inducted into the Hall of Fame five years after hanging up his Nikes.
During the 2021-22 regular season, Irving averaged 27.4 points, 5.8 assists, 4.4 rebounds, 1.4 steals and a career-high 3.4 made three-pointers per game. At age 29, he was named an All-Star for the seventh time.
Earlier this year, Portland Trail Blazers head coach and former NBA Finals MVP Chauncey Billups called Irving the "<a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/33038306/former-finals-mvp-chauncey-billups-brooklyn-nets-kyrie-irving-most-skilled-pg-history" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the most skilled player</a>" ever to play the point guard position. Last month, following a 60-point explosion from Irving in a victory over Orlando, Knicks shooting guard Evan Fournier tweeted, "Kyrie really the most skilled player ever." The next day, Kendrick Perkins, a former player and current NBA analyst, concurred with Fournier, <a href="https://twitter.com/TommyBeer/status/1518989460406370304?s=20&amp;t=dHe_pd4xPTwNZ-7DTar1OA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">declaring, "no disrespect to Michael Jordan</a>&hellip; but Kyrie is the most skilled player to ever play the game."
So, when Irving exercises his player option this summer and becomes an unrestricted free agent, the Nets should immediately offer him a max contract and hope he signs it, right?&nbsp;
Wrong.&nbsp;
Make no mistake, as the aforementioned stats demonstrate, Irving is deserving of a lucrative contract based on his ability. However, the issue is that he's often been either unable or unwilling to step onto the court and prove his worth.&nbsp;
Since signing a $136.5 million contract with the Nets in 2019, Irving has appeared in just 103 of 216 (47%) regular-season games, including only 29 of 82 this past season. During this three-season span, he's missed games due to injuries to his left hamstring, ankle, right shoulder, groin, right knee, quad, left hip, back and left thigh. He also famously sat out most of this past season after refusing to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and, in January of 2021, missed two weeks during an unauthorized leave of absence <a href="https://nypost.com/2021/01/08/kyrie-irvings-nets-absence-a-reaction-to-dc-riot/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> due to trauma caused by "the attack on the U.S. Capitol in Washington by supporters of President Donald Trump."
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"I felt like I was letting the team down at a point when I wasn't able to play...it became a distraction at times" Kyrie Irving talks about the challenges the Nets faced this season <a href="https://t.co/e4y702Miyy">pic.twitter.com/e4y702Miyy</a>
&mdash; Nets Videos (@SNYNets) <a href="https://twitter.com/SNYNets/status/1518779899825332225?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 26, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Kyrie has appeared in more than 60 games just once over the last five seasons. He's averaged fewer than 51 games played per season in the previous seven years.
That was during the heart of his prime. Irving now finds himself on the wrong side of 30.&nbsp;
Even more troublesome, in recent years, Irving's presence has not resulted in postseason success. In the summer of 2017, when Irving was a teammate of LeBron James in Cleveland, a team that reached the Finals in each of the prior three seasons, Kyrie demanded to be traded.
Here's a look at how each of Irving's seasons have ended after Cleveland shipped him to Boston that August:
2018: Injured&nbsp; 2019: Beat by the Bucks 4-1 in Round 2&nbsp; 2020: Injured (Raps sweep Nets in Round 1) 2021: Injured (Bucks beat Brooklyn in Round 2) 2022: Swept by the Celtics in Round 1&nbsp;
This summer, Irving has a decision to make. He has a player option worth $35,328,700 for the 2022-23 campaign. If Irving declines his option, he would be eligible to sign a new <a href="https://www.espn.in/nba/insider/insider/story/_/id/33812380/why-kevin-durant-kyrie-irving-relationship-fuel-undermine-brooklyn-nets-future" target="_blank" rel="noopener">five-year deal with Brooklyn worth up to $248 million</a>.&nbsp;
After the Nets' season-ending loss to Boston in Game 4 on Monday night, Irving bombastically declared he planned to remain in Brooklyn for the long haul. "I don't really plan on going anywhere," Irving said. "When I say I'm here with [Kevin Durant], I think that it really entails us managing this franchise together alongside Joe [Tsai] and Sean [Marks]."&nbsp;
(It's also worth noting that after Steve Nash was hired in September of 2020, <a href="https://netswire.usatoday.com/2020/10/01/kyrie-irving-i-dont-really-see-us-having-a-head-coach/">Irving stated</a>, "I don't really see us having a head coach. You know what I mean? KD could be a head coach. I could be a head coach.&rdquo;)
Last month, the NBA informed franchises that the projected salary cap for the 2022&ndash;23 season would be $122 million, <a href="https://theathletic.com/news/nbas-projected-2022-23-salary-cap-luxury-tax-higher-than-expected-sources/r8em7FbiVamW/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to</a> a report from The Athletic. Under the CBA, because Irving has 10+ years of NBA experience, the Nets can offer him a max contract starting at 35% of the cap and can include 8% raises each year for up to five years.&nbsp;
Here's an annual breakdown of the five-year max pact Irving is eligible to ink:
2022-23: $42.7 million 2023-24: $46.1 million 2024-25: $49.8 million 2025-26: $53.8 million&nbsp; 2026-27: $58.1 million&nbsp;
Irving would be 35 years of age by the end of the '26-27 campaign.
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It's obvious why Kyrie would prefer to stay put, but would re-signing Irving to a max deal be in Brooklyn's best interest?
This past season, owner Joe Tsai spent $266 million in salary and luxury tax payments, which was the second-highest amount in league history. The Nets don't have a single playoff win to show for it.&nbsp;
Despite his abundant talent, Irving was a major factor in Brooklyn's disappointing performance this year. Prior to the start of the season, when Irving informed the front office that he was refusing to get vaccinated, Nets management banished him from the practice facility and team premises.&nbsp;
At the time, general manager Sean Marks declared, "We're not looking for partners that are going to be half-time." Owner Joe Tsai said the Nets needed the entire roster "pulling the same direction."
Although the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-202122-nets-are-arguably-the-most-disappointing-team-in-nba-history-" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nets 2021-22 campaign will go down as one of the most disappointing seasons in NBA history</a>, Brooklyn actually got off to a fantastic start despite Irving's non-compliance with New York City's vaccine mandate. Powered by MVP-caliber play from Kevin Durant, the Nets posted a .724 winning percentage over the season's first two months. On December 18th, which was the day the Nets announced that Irving would be welcomed back to the club, Brooklyn was 21-9 and owners of the best record in the Eastern Conference. Following Irving's return, the Nets struggled mightily, posting a 23-29 record (.442 winning percentage) over the final three months of the regular season.
Late in the year, with Brooklyn in danger of slipping out of the playoffs and the play-in tournament altogether, head coach Steve Nash was forced to lean heavily on Durant as soon as KD returned from his knee injury. Over the final 15 games of the regular season, Durant logged more total minutes (588) than any player in the NBA, averaging a whopping 39.2 minutes a night.&nbsp;
Durant averaged a league-high 44 minutes per game in the postseason.&nbsp;&nbsp;
In Brooklyn's embarrassing defeat to Boston in the first round, Irving averaged just 15.3 points while shooting a putrid 37% from the floor and a frigid 18% from downtown over the final three games of the series. Irving was, at best, the fifth-best/most impactful player in the series.
In some respects, this two-second clip sums up Irving's and the Nets' season:
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1.4 seconds left in the half. Plenty of time to take a dribble and get up a heave from half court. In what is, quite literally, a must-win game for his team. Where every point is crucial. And Kyrie Irving decides not to even attempt a shot. Disgraceful. <a href="https://t.co/3TDzx1Dzpq">pic.twitter.com/3TDzx1Dzpq</a>
&mdash; Tommy Beer (@TommyBeer) <a href="https://twitter.com/TommyBeer/status/1518743786960080898?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 26, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Based on how the last three games, three weeks, three months and three years have played out, do the Nets want to remain in a long-term partnership with this man? Do they want to pony up $250 million for the privilege to do so?&nbsp;
Because the Nets are over the salary cap even without Irving on the books, letting him go for nothing would be nonsensical. However, working out a sign-and-trade would likely lead to a better allocation of the team's assets.&nbsp;
Considering the current construction of the Nets roster around Durant (and the team's lack of depth), might it make more sense for Brooklyn to pursue a defensive-minded, pass-first point guard to play alongside KD, Joe Harris, Ben Simmons, etc.? One which is far more affordable than Irving?&nbsp;
Keep in mind that Brooklyn has nine potential free agents this summer: Patty Mills (player option), Andre Drummond, Nic Claxton, LaMarcus Aldridge, Blake Griffin, Kessler Edwards (team option), David Duke Jr. and, most notably, Bruce Brown.&nbsp;
It's worth noting that over Games 2 and Game 3 vs. Boston, Brown scored nearly twice as many points as Irving (49 vs. 26, respectively) and grabbed six more rebounds. Brown is also a far superior defender and five years younger. Not to mention he's not nearly as much of a distraction.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Even though they are capped out, Brooklyn has a trade exception worth $11.3 million to utilize and will be able to spend their mid-level exception in free agency.
Tyus Jones, who again led the NBA in assist-to-turnover ratio this season, will be a free agent this summer. Gary Payton II is also set to hit the open market.&nbsp;
If Irving were open to a sign-and-trade, Brooklyn wouldn't necessarily have to get a point guard back in such a deal. Sean Marks and company could simply move Irving for the best packable available, whether that be a combination of players or draft capital.
The big "if" is whether Irving would agree to such a scenario. Could he be convinced that his relationship with Brooklyn has run its course and that breaking up is best for both parties? Would Durant co-sign such a decision?&nbsp;
If Irving refuses a sign-and-trade, the Nets have to play hardball in negotiations. Agreeing to commit $200+ million to a player as injury-prone and untrustworthy as Irving would be organizational malpractice. Brooklyn should only guarantee a fraction of Irving's salary and should include as many incentives as possible (such as 65+ games played per season, etc.)
Ultimately, attempting to predict future decisions from Kyrie Irving, a man who once proclaimed the earth was flat and later forfeited $17 million because he refused to get a shot in his arm, is a fool's errand.&nbsp;
One thing is certain: It will be fascinating to see how this all plays out.&nbsp;&nbsp;
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Tommy Beer breaks down why it would be "organizational malpractice" for Brooklyn to extend Kyrie Irving this summer.

Why the Nets should part ways with Kyrie Irving

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

We have reached the final installment of this season's NBA Sour Rankings and it's been a wild ride.
Of the 30 NBA teams, 28 appeared on the list at some points in the season. I inversed each ranking and turned it into a point value to tally up the most prominent members. The Los Angeles Lakers (134 points), Sacramento Kings (117), New York Knicks (113) and Portland Trail Blazers (99) were the highest point-getters, and continuously peppered the rankings since they each disappointed at consistent levels throughout the year.
Who never touched the Sour Rankings? The San Antonio Spurs and Orlando Magic. I bet you didn't expect them. Those squads had the combination of extremely low expectations and frequent flashes from young talent. Despite those franchises never being on top of the NBA sphere, I never felt frustrated by by either team because there was always a silver lining after every game.
So we arrive at the final ranking with several playoff contenders sputtering to the finish.
If you're new to the Sour Rankings, here's a refresher: Unlike the typical "power rankings" that are so common 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 are updated every week to match the twists and turns of the league.
This is not merely a bottom-10 of your typical best-to-worst outlooks. 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;The Dallas Mavericks have climbed up to fourth in the Western Conference standings and flipped to home-court advantage against the Utah Jazz, who they'll likely play in the postseason. The Chicago Bulls have somewhat righted the ship and maintain a hold on fifth place in the Eastern Conference. The Knicks may be out of the playoff picture, but they've suddenly been hit with a wave of developmental flashes from the young core. <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-stats-notebook-immanuel-quickleys-unusual-shot-diet-can-work" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Immanuel Quickley leads the way</a>.&nbsp;
10. Boston Celtics (47-28)
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ESPN Sources: Celtics C Robert Williams has suffered a meniscus tear in his left knee and will minimally miss several weeks. Further evaluation today will help provide a timetable. Boston moved into first-place Sunday, and Williams has been immense part of NBA&rsquo;s best defense.
&mdash; Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1508469824195899398?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 28, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Man... <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/report-celtics-center-robert-williams-feared-to-have-torn-meniscus" target="_blank" rel="noopener">that is pain</a>. What else is there to say?
(Last week: Unranked)
9. Brooklyn Nets (39-36)
Brooklyn boasts the league's fourth-ranked offense over the past two weeks, and that was before the New York City vaccination policies changed, allowing Kyrie Irving to play in home games. The Nets can end their season with some positive momentum, as they face just three more teams at .500 or better.
One of those teams is the Atlanta Hawks, who Brooklyn is currently slotted to play in the Play-In bracket. The race for the eighth seed is dead even between the Nets and Charlotte Hornets, and that's a battle within a battle to get at least two extra shots at a playoff spot. Should the Nets lose, do they want to face a dominant Trae Young with their not-so-dominant defense?
(Last week: 8)
8. Golden State Warriors (48-27)
The Warriors have lost 5 of their last 6 games and just took a 123-115 defeat against the Wizards. They are 6-10 since the All-Star break, and while those losses have come with a mix of injured absences involving Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, it's concerning that the rest of the cast can't keep things together &mdash; even against bad teams. Golden State is currently two games up on the Mavericks for the third seed, but only four games separate the team from the sixth-place Denver Nuggets. This is a sneaky-close middle tier with the Warriors holding little momentum.
(Last week: 10)
7. Atlanta Hawks (37-37)
As mentioned, the Hawks face a potential playoff preview with the Nets. But they'll likely have to meet both Brooklyn and Charlotte in some order in the postseason. Atlanta went 2-2 against the Hornets in the regular season, and is 0-2 vs. the Nets prior to this coming Saturday's matchup. That doesn't inspire much confidence that the Hawks, as the No. 10 seed, can storm through both to the playoffs.
(Last week: 7)
6. Utah Jazz (45-30)
Utah received a quality playoff test this past week with games against the Nets, Celtics, Hornets and Mavericks. The Jazz lost all four games, though they missed Gobert. Their perennially stalwart defense is down to 20th over the past two weeks, and against the Celtics in particular, they couldn't seem to contain anyone. Donovan Mitchell is averaging 26.4 points per game since the All-Star break, but even that isn't mattering when the defense doesn't show up beyond Gobert.
(Last week: Unranked)
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5. Miami Heat (47-28)
Bryan Fonseca wrote a great piece this past week about <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-miami-heats-blow-up-was-necessary-but-now-the-rest-is-up-to-them" target="_blank" rel="noopener">that Heat meltdown on Wednesday</a> against the Warriors. His message was that these types of altercations don't have to define the rest of the season. But the dust-up certainly is right now, as the Heat have lost their grip on the East's top spot. They followed up the defeat with two more bad losses to the Knicks and Nets.
Miami still has conference powers in Boston, Chicago and Toronto left on the schedule. With the top four seeds separate by half a game, the Heat could easily plummet to the bottom of the tier.
(Last week: Unranked)
4. Washington Wizards (32-42)
Let's talk about Corey Kispert! The No. 15 pick flailed, as most rookies do, to open his NBA career. But Kispert has meaningfully caught fire in recent weeks. The 23-year-old sharpshooter is drilling 42.4% of his three-pointers in March. He just hit six triples on his way to a career-high 25 points in the team's aforementioned win over the Warriors. Washington hasn't had too much to get excited about in these last two weeks, so at least Kispert is helping send the young core into the summer on a high note.
(Last week: 2)
3. Portland Trail Blazers (27-47)
According to <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/jerami-grant-trade-rumors-portland-is-still-the-frontrunner" target="_blank" rel="noopener">James L. Edwards III of&nbsp;The Athletic</a>, the Trail Blazers are still the front-runner to trade for Jerami Grant this offseason. "I think a lottery pick would be the kind of sweetener that would [get a deal done]," Edwards told HoopsHype's Michael Scotto.
I just don't understand how a team so badly in need of a reset can cash in what will likely be its highest draft pick in a decade to go make a last-ditch attempt at keeping the current group relevant. Portland does not have a playoff-caliber roster regardless of Damian Lillard's health. Trading away several key future pieces for Jerami Grant will not change this. I'm simply against this move for the franchise's future.
(Last week: 4)
2. Los Angeles Lakers (31-43)
Here we go!
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WHAT A COMEBACK 😱 The Pelicans rally from a 23-point deficit to take down the Lakers in NoLa! <a href="https://t.co/MmFRQr8n2l">pic.twitter.com/MmFRQr8n2l</a>
&mdash; NBA TV (@NBATV) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBATV/status/1508254421804716033?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 28, 2022</a></blockquote>

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The Lakers are on a two-game skid and the Spurs are on a three-game win streak. Los Angeles has eight games to try and hold off San Antonio and at least survive to reach the postseason. Over the past two weeks, in which the Lakers have gone 2-5, they have the league's ninth-ranked offense and 27th-ranked defense. Their last eight games include the Mavericks, Jazz, Pelicans, Suns, Warriors, Thunder and Nuggets (twice).
Whew, this is not going to be easy!
(Last week: 1)
1. Sacramento Kings (27-48)
The Kings shut down Richaun Holmes for the season due to "personal reasons" and did not specify why. Robin Epley of the <a href="https://www.sacbee.com/opinion/article259668860.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sacramento Bee found out</a>: Holmes is facing serious domestic violence allegations amid an ongoing custody battle.
Obviously this is an ongoing process with no conclusion yet. But Epley makes the point painfully clear in her article.
"I&rsquo;m not convicting Richaun Holmes ahead of his court date. It does, however, appear that the Kings were focused on covering up a serious situation involving allegations of domestic violence by one of their players. When I contacted the team this week, they refused to comment on the serious charges facing their player, or say anything beyond the cryptic announcement of Holmes&rsquo; departure," she writes.
Epley goes more into some important statistics surrounding domestic violence cases in the U.S. and in the NBA. I seriously implore you to read them if you haven't yet. But the point is: This is yet again another case being swept under the rug by the league and its franchises.
(Last week: 3)
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Ethan Fuller ranks the most frustrating NBA teams in the last Sour Rankings of the season.

NBA Sour Rankings: The final countdown

It&rsquo;s been a tough season for Syracuse freshman Benny Williams, the 6-foot-8 forward from Prince George&rsquo;s County, Md. &mdash; the same place that produced Kevin Durant, Jeff Green, Markelle Fultz, Victor Oladipo and many other NBA standouts.&nbsp;
Williams arrived at Syracuse as a five-star, top-25 prospect. In fact, he's the highest-rated recruit that Syracuse has landed in a long time. Fans couldn&rsquo;t wait to see what a recruit of this caliber would do once he set foot inside the Carrier Dome.&nbsp;
However, this season didn&rsquo;t go as planned.&nbsp;
Williams was relegated to the bench for the majority of the season, seeing inconsistent spot minutes and failing to live up to the expectations set for him. And while the majority of Syracuse fans were up in arms over Williams' lack of playing time, his status didn&rsquo;t change.&nbsp;
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It looked like things could possibly turn around for the freshman after a good showing in a lopsided loss to Duke (when he had 14 points and 6 rebounds on 71.4% shooting from the field). However, these hopes were crushed when it was announced that <a href="https://www.syracuse.com/orangebasketball/2022/03/benny-williams-will-miss-the-rest-of-the-2021-22-season-with-an-injury-su-announced.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Williams would miss the rest of the season</a> with a lower-body injury.
But what was strange was that he was not on the bench for the final game against Miami nor for the first game of the ACC Tournament against Florida State. This, of course, has led to more chatter and speculation from fans about the possibility of him not returning to Syracuse next season.&nbsp;
Syracuse legend Derrick Coleman was a guest on my podcast "The Rematch," and we discussed Benny Williams, his limited playing time and the likelihood of him returning next season. Below is an excerpt of our conversation.
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Etan Thomas: "Let me ask you a question about the current team. It's been a tough season."
Derrick Coleman: "Cardiac 'Cuse." (Points to his hoodie)&nbsp;
Thomas: "Cardiac 'Cuse! It's been a tough season. And there are a lot of aspects that are troublesome. One of them is: I saw <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/ncaa-basketball-news-losing-kadary-richmond-tragedy-for-syracuse-university-orange-transfer-portal-jim-boeheim" target="_blank" rel="noopener">what happened with Kadary [Richmond]</a>. I saw his demeanor. I was watching him on the bench &mdash; watching him sitting there, not playing. Then, watching him when he played, he got in there and he did well, but there was no joy. There was no happiness. You know what I mean? He did what he did, and went back to the bench emotionless. So I knew he was going to leave. That's why I kept saying, 'He's going to leave if we don&rsquo;t play him.' And I see the same thing with Benny Williams. And the thing about it, he&rsquo;s from this area. PG County. I've seen him play. My son knows him and has seen him play for years.
"He is someone who is a special talent. And now it's setup to where it's like, 'I'm going to play you sparingly here, and then take you out, and then tell the media you're not ready.' Or, 'I'm not going to play you for four games, and then put you in for two minutes. After one mistake, I'm going to talk about that mistake publicly, and then tell the media again, 'That's why you're not ready.'' And that's the part that bothers me because I&rsquo;ve seen this script before. Benny&rsquo;s saying all the right things publicly. He's staying after the game, shooting, all that stuff, which is great because somebody's advising him very well, most likely his father."
Coleman: "But that's not getting him into the game. Let me just say this, okay? Benny Williams is a top-30 prospect. Can you name anybody else on our team that's a top-30 prospect?"
Thomas: "No."
Coleman: "Can you name anybody on our team the last two, three years that has been a top-30 prospect?"
Thomas: "Hmmm..."
Coleman: "So how you got a top-30 prospect sitting on the bench when nobody on our team is a top-30 prospect? That's sad. But the thing that I don't like about it [is]: You're playing with kids' lives, their livelihood, and just what you just said, he now has no enthusiasm. No joy. So now you&rsquo;ve sucked the soul out of me so now the game of basketball, something that I love, is not fun anymore."
Thomas: "Right."
Coleman: "So when it's not fun, okay, I got to go somewhere where it's going to be fun for me again. And just like you say, I sit and... Every time Seton Hall plays, I'm watching because I'm rooting for [Kadary]."
Thomas: "He puts on a show too, every single time."
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Coleman: "Because it doesn't make any sense what's going on at our university. And you cannot do that."
Thomas: "Yeah. I agree."
Coleman: "You&rsquo;re taking the life out of a kid, man. He's no longer having any fun, and nothing that he's doing in the game of basketball is fun anymore and it&rsquo;s not supposed to be like that. Basketball is supposed to be fun, man. Like you said, you're not even having fun with your teammates."
Thomas: "Right. There's no joy."
Coleman: "The demeanor is dry. Your smile is dry. You know what I'm saying?"
Thomas: "Yeah, you can tell."
Coleman: "You're not really engaged and then you&rsquo;re constantly looking over your shoulder because any mistake..."
Thomas: "You're coming out."
Coleman: "And you&rsquo;re going crazy about me making a mistake? When I'm coming out of the game, you&rsquo;re yelling and cursing at me. I expect a mistake, Coach. Went from a 2-3 to a 1-3-1, Coach. Where they do that at?"
Thomas: "Right. Where they do that at? "
Coleman: "Yeah. Come on, man. What are we doing?"
Thomas: "And somebody throws me a bad pass and I don't catch it, and it's my fault. And I get snatched out and I get fussed at. And you&rsquo;re yelling and snarling and spitting and carrying on ."
Coleman: "Right."
Thomas: "And it's interesting because I've been on the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/syracuse-center-jesse-edwards-answers-critics-with-his-play" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Free Jesse [Edwards] campaign</a> and rooting for Jesse for some time now. And I saw the same thing happening with him. Me and Roosevelt Bouie, we've been talking to him. He was in the same predicament that Benny is currently in &mdash; not getting to play, you saw the demeanor changing. Put him in for a minute, take him out. Publicly saying, 'He's not ready. He's not this, he&rsquo;s not that.' Now, this year, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/syracuse-center-jesse-edwards-answers-critics-with-his-play" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jesse is ballin'</a>! You know what I mean? It's amazing what you can do with time on the court, being allowed to play through mistakes."
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Coleman: "Thank you."
Thomas: "And then gaining confidence, and then you're able to produce because everybody's like, 'Well, oh, Jesse all of a suddenly learned how to play...' And I&rsquo;m like, 'He could&rsquo;ve done this last year!'"
Coleman: "Exactly. You gotta get a chance to have some type of rhythm out there on the court."
Thomas: "And that's where we, as Syracuse alumni, step in. I was talking to Jesse all the time, lifting his spirits and encouraging him &mdash; the same way that Roosevelt Bouie did with me when I was playing. You didn't go through any of that."
Coleman: (Laughing) "Nah, nah."
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Thomas: "Come on DC, you know you don&rsquo;t know nothing about that. Having the freshman blues where you&rsquo;re sitting there in practice, looking at Coach Boeheim and you&rsquo;re like, 'Let him say one thing to me today and this going to be the day! One thing, and it goin' down today!'" (Laughing) &nbsp;
Coleman: (Laughing) "But what you got to understand with me, man, everybody have a rock on their shoulder. I got a brick."
Thomas: "I got you."
Coleman: "I got a brick on my shoulder. I'm raised by strong women, man. And I tell people that all the time: Man, the strongest person in my life has been my grandmother. Period. So I'm raised not to take no shit. I'm raised to be respectable and to have respect, regardless of what the situation is. You might not like me, don't like what I say or whatever I do, but you know what? You going to respect me. So I'm raised that way. And like I said, I used to go through my pitfalls and have my battles with Coach. But again, confidence, man. I would never let nobody take away my confidence from me."
Thomas: "Who were the older players, the vets, that came back and poured into you, while you was at Syracuse?"
Coleman: "Well, again, it started for me probably being up there, playing in camp. And I used to always play with Leo Rautins and those guys. So they used to always be up there. And then seeing Pearl [Washington], talking to Pearl a lot. Seeing Gene Waldron and Howard [Triche], you know what I mean? So as a freshman, I'm just trying to feel my way through everything. Like Derek Brower... I probably spent more time with Derek Brower [than anyone]... He was my ride, as a freshman, you know what I'm saying? He was my ride everywhere."
Thomas: "He's a character. He's so funny on Facebook."
Coleman: "A character, man! A great dude, but he is a character. But I spent a lot of times with him and Greg Monroe. Hhe actually gave me my nickname, Coast To Coast. Because people were always like, 'Why they call you Coast?' I say, 'Because I would grab the rebound and push it coast to coast. Greg Monroe gave me that nickname.' And it was always great having those guys motivate me just like I&rsquo;m sure it&rsquo;s great for Jesse to have you motivate him.
"But again, man, confidence is everything. And like you said, when I'm looking at Benny... Body language tells us everything. So when I'm sitting there watching the games, like we do, I see it. I see it in the kid&rsquo;s face. The way he looks, his whole body language. He's just like, 'Man, I'm just here.'"
Thomas: "I'm just here so I won&rsquo;t get fined."
Coleman: "Exactly! So I&rsquo;m like what&rsquo;s going on? You know what I'm saying? And again, I don't see nobody better than him or with more upside."
Thomas: "And you better believe there are other programs, especially around the DMV, that would love to have him. I'm sure Maryland is on the horn... If they are smart, they're on the horn talking to his parents like, 'Hey, you&rsquo;re not going to have to go through what you're going through there, over here.' I know it! Any coach should do that right now. So I'm a little bit doubtful [he returns]&hellip; I mean, he&rsquo;s always saying all the right things. The media keeps asking him and putting him on the spot, but what is he supposed to say to the media? I hate it here and I can&rsquo;t wait to get up outta here the first chance I get? But no, I don't have the confidence to say he's going to be back next year."
Coleman: "Me either. But why would he? Why would he come back to go through all of this stuff again that he did as a freshman? What&rsquo;s really gonna change, Coach? How are you gonna convince me that anything will be different?"
Thomas: "It&rsquo;s just unfortunate."
Coleman: "It&rsquo;s very unfortunate, because you&rsquo;re playing with a kid&rsquo;s life and he really has a chance to go to the next level. And now, you have this kid second-guessing himself out there and not even playing like himself anymore."
Thomas: "And like I said, I saw him in high school, the kid can play!"
Coleman: "I saw him too, he can go. Bounce, shoot, drive, defend, I saw him and said, 'Oh, he&rsquo;s gonna be special.' So now, he may be special for another school and that&rsquo;s terrible."
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Etan Thomas speaks with Derrick Coleman about the Syracuse men's basketball team and the future of Benny Williams.

Derrick Coleman isn't confident Benny Williams will be back next year

Every day, BasketballNews.com gives you NBA betting analysis before tip-off. Make sure you subscribe to our daily podcast, <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nothing-but-bets/id1589799249">&ldquo;Nothing But Bets&rdquo;</a> on Apple Podcasts, Spofify or wherever you&nbsp;listen to your podcasts. This season, &ldquo;Nothing But Bets&rdquo; is up hundreds of dollars on PrizePicks.
Without further ado, let&rsquo;s go ahead and dive into Wednesday&rsquo;s five best games on tap.
New York Knicks (-4.5) vs. Brooklyn Nets
It&rsquo;s hard to envision a scenario where the Nets win this one in Madison Square Garden, especially with no Kyrie Irving, Ben Simmons or Kevin Durant available. The Knicks have been one of the Association&rsquo;s most inconsistent teams, but we favor them here against their crosstown rival. Hammer the Knicks here with a lot of confidence.
Pick: Knicks -4.5
PrizePicks Power Play: Julius Randle over 23.5 points, Mitchell Robinson over 10.5 rebounds, Andre Drummond over 10 rebounds, Seth Curry over 2.5 threes
Chicago Bulls (-5.5) vs. Sacramento Kings
You won&rsquo;t find a more on fire player right now from a scoring perspective than DeMar DeRozan. Single handedly carrying the Bulls&rsquo; offense lately, DeRozan has simply been unstoppable. Against the Kings, DeRozan is going to light them up like a Christmas tree. The De&rsquo;Aaron Fox, Domantas Sabonis pairing is fun in Sacramento, but it won&rsquo;t be enough against Chicago on Wednesday.
Pick: Bulls -5.5
PrizePicks Power Play: DeMar DeRozan over 32.5 points, De&rsquo;Aaron Fox over 23.5 points, Nikola Vucevic over 13 rebounds, Domantas Sabonis over 5 assists
Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Toronto Raptors (-2)
This is going to be one of the most entertaining games on Wednesday, when the Raptors and Timberwolves square off. Both teams are climbing in their respective conferences, plus underrated star power is available in bunches on the court. We actually really like the Timberwolves in the underdog spot at home. Karl-Anthony Towns and D&rsquo;Angelo Russell should be able to carry the scoring load without Anthony Edwards, who is out with an ankle injury. We&rsquo;re rolling the dice here on the home team underdog, which is way too enticing for a team of Minnesota&rsquo;s caliber.
Pick: Timberwolves +2
PrizePicks Power Play: Karl-Anthony Towns over 24.5 points, Pascal Siakam over 23.5 points, Gary Trent Jr. over 20.5 points, D&rsquo;Angelo Russell over 19.5 points
Golden State Warriors (-5) vs. Denver Nuggets
What a game in San Francisco on Wednesday night. Stephen Curry&rsquo;s Warriors against Nikola Jokic&rsquo;s Nuggets will be must-see TV. From a betting perspective, this is one where you can win a lot of money back on props. Curry and Jokic will surely go off, but who else will step up alongside them? We&rsquo;re hammering the Warriors here, thanks in large part to their advantage in depth.
Pick: Warriors -5
PrizePicks Power Play: Nikola Jokic over 25.5 points, Stephen Curry over 24.5 points, Aaron Gordon over 5.5 rebounds, Andrew Wiggins over 1.5 blocks/steals
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Utah Jazz (-5)
Our best bet of the day is the primetime matchup between the Jazz and Lakers in Los Angeles. Without hesitation, we&rsquo;re betting big on Utah. Donovan Mitchell should have his way with the Lakers&rsquo; defense, plus Rudy Gobert will alter plenty of shots around the rim defensively. The Jazz are a bad matchup for the Lakers, especially with how disappointing their season has been thus far. Lock in the Jazz with great value to be had on the point spread.
Pick: Jazz -5
PrizePicks Power Play: Donovan Mitchell over 25.5 points, Anthony Davis over 22.5 points, Rudy Gobert over 12 rebounds
Make sure to <a href="https://app.prizepicks.com/sign-up?invite_code=News">check out PrizePicks</a> and use the promo code NEWS when you sign up, and they&rsquo;ll instantly match your deposit up to $100! Also, make sure to listen to &ldquo;Nothing But Bets&rdquo; for daily betting analysis on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.

For a great Wednesday slate, "Nothing But Bets" provides their hard-hitting betting analysis.

Best Bets: BasketballNews' NBA picks and fantasy advice for 2/16/22

Tommy Beer is back with his latest version of BasketballNews.com's NBA Power Rankings. To read last week's version, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-power-rankings-sixers-and-nuggets-on-come-up-nets-sliding" target="_blank" rel="noopener">click here</a>.
The Milwaukee Bucks, Dallas Mavericks and Boston Celtics (thanks to their dominant defense) are three of the big climbers this week, while the Nets continue to head in the wrong direction.
1. Phoenix Suns (44-10) &harr;️ Last Week: 1
Despite posting the NBA's best record, the Suns are reportedly looking to upgrade their roster. <a href="https://hoopshype.com/lists/nba-rumors-james-harden-ben-simmons-caris-levert-collin-sexton-malik-beasley-thaddeus-young/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype</a>, Phoenix is one of two teams (the Minnesota Timberwolves being the other) that have expressed interest in trading for San Antonio Spurs veteran Thaddeus Young.
2. Golden State Warriors (41-13) &harr;️ Last Week: 2
It appears Klay Thompson is finding his groove, which is bad news for the rest of the NBA. Klay has scored over 20 points in back-to-back games and is averaging 19.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 3.6 made treys (while shooting 42.9% from downtown) over his last five contests. &nbsp;
3. Memphis Grizzlies (38-18) &harr;️ Last Week: 3
The Grizz just keep on winning. They've won 6 of their last 7 games and 19 of their previous 23. Memphis has not lost consecutive contests since before Christmas. Over their last 20 games, Ja Morant is averaging 29.9 points (while shooting over 51% from the floor), 6.7 dimes, 6.3 assists, 1.6 made triples and 1.1 steals. Those are jaw-dropping numbers for any player, let alone a 22-year-old kid in just his third pro season.
4. Milwaukee Bucks (35-21) ⬆️ Last Week: 9
Interesting statistical factoid from the Bucks 137-113 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday. In that game, Milwaukee became the first team in NBA history to have each member of its starting lineup score at least 15 points, grab at least 5 rebounds and knock down at least 2 three-pointers.
5. Miami Heat (35-20) &harr;️ Last Week: 5
When the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Chicago Bulls on Sunday night, Miami clinched the best record in the Eastern Conference through the end of last week, which means Erik Spoelstra and his staff will head to Cleveland later this month to coach Team Durant in the All-Star Game.
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6. Chicago Bulls (33-21) &harr;️ Last Week: 6
The Bulls, playing without two of their best perimeter defenders in Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso, have lost 3 of their last 4. However, after playing Wednesday in Charlotte, Chicago begins a six-game homestand that wraps around All-Star weekend. Following the matchup with the Hornets, the Bulls don't play on the road again until Feb. 28.&nbsp;
7. Cleveland Cavaliers (33-21) ⬆️ Last Week: 8
The Cavs acquired Caris LeVert from the Indiana Pacers in exchange for injured point guard Ricky Rubio and three draft picks over the weekend. "Very excited to add a dynamic young player of this caliber and experience," Cleveland president Koby Altman told reporters. "LeVert fits uniquely into our culture, and his Ohio roots bring an immediate connection to our community. We look forward to seeing what type of impact he can make on this roster." It's an excellent addition for the Cavs to supply them with the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/reaction-caris-levert-fills-blended-need-for-cavs-as-pacers-reset" target="_blank" rel="noopener">scoring wing they were looking for</a>, making Cleveland that much scarier come playoff time. LeVert is expected to be active for Wednesday's game against the Spurs.
8. Philadelphia 76ers (32-22) ⬇️ Last Week: 4
The Sixers are 10 games over .500 and Joel Embiid is doing much of the heavy lifting. Over his last 10 games, the big man is averaging 36.0 points, 12.1 rebounds and 4.7 assists. In the process, he may have established himself as the odds-on favorite to take home the MVP award entering the All-Star break. &nbsp;
9. Dallas Mavericks (32-23) ⬆️ Last Week: 10
Reggie Bullock tallied 22 points (on 8 of 14 shooting with 6 made three-pointers), 9 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals in a win over the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday. He's been a big part of the Mavs success of late. Over Dallas' past seven games, Bullock is averaging 17.9 points (while shooting 50.0% from the floor), 5.4 rebounds, 4.6 treys, 1.3 steals and just 0.6 turnovers.
10. Utah Jazz (33-21) ⬆️ Last Week: 11
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Donovan Mitchell sealed the win for the <a href="https://twitter.com/utahjazz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@utahjazz</a> with 3 fourth-quarter steals, after GOING OFF for 21 points in the first half! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TakeNote?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TakeNote</a> 🕷 <a href="https://twitter.com/spidadmitchell?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@spidadmitchell</a>: 32 PTS, 7 REB, 6 AST, 4 STL <a href="https://t.co/IiPsFfYDIu">pic.twitter.com/IiPsFfYDIu</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1490927965319970816?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 8, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Donovan Mitchell racked up 32 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 steals in Utah's victory over the Knicks on Monday night. Rudy Gobert (left calf strain) did not play in the win, but the Jazz are hoping he is cleared to return to the action later this week. They also just acquired Nickeil Alexander-Walker <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nickel-alexanderwalker-on-the-move-again-as-blazers-jazz-spurs-complete-threeteam-deal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in a three-team deal</a> to add some youth (and depth) to their backcourt.
11. Denver Nuggets (30-24) ⬇️ Last Week: 7
Nikola Jokic was at it again Sunday, registering another triple-double in Denver's 124-104 win over the Brooklyn Nets. The Joker finished with 27 points (on 12 of 15 shooting), 12 rebounds, 10 assists, 2 steals and just 2 turnovers in only 30 minutes. This one (his NBA-leading 14th triple-double) was notable because it was the second time in Jokic's career he's recorded a 25-point triple-double while also shooting above 80% from the floor. Wilt Chamberlain is the only player in NBA history with more than one such game.
12. Toronto Raptors (29-23) ⬆️ Last Week: 14
The Raptors, who are currently riding a six-game winning streak, have discussed a trade that would send Goran Dragic (and his $18 million expiring contract) to the Hawks in exchange for Danilo Gallinari, <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2953236-nba-trade-intel-cj-mccollum-has-become-best-player-likely-dealt-at-deadline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report</a>.
13. Boston Celtics (31-25)&nbsp;⬆️ Last Week: 15
The Celtics have posted a 13-4 record dating back to New Year's Eve, and it's their defense that has turned Boston's season around. Over this 17-game stretch, the C's are allowing just 101.5 points per 100 possessions. To put that number in context: No team in the NBA other than Boston is allowing fewer than 106.5 points per 100 possessions over the past six weeks. Boston ranks first in Net Rating in 2022 as well. As usual, Marcus Smart has led the charge (pun intended) on the defensive front. He leads his team in pass deflections (64 more than any other Celtic) and charges drawn.
14. Minnesota Timberwolves (29-25) ⬆️ Last Week: 17
In the 18 games this season in which Minnesota has been able to roll out its preferred starting five of D&rsquo;Angelo Russell, Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Edwards, Jarred Vanderbilt and Patrick Beverley, the Wolves are 13-5.
15. Brooklyn Nets (29-25) ⬇️ Last Week: 12
The Nets have lost nine straight games. They are 12 games under .500 dating back to late December. Kevin Durant is still weeks away from returning to action after spraining the medial collateral in his left knee last month. James Harden looks puffy and is nursing a hamstring injury. Joe Harris suffered a setback in his recovery from left ankle surgery in late January and reportedly could need a second surgery. Of the 27 games remaining on the Nets schedule, 14 of them are on the road. However, four of those contests are against either the New York Knicks or Raptors, which means Irving will only be able to suit up for (at most) 10 games. But, yeah, other than that, everything is all good in Brooklyn.&nbsp;
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16. Charlotte Hornets (28-27) ⬇️ Last Week: 13
Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2953236-nba-trade-intel-cj-mccollum-has-become-best-player-likely-dealt-at-deadline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> this week that the Hornets are one of several teams that have expressed interest in Spurs big man Jakob Poeltl. The Bulls and Raps have also been rumored to be interested in Poeltl.
17. Atlanta Hawks (26-28) ⬇️ Last Week: 16
The Hawks were just 1-3 in their previous four games prior to Tuesday (although that one win was impressive &mdash; a victory at home over the Suns last Thursday, which snapped their 11-game winning streak). Atlanta took advantage of a reeling Indiana Pacers squad Tuesday night, beating them 133-112.
18. Los Angeles Lakers (26-29) &harr;️ Last Week: 18
Over the Lakers' last four games, Russell Westbrook is shooting a putrid 27.5% from the floor, 15.4% from downtown and 55.0% from the charity stripe. Late in the fourth quarter of Sunday's victory over the Knicks, when Westbrook was alone with the ball in the corner, the home crowd shouted at him not to shoot. When New York forced overtime, head coach Frank Vogel benched Russ for Talen Horton-Tucker. Westbrook was also benched for the final 14 minutes in Tuesday&rsquo;s loss to the Bucks. Will the Lakers admit they made a mistake before the deadline and reroute Russ out of Los Angeles?
19. New Orleans Pelicans (22-32) ⬆️ Last Week: 23
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
🔥 Brandon Ingram WENT OFF for 17 points in the 3rd quarter on his way to 33 points and the <a href="https://twitter.com/PelicansNBA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PelicansNBA</a> win! <a href="https://twitter.com/B_Ingram13?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@B_Ingram13</a>: 33 PTS, 12 AST, 3 STL <a href="https://t.co/3uT1ocPpgg">pic.twitter.com/3uT1ocPpgg</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1490683017949552641?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 7, 2022</a></blockquote>

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New Orleans, who won just one of their first 13 games this season, is now riding a four-game winning streak and has jumped up into 10th place in the Western Conference. And on Tuesday, the team <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/why-the-pelicans-pushing-chips-in-on-cj-mccollum-was-a-wise-investment" target="_blank" rel="noopener">added a stud scorer to its roster</a>. The Pels acquired CJ McCollum along with Larry Nance and Tony Snell from the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for Jason Hart, Tomas Satoransky, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Didi Louzada and draft compensation. I love this deal for New Orleans.&nbsp;
20. Los Angeles Clippers (27-29) ⬇️ Last Week: 19
Last week, the Clippers made a shrewd trade, sending Eric Bledsoe, Justise Winslow, Keon Johnson, and a second-round pick to the Blazers for Norman Powell and Robert Covington. It will help not only help them make a playoff push this year, but will also <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/breaking-down-why-the-blazersclippers-deal-works-for-both-sides" target="_blank" rel="noopener">round out their roster next season</a> when they can count on both Kawhi Leonard and Paul George returning to full strength. Powell looked great in his Clippers' debut on Sunday, tallying 28 points on 9 of 16 shooting in just 24 minutes. He followed that up with a 16-point night in a lopsided loss to the Grizz.
21. Washington Wizards (24-29) ⬇️ Last Week: 20
After the 2021-22 season started with plenty of promise, the Wiz have lost 8 of 9 heading into Thursday's matchup with the Nets. They will likely look to <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/examining-trade-destinations-for-spencer-dinwiddie" target="_blank" rel="noopener">trade the struggling Spencer Dinwiddie</a> before the deadline arrives.&nbsp;
22. New York Knicks (24-31) ⬇️ Last Week: 21
New York has lost 10 of its last 12 games, but Mitchell Robinson had been playing some of the best basketball of his career before sitting out Tuesday's loss due to a back injury. Over the last month, Mitch Rob is averaging 11.5 points, 10.8 rebounds and 1.7 blocks. During this stretch, the only other players in the NBA also averaging double-digit points and rebounds to go along with at least 1.4 blocks are Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
23. San Antonio Spurs (20-34) ⬆️ Last Week: 24
Spurs fans learned Monday that Dejounte Murray will make his NBA All-Star Game debut after being named an injury replacement by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. Murray is averaging 19.6 points, 9.2 assists, 8.4 rebounds and 2.1 steals this season, and has a chance to become just the third player ever to average at least 8 assists, 8 rebounds and 2 steals per game over an entire season.&nbsp;
24. Sacramento Kings (20-36) ⬆️ Last Week: 26
The Kings shook up the league Tuesday afternoon, trading Tyrese Haliburton, Buddy Hield and Tristan Thompson to Indiana for Domantas Sabonis, Jeremy Lamb, Justin Holiday and a 2027 second-round pick. It is stunning that Sacaremto would part ways with Haliburton. The 21-year-old has exceeded all expectations since being drafted in 2020. He is on pace to become just the second player in NBA history to average at least 5 assists and 2 made three-pointers per game while shooting over 40% from downtown in each of his first two pro seasons. (The only player to have accomplished this feat is Stephen Curry.)
25. Portland Trail Blazers (21-34) ⬇️ Last Week: 22
The Blazers made waves on Tuesday, trading away former franchise cornerstone CJ McCollum. It continued on Wednesday afternoon, as Portland rerouted Nickeil Alexander-Walker to Utah for Joe Ingles' expiring $14 million deal in a <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nickel-alexanderwalker-on-the-move-again-as-blazers-jazz-spurs-complete-threeteam-deal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">three-team trade</a>. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Tuesday that "Portland plans to fully reshape the roster around Damian Lillard now... the plan is to pursue high-end talent now, not retreat." The team's also created a ton of cap space in the process and has a $21 million trade exception at its disposal.
26. Indiana Pacers (19-37) ⬇️ Last Week: 25
The Pacers, who are just 5-18 since Christmas, began breaking down their roster by trading Caris LeVert to the Cavs on Sunday, and then <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/pacers-exit-blockbuster-trade-with-kings-as-huge-winners-thanks-to-tyrese-haliburton" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shipped off Domantas Sabonis to Sacramento</a>, as noted above. As our <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/bucks-interested-in-trading-for-myles-turner-pacers-may-keep-him" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Alex Kennedy reported</a>, Myles Turner is "a big fan of Tyrese Haliburton's game and is excited about the possibility of playing with the young guard." It appears Turner may stay in Indiana.
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27. Oklahoma City Thunder (17-36) &harr;️ Last Week: 27
The Thunder lost to the Warriors on Monday night, but Luguentz Dort had another strong outing, tallying 26 points, 4 rebounds and 3 steals. In the three games OKC has played without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Dort is averaging 23.7 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.0 three-balls.
28. Houston Rockets (15-39) ⬆️ Last Week: 29
The Rockets would love to join this week's wheeling and dealing by exchanging veteran shooting guard Eric Gordon for draft capital. We'll see if they find a willing trade partner.&nbsp;
29. Orlando Magic (13-43) ⬆️ Last Week: 30
We know the Magic hope to flip Terrence Ross and Gary Harris in exchange for draft picks before Thursday's deadline. The question is whether they will also look to deal big man Mo Bamba. After struggling over his first three years in the NBA, Bamba is posting career-highs across the board this season. However, Orlando inked center Wendell Carter Jr. to a four-year, $50 million contract extension back in October. The Magic are reportedly willing to listen to offers for Bamba, who has a $10.1 million qualifying offer for 2022-23 and will be a restricted free agent this summer.
30. Detroit Pistons (12-42) ⬇️ Last Week: 28
Killian Hayes has played a bit better of late, but he has failed to live up to expectations since being selected with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. This season, Hayes is one of only two players in the NBA logging more than 20 minutes per game yet shooting below 38% from the floor and averaging fewer than 10 points per contest. For his career, he is just 50-of-179 from downtown (27.9%)... The Pistons have lost 9 of their last 10 contests.
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Tommy Beer checks in with an installment of BasketballNews.com's NBA Power Rankings.

NBA Power Rankings: Bucks back into top tier, Mavs vault into top-10

The San Antonio Spurs have not housed an All-Star since the <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/SAS/all_star.html">2018-19 season</a> when LaMarcus Aldridge earned his seventh and final nomination. In fact, entering this season, the Spurs were the only NBA team in the league without a single former All-Star on their roster.&nbsp;
This three-year drought could finally be coming to a close, however, thanks to the spectacular play of one Dejounte Murray. While other breakout star guards like <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/at-a-certain-point-well-have-to-mention-ja-morant-in-the-mvp-race" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ja Morant</a>, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/making-all-star-case-fred-vanvleet-toronto-raptors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fred VanVleet</a>, and <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/darius-garland-is-making-the-allstar-leap" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Darius Garland</a> have all become social media darlings (rightfully so), Murray&rsquo;s career year seems to be slipping under the radar. But I&rsquo;m here to tell you: Dejounte Murray deserves your attention, and the case for his first-ever All-Star nomination may be stronger than you think.
Playmaking
To be clear, I&rsquo;m talking about Murray's knack for <a href="https://premiumhoops.org/2021/04/06/evaluating-nba-perimeter-defense-establishing-and-using-a-rubric/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">event creation</a> on both sides of the ball.&nbsp;
On offense, I&rsquo;ll be the first to tell you he&rsquo;s a clear notch below the elite shot-composers. He doesn&rsquo;t get many layup assists (<a href="https://backpicks.com/2022-players/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">-1 relative layup assist percentage</a>). He&rsquo;s late on, or outright misses, some lay-down passes. And during my entire film study (roughly 750 possessions), I&rsquo;ve yet to witness him attempt a single skip pass.
However, the beauty of Murray&rsquo;s game is that he&rsquo;s well aware of his shortfalls as an offensive playmaker, and to compensate, he&rsquo;s mastered two very important passes.
The pocket pass.
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And the kick-out to a three-point shooter.&nbsp;
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As is the case with all great offensive initiators, Murray&rsquo;s facilitation abilities augment the rest of his teammates. According to Cleaning the Glass, the Spurs as a team experience a 4% increase in <a href="https://cleaningtheglass.com/stats/player/2630/onoff#tab-team_shooting_fg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Effective Field Goal percentage</a> (93rd percentile) when Murray&rsquo;s on the floor, despite he himself being a below-average shooter efficiency-wise.
Additionally, his discipline as a passer beams out in his sub-10% turnover rate (84th percentile), which is a major reason why the Spurs rank&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_2022.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">No. 1 in the league</a> in that category (one of Dean Oliver&rsquo;s famous <a href="https://squared2020.com/2017/09/05/introduction-to-olivers-four-factors/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Four Factors</a>).
Normally, I&rsquo;m partial to high-turnover passers who take risks to bend defenses. But in this case, I think Murray&rsquo;s ability to provide a steadying presence to a young team has been crucial to San Antonio's offense not folding in itself this season.
Defense
Defensively, Murray&rsquo;s creation is more of the chaos-inducing variety. He&rsquo;s in the 89th percentile in steal percentage (fourth year in a row that he&rsquo;s in the 80th percentile or higher), and it&rsquo;s because he does a great job of deploying his pterodactyl-like wingspan to nuke possessions &mdash; both on and off the ball.&nbsp;&nbsp;
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Daniel Bratulić (great Twitter follow, by the way) charted &ldquo;On-ball steals per Game&rdquo; and &ldquo;Passes Intercepted Per Game&rdquo; for the best thieves in basketball, and what do you know? Murray excels in both manners of hardwood robbery.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Here is a breakdown of how top stealers in the game get their steals. Some are better at pickpocketing the ball handlers (Thybulle, CP3), some are better while playing off the ball (OG, Haliburton) and some excel at both (Murray, Ball, Caruso, Smart, Butler) <a href="https://t.co/J4Bx58nxWY">pic.twitter.com/J4Bx58nxWY</a>
&mdash; Daniel Bratulić (@daniel_bratulic) <a href="https://twitter.com/daniel_bratulic/status/1484245391742844932?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 20, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Other than the diversity of his pickpocketing portfolio (admit it, that&rsquo;s fun to say), one thing you probably noticed is that many of his pilfers result in &ldquo;pick-sixes,&rdquo; which... transitions.... us perfectly into the next portion of his All-Star argument.
Transition
The reason Murray's playmaking on defense is so valuable isn&rsquo;t solely because it helps end the opposing team&rsquo;s offensive possessions prematurely. It also ignites the most efficient form of offense in the game: the fastbreak.&nbsp;
This season, Murray is averaging 1.27 points per possession (79th percentile) on nearly three transition possessions per game. (For some context, that efficiency is on-par with one of the game&rsquo;s most explosive players in <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/how-high-can-anthony-edwards-fly-examining-the-20yearolds-ceiling">Anthony Edwards</a>.)
Murray&rsquo;s fastbreak ferocity isn&rsquo;t limited to plays off of steals. He&rsquo;s prone to hit turbo after defensive possessions that result in him corralling a rebound (7.5 defensive boards per 75 possessions).
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The Spurs as a team are scoring nearly three more points in transition per 100 possessions with Murray on the floor (94th percentile). Overall, San Antonio ranks in the top-10 in the league in points per possession on transition plays &mdash; in large part thanks to Murray&rsquo;s stewardship in this department.
Mid-Range Game
While the <a href="https://youtu.be/59epmjId_z0">Mid-Range King</a> left the Lone Star State this past offseason, it appears a worthy heir has risen to take his place on the throne. So far this year, Murray is shooting more mid-range shots per game than he ever has, all while maintaining efficiency similar to his previous seasons:
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%; height: 324px;">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 54px;">
<td style="width: 27.1441%; height: 54px;">
Year
</td>
<td style="width: 34.0474%;">
Attempts Per Game*
</td>
<td style="width: 50.4666%; height: 54px;">
Shooting Percentage*
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 54px;">
<td style="width: 27.1441%; height: 54px;">
2017-18
</td>
<td style="width: 34.0474%;">
1.2
</td>
<td style="width: 50.4666%; height: 54px;">
42%
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 54px;">
<td style="width: 27.1441%; height: 54px;">
2018-19
</td>
<td style="width: 34.0474%;">
3.5
</td>
<td style="width: 50.4666%; height: 54px;">
36%
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 54px;">
<td style="width: 27.1441%; height: 54px;">
2019-20
</td>
<td style="width: 34.0474%;">
4.7
</td>
<td style="width: 50.4666%; height: 54px;">
44%
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 54px;">
<td style="width: 27.1441%; height: 54px;">
2020-21
</td>
<td style="width: 34.0474%;">
8.1
</td>
<td style="width: 50.4666%; height: 54px;">
44%
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 54px;">
<td style="width: 27.1441%; height: 54px;">
2021-22
</td>
<td style="width: 34.0474%;">
9.4
</td>
<td style="width: 50.4666%; height: 54px;">
42%
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
* Data provided by Cleaning the Glass
As last year&rsquo;s playoffs taught us, in a world where everyone is trying to stop threes and layups, having someone who can burn defenses with the middie is a useful trump card to have in your back pocket.&nbsp;
Murray&rsquo;s proficiency from no man&rsquo;s land also opens up driving lanes for him. As someone who runs a ton of pick and rolls (<a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/ball-handler/#!?sort=POSS&amp;dir=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one of seven players who runs at least 10 per game</a>), big men could theoretically sink into a drop against him because of his poor three-point shooting. However, because of his gravity in the mid-range, defenders often have to come up on the level of the screen, which gives him a chance to maneuver himself right past them.
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dGJ9Cef_DGU" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Murray is currently averaging a career-high 65% on shots at the rim (<a href="https://cleaningtheglass.com/stats/player/2630#tab-shooting_accuracy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">82nd percentile</a>) while also averaging more drives per game than he has for his entire career. The massive attacking volume (No. 6 in the NBA in drives per game) that his mid-range shooting enables him to carry makes him the kind of offensive player a team can lean on in the postseason (see Donovan Mitchell). Those types of players generally warrant serious All-Star consideration.
Conclusion
The other day, Andy Bailey put out a tweet ranking NBA players based on their average rankings in 10 catch-all metrics:&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
If you sort every NBA player with 400+ minutes by the AVERAGE OF THEIR RANKS in 10 catch-alls (Box Plus/Minus, RAPTOR, Estimated Plus-Minus, LEBRON and Game Score per 36 minutes, as well as the cumulative versions of each), this is the top 30... <a href="https://t.co/Og4CguGtk3">pic.twitter.com/Og4CguGtk3</a>
&mdash; Andy Bailey (@AndrewDBailey) <a href="https://twitter.com/AndrewDBailey/status/1485349610516213761?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 23, 2022</a></blockquote>

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

Murray had the 16th-highest average score in the league, which by that measure would not only make him an All-Star caliber player, but a solid contender for an All-NBA spot this season.&nbsp;
Now, I&rsquo;m by no means saying that Murray definitely deserves to be an All-Star (nor that he should be in the discussion for All-NBA); Murray certainly has his flaws as a candidate &mdash; poor foul-drawing rates, below-average efficiency and questionable rebounding value (<a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/defensive-rebounding/?CF=GP*GE*25&amp;Season=2021-22&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season&amp;sort=DREB_CONTEST_PCT&amp;dir=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">poor contested defensive rebounding rates</a>). Plus, there has just been too much great guard play this season to the point where somebody has to be left on the outside looking in.
All I&rsquo;m saying is, when you factor in his high placement in widely-cited, catch-all metrics with the arguments I&rsquo;ve laid out for you here, Dejounte Murray&rsquo;s got a case for All-Star consideration.
And you know what, it&rsquo;s a pretty darn good one.
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Mat Issa lays out his reasoning as to why Dejounte Murray should legitimately be considered to play in the 2022 NBA All-Star Game.

Making the NBA All-Star case for Dejounte Murray

The Houston Rockets are trending upward.
We're three weeks removed from <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2950751-sources-houston-rockets-weighing-future-of-head-coach-stephen-silas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on-the-hot-seat reporting</a> from Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer concerning head coach Stephen Silas. The offense was bland and ineffective; the defense was spotty, to be kind. It wasn't all on Silas, as <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/whats-wrong-with-the-houston-rockets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">explained in this space</a>, but things certainly didn't look good.
Since that report, the Rockets have won eight of their last 11 games behind an elite offense (116.4 Offensive Rating, 3rd in the NBA). The defense still ain't great &mdash; it's actually gotten worse (115.7 Defensive Rating, 26th) during this stretch &mdash; but it hasn't bitten them yet.
Despite the recent success, the Rockets are aware of where they are: Stage 1 of the rebuild. As such, the phone lines are open for some of their veterans. Chief among them is Christian Wood, an All-Star caliber frontcourt talent.
On the surface, that's a surprise. When you think of Rocket vets that could swap teams, you'd likely land on 32-year-old Eric Gordon (absolutely balling as of late) or 29-year-old Daniel Theis. Not only is Wood better than both players, he's also much younger (26 years old).&nbsp;
But over the last week, <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/rockets-willing-listen-offers-christian-094911591.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ESPN's Tim MacMahon</a> and Bleacher Report's Fischer have hinted at a willingness to at least hear offers for the big man. The price would likely be steep &mdash; Fischer ballparks it at "a first round pick plus further capital" <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2951461-latest-nba-trade-buzz-sourced-intel-on-simmons-kyrie-lakers-and-more" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in his latest report</a> &mdash; but that could be worth it for a team looking for help up front.
WHAT WOOD BRINGS&nbsp;
As our Jackson Frank wrote <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/christian-woods-offensive-versatility-will-benefit-houstons-core" target="_blank" rel="noopener">before the season</a>, there aren't many centers more gifted than Wood on the offensive end of the floor.
He's a dynamic partner in ball-screens, able to beat defenses as a roller or popper. He transitions smoothly from screener to roller or popper, allowing him to get a jump on the defense depending on what coverage they're in.
Wood has had to pop more this season due to the spacing around him, but he remains a paint threat due to his ability to pump-and-go. Leave him completely open and he'll fire above the break; close-out too hard, and he'll get downhill.
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/5wm446" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
Wood's ability to handle could be an added dimension for a team. He's not a Giannis-type threat to grab-and-go after misses, but he can push a break and allow offenses to attack earlier. His handle also allows him to initiate &mdash; or fake &mdash; handoffs against unbalanced defenses.
This is a down year for Wood as a finisher &mdash; spacing and playmaking issues have put a more difficult self-creation load on him &mdash; and he's still converting 73% of his shots inside of 3 feet, per Basketball-Reference. There's room to believe he could be even more effective with more room to operate, and/or more dynamic ball-handlers to work with.
LIMITATIONS
While Wood is able initiate some early offense in Delay sets, he doesn't have the passing chops to act as a true offensive hub. That's not inherently a bad thing; a team hoping to acquire him just has to understand he's a play-finisher that can sometimes get you into your offense, not Western Conference Domantas Sabonis.
Wood isn't the quickest processor when forced to make playmaking reads, and his actual pass accuracy leaves a bit to be desired. Combine those traits, and you get some rough turnovers when he's in creator mode.
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/832l6a" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
Defensively, Wood doesn't have the spatial feel to hold up as a primary rim-protector. His drop coverage film is littered with possessions of him conceding too much space to the ball-handler, or playing too high up (in a hunched over stance, no less) on the floor, allowing his assignment to get behind him for lobs.
Wood has shown some comfort switching out on the perimeter. He also possesses the mobility and hands necessary to play in more aggressive schemes. The swing skill for him would be his recovery; cutting off a ball-handler is one thing, but finding your assignment after the hedge is a separate task that he's had uneven results with.&nbsp;
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/4izwr0" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
Even with some of his limitations, he's shown to be an active communicator. He's been a competent weak-side rim-protector. So long as you have good personnel around him, Wood can be a positive cog in a system.
LANDING SPOTS
If you're looking for a team with 1) a dynamic ball-handler, 2) plenty of spacers and 3) a strong defensive infrastructure, look no further than the Golden State Warriors.&nbsp;
Among the many weapons the Warriors have at their disposal, a vertical spacer is one they currently lack. It's safe to say Wood could slot right into that role. This may shock you, but Stephen Curry has had success with those type of partners.&nbsp;
Since the 2017-18 season, ball-screens spearheaded by Curry have generated roughly 1.08 points per possession &mdash; the best high volume mark in the NBA over that stretch, per Second Spectrum. When working with an athletic vertical threat &mdash; let's say JaVale McGee, Damian Jones, and Marquese Chriss &mdash; that number jumps to 1.12.
Last season's blockbuster trade cut the sample short, but it's worth noting just how successful the James Harden-Wood connection was last season (north of 1.13 PPP). It's fair to believe the Curry-Wood pairing would be a darn good one.
And if you need defensive covering for Wood, is there a better guy to pair him with than Draymond Green? Curry would be step up from what Wood has had to cover for at the point of attack this season; doubly so when Curry is replaced by Gary Payton II in the lineup.&nbsp;
The complicated matter would be the price. I would imagine the Rockets would want two of the Warriors' three young prospects &mdash; James Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga, and Moses Moody &mdash; if possible.
The Athletic's Tim Kawakami recently laid out <a href="https://theathletic.com/3006586/2021/12/09/kawakami-why-the-warriors-absolutely-positively-are-not-trading-james-wiseman/?redirected=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a strong argument</a> regarding why the Warriors don't want to part with Wiseman right now. Beyond that, it would be shocking if the Rockets prioritized Wiseman considering they just drafted Alperen Sengun (please play him more!) and Usman Garuba over the summer.&nbsp;
Kuminga and Moody might be considered steep for the Warriors; only flipping one of those would make salary matching a bit of a chore. The Warriors do have all of their future firsts, sans a 2024 pick that will likely transfer to the Grizzlies.&nbsp;
For an off-the-radar team, how about the Minnesota Timberwolves?&nbsp;
Their defense has been surprisingly sturdy (6th in half-court defense, 12th in overall DRTG) thanks to an aggressive scheme. The offense has lagged behind (26th in half-court offense, 24th overall ORTG) behind spotty shooting and a quietly-subpar conversion rate at the rim.
The (admittedly reductive) question I have: What do the Wolves look like with Wood instead of Jarred Vanderbilt in the lineup?
Wood is not the overall defender that Vanderbilt is, but how much of the backline workload could he replicate?&nbsp;More importantly, is the gap between the two as defenders greater than the gap in scoring chops?
I would answer "maybe 75-80% of it" and "absolutely not" to those questions.
To the defense point, the Wolves often play at, or above, the level of the screen when defending pick-and-rolls. That puts strain on the backline to clean up messes behind it. Like this, basically:
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/x720yi" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
One blocked shot doesn't mean he can be peak Paul Millsap in this role, but again, Wood does possess legit weak-side rim-protection chops. If he can nail those rotations, the Wolves shouldn't see a major slide defensively. It also helps that Wood is one of the best defensive rebounders in the sport. The Wolves have, uh, struggled (30th in defensive-rebound rate) in that regard.
The offensive upgrade is an easier case to make. Wood has shot 36.9% from three dating back to his Detroit season (2019-20), and has converted 40% of his corner threes in that time frame. He's both a better shooter, and more of a threat to beat a (soft) closeout than Vanderbilt is.
With Karl-Anthony Towns often setting up shop above the break or from the mid-post, Wood seems more equipped to convert catch-and-shoot looks, or to take advantage of the space Towns provides with drives, and cuts, or to work as the screener in pick-and-rolls.
About those pick-and-rolls: I'm be interested in seeing what he could do when screening for D'Angelo Russell or Anthony Edwards.
Like the Warriors example, the price is worth the pause. The Wolves have all of their firsts moving forward. They also have Jaden McDaniels, an intriguing, rangy forward worth investing in.
The salary filler is where things could sputter. Taurean Prince probably isn't enough short-term help; Malik Beasley would further crowd the guard room, and I'm not sure how willing the Wolves would be to part with him. There's an intriguing package to be made, though.&nbsp;
I'd like to live in a world where Luka Doncic has a legitimate roll man (and thus, a complement to Kristaps Porzingis up front), but I'm not sure the Mavericks have the horses to get a deal done. What exactly is Tim Hardaway Jr. doing for this version of the Rockets?
The Hornets haven't just been linked to Wood in the past; they literally had him on their roster a few years ago, though this was obviously before he broke out. They could use some frontcourt juice, and have enough wing talent (hello, Kelly Oubre Jr.) to potentially intrigue the Rockets.
We'll keep an eye on the talented Houston big man moving forward, because there are bound to be plenty of suitors.

Nekias Duncan breaks down potential trade destinations for Rockets big man Christian Wood.

Examining potential trade destinations for Christian Wood

Josh Giddey has court vision on par with Ricky Rubio, yet he&rsquo;s four inches taller. He brings the ball up the floor and acts as the initiator in pick-and-rolls, yet he&rsquo;s the team&rsquo;s leading rebounder. He&rsquo;s only 22 games into his promising young career, yet he may already be the best 19-year-old passer the league has ever seen.
Yeah, you heard me. Maybe the best 19-year-old passer in NBA history. This season, Giddey has recorded a <a href="https://backpicks.com/2018/07/15/nba-passer-ratings-since-1978/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">passer rating</a> of 8 with an <a href="https://backpicks.com/2017/10/16/offensive-load-and-adjusted-tov/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">offensive load</a> of 33.8, per Backpicks. Only one other player since 1955 has ever posted a passer rating of 8+ with an offensive load of 30+ in their age-19 season: LaMelo Ball. While the sample size may be small (since 19-year-olds usually aren&rsquo;t ready to compete with the best athletes in the world), it&rsquo;s still rarified air.
And this isn&rsquo;t just some cherry-picked stat that illustrates his prowess: Just watch and bear witness to his distributing virtuosity.
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4nsnCU9roLk" width="100%" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Despite his prodigious passing, he still leaves a lot to be desired. He&rsquo;s shooting just 27.6% from three-point range; he struggles consistently getting to and finishing around the rim; and an awkward frame and slow feet limit his ability to face-up on defense.
This enigmatic set of skills begs an interesting question: What is the ceiling for a player as peculiar as Josh Giddey? Can he be an integral piece of a Presti-led dynasty, or will he end up as collateral damage in a rebuild gone wrong?
As we did with <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/how-high-can-anthony-edwards-fly-examining-the-20yearolds-ceiling" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Anthony Edwards</a>, let&rsquo;s try to answer these questions by looking at five possible developmental outcomes for Giddey. We&rsquo;ll analyze what would have to take place in order for him to reach each tier and predict which outcome seems most likely.
Also, for each player comparison, I&rsquo;ve included that player&rsquo;s peak season in terms of Box Plus/Minus (using the <a href="https://backpicks.com/page/2/#RS%20BPM" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Backpicks</a> version of the stat).
Tier 1: Pessimist Floor - Marko Jaric (Rotation Player)
Peak BPM (2004-05): 1.8 (T-65th that season)
A true deep cut whom only the most diehard of NBA fans will recognize. In all seriousness though, if Giddey doesn&rsquo;t improve, there&rsquo;s a chance he could end up as a flash in the pan like this former passing aficionado.
During his prime, Jaric was the rare wing-sized player who could handle the ball, operate the pick-and-roll and make slick finds like in this clip here:
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/u-ZayzrZik4" width="100%" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Passes like that were not uncommon for Jaric, who was one of the great facilitators of the mid-2000s, finishing second in the league in passer rating (8.5) in 2004-05.
However, Jaric was out of the league by age-30 because of his poor shooting efficiency (<a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/j/jaricma01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rTS -4.1%</a>), which was primarily caused by his inability to finish at the rim. From 2003 to 2009, except for one outlier season, Jaric never placed above the 24th percentile for his position in finishing accuracy around the rim, per Cleaning the Glass.
Giddey currently ranks in the 21st percentile in that category this season, which is a big reason why he&rsquo;s shooting <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/g/giddejo01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">9.1% below the league average in efficiency</a> to start his career.
The one saving grace for Giddey here is that Jaric never really developed a short mid-range game, shooting 33.7% from that area from 2003-2009. In contrast, Giddey is knocking down 46% of those looks this season, which places him in the 74th percentile for his position and gives him the consistent halfcourt scoring device Jaric never had.
Tier 2: Optimist Floor - Kyle Anderson (Starter)
Peak BPM (2020-21): 3.1 (T-28th that season)
For Giddey to become an impactful starter, the Thunder need to stop putting him in situations that expose his weaknesses as a defender.
Too many times this season, he&rsquo;s been put in positions where he&rsquo;s had to try and dance with faster players on the perimeter...
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2UUiOD4urwk" width="100%" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
...or serve as the last line of defense around the rim because of his size:
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kvHU6V86gmg" width="100%" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
&nbsp;
Players whose effectiveness comes from their mental attributes rather than their physical attributes are best utilized on defense in an off-ball, free-safety capacity, where they can channel their cerebral instincts to create havoc from the weak side of the floor.&nbsp;
A perfect example of this is Kyle Anderson. The two best BPM finishes of his career came in 2017-18 (2.2) and 2020-21 (3.1); in those seasons, his teams finished third and sixth in the league in defensive efficiency, respectively. Both years, Anderson was surrounded by feisty point-of-attack defenders (like Danny Green, Dejounte Murray and Dillion Brooks) and sturdy rim-protectors (like Jonas Valanciunas and LaMarcus Aldridge), who could shield him from his deficiencies and allow him to focus on his strengths.
During those seasons, Anderson ranked in the 96th and 85th percentile in steal percentage, per Cleaning the Glass, Giddey is only in the 69th percentile this season, but he has the length and awareness necessary to kick it up a notch and be an impactful defender if the Thunder use their treasure chest of draft picks to acquire personnel that enables him to do so.
Tier 3: Median Outcome - Joe Ingles (Sub All-Star)
Peak BPM (2020-21): 4.0 (T-17th that season)
This comparison is low-hanging fruit if I&rsquo;ve ever seen it. Both players are Australian, incredible passers, unconventionally athletic and (hopefully) contributors to winning basketball. The only real difference (other than the hair) is that one is currently a far superior shooter.
Joe Ingles tore through several threads of nylon with his shooting last season, and a big reason for this level of efficiency (<a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/i/inglejo01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">+11% rTS</a>) was his proficiency as a catch-and-shoot and pull-up three-point shooter.
Last season, he shot 48.9% on 3.3 catch-and-shoot attempts and 41.2% on 2.7 pull-up three-pointers. Conversely, Giddey is knocking down just 26.7% and 35.7% of those types of shots. He&rsquo;s also shooting poorly from the free-throw line (<a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/g/giddejo01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">67.9% on 1.3 attempts</a>), which is a strong indicator of future shooting success. But that&rsquo;s where the good news comes in: Ingles was also a subpar free throw shooter early in his career. In 2009-10, his age-23 season, Ingles shot only 69.4% from the line on 3.2 attempts for CB Granada.
Of course, Ingles has since transformed himself into a great shooter by developing a consistent and fluid shooting motion:
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DvGRAYQd5y4" width="100%" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Giddey&rsquo;s current shooting mechanics are <a href="https://rollcallsportsnet.com/josh-giddey-nba-draft-scouting-report/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">funky</a>, but Ingles&rsquo; case study shows us there&rsquo;s opportunity for improvement. Such growth is necessary if Giddey wants to become an efficient scorer and top-50 player in the league.
Tier 4: Reasonable Ceiling - Toni Kukoc (All-Star Caliber)
Peak BPM (1996-97): 4.7 (10th that season)
Giddey has already shown the ability to make high-level reads in the pick-and-roll, going downhill on dribble hand-off, or while galloping down the floor in transition (see his passing montage above). But very rarely does he receive the ball on the elbow and operate down there like a passing hub.
That&rsquo;s where Toni Kukoc comes in.&nbsp;
Kukoc&rsquo;s ability to make decisions in the mid/high-post was an essential ingredient to the Bulls&rsquo; triangle offense during their second three-peat. He could receive the ball and either draw a double-team and find the cutter going toward the basket, or face up his defender, collapse the defense by penetrating towards the rim and kick it to the open man:
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/N0uYC99YUqY" width="100%" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Kukoc may have a couple of inches on him, but in today&rsquo;s small-ball world, Giddey and the Thunder can definitely hunt matchups that allow Giddey to use his size to see over the top of defenders and pinpoint weaknesses in the opposition from that position on the floor.
Kukoc was also a part of <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/CHI/1994.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">five-straight top-six defenses</a> in Chicago from 1993-98, and while he lacked lateral quickness and vertical leaping ability, he made up for it by using his strength to bang with bigger guys in the post:
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/G8B8gNoQZ_A" width="100%" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Meanwhile, we&rsquo;ve already seen stronger forwards like Jae&rsquo;Sean Tate bully Giddey down low:
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qWY55KRc2xg" width="100%" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Giddey would do well in his quest to become an All-Star to schedule some extra weight-room sessions &mdash; especially considering he doesn&rsquo;t have to worry about added muscle taking away from his speed. If he can do that while also occasionally moonlighting as a passing hub, he will be able to scale alongside high-usage ball-handlers and perimeter defenders, like Kukoc did during the second half of the Bulls&rsquo; dynasty.
Tier 5: Best-Case-Scenario Ceiling - Manu Ginobili (Solid All-NBA)
Peak BPM (2004-05): 5.5 (3rd that season)
J. Kyle Mann recently described Giddey&rsquo;s style as <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSvieH2lfnw&amp;t=457s" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&ldquo;chaotic but purposeful</a>," so who better to compare Giddey to than the master of tamed mayhem himself, Manu Ginobili.
At his best, arguably no one straddled the fine line between chaos and order the way Ginobili did in his prime. There was a certain &ldquo;calculated recklessness&rdquo; to his game that made him unlike any player who came before him, and when you look at some of his offensive numbers in an All-NBA season, you see that Giddey has a ways to go to reach Ginobili&rsquo;s level.
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;" border="1">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 14.264%;">PLAYER</td>
<td style="width: 9.45753%;">YEAR</td>
<td style="width: 16.1332%;">POINTS PER 75</td>
<td style="width: 12.6618%;">FTA PER 75</td>
<td style="width: 8.52468%;">rTS%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 14.264%;">Manu Ginobili</td>
<td style="width: 9.45753%;">2007-08</td>
<td style="width: 16.1332%;">25.4</td>
<td style="width: 12.6618%;">7.8</td>
<td style="width: 8.52468%;">+7.2</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 14.264%;">Josh Giddey</td>
<td style="width: 9.45753%;">2021-22</td>
<td style="width: 16.1332%;">13.1</td>
<td style="width: 12.6618%;">1.6</td>
<td style="width: 8.52468%;">-9.1</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
At a glance, the gap between peak-Ginobili and current-day Giddey seems too wide to be closed. Yet the key to Giddey unlocking this tier rests on his ability to emulate one key facet of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LTgStJw9ao" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Scientist&rsquo;s</a> game: finishing at the rim.
As it stands, Giddey lacks the ability to soar over defenders or sprint past them, so when he meets larger defenders in the paint, he either gets his shot erased or avoids challenging them entirely:
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Ginobili was also slow-footed and definitely wasn&rsquo;t winning any dunk contests in his prime, so to compensate, he crafted a sophisticated (yet replicable) drive game. One thing he liked to do was take a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dr08ffRS10" target="_blank" rel="noopener">negative step</a> with his non-pivot foot to give him some added explosiveness on his bull rushes to the rim:
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He would also try to throw his defender&rsquo;s timing off by deploying a bevy of hesitation moves at his disposal:
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And he maximized his movement by using his length to elongate his strides. This allowed him to pick up his dribble early and gain control of his body and the basketball to brace himself for contact around the hoop:
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His drive game and outside shooting (<a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/g/ginobma01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">career 37% shooter on 3.8 attempts</a>) also augmented his playmaking. From 2007 to 2014, Ginobili created between 8.0 and 9.0 open shots for his teammates per 100 possessions, per Backpicks. He would draw the defense&rsquo;s attention with his scoring and this was especially noticeable in pick-and-roll situations; the defending big would regularly try hedging Ginobili, which temporarily put the Spurs in 4-on-3 situations and led to open shots like this play right here:
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Combining Ginobili&rsquo;s finishing package with the shooting improvements previously discussed would elevate Giddey into a constant advantage creator capable of forcing the defense into rotation and dissecting openings on the floor. That type of player is an All-NBA performer and, more importantly, a heavyweight offensive force on a championship contender.
The Verdict: Tier 5
And that is exactly what I think Josh Giddey will become. I know it&rsquo;s poor practice to believe a best-case scenario is also the most likely outcome, but Giddey is such an outlier among outliers that an unlikely result only makes sense.
There&rsquo;s a real argument to be made that at 19 years old, Giddey may already be a better passer (not creator) than Ginobili. And while his drive game needs work, he&rsquo;s shown flashes of being able to change speeds and lull defenders to sleep, just like Argentina&rsquo;s Flying Man:
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Unicorn players like Ginobili don&rsquo;t come around often; that&rsquo;s what makes them special. But when you see a kid like Giddey who surveys the floor with an eagle eye and controls the tempo like a nightclub DJ, it's hard to ignore the fact that he's of a rare breed.
His idiosyncrasies make you believe that he'll overcome the shooting woes; that he'll put on some weight and become a better defender; that he'll harness his full powers as a finisher; and that with the right personnel, he will be the fulcrum of a contender someday in Oklahoma City.

Josh Giddey has shown flashes of brilliance as a rookie, but what is the 19-year-old's ceiling? Mat Issa explores his range of outcomes.

Did the Thunder find lightning in a bottle with Josh Giddey?

Potential is a strange thing. It&rsquo;s not something tangible that you can hold in your hand, like a lightsaber or a McRib. Yet we tend to obsess over it. Sometimes, we even lend it more weight than observable talent.
The NBA and all those associated are not immune from this tendency. We circumnavigate the <a href="https://www.nba.com/news/nba-rosters-feature-109-international-player" target="_blank" rel="noopener">globe</a> in search of the game&rsquo;s most fascinating prospects in the hopes that their unique skillsets will help deliver our favorite franchise to the promised land. However, all too often, we fail to stop and ask ourselves, "What are the limits of our imagination?"
Arguably no player exemplifies this pattern in human nature better than Anthony Edwards. On one hand, once you see the flashy, second-year guard showcase his frenetic athleticism and effortless charm, it&rsquo;s easy to come away convinced that he could be the one to pry the Minnesota Timberwolves out of the depths of playoff irrelevancy. On the other hand, it&rsquo;s hard to chalk up his funky shooting mechanics, questionable shot selection and tendency to lose focus on defense to mere growing pains.&nbsp;
This polarity leaves us in a state of basketball limbo. Anthony Edwards: Savior or bust? Which label (if either) is more appropriate? To frame it more pointedly: Just how high can Anthony Edwards fly?
In an attempt to examine Edwards' ceiling, I scoured NBA history to find players with a similar skillset and explored whether Edwards could follow a similar trajectory. I decided to look at five possible developmental outcomes for the young guard. For each player comparison, I've included that player&rsquo;s peak season in terms of Box Plus/Minus (using the <a href="https://backpicks.com/page/2/#RS%20BPM" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BackPicks</a> version of the stat) and an explanation of what Edwards would need to add to his game to reach that level (except for the &ldquo;Pessimist Floor&rdquo; tier). Lastly, I offer my thoughts on which tier I think Edwards is most likely to reach.
Tier 1: Pessimist Floor - Andrew Wiggins (Starter)
Peak BPM (2020-21): 1.0 (T-150th that season)
Yep, I didn&rsquo;t wait long to start pissing people off. To avoid Timberwolves fans going into a state of existential dread, I won&rsquo;t spend too much time on this comparison. But you have to admit, these numbers (and the situations surrounding these two players) look pretty gosh darn similar.
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%; height: 54px;" border="1">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 10px;">
<td style="width: 5.40354%; height: 10px; text-align: center;">Name</td>
<td style="width: 6.41956%; height: 10px; text-align: center;">Season</td>
<td style="width: 6.37182%; height: 10px; text-align: center;">Age</td>
<td style="width: 6.37155%; height: 10px; text-align: center;">USG%*</td>
<td style="width: 6.76034%; height: 10px; text-align: center;">PTS/75*</td>
<td style="width: 9.09119%; height: 10px; text-align: center;">rTS%**</td>
<td style="width: 11.4932%; height: 10px; text-align: center;">Passer Rating**</td>
<td style="width: 8.37598%; height: 10px; text-align: center;">BPM**</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 5.40354%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">Edwards</td>
<td style="width: 6.41956%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">'21-22</td>
<td style="width: 6.37182%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">20</td>
<td style="width: 6.37155%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">27.5%</td>
<td style="width: 6.76034%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">22.1</td>
<td style="width: 9.09119%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">-1.6%</td>
<td style="width: 11.4932%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">3.5</td>
<td style="width: 8.37598%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">1.0</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 5.40354%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">Wiggins</td>
<td style="width: 6.41956%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">'16-17</td>
<td style="width: 6.37182%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">21</td>
<td style="width: 6.37155%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">29.0%</td>
<td style="width: 6.76034%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">24.1</td>
<td style="width: 9.09119%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">-1.9%</td>
<td style="width: 11.4932%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">3.4</td>
<td style="width: 8.37598%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">0.3</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
*Data provided by <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Basketball Reference</a>
**Data provided by <a href="https://backpicks.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Backpicks</a>
In all seriousness, though, you would need to have a major case of the Rust Cohle <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8x73UW8Hjk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&ldquo;I&rsquo;m bad at parties&rdquo;</a> to believe that Anthony Edwards, barely a full calendar year into his career, won&rsquo;t get any better than he is right now at age-20.
Tier 2: Optimist Floor -&nbsp;Jerry Stackhouse (Fringe All-Star)
Peak BPM (2001-02): 2.1 (T-52nd that season)
The more optimistic among us will point to Edwards&rsquo; <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZnOGXzUyi4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">violent athleticism</a> and penchant for invading the interior (79th percentile rim frequency, per Cleaning the Glass) to say that at the very least, he will match the production of the post-Jordan wave of athletic two-guards from the early 2000s &mdash; particularly Jerry Stackhouse.
In Stackhouse&rsquo;s two All-Star campaigns, he averaged <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/s/stackje01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">23.2 and 28.1 points per 75 possessions</a>, respectively, and he did so on <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/s/stackje01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">above-average efficiency</a> in part because of his ability to get easy points at the free-throw line (<a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/s/stackje01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">averaging 9.5 attempts per 75 possessions during that span</a>).
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With all his shots at the rim, you would think Edwards would produce more than the <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/e/edwaran01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">3.3 free-throw attempts per 75 possessions</a> that he&rsquo;s currently averaging. Yet watching him reveals that he struggles identifying when to slow down and deploy his strength on his drives. For instance, on this play, he should have utilized his size advantage on De'Aaron Fox by taking a power dribble and forcing Fox to foul him, rather than trying to zoom past Fox, pick up his dribble and give Fox an opportunity to rip the ball out of his hands.
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Edwards is already handling high-volume usage at near league-average efficiency. But to increase both those outputs further, he&rsquo;s going to need to use his physical tools to earn some more freebies at the line.
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Tier 3: Median Outcome -&nbsp;Donovan Mitchell (Solid All-Star/Weak All-NBA)
Peak BPM (2020-21): 3.9 (T-19th that season)
One player whom Edwards garnered comparison to during the pre-draft process was <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l46pqSeeA34" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Donovan Mitchell</a>. Though I&rsquo;m not sure how similar their physical parameters are these days, the Spida trajectory is still instructive as it features an aspect critical in transforming an inefficient volume scorer to an offensive focal point: the pull-up jumper.
In 16 playoff games, from 2017 to 2019, Mitchell shot 29% on 75 pull-up jumpers. In the last two postseasons, he shot 47% on 117 pull-up jumpers over the course of 17 games (per NBA.com). This improvement helped catapult his True Shooting Percentage from an abysmal sub-50%, in the 2018 and 2019 playoffs, to a stellar 64% over the past two postseasons.&nbsp;
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Conversely, in his young career, Edwards has shot 32.6% on his 248 pull-up jumper attempts, per NBA.com. While we&rsquo;ve yet to witness him in a playoff setting, his learning curve in that environment would likely be significantly less steep (and his ascension to All-Star status would likely come far more quickly) if he could start knocking down those types of shots at a mid-40% clip.&nbsp;
Tier 4: Reasonable Ceiling - Vince Carter (Solid All-NBA)
Peak BPM (2000-01): 4.7 (T-7th that season)
While Mitchell is one of the better shooters in today&rsquo;s game, peak Vince Carter had a case as the best in the league during his heyday. As <a href="https://premiumhoops.org/2020/12/17/how-good-was-vince-carter-in-his-prime-the-definitive-analysis/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cody Houdek</a> pointed out in an article for Premium Hoops, Carter shot 34% of his team's threes in 2000-01 (<a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/c/cartevi01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">converting nearly 41% of his attempts</a>), which matches Steph Curry&rsquo;s share in his famous 2015-16 unanimous-MVP season.
In the string of clips below, you'll get a glimpse of Carter&rsquo;s expansive shooting vocabulary. Like Mitchell, he had the pull-up jumper down pat, but he could also knock down shots off the catch-and-shoot, from the triple-threat position, while falling away and following a nasty stepback.
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For Edwards to reach All-NBA status without being a high-end contributor on defense (more on this in a bit), he will need to sport a similar cache of weapons to reach peak Carter-levels of volume and efficiency (<a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/c/cartevi01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">nearly 27.5 points per 75 possessions on +3.3% Relative True Shooting Percentage</a>). Luckily for him, he&rsquo;s got the bag in his hands; he just needs to deploy it more efficiently.
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Another thing that Edwards needs to take from Carter is his self-awareness. Even before his mature years in Memphis and Atlanta, Carter was wise enough to recognize his limitations as a primary ball-handler, so he made it a point to get the ball out of his hands as quickly as possible. That wisdom led to some nice feeds, like this one right here:
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Too often, Edwards falls prey to the &ldquo;let&rsquo;s-see-how-quickly-I-can-deflate-the-basketball-by-dribbling-it-excessively&rdquo; school of thought, and it leads to pointless sequences like this one here:
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Fortunately, he has moments of passing clarity where he analyzes the floor and quickly identifies the right play too:
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If Edwards can learn to get the ball out of his hands quicker, it will make it easier for the Wolves to insert a stronger ball-handler next to him (*cough* Ben Simmons *cough*), which increases the team&rsquo;s potential for building a high-level offense around him. Couple that with the outside shot-making mentioned earlier, and you have a recipe for how Edwards can develop into an All-NBA player.
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Tier 5: Best-Case Scenario Ceiling - Dwyane Wade (MVP Candidate)
Peak BPM (2008-09): 6.5 (3rd that season)
You knew this was coming. Wade, for my money &mdash; the third greatest two-guard ever &mdash; is the apex of the Edwards&rsquo; archetype (because Michael Jordan isn&rsquo;t <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-S9W9xZikkA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">actually human</a>, and the level of technical soundness required to match Kobe Bryant isn't a reasonable expectation for someone who didn't commit to basketball full-time until high school).
With that said, Edwards even reaching Wade-level is a shot in the dark, in part because of Wade&rsquo;s status as one of the premier perimeter defenders of all-time. What distinguished him from others in this regard was his affinity for racking up &ldquo;stocks.&rdquo; He finished in the 86th percentile or higher in both block and steal percentage for his position every year from 2005-2013, per Cleaning the Glass. The Ant-man currently sits in the 80th and 79th percentile in those stats, which does bode well for his defensive impact moving forward.
Wade was also a strong man defender who used his strength, speed and savvy to keep other guards in front of him. Look here as Wade defangs the Mamba himself:
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Edwards has shown flashes of similar shutdown artistry (as in the first two clips below), but he&rsquo;s also had his fair share of &ldquo;ol&eacute;&rdquo; moments mixed in there as well (as in the last two clips below):
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On offense, Wade surpasses Stackhouse&rsquo;s free-throw drawing rates, Mitchell&rsquo;s playoff-scoring potency and Carter&rsquo;s best volume and efficiency outputs while somehow managing to blend that with strong playmaking.
Wade shares Carter&rsquo;s knack for making quick-time decisions as a secondary/tertiary playmaker, but when necessary, he&rsquo;s also able to flip the switch and operate as a high-level offense's lead initiator. For example, the 2005-06 Miami Heat finished seventh in the league in offensive rating with Wade as the team&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/MIA/2006.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">leading assist man</a>.
Here are some clips that demonstrate Wade&rsquo;s playmaking abilities:
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His status as a passer is further solidified by Ben Taylor&rsquo;s <a href="https://backpicks.com/2018/07/15/nba-passer-ratings-since-1978/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Passer Rating</a> stat, where he scores over a 6 (which is a good score for guards) in 13 of his 16 seasons, including peaking at a rating of 8 in the 2008-09 season, per Backpicks.&nbsp;
To become an MVP-level impact player (which Flash was at his peak), Edwards will need to significantly improve his playmaking (his Passer Rating is 3.5 this season), become an All-Defensive-caliber contributor and increase his volume and efficiency to the numbers we discussed previously. A tall task indeed.
So can he ever reach that MVP level?
The Verdict: Tier 4
As of right now, I would have to say no.&nbsp;
I have a difficult time seeing him developing into the lead initiator that Wade was, which historically is a requirement for any on-ball/off-ball hybrid perimeter player to reach MVP-caliber production.
Watching Edwards play, you witness too many lost shot-creation opportunities because he&rsquo;s either missing open guys (as in the first clip) or delivering his passes inaccurately (as in the second clip):
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He&rsquo;s young and still has plenty of time to improvehis playmaking, but as I hinted at earlier, he started his full-time basketball journey a little later than most, and that means it will be difficult for him to develop the <a href="https://ezhoops.co/2021/01/04/feel-and-feel-accessories/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">feel</a> necessary to make the higher-level reads that someone like Wade was capable of executing.
Still, I think Edwards eventually masters the art of changing speeds to help increase his free-throw rates, becomes an efficient and versatile outside shooter, and creates enough havoc on defense to someday develop into an All-NBA-caliber player. And this means that the Timberwolves might have finally found the centerpiece they need to build a winner in Minnesota.

What is Anthony Edwards' ceiling? Mat Issa examines the 20-year-old's potential and explores his possible developmental outcomes.

How high can Anthony Edwards fly? Examining the 20-year-old's ceiling

&ldquo;Nothing But Bets&rdquo; is back to go over today&rsquo;s fun slate of NBA action for Thursday. Every single day, &ldquo;Nothing But Bets&rdquo; gives you the inside advantage before games begin. So far this season, the results have been in our favor, as we carry a 116-92-2 record (55.7%).
As always, our odds are provided by TwinSpires Sportsbook and over/under prop bet suggestions are provided by PrizePicks.
It&rsquo;s hammering time!
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Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Golden State Warriors (-9.5)
I&rsquo;ve learned my lesson to never bet against the Warriors again after they destroyed the star-studded Brooklyn Nets on their home court. Now, they are in Cleveland to face off against the Evan Mobley-less (and Jarrett Allen-less, Collin Sexton-less and Lauri Markkanen-less) Cavaliers. Not having Mobley out there is a big loss, especially going against Golden State. In this matchup, we are hammering with emphasis that Golden State covers the 9.5-point spread. Personally, I don&rsquo;t think this one ends up being close at all. Lock in Warriors -9.5, and check out these suggested over/under props via PrizePicks: Stephen Curry over 25.5 points, Draymond Green over 7.5 assists, Green over 7 rebounds, Curry over 4.5 threes.
Miami Heat (-7) vs. Washington Wizards
Welcome back to the lineup, Jimmy Butler. Miami&rsquo;s star wing was dominant on Wednesday against the Pelicans, as he poured in a triple-double. Alongside Butler, Bam Adebayo also returns for Miami. This is a tough matchup for the improved Wizards to pull off a victory. Miami&rsquo;s defense can be absolutely suffocating, so it could be a tough night for Bradley Beal. However, I do see this one being close throughout until the Heat pull away late in the fourth quarter. I&rsquo;m going to lock in the Heat to cover the 7-point spread with a late surge from Butler, Adebayo and early Sixth Man of the Year favorite Tyler Herro. Here&rsquo;s some suggested props to monitor on PrizePicks related to the underdog Wizards: Beal over 24.5 points, Daniel Gafford over 5.5 rebounds, Beal over 5 assists, Beal over 2 threes.
Memphis Grizzlies (-0.5) vs. Los Angeles Clippers
This is a super tough one to forecast, suggested as well by TwinSpires wagering this game at nearly pick &lsquo;em odds. Even on the road in Memphis, I trust Los Angeles to pull off the victory. Paul George continues to play excellent basketball right now, plus role players continue to step up nightly alongside him. George is a dark-horse MVP candidate for a reason, and I expect him to get the best of Ja Morant in this fun battle. In what should be one of the most entertaining contests for Thursday&rsquo;s slate, I&rsquo;m locking in the Clippers as underdogs to win outright. On PrizePicks, it&rsquo;s never a bad idea to build a power play off of George or Morant: George over 26.5 points, Morant over 22.5 points, Morant over 6.5 assists, Morant over 5 rebounds, George over 2.5 threes.
Minnesota Timberwolves (-2) vs. San Antonio Spurs
After watching most of the Timberwolves&rsquo; game yesterday against the Sacramento Kings, you can tell trying to figure out hot selection between Anthony Edwards, Karl-Anthony Towns and D&rsquo;Angelo Russell is still a delicate juggling act. The recent trend shows Edwards as the primary scorer, but should that be the case when KAT is an All-NBA caliber big? It&rsquo;s something I&rsquo;ll be monitoring moving forward, but for this matchup, I love Minnesota to cover the 2-point spread. The Spurs continue to prove they are a tough out almost every single game, though, so kudos to head coach Gregg Popovich for having this young core so locked in. Expect a big outing from Edwards and Towns, which leads Minnesota to cover the -2 line. On PrizePicks, here&rsquo;s some strong suggestions to build a power play with: Edwards over 22.5 points, Towns over 21.5 points, Dejounte Murray over 7 rebounds, Murray over 6.5 assists, Towns over 2 threes.
Denver Nuggets (-7.5) vs. Philadelphia 76ers
It&rsquo;s hard to envision a scenario where Philadelphia can cover the spread, especially as Joel Embiid continues to sit out in COVID-19 NBA health and safety protocols. Nikola Jokic has to be licking his chops for this matchup against Andre Drummond, who is prone to getting in early foul trouble against elite bigs. Expect Jokic to feast in this game, continuing to prove why he should also be on MVP ballots moving forward. Last season&rsquo;s MVP is so fun to watch when he gets in a groove, and I expect that to happen tonight. Hammer Denver to cover the 7.5-point spread, and try building a strong power play off Jokic&rsquo;s projected dominance: Jokic over 25.5 points, Jokic over 11 rebounds, Jokic over 6 assists, Jokic over 1.5 threes.
Utah Jazz (-10.5) vs. Toronto Raptors
Traveling to Salt Lake City is always a tough trek for any road team. For Toronto, it&rsquo;s gotten even more complicated, as OG Anunoby is now <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/og-anunoby-could-be-out-a-while-from-hip-pointer-injury" target="_blank" rel="noopener">out with a hip pointer injury</a>, which could keep him sidelined for multiple weeks according to head coach Nick Nurse. Without Anunoby, the Raptors' primary wing-stopper, expect Donovan Mitchell to have a big outing. Also, Rudy Gobert continues to prove he&rsquo;s one of the most dominant rim protectors in the Association. The Raptors love driving to the rim, and the assignment is going to be so challenging trying to climb Mount Gobert. Give me the Jazz to cover the double-digit spread at -10.5. Here are some solid suggestions to build an enticing power play bet on PrizePicks: Mitchell over 23.5 points, Bojan Bogdanovic over 15.5 points, Gobert over 13.5 rebounds, Bogdanovic over 2 threes.
Recapping our picks on &ldquo;Nothing But Bets,&rdquo; here&rsquo;s who I&rsquo;m rolling with for Thursday&rsquo;s slate: Warriors -9.5, Heat -7, Clippers +0.5, Timberwolves -2, Nuggets -7.5, Jazz -10.5.
All users that deposit and use the promo code NEWS on Prize Picks will receive a 100% instant deposit match up to $100! <a href="https://app.prizepicks.com/sign-up?invite_code=News" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sign up here</a>.

Alongside our "Nothing But Bets" podcast on BasketballNews.com, our daily picks will be posted each day.

Nothing But Bets: NBA Projections for 11/18/21

Just two days into the 2021-22 season, the NBA is already off and running. We've had a wild double-overtime finish at Madison Square Garden, a comeback thriller in Charlotte and we're seeing familiar faces in new places. (People have wasted no time in firing off their hot takes, too.) And there are still four teams who will make their season debut on Thursday evening too.
With our Evan Sidery debuting his <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nothing-but-bets/id1589799249" target="_blank" rel="noopener">"Nothing But Bets" podcast</a> on the Basketball News Podcast Network, we decided to have some fun by predicting how some franchises will fare record-wise in the upcoming campaign, primarily using <a href="https://dknation.draftkings.com/2021/8/17/22629137/nba-win-totals-odds-lines-2021-bulls-lakers-heat-jazz-knicks-warriors-nets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DraftKings' preseason NBA win totals</a>.
In our latest Roundtable, we asked our BasketballNews.com writers the following question:
Which team will hit its &ldquo;Over&rdquo; win total? 
Alex Kennedy: Last season, the Phoenix Suns finished with the second-best record in the NBA and went on an NBA Finals run despite relying heavily on their young core as well as incoming veterans (Chris Paul and Jae Crowder). This season, those young players should benefit greatly from that postseason experience, and the group should have improved chemistry thanks to their continuity. The Suns are bringing back largely the same roster, with a few excellent offseason additions such as JaVale McGee and Landry Shamet. Both role players fill a need for Phoenix and add to the Suns&rsquo; already impressive depth. Despite all of this, Phoenix enters this season with a projected win total of 51.5, meaning oddsmakers expect them to regress since they won 51 games last season while playing 10 fewer games (since the NBA had a 72-game season). I&rsquo;m hitting the over on the Suns.
Nekias Duncan: Sign me up for the Minnesota Timberwolves' over (34.5). The mind-meld between Karl-Anthony Towns and head coach Chris Finch seems like a perfect match. Anthony Edwards, D&rsquo;Angelo Russell and Malik Beasley should provide plenty of scoring support. Add in the fact that they're playing defense more aggressively, which fits their personnel much better than it did last season, and I'm ready to call my shot with the Wolves as a play-in team.
Spencer Davies: I think I've got to pick the Washington Wizards at 34.5. If you've been following along on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/keepin-it-94/id1545629382" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Keepin' It 94</a>, you'd have heard how much I loved their offseason. Not only did they address defensive areas of need, they also brought in a brand new head coach in Wes Unseld Jr. to have a clean slate going into 2021-22. Bradley Beal is still Bradley Beal, and he'll have some of the weight off his shoulders as a faciliator with Spencer Dinwiddie in the fold. I truly believe that Kyle Kuzma and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope can alter the attitude of that team from a defensive/hustle standpoint. And let's not forget Montrezl Harrell is going to play with a ridiculously large chip on his shoulder. Daniel Gafford just got paid and continues to grow too. This team won 34 games last season with less time; do we really think they've regressed? Not this guy.
Ethan Fuller: I'm extremely in on the Toronto Raptors to surpass a win total that most sites predict will be in the mid-30s (36.5 <a href="https://dknation.draftkings.com/2021/8/17/22629137/nba-win-totals-odds-lines-2021-bulls-lakers-heat-jazz-knicks-warriors-nets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on DraftKings</a>). This is a playoff-caliber team with a certified star in Pascal Siakam, and when he returns from injury, Toronto has one of the most versatile defensive lineups in the entire league. OG Anunoby is everyone's favorite Most Improved Player candidate, Fred VanVleet continues to be underrated and Scottie Barnes should help open up the floor as a passer.
Jannelle Moore: It's early, but I'm inclined to believe that the Golden State Warriors will surprise folks and hit their over win total (48.5). Their defense is solid, and they have made acquisitions in the offseason such as Otto Porter Jr. and Nemanja Bjelica who seem to mesh well offensively in the areas of shooting and spacing. Jordan Poole is emerging as another perimeter threat too. After the season-opener and how they were able to withstand the Los Angeles Lakers&rsquo; runs &mdash; and finding a way to win despite an off night from Steph Curry &mdash; I'm getting &ldquo;Strength In Numbers&rdquo; vibes from this squad.
Moke Hamilton: I&rsquo;d probably have to go with the Washington Wizards. Depending on which book you&rsquo;re looking at, most people see them winning somewhere between 30 and 33 games &mdash; 34.5 on DK &mdash; and I think they have a chance to be much better than that. If Bradley Beal is healthy, he&rsquo;ll suddenly find himself surrounded by a capable cast of players, with those coming over from Los Angeles boasting championship experience. There&rsquo;s a decent amount of optimism that Washington may have gotten its hands on some players, and I&rsquo;m with it.
Evan Sidery: Even without Jamal Murray, I think this Denver Nuggets team has the chance to rack up 50-plus wins this season. They showcased on Wednesday night against Phoenix when Nikola Jokic gets hot and their role players make shots that they can beat anybody. Coming into the season, Denver&rsquo;s <a href="https://dknation.draftkings.com/2021/8/17/22629137/nba-win-totals-odds-lines-2021-bulls-lakers-heat-jazz-knicks-warriors-nets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">over-under was 46.5</a>. I'm hammering the over here.
Blake Hairston: After the preseason this may not be a surprise, but the Chicago Bulls. Caesars has them at 43.5 wins and DraftKings has them at 42.5, but if all falls right, a team with good talent and players with a bit of a chip on their shoulders could reach 45-to-48 wins in the Eastern Conference.
Alexander Cohen: If the Minnesota Timberwolves build on their solid play under Chris Finch, they will easily surpass their 35-game line &mdash; in spite of the turmoil in the front office. The Wolves were 7-25 before Finch coached, and they're 16-25 since he took the helm. There's no reason to expect they won't build off that. Their young core should continue to grow and find consistency, and Patrick Beverley is an underrated veteran addition to ensure that.
Mark Gunnels: I think the Toronto Raptors will win over 35 games this year. I know Kyle Lowry is gone, but I believe this allows guys like Malachi Flynn and Fred VanVleet to spread their wings. Also, look for OG Anunoby to be a serious MIP candidate.

Which team will hit its “over” win total? BasketballNews.com's writers shared their thoughts.

NBA Roundtable: Which team will hit its 'Over' win total?

It's a new NBA season, which means the Sour Rankings are back!&nbsp;
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 general underwhelming play will all be considered.
The central question is ultimately this: How good should you feel about the direction of each franchise? Some teams value wins this season and paths to a title, while others are looking down the road at long-term pieces.&nbsp;
This week is not a "preview" installment; it is rather a barometer of the general vibe around a franchise as things get underway. The NBA preseason is generally filled with optimism; 10 teams make the Sour Rankings, but that doesn't mean they're all in dire straits, as I'll note.
So without further ado, let's get to it!
10. Washington Wizards
Given the circumstances, the Wizards had a satisfactory 2021 offseason. They returned three rotation-caliber players from the Russell Westbrook trade with the Los Angeles Lakers, and then went out and found a strong backcourt partner for Bradley Beal in Spencer Dinwiddie.&nbsp;
Washington could be a very solid team on paper with improved depth &mdash; but is that enough to make considerable playoff noise in the Eastern Conference? Beal's looming 2022 free-agent status shines a harsh spotlight on the current Wizards. Their star has stuck it out through multiple years of mediocrity. Maybe he'll re-up with the team that drafted him, but Beal would undoubtedly appreciate some serious postseason contention before having to decide.
9. Indiana Pacers
The injury bug simply will not let go of the Pacers. T.J. Warren still appears to be a ways off from recovering from a foot injury that held him to just four games last season. Caris LeVert will <a href="https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/nba/pacers/2021/10/16/pacers-caris-levert-getting-closer-but-miss-first-four-games/8489876002/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly miss at least the first four games</a> of the regular season as he works to return from a stress fracture in his back. These are two top-scoring options out of the short-term picture.
Indiana largely opted to stay the course in a suddenly crowded East. The Pacers can't afford to fall behind early, and these absences certainly won't help.
8. New Orleans Pelicans
Another team hampered by health, this ranking is entirely due to Zion Williamson's injury status. The superstar forward has suffered a sprained knee, torn meniscus and foot fracture in the past years, and is now without a return timetable as he recovers from that foot surgery. Without Williamson, the Pelicans are nowhere near the playoff sleeper they could be &mdash; even with a new head coach and some positive roster moves. They need their centerpiece, and his <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/we-should-be-worried-about-zion-williamson-ability-to-stay-healthy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">developing pattern of injuries is concerning</a>.
7. Phoenix Suns
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Mikal Bridges on being there for Deandre Ayton after not signing a new contract: &ldquo;He&rsquo;s way more mature with everything. He has great people around him. I try to do the best I can to clear his mind, but it&rsquo;s tough. .. Being around him every single day, I don&rsquo;t want to lose that.&rdquo;
&mdash; Evan Sidery (@esidery) <a href="https://twitter.com/esidery/status/1450186692871135232?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 18, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Three hours before writing this, I would not have remotely considered the Suns to be in the Sour Rankings. But the rookie extension deadline has passed without Deandre Ayton securing a long-term deal, the first No. 1 pick since Anthony Bennett not to do so.
Suns general manager James Jones did not negotiate a maximum contract extension with the Bahamian big man, perhaps at the direction of team owner Robert Sarver &mdash; but the team did agree to a 4-year, $43 million extension with draft classmate Landry Shamet. As Evan Sidery <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/news/authors/evan-sidery" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote in regards to Ayton</a>, that's blasphemous, and it could fragment an extremely fun, likable Phoenix squad.
6. Sacramento Kings
Your 2021 Las Vegas Summer League champs are back to fight the longest postseason drought in the league. The Kings are making strides with their young talent, highlighted by the preseason success of No. 9 overall pick Davion Mitchell, and retained a core piece in Richaun Holmes.&nbsp;
But does it feel like Sacramento is any closer to the playoffs? Buddy Hield was all-but-traded to the Lakers, and his future is now uncertain as the Kings see if a De'Aaron Fox-Tyrese-Haliburton-Mitchell lineup has potential. What about 2018 No. 2 overall pick Marvin Bagley III, who was not extended at Monday's deadline? He's as big of a question mark as one can exist among young prospects league-wide.&nbsp;
5. Minnesota Timberwolves
There's definitely reason for optimism with the Timberwolves. Anthony Edwards had a phenomenal second half to the 2020-21 season and an overall stellar rookie year. Karl-Anthony Towns can be rid of the awful, awful year-plus he has endured personally. D'Angelo Russell and Malik Beasley can get buckets, Jaden McDaniels and Jarred Vanderbilt are intriguing defensive pieces and Chris Finch had a summer to prep for all of this as head coach.&nbsp;
But the Gersson Rosas firing and fallout feels all too Timberwolves-y. It's yet another reset for Towns, who was vocally frustrated at training camp. Is the front office in position to guide the team with the season about to start?&nbsp;
4. Portland Trail Blazers
Larry Nance Jr.'s acquisition partially salvaged what was a wildly terrible offseason in Portland between the Chauncey Billups hiring and the Damian Lillard trade rumors. It appears Lillard is content to stick with the Blazers this season and see how the team operates under its first-year head coach. That's admirable, but it also means the entire season will be laced with tension.
Portland should run back a fun, high-scoring offense. Will the defense improve with Nance in the frontcourt? That's the big question. If not, the Blazers will return to playoff mediocrity and potentially push Lillard closer to the exit door.&nbsp;
3. Dallas Mavericks
The Mavericks were one of my picks for the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/roundtable-which-nba-team-had-the-worst-offseason" target="_blank" rel="noopener">worst NBA offseason</a> (Jackson Frank also picked them), and nothing in recent weeks has made me feel any better. Mark me down as adamantly opposed to the Jason Kidd hiring. Reggie Bullock is a fine individual player; he is not going to dramatically alter things on the offensive end. Plus, Dallas recently released 2020 draft pick Tyrell Terry, and we haven't seen much of 2020 first-rounder Josh Green. Where does the optimism come from outside of Luka Doncic?
2. Brooklyn Nets
I'm not going to get deep into the Kyrie Irving situation from a public health perspective, celebrity responsibility perspective or general common sense perspective. I don't have anything major to add to those discussions, other than to reinforce that Irving is carelessly and dangerously misusing his power as a public figure.&nbsp;
This section is about the Nets, who are paying the price for Irving's choices. The NBA title should have traveled through Brooklyn and its Big Three, and the Nets are still an elite basketball team with improved depth. But, remove an All-NBA-caliber player and the ceiling significantly lowers. Instead of being the overwhelming favorite, the Nets have become just another contender.
1. Philadelphia 76ers
Ben Simmons has given us the Hollywood trade drama we had missed since, well, last winter. Simmons was <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/ben-simmons-thrown-out-of-practice-suspended-philadelphia-76ers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tossed out of practice and suspended Tuesday</a>, so the months-long firestorm appears to still be getting hotter. But while that's a win for NBA/TMZ crossover fans, it's a serious loss for the 76ers, who now have to take this show into the regular season.
Joel Embiid has never played more than 64 games in a season, and is coming off of two shortened offseasons sandwiching an East Finals run. That should cause concern. The backcourt is fun, but nowhere near close to replicating Simmons' impact. Maybe Simmons actually does suit up in games &mdash; will he bring a positive on-court presence to a team that has publicly denounced his game?
Until Philly finally makes a trade &mdash; and who knows when it could happen &mdash; the Sixers' season could range from awkward to disastrous.

Ethan Fuller ranks the top-10 most frustrating NBA franchises ahead of the season.

NBA Sour Rankings: Chaos among the contenders?

The Boston Celtics enter the 2021 NBA preseason with one of the deepest training camp rosters they have fielded in recent years.
While the preseason remains as meaningless as ever for team projections, the closed training camp practices and four preliminary contests should help sift through an experienced group. Only one Celtic is a rookie (two-way player Sam Hauser), and 17 of the 20 players have at least two years of NBA experience.&nbsp;
The competition should be fantastic throughout the depth chart. But some battles take on a higher importance as new head coach Ime Udoka finalizes his squad and shapes his team's identity. I have five groupings I'll be particularly interested in as opening night inches closer.
Robert Williams III vs. Al Horford &mdash; Who opens the season as the starting center?
This is the highest-profile "question mark" for the Celtics entering training camp. They just gave Williams a four-year, $54 million contract extension, and he finally started to string together healthy games in his third season. Horford, however, has more experience and notoriety given his last run in Boston. None of this is going to matter because Udoka will play whoever best complements Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.&nbsp;
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Who had the NBA&rsquo;s highest FG% inside the restricted area last season? Per NBA Stats (min. 100 attempts): 1. Giannis Antetokounmpo 💪 - 80.7% 2. DeAndre Jordan - 79.9% 3. Robert Williams III - 78.0% 4. Michael Porter Jr. - 77.5% 5. Daniel Gafford - 76.7% <a href="https://t.co/QjL19obD94">pic.twitter.com/QjL19obD94</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1437056999569637383?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 12, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Is that Williams, who was one of the most efficient interior finishers in the entire NBA last season? He's an eye-popping lob threat who can move the ball well for a paint presence and protect the rim at a high level. Horford, in contrast, can stretch the floor, pass the ball well and open up more versatile defensive approaches. He can theoretically play power forward as well, though I'm skeptical of that as a realistic option.
We'll see how Udoka deploys Tatum and Brown as playmakers. Perhaps the spacing with those two, Marcus Smart and Josh Richardson clicks, and Williams can finish plays as a roller or dunker spot threat. Or maybe the Celtics need a stretch big as they have in past seasons. Either way, both should receive heavy minutes regardless of their place in the starting lineup.
My prediction:&nbsp;Williams starts, barring injury.
Dennis Schr&ouml;der vs. Payton Pritchard &mdash; Who runs the bench offense and when?
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Which rookies led the NBA in &ldquo;deep&rdquo; threes made (&gt;27 feet) last season? Per Sportradar: 1. Immanuel Quickley - 34 (38.6 FG%) 2. Payton Pritchard - 32 (40.5 FG%) 3. LaMelo Ball - 28 (34.1 FG%) 4. Saddiq Bey - 21 (35.6 FG%) 5. Anthony Edwards - 20 (27.4 FG%) <a href="https://t.co/Ti8afYE0mS">pic.twitter.com/Ti8afYE0mS</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1436075090555310084?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 9, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Smart should be penciled in as the starting point guard and Richardson (more on him soon) appears to have the edge as a shooting guard. Schr&ouml;der would then come off the bench as a starting-caliber point guard, while Payton Pritchard looks ready for a larger load after his dominant summer league.
What responsibilities would they each have? The 28-year-old Schr&ouml;der is a seasoned lead guard who can attack off the dribble and finish at the rim. Pritchard doesn't have the same explosiveness, but instead has impressive range as a perimeter shotmaker. He orchestrated the Celtics offense in Las Vegas and became a backup point guard by default as a rookie. Is that enough to take responsibility off of Schr&ouml;der &mdash; and how will each fare without the ball in his hands?
My prediction: Schr&ouml;der gets more lead-guard run as a capable veteran.
Josh Richardson vs. Aaron Nesmith vs. Romeo Langford &mdash; Who capitalizes on available minutes?
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Josh Richardson on getting vaccinated: "That subject is pretty personal. I talked about what I'm going to do ... with my family and my circle. I'm not really sure. I think it's good that people are still educating themselves on the subject. Going forward, I'm not sure."
&mdash; Souichi Terada (寺田惣一) (@SouichiTerada) <a href="https://twitter.com/SouichiTerada/status/1442536533135970304?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 27, 2021</a></blockquote>
Richardson should be starting for the Celtics as a two-way wing due for some positive regression. But the vaccine situation matters, from a public health and player availability perspective. Yes, he does not say he is unvaccinated outright, but this is a pretty loud hint that Richardson could miss opening night against the New York Knicks, and potentially more games.&nbsp;
In the possible absence, is Aaron Nesmith <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/aaron-nesmith-is-ready-for-whatever-else-the-boston-celtics-throw-at-him" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ready to step up</a>? The second-year wing flashed off-dribble attacking ability in summer league and is a known three-point threat. But Nesmith has an injury history, as does third-year guard Romeo Langford. The No. 15 pick from the 2019 draft has played just 50 games in his NBA career and is still a relative unknown. Who will we see in what roles, and when?&nbsp;
My prediction: Absolutely no idea.

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Grant Williams vs. Juan Hernangomez vs. Garrison Mathews &mdash; Who is the stretch 4 off the bench?
Boston brought aboard Hernangomez, Mathews and Hauser this summer, and each slots into that hyper-specialist, sharpshooting forward role. With context, Hernangomez would seem to have the edge as the primary piece of a trade from Memphis, while Mathews is currently on a non-guaranteed contract and Hauser is signed on the two-way deal. But they'll ultimately have to fit with the incumbent in Williams.
The Celtics' other 2019 first-round pick has been... interesting through his first two seasons. He is woefully streaky as a shooter, registering three months over 40% from three last season along with two under 32%. He's also a 6-foot-6 forward who works really hard on the defensive end, but can be outmatched due to his size.
It would be surprising to see Williams out of the rotation entirely, but Udoka could drastically alter his role depending on how he gets going this fall.
My prediction: Williams and Hernangomez stick in the rotation, but Hernangomez has more offensive responsibility.
Which veterans hang onto the end of the roster?
Jabari Parker, Theo Pinson, Ryan Arcidiacono, Juwan Morgan and Mathews are all signed to non-guaranteed training camp deals or partially-guaranteed contracts. The Celtics only have one active roster spot and one two-way contract available. Five veterans are essentially fighting for two spots, and that does not even include Bruno Fernando, who is on a fully-guaranteed deal as the fourth center on the depth chart.
That's a pretty serious battle for six veterans. The NBA G League website says that players in their fourth season or earlier are eligible for a two-way contract. This would make Fernando, Pinson, Morgan and Mathews eligible two-way players, though I would be suprised if a 24-game starter in Mathews were to opt to stay on a two-way deal.&nbsp;
Do the Celtics want steady guard depth in Arcidiacono and his 5.6 assist-to-turnover ratio from last season? Or do they opt for a scoring forward in Parker or Mathews? What about keeping the guaranteed-contract player they have in Fernando? And what about that last two-way slot?
Ultimately, these will be the most pressing questions during preseason action since all of these players should get quality playing time.
My prediction: Fernando and Mathews get the final active roster spots. Pinson gets the two-way.
Boston may not have a title-contending roster on paper. But it's clear that Udoka and Brad Stevens are building for the present and searching for the best complements to Tatum and Brown. As the two young stars creep towards their primes, it's becoming time to open the Celtics' window of opportunity.

Ethan Fuller takes a look at five competitions that could break out during the Celtics' preseason process.

5 battles to watch during Celtics training camp and preseason

Nowadays, a unicorn-type player in the NBA is becoming more commonplace than ever. We&rsquo;re hitting a golden age of talent in basketball where so many unique body types develop into mismatch nightmares at the professional level. What was now a rarity is more frequent than usual, which is a testament to how far the game has come &mdash; and also what is valued at the highest level in prospects.
How should a unicorn be classified? For reference, there are a few criteria I&rsquo;m putting in place, so if you&rsquo;re wondering where a player is and why he might not be on the list &mdash; don&rsquo;t fret. I am categorizing unicorns as multi-faceted players who provide more than one element on the basketball court standing at least 6-foot-10.
&ldquo;Where&rsquo;s Zion?! Where&rsquo;s LeBron?! Where&rsquo;s Luka?! Where&rsquo;s Bam?!&rdquo;
There&rsquo;s your answer. Even with those criteria put into place, this list is pretty darn impressive if I must say so myself. It&rsquo;s a perfect blend of elite-level pros who provide so much versatility. We&rsquo;re at the peak of the unicorn age, and it seems like this prototype is just now beginning to pick up steam.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Without further ado, here are my top-10 unicorns currently in the NBA:
1. KEVIN DURANT
The original himself. Kevin Durant is a "cyborg unicorn," if we want to make a new term for it. Durant&rsquo;s sharpshooting equity as a jumbo floor-spacer, who has also shown an improved awareness as a defender, makes him consistently one of the best players in the Association. Even after tearing his Achilles and missing the entire 2019-20 season, Durant returned and became an MVP contender once more. That&rsquo;s even more jaw-dropping from that aspect. Durant is the original unicorn, and he certainly deserves to lead off this list.
2. GIANNIS ANTETOKOUNMPO
Antetokounmpo&rsquo;s resume at this stage of his career is already absurd, but his fluidity as an athlete with his size is outrageous. Giannis can cover the full length of the court in just a dribble or two. His ability to glide around and make impact plays on both ends is what makes Giannis one of the best players on the planet. After winning his first NBA championship, Giannis is near the top of the pedestal for unicorns. Providing amazing two-way versatility as a Shaquille O&rsquo;Neal-esque finisher around the basket with solid rim protection, Giannis could soon supplant Durant and become No. 1.
3. NIKOLA JOKIC
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🗓 SEASON REVIEW ◆ AWARDS 🏆 🏆 MVP Nikola Jokic 📼 Season mixtape<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBA</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAAwards?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAAwards</a> <a href="https://t.co/BVzWTxCqwr">pic.twitter.com/BVzWTxCqwr</a>
&mdash; NBA France (@NBAFRANCE) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBAFRANCE/status/1431209886554017794?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 27, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Last season&rsquo;s MVP award-winner inspired the idea for this article. Jokic is everything you look for in a unicorn &mdash; a large player who provides a unique ability on the court. As a seven-footer, Jokic is a triple-double machine, averaging 26.4 points, 10.8 rebounds and 8.3 assists during his miraculous MVP run. Add in the fact that Jokic can spread the floor as an adequate three-point shooter, and his unicorn qualities shine even brighter.
4. JOEL EMBIID
Everything you want in a unicorn Embiid possesses in spades. Above-average three-level scoring, defense, basketball IQ &mdash; Philadelphia's "Process" stays near the top of award races for a multitude of reasons. Embiid just <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/76ers-sign-joel-embiid-to-4year-196-million-max-contract-extension" target="_blank" rel="noopener">signed a max extension with the 76ers</a>, and Philadelphia will continue to build a roster that bests suits Embiid&rsquo;s transcendent abilities. If Embiid can become an even better three-point shooter, he could challenge for the top unicorn spot down the road. But everything else in Embiid&rsquo;s bag is already what makes him one of the best giants walking around the NBA today.
5. ANTHONY DAVIS
Davis has long been one of the best unicorns in the NBA. As a multi-time All-NBA player who provides elite production as a two-way big, Davis is slowly but surely becoming the 1A to LeBron James&rsquo; 1B with the Los Angeles Lakers. Just now entering his prime years, Davis is poised to eventually take the mantle from LeBron as the best player on the Lakers&rsquo; roster. In the meantime, Davis is the best complementary piece in the league that can go off for 40-plus points, 10-plus rebounds and 5-plus blocks on any given night. With that type of potential, Davis had to crack the top five of the NBA&rsquo;s best unicorns.
6. KARL-ANTHONY TOWNS
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Karl-Anthony Towns stuffs the stat sheet in the <a href="https://twitter.com/Timberwolves?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Timberwolves</a> victory. 26 PTS 18 REB 5 AST 4 BLK 64.1 FPTS <a href="https://t.co/bwEzES2xLK">pic.twitter.com/bwEzES2xLK</a>
&mdash; NBA Fantasy (@NBAFantasy) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBAFantasy/status/1384726284333469698?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Towns is a fantastic scorer for any big man. Did you know the face of the Minnesota Timberwolves has shot above 40% on his three-pointers since the 2018-19 season? Seemingly way too far under the radar, Towns has become one of the NBA&rsquo;s best scorers. Towns would&rsquo;ve been even higher on this list if not for his lack of consistent effort on defense. If it ever clicks for Towns on that end, he will become the best big man in the league. Minnesota has so much young talent on its roster to accompany KAT, including former No. 1 pick Anthony Edwards. If the Wolves take a leap, Towns will get more national respect that he deserves for the caliber player that he is.
7. MICHAEL PORTER JR.
This may seem high for Porter Jr., but his breakout sophomore campaign (technically MPJ&rsquo;s third season, but he sat out Year 1 due to back surgery) helped him surge up the list of unique talents within the NBA. Porter's shooting ability among 6-foot-10, score-first wings is only matched by Durant, as Porter shot an incredible 44.5% on 6.3 three-point attempts per game last season. Having such an <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-denver-nuggets-michael-porter-jr-affect-game-other-ways-michael-malone-nikola-jokic-paul-millsap" target="_blank" rel="noopener">unguardable shot launch-point</a>, Porter can go off for 20-plus points on any given night.
With an expected leap coming from Porter next season &mdash; and also a flash of some better defense before a regression in the playoffs &mdash; he could become one of the best under-25 players in the league. Discussing jumbo-sized young prospects, Porter is one of the most intriguing of the bunch. If Porter hits his sky-high ceiling for Denver, the Nuggets will have a potent trio of scorers who could go up against anybody and win.
8. BEN SIMMONS
Simmons has become a controversial player to discuss after his disappointing playoff run with Philadelphia. Passing up a wide-open dunk because of his lack of shooting confidence, Simmons could soon be on the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-roundtable-what-should-the-76ers-do-with-ben-simmons" target="_blank" rel="noopener">way out of the Sixers&rsquo; long-term plans</a>. But even if that&rsquo;s the case, it still doesn&rsquo;t knock all that the 2016 No. 1 overall pick can provide to any organization. Although the shooting is woeful, to say the least, he&rsquo;s still a jumbo-sized point-forward who offers All-NBA defense and <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/ben-simmons-is-driving-success-in-philadelphia-76ers-sixers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">above-average playmaking chops</a> for his size.
In the right situation that optimally spaces the floor, Simmons could look more like a Giannis-type of player who attacks the basket with reckless abandon on every possession. In the meantime, Simmons&rsquo; stock is at an all-time low. It wouldn&rsquo;t shock me if Simmons cracked the top-five on the 2022-23 unicorns list if he gains some semblance of scoring ability outside of the paint.
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9. KRISTAPS PORZINGIS
Porzingis made the unicorn phrase popular within NBA circles. After beginning his career with the New York Knicks, Porzingis&rsquo; 7-foot-3 frame would single-handedly carry his team to victory in some games. With such a <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-balancing-act-of-kristaps-porzingis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">unique frame and an ability to protect the rim and shoot three-pointers so fluidly</a>, Porzingis used to be a player many thought you could build a team around. Nowadays due to injury concerns, Porzingis is settling in as a second or third option with the Dallas Mavericks alongside Luka Doncic and Tim Hardaway Jr.
New head coach Jason Kidd&rsquo;s top task in Dallas is to bring back the New York version of Porzinigis which terrorized opposing gameplans. If it all clicks back together for Porzingis, the Mavericks will be a force in the Western Conference, with a top MVP contender already on their roster in Doncic.
10. EVAN MOBLEY
It's bold to put a rookie who has yet to play a single NBA game at No. 10 on the unicorns list, but I&rsquo;m going for it. Mobley was one of the safest big man prospects we&rsquo;ve seen enter the NBA in years. His ability to shoot, defend multiple positions and even facilitate made many believe he was <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/cavs-feel-super-fortunate-to-land-potential-twoway-star-evan-mobley" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a transcendent prospect coming out of USC</a>. Now with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Mobley will likely be a starting power forward alongside Jarrett Allen in the frontcourt. Add in an interesting backcourt combination in Darius Garland and Collin Sexton, plus Isaac Okoro on the wing, and the Cavs have an <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-cleveland-cavaliers-banking-on-organic-growth-supplementing-talent-to-take-next-step" target="_blank" rel="noopener">exciting young core to build around</a>.
Mobley should soon become the No. 1 building block in Cleveland with his immense upside as a multi-faceted seven-footer who can impact the game in so many different ways. Eventually, Mobley could see himself be one of the game&rsquo;s top unicorns if his skill set translates as smoothly as it&rsquo;s expected to.

Who are the best "unicorn" players in the NBA? What classifies as one? Evan Sidery lists his top-10.

Ranking the NBA's top-10 unicorns

The biggest offseason domino yet to fall is Philadelphia 76ers point guard Ben Simmons.
Coming off a forgetful playoff run where he seemed allergic to having the basketball in his hands late in games, Simmons and the Sixers are at a crossroads. Will the 25-year-old max All-Star stay in Philadelphia, or will he be shipped off elsewhere before the 2021-22 season begins?
Last season, Simmons averaged a career-low 14.3 points to go along with 7.2 rebounds and 6.9 assists. However, he's been a plus-defender his entire career; there&rsquo;s no denying the impact he has on that end of the floor. Coming off two consecutive seasons in which he was named to the All-Defense First Team, any organization should be able to utilize the jumbo-sized, uber-athletic point-forward on both offense and defense.
However, it&rsquo;s fair to wonder whether Simmons can reach his full potential in a Sixers uniform. With Joel Embiid, Simmons isn't utilized as a post-passing savant who can abuse mismatches against slower-footed bigs. In an offense built entirely around Simmons, he could flourish with more freedom.
Simmons is an interesting case study for star-caliber players on massive salaries. With his trade value at an all-time low, Philadelphia is still asking for an enormous return &mdash; four first-round picks and an All-Star has been reported. Nobody will give Sixers GM Daryl Morey that much value in any Simmons deal, so what makes sense in a potential package?
Let&rsquo;s go ahead and take a look, name some teams that should be calling Philadelphia and assemble some trade packages.
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SACRAMENTO KINGS
The pressure is on for Sacramento to finally field a winning team and snap their 15-year playoff drought. Whether it be Simmons or Pascal Siakam, I&rsquo;ve suggested that the Kings finally push their chips into the middle of the table for an aggressive win-now move.
Simmons would be the perfect piece to fit into their puzzle alongside De&rsquo;Aaron Fox and Tyrese Haliburton. The Kings&rsquo; backcourt duo had a positive net rating last season, and adding Simmons to the mix gives them a very fun playmaking trio that can play off one another.
Playing the four alongside Richaun Holmes provides little spacing, but Simmons could become the de-facto primary ball handler with Fox and Haliburton providing spacing around the perimeter. A potential starting unit featuring Fox, Haliburton, Harrison Barnes, Simmons and Richaun Holmes could hold up on both ends of the court.
Philadelphia receives: Buddy Hield, Marvin Bagley III, two first-round picks
Sacramento receives: Ben Simmons
MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES
In a similar position as Sacramento, Minnesota could rise in the Western Conference with an impact move. Karl-Anthony Towns is a bonafide superstar, while Anthony Edwards has great potential. Tossing Simmons into the Timberwolves&rsquo; lineup would be exactly how they can become a more well-rounded team.
The question is, would Minnesota pull the trigger on trading Towns&rsquo; good friend D&rsquo;Angelo Russell? If so, Minnesota&rsquo;s new Big 3 would be outstanding.
Imagine the endless possibilities with Simmons flanking Towns and Edwards. The Wolves&rsquo; primary scoring duo could still have their way offensively, but Simmons would be the glue holding everything together from a playmaking and defensive standpoint.
Philadelphia receives: D&rsquo;Angelo Russell, Jaden McDaniels, future first-round pick
Minnesota receives: Ben Simmons
SAN ANTONIO SPURS
What exactly are the Spurs up to right now? Signing Doug McDermott and Bryn Forbes, San Antonio might be picturing a scenario where they are good enough to push for the playoffs. The strategy for San Antonio should revolve around tanking and focusing on the internal development of their young core.
However, if the Spurs want to make one more big push before head coach Gregg Popovich&rsquo;s presumed retirement, maybe a Simmons trade could go down.
San Antonio has a strong ecosystem in which Simmons could rebuild his value. Surrounded by plus three-point shooters, Simmons can reach his ceiling in a role where everything is built around his strengths.
Philadelphia receives: Dejounte Murray, Lonnie Walker, Thaddeus Young, future first-round pick
San Antonio receives: Ben Simmons
GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS
Would the Warriors even be interested in Simmons? It&rsquo;s a real question to ask with Draymond Green already playing a similar role. However, as Green ages, he&rsquo;s the perfect mentor for Simmons to learn from.
Golden State has one big move left up their sleeve with Andrew Wiggins' contract and a lot of young prospects &mdash; James Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody and Jordan Poole. Surely they have their eyes on All-NBA talents such as Damian Lillard and Bradley Beal, but Simmons could be the most realistic player to add with their current collection of assets.
Imagining Simmons flanked by Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson is a fun exercise, too. Maybe down the line, this is the type of environment where Simmons could become a player where the offense is adequately spaced for him to feast on drives to the basket.
Philadelphia receives: Andrew Wiggins, James Wiseman, Jordan Poole, two future first-round picks
Golden State receives: Ben Simmons
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WASHINGTON WIZARDS
One team that has finally tried to build around their star the right way is Washington, which is set to give Bradley Beal a competent roster for the 2021-22 season. However, Beal is entering the final year of his deal.
Would Simmons work well alongside Beal? That&rsquo;s a legitimate concern, but a home run swing that could be necessary for Beal to commit long-term in the nation&rsquo;s capital.
Simmons and Beal flanked by shooters and prospects is a nice foundation for Wizards GM Tommy Shepard to build around for the next five-plus years.
Philadelphia receives: Davis Bertans, Kyle Kuzma, Deni Avdija, two future first-round picks
Washington receives: Ben Simmons
TORONTO RAPTORS
Another team facing a fork in the road with their current roster construction, Toronto has to decide on what happens with Pascal Siakam. Will Toronto keep Siakam around with their young core, or flip him for more long-term value?
If the Raptors want to make an aggressive win-now push while also offloading Siakam, enter Simmons.
A potential lineup of Simmons with Fred VanVleet, OG Anunoby, Scottie Barnes and Precious Achiuwa sounds like something Toronto would love to try.
Is Simmons open to moving across the border? If so, this could be a win-win deal for both sides as they begin new eras for their respective organizations. Siakam and Embiid is a terrifying frontcourt for Philadelphia, and the duo would allow Tobias Harris to slide back into the small forward position. Meanwhile, Toronto brings Simmons aboard as their new face of the franchise with a solid young nucleus surrounding him.
Philadelphia receives: Pascal Siakam
Toronto receives: Ben Simmons
INDIANA PACERS
No surprise, Indiana is another team that could be staring down the barrel of important, franchise-altering decisions within a year. The Pacers have a great, well-balanced roster that&rsquo;s been plagued by injuries over the last few seasons. T.J. Warren, who broke out in a huge way during the Orlando Bubble, only played four games during the 2019-20 campaign. Caris LeVert missed time due to a cancerous tumor that was discovered after the James Harden trade. Myles Turner and Malcolm Brogdon continue to miss time here and there due to various injuries, not helping remove the "injury-prone" labels placed on them in the past.
Rick Carlisle is making a triumphant return to Indiana after more than a decade, and the Pacers feel a coaching switch and better health might be their best bet to jump up another rung in the Eastern Conference standings.
Indiana has sniffed around Simmons' availability already this offseason, though. Having a tough time being able to pitch top free agents on coming to Indianapolis, making an aggressive trade might be the only way for it to happen.
Although one of Myles Turner or Domantas Sabonis would need to be moved to a third team in this hypothetical scenario, Indiana going star hunting could be the necessary tweak to change their long-term fortunes.
Philadelphia receives: Malcolm Brogdon, Jeremy Lamb, two future first-round picks
Indiana receives: Ben Simmons
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS
After drafting Evan Mobley No. 3 overall in the 2021 NBA Draft, Cleveland has a bright, young core. Darius Garland, Mobley, Jarrett Allen, Isaac Okoro and Collin Sexton will be fun to watch, but do all of the pieces actually fit together? The Cavaliers have reportedly shopped Sexton this offseason with a big-money extension potentially waiting for him in 2022. Cleveland prefers Darius Garland, who has continued to develop in his first two seasons. Being able to play off the ball as well, Garland has already shown the ability to function alongside another primary ball handler.
Kevin Love is the odd man out of Cleveland right now, but a buyout doesn&rsquo;t seem to be on the horizon; he has two years remaining on his extension.
Could Philadelphia and Cleveland build a win-win package around Simmons for Love and Sexton? It&rsquo;s a long-shot, but one that might have already been explored. Longtime NBA insider Marc Stein mentioned earlier this offseason that Cleveland is another team who has previously expressed interest in acquiring Simmons.
A core in Cleveland consisting of Simmons, Garland, Mobley, Allen and Okoro is something that&rsquo;s at least intriguing on surface level.
Philadelphia receives: Kevin Love, Collin Sexton, two future first-round picks
Cleveland receives: Ben Simmons
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PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
This is Portland&rsquo;s last chance to build a Finals contender around Damian Lillard. So far this offseason, they haven&rsquo;t come close. Re-signing Norman Powell was a necessary step, but retooling their bench with Cody Zeller, Tony Snell and Ben McLemore won&rsquo;t get it done.
The Blazers are stuck in the middle, which is the worst place to be. With that being said, it&rsquo;s time to finally break up the Lillard, C.J. McCollum backcourt. Whether it be Simmons or Siakam, Portland needs to finally make an aggressive push to appease their disgruntled superstar.
A deal revolving around Simmons and McCollum makes sense for both parties. McCollum can function as a score-first combo guard who can play well off Embiid, while Simmons provides a beautiful blend of playmaking and defense alongside Lillard.
Philadelphia receives: C.J. McCollum, Nassir Little, two future first-round picks
Portland receives: Ben Simmons
Simmons' future is the biggest question remaining in an already eventful 2021-22 offseason. Odds are, he'll be moved to the highest bidder. Perhaps it'll end up being one of the aforementioned teams.

Ben Simmons is the last big domino left to fall this offseason. Will he stay in Philadelphia? It's time to explore potential destinations.

Examining potential trade destinations for Ben Simmons

For the first time in over a decade, the Boston Celtics enter an offseason without a clear point guard hierarchy.
Dating back to 2007-08, when Rajon Rondo broke out and helped the franchise earn an NBA title, Boston had an established line of clear-cut floor generals. Rondo carried the torch (albeit through some injury-shortened seasons) before Isaiah Thomas came along, and then Kyrie Irving, and then Kemba Walker.&nbsp;
All four were established starters and played signficant roles in the team's offense. But when newly promoted team president Brad Stevens sent Walker to Oklahoma City in the first major trade of the summer, the chain broke. Boston is in layers of unfamiliar territory this offseason -- new head coach, new general manager, new starting point guard -- and that's what makes this one of the more interesting offseasons in recent team history.
The point guard question isn't just about what name will appear on the jumbotron. It could challenge that bloodline of Celtics scoring guards and signal a shift to a different style of offense.
Does Boston's lead ball-handler need to be the point guard? Do Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown need a third self-creator? What about the bench -- how do the Celtics resolve the revolving door at backup point guard and stabilize an inconsistent second unit? How many chips do the Celtics push in this summer with a potential spending spree looming in 2022?
Each answer changes depending on what avenue Stevens and head coach Ime Udoka choose. I'm just here to lay out the plausible options. Let's get started.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">In-House Solutions</h2>
The Celtics have five incumbent options to fill out the rotation. But according to Jared Weiss of&nbsp;The Athletic, two-way player Tremont Waters <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/tremont-waters-looking-to-leave-celtics-find-nba-rotation-role-elsewhere" target="_blank" rel="noopener">appears to be on his way out</a>. So that leaves four choices, with the most unproven player also being the only traditional point guard.&nbsp;
Marcus Smart is the longest-tenured Celtic. He's played seven seasons as a complement off the ball alongside all four of Rondo, Thomas, Irving and Walker. But Smart is&nbsp;different. Unlike the latter three in particular, he doesn't command touches or consistently make shots, but instead plays All-NBA-caliber defense and play-makes at an underrated level.&nbsp;
Despite what disgruntled Celtics fans might say about him hijacking possessions, Smart's usage rate has never exceeded 20%. He's a familiar fit next to Tatum and Brown, and could be the fuel that can jump start last year's disappointing defense.
Udoka sees it, too. He called Smart a <a href="https://www.boston.com/sports/boston-celtics/2021/06/29/ime-udoka-invaluable-marcus-smart-celtics/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">'foundational piece'</a> back in June. If the Celtics re-sign Evan Fournier, Smart can focus on distributing to three solid scorers while setting the defensive tone. He's a capable starter -- even if his role looks different from Celtic point guards' past.
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Great pass from Marcus Smart here. He's up to eight assists. <a href="https://t.co/hrQSmaEGl3">pic.twitter.com/hrQSmaEGl3</a>
&mdash; Chris Grenham (@chrisgrenham) <a href="https://twitter.com/chrisgrenham/status/1389024830901604354?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 3, 2021</a></blockquote>

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The experience level plummets after Smart. Payton Pritchard carved out a spot in the rotation as the 26th overall pick last season. The 23-year-old rookie made 41.1% of his threes and generally looked composed with the ball, but Pritchard has a ways to go as a defender and overall decision-maker.
Then, there's 2019 lottery pick Romeo Langford. The oft-injured guard may get some burn <a href="https://theathletic.com/2712647/2021/07/19/celtics-summer-league-roster-taking-shape-ahead-of-nba-draft/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">at point guard in Summer League</a>, and has shown glimpses of a versatile defender and attacker off the dribble. At this stage, though, Langford would be unprepared for a role he hasn't taken on since high school.&nbsp;
Carsen Edwards has yet to find consistency in his pro game and in the lineup. That leaves 21-year-old Israeli prospect Yam Madar -- the only player with a season of professional experience as a true point guard -- as a longshot option.
I'm as bullish on Madar's NBA future as anyone. At 6-foot-3, Madar's on-ball tenacity, athleticism and 40% three-point clip could shape up as a lethal combination. But it would be risky to even slot Madar in as a backup from the jump, much less put him in the starting lineup.
If the Celtics made no offseason addition, I'd expect Smart to roll as the starting "point guard." The position is in quotes because his role, and the position in general, lines up less and less with traditional responsibilities. Smart could be the "point guard," while Pritchard and Langford operate as backup "point guards," but Tatum and Brown will be just as important in setting the offensive table.&nbsp;
<h2 style="text-align: center;">The Draft and Free Agency</h2>
Boston traded its No. 16 overall selection to OKC in the Kemba Walker deal. As things stand, Stevens only has the 45th pick to work with. If the choice is a point guard, that rookie is unlikely to be a Year 1 contributor. So we'll move on to free agent options.
The Celtics do not have cap space. They're actually $16.3 million over the salary cap, <a href="https://www.spotrac.com/nba/boston-celtics/cap/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">per Spotrac</a>, and that's before potentially bringing back Fournier, who they can go over the cap to re-sign. Free agent signings will have to come via the Non-Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception (worth about $9.5 million), the Bi-Annual Exception ($3.7 million) or veteran minimum contracts.&nbsp;
The pickings slim right down. I won't speculate on projected contracts, but consider that the Celtics signed Tristan Thompson to a similar deal (two years, $19 million) last offseason. Thompson was expected to be a borderline-starting player, and he more-or-less met that projection. Guards who could fit a similar tier include: Derrick Rose, T.J. McConnell, Reggie Jackson and Alex Caruso.&nbsp;
Boston signed Jeff Teague to a vet minimum deal last season. The move didn't pan out -- Teague was dealt at the trade deadline -- but he was brought in to be a steady, seasoned backup. Some names matching that description could be Patty Mills, Ish Smith or Langston Galloway.
Both pathways can infuse the rotation with quality players, but they likely won't be a long-term answer at the position. Plus, point guard isn't the only need on the roster, and the Celtics may find better value at another position. They shouldn't feel boxed in with these two avenues.
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">The Trade Market</h2>
Do not expect Boston to swing another layered blockbuster this summer. If the salary cap sheets tell you anything, it's that Stevens is loading up to make a splash in 2022, when they have just three players locked down. The front office will bide its time until then.
The Celtics do have a whopping six trade exceptions at their disposal. Four of them are significant, worth approximately $11 million, $6.7 million, $5 million and $4.7 million. Teams cannot combine exceptions, so these would have to be used separately. But the $11 million TPE in particular must be used soon, or else it will expire on August 16.
What could the Celtics do with it? Potentially absorb a starting-caliber point guard, or package it with other players to make a more sizeable splash. For example, according to The Athletic's Zach Harper, both Dejounte Murray and Derrick White <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/dejounte-murray-derrick-white-could-both-be-gettable-in-spurs-trade-talks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">are "gettable"</a> in trade talks. They haven't been linked to Boston, but Murray and White are two examples of players who could fit the rotation while being financially attainable in a trade.
Ultimately, I think there are three standout routes the Celtics can take without upending the roster.
Smart is going to be on this team barring an utter shock, and he should start -- but at point guard? I believe so... unless, in the interest of preserving the all-powerful 2022 cap space, the Celtics let Fournier walk. Then Smart could return to his usual role off-ball, and the starting point guard could be acquired via trade or the $9.5 million free agency slot.
At backup, I would predict a platoon of Pritchard, Langford and a veteran acquired with that $3.7 million Bi-Annnual Exception. Perhaps Madar breaks through, as well.&nbsp;
But the key takeaway should be that the point guard situation will differ from the past decade. Let's look back at the pipeline. Rondo's four highest seasonal usage rates of his career came in Boston. Thomas, Irving and Walker all logged usage rates of at least 26% in every season wearing green, per Basketball Reference.&nbsp;
Gone could be the days of the ball-dominant point guard in Boston. Whoever plays point has to facilitate, defend and find rhythm without extended touches. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are the franchise's two faces, and every other player should be working off of the young stars.

The Celtics traded Kemba Walker this summer, creating a roster question mark. Ethan Fuller mulls Boston's options at point guard.

How can the Celtics build out their 2021-22 point-guard rotation?

This season, it's been hard to put a finger on the Sacramento Kings. They&rsquo;re currently tied with the Oklahoma City Thunder for the longest-active losing streak in the NBA, having dropped their last nine-straight contests. Before that, they had a five-game winning streak. To be quite frank: this team has been consistently inconsistent from top to bottom... except for De&rsquo;Aaron Fox.
Yes, the one everybody calls &ldquo;Swipa&rdquo; is tearing this league up, even if the Ws aren&rsquo;t coming along with his dominance. Fox is the only player in the Association averaging at least 29 points and 6 assists post-All-Star break. Among guards, he&rsquo;s eighth in usage rate (31.8%), fifth in steals per game (1.9) and <a href="https://go.nba.com/awac">third to Anthony Edwards and Russell Westbrook in total possessions</a> (1,564) during that span.
Saying the Kings have been reliant on Fox since the break would be an understatement, but this has been the story all season. His offensive output has been necessary for them to stay afloat because the team&rsquo;s defense has been downright awful, as evidenced by the eye test and every metric out there (traditional and advanced).&nbsp;
Sacramento was showing signs of improvement and the team stopped &ldquo;playing soft&rdquo; in mid-January, when Luke Walton and Co. ripped off seven wins in eight games. As it would turn out, the first nine-game losing streak of the season would follow. This squad couldn't be more Jekyll and Hyde.
That&rsquo;s what makes Fox&rsquo;s accomplishments this season so special, even with a month of the season left. He&rsquo;s eight assists away from joining seven others in the NBA&rsquo;s 400-dime club. He&rsquo;s had multiple steals in 23 games. He trails just Damian Lillard and Zach LaVine for the third-most total points in the clutch, and he has an even higher usage rate of 38.4% in those situations. And though it may not exactly jump off the page -- especially if you don&rsquo;t make the majority of the tries -- he is near the top of the league with 1,052 field goal attempts.
What these numbers should tell you is that Fox is doing everything in his power to help propel these Kings to wins. Yes, Harrison Barnes, Richaun Holmes and rookie Tyrese Haliburton have helped his cause. Fox has his own faults, too; it has not been his season to shoot the basketball, but he&rsquo;s willing to hoist &lsquo;em up when they&rsquo;re there. It&rsquo;s still been a career-year, and an All-Star-caliber season that has surprisingly fallen under our noses -- especially when we&rsquo;re so loudly enthralled by his 2017 draftmates Jayson Tatum and Donovan Mitchell.
"Just from the hours that he puts in and watching him this summer, [we knew] that something different was about to happen -- we saw how locked in he was," Holmes <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-richaun-holmes-qa-interview-free-agency-all-defensive-team" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said of Fox</a>. "It's honestly been amazing to watch... He's so vocal on and off the floor, and just his mindset is to attack.
"He understands that we go as he goes, and when he comes out attacking and getting into the paint and causing havoc, it's really, really tough for other teams to guard us. Just understanding the way he can impact the game and seeing him go out there and do it on a nightly basis, and seeing him bring that superstar-level competition to our team, it's been special to watch."
Sacramento is in a critical position regarding the 2020-21 campaign. Trailing the San Antonio Spurs by five games, the play-in tournament could start slipping away from this group&rsquo;s clutches. Among their remaining 16 games, they&rsquo;ll face the Dallas Mavericks three times and the Memphis Grizzlies twice, as well as meetings with the Golden State Warriors and Spurs with critical postseason implications. As far as contests considered must wins, they&rsquo;ve got the Minnesota Timberwolves on back-to-back nights at home, as well as the plummeting, banged-up Oklahoma City Thunder in a trifecta of matchups.
With that kind of competition, there&rsquo;s still a chance for the Kings to dig out of this hole. It&rsquo;s not over until the final buzzer sounds on May 16, and you can bet that Fox will do everything he can to lift his team.

Spencer Davies takes a closer look at the phenomenal season Sacramento Kings guard De'Aaron Fox is having.

Can De'Aaron Fox save the Kings' postseason play-in hopes?

Ethan Fuller gauges which NBA teams should be zeroing in on Cade Cunningham.

Cahlib