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Tar Heels

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

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

NBA Atlantic Division Preview: Burning questions, rotation projections

The NBA announced that 242 players have filed as early-entry candidates for the 2023 NBA Draft. Here is the complete list.

NBA announces 242 early-entry candidates for 2023 NBA Draft

Nekias Duncan thoroughly breaks down all five teams in the Atlantic Division ahead of the 2022-23 season.

2022-23 NBA Season Preview: Atlantic Division

We've waited, and waited, and waited for something to pop with Kevin Durant's trade request.&nbsp;
It's not usual for someone of Durant's caliber to become available via trade; it's rarer for someone of Durant's caliber and&nbsp;contract status &mdash; four flippin' years left on the deal! &mdash; to become available. But when the opportunity presents itself, you're somewhat obligated as an organization to check in and see what it takes.
The Phoenix Suns and Miami Heat were floated out early. The Toronto Raptors lurked on the edges. We heard noise about the Boston Celtics that continuously grew louder. There were more teams mentioned on the outskirts, most recently the Memphis Grizzlies.
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Understandably, offseason movement came to a screeching halt. You don't want to make a mid-tier trade or signing that would lower your chances to acquire someone like Durant. The Atlanta Hawks, for example, blew their pick load in their acquisition of Dejounte Murray, only for the Durant trade request to come out a short time later.
It's also understandable for free agents to be a bit annoyed with offseason movement coming to a screeching halt. Utah Jazz guard (for now, anyway) Patrick Beverly took to Twitter to speak on the uncomfortable dynamic.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Yal can sit and don&rsquo;t say nothing but that ain&rsquo;t cool. It&rsquo;s dudes with families out here who haven&rsquo;t got a job because of this KD shit. And to be on and off ain&rsquo;t cool. Blessing Gang🙏🏾🏀
&mdash; Patrick Beverley (@patbev21) <a href="https://twitter.com/patbev21/status/1562101827646197760?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 23, 2022</a></blockquote>

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It should come as no surprise that Durant had a <a href="https://twitter.com/KDTrey5/status/1562105392909275136?s=20&amp;t=t6uBMOw7JXSuIAPTlObO0w" target="_blank" rel="noopener">response of his own</a>, quote-tweeting Beverly's message with "#BLAMEKD."
Free agent guard Isaiah Thomas spoke the minds of many in his position.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Finally lol. Can we sign now lol
&mdash; Isaiah Thomas (@isaiahthomas) <a href="https://twitter.com/isaiahthomas/status/1562095675948470273?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 23, 2022</a></blockquote>

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That begs the question: Who are&nbsp;some of the free agents left that should get a look now? Here are a few players that come to mind.
CARMELO ANTHONY 
Key stats: 13.3 points per game on 52.1% from two (career-low 4.7 attempts) and 37.5% from three (5.8 attempts)
Quick: Did you know the Los Angeles Lakers were 7-4 in games where Melo scored 20 or more points?
Related: Are you more surprised by the record, or the fact that Melo accomplished the feat 11 times, all of which came from off the bench?
Melo was an occasional bright spot for a team that didn't have many of them last season. He's still a valuable off-ball threat.
In addition to knocking down 37.5% of his spot-up triples, Melo was able to beat closeouts with one- or two-dribble pull-ups. Per Synergy, Melo ranked in the 81st percentile (very good!) when taking dribble jumpers after spotting up. It's a far cry from the Melo that could boom on you during his Denver days, but his jumper remains an effective one.
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The defense will likely be a problem in high leverage moments, though Melo had some fun flashes as a backup 5 last season. A strong defensive infrastructure will be important if you want to get the most and best out of him. There's still enough juice in the tank for him to be a bench hub.
Ideal fits: Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks, Cleveland Cavaliers
HASSAN WHITESIDE 
Key stats: 8.2 points on a career-high 65.2% from two (career-low-as-rotation-player 5.1 attempts), 7.6 rebounds (2.6 offensive) and 1.6 blocks per game. 
Whiteside's career arc has been one of the weirdest ones in recent memory. He was a first-round talent that fell to the second round because of reliability concerns. He found himself out of the league pretty early on, only to make a 2K-esque splash with the Heat. He earned max dollars in 2016 and eventually lost his starting spot to a young Bam Adebayo in 2019, and has ridden the backup circuit since then.
Quietly, though, Whiteside has still been productive. He remains a monster on the offensive glass, and his length and timing as a shot-blocker still make him a solid drop coverage option. Per Second Spectrum, the Jazz allowed roughly 0.92 points per possession on trips featuring Whiteside in a drop last season &mdash; a top-10 mark among players to defend at least 500 picks.
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Of course, the issue has been that his box score numbers miss some of his weaknesses. He's a poor lateral mover at this stage of his career, a flaw on its own before getting into his&nbsp;unwillingness to move and make second efforts at times. Whiteside works in a drop, but it's a bit concerning that he's boxed into that scheme to a degree. A team acquiring him will need to have slithery screen navigators in front of him, or strong help defenders that can dig on drives and help restrict space.
Offensively, the screening has been hit or miss. The passing is too. He's improved enough to knock down a relief jumper or two, but it's important to let him indulge that part of his game too much.
Ideal fits: Minnesota Timberwolves, Phoenix Suns
WAYNE ELLINGTON 
Key stats: 6.7 points per game on 38.9% from three (4.9 attempts); career-high 89% of shots came from deep.
It's easy to cite the becoming-old adage, but you can never have too much shooting. It's worth noting that Ellington isn't just a shooter &mdash; he's a moving target. Because of his understanding of spacing and angles, and his ability to balance himself in the air, he's able to free himself for looks whether a play is called for him or not. He isn't the best&nbsp;movement shooter in the NBA, but he might be my favorite one to watch.&nbsp;
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Ellington is dutiful in his movement patterns. Purposeful. He's someone that defenses have to pay attention to, and I love the way he weaponizes that. There really isn't a system he can't fit in. His shooting and off-ball randomness could add some juice to a contender's attack off the bench, or he could provide much-needed relief for young ball-handlers on rebuilding rosters.
Ideal fits: Cleveland Cavaliers, Philadelphia 76ers, San Antonio Spurs, Orlando Magic
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STRAY THOUGHTS 
<ul>
<li>He hasn't been officially bought out yet, but Kemba Walker could be worth having as a veteran presence that can run some pick-and-roll for you. One anonymous executive <a href="https://heavy.com/sports/new-york-knicks/kemba-walker-suns/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recently suggested</a> the Suns as a landing spot. A Hornets return would certainly make some sense; that locker room desperately needs veterans.</li>
<li>We have to see what <a href="https://nba.nbcsports.com/2022/06/13/montrezl-harrell-arrested-on-marijuana-charge-in-kentucky-after-traffic-stop/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">comes of his court case</a>, but Montrezl Harrell (13.1 points, 6.1 rebounds last season) is still a productive pick-and-roll partner. For a team that can use a roller, he's worth a call.</li>
<li>This has been discussed on The Dunker Spot, but it's wild seeing Dennis Schroder and Eric Bledsoe still on the market. The former had positive moments with the Houston Rockets after the All-Star break last season, while Bledsoe can still generate paint touches and defend at the point of attack pretty well. If either is willing to accept bench roles for the long haul, there's utility present.</li>
</ul>

Following the Nets' reconciliation with Kevin Durant, Nekias Duncan takes a look at some of the NBA free agents left on the board.

With the Kevin Durant saga over for now, who's getting signed?

At first glance, the Boston Celtics seem gridlocked in their ability to bring an NBA Finals contender over the top for next season. The Celtics will likely reside as a luxury tax-paying team, meaning they're already out of room to sign players aside from a modest $6.3 million mid-level exception, and their entire main rotation is under contract for next season.
So what can Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens do in his role as lead team-builder? Stevens has a few more cards to play in the form of Traded Player Exceptions, commonly abbreviated as TPEs.
Boston has been a TPE merchant in recent seasons, and the franchise's salary-cap dexterity has allowed it to make impactful moves on the fly without raw cap space. The Celtics are Exhibit A of how these exceptions can keep contenders flexible. With well over two-thirds of the league filled to the salary-cap brim this summer, TPEs are like a secret staircase for teams as they try to ascend to NBA glory.
So how exactly do they work, and which squads can take advantage this summer?
Trades in the NBA don't go down with perfectly balanced salary scales. So if one team sends out more salary, under the collective bargaining agreement, the difference becomes a Traded Player Exception. Teams can then absorb future player salaries from future trades into the exception, bypassing any constraints from the salary cap boundaries.&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.nba.com/news/trade-exceptions-what-they-are-and-why-they-matter" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NBA.com's Steve Aschburner</a> compares the TPE to a gift card. The simile tracks in that TPEs can sort of "buy" player salaries, but they also expire one year after the trade initally creates them.
Here's a current example: Boston completed a sign-and-trade with the New York Knicks on July 18 of last summer, sending Evan Fournier to New York with a second-round pick in exchange for cash considerations. Because Boston traded Fournier's salary and received only the bag of cash back, it created a TPE that Spotrac values at around $17.1 million. The Celtics can now absorb a player (or multiple players) into that TPE via trade until July 18.
Seems like a smart move, right? Well, it is, but a TPE isn't just hacking the CBA. Rules and consequences exist. Here are some important ones (and check out a larger breakdown from <a href="https://www.sportsbusinessclassroom.com/listing-the-current-nba-trade-exceptions/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Eric Pincus</a>:
<ul>
<li>Teams cannot stack TPEs. For example, if the Celtics want to trade for LeBron James, they cannot combine all of their various exceptions into one super-TPE to absorb his salary. There is one trade exception per player salary.</li>
<li>TPEs do not supersede the hard cap (tax apron). This will particularly affect the Celtics because they are already approaching the hard cap, and might make the Fournier TPE, for example, less valuable than it's worth.</li>
</ul>
Though not a rule or a certainty, teams seeking to create a trade exception likely have to trade additional pieces to create it. The Knicks weren't going to simply let Boston make a TPE, so they managed to pick up an additional draft pick. Similarly, when Boston dealt Gordon Hayward to the Charlotte Hornets and created a massive, $28.5 million TPE, Charlotte also swiped two second-rounders from the Celtics.
Sometimes, trade exceptions are a natural byproduct of a deal. In other cases, they're the prize. Dozens of trade exceptions are littered around the league, but most are too small to be a realistic sponge for any player contract.
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Here are the teams with exceptions valued at over $5 million (figures provided by Spotrac), which could theoretically net a rotation-caliber player.
BOSTON CELTICS
So we've discussed the Celtics a bit already, but returning to the Fournier TPE, it's unlikely they use up the full $17.1 million (<a href="https://heavy.com/sports/boston-celtics/evan-fournier-trade-exception/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Matt John elaborated on this at Heavy.com</a>). It could still add a rotation player who fulfills needs such as movement shooting, center depth and bench scoring. The Celtics also hold TPEs valued at $6.9 million (from trading Juancho Hernangomez to San Antonio) and $5.9 million (from trading Dennis Schroder to Houston).
Boston pulled this stunt last summer where it traded Tristan Thompson for Kris Dunn in a three-way trade with the Sacramento Kings and Atlanta Hawks. The Celtics used a $5 million TPE to absorb Dunn's salary, thus creating a larger TPE from Thompson, which they then&nbsp;used to absorb Daniel Theis' salary. That's one example of them finessing the system. But again, when you're up against the tax apron, your options become limited.
BROOKLYN NETS
The Nets have two plausible TPEs to use. One is an $11.3 million TPE in the fallout of the James Harden blockbuster. Brooklyn also holds a $6.3 million TPE created when they dealt DeAndre Jordan to the Pistons.
Brooklyn has some time to use the Harden TPE; it expires in February 2023. But the Jordan TPE perishes on Aug. 19.&nbsp;
Obviously, Brooklyn's roster situation is in flux with the rumors flying around <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/examining-potential-destinations-for-brooklyn-nets-kyrie-irving-nba-trade-rumors-offseason-los-angeles-lakers-la-clippers-new-york-knicks-wizards" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kyrie Irving</a> and <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-trade-kevin-durant-brooklyn-nets-possible-destinations-rumors-phoenix-suns-miami-heat-boston-celtics-new-york-knicks-memphis-grizzlies" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kevin Durant</a>. Should the Nets extend Irving, they'll likely be hard-capped out, and won't be able to maximize these exceptions. Sean Marks and the front office cap-crunching team have their work cut out for them.&nbsp;
CHICAGO BULLS
Chicago has one trade exception, valued at $5 million, from when it sent Daniel Theis to the Rockets. It's unlikely this TPE becomes an asset of significance, but if the Bulls want to use it, they must do so by July 7.
DALLAS MAVERICKS
By trading Josh Richardson to Boston last summer, Dallas created a trade exception worth just under $10.9 million. That could be a helpful tool for the Mavericks, but it's literally expiring today! The Mavericks are flirting with being a hard-capped team, so unless something changes within minutes of writing this, the TPE will not yield a player.&nbsp;
DETROIT PISTONS
Detroit is going to, very briefly, hold a $9.2 million TPE by trading Jerami Grant to the Trail Blazers, according to <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Sports/detroit-pistons-acquire-veteran-kemba-walker-york-knicks/story?id=85620180" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ESPN's Bobby Marks.&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;However, Marks reports that Kemba Walker, acquired in the draft-night move that also landed Jalen Duren, will have his salary absorbed into that TPE before being bought out. That's some quick maneuvering by the Pistons to acquire an exciting lottery talent in Duren.
INDIANA PACERS
Here's an interesting case. The Pacers have two notable TPEs in their holster: a $10.5 million exception from trading Jeremy Lamb to Sacramento, and a $7.3 million exception from trading Doug McDermott to San Antonio. Indiana is projected to be a rare team with significant cap space this offseason, and as a will-they-won't-they rebuilding squad, they could take several pathways with these exceptions.
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Perhaps Indiana sees an opportunity to add two rotation players to the roster and make a push for the postseason. The playoffs feel unlikely with the current 2022-23 roster, but you never know, and Indiana does have a reputation for being stubbornly competitive.
Or &mdash; maybe the Pacers have a long-term vision and use these exceptions to take players on undesirable contracts, attached with draft picks or young players. It's a way for Indiana to build its draft chest without sacrificing flexibility. The McDermott exception expires on July 7, while the Lamb TPE poofs away in February 2023. I expect at least one, if not both, to be used.
LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS
The Clippers are another franchise that is essentially hard-capped out. But they do have two TPEs worth monitoring. One is a $9.7 million exception created in the Serge Ibaka deal this past February. The other comes from sending Rajon Rondo to the Memphis Grizzlies and is worth $8.3 million. Again, I'm skeptical of these being used, but they are worth mentioning for a playoff contender that won't be players in free agency for a while.
NEW ORLEANS PELICANS
The Pelicans created a $17 million trade exception last offseason when they sent Steven Adams to the Grizzlies. They've already reaped the rewards with their acquisition of Larry Nance Jr. New Orleans absorbed his $10.7 million salary into the TPE when it traded for him this past season. There's still about $6.4 million remaining, though, so the team could use it to add another player.
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
In acquiring Jerami Grant on his $20 million salary, Portland maximized its large TPE from the CJ McCollum trade. The Blazers still have one more $6.9 million exception that could be of use. They're projected to have some cap space to work with, so it might be an opportunity to take extra advantage.
TORONTO RAPTORS
The Raptors have a few smaller exceptions, with the most notable being a $5.2 million TPE stemming from the Goran Dragic trade. Toronto is over the salary cap, but might be able to squeeze in a player with these constraints while staying under the luxury tax apron.&nbsp;
UTAH JAZZ
Trading Joe Ingles to Portland gave Utah a $9.7 million trade exception. Given that they need to find a spark after yet another disappointing playoff exit, the Jazz should find a way to use this exception, ideally on a perimeter defender or frontcourt player behind Rudy Gobert.
WASHINGTON WIZARDS
Washington owns three trade exceptions ranging between $3-6 million. While they can't stack them, the Wizards could use the $5.2 million TPE (created in dealing Montrezl Harrell to Charlotte) to add some guard or wing depth. As long as Bradley Beal is around, this franchise is hunting the playoffs, and the TPEs can help them get there.
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Ethan Fuller breaks down which NBA teams hold significant trade exceptions entering the 2022 offseason.

How does a trade exception work, and which NBA teams can use them?

Following the Phoenix Suns&rsquo; shocking postseason exit, all eyes are now on Deandre Ayton's free agency.
After the Suns declined to sign Ayton to a five-year, rookie-scale max extension before the 2021-22 season, restricted free agency is now on the horizon for the athletic big man. During the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago, Ayton&rsquo;s agent Bill Duffy discussed Ayton's future on SiriusXM&rsquo;s NBA show.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;re disappointed. We wanted a max contract,&rdquo; Duffy <a href="https://twitter.com/esidery/status/1527772160923619328" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. &ldquo;He went out and was a solider the whole year, played well, improved his statistics. So, we&rsquo;re proud of him. A lot of guys handle things differently, but he was very mature about it. Things will work out for Deandre. He&rsquo;s a valuable player. There&rsquo;s other teams in the league as well. He&rsquo;s a restricted free agent, so we&rsquo;ll see how this process unfolds.&rdquo;
Ayton averaged 17.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 0.7 blocks on a career-high 65.6% True Shooting percentage during the 2021-22 campaign. Ayton was a key asset for the Suns on both ends of the court, especially around the basket as an easy lob threat and defensive anchor. Ayton has been a key piece for the Suns, but is he worth a max contract? Based on Duffy&rsquo;s comments earlier this week, it sounds like Ayton&rsquo;s camp won&rsquo;t settle for anything less than the max entering free agency.
From the Suns&rsquo; perspective, they saw improvement from the 2018 No. 1 overall pick this season before the team's disappointing postseason showing.
&ldquo;I think he&rsquo;s shown that he&rsquo;s improved each year, helps us on both the defense and the offense,&rdquo; Suns owner Robert Sarver told <a href="http://BasketballNews.com">BasketballNews.com</a> recently about Ayton. &ldquo;I think offensively, you see this year he&rsquo;s taken another good step in terms of his touch and his ability to score around the basket. So, he&rsquo;s been a key part of what we&rsquo;re doing.&rdquo;
Taking all of this into consideration, what if Ayton's days in Phoenix are numbered? Here's a look at the most realistic sign-and-trade destinations for Ayton this summer.
Note: It's important to remember that sign-and-trade deals rarely return the same value as a traditional trade. The Suns have let it be known that they won't simply let an asset like Ayton walk for nothing. If Ayton&rsquo;s time in Phoenix is indeed over, the Suns won&rsquo;t be leaving the relationship empty-handed.
San Antonio Spurs
Spurs receive: Deandre Ayton
Suns receive: Jakob Poeltl, Devin Vassell, Tre Jones
San Antonio is one of the few teams this offseason with secured max-level cap space. All that needs to be done in order to chase Ayton is renounce the restricted rights to Lonnie Walker.
Being at the bottom of the NBA standings is new for the Spurs. After being one of the league's model organizations for over two decades, they have officially hit a playoff drought. San Antonio was hoping for some lottery luck, but now they have to try another plan to bring in a star.
San Antonio&rsquo;s dynamic young duo of Dejounte Murray and Keldon Johnson is so fun to watch, but the they need a third game-changer to take this rebuild back into playoff mode. Ayton would be an ideal solution, mainly because of his excellent two-way fit in the Spurs&rsquo; system. Dropping Ayton into the Spurs&rsquo; player-development program could make some in Phoenix worry about the long-term consequences of this deal.
For Phoenix, cooperating with a long-time rival would hurt. However, if the relationship between team and player becomes fractured, the Suns won&rsquo;t have much of a choice if he finds a max offer on the open market.
The Suns won&rsquo;t let Ayton leave Phoenix unless they receive strong assets in return. The Spurs can actually provide a solid package that helps in the short and long-term.
In this deal, Phoenix could land one of the most underrated big men in the Association as well as two young players who have shown flashes. The Jalen Smith experiment was a disaster for the Suns after taking him No. 10 overall in the 2020 NBA Draft, and Vassell went one pick later. Phoenix can right that wrong while also obtaining an intriguing point guard to develop in Jones.
This feels like a win-win for both sides. San Antonio would have a new Big 3 in Ayton, Murray and Johnson, while the Suns could acquire their new starting center and two pieces to bolster the bench unit.
Charlotte Hornets
Hornets receive: Deandre Ayton
Suns receive: Terry Rozier, PJ Washington and draft compensation
There might not be a team with a more dire offseason need than the Hornets and their hole at center. Charlotte was one of my NBA League Pass teams this season due to their fun offensive pace, but the defense often bordered on disastrous. Montrezl Harrell and Mason Plumlee aren&rsquo;t going to cut it, so it&rsquo;s time for Charlotte to get aggressive.
Given Charlotte&rsquo;s roster, they would have to move some salaries around to make an Ayton chase realistic. Offloading Gordon Hayward&rsquo;s contract is going to be a tough task and they may even have to relinquish one of their top-15 picks to do so, but it would have to happen in order for them to pursue Ayton. Hayward is due $61.6 million over the next two seasons, and Charlotte simply can&rsquo;t afford to keep biting that bullet with restricted free agent Miles Bridges due for a payday and LaMelo Ball&rsquo;s own rookie-scale extension on the horizon. Trading away Hayward and Mason Plumlee would give the Hornets max space.
Landing Ayton is Charlotte's dream scenario. Not only would Ayton continue to get spoon-fed easy looks from an elite point guard, he would help stabilize the Hornets' defense to respectable levels. Thanks to his freakish athleticism, Ayton would be able to cover up a lot of holes around him defensively.
Phoenix would love to pull off a double sign-and-trade to nab Bridges, but that seems unlikely. Instead, this deal allows them to find their long-term answer at point guard post-Chris Paul. While Terry Rozier is a shot-chucker, he has improved as a playmaker in Charlotte. In the short-term, Rozier could step in as the Suns&rsquo; sixth man and provide the exact boost that they need in offensive guard creation. PJ Washington is an interesting add because he could slide right into the small-ball 5 role played previously by Dario Saric.
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Indiana Pacers
Pacers receive: Deandre Ayton
Suns receive: Myles Turner, Chris Duarte, TJ McConnell
What&rsquo;s the next step for Indiana? Long gone are Victor Oladipo, Domantas Sabonis and Caris LeVert. Malcolm Brogdon, Myles Turner and Buddy Hield could be the next Pacers veterans to be shipped out via trade as Indiana fully embraces a rebuild attempt. It&rsquo;s been long overdue for the Pacers to pull the plug on the core that continued to stagnate once the postseason arrived.
A year later, Indiana&rsquo;s future looks much brighter with a talented, new-look core of Tyrese Haliburton, Chris Duarte, Isaiah Jackson and whoever is selected at No. 6 overall.
Ayton couldn't ask for a better pick-and-roll partner than Haliburton. Already making magic happen with CP3, Ayton&rsquo;s rolling ability would help accentuate Haliburton&rsquo;s biggest strengths. Also, Ayton&rsquo;s defensive versatility would be a welcome arrival for a team that nosedived in that category last season.
For Indiana, the price would be hefty. Not only would this trade require a four-year max contract for Ayton, but the Pacers would likely need to ship out a key piece of their young core via sign-and-trade (such as Duarte).
This trade would be a huge win for Phoenix, but it also looks great for the Pacers. The Suns would have a starting center who adds floor-spacing equity and elite rim protection, a capable veteran backup point guard who can spell Paul at times, plus one of the most impactful rookie wings in the Association. Having to include Duarte could leave the Pacers apprehensive, but they are reportedly enamored with adding another explosive piece via the draft, as Jaden Ivey (Purdue), Shaedon Sharpe (Kentucky) and Bennedict Mathurin (Arizona) have all been linked to Indiana early in the pre-draft process.&nbsp;
Detroit Pistons
Pistons receive: Deandre Ayton
Suns receive: Jerami Grant, Isaiah Stewart, Cory Joseph and draft compensation
Another team that has considered making a run at Ayton this offseason is the Pistons, and they can create max space very easily: trading away Kelly Olynyk&rsquo;s contract.
The Pistons struck gold with Cade Cunningham and Saddiq Bey and they are helping usher in a new era in Detroit. Ayton&rsquo;s arrival would be the final piece to the puzzle for a team seemingly pushing their chips in on postseason play as early as 2023.
It would be best for Ayton to land with a capable lead guard who can feed him regularly. Already capable of tallying 20 and 10 most nights, Ayton would be set up for long-term success alongside Cunningham and Bey.
The question is, what would the Pistons need to send Phoenix&rsquo;s way in order for this sign-and-trade to go through? It&rsquo;s going to be a lot, and it would be a blockbuster-type transaction.
Blockbuster indeed, because Grant is now heading back to the Valley in this scenario. If the Suns and Pistons want to cooperate on a Ayton deal, I have to imagine one of Grant or Bey would have to be involved. Stewart is another enticing trade chip because he&rsquo;s shown the versatility to space the floor from three-point range. While he doesn't have the same touch as Ayton, Stewart brings nastiness and a tenacity on both ends of the court that Phoenix would absolutely love.
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Atlanta Hawks
Hawks receive: Deandre Ayton
Suns receive: Clint Capela, Bogdan Bogdanovic
No ifs, ands or buts about it, Trae Young would make Ayton an All-Star next season. What a fun inside-out duo this is to envision. While Atlanta is nowhere close to reaching the necessary cap space to absorb a massive Ayton deal on their own, a sign-and-trade becomes feasible with all of the talent that could fit into the Phoenix roster.
For the Hawks, Ayton represents another foundational building block to place alongside Young for the long-term. John Collins could be the guy, but he&rsquo;s been in trade rumors for the past year with no signs of those slowing down. Onyeka Okongwu could also grow into that role, but the Hawks signing Clint Capela to a long-term extension perhaps signals that they see him more as a piece to the puzzle rather than a true building block.
Ayton would arrive in Atlanta and instantly average around 23 points and 12 rebounds per game. On box-score fit alone, this would be the best landing spot for Ayton thanks to the greatness of Young.
If Phoenix had drafted Luka Doncic rather than Ayton at No. 1 overall in 2018, Phoenix may have considered adding Clint Capela to their frontcourt. Four years later, Capela being re-routed to Phoenix in an Ayton sign-and-trade is a plausible scenario to imagine. Capela would provide similar numbers to Ayton while requiring less of an offensive workload. Meanwhile, Bogdan Bogdanovic might vault to the top the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year leaderboards in the near future. Bogdanovic and Cameron Johnson leading the Suns&rsquo; second unit? That&rsquo;s a filthy thought.
***
None of these trades are perfect, but they do illustrate how challenging it will be for Phoenix to find a home for Ayton while also returning the value they'd love to get back for him. Ultimately, it may be in the Suns' best interest to re-sign Ayton this offseason and trade him at some point down the road when his value isn't so depressed.
Whatever happens, Ayton&rsquo;s name will continue to pop up in rumors throughout the spring and summer until the Suns and Ayton's camp find common ground at the negotiation table. This situation could become awkward and dragged out, which would surely kick the trade rumors into high gear. This isn't the last we'll hear about Ayton and the possibility of him changing teams.
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With Deandre Ayton's future in Phoenix becoming murky, it's time to examine potential destinations for the former No. 1 overall pick.

Examining potential sign-and-trade destinations for Deandre Ayton

The NBA sent four teams home from its Play-In Tournament after Friday night, but all four are poised to contend next season.
Though the Charlotte Hornets, Cleveland Cavaliers and San Antonio Spurs exited early, their trio of All-Star guards and exciting young cores mean all three should be back in the hunt &mdash; provided they beef up their rosters in the offseason. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Clippers weren't supposed to make it this far without their franchise cornerstones; that only creates more buzz surrounding a 2022-23 championship contender.
What can these franchises do this offseason to set themselves up for success? I've written up some summer plans for all four squads, including draft assets (via Tankathon), potential free agents (via Spotrac) and a central team-building question (via my deranged mind). If you missed last week, I did the same for the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/summer-plans-for-the-nbas-nonplayoff-teams" target="_blank" rel="noopener">10 teams who did not crack the NBA postseason</a>.
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Let's dive in.
CHARLOTTE HORNETS
Draft assets:&nbsp;First-round pick, First-round pick via Pelicans, Second-round pick, Second-round pick via Toronto (if 55-60)
Potential free agents:&nbsp;Montrezl Harrell, Isaiah Thomas, Miles Bridges (restricted), Cody Martin (restricted), Arnoldas Kulboka (restricted), Scottie Lewis (restricted)
Central question:&nbsp;How can the Hornets construct an interior defense?
Charlotte's bottom-10 defense doomed the franchise several times in the regular season and, ultimately, in the Play-In loss to Atlanta. The Hornets gave up boatloads of at-rim attempts and three-pointers, and simply looked like turnstiles at times. Improvement is necessary across the board, but an on-paper view highlights a clear need for upgrades inside.
Mason Plumlee is a fine basketball player, but he's not anchoring a high-level NBA defense. Neither is Montrezl Harrell, and 2021 first-round pick Kai Jones barely touched the floor in Charlotte. The Hornets don't have a whole lot of salary flexibility with big-money deals in place for Gordon Hayward and Terry Rozier. Miles Bridges' restricted free agency is also a key offseason focal point.&nbsp;
Though the Hornets likely can't throw outright money at a Deandre Ayton-level restricted free agent, perhaps they could work a sign-and-trade for a lesser-known young talent. Maybe Mo Bamba fits the bill from Orlando? Charlotte was tied to trade rumors surrounding Myles Turner before the trade deadline, and the front office could also elect to sign a veteran at a mid-level exception.
Regardless of the pathway, the Hornets have needed to address the center position for years now. With a playoff leap now the expectation in 2022-23, they can't afford to let another summer slip away.
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS
Draft assets:&nbsp;First-round pick, Second-round pick via Spurs, Second-round pick via Heat
Potential free agents:&nbsp;Ed Davis, Rajon Rondo, Brandon Goodwin, Collin Sexton (restricted), Moses Brown (restricted), RJ Nembhard (restricted), Dean Wade (team option)
Central question:&nbsp;What is Collin Sexton's future in Cleveland?
The Cavaliers may have slid out of the playoffs, but this was a banner year for the franchise's long-term trajectory. Darius Garland emerged as a cornerstone point guard, Evan Mobley might win Rookie of the Year, and the frontcourt pairing with Jarrett Allen looks to be a mainstay in the Eastern Conference. Injuries ultimately derailed what was a top-four seed. Most of the rotation is under contract and under 30, hinting at continued growth.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Darius Garland -&gt; Jarrett Allen -&gt; Evan Mobley (Lob) <a href="https://t.co/nDQz7tkxbs">pic.twitter.com/nDQz7tkxbs</a>
&mdash; Jackson Lloyd (@JacksonLloydNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/JacksonLloydNBA/status/1515354588353728522?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 2022</a></blockquote>

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

This seaon's leap makes the situation with Sexton... difficult. Let's not forget that the combo guard is a season removed from a 24-point-per-game season as an efficient primary scorer, and that the Cavs were 19th in Offensive Rating this year. Sexton can meaningfully boost Cleveland simply as a bucket-getter, nevermind if he keeps improving as a playmaker.
What kind of contract do the Cavs offer to a 23-year-old who missed nearly a full season with a knee injury though? If a desperate team decides to throw money at Sexton to force the franchise to match, is there a limit to the front office's willingness? What would an extension mean for Isaac Okoro and Caris LeVert?&nbsp;
Sexton is one of the biggest dominoes in the upcoming offseason, and arguably the most unpredictable.
LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS
Draft assets:&nbsp;Second-round pick
Potential free agents: Robert Covington, Rodney Hood, Isaiah Hartenstein, Amir Coffey (restricted), Xavier Moon (restricted), Ivica Zubac (team option), Nic Batum (player option)
Central question:&nbsp;What does a fully-healthy 10-man rotation look like?
Nobody expected the Clippers to be a playoff contender without Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, and they still almost cracked the postseason with the supporting cast chipping in. L.A. made a splash at the trade deadline by adding Norman Powell and Robert Covington, two players who conceivably make sense next to the franchise's two stars.
This roster is deep. It's a great problem to have, but it's still a problem with several rotation options potentially hitting free agency. Covington will likely command a solid new deal as one of the league's more reliable two-way complements, and Batum could easily decline his $3.3 million team option in search of a raise. Ivica Zubac and Isaiah Hartenstein may both hit free agency; what would happen to the center rotation in that case?
The Clippers have Leonard, George, Powell, Reggie Jackson, Luke Kennard, Terance Mann and Marcus Morris locked down for next season. That's already seven rotation-caliber players, and it doesn't account for leaps from young talents like Brandon Boston Jr., Jason Preston or Amir Coffey. A roster crunch is inbound, and the organization can't let a quality addition slip away as it positions itself for title contention next season.
SAN ANTONIO SPURS
Draft assets:&nbsp;First-round pick, first-round pick via Raptors, first-round pick via Celtics, second-round pick via Lakers
Potential free agents:&nbsp;Lonnie Walker IV (restricted), Devontae Cacok (restricted), Joe Wieskamp (restricted), DJ Stewart Jr. (restricted), Robert Woodard II (restricted)
Central question:&nbsp;How do the Spurs toe the line between developmental patience and consolidation?
San Antonio valiantly fought to get to the Play-In Tournament before losing to New Orleans, but also had one of the more underrated developmental seasons across the roster. Dejounte Murray made his All-Star leap and Jakob Poeltl established himself as <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/jakob-poeltl-san-antonios-newest-watchful-protector" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one of the league's better rim-protectors</a>; the Spurs collectively were just a tick under league-average on both ends of the floor, per Cleaning the Glass.
One of the NBA's youngest rosters is well on track and about to receive another influx of potential. San Antonio could use its three first-rounders (including its own lottery pick) to add to the frontcourt or find another lead guard. However, the Spurs already have 12 players locked down for next season under at least partial guarantees, and 11 of them are under 30. They have a pathway to over $24 million in salary cap space this summer should they move on from restricted free agents like Walker.&nbsp;
There's an avenue, with draft picks, young players and cap space, for San Antonio to make a serious splash. Is that in the programming for this franchise, though? San Antonio hasn't acquired a star via trade in several years, unless you want to count adding DeMar DeRozan in the Kawhi Leonard blockbuster. At the same time, there are only so many minutes to go around for the young guns, especially if the Spurs think they can compete for the playoffs.
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Ethan Fuller sets the stage for the NBA's four Play-In exits approaching the offseason.

Summer plans for the Spurs, Hornets, Cavaliers and Clippers

The signs were there for De'Andre Hunter's big game on Wednesday night.&nbsp;
Take the Atlanta Hawks' opening possession, for example. It started with a pick-and-roll headlined by Trae Young. The Charlotte Hornets trapped it, a strategy that mirrors the one they deployed during their last outing, putting Young in retreat mode.&nbsp;
Young fired a relief pass to Danilo Gallinari, creating a 2-on-1 advantage. P.J. Washington picked up Gallinari, forcing a long closeout for Miles Bridges (boy, did he have himself a night) to Hunter in the corner. Gallinari swung a pass to Hunter, and we got this:
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It's a missed shot, but it was an important one for Hunter. He beat a closeout with a quick up-fake, then quickly flowed into a pull-up middy. It's a reasonable shot that Hunter has grown comfortable with in his short NBA career, but the key is his decisiveness.
Quick, quick, quick.&nbsp;
Hunter has displayed growth as an on-ball creator, but not to the point where he warrants a ton of lead duties. He's mostly tasked with operating off the ball, feasting off the opportunities created by Young and others.
Though the outline of a strong play finisher are there &mdash; he's converted 37.7% of his catch-and-shoot threes in his career, and has generated nearly 1.1 points per possession when facing a closeout, per Second Spectrum tracking &mdash; there's been a fluidity missing.&nbsp;
Tune into a Hawks game, and you're likely to see some variation of this: an advantage being created by Young, the ball swinging around the perimeter to Hunter, then Hunter holding the ball for a beat before making some sort of move. The advantage would be diminished, if not eliminated altogther.
He's shown flashes of making lemonade out of lemons, using his high release point to knock down tough jumpers, or using his strength to create an edge on drives. But the process was disjointed. You'd come away wishing Hunter would just go.
That's what made Hunter's first possession from Wednesday's blowout Play-In Tournament win over the Hornets so encouraging. It's what made the whole first quarter encouraging. The stat line from the quarter won't blow you away &mdash; 3 points on 1 of 4 shooting, an assist &mdash; but the processing speed will.
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With that backdrop, Hunter's explosive third quarter makes sense.&nbsp;
He exploded for 16 points on 7 of 8 shooting. Of those eight attempts, six of them came in the painted area or right at the rim. He was buzzing off the ball, staying light on his feet before jetting inside for cuts or attacking the basket after receiving a pass. The Hornets struggled to deal with him once he got a head of steam.
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Hunter only took two jumpers in the quarter: a pull-up middy after attacking a wild closeout (a good shot for him that missed), and a heat check from the corner over the outstretched arms of Montrezl Harrell. You don't love the hold-hold-jab shots from Hunter, but he earned that attempt. It also helps that he made it.
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Hunter averaged <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/touches/?Season=2021-22&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season&amp;TeamID=1610612737&amp;sort=AVG_SEC_PER_TOUCH&amp;dir=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2.22 seconds per touch</a> during the regular season. On Wednesday night, that number was <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/touches/?Season=2021-22&amp;SeasonType=PlayIn&amp;TeamID=1610612737&amp;sort=AVG_SEC_PER_TOUCH&amp;dir=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">down to 2.04</a>. If you break the season up into fragments, you'll see the gradual improvement in pace.
<ul>
<li>First 17 games: 2.30 seconds per touch</li>
<li>Next 18 games: 2.23 seconds per touch</li>
<li>Last 18 games: 2.11 seconds per touch</li>
<li>Play-in game: 2.04 seconds per touch</li>
</ul>
That might not seem like much, but every tenth of a second matters in the NBA. Any pause in action can be the difference between an open shot or a contested one. An ill-timed jab step can turn a scrambling defense into a recovering one. Coaches talk about a 0.5 rule &mdash; making the decision to shoot, drive or pass in under a second &mdash; for a reason.
The Hornets went into the game making the same bet from their last outing: We're going to force the ball out of Young's hands, and see if the other guys can make good, quick decisions. Hunter made the bet look not-great in the first quarter, and slammed the door on it in the third.
In the <a href="https://twitter.com/sarah_k_spence/status/1514430216940175371?s=20&amp;t=lBjuzOB3YEcgk-uQu4C5Fw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">words of Young</a>, that's the type of aggressiveness the Hawks need from Hunter on a nightly basis.
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Nekias Duncan highlights the decisiveness of De'Andre Hunter during his big game against the Hornets.

The value of playing fast: How De'Andre Hunter helps the Hawks best

Although some top-tier players who were expected to hit free agency this coming summer have already signed extensions, the 2022 NBA free-agent class will feature quite a few stars.
After <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/2022-nba-free-agency-preview-ranking-the-top-10-guards">ranking the best guards</a> and <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/2022-nba-free-agency-preview-ranking-the-top10-forwards">forwards set to hit the open market</a>, let's complete this series by highlighting the top-10 big men up for grabs this summer. &nbsp;
1. Deandre Ayton &mdash; Phoenix Suns &mdash; Restricted
Deandre Ayton is the crown jewel of this year's free-agent center crop. Although the Suns surprisingly chose not to offer him a max extension last offseason (worth approximately $173 million over five years), Phoenix is still in the driver's seat, as the franchise can match any offer the former No. 1 overall pick receives this summer. Expect them to do just that for a young, improving player who is a foundational cornerstone of a team with championship aspirations.&nbsp;
2. Jusuf Nurkic &mdash; Portland Trail Blazers &mdash; Unrestricted
After a disappointing 2020-21 campaign, Jusuf Nurkic bounced back impressively this season, averaging 15.0 points, a career-high 11.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.1 steals while shooting 53.5% from the floor. Nurkic has been sidelined by plantar fasciitis for the past month, and will likely miss the rest of the season. However, he'll likely be ready to rock by the start of training camp next September. Due to Nurk's tight bond with Blazers point guard Damian Lillard, many pundits expect Portland to re-sign the big man to a multi-year deal.&nbsp;
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3. Mitchell Robinson &mdash; New York Knicks &mdash; Unrestricted
The Knicks technically have until June 30 to ink Mitchell Robinson to an extension worth up to $48 million over four years. However, the two sides have not yet reached an agreement, so it appears Mitch Rob will be able to test the market for his services. While he has flashed All-NBA Defense upside in short spurts throughout his four-year career, Robinson has battled numerous injuries and baffling inconsistency. His regression at the free-throw line (he's shooting below 50% in each of the past two seasons) is obviously worrisome as well. Nevertheless, few big men can supply the type of high-flying athleticism and rim-protection he brings to the table.
4. Bobby Portis &mdash; Milwaukee Bucks &mdash; Player Option 
With Brook Lopez sidelined for most of the 2021-22 season, Bobby Portis stepped in and stepped up for the Bucks, starting 57 of the team's last 58 games. He is averaging career-highs in scoring (15.1 points), boards (9.1), steals (0.8), blocks (0.8) and made three-pointers (2.0). Portis is currently one of only two players in the NBA averaging at least 9 rebounds and 2 made treys per game. (Luka Doncic and Karl-Anthony Towns are the other two members of this club.) Portis' player option for 2022-23 is only worth $4.6 million, so he is expected to opt-out and search for a significant raise.
5. Ivica Zubac &mdash; Los Angeles Clippers &mdash; Team Option 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Zubac is a bonafide firefighter for LAC. In one possession he 1) traps Trae 28 ft out 2) sprints towards Capela hands up to dissuade the pass to the roller 3) checks Capela and stops the Collins drive 4) gets in front of Capela as the shot goes up and wins the glass battle <a href="https://t.co/OjS3dxuz4P">pic.twitter.com/OjS3dxuz4P</a>
&mdash; Justin W. (@LAClippersFilm) <a href="https://twitter.com/LAClippersFilm/status/1503470104041861120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 14, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Ivica Zubac's team option for next season is $7.5 million, so it's an easy decision for the Clippers to pick it up. He just turned 25 years old last week and continues to improve steadily. Zubac is posting career-highs in just about every statistical category this season.
6. Montrezl Harrell &mdash; Charlotte Hornets &mdash; Unrestricted
Montrezl Harrell has had another productive and efficient season off the bench, averaging 13.8 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists, while shooting 63.9% across 62 games for both the Wizards and Charlotte Hornets (following a midseason trade).&nbsp;
7. Mo Bamba &mdash; Orlando Magic &mdash; Restricted
After struggling mightily over his first three years in the NBA, Mo Bamba, the sixth overall pick in the 2018 draft, is enjoying the best year of his pro career. He is on pace to become the first player in Magic franchise history to average more than 1.5 blocks and 1.0 made three-pointers per game over an entire season. However, the Magic inked center Wendell Carter Jr. to a four-year, $50 million contract extension back in October and have Mo Wagner (brother of their prized rookie, Franz) under contract next season as well. In addition, lineups with both WCJ and Bamba have not performed well. Thus, Orlando will likely let the former lottery pick walk if another team offers a contract the team is uncomfortable matching.&nbsp;
8. Nic Claxton &mdash; Brooklyn Nets &mdash; Restricted
Nic Claxton continues to impress in limited playing time off the bench for Brooklyn. His per-36 minute averages this season are outstanding: 15.2 points (on 65.1% shooting), 9.6 rebounds and 2.0 blocks. The Nets have limited depth due to the high salaries of their top players, and billionaire owner Joe Tsai is unafraid of paying the luxury tax, so Brooklyn is expected to match any reasonable offer Claxton receives.&nbsp;
9. Andre Drummond &mdash; Brooklyn Nets &mdash; Unrestricted
Andre Drummond has increased his value following the trade that sent him from Philadelphia to Brooklyn. He has started all 14 games he's played as a Net, and is averaging 11.4 points (on 62.5% shooting), 9.6 rebounds and 0.9 blocks for Brooklyn. Drummond can boost his value significantly with a strong showing in the playoffs.&nbsp;
10. Thomas Bryant &mdash; Washington Wizards &mdash; Unrestricted:
Thomas Bryant inked a three-year, $25 million deal back in 2019 and played very well for the Wiz during the first year of that pact, averaging 13.2 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in under 25 minutes a night. He also started the following season impressively before tearing his ACL in early 2021. Bryant returned to action in January, but has seen his minutes reduced following Washington's acquisition of Kristaps Porzingis. Still just 24 years old, Bryant could be a worthwhile investment for a team in the market for a young big.&nbsp;
Best of the Rest:
LaMarcus Aldridge, JaVale McGee, Dwight Howard, Isaiah Hartenstein, Hassan Whiteside, Derrick Favors (player option), Tristan Thompson, Kevon Looney, JaMychal Green, Frank Kaminsky, Mike Muscala (team option), Bismack Biyombo
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Tommy Beer ranks the top centers who could be available as a part of the 2022 NBA free-agent class.

2022 NBA Free Agency Preview: Ranking the top-10 centers

Isaiah Thomas is back.
Well, not&nbsp;back &mdash;&nbsp;this isn't the 2016-17 campaign in which Thomas carried a Boston Celtics offense to the tune of 28.9 points (on 62.5% True Shooting) and 5.9 assists per game. But Thomas has found a home for the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/charlotte-to-sign-isaiah-thomas-for-the-rest-of-the-season" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rest of the season</a>, providing the currently-streaking Charlotte Hornets with a nice boost of offense.
Since joining the team three weeks ago, Thomas is averaging a shade under 10 points while draining 48.0% of his threes (3.6 attempts). During the Hornets' five-game winning streak, Thomas is averaging 10.8 points in 14 minutes per contest thanks to some insane shooting from deep (58.8% on 3.4 attempts).
Much like his peak days, Thomas is getting busy in the pick-and-roll.
He remains a pull-up threat, making any sort of "under" coverage nearly untenable. While not as bursty as he used to be, he's able to attack gaps and flow into floaters and push shots. His shot diet has altered since his last full-ish season with the Washington Wizards in 2019-20, with more of his shots coming at the rim or floater range (43% vs 34%) per Cleaning The Glass.
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The Hornets have scored 1.16 points per possession (PPP) on trips featuring a Thomas-led pick-and-roll, per Second Spectrum. That number rises to 1.3 on trips where Thomas and Montrezl Harrell &mdash; a violent rim-runner with an intermediate touch he can use when the rim is cut off &mdash; team up.
That two-man game is the bedrock of Charlotte's second unit, with built-in secondary options if an advantage isn't created.
A favorite as of late: a high ball-screen with Thomas and Harrell that flows into an empty corner handoff.
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</div>
Think about the options here. A switch would have Willy Hernangomez on an island against Thomas, and Jose Alvarado (fiesty!) on Harrell. Neither would be great options. Playing drop coverage would likely give Thomas a gap to pull-up into, though Alvarado is a stout on-ball defender that could make Thomas uncomfortable.&nbsp;
They instead opt to blitz, taking the ball out of Thomas' hands. But taking the ball out of his hands simply means putting it into the hands of LaMelo Ball, the Hornets' best player.&nbsp;
Giving LaMelo a roller like Harrell is a tough proposition; doing so with an empty side puts the defense in a bind like this:
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/screenshot_2022_03_22_18_03_03_lg.png" alt="" width="577" height="325" />
Alvarado peels over to the nail to cut off Ball's drive, but that leaves Thomas open for a catch-and-shoot opportunity. Harrell, of course, is rolling into the empty side with no help present. On the weak side, PJ Washington is in prime position to screen off his man (Naji Marshall, No. 8) or Kelly Oubre's man (Trey Murphy III, No. 25) to create a shot.&nbsp;
The Hornets don't just flow into handoffs after Thomas-led ball-screens; they can pivot to off-ball screens for shooters as well.
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This is nice movement set to get Terry Rozier a look. Jalen Brunson does a great job of staying attached, so it simply flows into a downhill attack with Mason Plumlee filling the lane.
Dwight Powell dropped back pretty far on the initial ball-screen, which ends up giving Rozier a runway to drive into. With Miles Bridges chilling in the left corner, Maxi Kleber is stuck between tagging Plumlee on the roll, or staying home on the shooter.&nbsp;
Having a threat like Thomas is incredibly annoying for defenses.
It's especially annoying when he's the first layer of a multi-pronged attack.
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Nekias Duncan breaks down the ways Isaiah Thomas is impacting the Hornets' offense.

Explain one play: Isaiah Thomas as the Hornets' tip of the spear

We're in the midst of a ridiculous scoring explosion.
Since the All-Star break, there have been 26 instances of a player scoring at least 40 points. Twenty different players have achieved the feat, ranging from superstars like Giannis Antetokounmpo, stars like Darius Garland, quality starters like Gary Trent Jr., gap-fillers like Josh Hart and bench assassins like Jordan Clarkson.&nbsp;
If the single-game excursions don't do it for you, consider that 11 players are averaging north of 30 points since the break. Only three pulled it off during the 2019-20 season &mdash; the infamous Orlando Bubble year &mdash; and that's the high mark of the past decade. We'll see what happens as the post-break sample grows, but we're in rare air right now.
The list of 11 is filled with single-name guys: LeBron, Jokic, Embiid, Giannis and Trae to point out a few. But then you get towards the bottom, and you see a pair of Kentucky Wildcats.
There's De'Aaron Fox, who is 11th in scoring (30.4 points per game) while dishing out nearly 8 assists per contest. His turbo-charged attacks &mdash; both on the ball or flowing into handoffs and cuts alongside his shiny new All-Star Domantas Sabonis &mdash; <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/deaaron-fox-is-blossoming-alongside-domantas-sabonis-but-whats-next-for-the-kings" target="_blank" rel="noopener">have been fruitful</a>. It helps that the jumper (38.6% from three on 5.7 attempts) is falling right now.
And then, right above him on the list is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who is quietly averaging 30.6 points over his last 10 games.
He isn't just getting buckets, but he's doing it efficiently. His 62.9% True Shooting percentage is one of the best marks in the league among high-usage players. The impressive part is that the bulk of his success has come in the interior.
Frankly, there's no driver in the league like SGA. There are numbers to quantify that; he's averaging the <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/drives/?Season=2021-22&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season&amp;SeasonSegment=Post%20All-Star&amp;sort=DRIVE_PTS&amp;dir=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fourth-most drives</a> since the break (22.9), ranks second in drive scoring (13.9) and is the only player converting more than half of his drive-based shots (51.5%) while attempting at least 10 of them per game.
While we're at it, here are how some notable names are faring on <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/shots-general/?Season=2021-22&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season&amp;SeasonSegment=Post%20All-Star&amp;sort=FG2A&amp;dir=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">two-point shots</a> since the All-Star break:
<ul>
<li>Brandon Ingram: 63.6% on 15.4 attempts</li>
<li>Giannis Antetokounmpo: 61.3% on 15.2 attempts</li>
<li>Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: 57.6% on 15.8 attempts</li>
<li>Ja Morant: 51.2% on 18.4 attempts</li>
<li>Joel Embiid: 45.9% on 15.0 attempts</li>
</ul>
Truly, you have to watch him. Despite having sub-elite burst, a sub-elite handle and a middling vertical pop, SGA consistently gets to his spots. Factor in his supporting cast (read: general lack of spacing), and his numbers become nonsensical. He simply shouldn't be this efficient within his context, but he's good enough to make it work.
He is a beacon of flexibility and deceleration. His ability to vary his stride length &mdash; some steps are quick and choppy, others are longer &mdash; is top-tier stuff. Gaining leverage is the name of the game, and SGA stops-and-slithers his way into it on a majority of his drives.
Defenders are rarely at risk of being blown by in a traditional sense, but they can never catch up to him. More accurately, they can never match his timing.
Take this play, for example.
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</div>
Cody Martin doesn't do anything wrong here. He's squarly in front of SGA when the drive starts. Even with SGA attacking his front foot, Martin is never out of position ... until the second step on the gather.
That second step is longer and more powerful than the first, allowing SGA to gain a little bit of an advantage when gliding through the air. That turns this:
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/screenshot_2022_03_15_17_59_20_lg.png" alt="" width="577" height="325" />
Into this:
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/screenshot_2022_03_15_17_59_33_lg.png" alt="" width="577" height="325" />
Watching SGA duck under defenders is a hidden joy. You don't have to be Allen Iverson-fast if you can get your shoulder into a guy's chest.&nbsp;
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Martin reaches in space, but SGA counters with a behind-the-back dribble. With Martin upright, SGA crosses back to his left&nbsp;and sinks low&nbsp;to create the early advantage.
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/screenshot_2022_03_15_18_11_21_lg.png" alt="" width="577" height="325" />
He now <a href="https://twitter.com/NekiasNBA/status/1503721522053238785?s=20&amp;t=0mgvyxKROeC9qeB3tz4COw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">has Montrezl Harrell (Micro Shaq???) on a patch of land</a>. He's able to get lower than him, too, then catch Harrell off guard with a Steve Nash-ian scoop. Harrell's barely off the ground by the time the shot's up.
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/screenshot_2022_03_15_18_16_36_lg.png" alt="" width="577" height="325" />
The gather timing is wild enough; SGA altering his level of explosion on the gather is some nasty stuff.
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Look at how silly he makes Mason Plumlee look. Plumlee goes with a full-blown vertical contest &mdash; typically the right thing to do! &mdash; but because SGA leads at 10% capacity, he's able to slide under Plumlee for an unbothered layup.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has seemingly found a hack early on in his career: the actual moves don't have to change much if you alter the timing enough to throw defenders off. The stop-and-start nature of his game keeps his enemies off-balance; his finishing moves deliver the final blow.
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Nekias Duncan breaks down the unique driving ability of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Stop and start: Taking a drive with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Prior to last month&rsquo;s NBA trade deadline, the Dallas Mavericks and Washington Wizards pulled off arguably the most surprising deal of the week, swapping Kristaps Porzingis for Spencer Dinwiddie and Davis Bertans.
Porzingis hadn&rsquo;t been mentioned in any trade rumors leading up to the deadline, so it was shocking to see the 26-year-old former All-Star on the move.
Dinwiddie, on the other hand, was very clearly on the block. Multiple reports suggested that he was available, and Kevin O&rsquo;Connor of The Ringer <a href="https://www.theringer.com/nba/2022/1/31/22910354/los-angeles-clippers-nba-trade-deadline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a> that Dinwiddie&rsquo;s &ldquo;teammates don&rsquo;t want him there.&rdquo; The 28-year-old guard even <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/dinwiddie-says-his-leadership-wasnt-necessarily-welcomed-by-wizards" target="_blank" rel="noopener">spoke out</a> about how his vocal leadership &ldquo;wasn&rsquo;t necessarily welcomed" in the Wizards' locker room.
It was a surprising turn of events. Just a few months earlier, Bradley Beal made it clear to the Wizards&rsquo; front office that he wanted Dinwiddie and even helped recruit him, as general manager Tommy Sheppard <a href="https://twitter.com/SiriusXMNBA/status/1429130174617079818" target="_blank" rel="noopener">has discussed</a>. This played a significant role in Dinwiddie signing a three-year, $62 million contract with Washington.&nbsp;
The Wizards ultimately traded Dinwiddie, Bertans and Montrezl Harrell. Shortly after, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope <a href="https://twitter.com/ChaseHughesNBCS/status/1491998119713779730" target="_blank" rel="noopener">attributed</a> the team&rsquo;s pre-deadline struggles to &ldquo;agendas and egos,&rdquo; adding that players &ldquo;were complaining about minutes [and] not getting the ball.&rdquo;
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Dinwiddie was understandably bothered by these reports and comments, which insinuated that he was disliked and causing problems in the Wizards&rsquo; locker room.
&ldquo;I think that&rsquo;s what hurt the most. I&rsquo;ve never bashed Washington. I&rsquo;ve never said an ill thing about the team," Dinwiddie told reporters. "I thanked the owner, Ted [Leonsis]. I thanked Tommy Sheppard, the GM, for collectively deciding to give me my contract. They didn&rsquo;t have to pay somebody coming off an ACL [injury]. I appreciate that. Wes [Unseld Jr.], being a first-time head coach, has a wealth of basketball knowledge. So to be bashed on the way out the door hurt my feelings, for sure. I&rsquo;m human, of course.&nbsp;
&ldquo;And you got to remember: When we were [10-3] and everybody was going crazy and we had all those clutch games, I was the one hitting the game-winners. Look at the Indiana game, the two Boston games, I was the one doing that. And that was back when I wasn&rsquo;t playing back-to-backs. When the role changed and they wanted me to pass more, they thought I was scoring a lot, I did that. I took my foot off the gas for a while because that&rsquo;s what they felt the team needed. So to get kind of kicked out the door was a wild feeling. I hadn&rsquo;t really experienced that before. But I still have nothing ill to say other than, yes, it hurt my feelings. But like anything else, you become cautious. And so far it&rsquo;s a great fit [in Dallas]. I love what they ask me to do here, which is get in the paint, and I&rsquo;m going to continue to do that and try to be of service.&rdquo;
Dinwiddie has been thriving with the Mavericks through seven games, averaging 17.6 points, 5.1 assists, 2.3 rebounds, 1.7 threes and just 1.4 turnovers, while shooting 56.3% from the field and 41.4% from three-point range. And in his first start with Dallas, Dinwiddie contributed a season-high 36 points to go along with 7 assists and 2 rebounds in a 114-113 win over the Sacramento Kings.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Spencer Dinwiddie was balling for <a href="https://twitter.com/dallasmavs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@dallasmavs</a> dropping 36 PTS while shooting 50% from the field in the comeback victory! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MFFL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MFFL</a><a href="https://twitter.com/SDinwiddie_25?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SDinwiddie_25</a>: 36 PTS (11/22 FGM), 7 AST <a href="https://t.co/lvgltC2xTS">pic.twitter.com/lvgltC2xTS</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1500471290490195969?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 6, 2022</a></blockquote>

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During his 44 games with the Wizards, Dinwiddie averaged 12.6 points, 5.8 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 1.6 threes per game on inefficient .376/.310/.811 shooting splits.
The Mavericks have won six of seven games with Dinwiddie in the lineup.
&ldquo;I knew I had a couple of friends here in [Reggie] Bullock, Theo [Pinson] and JD (Jared Dudley) on the coaching staff. You still approach the situation with kiddie gloves to see what&rsquo;s going on,&rdquo; Dinwiddie said of his fit with the Mavericks. &ldquo;Everything they said to me so far has been authentic, and everybody has bought into doing what they need to do to win. They encouraged me to be aggressive.
&ldquo;I missed my first three layups [against the Kings] and I felt like those were good shots. They aren&rsquo;t mad. It&rsquo;s not like Bullock and Doe-Doe (Dorian Finney-Smith) are like, &lsquo;Man, why am I not shooting? Like, what are you doing?&rsquo; They&rsquo;re like, &lsquo;No, bro, if you get another layup, shoot it! Until they stop you, if you can keep getting layups I don&rsquo;t care if you missed 20 of them, we believe in you to be aggressive.&rsquo; That&rsquo;s the culture of the group, and I&rsquo;m going to stay in attack mode.&rdquo;
Pinson has helped his former Brooklyn Nets teammate get acclimated in Dallas.
&ldquo;Theo is the best hype man, culture guy, whatever you want to call it, in the NBA,&rdquo; Dinwiddie said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve been in the NBA eight years &mdash; I&rsquo;ve been on like five teams or something like that &mdash; Theo is the best. I&rsquo;ll take him on a team any day. The mood is instantly lighter. It&rsquo;s instantly better. You going through some tough times? He&rsquo;s going to make you laugh. You going through some good times? He&rsquo;s going to make you feel great&hellip; I&rsquo;ll take him on my team any day. I promise you that.&rdquo;
Dinwiddie seems excited about his future in Dallas. He's meshing with his teammates, and he appreciates that everyone knows their role.
&ldquo;I just think our commitment to the collective and to winning games is all that matters,&rdquo; Dinwiddie said. &ldquo;You&rsquo;re not going to catch me out here picking up De&rsquo;Aaron Fox 94 feet; that would be out of character. I&rsquo;m not a ball-pressure guard. I&rsquo;ll sit there and guard you 1-on-1, but it&rsquo;s not my role and I&rsquo;m not going to do that. My job on offense is to get in the paint and make plays. I&rsquo;ll shoot the three when I have the switch and when I&rsquo;m open, but I&rsquo;m not just casting 30-footers like I&rsquo;m Steph Curry. I do what I do, and I don&rsquo;t do what I&rsquo;m not supposed to do. That goes 1 through 15. Everybody here follows that type of mentality because we understand that to not just win basketball games in the regular season, but in the playoffs, you need that.&rdquo;
It certainly seems like this change of scenery has been beneficial for Dinwiddie. Not only is he succeeding individually, but he&rsquo;ll also get to return to the playoffs (barring a collapse) since the Mavs are 39-25 and currently stand as the Western Conference's fifth seed. 
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Spencer Dinwiddie felt like he was "bashed on the way out the door" by the Wizards. Now, after a change of scenery, he's thriving.

Spencer Dinwiddie thriving with Mavs after messy exit from Wizards

We had a whopping <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/grading-every-move-from-the-2022-nba-trade-deadline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">15 NBA trades</a> go down in an eight-day span.
The league buckled down for one of the biggest fireworks shows in recent deadline memory. Front offices dealt All-NBA superstars and hammered out four-team mazes. By the time the clock struck 3 p.m. on Thursday, we saw some teams go all-in on a playoff push, others cash out and move towards rebuilding, and many surprisingly pass on the spectacle entirely. It's a perfect time to set the table ahead of the stretch run with a fresh Sour Rankings.
If you're new to the Sour Rankings, here's a refresher: Unlike the typical "power rankings" that repeat themselves throughout sports media, Sour Rankings are a bizarro-world counter. These rankings highlight the top-10 most frustrating NBA franchises throughout the season, and they will be updated every week to match the twists and turns of the league.
This is not merely a bottom-10 of your typical best-to-worst outlooks. You will see championship contenders and playoff hopefuls mixed in with struggling squads. Teams well under .500 may never touch the Sour Rankings because they are on track with their respective processes. Injuries, drama, transactions and generally underwhelming play will earn you a spot on this list.
The central question is ultimately this: How good should you feel about the direction of each franchise? Let's get going.
Escaping the Sour Rankings:&nbsp;By most accounts, the Indiana Pacers crushed it with their trade deadline moves. Tyrese Haliburton instantly becomes the bedrock of the franchise's next era, and he's looked pretty good in limited time so far. Indiana also snuck in a solid flier by acquiring Jalen Smith and didn't trade away any of its veteran players just for the sake of making a move. The Detroit Pistons were also briefly in the Sour Rankings, but escape after acquiring former No. 2 overall pick Marvin Bagley III without giving up long-term pieces.
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10. Oklahoma City Thunder (17-39)
Of all the teams to hold their chips at this year's deadline, OKC might be the most surprising. The Thunder had several players worth trading for &mdash; including Kenrich Williams and Mike Muscala &mdash; and had oodles of salary cap room to take on guys with undesirable contracts. Instead, they only clocked-in one deal, trading a second-round pick to the Miami Heat for KZ Okpala, who was subsequently waived. Though it's not a colossal general-managing blunder, the Thunder may have missed some good opportunities to add to the stockpile.
(Last week: Unranked)
9. Charlotte Hornets (29-29)
The Hornets added Montrezl Harrell to fill the backup center spot on paper, and he should help as a play-finisher. However, Harrell does little to address the returning defensive woes for a Charlotte team that is 3-7 in its last 10 games. The squad has also hit an offensive shooting slump while also ranking 22nd in turnover rate since the start of February. A seven-point loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday overshadowed a horrendous two-way performance in the first half that had me concerned.
(Last week: 10)
8. Utah Jazz (35-21)
The Jazz got involved in one minor three-team deal at the trade deadline, and it didn't do much to squelch the raised voices about their title pretender status. Mark Schindler <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/roundtable-who-are-your-biggest-2022-nba-trade-deadline-losers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">labeled them a loser of the week</a> despite acquiring a <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/can-nickeil-alexanderwalker-fill-the-gaps-for-the-utah-jazz" target="_blank" rel="noopener">prospect he liked in Nickeil Alexander-Walker</a>:
"There's an intriguing foundation with him that Utah could unearth more of and help him build upon, but the issue is where the Jazz are right now. They needed immediate help defensively at the point of attack and the wing, yet NAW is not really that guy right now."
Utah is on a five-game winning streak, however, which deserves some credit. The team stays where it is in these rankings for now.
(Last week: 8)
7. Houston Rockets (15-40)
Here's another rebuilding franchise that balked at the chance to capitalize on the rush of apparent buyers. Houston didn't need to trade Eric Gordon in my opinion, but he certainly could have returned value. I was more surprised that Christian Wood not only remains on the team, but also was barely brought up in public trade rumors. He has not been nearly the player he can or should be with the Rockets, and I don't know if anything he does in the next two months changes that outlook. Of course, John Wall is still on the roster too.
(Last week: Unranked)
6. Portland Trail Blazers (23-34)
The Blazers are a confusing team to nail down for me. They traded CJ McCollum to New Orleans in a move many expected, but didn't get a whole lot back (aside from a very solid rotation player in Josh Hart and a protected first-rounder). A couple days go by, and then, the aforementioned Alexander-Walker &mdash; the best young player in the first trade &mdash; heads to Utah for a second-round pick, an expiring and injured Joe Ingles and a more obscure flier in Elijah Hughes.
Nekias Duncan gave those two moves a <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/grading-every-move-from-the-2022-nba-trade-deadline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">C-minus and D in his trade deadline grades</a>. I think I'd agree, because at the end of it all, I still don't know what Portland is doing other than clearing some cap room.
(Last week: 6)
5. Sacramento Kings (22-36)
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Sabonis and Fox will be a natural fit 👉🏽 That P&amp;R with a guard who can slash, pass and play in between with pace paired with a highly skilled big man who is great around the rim and can shoot comfortably from 15 feet. This is the co-star both guys needed. 🎥 <a href="https://twitter.com/kings?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@kings</a> <a href="https://t.co/ngj5TdjPp0">pic.twitter.com/ngj5TdjPp0</a>
&mdash; Ball Don't Stop (@balldontstop) <a href="https://twitter.com/balldontstop/status/1491657233897119746?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 10, 2022</a></blockquote>

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I'll give the Kings a little credit for the auspicious stretch they've had with Domantas Sabonis and De'Aaron Fox together since that big blockbuster move. A lot of people, myself included, probably overreacted to the deal and didn't give enough thought to what Sabonis can unlock for the players around him in Sacramento. They also did a sneaky-great job turning Marvin Bagley III into three players who can help the team win now at various levels.
I still have a hard time getting over the Kings trading Tyrese Haliburton, their most promising young player and a public advocate for turning a losing culture around.&nbsp;
(Last week: 4)
4. Washington Wizards (25-30)
Kristaps Porzingis was perhaps the most shocking name to be dealt this season; his name hadn't really popped up at all until Thursday morning. While it's fair that the Wizards needed to end the Spencer Dinwiddie-Bradley Beal experiment and Porzingis makes them better purely on paper, I don't love the fit. Will he <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/so-how-does-this-kristaps-porzingis-spencer-dinwiddie-davis-bertans-thing-work" target="_blank" rel="noopener">make a meaningful difference for a Washington team</a> that is one of two NBA squads with bottom-five Offensive and Defensive Ratings over the past two weeks? I'm doubtful.
The Montrezl Harrell trade was also super weird because it brought back two players who probably should not be in the rotation. Washington's big mix is still backed up now with Porzingis, Daniel Gafford, Thomas Bryant and Vernon Carey Jr., plus larger forwards in Kyle Kuzma and Rui Hachimura.&nbsp;
(Last week: 2)
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3. New York Knicks (26-31)
Whew, Saturday's blown lead to the Trail Blazers was a stinger. The Knicks led by 23 at one point before coughing up the game to a Portland team that just went through a widespread, trade-deadline fire sale. New York, meanwhile, didn't make any moves despite the glaring underperformance in recent weeks. The Knicks have two extremely winnable games against the Thunder and Brooklyn Nets before the All-Star break. If they can't find something, I'll have serious doubts about them even being close to a Play-In team.
(Last week: 5)
2. Brooklyn Nets (29-27)
In a vacuum, the Nets moved on from a disgruntled star in James Harden and returned three players who can instantly (once healthy) slot into a thin rotation. Ben Simmons makes a ton of sense as a defensive boost, Seth Curry can replace the shooting lost by Joe Harris' injury, and Andre Drummond at least gives Brooklyn a presence on the glass and center depth.
But they still gave up James Harden. Brooklyn's Big Three played 16 games together in total, and the Nets are still neck-deep in an 11-game losing streak. Things are most definitely bad.
(Last week: 1)
1. Los Angeles Lakers (26-31)
If a franchise arrives at a point in the season where <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/33250361/los-angeles-lakers-feel-urgency-make-changes-trade-deadline-nears" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the locker room itself wants trades to happen</a>, then the front office should listen. But Rob Pelinka had to go all Bumi from "Avatar: The Last Airbender" and embrace neutral jing &mdash; a.k.a. doing nothing. The Lakers made zero trades this season. They are the most underwhelming team in the NBA and they made zero trades.&nbsp;
(Last week: 3)
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Ethan Fuller lines up the league's biggest underperformers, including teams who failed to maximize the NBA trade deadline.

NBA Sour Rankings: Reshuffling the deck post-trade deadline

After the Los Angeles Lakers were embarrassed by the Milwaukee Bucks at home on Tuesday night (before Los Angeles lost to a bad Portland Trail Blazers team missing half their roster), a reporter asked LeBron James how his squad stacks up against Milwaukee and the league's other elite teams.
LeBron gave a surprisingly candid response: "<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/lakers-players-believe-changes-must-be-made-before-trade-deadline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">We ain't on their level</a>."
When asked if he believed the Lakers could eventually reach the Bucks' level this season, <a href="https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nba/lebron-james-admits-lakers-are-not-on-championship-level#:~:text=After%20the%20game%2C%20LeBron%20James,a%20flat%2C%20%22No.%22" target="_blank" rel="noopener">James replied</a>, "Where they are right now? I don't know. Do I think we can reach the level where Milwaukee is right now? No. Is that what you want to hear from me? No. We can't get to where they are right now. They're the defending champions for a reason and I guarantee you if you would've asked teams coming out of the bubble if they could get to the level that we were playing at when we won a championship, they would've said the same thing."
Let's flashback to the championship group for a second, shall we?
It may seem like it's been 16 years or so since LeBron led LA to a title in the bubble, but, incredibly, it's been less than 16 months. The Lakers beat the Miami Heat in Game 6 of the Finals on Oct. 11, 2020. The team's two cornerstones, Anthony Davis and LeBron, remain, but the rest of the rotation has been turned over completely.&nbsp;
So, how did this team go from raising the Larry O'Brien trophy, to being four games under .500 and fighting for a spot in the play-in tournament just a year-and-a-half later?&nbsp;
Let's break it down.&nbsp;
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In the offseason following their championship, LA's major move was trading Danny Green (a significant two-way contributor on their title team) and LA's 2021 first-round pick (Jaden McDaniels) to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Dennis Schroder. That summer, LA re-signed Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (three years, $39 million) and used its cap space to ink free agent Montrezl Harrell to a two-year, $18.9 million contract. They also brought in Wesley Matthews and Markieff Morris for the veteran minimum and inked Marc Gasol to a two-year, $5.3 million deal.&nbsp;
In mid-March, in the days leading up to last season's trade deadline, the Lakers were cruising. More than halfway through the 2020-21 campaign, the Lakers' were 15 games above .500 and owned the league's second-best record at 28-13.&nbsp;
At that point, the Lakers made a decision that would come back to haunt them. Hindsight is 20/20, of course, but the Lakers arrived at a fork in the road and chose the wrong path. They've been headed downhill ever since. (Over the past 11 months, the Lakers are 43-51 in the 94 games they've played).&nbsp;
On the eve of the 2021 trade deadline, the Lakers and Toronto Raptors were engaged in serious discussions on a potential deal that would have sent Kyle Lowry to LaLa Land, giving LeBron and Co. the established veteran point guard (and proven winner) the team desperately needed. The Lakers and Raps <a href="https://theathletic.com/2477311/2021/03/25/what-the-lakers-were-willing-to-trade-for-kyle-lowry-and-what-it-says-about-the-future/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> were close to finalizing a swap sending Schroder, Caldwell-Pope and some draft capital to Toronto in exchange for Lowry. Yet, in the hours right before the deadline arrived, "the sticking point was the inclusion of Talen Horton-Tucker," <a href="https://theathletic.com/2477311/2021/03/25/what-the-lakers-were-willing-to-trade-for-kyle-lowry-and-what-it-says-about-the-future/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to Jovan Buha and Bill Oram of The Athletic</a>.&nbsp;
"Rob Pelinka, the Lakers' vice president of basketball operations, insisted that price was too high for the 35-year-old Lowry, and that he was not willing to trade Horton-Tucker, the 20-year-old combo guard who has emerged as a valuable rotation player for the Lakers in his second season," Buha and Oram <a href="https://theathletic.com/2477311/2021/03/25/what-the-lakers-were-willing-to-trade-for-kyle-lowry-and-what-it-says-about-the-future/">reported</a>.
Looking back, it's impossible not to wonder how the future of several franchises might have changed if the Lakers had been willing to pony up for Lowry, who is now averaging 13.0 points and 8.1 assists per game for the Heat. This is the same Heat team that is poised to enter the All-Star break with the best record in the Eastern Conference.&nbsp;
As we know, the Lakers stood pat at last year's deadline and would struggle mightily in the six subsequent weeks. Over a 25-game stretch from mid-March through the first week in May, LA posted an 8-17 record.
The Lakers would eventually be eliminated in six games by the Suns in the first round of the 2021 playoffs. Anthony Davis returned to the Lakers' starting lineup in Game 6 after missing the second half of Game 4 and all of Game 5 due to a groin injury, but logged just five minutes before limping off the court. It was the first and only time in LeBron's career that he lost a first-round series (he had been 14-0).
"What matters to me is getting this team back healthy," James told reporters after the loss to Phoenix.
Well, as it turns out, Pelinka and James were unwilling to run it back with the same squad and hope the group would avoid injuries.&nbsp;
Instead, the Lakers rolled the dice, agreeing to one of the most dramatic and controversial trades in recent NBA history.&nbsp;
On the evening of July 29, both Woj and Shams <a href="https://twitter.com/shamscharania/status/1420855153410854925" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that the Lakers had consented to take on Russell Westbrook (and his onerous contract).&nbsp;
A week later, the trade was officially announced. LA had traded away Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Montrezl Harrell, Kyle Kuzma and the draft rights to Isaiah Jackson (whom the Lakers had selected with the 22nd overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft) in exchange for Russ and several future second-rounders.&nbsp;
The justification from the Lakers was that they viewed Westbrook as an offensive powerhouse that could lighten the load LeBron had been forced to carry.&nbsp;
The Lakers rounded out their roster this past offseason by adding Trevor Ariza, Dwight Howard, Wayne Ellington, Kent Bazemore, Carmelo Anthony, Malik Monk and Rajon Rondo. They gave Kendrick Nunn the taxpayer mid-level exception ($5.9 million for two years). They also re-signed Horton-Tucker to a three-year deal worth $32 million.
Shockingly, despite advanced analytics that confirmed he was a near-perfect fit playing alongside LeBron, the Lakers decided not to bring back Alex Caruso, who had excelled as a role player in LA. Caruso's aggressiveness and versatility on the defensive end, as well as unselfishness on offense, made him an ideal wingman to AD and King James.&nbsp;
However, having Westbrook on the books for $44.2 million in 2021-22 and another $47.1 million in 2022-23 undoubtedly played a part in Pelinka's decision to let Carouso leave.&nbsp;
Still, as he explained on <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/how-the-lakers-botched-alex-carusos-free-agency-and-lost-a-key-piece" target="_blank" rel="noopener">JJ Redick's "Old Man and the Three" podcast</a> back in November, Carouso had hoped to re-sign with the Lakers and was even willing to give them a hometown discount. Before ultimately accepting the offer he received from Chicago (a four-year, $37 million contract, though the final season only carries a $3 million guarantee), <a href="https://twitter.com/oldmanandthree/status/1458257821405954052?s=21" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Caruso said</a> he and his agent "went back to L.A., asked if they could do the same, they said no. We asked for something else that was a little bit less; they said no."
As it turns out, the concerns many critics envisioned over the summer related to potential issues arising from the addition of Westbrook have reared their ugly head. Unfortunately for Los Angeles, Westbrook's declining athleticism has hamstrung the former All-Star.
At various points this season, Westbrook's alarming regression has been uncomfortable to watch. In the closing minutes of LA's victory over the New York Knicks last weekend, Russ found himself alone in the corner and as he was about to launch a three-pointer, the home crowd <a href="https://twitter.com/FanMahome/status/1490172360892329985">screamed at him not to shoot</a>. Coach Frank Vogel yanked him out of the lineup in overtime vs. New York. In the Lakers' embarrassing loss to the Bucks on Tuesday, Westbrook was benched for the final 14 minutes of the game, including the entire fourth quarter. Russ sat out Wednesday's loss to Portland with a "lower back" injury.&nbsp;
His counting stats on the season are solid (18/7/7), but the peripheral numbers are putrid, and his plus/minus is the worst on the team. This season, the Lakers have been outscored by 123 points with Westbrook on the floor, whereas they have outscored their opponents by 35 points with Russ on the bench.
The situation has careened toward rock-bottom this month. Over the Lakers' last four games, Westbrook is shooting just 27% from the floor, 15% from downtown and 55.0% from the free-throw line. He's also leading the league in turnovers.
Yet, now that the 2022 trade deadline has passed, we know that Lakers fans have no choice but to hope Russ can somehow locate his confidence and contribute to winning.&nbsp;
It has been rumored this week that the Houston Rockets were willing to trade John Wall to the Lakers for Westbrook, but Pelinka was reportedly unwilling to include LA's 2027 first-round pick, which Houston was demanding. Will the decision come back to bite LA, as refusing to include THT at last year's deadline did? Even if Wall failed to live up to expectations, would it have amounted to addition by subtraction?&nbsp;
Although Monk has been fantastic, and Melo has given LA as much as they could have hoped for, Howard, Ellington and Bazemore have failed to deliver. Ariza is averaging 4.2 points while shooting 36% from the floor. Rondo is no longer on the roster. Nunn, hampered by a bone bruise in his right knee, has yet to log a single second in an NBA game this season. Horton-Tucker is converting career-lows from the floor (41%) and behind the arc (27%). Despite playing nearly six more minutes per game, THT is averaging fewer assists this season (2.7) than he did in 2020-21, while still committing 1.5 turnovers a night.
Sum it all up, and you see why the Lakers have lost more than half of their games and find themselves in ninth place in the West, despite LeBron authoring the greatest season in NBA history by a 37-year-old.&nbsp;
This is a particularly bitter pill for Lakers fans to swallow considering the team purportedly had several different options to choose from this summer when shopping around their Kuz/&rsquo;Trez/draft picks package, including a deal for Sacramento sharpshooter Buddy Hield. In that scenario, the Lakers could have held onto KCP and added Hield, and the combined salary of both players still would have been $8 million less than Westbrook's cap hit of $44.2 million.&nbsp;
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To be fair, it's worth noting that in 2020-21, Westbrook played his best basketball of the season after the All-Star break. Over the Wizards' final 35 games of the season, he averaged 23.3 points, 13.3 rebounds, 13.4 assists and 1.5 steals, while shooting a respectable 44% from the floor, 32% from behind the arc and 72% from the FT line. Washington closed the regular season by going 17-6 over their final 23 contests and advanced to the playoffs.&nbsp;
Will Russ and his teammates feel less pressure now that the deadline has passed? LeBron and the Lakers don't need Westbrook to dominate the ball and chase triple-doubles, but they do need him to focus on playing the best defense of his career and help facilitate the offense, especially when James needs a breather.&nbsp;
If Russ cannot shake out of his slump, LA will have a very tough time getting back on track and achieving the goals they set for themselves back in October.&nbsp;
And if Los Angeles fails to right the ship (wasting a year of "Prime LeBron" in the process), the team's fans will look back with rage on the terrible trades and free-agency failures over the past 12 months that led to the Lakers' demise.&nbsp;
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Tommy Beer delves into the errors of the Lakers' ways following their championship success one-and-a-half years ago.

How the Lakers managed to turn a contending team into a sub-.500 mess

If you&rsquo;re reading this, chances are, you&rsquo;re confused, too.
And if you caught <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/watch-basketballnewscoms-2022-nba-trade-deadline-show" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BasketballNews.com's NBA Trade Deadline Show on Thursday</a>, you saw that we were very bumfuzzled... among other things.
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Here&rsquo;s <a href="https://twitter.com/MSchindlerNBA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MSchindlerNBA</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/BryanFonsecaNY?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BryanFonsecaNY</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/esidery?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@esidery</a> and I reacting to the Kristaps Porzingis trade in real-time. 😂 We definitely didn&rsquo;t see this coming: <a href="https://t.co/SmJQ5CZbWc">pic.twitter.com/SmJQ5CZbWc</a>
&mdash; Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlexKennedyNBA/status/1491900027987546119?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 10, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Can you tell I didn't know how to react to the Porzingis trade ??? 😂😂😂<a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@basketbllnews</a> <a href="https://t.co/HH4seIoS2d">pic.twitter.com/HH4seIoS2d</a>
&mdash; Bryan Fonseca 🇵🇷 (@BryanFonsecaNY) <a href="https://twitter.com/BryanFonsecaNY/status/1491904699011944448?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 10, 2022</a></blockquote>

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But yeah, say that sh*t out loud: Kristaps Porzingis is a Washington Wizard. And Porzingis is a Wizard because Spencer Dinwiddie and Davis Bertāns are now Dallas Mavericks.
Alright, now take a breath, and let&rsquo;s take a few minutes to attempt to understand this together.
It was clearer than Sweet Baby Ray&rsquo;s barbecue sauce being amazing that the Mavericks <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/kristaps-porzingis-renewed-confidence-leading-to-resurgent-season-with-mavericks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">did not want any more of the Porzingis experience</a>. When moved from the New York Knicks three trade deadlines ago, KP was thought to be a franchise star joining then-rookie sensation Luka Dončić to uplift the Mavericks into whatever stratosphere we were talking about at the time. Seriously, that feels like generations ago.
But in "KP Years" it kinda was.
Back then, Porzingis was in the midst of sitting out all of the 2018-19 season, his fourth in the NBA. But the previous year, <a href="https://www.nba.com/knicks/kp-all-star" target="_blank" rel="noopener">he had been named a first-time All-Star</a> in just his third season despite his Knicks being 21-27 on the day he was honored. Two weeks later, he tore his ACL, ending his season with averages of 22.7 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.4 blocks on .439/.395/.865 shooting splits. In Dallas, he has come close at times, but hasn&rsquo;t been able to fully replicate his All-Star self &mdash; even as his numbers may suggest otherwise, especially on the boards.
If he was still Unicorn KP, he wouldn&rsquo;t have gotten dumped for Dinwiddie and Bertāns, the latter of whom is in the conversation for worst contract in the NBA. But to his credit, Porzingis was having a productive season.
In his tenure with the Mavs, Porzingis averaged 20.0 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.7 blocks with a .448/.345/.831 slash line. He averaged 4.4 free throw attempts per contest and 5.0 in 2019-20; however this season, it was just 3.2 FTAs a night. Even so, his free-throw rate has progressively dropped every season in Dallas, from .260 to .247 to .240.
To this point currently, Porzingis stands at 19.2 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks on .451/.283/.865 shooting. The 28.3% from three is coming on 5.1 attempts per game (his lowest as a Mav), which is a drop from 7.1 to 6.0 in the two seasons previous.
Porzingis had been anchoring one of the league&rsquo;s best defenses at times. As of this writing, the Mavericks stand <a href="https://www.nbastuffer.com/2021-2022-nba-team-stats/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">third in fewest points allowed per game, fifth in defensive efficiency, and ninth in point differential</a>. Porzingis even had the team&rsquo;s second-best win shares per 48 minutes at .172, only behind Dwight Powell, and marking his personal career-high.
But as Tim Cato penned in <a href="https://theathletic.com/news/mavericks-trade-kristaps-porzingis-traded-to-wizards-for-spencer-dinwiddie-davis-bertans/c3MVzUwMssD0/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Athletic</a>, this has more to do about the direction of Dallas as a team.
Porzingis is eating $31.6 million this year, leaving little room for the Mavericks to maneuver this pffseason without financial creativity, which hasn&rsquo;t been their strong suit in previous offseasons if you haven&rsquo;t noticed. KP is also due $33.8 million next year with a $36 million player option for 2023-24, and you can guess how that one&rsquo;ll go.
By adding Dinwiddie and Bertāns, you&rsquo;re now eating those contracts, but they&rsquo;re <a href="https://twitter.com/BobbyMarks42/status/1491860693129187342?s=20&amp;t=bJ9bGyu27yBE2xBObb-Sig" target="_blank" rel="noopener">not as taxing individually</a>. <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/examining-trade-destinations-for-spencer-dinwiddie" target="_blank" rel="noopener">As ran through recently here</a>, Dinwiddie is due $17.1 million this year and $18 million next year, and has a partial guarantee for $18.9 million in 2023-24. Dinwiddie has $10 million guaranteed in '23-24, but the deal <a href="https://twitter.com/BobbyMarks42/status/1491861580174151692?s=20&amp;t=_BekDW8CG7k7zzJ0C5ayPg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">becomes fully guaranteed if he plays 50 games each in the two seasons prior</a>; he's played in 44 this year, so he's only six games away from satisfying half of the criteria.
Bertāns will get $16 million again next year and $17 million in 2023-24, and has a partially-guaranteed $16 million in 2024-25.
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For Dallas, these two contracts are just easier to navigate with, and it breaks up the supposed tension-filled relationship we&rsquo;ve heard about between Dončić and Porzingis for multiple years now. Dinwiddie is also insurance for pending restricted free agent Jalen Brunson, whom the Mavericks still plan to keep, <a href="https://twitter.com/espn_macmahon/status/1491861113096523777" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to ESPN&rsquo;s Tim MacMahon</a>.
The move completely reshapes how the Mavs will build around Dončić this summer and beyond, which they already signaled post-trade by signing Dorian Finney-Smith to a well-deserved four year, $52 million extension.
This season overall, Dinwiddie is averaging 12.6 points, 5.8 assists, and 4.7 rebounds on .376/.310/.811 shooting splits. Coming off his second ACL tear, his free throw rate is, at .240, the lowest of his career, which typically hovered between .252 and .270 in Brooklyn.
The big question with Dinwiddie will be how he&rsquo;ll fit next to Dončić, given that he wasn&rsquo;t his best next to another ball dominant guard in Bradley Beal; although, he did appear to play well without the Wizards' superstar, for what that&rsquo;s worth.
According to StatMuse, he averaged 10.2 points, 5.0 assists and 4.4 rebounds on .334/.271/.857 splits while <a href="https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask/spencer-dinwiddie-stats-with-bradley-beal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">playing alongside Beal in 31 games</a>.
But <a href="https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask/spencer-dinwiddie-stats-without-bradley-beal-2022">in 13 games without Beal?</a> Dinwiddie was damn near an All-Star, posting 18.5 points, 7.8 assists and 5.5 rebounds per game on a .441/.378/.746 slash line. Free throw percentage is down, sure, but he got there 4.5 times per contest versus the 2.7 he did when Beal was out there.
Now, in Dallas, you&rsquo;re hoping to find out that this was a not ball-dominant guard problem, as opposed to a Beal one. They did possibly snipe at one another <a href="https://nba.nbcsports.com/2022/01/30/dinwiddie-said-he-tried-to-lead-wizards-spoke-up-but-it-wasnt-necessarily-welcomed/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">over that whole leadership thing</a> after all. For all we know, one day we could find out that Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Montrezl Harrell weren&rsquo;t the only Wizards who <a href="https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nba/news/kentavious-caldwell-pope-montrezl-wizards-altercation/7taxzwsqlevs1r6c6ohhg3u5c" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wanted to beat each other&rsquo;s asses</a>.
As for Bertāns...
He averages over 14 minutes per game in D.C., is just at 5.7 points per game and shooting a career low (by far!) 31.9% from three. He got this contract after shooting above 42% from deep in back-to-back seasons, and since then, he&rsquo;s fallen off a cliff. His major redeeming quality could be tapped into while stretching the floor with a virtuoso passer like Dončić, which we theorized for a fellow Latvian a few trade deadlines ago. (Spoiler: That was Porzingis, so we&rsquo;ll see, I guess.)
As for Washington, another big reason this trade was even on the table was because of Porzingis&rsquo; lack of availability. Even now, he&rsquo;s nursing a knee injury and hasn&rsquo;t played in nearly two weeks. In Dallas, not including the lost 2018-19 season, Porzingis played 144 of a possible 218 games, including the playoffs. If you do add the games he missed while recovering from a torn ACL, that&rsquo;s an additional 31 as a part of the Mavericks.
Porzingis, who turns 27 in August, likely has already seen his best days, and might even be years removed from them. In Washington, the franchise is still reportedly trying to reshape their own future around Beal, who is expected to miss the rest of the season due to wrist surgery and could sign an extension this summer worth well over $200 million.
If the Wizards plan on building around Beal and Porzingis, wouldn't that just look like a 75% or so version of what we saw with KP and Luka in Dallas?
Does having Porzingis bring them closer to keeping Beal? And, if so, is that even the direction they should go in?
Your hypothesis might be better than mine, but hey, at least you got rid of those other contracts, I guess.
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Bryan Fonseca tries to make sense of what the Wizards and Mavs were trying to accomplish at the 2022 NBA trade deadline.

So, how does this whole Porzingis, Dinwiddie, Bertans deal work?

Nekias Duncan thoroughly grades every NBA trade from 2022 Deadline Week.

Grading every move from 2022 NBA trade deadline week

The Washington Wizards were forced to retool on the fly after last season, with serious consequences potentially looming for the franchise.
Russell Westbrook asked for a trade after just one season, but the front office somehow swindled draft capital plus three rotation players from the Los Angeles Lakers as they escaped that albatross contract.
From Washington&rsquo;s point of view, it made too much sense not to capitalize and switch some pieces around their rotation with an important 2021-22 campaign looming. Bradley Beal rumors have been running rampant for multiple years now, and the potential of Beal leaving has never been higher since he can hit unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2022.
With a roster that seemed to perfectly complement their superstar shooting guard with two-way versatility across the board, I bought the team's stock hook, line and sinker as it related to their strong start.
Kicking off the season going 10-3, Washington was well on its way to finally showing progress before Beal&rsquo;s career-altering decision to apparently not sign an extension this summer. However, the team has completely gone off the rails ever since. A 10-3 beginning led to a disappointing 14-24 mark afterwards. Washington is on the outside looking in right now in the reloaded Eastern Conference.
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Take a look at the advanced metrics from the Wizards&rsquo; red-hot start followed by their big-time regression to the mean:
10-3 start: 107.5 OffRtg (16th), 102.7 DefRtg (4th), +4.8 NetRtg (6th)
14-24 since: 109.7 OffRtg (22nd), 114.7 DefRtg (27th), -5.0 NetRtg (24th)
As showcased with the advanced look within the Wizards&rsquo; on-court successes and failures, the main culprit is on the defensive end. The Wizards&rsquo; defense was clicking early on, but they benefited from a league-wide slow start offensively.
Zooming back out, Washington&rsquo;s 10-3 clip always flashed a buyer beware sign. Scoring 107.5 points per 100 possessions, Washington&rsquo;s early-season mark would now rank them No. 27 in the Association.
Washington&rsquo;s seismic collapse on the defensive end is the inverse of what&rsquo;s going on with the Charlotte Hornets. Twelve points per 100 possessions worse over this span, the Wizards have multiple holes being exposed along the way to a tumultuous trade deadline.
According to longtime NBA insider Marc Stein, Washington has let it be known three players are available for the team with the best offer: Spencer Dinwiddie, Montrezl Harrell and Thomas Bryant. The latter two make sense, especially as Daniel Gafford has emerged into a long-term piece in D.C. Clearing the way for heavy Gafford minutes makes a lot of sense, but let&rsquo;s circle back around to Dinwiddie here.
Entering this season, Dinwiddie checked all of the boxes for a potentially perfect backcourt fit for Beal. Dinwiddie&rsquo;s profile featuring on-ball creation, playmaking, as well as nights where he can take scoring pressure off Beal was rightfully attractive to the Wizards. Washington acquired Dinwiddie from Brooklyn via sign-and-trade, inking a three-year, $54 million deal.
Having Westbrook leave and adding Dinwiddie was supposed to fix the issues Washington observed with a high-usage ball handler alongside Beal. Instead, this fit hasn&rsquo;t looked good at all throughout.
When Beal and Dinwiddie have shared the court this season, Washington has a 13-18 record. Among two-man lineup combinations around the Wizards&rsquo; star, Dinwiddie checks in low on the totem pole. The Dinwiddie-Beal backcourt was a nightmare on the offensive end, showing no true chemistry with a 101.7 OffRtg. The defense was passable at points between this duo, but the offense was truly a disaster to watch unfold.
Beal&rsquo;s scoring compared to when Dinwiddie is in and out is a damning statistic:
Beal with Dinwiddie (22 games): 21.5 PPG
Beal without Dinwiddie (9 games): 29.0 PPG
The player-team fit on display between Washington and Dinwiddie has been a nightmare scenario. According to The Ringer&rsquo;s Kevin O&rsquo;Connor, Wizards teammates believe Dinwiddie is a shell of himself post-knee injury, so now they don&rsquo;t want him there.
Dinwiddie also said last week that he tried to be a vocal leader with the Wizards, but the reception he got for it wasn&rsquo;t welcomed.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s an interesting situation. I spoke up a little bit early on,&rdquo; Dinwiddie said. &ldquo;It wasn&rsquo;t necessarily welcomed. And so, like I said, I try to do whatever is asked of me. At the end of the day, everybody has a role to play.&rdquo;
Dinwiddie&rsquo;s fit in D.C. hasn&rsquo;t allowed him to play at the same level we saw in Brooklyn, but he&rsquo;s done himself no favors with his new team. Compared to his breakout campaign in 2019-20, Dinwiddie does look like a shell of himself from a scoring perspective.
Washington was expecting an 18 to 20-points per game scorer, but they&rsquo;ve instead received a Dinwiddie who&rsquo;s been unable to complement Beal. We&rsquo;ve also witnessed an epic collapse from the Wizards&rsquo; defense, which has led to multiple double-digit leads being blown in the process.
So, what&rsquo;s next for the Wizards after admitting their failure with the Dinwiddie experiment? Will the Wizards now pivot to full-on selling, or make one last big swing to appease Beal?
Whatever button Washington decides to push will have major ramifications leading up to next week&rsquo;s trade deadline.
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If the Wizards decide to become buyers, don&rsquo;t be stunned if they make an eye-opening move for Jerami Grant or Domantas Sabonis. On the other side, if the Wizards sell, does that seal Beal&rsquo;s long-term fate in D.C.? It certainly feels like foreshadowing, if that indeed is the Wizards&rsquo; decision.
Regression has hit Washington to the point that huge decisions needs to be made immediately. It might be time to say goodbye to the Beal era, which has spanned many seasons, but led to disappointing results far more often than not.
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After a 10-3 start, the Washington Wizards have regressed hard to the mean. What happens next in D.C. for the Wizards?

Blame for Wizards' regression falls on failed Beal-Dinwiddie experiment

The Washington Wizards are certainly a team to watch as the Feb. 10 trade deadline approaches.
Not only have they emerged as a potential buyer (with reports linking them to <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/report-wizards-are-frontrunner-for-jerami-grant-may-deal-dinwiddie" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jerami Grant</a> and <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2953006-trade-deadline-intel-wizards-among-nbas-most-active-shoppers-eyeing-sabonis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Domantas Sabonis</a>), they also have a number of veterans who are reportedly on the block.
"Word is Montrezl Harrell, Thomas Bryant and especially struggling offseason addition Spencer Dinwiddie are all available to various degrees," <a href="https://marcstein.substack.com/p/one-more-gust-of-friday-trade-winds" target="_blank" rel="noopener">writes</a> longtime NBA insider Marc Stein.
Because the Wizards have struggled, rival executives are circling Bradley Beal like vultures. However, Stein <a href="https://marcstein.substack.com/p/one-more-gust-of-friday-trade-winds" target="_blank" rel="noopener">notes</a> that Beal "remains highly unlikely to be seriously discussed in trade talks in the next six days."
It's possible that Washington tries to acquire someone like Sabonis or Grant in order to appease Beal and convince him to re-sign this offseason, when he'll hit unrestricted free agency.
This season, Harrell is averaging 14.1 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 24.5 minutes per game off the bench, while shooting 65.2% from the field and 71.6% from the free-throw line. He's earning $9,720,900 this season and he'll hit unrestricted free agency this summer.
Bryant has only appeared in nine games, averaging 7.0 points and 3.1 rebounds in 15.2 minutes per game. The 24-year-old is shaking off the rust after missing a full year due to a partially torn ACL. Prior to his injury last season, he was putting up 14.3 points, 6.1 rebounds and 0.8 blocks on .648/.429/.667 shooting splits. He's also on an expiring contract (worth $8,666,667).
Dinwiddie has really struggled this season, posting 13.0 points, 5.9 assists and 4.8 rebounds per game, while shooting a dreadful 37.8% from the field and 31.4% from three-point range. The 28-year-old inked a three-year deal worth $62 million this past offseason.
After winning 10 of their first 13 games, Washington is currently 24-27, which is the fifth-worst record in the Eastern Conference. They have the NBA's 21st-ranked offense (scoring 107.4 points per 100 possessions) and 21st-ranked defense (allowing 109.7 points per 100 possessions).

The Washington Wizards are certainly a team to watch as the Feb. 10 trade deadline approaches.

Wizards shopping Montrezl Harrell, Thomas Bryant, Spencer Dinwiddie?

Five years ago, around this time, Brooklyn Nets fans were arguing over Yogi Ferrell and Spencer Dinwiddie with hostility.
Seriously, go back and look. You would&rsquo;ve had no idea unless you were covering the Nets, but it was a divisive time in Brooklyn&rsquo;s era. (Even if it didn&rsquo;t rise to the publicity of, say, Kyrie Irving&rsquo;s vaccination status.)
Almost to this exact date in 2017, Ferrell memorably had what is still the best game of his NBA career, dropping 32 points in a nationally-televised game between his Dallas Mavericks and Damian Lillard&rsquo;s Portland Trail Blazers while on a 10-day contract. That same day, Dinwiddie netted 13 (which tied for his second-highest output of the season), and it would be the last time he broke double figures for 10 more days.
The debate grew hilariously one-sided the following season, and Dinwiddie became a fringe All-Star candidate in both the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons. But the reason no one saw this coming initially is because Dinwiddie came up as a pass-first, low-turnover, traditional point guard &mdash; somebody who at one time went <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/d/dinwisp01/gamelog/2017">five games (134 minutes)</a> without committing a turnover and took eight shot attempts per 36 minutes; that figure leapt to 13.1, 15.6, and 18.4 the next three seasons.
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Dinwiddie&rsquo;s game has seen multiple iterations.
The score-first, old-school point guard from 2016-17.
The inefficient, yet ultra-timely scorer who still rarely turned the ball over as a floor general in 2017-18.
The near All-Star who became a full-fledged, scoring point as a sixth man in 2018-19.
The even-nearer All-Star combo guard who averaged around 20.0 points and 7.0 assists and got to the free-throw line at will in 2019-20.
But last year, he tore his ACL for the second time in his basketball-playing life, and is still working his way back while in Washington.
The Wizards <a href="https://www.nbcsports.com/washington/wizards/wizards-focusing-chemistry-after-bradley-beal-speech-and-players-only-meeting" target="_blank" rel="noopener">had a players&rsquo; only meeting before the regular season began</a>. Since a 10-4 start, the team's gone 13-22. Even worse, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Montrezl Harrell <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/washington-wizards-kentavious-caldwell-pope-montrezl-harrell-separated-after-fight-at-halftime-oklahoma-city-thunder-052704731.html#:~:text=At%20halftime%20of%20their%20122,to%20The%20Athletic's%20Shams%20Charania.&amp;text=Caldwell%2DPope%20banked%20in%20a,to%20its%20second%2Dstraight%20win">tried putting on a WBC Heavyweight Title bout in the Wizards locker room</a> a few weeks ago.
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UUhBioGkI6E" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Dinwiddie, who turns 29 in April, claims that the topic of leadership <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/dinwiddie-says-his-leadership-wasnt-necessarily-welcomed-by-wizards" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wasn&rsquo;t welcomed when he brought it up earlier this season</a>. (<a href="https://www.netsdaily.com/2017/3/21/15009886/the-dude-is-different-dinwiddie-on-sports-social-media-and-the-8-billion" target="_blank" rel="noopener">He's never been shy.</a>) And now, <a href="https://www.theringer.com/nba/2022/1/31/22910354/los-angeles-clippers-nba-trade-deadline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kevin O&rsquo;Connor of The Ringer is reporting</a> that the Wizards don&rsquo;t even want Dinwiddie there:
<blockquote>
&ldquo;The Wizards want to move Dinwiddie because he looks like a shell of his former self and his teammates don&rsquo;t want him there. Schr&ouml;der is fine, but he leans too far toward scoring and would be an awkward fit next to Jackson.&rdquo;
</blockquote>
To be fair, this entire Wizards team looks like a shell of their 10-4 selves from this past November, but anyway...
Dinwiddie, who is averaging 13.0 points, 5.8 assists and 4.6 rebounds on .383/.314/.807 shooting splits is in the first season of a three-year, $54 million deal signed this past summer. After earning $17.1 million this campaign, he&rsquo;ll rake in $18 million in 2022-2023; he has $10 million of $18.9 million guaranteed for the season after. And since the Wizards evidently want to trade him, let&rsquo;s help &lsquo;em out.
Cleveland Cavaliers
Cavaliers receive: Spencer Dinwiddie, 2026 or 2028 first-round pick 
Wizards receive: Ricky Rubio 
This trade is quite simple on paper, and it starts with Ricky Rubio&rsquo;s $17.8 million expiring contract heading to Washington in exchange for Dinwiddie. Rubio has a torn ACL and is expected to return at some point, just not this season. It feels like someone should send the other a draft pick or two here, but you could make the case going either way.&nbsp;
For the Cavs, they&rsquo;d be sending over Rubio while inheriting Dinwiddie&rsquo;s sizable contract as a result, so they should probably ask for some draft compensation as a result &mdash; and would be right to do so. In the Wizards' case, they&rsquo;d be trading Dinwiddie for someone who may never suit up for them and may want compensation for that reality alone.
To me, Cleveland should get the draft compensation since this deal could impact how it maneuvers this summer &mdash; including Collin Sexton&rsquo;s future, which still needs addressing. The good thing is the pathway to doing that would remain, and Dinwiddie could play the Rubio role this season.
Rubio averaged 13.1 points and 6.6 assists in 28.5 minutes per contest in all but eight games off the bench, while posting .363/.339/.854 shooting splits. He was as impactful as he possibly could&rsquo;ve been given the poor shooting, if you simply watched. Dinwiddie&rsquo;s numbers, as outlined earlier, are strikingly similar, and coming off the bench for a good team might be more ideal for him than starting for an aimless one. And the reason the Wizards' pick is so far into the future is because <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/nba-trade-deadline-2022-how-complex-stepien-rule-decides-which-teams-can-and-cant-deal-first-round-picks/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the Stepien Rule prevents them from moving anything sooner</a>. (It makes this more difficult.)
Boston Celtics
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/usatsi_17062188_lg.jpg" alt="" width="651" height="434" />
Celtics receive: Spencer Dinwiddie, 2026 or 2028 first-round pick&nbsp; 
Wizards receive: Dennis Schr&ouml;der, Josh Richardson 
As<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/reshaping-the-celtics-for-a-playoff-push-part-1-the-backcourt" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Justin Lewis noted last week in our Celtics two-part retooling series</a>, these dudes need an actual point guard. The version Dinwiddie seems to play now is a less-effective version of the 2018-19 combo guard he became, but again, let&rsquo;s consider the environment. The Celtics are probably looking for a bigger trade deadline splash, but if pure-point Dinwiddie were to arrive in Boston, that&rsquo;s a better fit next to Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown than Dennis Schr&ouml;der is.
Because Dinwiddie's deal runs longer than Richardson's or Schr&ouml;der's, you're attaching a first here, Washington, at a minimum. Maybe add a second-rounder that would come sooner.&nbsp;
A big part of why Dinwiddie&rsquo;s been less effective isn&rsquo;t only his shooting splits, but his free-throw rate is the lowest of his career at .240, and he&rsquo;s only averaging 3.9 attempts from the line per 36 minutes, the lowest figure since his rookie season in 2014-15. That free-throw rate needs to elevate in Boston, and playing next to the Jays should provide those open lanes for spaced threes and clear drives to create more of that rim pressure we haven&rsquo;t seen much of in Washington.&nbsp;
Philadelphia 76ers
76ers receive: Bradley Beal, Spencer Dinwiddie, Davis Bertāns, 2026 first-round pick, 2028 first-round pick 
Wizards receive: Ben Simmons and Tobias Harris 
This looks ugly as hell, and is probably not very likely, but it could actually work.&nbsp;
For Washington, you get rid of two unfavorable contracts; Bertāns especially. You also acquire Simmons, who is beginning his max extension (has he even gotten paid from it yet since he hasn't played?) that'll run through 2025. Beal, as we know, has a player option for next summer, but is more likely to sign an extension this summer that will take him well into his 30s. The Wizards <a href="https://www.nbcsports.com/washington/wizards/wizards-trade-deadline-notes-bradley-beal-domantas-sabonis-jerami-grant" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly still don't want to trade Beal</a>, but what's honestly the upside in keeping him now? To be Portland East? Regarding Tobias Harris, the Wizards may (and probably should) try rerouting him under this scenario. Harris will see over $38 million next season, and over $40 million in 2023-24.&nbsp;
For Philly, it finally rids the organization of the Simmons experience, which it'll probably they need to do to have any chance of competing this year. It also gets rid of Harris, but at a price. At least, Dinwiddie gives the Sixers a real point guard option to mix in, who can even play with Tyrese Maxey and has one fully guaranteed year left. Bertāns is getting between $16 and $17 million each year through the 2024-25 season, though that's partially guaranteed. Functionally, he can be a 4 next to Embiid, which may even help given the way Embiid is passing this season. The first-round picks are the reward for taking back bad contracts, and, of course, getiting Beal.&nbsp;
I'm still not positive it's a deal either of these teams want, but sometimes, we don't know what's best for us anyhow.&nbsp;
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Bryan Fonseca takes a look at three logical landing spots for Wizards point guard Spencer Dinwiddie.

Examining potential trade destinations for Spencer Dinwiddie

The NBA trade deadline is just 17 days away. Around the league, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/after-a-slow-december-trade-talks-are-heating-up-around-the-nba" target="_blank" rel="noopener">trade talks are heating up</a> and some of the same names continue to surface.
One such name is Jerami Grant of the Detroit Pistons.
As Feb. 10 rapidly approaches, plenty of teams have <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/lakers-knicks-wizards-blazers-interested-in-jerami-grant-trade" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> been linked to the 27-year-old, including the Washington Wizards, New York Knicks, Portland Trail Blazers, Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks among others.
Washington definitely seems like a team to watch in the Grant sweepstakes. Bleacher Report&rsquo;s Eric Pincus <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2952711-latest-nba-trade-intel-would-a-john-wall-westbrook-trade-really-help-lakers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reports</a> that rival executives &ldquo;believe the Wizards are leading the chase&rdquo; for Grant.
&ldquo;Some also say the Wizards are open to dealing veteran point guard Spencer Dinwiddie, who hasn't quite meshed with [Bradley] Beal,&rdquo; Pincus <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2952711-latest-nba-trade-intel-would-a-john-wall-westbrook-trade-really-help-lakers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">writes</a>.
Deni Avdija, Montrezl Harrell and Rui Hachimura were mentioned by Pincus as pieces that might interest Detroit. Also, he notes that the Pistons may be looking to move Kelly Olynyk (either as part of a Grant trade or in a separate deal).
Pincus also <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2952711-latest-nba-trade-intel-would-a-john-wall-westbrook-trade-really-help-lakers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">names</a> the Mavericks as a &ldquo;dark-horse team&rdquo; for Grant. Jalen Brunson, Dorian Finney-Smith and Dwight Powell have been mentioned as Dallas&rsquo; best trade chips (although it would likely take quite a bit for them to move Brunson, who&rsquo;s in the midst of a career-year).
The Mavs have been very active in recent weeks, as they have now been linked to Grant, Atlanta&rsquo;s John Collins, Indiana&rsquo;s Myles Turner and Boston&rsquo;s Marcus Smart among others.
Interestingly, "the offers aren't pouring in right now" for Grant, according to <a href="https://theathletic.com/3087762/2022/01/24/pistons-mailbag-what-im-hearing-about-detroit-as-nba-trade-deadline-nears/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Athletic's James Edwards III</a>. There have been plenty of conversations and talks will likely pick up steam over the next two weeks, but "not many formal offers have been placed in front of Detroit" as of yet, per Edwards.
Edwards listed Chicago's Patrick Williams and Atlanta's John Collins as potential returns that would intrigue the Pistons, but he also stressed that Detroit could very well keep Grant past the deadline.
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Remember, Grant was also popping up in trade rumors around this time last year, but the Pistons ultimately decided to hold onto him. If Detroit isn't thrilled with the offers it ultimately receives, the team could do the same thing this time around.
"Furthermore, don&rsquo;t be surprised if Grant doesn&rsquo;t get traded by the Feb. 10 deadline," Edwards <a href="https://theathletic.com/3087762/2022/01/24/pistons-mailbag-what-im-hearing-about-detroit-as-nba-trade-deadline-nears/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">writes</a>. "The Pistons don&rsquo;t have to trade Grant right now, especially if a deal that doesn&rsquo;t clearly benefit their future doesn&rsquo;t come along. Detroit could just elect to wait until the offseason to make a move, which I think is a real possibility."
It remains to be seen what the Pistons will do with Grant, who has been sidelined due to a thumb injury that required surgery in late December. He just spent a week practicing with Detroit's G League affiliate, the Motor City Cruise, which suggests he may be able to return prior to the trade deadline.
What makes Grant such an interesting trade candidate is the fact that he can fit with a variety of teams &mdash; from contenders to up-and-coming squads. After emerging as a key contributor on the third-seeded Denver Nuggets in 2019-20, he proved that he can take on increased responsibilities in Detroit. Over the last year-and-a-half with the Pistons, Grant has averaged 21.6 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 2.0 threes and 1.1 blocks on .425/.344/847 shooting splits.
Grant is earning $20,002,500 this season, and then he&rsquo;ll make $20,955,000 next season in the final year of his contract. The Pistons are currently 11-35, which is the second-worst record in the Eastern Conference.&nbsp;

Rival executives believe that the Washington Wizards are "leading the chase" for Jerami Grant ahead of the Feb. 10 trade deadline.

Dontrez