Red Raiders

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) &mdash; Brandon Miller scored 24 points and Mark Sears made seven of eight free throws over the final 1:04 to help No. 2 Alabama top Arkansas 86-83 on Saturday.
Miller delivered his second straight huge game for the Crimson Tide (25-4, 15-1 Southeastern Conference) since police alleged in courtroom testimony that he brought a gun to former teammate Darius Miles, who is charged with capital murder in a fatal shooting.
The week&rsquo;s details cast a different light on Miller&rsquo;s regular pregame introduction, which is a Tide staffer giving him a pat down. Coach Nate Oats said after the game that intro for Miller is now over.
Fellow freshman Nick Smith Jr. of Arkansas (19-10, 8-8), another potential NBA draft lottery pick who helped keep the Razorbacks in it with a late 3-pointer, scored 24 points. Davonte Davis added 21 points for Arkansas, Council scored 20, and the rest of the team combined for 18 points.
Jahvon Quinerly had 16 points and seven assists for the Tide, and Noah Clowney had 10 points and 13 rebounds.
NO. 1 HOUSTON 76, EAST CAROLINA 57
GREENVILLE, N.C. (AP) &mdash; Marcus Sasser scored 22 points to help Houston clinch outright possession of the American Athletic Conference regular-season title.
Tramon Mark added 20 points for the Cougars (27-2, 15-1), while J&rsquo;Wan Roberts had 17 points and 12 rebounds in Houston&rsquo;s ninth straight victory.
East Carolina (14-14, 5-10) had an energetic home crowd for the first-ever visit from a No. 1-ranked team to Minges Coliseum, as well as the program&rsquo;s first game against a top-ranked opponent in more than 31 years. But the Cougars never trailed and led for all but 56 seconds. Ezra Ausar scored 15 points to lead the Pirates.
NO. 3 KANSAS 76, WEST VIRGINIA 74
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) &mdash; Dajuan Harris was one point shy of a career high, scoring 17 points to help lift Kansas over West Virginia.
The Jayhawks&rsquo; stifling defense kept West Virginia from attempting a shot in the final 20 seconds. The Mountaineers&rsquo; Joe Toussaint traveled on their final possession of the game. Baskets by K.J. Adams and Kevin McCullar extended the Jayhawks&rsquo; lead to 75-68 late as they grinded out the victory.
Harris led Kansas (24-5, 12-4 Big 12) with 7-of-9 shooting from the field and had six assists and six steals.
Erik Stevenson led West Virginia (16-13, 5-11) with 23 points. Tre Mitchell scored 20, Kedrian Johnson scored 15 and Emmitt Mathews Jr. had 13.
NO. 17 INDIANA 79, NO. 5 PURDUE 71
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) &mdash; Jalen Hood-Schifino scored a career-high 35 points and Trey Galloway added 10 of his 13 in the second half to lead Indiana over Purdue.
The Hoosiers (20-9, 11-7 Big Ten) snapped a seven-game losing streak in West Lafayette and pulled their first season sweep in this bitter rivalry since 2012-13.
Zach Edey led the Boilermakers with 26 points and 16 rebounds and Fletcher Loyer added 14 points. Purdue (24-5, 13-5) has lost three of four and blew a chance to clinch a share of the conference crown in front of its home fans, who stood outside in chilly temperatures and snaking lines for hours before tip-off.
NORTH CAROLINA 71, NO. 6 VIRGINIA 63
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) &mdash; Pete Nance scored 22 points to lead North Carolina past Virginia.
Nance shot 7 of 10 from the floor and was 4 of 4 from behind the arc, the most 3-pointers the fifth-year forward has made in ACC play. He added two assists and four blocks.
R.J. Davis notched the fourth double-double of his career with 16 points and 10 rebounds for North Carolina (18-11, 10-8 Atlantic Coast Conference), which got a much-needed boost to its NCAA Tournament resume with a Quadrant 1 win &mdash; the first of the season for the Tar Heels.
Jayden Gardner had 19 points and 12 rebounds to lead Virginia (21-6, 13-5), which lost its second in a row. Armaan Franklin added 14 points.
ARIZONA STATE 89, NO. 7 ARIZONA 88
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) &mdash; Desmond Cambridge Jr. hit a 60-foot shot at the buzzer and Arizona State rallied from a 10-point deficit to beat Arizona.
The Wildcats (24-5, 13-5 Pac-12) built a 10-point lead midway through the second half before going more than six minutes without a field goal as Arizona State pulled ahead by one.
The Sun Devils (20-9, 11-7) went up 86-85 on Warren Washington&rsquo;s layup with just a minute left, but Pelle Larsson put Arizona back up on a layup with 29 seconds left. Arizona State&rsquo;s DJ Horne missed a jumper with 4 seconds left and the Sun Devils had a final shot after Oumar Ballo hit one of two free throws.
Catching the ball with 2.4 seconds left, Cambridge launched a shot from beyond half-court to finish with 19 points and give the Sun Devils a big boost in their bid to make the NCAA Tournament.
NO. 9 BAYLOR 81, NO. 8 TEXAS 72
WACO, Texas (AP) &mdash; Jalen Bridges had 17 points for ninth-ranked Baylor, which overcame a huge deficit with an impressive run right after freshman standout Keyonte George left injured early and beat Big 12 co-leader Texas.
Adam Flagler had 14 points for the Bears (21-8, 10-6). Dale Bonner added 13 points, including seven in an quick spurt after halftime while Flo Thamba had 12 points and 12 rebounds.
Dylan Disu had a season-high 24 points for Texas (22-7, 11-5), which twice got even early in the second half but never could regain the lead.
NO. 10 MARQUETTE 90, DEPAUL 84
MILWAUKEE (AP) &mdash; Kam Jones and Tyler Kolek each scored 22 points while helping Marquette clinch a share of its first Big East regular-season championship in a decade.
Kolek also had 14 assists as Marquette (23-6, 15-3) rolled to a 49-28 halftime lead and hung on after DePaul (9-20, 3-15) got close down the stretch. Marquette has won nine of its last 10, while DePaul has lost 10 straight.
This is Marquette&rsquo;s first conference title in 2013, when the Golden Eagles shared the Big East crown with Georgetown and eventual national champion Louisville.
Umoja Gibson led DePaul with 20 points and eight assists. Nick Ongenda added 16 points and 12 rebounds.
NO. 11 TENNESSEE 85, SOUTH CAROLINA 45
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) &mdash; Josiah-Jordan James came back from missing four games with an injury to score 18 points to lead Tennessee to a rout of South Carolina.
James, who suffered an ankle injury against Vanderbilt on Feb. 8, shot 4 of 7 on 3-pointers for the Volunteers (21-8, 10-6 Southeastern Conference). Jahmai Mashack scored 14 points, Zakai Zeigler had 13 points and 11 assists, and Olivier Nkamhoua and Uros Plavsic scored 10 each.
Hayden Brown led the Gamecocks (10-19, 3-13) with 18 points.
NO. 12 GONZAGA 77, NO. 15 SAINT MARY&rsquo;S 68
SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) &mdash; Drew Timme scored 19 points and Gonzaga earned a share of the West Coast Conference regular-season title with a win over Saint Mary&rsquo;s.
Anton Watson had 17 points and Malachi Smith added 13 off the bench for the Bulldogs, who have won or shared the conference title in 11 straight seasons. Gonzaga (25-5, 14-2) also reached the 25-win mark for the 16th season in a row &mdash; and avenged a loss to the Gaels earlier this month in Moraga.
Logan Johnson led the Gaels (25-6, 14-2) with 27 points.
Because the teams shared the regular-season title, the WCC will use the NCAA&rsquo;s NET rankings to determine the top seed for the conference tournament.
FLORIDA STATE 85, NO. 13 MIAMI 84
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) &mdash; Matthew Cleveland&rsquo;s 3-pointer as time expired capped Florida State&rsquo;s comeback from a 25-point second-half deficit and a win over Miami.
Jordan Miller had given Miami the lead on a 3-pointer with 4.9 seconds left. But Cleveland let fly from about 25 feet and the ball swished to give the Seminoles (9-20, 7-11 Atlantic Coast Conference) their best moment of the season.
Cleveland and Darin Green Jr. each had 20 points for Florida State, which also got 13 from Caleb Mills and 11 from Jalen Warley.
Miller led Miami (23-6, 14-5) with 21 points. Norchad Omier had 15, Isaiah Wong scored 14 and Bensley Joseph added 12 for the Hurricanes, whose seven-game winning streak and perfect home season were ended.
NO. 18 UCONN 95, ST. JOHN&rsquo;S 86
NEW YORK (AP) &mdash; Jordan Hawkins scored 20 points, Adama Sanogo added 18 points and nine rebounds, and UConn beat St. John&rsquo;s.
Andre Jackson Jr. had 15 points, Joey Calcaterra also scored 15 to lead a strong effort by Connecticut&rsquo;s bench and the resurgent Huskies (22-7, 11-7 Big East) avenged an 11-point loss to St. John&rsquo;s at home last month.
UConn won for the sixth time in seven games, closing in on a first-round bye in the Big East Tournament.
AJ Storr had 20 points and Posh Alexander added 18 for the Red Storm (17-13, 7-12), who had won three of four.
NO. 14 KANSAS STATE 73, OKLAHOMA STATE 68
STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) &mdash; Markquis Nowell had 22 points, eight assists and four steals in Kansas State&rsquo;s third straight win, beating Oklahoma State.
Keyontae Johnson added 17 points for the Wildcats (22-7, 10-6 Big 12), who swept the regular-season series.
Kalib Boone scored 14 of his 18 points in the second half on Senior Day for Oklahoma State. Caleb Asberry scored 13 points and John-Michael Wright added 12 for the Cowboys (16-13, 7-9), who have lost four straight.
VILLANOVA 79, NO. 19 CREIGHTON 67
PHILADELPHIA (AP) &mdash; Eric Dixon scored 18 of his career-high 31 points in the first half, Cam Whitmore added 17 and Villanova defeated Creighton.
Dixon also set a career high with six 3-pointers for Villanova (15-14, 9-9 Big East), which has won five of six.
Arthur Kaluma scored 19 points and Ryan Kalkbrenner had 18 for Creighton (18-11, 12-6). The Bluejays have lost three of four following an eight-game winning streak.
NO. 22 SAN DIEGO STATE 73, NEW MEXICO 71
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) &mdash; Lamont Butler&rsquo;s 3-pointer at the buzzer gave San Diego State a win at New Mexico.
After Jaelen House&rsquo;s steal and end-to-end run for a layup with 5.6 seconds left gave New Mexico a 71-70 lead, Butler unhurriedly brought the ball up court before dropping his shot, giving him 10 points for the Aztecs (23-5, 14-2 Mountain West).
Darrion Trammell scored 18 points to lead the Aztecs. Matt Bradley added 11 as San Diego State won its sixth straight.
Jamal Mashburn Jr. finished with 20 points for New Mexico (20-9, 7-9) and House had 15.
OKLAHOMA 61, NO. 23 IOWA STATE 50
AMES, Iowa (AP) &mdash; Jacob Groves led Oklahoma with 16 points as the Sooners knocked off Iowa State.
The Sooners (14-15, 4-12 Big 12) had lost nine of their previous 11 games but erased an early 11-point deficit and seized control with a 17-2 run in the second half.
Groves shot 4 of 5 from the 3-point line. Tanner Groves added 9 points and grabbed 13 rebounds.
The Cyclones (17-11, 8-8) shot just 31%. Gabe Kalscheur led Iowa State with 12 points.
NO. 24 TCU 83, TEXAS TECH 82
LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) &mdash; JaKobe Coles made two free throws with 4.3 seconds remaining, and TCU beat Texas Tech despite blowing a 12-point lead in the final eight minutes.
After De&rsquo;Vion Harmon&rsquo;s steal and layup put the Red Raiders in front by one with 12 seconds remaining, Coles caught a pass from Emanuel Miller in the lane and was fouled by Fardaws Aimaq going up for the shot. The Horned Frogs (19-10, 8-8 Big 12) weren&rsquo;t in the bonus.
Harmon&rsquo;s desperation 3-pointer as the buzzer sounded wasn&rsquo;t close, ending a four-game winning streak Texas Tech (16-13, 5-11).
Mike Miles Jr. scored 24 points for the Horned Frogs, who had lost five of six and were coming off a loss to No. 3 Kansas at home. Miller had 14 points and 12 rebounds for TCU.
Aimaq scored 19 points, Harmon had 18 and Kevin Obanor finished with 17 points and nine rebounds for Texas Tech.
MISSISSIPPI STATE 69, NO. 25 TEXAS A&amp;M 62
STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) &mdash; Tolu Smith had 17 points and Shakeel Moore had 14 as Mississippi State knocked off Texas A&amp;M.
Cameron Matthews had 11 points for the Bulldogs (19-10, 7-9 Southeastern Conference), who held the Aggies to one field goal in the final 14 minutes and outscored them 34-18 during the same time period.
Wade Taylor IV led Texas A&amp;M (21-9, 13-3) with 21 points, including four 3-pointers, and Henry Coleman III and Andersson Garcia each had 11.

A recap of Saturday's slew of action in top 25 NCAA men's college hoops.

Miller has another big game as No. 2 Alabama tops Arkansas

If you missed Friday night's fever dream between the Los Angeles Clippers and Sacramento Kings, I highly recommend finding a way to catch up. Fire up League Pass, see if NBA TV is showing a re-run soon, go to YouTube. Do something.&nbsp;
We're not seeing another 176-175 in double overtime anytime soon. At the very least, I find it hard to believe we will.
That game had everything: Kawhi Leonard (44-4-4-3-2) going off, De'Aaron Fox (42-5-12-5) <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-sacramento-kings-deaaron-fox-early-frontrunner-nba-clutch-player-of-the-year-award-race-kevin-huerter-domantas-sabonis-luka-doncic-nikola-jokic-jalen-brunson-demar-derozan-shai-gilgeous-alexander" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reaffirming his lead in the Clutch Player of the Year race</a>, a career-night from Malik Monk (45 points and 6 assists), Paul George (34-10-5) losing his mind before losing the ball over and over and over again. A Russell Westbrook debut befitting of the future Hall of Famer: 17 points, 14 assists (7 turnovers) and 6 fouls with the Clippers winning his minutes by three points.&nbsp;
Insane three-point shooting, bully-ball post-ups, transition exploits, and ultimately, history. It's the second-highest scoring NBA game of all-time, and the first time in NBA history that a game went into overtime with both teams having at least 150 points beforehand.&nbsp;
The Kings probably aren't in position to potentialy force overtime without the Clippers' turnover-fest &mdash; and Fox's defensive masterclass &mdash; within the last three minutes of the game. And we certainly don't get the overtime without Monk's three from the right corner with 1.1 seconds left.&nbsp;
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It's a tremendous mix of "what a play call" and "what are the Clippers doing" &mdash; enough that it warrants a breakdown of the play. Let's talk about what happened, and why it happened.
As Mark Jones expertly calls out during the mayhem, the Kings are trying to set up a "Hammer" on the weakside for Monk. The tell for the "Hammer" would be the late screen being set by Keegan Murray as Monk flows to the corner. The setup beforehand, however, is pretty important.&nbsp;
Monk tests the Clippers early by setting a brush screen for Fox right after the inbound. On three occasions before this moment, Monk set early-in-the-clock screens for Fox, with the Clippers opting to switch. Even in the second instance &mdash; a Fox triple &mdash; you can see Terance Mann dropping down in anticipation of a switch.&nbsp;
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As Monk comes across, George subtly grabs Monk. Westbrook turns and hovers around the nail at that moment. A favorable (but ultimately inexcusable) interpretation of Westbrook's actions would be him viewing Paul's grab as a sign he was getting ready to switch, thus making Fox the priority of Westbrook.
But even with Westbrook ultimately making the wrong read, the Clippers had chances to avoid disaster. With Westbrook at the nail, Nicolas Batum had the opportunity to pick up Monk as he made his way around the right wing.&nbsp;
More pressing is what Norm Powell does. He drops down from the weakside corner, showing help against the empty corner ball screen being "ran" by Fox and Domantas Sabonis. If he does that in the second quarter, you don't really blink. Doing so when the Kings are down three, with no timeouts, is an unfortunate lapse in judgment.&nbsp;
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From here, you have to give credit to Monk. On a basic level, he drills the most important shot of the game to that point. What's going under the radar was the read he made in space.
Instead of mindlessly following the playcall and pumping the brakes in the corner, he reads Fox. He drifts back to his left as Fox continues his drive on the baseline, creating the passing window needed for Fox to find him. His movement also makes it impossible for Powell to recover, and puts him in a spot where Westbrook can't really bother him with a contest.&nbsp;
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It was a brilliant play call from the Kings that, intentionally or not, targeted the most questionable off-ball defenders the Clippers had on the court at that time. Westbrook had to defend the inbound pass and the first action of the play; Powell had to navigate things on the back end, with him ultimately going gameplan over time and score.&nbsp;
For more on Monk's impact on the Kings, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-feature-interview-malik-monk-infectious-energy-breathing-life-into-sacramento-kings-mike-brown-chimezie-metu-deaaron-fox-harrison-barnes-davion-mitchell" target="_blank" rel="noopener">check out this excellent feature</a> from our Spencer Davies where he sat down with Monk and his teammates.

Last night's Kings-Clippers game made NBA history. Nekias Duncan breaks down the most important play: Malik Monk's OT-forcing three.

Explain One Play: How Malik Monk extended a wild Kings-Clippers game

So much for a quiet NBA trade deadline, right?
The action kicked off with chaos in the early hours of Tuesday morning and concluded with a plethora of moves by the time the 3 p.m. buzzer sounded.
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Let's recap how it went down in order, sort out what happened and find out who's going where.
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/raptors-acquire-jakob-poeltl-in-trade-with-spurs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Toronto Raptors acquire Jakob Poeltl</a>
<ul>
<li>San Antonio Spurs acquire Khem Birch, a 2024 first-round pick (protected) and 2 future second-round picks</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-breaking-trade-news-kevin-durant-traded-phoenix-suns-brooklyn-nets-blockbuster-move-tj-warren-jae-crowder-mikal-bridges-cam-johnson-mat-ishbia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Phoenix Suns acquire Kevin Durant and TJ Warren</a>
<ul>
<li>Brooklyn Nets acquire Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder*, 4 unprotected first-round picks (2023, 2025, 2027, 2029) and a 2028 pick swap</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
*Crowder was moved in a separate deal.
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/shams-celtics-acquire-mike-muscala" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Boston Celtics acquire Mike Muscala</a>
<ul>
<li>Oklahoma City Thunder acquire Justin Jackson, a 2023 second-round pick (worse of Boston's 2 this season) and a 2029 second-round pick</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/shams-bucks-acquire-jae-crowder" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Milwaukee Bucks acquire Jae Crowder</a>
<ul>
<li>Brooklyn Nets acquire 5 second-round picks</li>
<li>Indiana Pacers acquire Jordan Nwora, George Hill, Serge Ibaka* and 2 second-round picks (MIL)</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
*Ibaka is expected to be waived and hit the open market.
<ul>
<li>Los Angeles Lakers acquire Mo Bamba, Davon Reed and 2 second-round picks (LAC 2024, 2025)
<ul>
<li>Denver Nuggets acquire Thomas Bryant</li>
<li>Los Angeles Clippers acquire Bones Hyland</li>
<li>Orlando Magic acquire Patrick Beverley*, a 2024 second-round pick (DEN) and cash</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
* Beverley is expected to be bought out and hit the open market.
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/blazers-hornets-76ers-3way-trade-thybulle-to-portland" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Philadelphia 76ers acquire Jalen McDaniels</a>, a 2024 second-round pick (NYK) and 2029 second-round pick (POR)
<ul>
<li>Portland Trail Blazers acquire Matisse Thybulle</li>
<li>Charlotte Hornets acquire Svi Mykhailiuk, a 2023 second-round pick (more favorable between ATL, CHA, BKN) and a 2027 second-round pick (more favorable between POR/NOP)</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/woj-hawks-pistons-warriors-agree-to-threeway-blockbuster-trade" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Detroit Pistons acquire James Wiseman</a>
<ul>
<li>Atlanta Hawks acquire Saddiq Bey</li>
<li>Golden State Warriors acquire Kevin Knox* and 5 second-round picks (ATL)</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
*Knox was moved in a separate deal.
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/clippers-acquire-eric-gordon-in-threeway-deal-with-rockets-grizzlies" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Los Angeles Clippers acquire Eric Gordon</a> and 3 second-round picks
<ul>
<li>Memphis Grizzlies acquire Luke Kennard</li>
<li>Houston Rockets acquire Danny Green, John Wall* and right to swap MIL 2023 first-round pick with LAC</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
*Wall is expected to be waived and hit the open market.
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/shams-pelicans-acquire-josh-richardson-for-devonte-graham" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New Orleans Pelicans acquire Josh Richardson</a>
<ul>
<li>San Antonio Spurs acquire Devonte Graham and 4 second-round picks</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/woj-clippers-acquire-mason-plumlee-from-hornets-for-reggie-jackson" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Los Angeles Clippers acquire Mason Plumlee</a>
<ul>
<li>Charlotte Hornets acquire Reggie Jackson* and a 2028 second-round pick</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
*Jackson is expected to bought out and hit the open market.
<ul>
<li>Atlanta Hawks acquire Garrison Mathews and Bruno Fernando
<ul>
<li>Houston Rockets acquire Justin Holiday, Frank Kaminski and two second-round picks (OKC 2024 and 2025)</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/woj-warriors-acquire-gary-payton-ii-from-trail-blazers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Golden State Warriors acquire Gary Payton II</a>
<ul>
<li>Portland Trail Blazers acquire Kevin Knox and 5 second-round picks</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>

Basketball News puts together a detailed recap of a busy 2023 NBA trade deadline on February 9.

2023 NBA trade deadline: Recapping all of the day's moves

Is the NBA ready to add an expansion team? Evan Sidery explores what kind of team you could build in a present-day expansion draft.

NBA Expansion Mock Draft: What would a new expansion team look like?

Different players deserve different standards of "outstanding" success at NBA Summer League based on their experiences in professional basketball.
For rookies, the first summer is about showcasing your strengths and flashing tools that we may not have seen in their respective prior systems. The bar gets raised for sophomores and veterans, particularly those who have already unveiled their talents in an NBA regular season.&nbsp;
In my opinion, simply repeating what we know about a player's game doesn't signal they're ready for the next step up at the NBA level. I want to see a leap somewhere. Maybe that's a strength become impossibly dominant within the confines of Las Vegas, or maybe it's a new skill showing up that we haven't seen in past seasons.&nbsp;
The point is that it takes more for a guy like Cam Thomas to wow me. Thomas dropped 29 points on Tuesday, going 9-for-19 from the floor and 11-for-13 from the free-throw line. His effort was very similar to his inefficient, free-throw-driven outing on Sunday. Thomas showcasing his knack for getting to the line and scoring in bunches is great, but for a second-year, first-round pick, I want to see something else that I can visualize him carrying to the Nets' full roster.
Thomas did not make my Studs list today even though he logged a strong game. Here are the guys who did:
STUDS
Carlik Jones, Chicago Bulls
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Box Score Stats: 17 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, 7/7 FG, 2/2 3PT
The Bulls opened Tuesday's slate against the Raptors, and Jones delivered an effortless performance. Everything felt anticipatory, but not forced, with how he played on offense. Jones capitalized on the space he found, pinning defenders on his hip twice to convert floaters. He had David Johnson skating on the in the above play before finishing at the rim, and later even beat a recover attempt from Christian Koloko.&nbsp;
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I'm giving Jones a double-clip because this pass was so sweet. He knows Jeff Dowtin has to try and cover two passing lanes at once, so as Jones drives, he looks Dowtin off toward the wing shooter and then dimes a no-look pass to Malcolm Hill for three. Just gorgeous.
Santi Aldama, Memphis Grizzlies
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Santi Aldama masterclass in Vegas tonight for the <a href="https://twitter.com/memgrizz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@memgrizz</a> 😤 - 31 PTS - 9 REBS - 3 BLKS - 12/14 FG <a href="https://t.co/eKtRQc1CD7">pic.twitter.com/eKtRQc1CD7</a>
&mdash; NBA TV (@NBATV) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBATV/status/1547019100274118656?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 13, 2022</a></blockquote>
Box Score Stats: 31 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 blocks, 12/14 FG, 4/5 FG
Aldama needs chill out before I dangerously overreact to his last two Summer League outings. The second-year forward frequently shared the court with Xavier Tillman, who typically drew the opposing center as a matchup. This left Aldama to feast on smaller players. He's much stronger than most people realized, and easily sealed off defenders for interior buckets. We also saw several instances of Aldama as a cutter. His long-range shot finally started to fall as well.&nbsp;
Then on defense, we saw Aldama work as a drop defender and help on ice and trap possessions. He sent back three separate driving attempts from three guards and wings. When Aldama puts things all together, he's a pretty terrifying two-way presence. We'll see if it translates past Summer League.
Ziaire Williams, Memphis Grizzlies
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Box Score Stats: 14 points, 7 rebounds, 8 assists, 6/11 FG, 2/3 3PT
Other Grizzlies might have better box scores, but I was floored by Ziaire Williams as a playmaker as I watched this game in person. We didn't get to see much of Williams on the ball during his rookie season, for obvious reasons. But he was the lead faciliator for most of the Grizzlies' dominant win. These two dimes stuck out, and Williams threw several other impressive passes that did not turn into assists.&nbsp;
Then as a scorer, Williams methodically sought out his spot. He didn't shy away from contact and also hit a pair of pull-up threes. This is what Summer League is all about: giving players the freedom to experiment and seeing new aspects of their games flourish.&nbsp;
Tyrese Martin, Atlanta Hawks
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Tyrese Martin hit the "too small" after the finish 🤣 Martin has 21 to lead all scorers 🔥 <a href="https://t.co/Z0TBq4Yk5M">pic.twitter.com/Z0TBq4Yk5M</a>
&mdash; NBA TV (@NBATV) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBATV/status/1547021506999267328?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 13, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Box Score Stats: 21 points, 6 rebounds, 9/14 FG, 2/5 3PT
Man, Martin is such a physical, tough player. He consistently powered through contact and shot contests from a tough Miami Heat defense and finished around the basket. Martin doesn't have the flashiest handles or quickest first step, but he can change speeds when he wants to and use his functional strength to ward off defenders. Martin was picked No. 51 overall by Atlanta in this year's draft, and they should feel good about the choice after this performance.
Mfiondu Kabengele, Boston Celtics
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Put it up and Mfiondu Kabengele will go get it! <a href="https://t.co/1J3PXvoD7Q">pic.twitter.com/1J3PXvoD7Q</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1547037100503080970?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 13, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Box Score Stats:&nbsp;20 points, 13 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks, 6/11 FG, 1/4 3PT
Kabengele has been a miniature revelation as a massive interior presence so far. On Tuesday, he battled inside against James Wiseman and owned the glass. Kabengele starred as a lob threat and roller for Boston and displayed an easy chemistry with second-round pick JD Davison.
He also picked up four assists, and while they weren't highlight-reel passes, Kabengele clearly has a solid foundation as a connector within an offense. He's a former first-round pick from 2019, and I think Kabengele has shown enough in Summer League to at least warrant a reserve roster spot with the Celtics.
Jonathan Kuminga, Golden State Warriors
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James Wiseman nice find to Jonathan Kuminga who jump stops and dunks it for the Warriors. <a href="https://t.co/pc0aZzyuiX">pic.twitter.com/pc0aZzyuiX</a>
&mdash; Aram Cannuscio (@AC__Hoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/AC__Hoops/status/1547027600723304450?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 13, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Box Score Stats: 29 points, 2 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block, 11/22 FG, 2/7 3PT
This hasn't been the easiest Summer League stint for Kuminga since Golden State has thrust more on-ball responsibilities onto him. He struggled again to open Tuesday's matchup against the Celtics but started to find a rhythm as the game wore on. On successful scores, Kuminga could almost probe into the middle of the paint as defenders backed into the restricted area to contain his drives. Then Kuminga could face up, post up or just shoot a short jumper.
Of course, he threw down a couple of monster dunks off of short rolls or cuts, like the one above. Kuminga is still best used off the ball, but I do think we saw noteworthy progress from the No. 7 pick as a self-creator.
Other notable performers: Dalano Banton (Raptors), Jeff Dowtin (Raptors), David Roddy (Grizzlies), Kenneth Lofton Jr. (Grizzlies), Cam Thomas (Nets) Chaundee Brown (Hawks), Justin Jackson (Celtics), Brodric Thomas (Celtics), Moses Moody (Warriors), Gui Santos (Warriors), Bennedict Mathurin (Pacers), Buddy Boeheim (Pistons), Jerrick Harding (Suns), Olivier Sarr (Suns), Mason Jones (Lakers)
DUDS
James Wiseman, Golden State Warriors
Box Score Stats: 6 points, 7 rebounds, 3 blocks, 3/9 FG, 0/1 3PT
There's already so much noise around Wiseman and his career to date, so I hope people aren't seriously weighing his first games back &mdash;&nbsp;which also happen to be inconsequential Summer League games. Wiseman did not play extremely well, but he was not horrendous, and did block three shots while serving as a rim deterrent on several possessions. So while I am critiquing other areas, there's no need to pile onto this guy.
Wiseman did not pressure Boston on offense. He barely received chances to create, though it should be noted this Warriors roster seriously lacks quality passers. When he did, it was often a quick face-up jumper. He weirdly short-rimmed two easy baseline attempts, and his three-point shots were well off. This is not an ideal setting for Wiseman to make an impression, and unfortunately, he hasn't yet.
Max Christie, Los Angeles Lakers
Box Score Stats: 8 points, 2 rebounds, 3/12 FG, 2/6 3PT
Not to be all annoying about Summer League rotations, but I'm moderately surprised Christie is starting over Mason Jones. Jones has rocked off the bench and probably needs the mintues for the sake of his next career move. Christie is entrenched with the Lakers and has not played nearly as well.
The second-round rookie shot 1-for-6 inside the arc. He failed to create separation on any of his driving attempts, and tried this runner that was not falling. Christie's offensive game is going to be a development project for the Lakers, and he seems pretty far away right now.
Jaden Hardy, Dallas Mavericks
Box Score Stats: 11 points, 6 rebounds, 2 steals, 4/15 FG, 2/5 3PT
Since Hardy scored 28 points in his Summer League debut, the second-round pick has gone 4-for-15 in back-to-back contests. He reached his pull-up spots with relative ease, but just didn't have the touch against the Suns. Hardy had a more difficult time creating for himself at the rim; Phoenix swarmed him, and he was not a threat to kick out. The pre-draft concerns about Hardy's streaky scoring, and how he counterbalances that on offense, felt apparent aftet this game.
Jason Preston, Los Angeles Clippers
Box Score Stats: 7 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds, 2/7 FG, 0/1 3PT
Preston was one of my favorite players coming out of the 2021 NBA Draft. His processing as a facilitator, court vision and two-way effort still make him someone on my watch list from the second round. But Preston will have to overcome some limited athletic tools to be successful, particularly after missing all of last season due to foot surgery. He struggles to create separation for himself. This means he can't open up windows to score or collapse defenses and manifest passing lanes. It puts a ton of pressure on Preston as a shotmaker and passer.

Santi Aldama, Jonathan Kuminga, Ziaire Williams and Tyrese Martin headlined Tuesday's standouts in Las Vegas.

10 studs and duds from Day 6 of NBA Summer League in Las Vegas

Keep track of where the top 2022 undrafted free agents are headed after draft night.

2022 NBA UDFA Tracker: Latest news on undrafted free agents

This past week, the Tampa Bay Pro Combine was held in Wesley Chapel, Florida, hosting 36 draft-eligible prospects, 24 of which had an opportunity to showcase their skills in front of NBA scouts. BasketballNews.com's Senior NBA Draft Analyst Matt Babcock also serves as executive director of the combine.
Last year, Darryl Hepburn launched the inaugural Tampa Bay Pro Combine. The event proved to be a success as we saw four participants play in the NBA in their rookie seasons: Terry Taylor (Indiana Pacers), Brandon Williams (Portland Trail Blazers), Micah Potter (Detroit Pistons) and Jordan Goodwin (Washington Wizards).
Thanks to title sponsor Florida's Sports Coast, Adam Thomas and Consuelo Sanchez, the event returned for a second year with hopes of helping more players find success as they transition from college to the pros. Last Friday, we wrapped up the event. Here is a recap of the 2022 Tampa Bay Pro Combine:
Arrival
Last year, we had nearly 50 players come to the Tampa Bay Pro Combine. However, we decided to change things this time around, bringing in a smaller group &mdash; 24 draft-eligible prospects &mdash; to participate in two days of simulated pre-draft workouts. Another big difference was that the workouts would be in front of NBA scouts and executives this year. We also welcomed 12 additional prospects to participate in some workouts and games. All in all, we had 36 players visit Tampa.&nbsp;
As we prepared our list of potential invites, we looked to put together a talented group of players with pro-potential, primarily fourth- and fifth-year seniors coming out of college who would be eligible for the 2022 NBA Draft. We targeted players from all over the country. We brought players to Tampa from various schools, including Arizona State, BYU, Colorado, Houston, Kansas State, Kentucky, Oregon, Providence, Tennessee, Texas Tech, Washington State, West Virginia and more.
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Ready to get going - Let&rsquo;s run it. 🏀🏁<a href="https://twitter.com/deemintz1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@deemintz1</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/_davwarr3n?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@_davwarr3n</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/BallForever_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BallForever_</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/fulkerson_john?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@fulkerson_john</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/AbuKigab?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AbuKigab</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/JericoleHellems?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JericoleHellems</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/Mark_Smith_13?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Mark_Smith_13</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TampaBayProCombine?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TampaBayProCombine</a> <a href="https://t.co/5z7XKUqMiS">pic.twitter.com/5z7XKUqMiS</a>
&mdash; Tampa Bay Pro Combine (@_TBPC) <a href="https://twitter.com/_TBPC/status/1518974087460184065?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 26, 2022</a></blockquote>

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The players arrived throughout the day on April 25, and we arranged rides to our event hotel, the brand new Residence Inn in Wesley Chapel. We provided them with Adidas gear and had dinner before going to our rooms. A good night's sleep was in order as the next two days were important since the players would be showcasing their talents in front of NBA scouts. A lot was on the line!
NBA Sessions
The next day, April 26, NBA scouts from a wide variety of teams arrived at the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus and sat along the sideline as trainers from Yo Murphy Performance warmed up the players for our first "NBA session." Shortly after, Coach Bob MacKinnon had the players and our staff huddle up, shouting out his signature "1, 2, 3&hellip; hard work!" before we broke off for the first workout.
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That day, the first group of six players started things off right. You could feel the intensity in the gym immediately. It was clear that the players and coaches were there with a purpose. After a series of shooting drills and skill work, MacKinnon directed the group as they transitioned into competitive play, starting with 1-on-1 and finishing with 3-on-3. I don't think there is any denying that the workout was challenging and competitive. The remaining groups matched the same level of competitiveness over the two days.

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As executive director of the Tampa Bay Pro Combine, I'm responsible for inviting the players and convincing them to come. All of the young men that came to Tampa trusted me when I told them that we were putting together a platform that would help them gain exposure as they pursued their dream of playing professional basketball. Being able to contribute to helping them get closer to accomplishing their goals is beyond rewarding for me.
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Many players helped themselves those first two days, including Michael Flowers from Washington State, Noah Horchler from Providence, Nate Johnson from Xavier and Davion Warren from Texas Tech, just to name a few.
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Three-Point Shootout
After a couple of intense days working out in front of NBA teams, we put together an optional workout on April 28, which was light, and then former NBA player Shelden Williams interviewed a number of the guys throughout the day for BasketballNews.com.
In the afternoon, we gave guys plenty of time to relax, with many of them even taking advantage of Tampa's beautiful weather by lounging at the pool of the Residence Inn and enjoying the sunshine. Later that night, we had some fun. The facility hosted a local high school All-Star game and had one of our players, Taze Moore from the University of Houston, do some dunks at halftime &mdash; he put on a show!
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To finish up the night, we held a Three-Point Shootout. The participants included Jalen Adaway (St. Bonaventure), Michael Flowers (Washington State), Noah Horchler (Providence), Nate Johnson (Xavier), Davion Mintz (Kentucky), and Cole VonHandorf (Fairmont State). Mintz started hot in the first round, but it wasn't enough as Flowers ultimately won the shootout.
Double-Header
Our last session on the court was on April 29, with some 5-on-5 play. We had three-time NBA champion and current BasketballNews.com writer and podcaster James Posey and former college standout player at Arizona and South Florida Jesus Verdejo coach the teams in both games.&nbsp;
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The first game was competitive from start to finish, ultimately seeing Team 1 win over Team 2, 100-92. Davion Mintz and Davion Warren led Team 2 in scoring with 24 and 22 points, respectively. Team 1's Amadou Sow won game MVP, scoring 26 points and grabbing an impressive 12 rebounds.
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Team 3 started fast on Team 4 in the second game, leading 26-11 after the first quarter. Kalob Ledoux and Ronaldo Segu led Team 4 in scoring, with 21 and 20 points, respectively. Meanwhile, West Virginia's Malik Curry scored 24 points, earning himself MVP honors.
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Thank You, and Good Luck
To cap off the week, our title sponsor, Florida's Sports Coast, and their manager, Consuelo Sanchez, hosted our entire group at Chuck Lager in Wesley Chapel for dinner to celebrate the successful week before everyone flew back home the following day.
That's another year in the books for the Tampa Bay Pro Combine. As our players set out to make the next steps in the pre-draft process and their respective careers, I'd like to wish everyone the best and thank them for allowing us to play a small part in their journey. Thank you to all of our staff and partners who worked so hard to make this past week happen!
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BasketballNews.com's Senior NBA Draft Analyst Matt Babcock shares an outlined recap of the 2022 Tampa Bay Pro Combine.

Recapping the 2022 Tampa Bay Pro Combine

Following last year's inaugural Tampa Bay Pro Combine, several participants &mdash; including Terry Taylor, Brandon Williams, Micah Potter and Jordan Goodwin &mdash; turned their dreams into reality by signing deals and playing in the NBA in their rookie season.
Now, the Tampa Bay Pro Combine is <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/tampa-bay-pro-combine-returns-with-24-nba-draft-prospects" target="_blank" rel="noopener">back for another year</a>, and our new group of participants is looking to find the same level of success. The TBPC will be held from April 26 to April 29 at Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus in Wesley Chapel, Florida.
We are providing 24 draft-eligible prospects an opportunity to audition in front of NBA scouts, compete in a slam-dunk contest and three-point shootout on April 28, and play in a doubleheader on April 29.
NBA scouts and personnel will be allowed to attend workouts on April 26 from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. EST and April 27 from 9:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. EST.
Here is the list of participants:
Alex Barcello, BYU
Evan Battey, Colorado
Luka Brajkovic, Davidson
Savion Flagg, Sam Houston State
Michael Flowers, Washington State
John Fulkerson, Tennessee
John Harrar, Penn State
Noah Horchler, Providence
Nate Johnson, Xavier
Abu Kigab, Boise State
Kimani Lawrence, Arizona State
Kalob Ledoux, Santa Cruz Warriors
Davion Mintz, Kentucky
Taze Moore, Houston
Justyn Mutts, Virginia Tech
Tyler Polley, UConn
Taz Sherman, West Virginia
Jaylen Sims, UNC Wilmington
Mark Smith, Kansas State
Amadou Sow, UC Santa Barbara
Au'Diese Toney, Arkansas
Davion Warren, Texas Tech
Marcus Weathers, SMU
Jacob Young, Oregon
In addition to the 24 invitees, we will also be welcoming 12 additional draft-eligible prospects who will participate in workouts and games. Our video partner, <a href="https://event.veo.co/">Veo</a>, will record the action and distribute it via BasketballNews.com's YouTube channel, and <a href="https://instatsport.com/basketball">InStat</a> will also provide video and data from the event.
The 2022 Tampa Bay Pro Combine is presented by Florida's Sports Coast.

The 2022 Tampa Bay Pro Combine will be held from April 26 to April 29 at Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus in Wesley Chapel, Florida.

2022 Tampa Bay Pro Combine announces list of participants

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
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
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

Once more, the Sacramento Kings are toiling in the NBA&rsquo;s version of no man&rsquo;s land. On the verge of missing the playoffs for the 15th straight season, when will a light finally shine at the end of this franchise's depressing tunnel?
After the Kings traded away very promising second-year guard Tyrese Haliburton to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for All-Star center Domantas Sabonis at last month&rsquo;s trade deadline &mdash; a blockbuster deal for both sides &mdash; they decided the time was now to push some chips into the middle of the table. With the long-standing postseason drought still in full effect, the Kings are trying to capitalize on the new Play-In era of the Association. Although Sacramento is 20 games below .500 at 24-44, the team is within shouting distance of the final Play-In slot at No. 10 in the Western Conference.
The biggest beneficiary of jettisoning Haliburton and bringing aboard Sabonis has been the cemented face of the franchise, De&rsquo;Aaron Fox. Involved in trade rumors himself all season long before acquiring Sabonis, Sacramento&rsquo;s commitment to Fox has paid off in spades over the last month.
Since Feb. 9, the day Sabonis first put on a Kings uniform, Fox has put up some incredible numbers, averaging 28.2 points, 6.5 assists and 4.1 rebounds on an outstanding 59.2% True Shooting percentage. Functioning alongside a big man who can be the hub of an offense, plus creating for others around him, Fox is finally blossoming into an All-Star type of lead guard in Sacramento.
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When comparing Fox&rsquo;s stats before Sabonis, there&rsquo;s no wonder why the Kings decided to pull the trigger and take a real risk committing to Fox over Haliburton long-term as the No. 1 option.
Pre-Sabonis: 21.2 points, 5.2 assists, 3.8 rebounds, 1.2 steals, 53.4 TS%, 27.7 USG%
Post-Sabonis: 28.2 points, 6.5 assists, 4.1 rebounds, 0.8 steals, 59.2 TS%, 28.7 USG%
As you can see, the difference for Fox is massive now playing next to a legitimate running mate who can take the pressure off him. Sabonis has allowed Fox to be fully weaponized within the Kings&rsquo; fast-paced offense, getting downhill to the basket with ease thanks to the new gravity now provided to do his damage.
Now becoming a real legitimate sample size spanning over a month, Fox is showing the goods as to why Sacramento committed a rookie-scale max extension when he was first eligible. Fox was the only hope for Kings fans, as the team otherwise operated within a discombobulated environment. Now, with Sabonis forming a lethal 1-2 offensive punch with Fox, there&rsquo;s at least a foundational idea in place to build further around them.
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Fox ➡️ Ox Sabonis is up to 15 points after sinking his first seven shots 🔥 <a href="https://t.co/qA12UGhFgK">pic.twitter.com/qA12UGhFgK</a>
&mdash; Sacramento Kings (@SacramentoKings) <a href="https://twitter.com/SacramentoKings/status/1500255932294434817?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 5, 2022</a></blockquote>

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What still remains an issue, though, with this tandem is the lack of defensive integrity. Sure, the offense has real potential to produce firepower on a consistent basis now, but it won&rsquo;t matter without getting stops on the other end.
Sabonis is the polar opposite of a defensive anchor, consistently worked by strong and aggressive bigs down low. Fox has also lagged behind in this department, really taking a step back the past couple of seasons with his effort as an on-ball defender. In the 299 total minutes Fox and Sabonis have shared the floor together, the Kings are still getting outscored by 2.4 points per 100 possessions. The sole reason for that is because of their horrific job of attempting to contain opposing offenses from doing whatever they want; it checks in at a 118.7 Defensive Rating. If you compare that to team-centric numbers on defense, Sacramento would rank last in the NBA for points allowed per 100 possessions.
Even if the Kings miss the play-in tournament, they are set up well in 2022-23 to finally make a real playoff push. Fox and Sabonis are already locked in, but so is versatile veteran forward Harrison Barnes. Davion Mitchell has flashed some promising potential in his rookie campaign playing on or off-ball alongside Fox. The cupboard is not completely barren in Sacramento, and one more swing of good lottery luck fortune could put them in position to add the much-needed third pillar to vault them into serious postseason discussions.
Just imagine how much better off the Kings would be long-term building a winning program around Fox and Sabonis if they brought in a tantalizing draft prospect like Chet Holmgren from Gonzaga. He&rsquo;s the ideal piece to the puzzle to place next to Sabonis, offsetting serious defensive concerns with a legitimate rim-protector. Very similar to the blueprint Sabonis already experienced with the Pacers, it seems necessary for this whole process to reach its max output down the road.
The Kings are not a laughingstock anymore, but trying to shed that label for over a decade has taken a toll on the organization. If the pendulum swings in the team's favor, Sacramento can finally escape proverbial basketball hell.
Fox&rsquo;s ascension since the arrival of Sabonis has brought clarity to how the Kings&rsquo; lead guard can operate next to a really talented secondary option. Some would argue Sabonis is a better player than Fox, but these flashes we&rsquo;re seeing on a more consistent basis from the former Kentucky Wildcat as of late are super promising for what&rsquo;s next regarding his career arc.
Although it seems far-fetched, the Kings are positioning themselves within their win-now window. The commitment has already taken place by shipping off arguably their most consistent player in Haliburton last month.
Sacramento&rsquo;s vision of building a dynamite offense with Fox and Sabonis is already showing positive results. Now, it&rsquo;s time to see whether it maintains for a last-chance play-in push or a full-on surge in 2022-23.
Fox is already benefiting from this new look in Sacramento, but what other pieces will soon fall into place for what will be a massive offseason once more for the playoff-starved organization?
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Since acquiring All-Star big man Domantas Sabonis, De'Aaron Fox is taking serious steps forward for the Kings as their No. 1 option.

De'Aaron Fox is blossoming alongside Domantas Sabonis, but what's next?

Lawrence, KS&nbsp; &mdash;&nbsp; The Kansas Jayhawks squeaked out a victory at home, winning 94-91 against Texas Tech. Ochai Agbaji led the team in scoring with 37 points on seven makes from deep, both career-highs. Bryson Williams kept the Red Raiders in it all night with his 33 points on 14 of 19 shooting.&nbsp;
In a pivotal Big 12 matchup between the top two teams in the conference, the Jayhawks (17-2, 6-1 Big 12) hosted the Red Raiders. Kansas came into the day having won 12 of its last 13 games, averaging 77.9 points over their last 10, with the only loss coming to Texas Tech in Lubbock.
The Red Raiders (15-5, 5-3 Big 12) have put together a strong resume thus far and have held opponents to 59.2 points per game over the last 10. Despite losing some tough games to great opponents, they&rsquo;ve also managed to defeat multiple high-profile teams including Baylor and Tennessee. They are led by Terrence Shannon Jr., who has played nine games this year due to injury and is averaging 12.8 points per game.
Kansas has been led all season by its two standout upperclassmen wings in Agbaji and Christian Braun. Agbaji is a candidate for Player of the Year and is making a strong case as a first-round pick in the NBA Draft, averaging 20.4 points per game on 45.8% from deep. Braun is scoring 15.3 points along with 5.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists per contest.&nbsp;
Both teams traded buckets in the first half until roughly the 8-minute mark when Kansas started to pull away. The Jayhawks held a 36-30 lead at the break behind 13 points from Agbaji. He was feeling it early from deep, hitting 3 of his first 6 attempts. Williams, Tech's senior transfer from UTEP, poured in 12 early points for Texas Tech, which kept the Red Raiders close.&nbsp;
Three minutes into the second half, Texas Tech cut the lead back to two points, but Kansas got hot. Everyone got involved for the Jayhawks with Agbaji, McCormack and Mitch Lightfoot responding with makes of their own. They would stretch the lead to 12 points, and then it got interesting.
Texas Tech went to a defensive scheme in which the team totally took away Agbaji by faceguarding him. Things got dicy at 2:52, when Warren hit a huge triple to cut the lead to four points, capping a 10-2 run. Agbaji responded with a clean, pull-up jumper; Kevin Obanor then hit back-to-back tough shots on the interior to make it 74-72 Jayhawks. Texas Tech was able to get a big stop and Terrence Shannon Jr. hit 1 of 2 from the free-throw line to cut it to 74-73.
Tech had an opportunity to tie or take the lead but missed a tough shot; although on the rebound, Agbaji&rsquo;s foot hit the baseline, which gave the ball back to the visiting Red Raiders with 19.2 seconds left. Shannon got the isolation call and drove right, but was fouled on the floor at the elbow and sent to the line for a 1-and-1. He nailed them both to tie it up at 75-75.
Kansas had the ball on the side with 11.5 seconds and had time for one play, and Agbaji missed a three at the buzzer to send it to overtime.&nbsp;
He did not, however, miss his opportunity at the end of overtime to connect on a massive catch-and-shoot triple to send it to double overtime. Pandemonium ensued in Allen Fieldhouse, and Kansas capitalized.
McCormack had a strong showing was impactful on the interior all game by posting 13 points and 5 rebounds. The Jayhawks' Jalen Wilson went for 9 points and 11 boards; Braun posted 15 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists in what started out as a quiet night.
Davion Warren scored 15 points for the Red Raiders. Oral Roberts transfer Kevin Obanor hustled on the glass and provided great effort all night, ending with 17 points and 8 rebounds.
Kansas keeps its place on top of the Big 12 with the victory.
UPCOMING
Texas Tech will host Mississippi State on Saturday.
Kansas hosts Kentucky in a primetime matchup Saturday evening.
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The Jayhawks squeaked out a victory at home, winning 94-91 against Texas Tech. Ochai Agbaji led the team in scoring with 37.

Kansas beats Texas Tech in double overtime behind Agbaji, 94-91

Texas Tech ended No. 1 Baylor&rsquo;s nation-best winning streak at 21 games, getting 12 points and a key 3-pointer from Kevin McCullar in a 65-62 win over the Bears on Tuesday night.
The 19th-ranked Red Raiders (12-3, 2-1 Big 12) had their biggest lead at 59-52 when McCullar hit the 3 from the left corner in front of their bench with 2:39 left, and they held on for their second consecutive victory over a top-10 team.
Adam Flagler and James Akinjo each had 17 points for Baylor (15-1, 3-1), which fell two short of matching its own Big 12 record of 23 consecutive wins set two seasons ago.
Baylor was the last Division I team to lose this season. Fifth-ranked Southern California (13-1) was also undefeated before a 75-69 loss at Stanford earlier Tuesday.
Davion Warren hit two free throws for the Red Raiders with 22 seconds left before a timeout. Baylor then moved the ball around with Flagler passing to Akinjo, who bobbled the ball at the top top of the key before gathering it and taking a 3-pointer that hit off the front of the rim as time expired.
Texas Tech beat then-No. 6 Kansas at home on Saturday without McCullar and leading scorer Terrence Shannon, who also missed the game against the defending national champions.
Adonis Arms had 14 points for the Red Raiders, while Kevin Obanor and Bryson Williams had 13 each. Clarence Nadolny had 11 points.
McCullar had missed the previous two games after hurting his ankle in practice last week and having his foot in a walking boot. Shannon has missed six games in a row because of lingering back spasms.
The Bears scored the game&rsquo;s first nine points, including two 3-pointers by Flagler. They had a 31-16 lead when Flagler hit his fourth 3-pointer with 6:13 left in the first half, but they didn&rsquo;t score again before the break, with six missed shots and four turnovers.
Obanor had a dunk for Texas Tech only 10 seconds into the second half that started a quick 7-1 run. The Red Raiders tied it for the first time at 33-33 when Bryson Williams converted a three-point play with 18:28 left.
BIG PICTURE
Texas Tech: The Red Raiders wrapped up a three-game stretch of games against top-11 teams, falling 51-47 at No. 11 Iowa State without McCullar and Shannon before the consecutive wins.
Baylor: The Bears had also won 22 consecutive home games, winning those by an average margin of more than 26 points. They had had won 34 of 35, the only loss in that span by three points to Kansas on Feb. 22, 2020.
UP NEXT
Texas Tech: The Red Raiders host Oklahoma State on Thursday in the makeup of a scheduled Big 12 opener postponed from Jan. 1 because of COVID-19 protocols.
Baylor: The Bears host Oklahoma State on Saturday.&nbsp;

Texas Tech ended No. 1 Baylor’s nation-best winning streak at 21 games, getting 12 points and a key three from Kevin McCullar.

No. 19 Texas Tech ends No. 1 Baylor’s 21-game streak, 65-62

After months of speculation, we are finally (hopefully) approaching the finish line of the Ben Simmons saga.
According to ESPN&rsquo;s <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1469418952136835085" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Adrian Wojnarowski and Zach Lowe</a>, the Philadelphia 76ers are garnering much more interest in potential two- or three-team deals involving Simmons as more than 85% of the NBA&rsquo;s players will be eligible to trade next week.
Before the Association&rsquo;s biggest domino falls, which teams make sense as a landing spot for the 25-year-old three-time All-Star? Will Simmons flourish elsewhere in a bigger role?
The Simmons-Sixers situation could truly end up being a win-win scenario for both sides, so let&rsquo;s examine some potential trades that make sense for the disgruntled point-forward.
SACRAMENTO KINGS
The pressure is on for Sacramento to finally field a winning team and snap their 15-year playoff drought. Since the offseason, we've suggested that the Kings finally push their chips into the middle of the table and make 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.
However, Philadelphia continues to hold out hope that they'll get a top-25 player in return for Simmons. Would Sacramento feel comfortable saying goodbye to Fox, who just signed a five-year rookie-scale max extension? Philadelphia has been reluctant to discuss deals with Sacramento unless it includes Fox. With Haliburton and Davion Mitchell as their last two lottery picks, maybe Kings GM Monte McNair will shake things up in a major manner? Let&rsquo;s start our first scenario with a league-altering blockbuster:
Philadelphia receives: De&rsquo;Aaron Fox
Sacramento receives: Ben Simmons
MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES
In a similar position as Sacramento, Minnesota could rise in the Western Conference standings if they make the right move. Karl-Anthony Towns is a bonafide superstar, while <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/how-high-can-anthony-edwards-fly-examining-the-20yearolds-ceiling" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Anthony Edwards has great potential</a>. Adding Simmons to the Timberwolves&rsquo; lineup would make them 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, Leandro Bolmaro, future first-round pick
Minnesota receives: Ben Simmons
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SAN ANTONIO SPURS
San Antonio has been surprisingly competitive this season. Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich really has this intriguing young core humming, and they&rsquo;re one big move away from potentially making some noise in the Western Conference.
An interesting note to report from <a href="https://marcstein.substack.com/p/secrets-out-pop-at-last-is-happy?token=eyJ1c2VyX2lkIjoxNjkxNTY4LCJwb3N0X2lkIjo0NTIzMzI4OSwiXyI6Im1ldEtUIiwiaWF0IjoxNjM5MDc1MzYxLCJleHAiOjE2MzkwNzg5NjEsImlzcyI6InB1Yi0zOTIyMDUiLCJzdWIiOiJwb3N0LXJlYWN0aW9uIn0.5ZGjmeTrbYxMRpsZwDxBziBlrMR23PwdZ73k5hs2118" target="_blank" rel="noopener">longtime NBA insider Marc Stein</a> is that Simmons would welcome a trade to San Antonio. Also, Popovich would love to coach a player like Simmons. This sounds like a perfect marriage on paper, so let&rsquo;s make it happen.
San Antonio can offer Philadelphia a very enticing package of young prospects and picks. It may not fit the &ldquo;top-25 player&rdquo; criteria that Sixers GM Daryl Morey is hoping for, but it could get pretty close. The Spurs have a number of really attractive assets, but it remains to be seen how many they'd be willing to move.
San Antonio has a strong ecosystem in which Simmons could rebuild his value. Surrounded by plus role players who thrive within San Antonio&rsquo;s system, Simmons can reach his ceiling in a role where everything is built around his strengths.
Philadelphia receives: Derrick White, Keldon Johnson, Thaddeus Young, draft compensation
San Antonio receives: Ben Simmons
WASHINGTON WIZARDS
One team that has finally built around their star the right way is Washington, as they've surrounded Bradley Beal with a competent roster. However, Beal is in the final year of his deal.
Would Simmons work well alongside Beal? That&rsquo;s a legitimate concern, but making this deal is 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 would give Washington 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
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TORONTO RAPTORS
Another team that's facing a fork in the road with their current roster, Toronto has to decide what to do with Pascal Siakam. Over the offseason, there were reports that Siakam could be available. Will Toronto keep Siakam around with their young core or flip him for more long-term value?
If the Raptors want to offload Siakam and make an aggressive win-now push, enter Simmons.
A potential lineup of Simmons alongside Fred VanVleet, OG Anunoby, Scottie Barnes and Precious Achiuwa sounds like something Toronto would love to try.
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 to 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 very good, 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 as well.
The Pacers are about to blow everything up, though (and <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/pacers-must-accept-new-reality-and-become-sellers-at-trade-deadline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">it's long overdue</a>). Indiana is <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/examining-potential-trade-destinations-for-caris-levert" target="_blank" rel="noopener">likely to move Caris LeVert</a> with Chris Duarte&rsquo;s fast emergence, plus one of their two bigs: <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/exploring-trade-destinations-for-domantas-sabonis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Domantas Sabonis</a> or <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/examining-potential-trade-destinations-for-myles-turner" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Myles Turner</a>.&nbsp;
Indiana sniffed around Simmons' availability last offseason too. Since it's tough to pitch top free agents on coming to Indianapolis, making an aggressive trade might be the only way to land their star.
Although one of Turner or Sabonis would need to be moved to a third team in this hypothetical scenario, especially to meet Philadelphia's asking price for Simmons, Indiana going star hunting could be the necessary tweak to change their long-term fortunes.
Philadelphia receives: Caris LeVert, Justin Holiday, Jeremy Lamb, two future first-round picks (plus more from a third team)
Indiana receives: Ben Simmons
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
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 Damian Lillard, C.J. McCollum backcourt. Portland needs to finally make an aggressive push in order to put the right pieces around Lillard and turn this team into a contender.
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 of Embiid, while Simmons provides a beautiful blend of playmaking and defense alongside Lillard.&nbsp;
McCollum recently suffered a collapsed lung, which could complicate things. Prior to the injury, he followed all of the Sixers on social media and <a href="https://theathletic.com/3002581/2021/12/07/inside-the-mind-of-cj-mccollum-a-conversation-and-a-text-message-show-the-blazers-guards-current-struggle/?source=emp_shared_article" target="_blank" rel="noopener">all but said goodbye</a> to Portland and the fan base, so it remains to be seen what the future holds for McCollum.
Philadelphia receives: C.J. McCollum, Nassir Little, two future first-round picks
Portland receives: Ben Simmons
Simmons' future is the biggest storyline around the NBA. Odds are, he'll be moved to the highest bidder before February&rsquo;s trade deadline. Perhaps it'll end up being one of the aforementioned teams.

The Ben Simmons saga could soon be coming to an end. Which teams around the NBA would make sense for a Simmons trade?

Examining 7 potential trade destinations for Ben Simmons

The Indiana Pacers are finally embracing a rebuild. After years of toiling around in mediocrity, the Pacers realized their slow start and league-low attendance weren't going to turn around anytime soon. According to The Athletic&rsquo;s Shams Charania and Bob Kravitz, Indiana is open to trading the following players before February&rsquo;s deadline: Caris LeVert, Domantas Sabonis and Myles Turner.
We already covered <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/examining-potential-trade-destinations-for-caris-levert" target="_blank" rel="noopener">five potential destinations for LeVert</a>, who quickly became expendable with Chris Duarte emerging as a long-term building block. Nekias Duncan has some <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/exploring-trade-destinations-for-domantas-sabonis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">trade ideas cooking on Sabonis</a> as well. So now, to round things out, it&rsquo;s time to reveal the best win-win deals involving Turner.&nbsp;
Unlike Sabonis, who some teams may need to reinvent their entire system around, Turner is the ideal complementary piece for any contender looking to take a leap forward &mdash; this season and beyond. As a modern center who can stretch the floor and block shots at an elite level, many teams will be calling Indiana to inquire about a potential deal.
So, which teams actually make sense for Turner? Let&rsquo;s reveal our six best destinations:
Charlotte Hornets
I already mentioned Turner to the Hornets as a perfect fit for both player and team last week when discussing <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/five-potential-trades-that-make-way-too-much-sense-leading-up-to-februarys-deadline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">five potentially playoff-altering trades before the deadline</a>. Charlotte is so close to taking a massive step forward in the Eastern Conference. All the Hornets need is an adequate rim-protector to help them from leaking too many points to opponents on a nightly basis. Acquiring Turner not only solves that issue, it also raises the ceiling for young superstar point guard LaMelo Ball as well.
Imagining Turner catching lobs from LaMelo and spacing the floor is so much fun, in addition to what he would provide defensively. Charlotte&rsquo;s potential core of Ball, Miles Bridges, Terry Rozier, Gordon Hayward and Turner would be a well-put-together starting lineup. The Hornets could still have James Bouknight and Kai Jones developing off their bench as long-term lottery tickets too.
With Turner expected to fetch a nice return for Indiana, what actually makes sense in terms of an offer? There are two different scenarios to parse through:
Option 1: Kelly Oubre Jr., PJ Washington and a protected future first-round pick
Option 2: Gordon Hayward and a protected future first-round pick
The only reason why Hayward is included here is because we already know Indiana was seriously pursuing the former Indianapolis native during the 2020 offseason. When the Pacers offered Turner for Hayward in the past, former Boston Celtics general manager Danny Ainge didn't budge. Hayward instead bolted to Charlotte, receiving a big bag of cash in the process.
Would Indiana be open to revisiting a similar package 18 months later?
Pacers owner Herb Simon has been reluctant to dip his toes into any luxury-tax payments, so we know that&rsquo;s not happening as sellers. So, how about this Hayward-centric return to try out a &ldquo;soft rebuild&rdquo; or retool?
Pacers receive: Gordon Hayward, PJ Washington, JT Thor, protected first-round pick
Hornets receive: Myles Turner, Jeremy Lamb, Justin Holiday
Hayward would slide in as the 4 next to TJ Warren on the wing, forming an interesting duo. Washington&rsquo;s role in Charlotte isn&rsquo;t growing anytime soon, so giving the former lottery pick a bigger opportunity in Indiana makes sense as well. And from a pure fan perspective of putting butts in the seats, Brownsburg, Indiana native and former Butler Bulldog Gordon Hayward absolutely does that.
From Charlotte&rsquo;s perspective, it&rsquo;s a massive win. Acquiring Turner raises the team's immediate and long-term ceiling, with Lamb and Holiday bolstering that bench.
I doubt Indiana would be interested in Oubre, so let&rsquo;s roll with the options revolving around Hayward. What do you think of this big move for both sides?
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New Orleans Pelicans
As I mentioned yesterday with LeVert, keep an eye on New Orleans as the most desperate team in the NBA. Pelicans executive vice president David Griffin knows the hourglass could soon be running out on his tenure, plus Zion Williamson&rsquo;s injury history continues to pile on.
How about acquiring Turner as an ideal buffer between Brandon Ingram and Zion? It makes a lot of sense to help out a team that's in desperate need of a consistent defensive identity.
Turner is an absolutely perfect third piece to the puzzle in New Orleans, and hopefully a healthy and dominant version of Williamson reappears as well.
However, for a valuable piece like Turner, what would the Pelicans need to send back the Pacers&rsquo; way? Hint: it&rsquo;s going to be a lot.
Here&rsquo;s what I cooked up for a potential Pacers-Pelicans blockbuster revolving around Turner:
Pacers receive: Josh Hart, Kira Lewis Jr., Jaxson Hayes, two future first-round picks (via Lakers and Bucks)
Pelicans receive: Myles Turner, Jeremy Lamb, Brad Wanamaker
Indiana acquires two young assets in Lewis and Hayes, plus another player yet to hit his prime with Hart. The two first-round picks from the Los Angeles Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks are the icing on top of the cake from the Pelicans.
Yes, the Pelicans have Jonas Valanciunas and he&rsquo;s playing at an awesome level right now, but you have to begin thinking about accelerating the rebuild. New Orleans could play Turner and Valanciunas together at some points if necessary, but they could reroute the 29-year-old Valanciunas with his value at an all-time high.
With all three players age-25 or under, a trio of Williamson, Ingram and Turner is something to invest real assets into before it&rsquo;s too late.
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Golden State Warriors
Could you imagine Turner in the same role Kevon Looney is filling right now for Golden State? The Warriors&rsquo; defense would be incredible, and completely unfair. Turner and Draymond Green would make up a terrifying frontcourt duo, plus the former&rsquo;s floor-spacing is an ideal fit in Golden State&rsquo;s offense.
From Indiana&rsquo;s point of view, though, what makes sense in return for Turner? If I&rsquo;m in Pacers president Kevin Pritchard&rsquo;s shoes, I&rsquo;m holding out for Jonathan Kuminga in any Turner deal with Golden State. If push comes to shove with the Warriors refusing to include Kuminga, the following may make sense for both sides:
Pacers receive: James Wiseman, Moses Moody, Damion Lee, future protected first-round pick
Warriors receive: Myles Turner, Kelan Martin
Indiana would acquire two young prospects in Wiseman and Moody to add alongside Duarte and fellow first-round pick Isaiah Jackson. Golden State would probably become the true NBA Finals favorite bringing aboard Turner, plus a sharpshooting wing who can provide spot minutes in Martin.
The Warriors have the assets to make a title push even more likely. Don&rsquo;t be surprised if they have already called Indiana about Turner or Sabonis, because either one makes this team even more of a juggernaut in the Western Conference.
Chicago Bulls
This one is interesting, especially when you consider it would be Pacers 2.0 all over again with an offense-first big alongside Turner in Nikola Vucevic. However, Vucevic's contract expires after this season. If the Bulls retooled a little bit and moved Vucevic this summer, could you imagine the spacing and defensive versatility a frontcourt duo of Turner and Patrick Williams would provide? That sounds like a massive upgrade to me, allowing the ball to be in the hands of Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan even more.
Indiana would of course ask for Williams if the team were to trade Turner within its own division, but that would be a swift, "No." Instead, what about this compelling offer with a young prospect, salary filler and multiple first-round picks going back to Indiana?
Pacers receive: Coby White, Derrick Jones Jr., 2022 first-round pick via Portland, 2026 heavily protected first-round pick
Bulls receive: Myles Turner
Assuming Turner coming aboard would put into motion a long-term vision of him and Williams sharing a frontcourt (the more I talk about it, the more I love this idea), Chicago could offload Vucevic this offseason to recoup some sort of draft capital lost here.
LaVine and DeRozan being insulated defensively by the likes of Lonzo Ball, Alex Caruso, Turner and Williams is a dream scenario for Chicago. This would make the Bulls a terrifying team in the East for years to come.
Meanwhile, Indiana could be the ideal reset for a former lottery pick in White, who wasn&rsquo;t selected by the Bulls&rsquo; current front office regime.
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Milwaukee Bucks
Another Central Division team knocking down the door of Indiana? Again, this one seems far-fetched, but the possibilities are endless here. Imagining a modern big like Turner alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo brings forth mouth-watering possibilities for the Bucks.
However, with little draft capital, would Indiana even be interested in a package revolving around Brook Lopez&rsquo;s contract and Donte DiVincenzo? Maybe with a future pick or two thrown in, it could entice a conversation with Indiana.
Don&rsquo;t forget, there&rsquo;s already trade history between these two divisional teams. When the Pacers pulled off a sign-and-trade for Malcolm Brogdon, it was structured to be a win-win deal for both sides.
Could history repeat itself with Turner joining the Bucks this time around?
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Plopping Turner within the Bucks&rsquo; core is a game-changing move for them. Immediately, Milwaukee would stake its claim as the top team in the East in 2021-22 and beyond. Turner&rsquo;s shooting and rim-protection would essentially give Milwaukee a younger version of Lopez.&nbsp;
I would say this move is doubtful, but don&rsquo;t be surprised if Milwaukee calls about Turner to try to go all-in as they look to repeat.&nbsp;
Portland Trail Blazers
Portland needs to do something soon. Damian Lillard is obviously frustrated with the direction of the team, so what&rsquo;s going to happen with the Trail Blazers&rsquo; roster? As a team with little to no defensive integrity, currently and historically, inserting Turner would be a massive win for Portland.
Turner would become an immediate upgrade over Jusuf Nurkic, who would be sent back to Indiana as salary filler in this scenario. On top of Nurkic, the Blazers would attach promising combo guard Anfernee Simons.
Although Portland loves what it has seen from Simons and Nassir Little in terms of player development, these types of moves have to occur in order to raise the ceiling and floor of the team's current roster.
From Indiana&rsquo;s perspective, this deal is very interesting. The Pacers&rsquo; primary prize here would be Simons alongside a future first-round pick. (Nurkic may even be flipped again or bought out since a rebuilding team has no need for a veteran big on an expiring contract). Seeing Simons in a bigger role would be very intriguing, and that's exactly what would occur in Indy alongside Duarte.
***
So, there we have it. Six teams who stand out as possible landing spots and who should be banging down Indiana's door in pursuit of a perfect modern big man.
This isn&rsquo;t even the tip of the iceberg in terms of Turner&rsquo;s potential destinations though. Many other teams not listed will certainly call about the 25-year-old. As a floor-spacer and rim-protector who might not have hit his true ceiling yet, expect over the half of the league to inquire about Turner in some fashion.

The Pacers are about to blow up their roster. Which teams make the most sense to pursue Myles Turner? Evan Sidery lists six.

Examining potential trade destinations for Myles Turner

Nearly one month into the 2021-22 NBA season, fantasy managers are already looking back at their drafts &mdash; celebrating certain steals and kicking themselves over their biggest busts.
It&rsquo;s always fun to track which players are overachieving from a fantasy standpoint. This list features a wide variety of surprise breakouts &mdash; from rising stars who have made a significant leap forward, to prospects who are making the most of an increased role, to veterans who find themselves in the right place at the right time following a change of scenery.
Without further ado, let&rsquo;s break down the NBA players who have exceeded expectations out of the gate and helped fantasy managers get off to a strong start. (This article uses fantasy scoring from Yahoo's points leagues and all stats are up-to-date to reflect games played through Nov. 11).&nbsp;
Dejounte Murray, San Antonio Spurs | 46.18 FPPG, 9th in NBA
Entering this season, Dejounte Murray was a popular breakout candidate among fantasy analysts and managers, which is why he was being drafted in the third or fourth round of most fantasy drafts. However, nobody saw this kind of leap coming, as he&rsquo;s been a top-10 fantasy option through 11 games. The 25-year-old has become the focal point of the Spurs&rsquo; attack, averaging 18.4 points, 8.2 assists, 7.9 rebounds, 2.2 steals, 1.4 threes, 0.5 blocks and just 2.1 turnovers in 34.3 minutes. Murray is filling the stat sheet on a nightly basis, like when he posted a monster 21-point, 15-assist, 12-rebound, 2-steal, 2-block performance against the Los Angeles Lakers on Oct. 26. San Antonio has shifted its focus to rebuilding and developing their young talent, so Murray's role isn't changing anytime soon.
Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies | 46.29 FPPG, 8th in NBA
Like Murray, Ja Morant was being selected as a third- or fourth-rounder in fantasy drafts, but he has dominated out of the gate, and his 46.29 fantasy points per game rank eighth-best among all NBA players. Morant is averaging a career-high 26.5 points (up from 19.1 PPG last year) to go along with 7.3 assists, 5.7 rebounds, 1.7 threes and 1.7 steals. Also, this has been his most efficient campaign, as he&rsquo;s shooting 48.5% from the field, 34.5% from three-point range and 77.9% from the free-throw line (all of which are career-highs). He needs to limit his turnovers, as he's averaging 4.4 per game (which is eighth-most in the league). But otherwise, he's been an absolute steal for managers who bet on the high-upside guard.
Jonas Valanciunas, New Orleans Pelicans | 43.65 FPPG, 13th in NBA
Jonas Valanciunas has been a solid fantasy option in recent years, totaling the 30th-most fantasy points in the league last season with the Memphis Grizzlies. However, after changing teams over the offseason, the fantasy community wasn&rsquo;t sure what to expect from the 29-year-old. Fantasy Pros&rsquo; preseason Expert Consensus Rankings (ECR) had Valanciunas projected as the <a href="https://www.fantasypros.com/nba/rankings/overall-points-yahoo.php?filters=34c251ed83" target="_blank" rel="noopener">69th-best player</a>, and his Average Draft Position (ADP) was <a href="https://www.fantasysp.com/average-draft-position/basketball?league=h2h" target="_blank" rel="noopener">74.09</a>. Well, through 12 games, he's been a top-15 fantasy weapon, averaging a career-high in points (20.0), rebounds (14.0), assists (2.7), threes (1.0) and steals (0.8). With Zion Williamson recovering from offseason foot surgery and Brandon Ingram sidelined due to a hip contusion, Valanciunas has taken on a <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/pelicans-made-right-decision-by-extending-jonas-valanciunas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">much bigger role than initially anticipated</a>, and he&rsquo;s made the most of the opportunity in New Orleans. He&rsquo;ll likely come back down to earth at some point, but he absolutely deserves praise for his impressive start.
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Miles Bridges, Charlotte Hornets | 41.35 FPPG, 23rd in NBA
One week before the season tipped off, Miles Bridges had an ADP of <a href="https://www.fantasysp.com/average-draft-position/basketball?league=h2h" target="_blank" rel="noopener">103.70</a>. That means he was typically being picked in the same range as Klay Thompson (who remains sidelined) and Delon Wright (who&rsquo;s averaging 9.18 FPPG). Now, the 23-year-old is suddenly a top-25 option, averaging 21.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2.5 threes, 1.8 steals, 0.8 blocks and just 2.5 turnovers in 36.2 minutes per game. Bridges is one of the biggest surprises of this fantasy season because nobody outside of Miles&rsquo; family could've seen this kind of breakout campaign coming. With Morant and Murray, there was plenty of talk about how this could be their year, but Bridges wasn&rsquo;t receiving that kind of hype. The high-flyer has always been a ton of fun to watch, and it&rsquo;s been a pleasure seeing him round out his game and realize his full potential. Bridges has been incredibly consistent so far this season, finishing with 36.0 or more fantasy points in 10 of 12 games.
Al Horford, Boston Celtics | 37.23 FPPG, 42nd in NBA
It&rsquo;s easy to see why fantasy analysts and managers didn&rsquo;t feel like they could trust Al Horford entering this season. While a reunion with the Celtics was nice, he turned 35 years old in June and played in just 28 games last season for the tanking Oklahoma City Thunder (who were trying to showcase him and increase his trade value). Horford understandably slipped to the 11th or 12th round in drafts (and even went undrafted in some leagues), but he&rsquo;s been outstanding for Boston. Through nine games, he&rsquo;s averaging 13.1 points, 9.0 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 2.4 blocks, 0.9 steals, 1.1 threes and just 1.1 turnovers in 28.9 minutes per game. Prior to this season, Horford had never averaged over 1.5 blocks per game, so his 2.4 rejections have been a surprise. And the last time he averaged this many rebounds was back in 2012-13, when he was on the Atlanta Hawks. Horford has turned back the clock, and it&rsquo;ll be interesting to see just how much of this production is sustainable going forward.
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Cole Anthony, Orlando Magic | 37.29 FPPG, 41st in NBA
As of Oct. 17, Cole Anthony&rsquo;s ADP was <a href="https://www.fantasysp.com/nba_player_news/Cole_Anthony/adp/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">146.68</a>, which means he went undrafted in some leagues and some lucky managers landed a stud off of waivers. This season, Anthony has emerged as Orlando&rsquo;s leading scorer, averaging 19.3 points, 7.2 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 3.0 threes, 1.3 steals and 2.8 turnovers in 33.9 minutes per game, while shooting 44.0% from the field, 39.1% from three and 85.0% from the free-throw line. The 21-year-old has become a fan favorite thanks to his aggressiveness, swagger and <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1457528011700547588" target="_blank" rel="noopener">amazing interviews</a>. The Magic have assembled an impressive young core that is a lot of fun to watch.
Mo Bamba, Orlando Magic | 32.56 FPPG, 59th in NBA
Speaking of Orlando's young core, Mo Bamba also deserves a mention on this list. His ADP was even lower than Anthony&rsquo;s at <a href="https://www.fantasysp.com/nba_player_news/Mo_Bamba/adp/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">151.47</a>, but he&rsquo;s been playing at a high level on both ends. Shortly after he became the sixth pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, his trainer Drew Hanlen <a href="https://hoopshype.com/2018/07/29/nba-offseason-training-joel-embiid-gordon-hayward-jayson-tatum-markelle-fultz/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told me</a> that he was a very raw project; it would likely take three-to-five years before he could become a real low-post threat on offense since he needed to bulk up, improve his lower-body strength and learn to make the right reads. Bamba put in work behind the scenes, following the same developmental plan that Joel Embiid used under Hanlen earlier in his career. Well, here we are four years later, and Bamba looks like the real deal. The 23-year-old is averaging 11.7 points, 8.8 rebounds, 2.2 blocks, 1.8 assists, 1.6 threes and 0.9 steals on 49.5/40.4/70.8 shooting splits, and it's clear his best basketball is still ahead of him.
Harrison Barnes, Sacramento Kings | 37.52 FPPG, 40th in NBA&nbsp;
Barnes has been a serviceable role player for fantasy teams throughout his 10 years in the NBA, but he's been much more impactful this season now that he's playing the best basketball of his career. Barnes, who had an ADP of <a href="https://www.fantasysp.com/nba_player_news/Harrison_Barnes/adp/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">99.1</a>, is averaging the 40th-most fantasy points in the league (37.52) thanks to his 21.4 points, 8.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 2.6 threes, 1.2 steals and 2.0 turnovers (plus his efficient 49.0/42.5/86.7 shooting splits). While he has certainly helped many managers in point leagues, he has been even better in category leagues (where he's a top-15 option).
Ricky Rubio, Cleveland Cavaliers | 30.41 FPPG, 73rd in NBA
Following a <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/ricky-rubio-will-demand-the-best-out-of-young-cleveland-cavaliers-himself" target="_blank" rel="noopener">terrific Olympic showing with the Spanish national team</a> &mdash; during which he averaged 25.5 points, 6.0 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 2.8 threes on 47.8% shooting from deep &mdash; Ricky Rubio has picked up right where he left off. The 31-year-old is putting up a career-high 14.3 points as well as 6.7 assists, 3.8 rebounds, 2.1 threes, 1.3 steals and 3.0 turnovers while shooting a personal-best 41.0% from three-point range. Now, with Collin Sexton <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/with-collin-sexton-sidelined-whos-next-man-up-for-cavs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sidelined indefinitely due to a torn meniscus</a>, Rubio will take on a larger role and workload, and become an even bigger steal. Though Isaac Okoro appears to be the team's new starting guard, in the four games that Rubio's played over 30 minutes for Cleveland this season, he&rsquo;s averaged 19.5 points, 7.3 assists, 4.5 rebounds, 3.5 threes and 1.5 steals on insane 50.0/50.0/100.0 shooting splits.
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Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers | 30.21 FPPG, 74th in NBA
Once it became clear that Ben Simmons wouldn't be suiting up for the start of the season, Tyrese Maxey became an interesting sleeper to keep an eye on at the end of drafts. But instead of emerging as a quality role player, the sophomore guard has looked like a <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/tyrese-maxey-centered-on-getting-1-better-every-day-for-76ers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rising star for the 76ers</a>. Two nights ago, Maxey had 31 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 1 block and 0 turnovers against the Milwaukee Bucks, and then he followed that up with a 33-point, 5-assist, 4-rebound, 2-block, 1-steal, 2-turnover performance against the Toronto Raptors. The 21-year-old doesn't lack confidence. On the season, he's now averaging 17.1 points, 4.7 assists, 3.8 rebounds, 1.2 threes, 0.9 steals, 0.7 blocks and 1.5 turnovers in 35.8 minutes, while shooting 50.6% from the field, 38.1% from three and 87.2% from the free-throw line.
Honorable Mention: The 2021 Rookie Class&nbsp;
Fantasy managers who put their faith in the 2021 NBA Draft class have largely been rewarded, especially if they bet on Scottie Barnes (33.70 FPPG, 56th-ranked), Evan Mobley (33.33, 57th) or Josh Giddey (30.44, 72nd) &mdash; all of whom are averaging at least 30.0 FPPG and currently top-75 options.
Franz Wagner (25.86, 106th) and Chris Duarte (25.01, 114th) have been the biggest surprises among rookies, as they each got off to a hot start after stepping up amidst injuries. (The Orlando Magic started the season without Jonathan Isaac, Markelle Fultz and Chuma Okeke, while the Indiana Pacers have dealt with injuries to Caris LeVert, T.J. Warren, Malcolm Brogdon and Jeremy Lamb).
Other rookies such as Cade Cunningham (23.48, 134th), Jalen Green (23.31, 135th), Alperen Sengun (21.98, 153rd), Jalen Suggs (21.06, 160th) and Davion Mitchell (20.74, 164th) have shown flashes early on as well.

One month into the NBA season, which players have been fantasy-basketball steals? Alex Kennedy breaks down 10 overachievers.

Fantasy basketball steals: 10 players exceeding expectations

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
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
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>

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

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?

With just 16 days to go until the academy's <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/overtime-elite-announces-opening-schedule-will-take-on-mikey-williams" target="_blank" rel="noopener">grand opening at its brand new arena in Atlanta</a> on Oct. 29, Overtime Elite has revealed <a href="https://www.overtimeelite.com/schedule" target="_blank" rel="noopener">its full schedule</a>, as well as the three rosters it will send out in its inaugural 2021-22 campaign.
(Editor's Note: Read our Spencer Davies' exclusive interview with Aaron Ryan and Brandon Williams, and an extensive profile on Overtime Elite <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/high-school-basketball-former-nba-execs-aaron-ryan-brandon-williams-kevin-ollie-overtime-elite-seek-to-revolutionize-amateur-to-pro-preparation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.)
The three coaches and their rosters, under the direction of Kevin Ollie, are as follows:
Coach Ryan Gomes: Dominick Barlow, Malik Bowman, Lewis Duarte, Jazian Gortman, Nathan Missia-Dio, Jean Montero, Alexandre Sarr, Jai Smith, Tudor Somacescu
Coach Tim Fanning: Izan Almansa, Matt Bewley, TJ Clark, De'Vontes Cobbs, Francis "LeBron" Lopez, Tyler Smith, Amen Thompson, Johned Walker, Kok Yat
Coach Dave Leitao: Ryan Bewley, Bryce Griggs, Jazhare Jackson, Jalen Lewis, Davion Mace, Emmanuel Maldonado, Jaylen Martin, Ausar Thompson, Bryson Warren
In addition to this, OTE announced that it added three players to its talent pool over the weekend:
"We added three talented athletes to our rosters over the weekend. We&rsquo;ve scouted and tracked these young men over the Fall, and as we worked our way through training camp for the last few weeks, and further evaluated needs, we decided that adding Davion, Johned and Lewis to our inaugural rosters would provide complimentary skills and depth to our league," said OTE head of basketball operations Brandon Williams.
"Davion Mace is a 6-foot-7 power forward from Cincinnati who played for Woodward High School. Davion brings a physical presence as a tough-nosed hybrid forward. He plays with a high motor, and tenacity as a defender and finisher around the paint.
"Johned Walker is a 5-10 guard originally from Puerto Rico that most recently lived in Miami attending Central Point Christian Academy. At the U16 Americas Championship in 2019, he averaged 12.8 points per game, 6.7 rebounds per game and 3.3 assists per game in guiding Puerto Rico to a sixth place finish.
"Lewis Duarte is a 6-5 guard from the Dominican Republic, who moved to the states before high school. He most recently played for Victory Christian Center School in Charlotte. Duarte, a versatile wing with size, length and a good shooting touch, was starting to see his recruitment pick up from some top schools across the country. His cousin, Chris Duarte, currently plays for the Indiana Pacers."
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For more information on the OTE schedule and the league's structure, Williams answered the following via a press release Q&amp;A:
How did you start thinking about the schedule and how it would be set up?&nbsp;
"Health and performance was at the center of our scheduling concept. We want to maximize exposure to high-level talent whether individual players or teams, create the highest level showcase opportunities for scouting purposes, and give our athletes unique exposure to challenges like back-to-back game prep and execution, while reducing the stress on their bodies over the course of a season. With that in mind, we built a schedule made up of what we call league series competition within our three teams, prep challenges against external competition, simulated professional formatted games, takeovers, and playoffs to cap off our season."
How is this different from other prep high schools and colleges?&nbsp;
"Our schedule is dynamic, providing multiple ways for learning and preparing for competition - including games within our league, &ldquo;out of conference&rdquo; games with prep schools, and one of the biggest differences is that we get to explore pro-simulation games. This allows our athletes the opportunity to prepare in a real way for concepts that are critical to the next level both mentally and physically."
How long will the season last? How many games will you play?&nbsp;
"During the October 29-March 25 period, our players will partake in 37 competitive events made up of Prep Challenges, OTE League Series, Pro Sim Games, Takeovers and OTE Playoffs."
What do Pro-Sim games mean?&nbsp;
"For these simulated professional-style games, (Pro Sim) OTE players will be divided into 2 rosters with the format and structure modeled after the NBA. These games won&rsquo;t count towards league standings, but will be a key part of player development as we prepare them for the next level."
How will the OTE League Series be played?&nbsp;
"The OTE League Series amongst our three teams will be executed at a much faster pace. Each team will play a 20 minute game against each of the others, so every team plays two 20-minute games, 40 minutes of basketball per game night."
Will the Prep Challenges format differ from a regular high school or college game?&nbsp;
"Prep Challenges will be played as 40-minute games where three external teams will compete against our three OTE teams over two days." 
With only three teams, how will standings work?&nbsp;
"In our OTE League Series, winning a 20-minute game counts as two points towards the league standings and teams can win up to four points each night. For Prep Challenges, winning these games count as one point towards the league standings. We will also have &ldquo;Takeovers&rdquo; - think marquee individual showcases, dunk contests, 3-point shootouts, etc. Winning a takeover will count as two points towards your team's league standings. All competition crescendos with our inaugural OTE Playoffs to determine the Season 1 champion."
How did you determine the rosters?&nbsp;
"Our Basketball Operations team, inclusive of scouting, coaching and strategy, collaborated through the recruiting, signing, then in-camp evaluations of each player. Over the weeks of training camp the group studied the effectiveness of combinations of players, along with the rhythm and chemistry they demonstrated to create three equally competitive teams."
How did you make sure all the teams were evenly distributed?&nbsp;
"As we constantly drilled on key attributes and skills, measurables, performance data and other factors, we created buckets (or pods) of comparable players - as closely as reasonably possible. Throughout camp, we created drills and competitions that allowed us to draw from each of these pods, assembling teams for our evaluation. Before final team selections, our coaches had the opportunity to test combinations and analyze matchups to provide more certainty that the teams were reasonably balanced."
How will each team be coached?&nbsp;
"Each of our three teams will have a head coach, and Coach Ollie will oversee the development of all three as the overall head coach. Dave Leitao, who spent 37 years in college coaching, was a head coach twice at DePaul, and is the former ACC coach of the year at Virginia will lead one team. Ryan Gomes who played 8 years in the NBA, coached in the G-League and is highly-respected in basketball circles will coach one team, and Tim Fanning, who spent the past 5 years as an assistant for the Euroleague powerhouse Maccabi Tel Aviv will lead the third team."
What were the challenges in setting this up?&nbsp;
"There are always challenges when you&rsquo;re doing something that&rsquo;s never been done before, especially on an accelerated timeline. We simultaneously had to recruit some of the best young players in the world to a program without history, to a culture that hadn&rsquo;t been established, to play with teammates they couldn&rsquo;t see. We continued to pursue talent first, but tried to build with an idea toward roster balance from the outset. All players want to play in games of consequence, so as we assembled what we anticipated would be extraordinary talent, and we wanted the highest level programs to face off with our talented groups. Because this came together into the fall, there were many schools that were fully committed and we couldn&rsquo;t find a date that worked. However, with broad options throughout the country, we found the right game opportunities that will be fun, energizing, and keep our players motivated to compete both at home and on the road."
Will this always be the style for the schedule or will it evolve into something else?&nbsp;
"Right now, we&rsquo;re focusing on our first season and developing our players for the next level. The great thing about what we are doing is the freedom we have to explore and try things. We will evolve as we establish what works well and what doesn&rsquo;t and will continue to provide the experience that the Gen Z elite athlete requires to prepare for his future. Our plan is to keep our athletes and their well-being at core of all considerations, that will lead our decision-making and any adjustments."
In this first year, what was the main goal for the schedule?&nbsp;
"The main goal was to create a schedule that allowed our players to compete at a high level, inside and outside of OTE. The best players want to play against the best players, and we sought them out. We wanted the best opportunities for our athletes to showcase their abilities with and against each other showing the growth and maturity that will be happening every day in practice, skill development, and performance training. We wanted to give them a robust schedule, inclusive of travel, back-to-backs, late nights, afternoons, all factors to professional play. We wanted to do this, while also being mindful and cautious as to rest and recovery. Creating a schedule where they are not underexposed, but also not overused, so finding the appropriate middle ground was our intent."
In the league, will teams change or remain the same?&nbsp;
"These three teams have been solidified for the season. However, we are prepared to make adjustments during the season. Ultimately competitive balance will be best for the development of our players and league."
Will all of the players travel to each game?&nbsp;
"Yes. All three teams will make the away game trips."

Overtime Elite has shared its three team rosters, revealed their schedule and answered questions regarding the league's structure.

Overtime Elite announces 2021-22 schedule, three rosters

Ben Simmons and the Philadelphia 76ers need to come to a realization: they are better off separated. Rather than trying to force a square peg into a round hole, a trade would benefit both parties. Simmons needs to spread his wings elsewhere, while the Sixers need to find a better running mate alongside superstar Joel Embiid.
Once Embiid and head coach Doc Rivers seemingly <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/ben-simmons-deserves-criticism-but-not-to-be-thrown-under-the-bus-by-philadelphia-76ers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">threw Simmons under the bus</a> after he passed up a wide-open dunk opportunity in the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Atlanta Hawks, the long-term relationship between Simmons and Philadelphia officially splintered.
The 25-year-old All-NBA player with fruitful playmaking and defensive upside has reportedly been avoiding contact with Sixers management, and recently Simmons&rsquo; agency Klutch Sports officially requested a trade. Simmons isn't planning to attend training camp, but Sixers GM Daryl Morey seems to have dug his heels into the sand even further on his asking price for Simmons in any potential trade scenario.
We&rsquo;re heading down the tracks of an explosive and rather ugly ending between Simmons and the team who drafted him No. 1 overall in 2016. With seemingly no ending in sight, at least from the Sixers&rsquo; standpoint, how will this situation play out? There are plenty of potential scenarios, but here's one resolution that could make sense for both Simmons and the Sixers.
If Philadelphia is holding out hope that Damian Lillard or Bradley Beal will ask for a trade and delays a Simmons deal until midseason, you&rsquo;re playing a dangerous game. That could create a chaotic locker-room environment for several months until February&rsquo;s trade deadline. Even then, it&rsquo;s a risky gamble that could even sour someone like Embiid, who certainly doesn't want to deal with that headache for three months of the season. Even if Simmons stays away from the team while the front office holds out for a better trade, it would be an awkward period for the players and hang over the upcoming season.
What&rsquo;s the best return that Philadelphia can hope for in a Simmons blockbuster? Right now, there are still teams out there who could provide Morey and Co. with exactly what they need to make life easier for Embiid. How about C.J. McCollum from Portland? Malcolm Brogdon and/or T.J. Warren from Indiana? D&rsquo;Angelo Russell from Minnesota? Maybe Sacramento eventually changes their tune on De&rsquo;Aaron Fox's availability?
There are potential resolutions just waiting to be discussed on a deeper, realistic level. The question is, will Morey be the one to back off his asking price before Simmons eventually shows up and this becomes a James Harden-esque situation in Houston?
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On the other hand, Simmons also needs to have a realization of his own. Being reluctant to add more offensive pizzazz to his unique player profile, it boxes him in to his potential high-end outcomes. Already a Defensive-Player-of-the-Year finalist who offers unicorn-like attributes as a playmaker and transition threat, Simmons will never be able to reach those superstar-like outcomes in the City of Brotherly Love. It&rsquo;s fairly simple.
Simmons is Draymond Green, not Magic Johnson. Will Simmons ever embrace that, though? That&rsquo;s the $100-plus million dollar question. Simmons is a more athletic, lengthier version of a prime Draymond. Remember how Green was the glue to the Warriors teams that ran roughshod throughout the Association, causing a league-wide change and influencing the modern era? It&rsquo;s an idea Simmons should embrace full-on. Simmons can become a better version of prime Green, which is why interested organizations should be giddy about getting him aboard as soon as possible.
Imagine Simmons alongside Karl-Anthony Towns in the Timberwolves&rsquo; frontcourt? What about Simmons functioning as the fulcrum of a Kings core alongside Tyrese Haliburton and Davion Mitchell? What if Simmons is the missing piece to keeping Lillard happy in the Pacific Northwest? Those are really enticing scenarios to envision, and the 25-year-old point-forward still has endless amounts of untapped potential ahead in his young career.
When looking over Simmons' numbers compared to Green in his prime (2014-2018), the similarities are uncanny. Simmons averages 15.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, 7.7 assists and 1.7 steals on 57.9 True Shooting Percentage, while Green averaged 11.7 points, 8.3 rebounds, 6.4 assists and 1.6 steals on 55.1 True Shooting Percentage.
Simmons as the super-charged version of Green is a future-Hall-of-Fame player. In the right environment, Simmons could be the missing piece who vaults a playoff hopeful into a truly sustainable contender.
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Simmons has elements of his game that haven't been utilized enough in Philadelphia. As a passer in short-roll situations, Simmons has a fantastic knack for hitting those reads perfectly. In the pick-and-roll, Simmons&rsquo; gravity as a drive threat opens up the corner threes, sucking in defenders to create one of the most efficient shots in basketball with regularity. Running lineups with Simmons as the primary big, similar to what Golden State has employed over the years with Green, would be very effective. It creates pick-your-poison scenarios where Simmons can operate out of the post, deciding between hitting the the cutter or spaced-out shooter. Simmons&rsquo; aggressive-scoring nature also allows him to punish slow-footed defenders on explosive moves to the basket. Although Simmons may never provide optimum spacing for others, he can still destroy defenses when utilized in a Green-esque manner with even more upside.
Philadelphia and Simmons are heading toward a divorce after five years. However, the grass certainly seems to be greener on the other side for both parties. In a return for Simmons, Philadelphia should be able to further cement Embiid as one of the NBA&rsquo;s most dominant bigs while extending their championship window. Meanwhile, Simmons should begin to explore a new career-altering path that would further utilize his unique talents. It&rsquo;s a win-win scenario where both sides come out on top at the end of a potentially drawn-out process.
It&rsquo;s a realization that is coming down the highway at full speed. Now, as the 2021-22 season approaches, it remains to be seen how long this situation will play out.

At the end of the Ben Simmons situation, both sides are destined to end up winners, writes Evan Sidery.

Ben Simmons, Sixers destined for a rare win-win breakup

Yesterday, we <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/5-nba-teams-you-should-hammer-the-over-on-for-202122-win-totals" target="_blank" rel="noopener">covered the best NBA win-total bets to hammer the over on</a> and now it&rsquo;s time to flip the script and discuss the most intriguing under options available. With so many teams pushing the chips in for a 2021-22 playoff run, it'll be tougher for teams to separate from the pack. Which squads will ultimately regress or fail to meet preseason expectations?
Without further ado, let&rsquo;s dive into the five-best under bets to make entering this season.
PHILADELPHIA 76ERS: UNDER 51.5 WINS
The Sixers currently find themselves in a tricky situation. The Ben Simmons drama has reached a new boiling point, as the 2016 No. 1 overall pick has officially requested a trade from Philadelphia. Although Simmons' offensive struggles are well-documented, his defense helped him finish second in the Defensive-Player-of-the-Year race behind Rudy Gobert last season.
Just now entering his prime years at age-25, Simmons has shown unicorn-like tendencies as a jumbo playmaker who can defend five positions on the basketball court. Simmons&rsquo; impact will be missed in Philadelphia, and it'll be interesting to see what the Sixers receive in return for him.
With the Simmons rumors reaching a fever pitch, plus the inconsistent availability of Joel Embiid over the years, taking a swing on the under at 51.5 makes sense to me. Do we trust Tobias Harris to carry an Embiid-less team on the nights he eventually sits out? Especially with a more jam-packed Eastern Conference than ever, I expect a small step back from the Sixers. Fifty wins feels like the ceiling to me, which means I'm hammering the under here.
ATLANTA HAWKS: UNDER 47.5 WINS
Atlanta caught fire last season when they moved Nate McMillan over to the head-coach seat with Lloyd Pierce&rsquo;s midseason firing. However, will that mojo continue over a full 82-game schedule? The Hawks have built a great infrastructure of talent around their superstar Trae Young. However, I feel like Las Vegas might be overestimating Atlanta after this recent run.
Maybe I&rsquo;m too pessimistic when it comes to the Hawks, but I need to see this success continue to fully buy-in. Reaching the near-50-win mark is a huge milestone for an organization that has been stuck in the lottery for years. Atlanta added more young talent in the draft, but didn&rsquo;t add any veterans into the equation.
I&rsquo;m going to play it safe and roll with the under on Atlanta. If Trae lights up the NBA in his fourth season, plus other pieces of their core take steps forward, I would be happy to be proven wrong here. There&rsquo;s a real possibility that their late-season run was lightning in a bottle, and that their win total will be in the mid-40s. In my opinion, 47.5 is a steep over to hit.
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INDIANA PACERS: UNDER 43.5 WINS
The Pacers were dealt potentially the NBA's worst hand last season with injuries. T.J. Warren only played four games. Malcolm Brogdon and Myles Turner dealt with various ailments. Caris LeVert had to sit out an extended period of time following his arrival (via the Victor Oladipo trade) because a cancerous tumor was discovered on a physical.
With Rick Carlisle back in Indiana as head coach, will the Pacers&rsquo; talented nucleus finally put it all together? I <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/pacers-face-makeorbreak-202122-season" target="_blank" rel="noopener">have my doubts</a>, especially considering how much the East has improved. No longer will a team comfortably make the playoffs with a record around .500.
Indiana also feels like the most obvious team to hit the reset button midseason, especially if they get off to a slow start. Outside of Domantas Sabonis and LeVert, everyone could be on the table in trade talks. Warren is on an expiring contract, while Brogdon and Turner have been floated in trade discussions over the last calendar year. If Indiana floats around .500 or below, the Pacers would be wise to sell-high on those players at their last opportunity to receive positive value.
Although Indiana had only one down year, the East is now a beast. It might be too little, too late for this core to make a run, which leads me to feel comfortable hammering the under on 43.5.
MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES: UNDER 41.5 WINS
Coming off their first playoff appearance since the Grit-n-Grind era, Memphis is bubbling with excitement to see if the Grizzlies can take the next step forward. Led by Ja Morant, Memphis has done a fantastic job of building around their young star point guard.
However, with the Golden State Warriors now back to full health, plus other young teams hoping to take a leaps (such as the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/by-making-zion-williamsons-job-easier-the-pelicans-should-finally-have-real-playoff-potential" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New Orleans Pelicans</a> and <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/will-the-timberwolves-finally-take-a-leap-forward-in-a-loaded-western-conference" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Minnesota Timberwolves</a>), Memphis will have to work even harder to return to the play-in spot they secured last season.
With how the Grizzlies have operated this offseason, it feels like they&rsquo;re content waiting to make a move &mdash; not getting antsy off of their early success after making the No. 8 seed. The Grizzlies&rsquo; main offseason additions were Steven Adams and No. 10 overall pick Ziaire Williams (plus they <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/mem-agrees-to-trade-hernangomez-to-bos-for-dunn-edwards-pick-swap" target="_blank" rel="noopener">acquired</a> Kris Dunn and Carsen Edwards today).
I&rsquo;m betting on a slight regression form Memphis, especially if they get off to a slow start. With Dillon Brooks recently floated in trade talks, it makes me wonder if we see the Grizzlies emerge as sellers at this year&rsquo;s trade deadline, which further pushes me to hit the under on 41.5.
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SACRAMENTO KINGS: UNDER 35.5 WINS
After <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/report-76ers-asking-price-for-ben-simmons-is-too-steep-for-kings" target="_blank" rel="noopener">officially bowing out</a> of the Ben Simmons derby due to the 76ers' asking price &ndash; which is disappointing since Simmons would've been <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/examining-potential-trade-destinations-for-ben-simmons" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a perfect fit</a> on the Kings &ndash; Sacramento seems destined for another disappointing season.
Buddy Hield was nearly traded to the Los Angeles Lakers on draft night for Kyle Kuzma and Montrezl Harrell, so who knows how long he will remain a member of the Kings? Sacramento re-signed Richaun Holmes and drafted one of the most NBA-ready prospects in Davion Mitchell, but is that enough to really make a big leap in the West? I doubt it.
The Kings have a solid young cored led by De&rsquo;Aaron Fox, Tyrese Haliburton and Mitchell, but everyone else could be moved down the road. Hield and Harrison Barnes stand out as obvious candidates to be moved to contenders at the trade deadline, especially if Sacramento falls out of the playoff race before the All-Star break.
I&rsquo;m hammering the under on 35.5 wins for the Kings, and feeling pretty comfortable doing so, which would unfortunately extend their playoff drought to an incredible 16 consecutive seasons.

Which NBA teams will fail to meet preseason expectations? Here are 5 teams you should bet the under on given their projected win total.