Bulldogs

After a long four-month offseason, the 2023-24 NBA season officially kicks off on October 24. Preseason action is currently underway, with teams evaluating their roster and getting ready for the start of the regular season.
There were a few roster rule changes of note this offseason that were introduced as part of the new CBA. Now, each team can sign up to three two-way players (up from two) who are able to play up to 50 games with their NBA team and spend the rest of their season in the G League. Also, offseason rosters were originally limited to 20 players but have since increased to 21.&nbsp;
Each team needs to be at 15 standard contracts prior to the start of the season, which means a few players on guaranteed deals will have to be cut prior to the season. While some teams have a pretty set roster, others (like the Oklahoma City Thunder) will be forced to part ways with talented players to reach their roster limit.&nbsp;
Looking at the Atlantic Division, let's see how each team&rsquo;s lineup is shaping up and what questions they may need to answer before the start of the season.
(This is part one of a six-part series, with more divisional previews coming soon).
<h1>BOSTON CELTICS</h1>
Outside of the top-six players, who will be the most reliable depth option?
After acquiring Jrue Holiday, the Boston Celtics may have the best top-six of any team in the league. While we can add the Holiday trade to their list of aggressive offseason transactions, their depth has taken somewhat of a step back.&nbsp;
They will have to replace four rotation players from last year&rsquo;s Conference Finals team with a few players who don&rsquo;t have much experience in playoff situations. Three players who should definitely see more minutes are Payton Pritchard, Sam Hauser and Luke Kornet. Pritchard has played well on both ends of the floor when given an opportunity, notably shooting 40% from three-point range over his first three seasons. The Celtics rewarded him with a team-friendly extension that should see him take up about 5% of the salary cap over the next four years. Hauser has also been a stellar three-point shooter, knocking down 42% since coming into the league.&nbsp;
The frontcourt is probably the most notable weakness on the team&rsquo;s depth chart. Joe Mazzulla has expressed confidence that <a href="https://www.celticsblog.com/2023/10/7/23907608/boston-celtics-depth-sam-hauser-luke-kornet-payton-pritchard-joe-mazzulla-blake-griffin-bus-one-boys" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kornet should be successful on both ends of the floor and will be their go-to backup center to start the season.</a> The preseason will be important in determining who else (i.e. Oshae Brissett, Jordan Walsh, Svi Mykhailiuk, etc.) may stand out for Mazzulla and get an opportunity for playing time behind Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis.&nbsp;
Roster Decisions
The Celtics have the least amount of players on guaranteed contracts in the league (10). However, their roster for opening night is likely set unless they want to open up flexibility to sign other veteran players or buyout candidates later this season. If they choose to cut someone, it would very likely be a player on a non-guaranteed deal. Mykhailiuk and Dalano Banton each have a partial $200,000 guarantee that increases to over $1,000,000 if they make the roster. Kornet, Wenyen Gabriel and Lamar Stevens all have non-guaranteed contracts.&nbsp;
Rotation
Current Roster Count: 19 players (10 guaranteed, 2 partially guaranteed, 3 non-guaranteed, 3 two-way, 1 Exhibit-10)
Projected Starters: G Jrue Holiday, G/F Jaylen Brown, F Jayson Tatum, F/C Al Horford, F/C Kristaps Porzingis
Projected Rotation Players: G Derrick White, G Payton Pritchard, C Luke Kornet (non-guaranteed), F Sam Hauser, F Oshae Brissett
Projected Reserves: F Jordan Walsh, G/F Svi Mykhailiuk ($200K guaranteed), F Wenyen Gabriel (non-guaranteed), G Dalano Banton ($200K guaranteed), F Lamar Stevens (non-guaranteed)
Projected Two-Way Players: C Neemias Queta, G JD Davison, G Jay Scrubb (Injured)
Projected Roster Cuts: G DJ Steward (Exhibit-10)
<h1>BROOKLYN NETS</h1>
What is Ben Simmons' role?
Ben Simmons has only played 42 games since being acquired by the Nets in February 2022, dealing with physical and psychological hurdles that have made him somewhat of an afterthought. Head coach Jacque Vaughn has expressed confidence that Simmons is now 100% healthy and ready to contribute again at a high level.&nbsp;
He seems to be penciled in as the team&rsquo;s starting point guard, starting in the Nets&rsquo; first preseason game. Though it was just a small 14-minute sample size, Simmons looked a lot like his former All-Star self. Having not played since February 15, he looked athletic, aggressive and confident before sitting out the second half.&nbsp;
&ldquo;He attacked the rim, I think he played with pace, looked pretty natural out there getting up and down the floor, communicating with guys into the flow of the game,&rdquo; Vaughn said, <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/10/10/ben-simmons-passes-eye-test-in-nets-preseason-opener/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">praising his $38-million man</a>. &ldquo;Really good to see.&rdquo;
Vaughn has some options when it comes to starting lineups where he could go smaller, with a backcourt of Simmons and Spencer Dinwiddie, or decide to start Dorian Finney-Smith and use Mikal Bridges as a big two-guard.&nbsp;
Roster Decisions
Darius Bazley, Harry Giles and Trendon Watford are all on non-guaranteed deals and are vying for the final two roster spots. The Nets also have an open two-way spot, which I believe they could potentially use on a player like <a href="https://www.si.com/college/tennessee/mens-basketball/kennedy-chandler-starring-in-nba-summer-league" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Summer League standout</a> and former Memphis Grizzlies second-rounder Kennedy Chandler.&nbsp;
Rotation
Current Roster Count: 18 players (13 guaranteed, 3 non-guaranteed, 2 two-way)
Projected Starters: G/F Ben Simmons, G Spencer Dinwiddie, F Mikal Bridges, F Cameron Johnson, C Nicolas Claxton
Projected Rotation Players: F Dorian Finney-Smith, F Royce O&rsquo;Neale, G Cameron Thomas, G Dennis Smith Jr., C Day&rsquo;Ron Sharpe
Projected Reserves: G/F Lonnie Walker IV, C Noah Clowney, F Dariq Whitehead, F Darius Bazley (Non-Guaranteed), C Harry Giles (Non-Guaranteed)
Projected Two-way Players: G Armoni Brooks, F Jalen Wilson, G Kennedy Chandler* (Projected Signing)
Projected Roster Cuts: F Trendon Watford (Non-Guaranteed)
<h1>NEW YORK KNICKS</h1>
Who will be the first option off the bench?
New York Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau has his fair share of options to headline his second unit. In his third year, Immanuel Quickley had his best season to date, finishing as the runner-up for the Sixth Man of the Year award behind Malcolm Brogdon. Quickley was the primary scorer for the second unit, but he shouldn&rsquo;t have to carry the entire load on offense with the addition of Donte DiVincenzo.&nbsp;
DiVincenzo impressed last season with the Golden State Warriors as a reliable bench shooter and should spot minutes for Quentin Grimes and R.J. Barrett when offensive pushes are needed. Josh Hart could also be the team&rsquo;s sixth man, just like he was during the Knicks&rsquo; playoff run. After being traded from Portland, Hart averaged 30 minutes per game despite coming off the bench most of the time. It is worth noting the Knicks-Villanova connection between Hart, DiVincenzo and Jalen Brunson, who should fit seamlessly together on the floor thanks to their pre-existing chemistry. While unlikely to be the first off the bench, Isaiah Hartenstein also deserves mention since he has been one of the league&rsquo;s better backup centers and could see more time if Mitchell Robinson gets in foul trouble. In terms of rotation issues, Thibodeau should see this as a good problem to have regardless of who he brings off the bench first.&nbsp;
Roster Decisions
The Knicks have three spots up for grabs between Ryan Arcidiacono, DaQuan Jeffries, Isaiah Roby and Duane Washington Jr. All are on non-guaranteed deals that won&rsquo;t be fully guaranteed until the league-wide guarantee date on January 10.&nbsp;
Rotation
Current Roster Count: 21 players (12 guaranteed, 4 non-guaranteed, 3 two-way, 2 Exhibit-10)
Projected Starters: G Jalen Brunson, G Quentin Grimes, G/F R.J. Barrett, F Julius Randle, C Mitchell Robinson
Projected Rotation Players: G Josh Hart, G Immanuel Quickley, G Donte DiVincenzo, C Isaiah Hartenstein, G Miles McBride
Projected Reserves: G Evan Fournier, C Jericho Sims, F Isaiah Roby (non-guaranteed), G Ryan Arcidiacono (non-guaranteed), G/F DaQuan Jeffries (non-guaranteed)
Projected Two-way Players: F/C Nathan Knight, G/F Dylan Windler, F Jaylen Martin
Projected Roster Cuts: G Duane Washington Jr. (non-guaranteed), G Charlie Brown Jr. (Exhibit-10), F Jacob Toppin (Exhibit-10)
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/embiid332.jpg" alt="" width="672" height="440" />
<h1>PHILADELPHIA 76ERS</h1>
Will Tyrese Maxey become more of a creator and how can that adjust the rotation?
The Sixers&rsquo; ceiling is contingent on how much Tyrese Maxey can improve this season. Maxey hasn&rsquo;t needed to be the team&rsquo;s primary distributor since James Harden joined the team, allowing him to blossom into a reliable 20-PPG scorer. Regardless of whether Harden&rsquo;s trade situation is resolved, Maxey will need to become a better creator and distributor if he wants to take his game to the next level. Prior to Harden&rsquo;s arrival, Maxey had an impressive 4:1 assist-to-turnover ratio despite his small frame and risk-averse tendencies.&nbsp;
Interestingly, team president Daryl Morey has held off on giving Maxey an extension this offseason, electing to wait until next summer to pay his budding young guard. Maxey will likely demand near max-level money that could harm Philly&rsquo;s flexibility to go after star players next offseason. If he can improve his ball-handling and distribution tendencies, the Sixers&rsquo; offense should benefit tremendously, helping the offensive output of players like P.J. Tucker and Paul Reed and easing the reliance on De&rsquo;Anthony Melton and Patrick Beverley.
Roster Decisions
Two players will likely be fighting for the Sixers&rsquo; final roster spot. The team re-signed veteran Danny Green, who played for the team from 2020 to 2022, to a non-guaranteed deal. They also brought over young big Filip Petrusev, who was drafted by Philadelphia in 2021. Petrusev signed a multi-year deal that was partially guaranteed for $559,782 this season and non-guaranteed next year. Although unlikely, the 76ers could also elect to waive Montrezl Harrell despite his deal being fully guaranteed, as he should miss this season with a torn ACL.
Rotation
Current Roster Count: 21 players (14 guaranteed, 1 partially Guaranteed, 1 non-guaranteed, 3 two-way, 2 Exhibit-10)
Projected Starters: G Tyrese Maxey, G James Harden, F P.J. Tucker, F Tobias Harris, C Joel Embiid
Projected Rotation Players: G De&rsquo;Anthony Melton, G Patrick Beverley, F/C Paul Reed, F/G Kelly Oubre Jr., F Danuel House
Projected Reserves: C Mo Bamba, F Furkan Korkmaz, G Jaden Springer, G/F Danny Green (non-guaranteed), C Montrezl Harrell (injured)
Projected Two-way Players: G Terquavion Smith, G Ricky Council IV, F Azuolas Tubelis
Projected Roster Cuts: F/C Filip Petrusev ($559,782 guaranteed), G David Duke Jr. (Exhibit-10), G Javonte Smart (Exhibit-10)
<h1>TORONTO RAPTORS</h1>
What style does Darko Rajakovic bring to Toronto and who will benefit the most?
New coach Darko Rajakovic inherits an interesting Raptors team with plenty of talent, but they may be facing a crossroads in terms of how successful they can be as a group. Rajakovic is in his first NBA head coaching gig after three seasons as an assistant with the Grizzlies and is known around the league as a pick-and-roll guru.&nbsp;
The idea of the Raptors being a primary pick-and-roll team became less appealing when they were unable to retain Fred VanVleet in free agency, replacing him with a less reliable shooter in Dennis Schr&ouml;der. Instead, Rajakovic will likely rely on Schr&ouml;der and his newly paid center Jakob Poeltl for more ball movement and playmaking. Rajakovic compared Poeltl to Domantas Sabonis before the Raptors&rsquo; preseason win over the Sacramento Kings on October 9 and could use him in a similar role. If Poeltl can be 70% of what Sabonis was last season, it can be a huge boost to an inconsistent offense.
Roster Decisions
The Raptors have 15 players on guaranteed deals going into the season, but also carry Jeff Dowtin Jr. on a non-guaranteed deal. Dowtin played on a two-way contract with Toronto last season, appearing in 25 games. With the roster full, Dowtin is unlikely to make the regular-season roster but he has still <a href="https://www.si.com/nba/raptors/news/toronto-raptors-praise-jeff-dowtin-jr-as-roster-decisions-await" target="_blank" rel="noopener">impressed the coaching staff this preseason</a>. If any player is in danger of losing their roster spot to Dowtin, it would likely be former first-round pick Malachi Flynn. Dowtin&rsquo;s deal becomes guaranteed for $900,000 on October 21, four days before the team&rsquo;s season opener against the Minnesota Timberwolves. I would expect the Raptors to make a decision on Dowtin before then.&nbsp;
Rotation
Current Roster Count: 21 players (15 guaranteed, 1 non-guaranteed, 3 two-way, 2 Exhibit-10)
Projected Starters: G Dennis Schr&ouml;der, F/G Scottie Barnes, F OG Anunoby, F Pascal Siakam, C Jakob Poeltl
Projected Rotation Players: G Gary Trent Jr., F Precious Achiuwa, F/C Chris Boucher, F Jalen McDaniels, G/F Gradey Dick
Projected Reserves: F Thaddeus Young, G Malachi Flynn, F Otto Porter Jr., C Christian Koloko, G/F Garrett Temple
Projected Two-way Players: G/F Ron Harper Jr., G Markquis Nowell, G Javon Freeman-Liberty
Projected Roster Cuts: G Jeff Dowtin (non-guaranteed), F Mouhamadou Gueye (Exhibit-10), C Makur Maker (Exhibit-10)
Other news from around the web: <a href="https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/dress-to-impress-why-barbie-and-ken-are-the-hottest-couples-costume-this-halloween/ar-AA1iaTEh" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Barbie and Ken are the hottest couples costume this Halloween</a>

Blake Stern previews the Atlantic Division, breaking down each team's projected lineup and a burning question entering the season.

NBA Atlantic Division Preview: Burning questions, rotation projections

DAYTON, Ohio (AP) &mdash; Jamarius Burton made a go-ahead jumper with 10 seconds left and Pitt edged Mississippi State 60-59 in a back-and-forth First Four game Tuesday night that featured 21 lead changes &mdash; most in the NCAA Tournament in five years.
Mississippi State had a great chance to win at the end, but Shakeel Moore missed a wide-open 3-pointer from the corner with two seconds remaining off an inbounds play. D.J. Jeffries&rsquo; tip-in attempt was off target just before the buzzer.
Nelly Cummings led Pitt with 15 points. Greg Elliott scored 13 and Blake Hinson added 12 as the Panthers (23-11) won an NCAA Tournament game for the first time since 2014.
They slotted into the Midwest Region bracket as the 11th seed and advanced to face No. 6 seed Iowa State on Friday in Greensboro, North Carolina.
Dashawn Davis had 15 points for the Bulldogs (21-13).
TEXAS A&amp;M-CORPUS CHRISTI 75, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI STATE 71
DAYTON, Ohio (AP) &mdash; Isaac Mushila had 15 points and 12 rebounds as Texas A&amp;M-Corpus Christi held off Southeast Missouri State to earn the first NCAA Tournament win in program history.
Texas A&amp;M-Corpus Christi went 3 of 4 at the free-throw line in the final 15 seconds to ice the game and advance to play top-seeded Alabama in the South Region on Thursday in Birmingham, Alabama.
The 16th-seeded Islanders (24-10), winners of the Southland Conference, returned to the First Four for a second straight season and led for all but 23 seconds in the opening game of this NCAA Tournament.
Southeast Missouri State (19-17) erased a 10-point deficit and tied it at 64 with 3:07 left.
Jalen Jackson led the Islanders with 22 points. Trevian Tennyson scooped in a slick layup off the glass to give Texas A&amp;M-Corpus Christi a 72-69 lead with 22 seconds remaining.
Chris Harris scored 23 points before fouling out for the Redhawks, the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament champions. Phillip Russell came up short on a good look at a potential tying 3-pointer with 1.5 seconds to go.
Southeast Missouri State went 9 of 20 at the free-throw line.

The Pitt Panthers and Texas A&M Corpus Christi Islanders advanced to the Round of 64 in two First Four contests.

Pitt gets past Mississippi St in first March Madness games

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) &mdash; DJ Jeffries scored 15 points to lead four players in double figures as No. 17 Mississippi State overcame some struggles and beat Jackson State 69-59 on Wednesday night.
Tolu Smith and Eric Reed had 13 points and KeShawn Murphy added 10 to lead the Bulldogs (10-0).
Coltie Young, the Starkville native who attended Starkville High School, scored 23 points to lead the Tigers (1-9) against his hometown team. He shot 8 for 13 from the field, including 7 for 11 on 3-pointers.
The Tigers became the first team this season to score more than 55 points against the Bulldogs, who have the nation&rsquo;s No. 1 scoring defense.
NO. 16 UCLA 87, NO. 20 MARYLAND 60
COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) &mdash; Jaylen Clark scored 19 points, and UCLA raced out to a 30-point lead in the first half before cruising to victory over Maryland.
On the same day the University of California Board of Regents voted to affirm UCLA&rsquo;s move to the Big Ten, the Bruins (9-2) had a chance to size up a future conference foe. It wasn&rsquo;t much of a contest.
Maryland (8-3) committed the game&rsquo;s first six turnovers while falling behind 19-5, and a 3-pointer by David Singleton made it 26-7. The Terps used three of their timeouts in the first 15 minutes, and nothing seemed to help.
Singleton scored 18 points for UCLA, which has won six straight.
Ian Martinez had 16 for the Terrapins.
NO. 19 AUBURN 72, GEORGIA STATE 64
AUBURN, Ala. (AP) &mdash; Jaylin Williams scored 20 points, Wendell Green Jr. had 17 and Auburn beat Georgia State.
The Tigers (9-1) rebounded from their first loss, 82-73 against Memphis, with a hot-shooting second half after struggling for the first 23 minutes.
Auburn hit 18 of 27 shots in the half but struggled to shake the Panthers (5-5), who led by six a few minutes after coming back for the second half.
Johni Broome scored 13 for the Tigers.
Evan Johnson led Georgia State with 14 points. Dwon Odom had 13 but made just 4 of 16 shots. Brenden Tucker added 10 despite picking up his fourth foul with 17:35 left.

A recap of Wednesday night's men's college basketball slate includes the Mississippi State Bulldogs staying unbeaten.

No. 17 Miss. St. stays undefeated, beats Jackson St. 69-59

NEW YORK (AP) &mdash; Zakai Zeigler scored 12 points, including a key 3 late in the second half as No. 7 Tennessee held off No. 13 Maryland 56-53 Sunday in a Basketball Hall of Fame Invitational matchup.
Tennessee (9-1) led by as many as 18 points in the first half before Maryland pulled within two points in the final minutes.
Tyreke Key scored nine points and Julian Phillips had six points and 10 rebounds for the Volunteers. Tennessee began the game allowing just 51.2 points per game, third fewest in the nation.
Jahmir Young scored 18 points while Hakim Hart and Donta Scott had nine apiece for Maryland (8-2), which has lost two straight.
Down by 16 in the second half, Maryland unveiled a full-court press and forced three turnovers during a 12-0 run.
NO. 20 IOWA STATE 77, MCNEESE STATE 40
AMES, Iowa (AP) &mdash; Aljaz Kunc scored 21 points and Iowa State broke away in the second half to beat McNeese State.
Jaren Holmes added 17 points for the Cyclones (8-2) and Gabe Kalscheur scored 15.
Ahead 33-24 at the break, Iowa State scored the first 15 points of the second half. McNeese (2-7) committed 10 turnovers in the first eight minutes of the period, leading to 13 points for the Cyclones.
Zach Scott and Trae English each scored eight points for McNeese, which finished with 30 turnovers.
NO. 23 MISSISSIPPI STATE 69, MINNESOTA 51
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) &mdash; Tolu Smith scored 20 points to lead a balanced offense that complemented Mississippi State&rsquo;s smothering defense in a victory over Minnesota to say undefeated.
Mississippi State (9-0) is one of seven Division I programs still unbeaten.
The Bulldogs held the Gophers (4-6) to 28.8% shooting and a season-low in points.
Shakeel Moore scored 17 points for the Bulldogs, while Cameron Matthews added 11 and D.J. Jeffries scored 10.
Sophomore Dawson Garcia led Minnesota with 20 points and Joshua Ola-Joseph added 9.&nbsp;

A recap of Sunday's men's college basketball slate includes a tough battle between two top-15 teams.

No. 7 Tennessee holds off No. 13 Maryland 56-53

Quentin Grimes had 24 points and eight assists, Jericho Sims scored 16 points on 7-of-8 shooting from the field and the New York Knicks overcame Moses Moody's 34 points to beat the Golden State Warriors 101-88 on Friday night at the Las Vegas Summer League.
Moody was 8 for 13 from the floor and 15 of 17 from the free throw line. Mac McClung added 17 points for the Warriors.
Jonathan Kuminga, picked No. 7 overall by Golden State in the 2021 draft, had four points and five of the Warriors&rsquo; 23 turnovers. The 6-foot-9, 19-year-old made 2 of 10 from the field, 0 of 4 from 3-point range and 0 of 4 from the free throw line.
Feron Hunt had 17 points on 8-of-12 shooting for the Knicks. Miles McBride had 14 points and seven assists, and DaQuan Jeffries scored 12 points. Sims had 10 rebounds.
BULLS 100, MAVERICKS 99, OT
Marko Simonovic had 27 points, 13 rebounds and blocked three shots to help Chicago beat Dallas.
Simonovic, a second-round pick in 2020, made 10 of 17 from the field and 7 of 8 from the free throw line. The 6-foot-11 center from Montenegro &mdash; trailing on the fast break &mdash; caught a bounce pass from Carlik Jones near the top of the key, took a dribble and threw down a two-hand dunk with 21 seconds left in regulation to make it 90-all and, eventually, force overtime.
A.J. Lawson and Jaden Hardy &mdash; a second-round pick in June&rsquo;s draft after spending last season with the G League Ignite &mdash; finished with 28 points apiece for the Mavericks. Lawson made 10 of 16 from the field and 6 of 11 from 3-point range.
PACERS 96, HORNETS 84
Bennedict Mathurin, picked No. 6 overall in last month's draft, scored 23 points on 9-of-16 shooting and Chris Duarte added 16 points to lead Indiana.
Terry Taylor had 11 points, Duane Washington Jr. scored 10 and Isaiah Jackson &mdash; a first-round pick, along with Duarte, in the 2021 draft &mdash; finished with nine points, 12 rebounds and four blocks for the Pacers.
Bryce McGowens led the Hornets with 17 points. LJ Figueroa went 6 of 6 from the field &mdash; including two 3-pointers &mdash; and finished with 16 points. Nick Richards added 15 points and 11 rebounds and Kai Jones had 12 points and nine rebounds, but went 0 for 10 from 3-point range.
CAVALIERS 99, SPURS 90
RJ Nembhard Jr. scored 20 points and Amar Sylla had 19 points and eight rebounds to lead Cleveland past San Antonio.
Ochai Agbaji, picked 14th overall in last month's draft, hit four 3-pointers and finished with 16 points. Malik Osborne added 13 points and Cam Young scored 10 for the Cavaliers.
Blake Wesley and Josh Primo &mdash; first-round picks by the Spurs in 2022 and 2021, respectively &mdash; scored 20 points apiece. Malaki Branham, picked No. 20 overall in June, had 15 points.
BUCKS 94, NETS 90
Lindell Wigginton had 17 points and seven assists, Sandro Mamukelashvili also scored 17 points and Milwaukee held off Brooklyn.
Mamukelashvili hit a 3-pointer and then made a driving floater before he found MarJon Beauchamp &mdash; who made multiple plays down the stretch &mdash; for a corner 3 that gave the Bucks a 93-82 lead with 1:17 to play.
Beauchamp finished with 16 points and A.J. Green added 15 for Milwaukee.
Cam Thomas led Brooklyn with 31 points and David Duke Jr. scored 22. Day&rsquo;Ron Sharpe had eight points, 10 rebounds, three steals and a block.
TIMBERWOLVES 85, NUGGETS 78
Josh Minott had 22 points and 10 rebounds, and Kevon Harris scored 13 points to lead Minnesota to the win.
Minott, a second-round pick in June's draft, was 8 of 15 from the field, 2 of 3 from 3-point range and 4 of 4 from the free throw line. Wendell Moore Jr., picked No. 26 overall out of Duke, and David McCormack added 10 points apiece for the Timberwolves.
Christian Braun &mdash; who, along with McCormack, help Kansas to the 2022 NCAA title &mdash; led Denver with 18 points. A first-round pick last month, Braun shot 7 of 10 from inside the arc and just 1 of 7 from 3-point range. Collin Gillespie and Matt Mitchell scored 10 points apiece for the Nuggets.
SUNS 104, LAKERS 84
Louis King scored 20 points, Ish Wainwright added 17 on 5-of-9 shooting &mdash; all from 3-point range &mdash; and Phoenix trailed for just 10 seconds.
Phoenix took the lead for good when Duop Reath converted a three-point play to make it 18-15 with 1:55 left in the first quarter. Wainwright was fouled as he hit a 3-pointer and made the free throw to make it 57-45 with 7:38 left in the third quarter. The Lakers trailed by double figures the rest of the way.
Scotty Pippen Jr. led Los Angeles with 19 points and three steals. Paris Bass had 14 points, Cole Swider hit three 3s and finished with 11 points and Mason Jones had 10.
Max Christie &mdash; the Lakers' lone draft pick (No. 35 overall) in 2022 &mdash; had nine points and eight rebounds but made just 1 of 6 from the field.

Quentin Grimes had 24 points and eight assists, Jericho Sims scored 16 points and the Knicks overcame Moses Moody's 34 points.

Grimes, Knicks top Warriors 101-88 despite Moody's 34 points

The career arc of John Wall has made yet another turn. After being traded to the Houston Rockets last offseason for Russell Westbrook, Wall is now set to join his third team in as many seasons. According to The Athletic&rsquo;s Shams Charania, Wall and the Rockets&rsquo; front office have <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/john-wall-houston-rockets-mutually-agree-to-work-out-trade" target="_blank" rel="noopener">agreed upon him being active in training camp, but sitting out games as they try to move him</a>. It's the logical next step in a massive tear-down rebuild, which was put into motion with the James Harden blockbuster eight months ago to this day.
Wall was the salary-filler needed to move Westbrook &mdash; who was a part of another star backcourt combination that didn&rsquo;t work out alongside Harden &mdash; but the former has also has served a pivotal role to the current version of Houston&rsquo;s roster. As the veteran on a tanking team, Wall embraced his leadership role to its full extent, being a guiding voice for young prospects. Wall averaged 20.6 points, 6.9 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 1.1 steals last season in Houston.
However, following unfortunate injury luck related to a torn Achilles tendon, Wall simply doesn&rsquo;t look the same as he did in his prime years being the face of the Washington Wizards franchise. For years, Wall was the most electric point guard in the Association thanks to his quickness and explosiveness towards the basket. At 31 years old, Wall's performances have taken a dip from an average efficiency mark to an abysmal one. Wall shot a career-low 40.4%, including a 50.3% True Shooting percentage clip &mdash; the worst since his rookie campaign in 2010-11.
Wall just doesn&rsquo;t fit the timeline for the Rockets, who are ready to embrace their youth movement head-on. No. 2 overall pick Jalen Green headlines an enticing core of prospects in Houston. Alongside Green, Kevin Porter Jr. will help <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/something-to-prove-kevin-porter-jr-at-point-guard-houston-rockets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">form an entertaining backcourt</a> filled to the brim with hot creation ability. Rookies Alperen Sengun and Usman Garuba will join Jae'Sean Tate to make up a promising trio of bigs. First-year swingman Josh Christopher and Kenyon Martin Jr. also add their fun mix to the wing rotation.&nbsp;
Wall will still be around the team until a deal happens (if that ever comes to pass with the negative value associated with his remaining $91.7 million through 2022-23). Being a valuable mentor for Green and Porter will only be a positive for Houston&rsquo;s long-term outcome, and learning from a dynamic point guard like Wall certainly helps the future outlook for not only Green, but also Porter.
This could become a new trend for players on good terms with their organizations, only when it&rsquo;s apparently obvious a deal is best for both sides. Kevin Love&rsquo;s situation in Cleveland could be the next Wall-like story to surface in the NBA rumor mill soon enough.
But who would be interested in taking on Wall&rsquo;s contract? Houston would have to surrender some draft capital, being the immediate &ldquo;losers&rdquo; of the trade. When canvassing the landscape, very few fits bubble to the surface. However, there&rsquo;s a small possibility for the following three organizations.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER
Any time a player with a bad contract becomes available, Oklahoma City is No. 1 on any potential destination. The Thunder are not being shy about their intentions over the next few years &mdash; stockpile as many draft picks as possible to take swings on high upside prospects to build around Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Acquiring Wall would be an interesting move for a Thunder team who just invested heavy draft capital in the backcourt (Josh Giddey, Tre Mann), but we can never rule them out in a scenario like this. If Houston offers any future draft compensation to general manager Sam Presti, he would bite.
Wall would form a fun backcourt alongside SGA while also serving in the mentor role he just exited in Houston. If Wall were to rebuild his value for a year with the Thunder, Presti would be able to potentially receive some positive value in return next offseason.
Oklahoma City Thunder receive: John Wall, future draft compensation
Houston Rockets receive: Derrick Favors, Isaiah Roby or Gabriel Deck
DALLAS MAVERICKS
Dallas has been in the market for a point guard. Whether it be Kemba Walker, Kyle Lowry or Spencer Dinwiddie, the Mavs have sniffed around adding another ball-handler who could take pressure off Luka Doncic. Wall isn&rsquo;t the perfect fit next to Dallas&rsquo; young phenom &mdash; who&rsquo;s an <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-mvp-odds-analyzing-the-top-5-candidates-in-2021-22" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MVP favorite entering his fourth season</a> &mdash; but they could make it work. Wall allows Doncic to play more off-ball, and the veteran can cut to the basket and attack off signature Luka dimes.
In order to make the salaries work, Kristaps Porzingis would be heading to Houston or another team who gets involved. Porzingis hasn&rsquo;t been the No. 2 option Dallas had hoped for when they went all-in on him a few years ago. This would certainly be one way to shake things up entirely for the Mavs. A potential starting lineup of Doncic, Wall, Tim Hardaway Jr., Maxi Kleber and Dwight Powell with Reggie Bullock as the sixth man is a fun thought.
Dallas Mavericks receive: John Wall, Usman Garuba or Alperen Sengun, future draft compensation
Houston Rockets receive: Kristaps Porzingis, Moses Brown, Willie Cauley-Stein
SAN ANTONIO SPURS
This is where it gets super wacky in terms of hypothetical Wall trades. Currently, Wall&rsquo;s fit with the Spurs makes no sense. However, what about a convoluted four-team trade featuring the Philadelphia 76ers and Phoenix Suns as well?
Here&rsquo;s the entire framework of a crazy four-teamer I spitballed in my head:
Houston Rockets receive: Ben Simmons, Isaiah Joe, Daquan Jeffries
Philadelphia 76ers receive: Dejounte Murray, Lonnie Walker IV, Jakob Poetl, Al-Farouq Aminu, multiple future first-round picks
Phoenix Suns receive: Thaddeus Young, Drew Eubanks
San Antonio Spurs receive: John Wall, Dario Saric, Jalen Smith, Paul Reed
That&rsquo;s the only way I could ever fathom Wall entering San Antonio&rsquo;s odd attempt of trying to thread the needle with competing and tanking simultaneously. With a young combination of guards spearheading their core, the Spurs are on pace to be a top-five team in lottery odds at the end of next season. Also, Simmons landing in Houston to lead its young core is a somewhat unrealistic, insane thought to have as well.
As you can see, there will likely not be many takers on Wall. It will be very interesting to see how this all unfolds for Wall and the Rockets.
Are we looking at an imminent deal for Wall, or one that lasts all the way until the NBA trade deadline in February?

When canvassing the NBA landscape, does any team make sense for John Wall? Evan Sidery looks at possible landing spots.