Aggies

Superstardom in basketball often comes wrapped in fireworks. The game&rsquo;s biggest names make their presence known through show-stopping moves, deep three-pointers that ignite crowds, or sheer force of dominance that leaves opponents powerless. Caitlin Clark electrifies arenas with logo-range bombs and flair; A&rsquo;Ja Wilson overwhelms foes with two-way dominance that commands respect every trip down the floor; Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier anchor their teams with consistent excellence, night after night.
Then there&rsquo;s Paige Bueckers.
Her game does not scream &ndash; it whispers, it slices, it dissects. Watching her on the floor is less like witnessing an explosion and more like marveling at a surgeon&rsquo;s steady hand. Every dribble, every step, every release feels intentional, deliberate, and clean. The impact is undeniable, even if it doesn&rsquo;t come with the same flash. In her own quiet way, Bueckers is staking her claim as one of the league&rsquo;s next great superstars &ndash; and perhaps its most efficient.
<h3>The silent assassin</h3>
Bueckers&rsquo; style of play is surgical. For a rookie, she looks far too calm, too assured, too unbothered by the chaos around her. She is often described as a &ldquo;silent assassin,&rdquo; and it&rsquo;s easy to see why. She doesn&rsquo;t pound the ball endlessly to create a shot, and she doesn&rsquo;t force the issue. Instead, she glides to her spots, punishes defenses with midrange precision, and makes the right play look effortless.
That simplicity is what makes her lethal. There&rsquo;s no wasted motion, no overcomplication. Just a commitment to the fundamentals, elevated by elite shot-making. If Clark&rsquo;s game is fireworks on the Fourth of July, Bueckers&rsquo; is a perfectly composed symphony &ndash; less noise, more harmony.
And when the time comes, she knows how to deliver a performance that can&rsquo;t be ignored.
<h3>A record-breaking Night</h3>
The night Paige Bueckers truly announced herself to the league will be etched in WNBA history: Forty-four points. That was the most ever by a rookie in a single game. The most points scored by any player in the league this season. And she did it with surgical efficiency &ndash; 17-for-21 from the field, a perfect 4-for-4 from beyond the arc.
No rookie had ever scored 40 on 80% shooting. No player, period, had ever combined that level of volume with that level of accuracy. It wasn&rsquo;t just a scoring explosion &ndash; it was a masterclass in efficiency.
It was the kind of performance that silenced even the staunchest skeptics. The league is used to rookies flashing brilliance in spurts, maybe stringing together a few highlight games. What Bueckers did was different. It wasn&rsquo;t a fluke; it was the kind of controlled, methodical dominance that signals something greater.
For her, it was another step toward validating the superstar whispers that have followed her since her UConn days. For the league, it was the beginning of something that feels inevitable.
<h3>Rookie of the Year, but just the beginning</h3>
The accolades have already started piling up, Bueckers has won rookie of the year in a relatively loaded class. A record-breaking scoring outburst and a seat at the table with the league&rsquo;s biggest names &ndash; but what&rsquo;s more striking is how early in her career Bueckers is already shaping the narrative around her.
Unlike some rookies who burst onto the scene with loud declarations, Paige is building her case brick by brick, possession by possession. Her rookie campaign has been defined less by empty flash and more by a sustainable, repeatable style that screams longevity.
The comparisons to Clark, Wilson, Stewart, and Collier are natural &mdash; and instructive. Clark draws eyes with her audacity and range. Wilson establishes control by bending both ends of the court to her will. Stewart and Collier embody steadiness, a relentless rhythm of production.
Paige is carving her own lane. Efficiency is her weapon and precision is her calling card. Her game doesn&rsquo;t demand your attention, but it earns it.
<h3>More than just the numbers</h3>
What makes Bueckers&rsquo; rise so compelling is that her impact stretches beyond box scores. People talk about her composure, her ability to settle games when the pressure mounts. Coaches praise her basketball IQ, her uncanny ability to make the right reads. Fans, whether long-time WNBA followers or newcomers drawn by the league&rsquo;s surge in visibility, are seeing in her a different kind of star power &ndash; one that doesn&rsquo;t need theatrics to shine.
That contrast is important for the league. In an era where personalities and highlight reels often drive narratives, Bueckers provides balance. She shows there&rsquo;s room for a quieter kind of greatness, one that speaks through results rather than volume.
And yet, there&rsquo;s no mistaking the emotional pull of her story. To watch Paige play is to witness someone making the extraordinary look routine. That subtlety can be easy to overlook &ndash; until the records pile up, the accolades accumulate, and the wins keep coming.
<h3>A superstar in the making</h3>
Superstar trajectories are rarely linear, but Bueckers&rsquo; feels inevitable. She has the pedigree, the poise, and the production. More importantly, she has the unique ability to captivate audiences not by trying to be anyone else, but by leaning into exactly who she is.
The WNBA is in the midst of a golden era, with a wave of talent redefining what the league looks like. Clark, Wilson, Stewart, Collier, and others are pushing boundaries in different ways. Bueckers is right there with them &mdash; her rise just happens to sound more like a whisper than a roar.
And maybe that&rsquo;s the point.
In the end, superstardom isn&rsquo;t always about volume. Sometimes it&rsquo;s about precision. About making the difficult look simple. About showing the game in its purest form, without the extra noise.
Paige Bueckers doesn&rsquo;t need to scream to be heard. She&rsquo;s proving, possession after possession, that there&rsquo;s more than one way to define greatness. And in her own, quiet way, she&rsquo;s already making her case as the next face of the league.

Fresh off winning WNBA Rookie of the Year, Paige Bueckers is making her superstar case in her own, quiet way. Read how, here:

WNBA: Paige Bueckers is making her superstar case in her own, quiet way

After monitoring the NBA awards races all season, Nekias Duncan shares his final selections for DPOY, ROY, MIP, 6MOY and more.

Nekias Duncan's 2022-23 NBA award selections: DPOY, 6MOY, MIP, more

SAN ANTONIO (AP) &mdash; Christian Wood had 27 points and 13 rebounds and the Dallas Mavericks overcame a series of blunders at the end regulation to beat the San Antonio Spurs 137-128 in overtime Wednesday night without injured All-Stars Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.
Dallas&rsquo; Maxi Kleber threw an inbounds pass out of bounds on a full-length heave with 1.8 seconds remaining in regulation. Keldon Johnson, who missed a pair of free throws with 1.8 seconds, tied it 121 on an alley-oop dunk off an inbounds pass from Malaki Branham.
Wood had five points in overtime as Dallas fights to remain in the top 10 in the Western Conference. The Mavericks entered the game in ninth place with the same record as the 10th-place Los Angeles Lakers and a game ahead of the Utah Jazz and New Orleans Pelicans.
Dwight Powell and Jaden Hardy had 22 points each and Josh Green added 21 points for Dallas, which snapped a three-game skid.
Johnson had 27 points to lead the short-handed Spurs.
Playing the second game of a back-to-back, the Spurs were without starters Devin Vassell Jeremy Sochan and Zach Collins along with Keita Bates-Diop and Charles Bassey. But as they did in setting a franchise record with 22 3-pointers in a rousing victory over Orlando on Tuesday night, San Antonio responded with a balanced scoring effort.
Branham had 20 points, Romeo Langford had 17 points and four others scored in double figures.
TIP-INS
Mavericks: Dallas has won six straight against San Antonio. The Mavericks&rsquo; previous loss to the Spurs was April 11, 2021, in San Antonio. &hellip; Doncic and Irving were both in attendance, sitting at the end of the Mavericks bench. &hellip; Jaden Hardy has scored 20 points in all three of his career starts for the Mavericks. In a back-to-back set against Memphis, Hardy had 22 points on March 11 and 28 points on March 13.
Spurs: San Antonio confirmed that C Charles Bassey suffered a non-displace fracture in his left patella. The injury occurred at the close of the first quarter of Tuesday&rsquo;s victory over Orlando. Bassey will miss the remainder of the season. &hellip;. San Antonio is 2-1 during its six-game homestand. &hellip; Of the 13 games the Spurs have remaining, 10 are against a team in the playoffs or play-in tournament if the season ended today. &hellip; Johnson made his 200th career start in 219 career games with the Spurs. Only Tim Duncan, David Robinson, Tony Parker, Willie Anderson and Sean Elliott have 200 starts in fewer games for the Spurs.
UP NEXT
Mavericks: At Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night.
Spurs: Host Memphis on Friday night.

Christian Wood had 27 points and 13 rebounds as the Mavericks beat the Spurs 137-128 in overtime on Wednesday night.

Christian Wood has 27 points, 13 rebounds in Mavs’ OT win over Spurs

On March 1, New York Knicks guard Immanuel Quickley wasn't even on the board in the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year race.&nbsp;
Now, one week later, Quickley is the favorite to win the award.
Oddsmakers now list Quickley's odds at -160, putting him ahead of Boston Celtics guard Malcolm Brogdon (+100), who was previously considered the front-runner.
Here's a look at the latest odds (via <a href="https://www.betonline.ag/sportsbook/futures-and-props/nba-player-futures/nba-6th-man-of-the-year" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BetOnline</a>):
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 41.8665%; height: 154px;" border="1">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 32.1874%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">PLAYER</td>
<td style="width: 5.89269%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">ODDS</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 32.1874%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">Immanuel Quickley, Knicks</td>
<td style="width: 5.89269%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">-160</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 32.1874%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">Malcolm Brogdon, Celtics</td>
<td style="width: 5.89269%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">+100</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 32.1874%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">Norman Powell, Clippers</td>
<td style="width: 5.89269%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">+2500</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 32.1874%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">Bobby Portis, Bucks</td>
<td style="width: 5.89269%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">+6600</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 32.1874%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">Malik Monk, Kings</td>
<td style="width: 5.89269%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">+6600</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 32.1874%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">Tyrese Maxey, Sixers</td>
<td style="width: 5.89269%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">+6600</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
So, how did Quickley go from long shot to front-runner basically overnight?&nbsp;
Since the NBA All-Star break, Quickley is averaging 20.0 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 3.4 threes and 1.1 steals, while shooting 50.5% from the field, 42.9% from three and 77.8% from the free-throw line.
In addition to putting up impressive stats, he is helping the Knicks win games. New York has won 11 of their last 13 contests, and the 23-year-old guard is playing a key role for the fifth-seeded team.
Quickley has played in 68 games this season, which is signifcantly more than Brogdon (55), Portis (54) and Powell (54).
Also, it never hurts to have a marquee performance on national television. On Sunday, Quickley led the Knicks to a double-overtime win over the top-seeded Celtics, finishing with 38 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists, 5 threes, 4 steals, 2 blocks and just 1 turnover on 53.6/41.7/75.0 shooting splits. While he didn't come off the bench in this game, it certainly put Quickley in the spotlight.
Last week, our Nekias Duncan <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/2022-23-nba-award-picks-mvp-dpoy-rookie-sixth-man-most-improved-all-league-defensive-teams-volume-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">broke down each of the NBA's award races</a>, and he described Quickley as his "favorite reserve to watch this season" because "his growth has been the most fun to track."
Here's what Duncan had to say about Quickley's case for Sixth Man of the Year:
He isn't knocking down pull-ups at the same clip as last season (<a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/player/1630193/shots-dash?Season=2021-22" target="_blank" rel="noopener">35.1%</a>&nbsp;to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/player/1630193/shots-dash?Season=2022-23" target="_blank" rel="noopener">32.6%</a>), but he's gotten much better inside the arc. The rim finishing is better. The floater is otherwordly; among 25 players to attempt at least 75 floaters this season, Quickley is No. 5 in field goal percentage (51.8%, up from 46.0% last year), per Second Spectrum.&nbsp;
Quickley has grown as a decision-maker, particularly when operating in ball-screens. And the defense? He deserves his flowers for sinking his teeth in on that end &mdash; and being darn good at it. His two-way impact has helped the New York Knicks outscore opponents by over&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pbpstats.com/wowy-combos/nba?TeamId=1610612752&amp;Season=2022-23&amp;SeasonType=Regular%2BSeason&amp;PlayerIds=1630193" target="_blank" rel="noopener">six points per 100 possessions</a>&nbsp;when he's on the floor this season.
It's possible that Brogdon will pass Quickley and re-emerge as the favorite. However, if Quickley finishes the season strong and doesn't log too many starts (he's already at 12), perhaps he can take home the John Havlicek Trophy at the end of the campaign.

Last week, Immanuel Quickley wasn't on the board in the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year race. Now, he's the favorite to win the award.

Oddsmakers view Immanuel Quickley as NBA Sixth Man of the Year favorite

This year's NBA trade deadline challenged the glut of Western Conference contenders to test how far they would go to separate themselves from the pack.
Some teams, like the Phoenix Suns in their Kevin Durant blockbuster or the Dallas Mavericks in their Kyrie Irving acquisition, swung for the fences. Others &mdash; such as the Denver Nuggets, Memphis Grizzlies and New Orleans Pelicans &mdash; only nabbed a rotation player or two, opting to bet on their current core.
The Los Angeles Clippers appear to fall in the latter group, but we should not overlook their trade-deadline moves. With three separate trades, all in the final hours of dealmaking on Thursday, the Clippers added Bones Hyland, Eric Gordon and Mason Plumlee. They took calculated risks and changed three important spots in their rotation, hoping the current stalwart defense insulates a boost of offensive juice.
Hyland was one of the hottest names in the rumor mill last week after his <a href="https://www.denverpost.com/2023/02/09/nuggets-trade-deadline-bones-hyland-thomas-bryant-analysis/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">falling out with the Nuggets</a>. Los Angeles pounced and dealt two second-round picks for the former No. 26 overall selection in the 2021 NBA Draft.
Hyland quickly becomes the most promising developmental talent on the roster at 22 years old. But more immediately, he brings a high-charged dose of long-range shotmaking to the Clippers' bottom-10 offense.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Bones Hyland hit a career-high 7 three-pointers to lead the <a href="https://twitter.com/nuggets?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nuggets</a> to the win! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MileHighBasketball?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MileHighBasketball</a><a href="https://twitter.com/BizzyBones11?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BizzyBones11</a>: 26 PTS, 7 3PM <a href="https://t.co/IkJU5Ajf0U">pic.twitter.com/IkJU5Ajf0U</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1586207446678138883?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 29, 2022</a></blockquote>

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The combo guard profiles as one of the most extreme perimeter creators in the entire league. Some evidence: Hyland has attempted 118 self-created threes this season, according to PBP Stats, which would rank second on his new team behind Paul George (164) and far above the third-place guard he's replacing (Reggie Jackson, 66), in only 820 minutes this season. His 39.8% clip on those attempts ranks 13th among 81 players who have attempted at least 50 such shots.
To this point of his career, however, Hyland's primary impact has come from distance. He can attack the basket, but he's no more than a mediocre rim-pressure threat, and he's a very limited playmaker. Microwave shooting is an important skill that can swing a playoff series if active; it's unclear if Hyland can consistently impact the game this way.
That's why the Eric Gordon trade adds another level of intrigue. Gordon, a 34-year-old shooting guard, finally leaves a rebuilding Houston Rockets situation after years in and out of reported trade talks. He rejoins the franchise that drafted him seventh overall way back in 2008.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Ty Lue on the <a href="https://twitter.com/LAClippers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LAClippers</a> new editions of Bones Hyland, Eric Gordon &amp; Mason Plumlee. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LAClippers?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LAClippers</a> <a href="https://t.co/yxsD8SyutK">pic.twitter.com/yxsD8SyutK</a>
&mdash; Hoops &amp; Brews (@HoopsNBrews) <a href="https://twitter.com/HoopsNBrews/status/1624289182775656448?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 11, 2023</a></blockquote>

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Gordon has a 15-year history of solid, albeit streaky, pull-up shooting, and he can still slice his way to the rim with ease. Gordon has converted 67% or more of his shots within three feet of the hoop in each of the last three seasons, per Basketball Reference &mdash; and that's in a Houston offense that has looked pretty wonky at times.&nbsp;
The Clippers acquired Gordon in a three-team deal with the Rockets and Grizzlies that ultimately sent John Wall to Houston and Luke Kennard to Memphis. They now have a reshaped guard rotation that includes Hyland, Gordon, Terance Mann and Norman Powell &mdash; four complementary scoring threats next to Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.&nbsp;
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Entering Saturday, L.A. took just 30.2% of its shots at the rim, a 23rd-ranked rate, per Cleaning the Glass. Gordon's talents should directly help, and Hyland's perimeter prowess ideally opens up lanes for others to attack.
The four-man crew allows for some interesting lineup flexibility. Does head coach Ty Lue opt to keep Mann in the starting lineup and let Hyland bombard off the bench, knowing Gordon can also keep teams honest? Or can Hyland eventually work his way up to start and provide a more powerful perimeter impact than Reggie Jackson ever could &mdash; also leaving Mann to keep the heat on with the second unit?
With just those two, we already see that the Clippers want to apply more pressure from more angles, versus the stagnation that can arise with just Kawhi plus PG plus floor-spacers. Mason Plumlee continues the theme in his own way as a passing hub.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Pretty easy to see how Mason Plumlee's playmaking would fit seamlessly into Sacramento's offense. Lots of CHA's sets are similar to SAC's. Plumlee is averaging 4.6 assists per 36 mins and would probably be fairly cheap considering his expiring $9M deal. Davis + Len + two 2nds? <a href="https://t.co/U52qzH2vnd">pic.twitter.com/U52qzH2vnd</a>
&mdash; Brenden Nunes (@BrendenNunesNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/BrendenNunesNBA/status/1617660314237145088?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 23, 2023</a></blockquote>

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Los Angeles added the veteran center in a trade with the Charlotte Hornets that sent Jackson and a 2028 second-rounder to Charlotte. During our <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/watch-basketball-news-2023-nba-trade-deadline-show" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2023 NBA Trade Deadline Show</a>, Nekias Duncan and I both commented on the parallels between Plumlee and the team's 2021-22 backup center, Isaiah Hartenstein.&nbsp;
Last year, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-stats-notebook-isaiah-hartenstein-is-the-clippers-secret-weapon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hartenstein showed off his facilitation chops</a> by hitting cutters from the arc and operating out of some roll actions. He's in the sub-Nikola-Jokic tier of best big man passers in the NBA, and so is Plumlee.
For several seasons, the 32-year-old has consistently posted some of the best passing numbers in the league; his 18.0% assist rate is in the 92nd percentile among bigs this season, per Cleaning the Glass. Plumlee is assisting on 12.6% of his total passes, per Second Spectrum, which is the third-highest rate among centers.
Add in his stellar presence around the rim (73% shooting in that zone) and solid track record on the glass, and Plumlee seems about as ideal a fit at backup center as feasible. The healthy Clippers are looking at a Hyland-Gordon-Powell-Robert Covington-Plumlee second unit, with Nic Batum and Amir Coffey as additonal options. That is deep.
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The overarching worry: L.A. is tweaking the components of its top-10 defense &mdash; the backbone of its current fifth-place standing in the Western Conference. Hyland has serious defensive question-marks, Gordon is strong but undersized and Plumlee, while fundamentally sound, is by no means a rim-protector. Can the system and the prowess of the remaining players provide a stable floor? And if not, do the new pieces just fall out of the rotation, or do they unearth a new problem?
We likely won't know the final answer until the postseason. But the Clippers pointedly targeted several needs on Thursday, and the moves have more reward and more risk than they appear to at first. Even without adding a star, the Clippers have become another must-track team in the reshuffled West playoff race.

Ethan Fuller breaks down the Los Angeles Clippers adding Bones Hyland, Eric Gordon and Mason Plumlee prior to the trade deadline.

Evaluating the Clippers' three NBA trade deadline moves

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) &mdash; Bryce Hopkins scored 27 points and Providence dominated the second half and knocked off fourth-ranked UConn 73-61 on Wednesday night for its eighth straight victory.
Noah Locke added 17 points to help the Friars (13-3, 5-0) earn their second win over a ranked team this season and remain unbeaten in the Big East. It was Providence&rsquo;s first win over the Huskies at Amica Mutual Pavilion since Feb. 20, 2012, when the Friars won 72-70.
Jordan Hawkins led the Huskies (14-2, 3-2) with 15 points, and Donovan Clingan added 12 points and 11 rebounds.
The Huskies have lost two in a row after opening the season with 14 straight wins and winning their first three conference games.
GEORGIA TECH 76, NO. 12 MIAMI 70
ATLANTA (AP) &mdash; Lance Terry scored a season-high 24 points, Miles Kelly added 20 and Georgia Tech snapped Miami&rsquo;s nine-game winning streak.
The Yellow Jackets (8-6, 1-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) closed the game on a 12-0 run that ended with a pair of free throws by Kelly with 16.5 seconds remaining. That ended the scoring.
Miami (13-2, 4-1) didn&rsquo;t score over the last four-plus minutes. Jordan Miller and Norchad Omier each led the Hurricanes with 17 points, and Nijel Pack had 13.
NO. 13 ARKANSAS 74, NO. 20 MISSOURI 68
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) &mdash; Ricky Council scored 25 points and Joseph Pinion scored 13 off the bench as Arkansas rallied from a 17-point deficit to beat Missouri.
The Razorbacks (12-2, 1-1 Southeastern Conference) didn&rsquo;t lead until back-to-back fast-break buckets from Council and guard Devo Davis provided a one-point advantage with 14:24 left.
Missouri (12-2, 1-1) had stifled Arkansas and built its lead to 17 points with its zone defense in the first half, limiting the Razorbacks to 36% shooting from the field and 2 for 12 from 3-point range.
Sean East led Missouri with 13 points, while Nick Honor and Kobe Brown added 12 and 11, respectively.
N.C. STATE 84, NO. 16 DUKE 60
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) &mdash; Terquavion Smith scored 24 points and N.C. State jumped all over Duke from the opening tip.
Jarkel Joiner added 21 points, nine assists and six rebounds for the Wolfpack (12-4, 2-3 ACC), who scored the game&rsquo;s first 15 points and led by 22 by halftime in a shocking romp.
While the Wolfpack pounced, the Blue Devils (11-4, 2-2) watched early shots roll off the rim or be swatted away. They compounded their problems by piling up turnovers in a game that quickly got away.
Freshman Kyle Filipowski scored 14 points to lead Duke, which shot 40% and just 5 of 15 from 3-point range. Duke also committed 21 turnovers, many fueling the Wolfpack&rsquo;s 25 fast-break points.
NO. 17 TCU 88, NO. 19 BAYLOR 87
WACO, Texas (AP) &mdash; Chuck O&rsquo;Bannon made a jumper with 4 seconds left and TCU rallied to beat Baylor, extending the Horned Frogs&rsquo; winning streak to 11 games.
The Frogs (13-1, 2-0 Big 12) got the ball back after a missed 3-pointer by Baylor&rsquo;s Jaylen Bridges that went out of bounds with 10 seconds left. Mike Miles Jr., who scored a career-high 33 points, had the ball, but passed to O&rsquo;Bannon in front of the TCU bench.
Baylor freshman Keyonte George scored a season-high 27 points, but he missed a contested drive to the hoop as the game ended.
Damian Baugh and Eddie Lampkin both had 15 points for TCU, which has come back from double-digit deficits in each of its first two Big 12 games. Lampkin had five points in the final 1:45.
Adam Flagler and LJ Cryer had 13 points each for Baylor (10-4, 0-2), which had its 13-game home winning streak snapped.
GEORGIA 76, NO. 22 AUBURN 64
ATHENS, Ga. (AP) &mdash; Terry Roberts overcame early foul trouble to match his career high with 26 points and Georgia made first-year coach Mike White&rsquo;s Southeastern Conference debut with the Bulldogs memorable by beating Auburn.
Auburn (11-3, 1-1 SEC) trailed most of the game despite Johni Broome&rsquo;s 22 points and 12 rebounds. The Tigers couldn&rsquo;t stage a serious late comeback, pulling no closer than eight points in the final 3 minutes.
Kario Oquendo had 17 points for Georgia (11-3, 1-0), which celebrated its SEC opener after a strong nonconference showing under White, the former Florida coach.
NO. 23 CHARLESTON 92, N.C. A&amp;T 79
GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) &mdash; Dalton Bolon tallied his first career double-double with 22 points and 10 boards as the College of Charleston won its 14th straight game by notching a victory over N.C. A&amp;T.
Charleston (15-1, 3-0 Colonial Athletic Association) is off to its best single-season start since joining the Division I ranks in 1991.
Bolon &mdash; who was one of five Charleston players to score in double digits &mdash; made 10 of 16 shots for the Cougars and also dished out two assists. Ante Brzovic and Pat Robinson III each scored 12 points, while Raekwon Horton and Ben Burnham both had 11.
Kam Woods scored a career-high 30 points to lead N.C. A&amp;T (6-10, 1-2). Duncan Powell added 20 points for the Aggies, while Marcus Watson had 12 points and 12 boards.
NO. 25 IOWA STATE 63, OKLAHOMA 60
NORMAN, Okla. (AP) &mdash; Caleb Grill scored 20 points and Iowa State held on to beat Oklahoma.
Osun Osunniyi added 12 points and eight rebounds for the Cyclones (11-2, 2-0 Big 12).
Jalen Hill scored 16 and Tanner Groves had 15 points and eight rebounds for the Sooners (9-5, 0-2). Oklahoma was coming off a 70-69 home loss to No. 6 Texas.
Oklahoma&rsquo;s Grant Sherfield, who was averaging 18.3 points per game, finished with four points on 1 for 7 shooting.

A recap of Wednesday night's men's college basketball slate includes the Friars staying red-hot against a top-five Huskies team.

Providence beats No. 4 UConn 73-61 for 8th straight win

CHICAGO (AP) &mdash; DeMar DeRozan scored 28 points, Zach LaVine added 22 and the Chicago Bulls stopped Boston&rsquo;s nine-game win streak, beating the Celtics 121-107 on Monday night.
Patrick Williams scored a season-high 17, and the Bulls made it look rather easy against the team with the NBA&rsquo;s best record. They led by 13 at halftime, got it up to 21 in the third quarter and withstood a push to come away with the victory after dropping four straight and five of six.
Jayson Tatum led Boston with 28 points. Jaylen Brown scored 25 and Malcolm Brogdon finished with 23 points, shooting 5 of 6 on 3-pointers.
PELICANS 128, WARRIORS 83
NEW ORLEANS (AP) &mdash; Brandon Ingram scored a season-high 34 points on the night Zion Williamson returned from a three-game absence, and New Orleans routed depleted Golden State.
Playing one night after winning on the road for the first time this season at Houston, the Warriors scratched Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Andrew Wiggins from the lineup.
Williamson played 23 minutes in his first game back from a bruised right foot, scoring nine points.
Devonte Graham had 19 for the Pelicans, who took the lead for good less than two minutes into the game and led by as many as 45. Jonas Valanciunas had 10 points and 13 rebounds.
Jordan Poole scored 26 for Golden State, which fell to 1-9 on the road.
BUCKS 119, TRAIL BLAZERS 111
MILWAUKEE (AP) &mdash; Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 37 points and Milwaukee pulled away in the second half to beat Portland.
Antetokounmpo shot 16 of 24 to go with seven rebounds and six assists in 35 minutes. Milwaukee improved to 12-4 overall and 9-1 at home.
Bucks guard Jrue Holiday scored 13 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter, and Grayson Allen added 17 points and eight rebounds. Holiday had the first nine Milwaukee points in the period.
Anfernee Simons paced the Trail Blazers (10-7) with 29 points. Jusuf Nurkic added 16 points and 10 rebounds, but Portland lost its third straight game.
CLIPPERS 121, JAZZ 114
LOS ANGELES (AP) &mdash; Norman Powell scored a season-high 30 points, Reggie Jackson added a season-best 27 and Los Angeles rallied in the fourth quarter to defeat Utah.
Ivica Zubac had 14 points and 14 rebounds as the Clippers extended their winning streak to three.
Los Angeles was without Paul George after he strained his right hamstring during Saturday&rsquo;s win over San Antonio.
Jordan Clarkson led Utah with 26 points and Lauri Markkanen had 25 points and 10 rebounds. The Jazz have dropped four of their last six after starting the season 10-3.
CAVALIERS 114, HAWKS 102
CLEVELAND (AP) &mdash; Donovan Mitchell had 29 points and nine assists, and Darius Garland scored 26 to send Cleveland past Atlanta in their first meeting since the play-in tournament last season.
Trae Young had 25 points and 10 assists, and Onyeka Okongwu had a season-high 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Hawks. Key offseason acquisition Dejounte Murray scored 11 on 4-of-18 shooting.
Atlanta claimed the final playoff berth in the East with a 107-101 win at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on April 15, extending Cleveland&rsquo;s postseason drought to four years. The Cavaliers have not made the playoffs without LeBron James since 1998.
Garland also had nine assists and tied his career high with eight turnovers. Cedi Osman scored a season-best 23 off the bench as Cleveland won its third in a row following a five-game losing streak. The Cavaliers are 7-1 at home.
PACERS 123, MAGIC 102
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) &mdash; Bennedict Mathurin scored 22 points and Indiana blew out Orlando for its fifth consecutive victory.
Tyrese Haliburton had 18 points and 14 assists for the Pacers. T.J. McConnell added 19 points and 10 assists. Oshae Brissett scored 18 as Indiana's bench accounted for 71 points.
Franz Wagner led the Magic with 20 points and Gary Harris had 18.
TIMBERWOLVES 105, HEAT 101
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) &mdash; Karl-Anthony Towns had 25 points and Anthony Edwards scored 10 of his 22 in the third quarter as Minnesota outlasted shorthanded Miami.
Down to eight players due to injuries and rest on the second night of a back-to-back, the Heat led by 15 in the first half before Edwards sparked a third-quarter run.
Jaden McDaniels added 18 points for the Timberwolves, who won their fourth straight.
Kyle Lowry led the Heat with 21 points and Max Strus had 19. Bam Adebayo, playing in back-to-back games while dealing with a knee injury, had 17 points and 14 rebounds for Miami, which has lost four in a row.
Jimmy Butler missed his third straight game with a knee injury for the Heat, who were also without Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson and Gabe Vincent.
KNICKS 129, THUNDER 119
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) &mdash; Jalen Brunson had a season-high 34 points while RJ Barrett and Julius Randle scored 25 each to lead New York over Oklahoma City.
Just eight days ago, the Thunder beat the Knicks in Madison Square Garden, scoring 145 points &mdash; including 79 in the opening half. But this time, New York held Oklahoma City&rsquo;s offense in check for the bulk of the game.
Randle also pulled down 11 rebounds. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 30 points and Lu Dort added 24.

A recap of Monday night's slate highlighted by the Bulls' big win to snap the Celtics' streak.

DeRozan helps Bulls halt Celtics' 9-game winning streak

Offenses have never been more lethal than they are in this era. With primary ball-handlers becoming larger, the collective shooting range expanding and teams leaning further into the importance of spacing, it&rsquo;s becoming even more difficult to keep the ball out of the basket.
With the game expanding, screening has become even more important. A well-placed off-ball pick can free a movement shooter for a triple or a catch-and-drive. On-ball screens can make shifty ball-handlers even harder to deal with in pick-and-roll and open the door for dump-offs, lobs and fruitful catch-and-shoot opportunities.&nbsp;
Screeners come in all sizes these days, ranging from the burly centers to mismatch-causing smalls. <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/changing-of-the-guard-the-future-of-screening-is-here" target="_blank" rel="noopener">I can&rsquo;t overstate how important guard-screening has become</a>, especially late in games.
This season, I want to keep tabs on who is &mdash; and isn&rsquo;t &mdash; getting the job done as screeners. Every week, I&rsquo;ll be highlighting a handful of the most powerful or shameful screen-setters in the league.
Let&rsquo;s get into volume two.
*All stats are through games played between October 30 and November 4, unless noted otherwise.*
BIG OF THE WEEK: DWIGHT POWELL
Dwight Powell, or "DP" (we're still consulting with the judges), is once again flying under the radar. Part of it is his visibility; he logged just seven minutes in the Mavericks' first four games, including three DNPs. That's gone up as of late, with him playing a season-high 26 minutes during Friday night's win over the Toronto Raptors.
The most substantial part of his (lack of) status is what he's tasked with doing. Screen hard, roll hard and stay solid within whatever the defensive scheme calls for him to do. He isn't fed post touches, doesn't offer much as a stretch option and doesn't even have the "hey, he's a post hub sometimes!" tag going for him.
And yet, the Mavs have won his minutes in every game he's appeared in. Spencer Dinwiddie gave Powell all of the flowers following a three-point win over the Utah Jazz.
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Dinwiddie talks about Powell's work ethic and character. He digs into the value of Powell's rolls, and how his consistency in that area forces the big and weak side defenders into tough positions, creating opportunities for himself and Luka Doncic.
I'd like to add that, in addition to the forcefulness of Powell's rolls, he does his homework early by setting effective screens. He angles his body in a way to consistently hit a defender's hip; that puts them behind the play &mdash; and on the hip of Doncic or Dinwiddie &mdash; which further stresses out the defense. If you're allowing Doncic or Dinwiddie to lead the dance, you're in trouble.
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To that point: the Mavs generated 1.36 points per possession (PPP) on trips featuring a Powell on-ball screen, the fourth-best mark in the NBA this week among 73 players to set at least 25 picks, per Second Spectrum. Powell created contact on nearly 82% of those picks, a rate trailing only Bulls forward Patrick Williams (92.86) in the same span.
Keep up the good work.
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CAUGHT YOU SLIPPIN': MIKAL BRIDGES
We're adding a category, because this is my thing and I do what I want.&nbsp;
In all seriousness, it felt weid to consider Bridges for "Small of the Week" considering he isn't a guard, but he obviously isn't a big either. This is a healthy middle ground for the two-way wing. I've really enjoyed his work as a screener thus far.
Dating back to last season, Bridges was used as a drag-screen partner for Chris Paul in transition or early-offense situations. Teams weren't equipped for the push-and-pivot from Bridges, often leading to fruitful opportunities for him or breakdowns elsewhere.&nbsp;
The Suns haven't just rolled that over; they've started to involve him more in half-court situations.
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After setting 6.4 on-ball screens per 100 possessions last year, that number has risen to 9.6 this season. Possessions featuring a Bridges screen were fruitful this week, with the Suns generating an absurd 1.56 PPP. They should keep going to the well.
SMALL OF THE WEEK: ALEX CARUSO
There isn't anything Alex Caruso won't do if you ask him.
Run the offense? Sure. Roam the dunker spot for dump offs? Cool! Act as a spacer? Doesn't mind. Hound guards defensively? You got it. Need him to defend Giannis? He ain't scared.
That kind of gap-filling from a guard is valuable, especially in a league that's becoming less position-bound in terms of roles. Caruso happens to be a gnarly screener on top of everything else, with a strong understanding of angles and timing &mdash; how long to hold a screen (78.3 contact rate this week), and where to release.&nbsp;
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Off the ball, I crack up at how much joy he takes in setting cross screens for Nikola Vucevic. Just look at this lead blocking!
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He might be happier setting the pick than Vucevic is getting a play called for him.&nbsp;
The Bulls generated good offense with Caruso as an on-ball screener (1.00 PPP), and his off-ball work has been even better (1.13 PPP).
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YOU SHOULD HAVE THE FACILITIES FOR THIS, BIG MAN: RICHAUN HOLMES
It's a bit weird in Sacramento.
Holmes proved himself as a capable starter, evidenced by a three-year stretch (2020-22) where he averaged 12.5 points and 7.9 rebounds in roughly 27 minutes a night. Holmes' minute load has never been lower (13.7) due to Domantas Sabonis being much better, and their skill-sets not being complementary enough to play together.
It will take an injury or roster change to dramatically shift things, but Holmes could stand to help himself by setting better screens. There's a line to walk between setting a screen to help your guard and setting one to get yourself open. Doing the former will likely cover both bases; doing the latter can lead to some ugly reps.
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The numbers back it up; the Kings performed poorly on possessions featuring an off-ball (0.5 PPP) or on-ball (0.67 PPP) screen from Holmes this week. He connected on less than half of his on-ball screens (46.8 contact rate).
He simply has to be better than that.&nbsp;
WE SEE YOU TOO: GIANNIS ANTETOKOUNMPO
Not too much on the MVP frontrunner right now, who's been excellent in just about every non-shooting category you can think of. With his workload and the physicality he plays with as a scorer, it's understandable that he isn't on 10 literally all of the time.
But dawg, for an offense that could use a little juice in the half-court, it would be a little helpful if Giannis didn't make it blatantly obvious that an off-ball action was a preamble for something else.
Friday night's game against the Wolves was pretty glaring when I went back through it.&nbsp;
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On the week, the Bucks generated just 0.89 PPP on trips featuring an off-ball screen from Giannis;&nbsp;
He doesn't have to be Steven Adams (hope he's alright) when prying guards open around the elbow (clips 1 and 4), nor does he have to be Draymond Green when guards are flying off baseline screens (clips 2, 3 and 5). Just ... get in the way. It'll help sell some of the action, make defenses work a little harder and thus open up cleaner scoring opportunities.
Screen Time will be back next Saturday!

Nekias Duncan takes a look at some of the best — and worst — screeners in the NBA this week.

Screen Time Vol. 2: Highlighting the NBA's best and worst screeners

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

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

It's unfortunate that the treasure-hunting roller coaster of business in the NBA often leaves player development in the dust.
A rumor, a ping-pong ball or a phone call can accelerate a franchise's competitive life cycle out of nowhere. With just about every major leap, however, comes a squeeze, where young players suddenly find their professional lives dramatically altered.
Every fan has a "What if?" story of a player who felt close to figuring things out, but simply ran out of time as the next big move packed him up and sent him away. Maybe it's the Los Angeles Lakers and Brandon Ingram, or the Lakers and Lonzo Ball, or the Lakers and Josh Hart, or &mdash; you get it. My personal wistful regret is the Minnesota Timberwolves dealing specifically Kris Dunn (along with Zach LaVine and Lauri Markkanen, of course) in the 2017 trade that returned Jimmy Butler. Even if the trades and draft picks made sense, we still wish we could have just a small peek at the alternate universe.
It feels like Mo Bamba is about to fall into that category. The 2018 No. 5 pick struggled to find his place in the NBA while wading through myriad injuries over his first few years. Then, this past season, he finally started to lay down a pattern of production with his flashes of potential, even as the Orlando Magic languished at the bottom of the league.
The problem: Orlando has the No. 1 pick in a <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/nba-draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2022 NBA Draft</a> with three game-changing bigs ranking among the consensus top prospects. Bamba, Wendell Carter Jr., Franz Wagner and *insert top pick* cannot all share a starting frontcourt now, in three years or in 10 years. Someone is probably getting squeezed out.
According to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, Bamba appears to be on the outside looking in. And regretfully, it's understandable. Wagner had a <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA_University/status/1536109881853218816?s=20&amp;t=-gBn7I0iLjpdqhaqWAM2hQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">phenomenal All-Rookie First Team season</a> and Carter appears fully entrenched as a <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/wendell-carter-jr-dont-publish-yet" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cornerstone big man</a>. Still, Bamba truly took a leap in his own right, and it's worth reestablishing what makes him such a promising young player.
Bamba appeared in a career-high 71 games and averaged a career-high 25.7 minutes per game in 2021-22. He started 69 of those contests after earning six combined starts across his first three seasons. The availability alone is a major positive; just look at <a href="https://www.foxsports.com/nba/mohamed-bamba-player-injuries" target="_blank" rel="noopener">all of the injuries Bamba battled through four years.</a> With the increase in playing time came corresponding career highs in practically every major box-score category. But Bamba's most notable leap by far came from his deadeye perimeter shooting.
Bamba canned 38.1% of his 4.0 three-pointers per game, including a scorching 44.6% clip after the All-Star break. All of the sustainability indicators are there; Bamba hit 78.1% of his free-throws, improved from the arc as the year went on and proved himself on high volume.
According to Synergy, over 26.6% of Bamba's offensive plays last year were spot-ups. He also demonstrated comfort on pick-and-pop actions, where he cashed in plenty of open threes.
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Defenses dared Bamba to make them pay because he hadn't yet in his career, and the 24-year-old fired away. Opponents will likely pay more attention to him next season, but if you were to pair Bamba with scoring guards who can create advantages with his screens, he'll find open shots.
Bamba is a better screener than he gets credit for. The screen-assist stats from this season (1.7 per game) won't show it because Carter was the chief impediment, but Bamba averaged 3.0 screen assists per game in 2020-21 despite playing just 15.8 minutes per game. He's not a brick wall, but Bamba has greatly improved his build and strength since entering the league.
As a paint presence, Bamba is essentially a pure finisher at this stage. He made 70.4% of his shots in the restricted area, which is fine, but he doesn't create chances on his own and hasn't shown nearly enough as a passer or connector.
Then, you flip to the defensive end and you see why Bamba was so high-regarded before the 2018 draft. He contested over 46.7% of opposing shots at the rim this season, ranking in the 96th percentile at his position, according to The BBall Index. A whopping 29.5% of those contests resulted in blocks (93rd percentile), and opponents shot over 6% worse than expected at the rim when facing him (92nd percentile). Questions still remain about how he guards on the perimeter and how he handles 1-on-1 drives and post-ups. The bottom line is that few intimidate at the rim more than Bamba.&nbsp;
Despite the dissonance on paper, Bamba and Carter fared pretty well as a tandem. Together, they anchored Orlando to the 13th-ranked defense during the regular season. The five-man lineup of Cole Anthony, Gary Harris, Wagner, Carter and Bamba was a plus-5.8 per 100 possessions, according to Cleaning the Glass. Not bad for a lineup that played a lot together on a 22-win squad.
The final pitch for Bamba is that he is an efficient low-usage scorer who you can trust to boost teammates as a screener and cash in on his perimeter and lob chances. He's not quite an "anchor" yet on defense, but he is a pillar. Do teams buy that he can grow as a switching player, and do they buy that he can stay on the floor enough to stack his bright moments into a foundation? Those are the major question marks.
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Fortunately, several NBA teams should take interest in a 7-foot center with valuable traits and an untapped ceiling. Bamba is a restricted free agent, which means a pursuing team has to overwhelm Orlando with a contract and, most likely, a trade package. But loads of avenues exist for a deal that benefits Bamba, the Magic and his possible new franchise.
So, let's look at where Bamba could end up this summer.
ORLANDO MAGIC
The Magic hold all the power at the end of the day. They can match any contract opposing teams try to throw at Bamba, and maybe they want to. Orlando isn't a probable playoff contender, so why lose a young talent when the current objective is to amass young talent? The guessing game comes down to what the contract extension looks like.&nbsp;
Bamba has the pedigree of a No. 5 overall pick and the trajectory of a sturdy starting center with a concerning injury history and still-unrealized potential. it's pretty difficult to estimate what his next salary could look like.&nbsp;
If&nbsp;(and it's a big if) I had to compare, the most similar scenario would be the Boston Celtics inking Robert Williams III to a four-year, $48 million deal last summer. Like Bamba, Williams had a prior history of ailments and flashed starter ability. Williams had shown a lot more for a competitive basketball team &mdash; but also didn't carry the same stature Bamba does. So I'd say those cancel out, and for visualization's sake, we can estimate his extension would look something like $12 million per year .
Should Bamba stay in Orlando, he likely won't have long as a starter if Jabari Smith, Chet Holmgren or Paolo Banchero are waiting in the wings. But he'd absolutely continue as a high-end back big for an Orlando roster that boasted a pretty solid defense last year.&nbsp;
BROOKLYN NETS
Nic Claxton (restricted free agnet), Andre Drummond, Blake Griffin and LaMarcus Aldridge all hit free agency this summer. This is Brooklyn's chance to mold a center rotation that complements Kevin Durant, Ben Simmons and (most likely?) Kyrie Irving. Those three, plus Bruce Brown (also a free agent), are all excellent playmakers and passers. Bamba would simply be asked to finish his looks, be it as a stretch-5 or a lob threat. He'd have no burden to create on offense and could fill similar rim-protecting roles as his predecessors on defense.
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How could a trade work? Let's stick with Bamba's current salary estimate of $12 million for at least next season. Fanspo's trade machine says a deal exchanging Bamba for Joe Harris, Kessler Edwards and a future first-round pick works financially.
I think this is a fair starting point. Harris is making just over $18 million for the next two years, but Orlando shouldn't be concerned with cap space, and I actually love the idea of the Magic adding a movement shooter on the wing. Orlando is going to have a tough defense again next season; this is an easy way to give its slashing guards an outlet.
DALLAS MAVERICKS
Bamba is absolutely not Kristaps Porzingis, but he can take on some of the same responsibilities as an above-the-break shooter, screener and rim-protector while playing as a more versatile defensive center than Porzingis has ever been. The Mavericks desperately need size on the glass as well, and Bamba can grab rebounds while fitting into the team's overall spacing.
Dwight Powell is a solid NBA player. His minutes also decreased in every subsequent playoff series this spring, and he played just 9.8 minutes per game in the Western Conference Finals. Does Bamba have the two-way versatility to stick in these matchups against Golden State Warrior-like squads? It's difficult to say for certain, but I think he can get there.
Trading Bamba for Powell, Josh Green and/or the No. 26 overall pick works in the trade machine. It would be a complicated move to pull off because Bamba's restricted free agency begins after draft night, but this would be my guess at the framework.
MIAMI HEAT
How does Miami feel about Bam Adebayo as its long-term center? Obviously, he's a <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/pat-riley-like-most-of-us-wants-more-bam-adebayo-offense-too" target="_blank" rel="noopener">core piece to the overall team</a>, but is he best-equipped anchoring a smaller lineup or working alongside another big man? Bamba might be the ideal test.
Adebayo can operate as his All-Defensive self, taking on any matchup on the floor, while Bamba lurks as a shot-blocker and helper. Then, on offense, Bamba can space for Adebayo and Jimmy Butler. If the move doesn't work out, Bamba would at least be a significant upgrade over Dewayne Dedmon in a worst-case development scenario.&nbsp;
This deal, like with the Nets, starts with trading an elite movement shooter in Duncan Robinson. The Heat also have the No. 27 overall pick at their disposal and could add another flier prospect like Omer Yurtseven.
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OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER
The Thunder have an exciting backcourt duo in Josh Giddey and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who could both use a pick-and-pop big to heighten their impact. OKC does not yet (though the draft could change things) have a certified stopper in the frontcourt. Enter Bamba, who plugs the on-paper hole at center and could reasonably fit alongside any of the top picks in the draft.
With picks and prospects galore, OKC can kind of take this deal in any direction that gets Bamba to the city. Lu Dort and Aaron Wiggins seem to fit some Magic needs at first glance.
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
The Trail Blazers surprisingly have oodles of cap space this offseason and a vacant starting center spot with Jusuf Nurkic hitting free agency. It's certainly possible Portland re-signs Nurkic, extends Anfernee Simons and heads on its merry way. But we've all expected some roster overhaul, as the franchise tries to throw one last contender together around Damian Lillard. Bamba won't vault Portland to the playoffs on his own, but he might be a suitable replacement for Nurkic on a manageable contract with room to grow.
Keon Johnson feels like an obvious return target for the Magic as a long, athletic wing with two-way upside. Perhaps the trade conversations start there and include an additional rotation player, plus some draft compensation.
I do ultimately hope that Bamba lands in a situation that is willing to be patient with his development. He's hit some rotten luck with injuries and deserves a extended chance to shine &mdash; whether that's in Orlando or somewhere else.&nbsp;
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The Nets, Mavericks, Heat and Trail Blazers could be possible, logical landing spots for Mo Bamba. Ethan Fuller explains.

Examining potential destinations for Mo Bamba

By appearing in the Western Conference Finals, the Dallas Mavericks showed that they have collected some of the ingredients of an NBA title contender.
Prior to that, the Mavs had not made it out of the first round of the playoffs since winning the Finals in 2010-11, and had exited the postseason in the first round each of the last two years. Even this season, Dallas had its doubters in the first round against the Utah Jazz, and most of the national audience was against them versus the dominant Phoenix Suns.&nbsp;
Then, the Mavericks won. Luka Doncic continues to ascend as one of the best basketball players on the planet. Several supporting cast members helped carry the load as well, whether it was Jalen Brunson in the first round, Maxi Kleber's Round 2 fireworks or Spencer Dinwiddie's production in the West Finals.
For so long, the narrative in Dallas had been: Does Luka have any help? After 2021-22, we at least know the Mavs have pieces to the puzzle. This summer presents the opportunity to shape the vision of a championship under Doncic and second-year head coach Jason Kidd.
The Mavericks boasted the sixth-best Defensive Rating (109.4) in the NBA during the regular season, per Basketball-Reference. That's impressive growth from a 20th-ranked unit in 2020-21 that didn't undergo massive roster overhaul. Our <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/how-do-the-mavericks-have-an-elite-defense" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nekias Duncan covered Dallas' defense back in January</a>, and it kept up the work even after trading Kristaps Porzingis away in the deal that returned Dinwiddie and Davis Bertans.&nbsp;
No single, All-Defense-caliber player even stands out on the roster right now. Dorian Finney-Smith is very solid and so is Frank Ntilikina, though his minutes are too inconsistent currently. It's a true team-wide shift that significantly raises the team's floor come playoff time.&nbsp;
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With that being said &mdash; finding a true center to anchor the paint and provide stability on the glass remains a high priority. Dallas was 15th among the 16 playoff teams in offensive rebounding percentage (45.1%) and second chance points per game (9.0). They also gave up 14.2 second-chance points per game to their opponents, ranking fourth-highest in the postseason. The Mavs scored just 42.9 points in the paint per game during the regular season (ranked 29th of 30) and 35.4 in the playoffs (13th of 16) despite boasting two of the league's best driving threats in Doncic and Brunson.
Dwight Powell is a fine, rotation-caliber NBA player, but his minutes decreased in each subsequent series. Kleber is an awesome sharpshooting big and solid defender, but not an impactful interior presence.
Fortunately, there are several available free agents who Mavs president and general manager Nico Harrison could pursue in his second offseason with the team. Unfortunately, they have severely hamstrung themselves financially. According to Spotrac, they're a luxury taxpayer, which only leaves a mid-level exception worth just over $6.3 million to spend on a free agent. Dallas has virtually no path to cap space this season.
Jusuf Nurkic and Mitchell Robinson are the biggest names to hit unrestricted free agency as a center. They would almost instantly plug the rebounding hole, but are they the types of defenders and rim-runners who would thrive with Doncic? And is there a realistic way for the Mavericks to even sign them?
Other free agent centers who could fit in the mid-level exception include JaVale McGee, Andre Drummond and Bismack Biyombo, for some quick suggestions. Dallas does also hold a $10.2 million trade exception that it created when the team traded Josh Richardson to the Boston Celtics. It expires on June 27, before free agency begins, but it provides another avenue to acquire a rotation-level player.
It might make more sense for the Mavs to pursue a sign-and-trade with a restricted free agent. Obviously, Deandre Ayton is the marquee man. Evan Sidery toyed with <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/examining-potential-destinations-for-deandre-ayton" target="_blank" rel="noopener">potential trade packages for the Suns</a>; could Dallas offer something in this ballpark?
I personally am intrigued by Mo Bamba's potential fit. The 2018 No. 5 overall pick had a solid developmental year in Orlando, but appears to be the odd man out in a crowded young locker room. Bamba feels like a worthwhile gamble as a rebounder and rim-protector with a bit more mobility and shooting than your traditional bruising center.
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Of course, all this free agency discussion will come after the Mavericks address their largest elephant in the room. Jalen Brunson broke out as a secondary scorer this season, culminating in his huge games that gave Dallas the edge against Utah. <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/examining-potential-destinations-for-jalen-brunson" target="_blank" rel="noopener">He's an unrestricted free agent</a> who deserves a bag this summer.
"It&rsquo;s the top priority,&rdquo; Harrison said about re-signing Brunson in his <a href="https://www.mavs.com/brunson-is-top-priority/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">exit interview Friday</a>. &ldquo;We got to figure that out. Obviously, we&rsquo;re not in control of it. But he&rsquo;s definitely a priority. We want to re-sign him. He knows it. And we want him back. He&rsquo;ll be a big part of our future.&rdquo;
The Mavs' last route to improve is with their No. 26 overall draft pick. Dallas has been a mixed bag with drafting in recent seasons, but this is the first year Harrison will be at the helm after the franchise passed on the process in 2021. Most recently, the franchise selected Josh Green at No. 20 and Tyrell Terry at No. 31 in 2020. Green's development has been slow but notable through two seasons, while Terry is no longer in the organization.&nbsp;
Matt Babcock's latest&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/nba-draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2022 NBA Mock Draft</a> projects the Mavericks to select Max Christie, a freshman wing from Michigan State. Christie was a five-star high school talent who struggled to produce as a college freshman. But his tools as a shooter, scorer and on-ball defender have all flashed and can be sharpened in the right environment.&nbsp;
Aside from Brunson, reserves Trey Burke and Theo Pinson are the only other players entering free agency. However, Dallas notably has just four players under fully guaranteed contracts in 2023-24, per Spotrac: Doncic, Finney-Smith, Bertans and Tim Hardaway Jr. If the squad underwhelms next year, the 2023 offseason could open up a serious roster makeover.&nbsp;
Dallas is on the cusp of true title contention. This offseason is all about checking off some final boxes, keeping the successful core intact and adding depth to a team that persevered through several injuries during the season.
If the summer breaks right, it wouldn't be surprising to see the Mavericks emerging as everyone's favorite championship sleeper by October.
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The Mavericks exited the Western Conference Finals with a strong playoff run, but have several glaring needs.

2022 NBA offseason preview: What's next for the Dallas Mavericks?

Even as the Boston Celtics led in the first half of Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, it only felt like a matter of time before the scoreboard would catch up to the Miami Heat offense.&nbsp;
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Miami basically has a 105 offensive rating in the half court and the halftime show was almost entirely about offensive concerns.
&mdash; Nekias (Nuh-KY-us) Duncan (@NekiasNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NekiasNBA/status/1526743543942873088?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Then, the Heat exploded in the second half, opening on a 22-2 run and never looking back. They steamrolled the Celtics on both ends and Jimmy Butler took over en route to 41 points. Miami finished with an impressive Offensive Rating of 112.2 on half-court possessions, per Cleaning the Glass. That ranks in the 88th percentile of playoff games this season; according to our Nekias Duncan, the league average is 95.6 points per 100 possessions.&nbsp;
The Heat's success transcends their normal half-court production. Even with the Game 1 win, Miami is still averaging just 95.0 half-court points per 100 possessions in the playoffs, and the team's regular season rating was similarly low (97.6). And even taking the scope back to a base level &mdash; how many people expected the Heat to drop 118 points in the first game against one of the league's best defenses?
Sure, the Celtics were missing two key cogs in Marcus Smart and Al Horford, but it was still an impressive effort. It also exposed the dilemma Boston has with Payton Pritchard.
The second-year guard is the Celtics' best shooter in a rotation that sometimes needs a perimeter lifeline, and simultaneously, their worst defender in a scheme that can't afford porous perimeter defense.&nbsp;
Nekias was all over this in his pre-series scouting report and had a noteworthy stat after Game 1:
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Pritchard was targeted 16 times in PnR tonight, and the Heat scored well over 1.2 points per possession on those trips 😵&zwj;💫<a href="https://t.co/Sh3NLiMvTK">https://t.co/Sh3NLiMvTK</a> <a href="https://t.co/eTxYIQKXDI">pic.twitter.com/eTxYIQKXDI</a>
&mdash; Nekias (Nuh-KY-us) Duncan (@NekiasNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NekiasNBA/status/1526772020217798656?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2022</a></blockquote>

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The Heat went after Pritchard, who logged his postseason high with 30 minutes in the loss. They put him through the blender on screens and forced him to play chaser. At 6-foot-1 with a 6-foot-4 wingspan, Pritchard just doesn't have enough length to overcome falling into recovery mode.
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Prtichard also just struggles fighting through screens despite being fairly built for his size (listed around 200 pounds). That fourth clip is telling; he's pretty powerless against Butler, and it leads to an easy Max Strus three-pointer. Pritchard and Jaylen Brown could have communicated better on that play and had Brown chase after Strus, but it seems the job was supposed to be Pritchard's.&nbsp;
Miami then attacked Pritchard on the ball during its second-half surge.&nbsp;
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When Butler found 1-on-1 chances against Pritchard, the Heat superstar was able to get into his bag with relative ease. In the second clip, Pritchard stays up tight against Butler, and it looks like solid defense. But even that effort appears meaningless. Butler made one basic spin move, didn't need to counter and rose high above the contest for a confident make.&nbsp;
This isn't to say Pritchard is the primary reason for Boston's loss by any means. But he is going to be a matchup Miami hunts throughout this series. The Heat have players who are unbothered by his defense (Butler, Tyler Herro and Victor Oladipo) and players who can wreak havoc against him away from the ball (Strus, Gabe Vincent).&nbsp;
The Celtics are going to be challenged when Pritchard is defending. Their trade-off is that he is, in many cases, their spark and offensive savior from long range. Through the postseason, opponents have dared complementary players like Grant Williams, Derrick White, Horford and Smart to shoot as defenses load up on Jayson Tatum and Brown. The one supporting cast member they cannot forget about is Pritchard.
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The 24-year-old has blossomed into one of the most efficient perimeter shooters in the entire NBA. Among all postseason players with at least 20 pull-up shot attempts, Pritchard ranks fourth with a 58.3% Effective Field Goal percentage. He ranked eighth among 171 players with at least 100 pull-up attempts in the regular season at 53.6%. Then, he turned around and made 42.8% of his catch-and-shoot threes in the regular season and finished 13th in overall three-point percentage (41.2%).
Pritchard has limitless range and enduring confidence. His threes came from 26 feet from the basket on average, according to The BBall Index, putting him in the 82nd percentile at his position. Aside from maybe Tatum, Pritchard is the only Celtic who could hoist up deep triples without inciting grimaces from fans.
His overall offensive game, though, is a bit more complicated.&nbsp;
Pritchard is a rock-solid passer. He's dished out 23 assists against just 3 turnovers in the playoffs so far; that 7.67 assist-to-turnover-ratio is the best among anyone who has been in at least eight playoff games. When he drives to the basket, he's able to make the right kick-out plays. The problem is his drives aren't threatening to opposing defenses.&nbsp;
Second Spectrum says that 221 players drove to the basket at least 150 times in the regular season. Pritchard passed out of his drives a whopping 60.7% of the time &mdash; the fourth-most of any such player. When he did attempt a shot, it didn't go so well; his 37.7% field goal percentage tied for 16th-worst. In his 173 regular-season drives, he scored 45 points. That 26.0% rate is, again, the fourth-lowest of the 221 qualifying players.
Pritchard has scarcely needed to drive the ball for most of the postseason, and had actually gone 4-for-4 on driving shots in the first two rounds. Then, we got to the conference finals, where he went 1-for-4 in Game 1.
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The burst just isn't there for Pritchard, who pounds the ball hard and tries to lower his shoulder without much success. Caleb Martin is a solid defender who walled Pritchard up in the first clip. Herro wasn't fazed in the second clip, and on an empty-corner drive, Bam Adebayo has plenty of time to help. Without a strong first step, Pritchard can't use his shooting threat to successfully attack closeouts. He doesn't get the head start that others, even Williams and White, receive.&nbsp;
Speaking of White &mdash; he'll be out for Game 2. Smart's availability is still up in the air as of this writing. That's possibly two dynamic attacking guards that the Celtics won't have in a critical second game, which means even more responsibility falls on Pritchard's shoulders.
Boston needs Payton Pritchard in its rotation. The perimeter prowess and reliable passing help keep a volatile offense from falling off the rails. But Ime Udoka and the Celtics' coaching staff have to figure out how to keep Miami away from matchup-hunting Pritchard and keep him in advantageous offensive positions. He'll be an X-factor in Game 2 and a swing player for the remainder of this series.
THE OUTLIERS (a.k.a. other random interesting numbers I found in the void):
<ul>
<li>As I mentioned, Pritchard is fourth among postseason players in pull-up effective field goal percentage. Jordan Clarkson (60.9%) is first and Chris Paul (60.4%) is second, though both have been eliminated. But third place, at 59.3%, might surprise you: Marcus Smart.</li>
<li>We're in draft season!!! It's one of my favorite times of the year. Let's get excited. Here's an interesting graph of the careers of various draft picks throughout much of NBA history. There's more in the thread:</li>
</ul>
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1/ Since 1978, 2063 players were drafted (*Early draft selected more than 200 players) But, 401 draftee couldn't play a single game in NBA <a href="https://t.co/rXttO2xYRH">pic.twitter.com/rXttO2xYRH</a>
&mdash; TheNext23 (@TNext23) <a href="https://twitter.com/TNext23/status/1526959550624301056?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2022</a></blockquote>

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<ul>
<li>SIS Hoops just keeps on keepin' on with its sweet graphics. This one's interesting because it crosses over several different player archetypes:</li>
</ul>
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What can we learn from identifying who takes open shots most often in this year&rsquo;s playoffs? A combination of secondary creators, play finishers, and star initiators lead the way: <a href="https://t.co/U3LEd0LvKq">pic.twitter.com/U3LEd0LvKq</a>
&mdash; SIS Hoops (@SIS_Hoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/SIS_Hoops/status/1526986648499912704?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Payton Pritchard was a defensive target for the Heat in Game 1, but if the Celtics hope to advance, they need his long-range shooting.

NBA Stats Notebook: The Celtics and the Payton Pritchard conundrum

With the NBA trade deadline over and done with, the BasketballNews.com staff wants to share our thoughts on the moves that went down. Since Nekias Duncan thoroughly <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/grading-every-move-from-the-2022-nba-trade-deadline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">graded each and every trade from the past week</a>, we wanted the rest of our team to react to the results of the ever-so-eventful week.
Our writers have discussed their <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/roundtable-who-are-your-biggest-2022-nba-trade-deadline-winners" target="_blank" rel="noopener">winners</a> and <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/roundtable-who-are-your-biggest-2022-nba-trade-deadline-losers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">losers</a> of the trade deadline. Now, in our latest Roundtable, we asked our writers the following question:
Which under-the-radar move from the NBA trade deadline is your favorite?
Alex Kennedy:&nbsp;Leading up to the trade deadline, I was really hoping that the Detroit Pistons would acquire Marvin Bagley III from the Sacramento Kings, because he seemed like the perfect buy-low addition for them. Bagley fits with Detroit's young core and this is the kind of low-risk, high-reward trade that I love. Bagley needed a change of scenery, and the Pistons only had to give up Josh Jackson, Trey Lyles and two future second-round picks to take a flier on the No. 2 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft.
Spencer Davies: It feels like Serge Ibaka to the Milwaukee Bucks could really pan out if the big man finds the footing he had last season prior to that untimely back injury. He&rsquo;s knocking down 38.7% of his triples, so he&rsquo;ll be able to stretch the floor. Defensively, he doesn&rsquo;t have quite the same lift as he did before, but he&rsquo;s a big body to get through on the interior. We should all remember that Ibaka is somehow still only 32 years old. Let&rsquo;s just hope he stays on the floor this time around and gets to play in the postseason. I&rsquo;m also a huge fan of what the Detroit Pistons did to snatch-up Marvin Bagley III. It wasn&rsquo;t that long ago that the young forward was making waves across the prospect world. It seemed he was stuck in purgatory in Sacramento, with no organizational continuity and different head coach after different head coach. Bagley is 22&hellip; Twenty-two. The Pistons acquired a potential long-term fit for free, essentially, next to Cade Cunningham. Treat it like a free draft pick.
Ethan Fuller: While the Celtics were one of my <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/roundtable-who-are-your-biggest-2022-nba-trade-deadline-winners" target="_blank" rel="noopener">trade deadline winners</a>, I do also really like the Derrick White trade from the Spurs' perspective. White was a questionable fit on the timeline of a San Antonio team loaded with young guards. The Spurs received a first-round pick this summer for the rebuild and a first-round swap for 2028, which is always a good gamble. Romeo Langford is another interesting flier for them to take. Add in the first-round pick from Toronto in the Thad Young trade, and San Antonio has seriously started a stockpile of potential young talent without giving up major pieces.
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Moke Hamilton:&nbsp;It&rsquo;s hard to not be thrilled with the Los Angeles Clippers finding a way to walk away from the deadline with Norman Powell and Robert Covington. Assuming Paul George and Kawhi Leonard eventually return to form, they&rsquo;ll have an excellent two-way supporting cast that will have them considered among the NBA's favorites. As far as this season is concerned, I like the Bucks&rsquo; acquisition of Serge Ibaka. Serge is still trying to find himself after undergoing back surgery, but he&rsquo;s been showing signs lately. Bobby Portis has emerged as a starting-caliber center and Serge will give Milwaukee a very similar skill set coming off their bench. At this point, we don&rsquo;t know if Brook Lopez will be able to return to form, so Serge provides insurance in that regard as well.
Bryan Fonseca: Thaddeus Young to the Raptors. It'll be fun to watch him play regularly again, and he fits right into what Toronto does. They'll be even scrappier, somehow, and could win a playoff series against the right team.
Evan Sidery: Phoenix <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/suns-running-it-back-with-torrey-craig-will-loom-large-in-postseason" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reuniting with Torrey Craig</a> was an underrated move on Thursday. Trading Jalen Smith, an unproven lottery pick who didn't pan out, plus their 2022 second-round pick to Indiana for Craig helps fill an immediate concern. The Suns will rely upon Craig&rsquo;s versatility as they try to go on another deep playoff run. JaVale McGee and Craig will bring havoc in the Suns' second unit, but another dimension is more small-ball possibilities. The Suns' second unit looks incredible on paper: Cameron Payne, Landry Shamet, Cameron Johnson, Torrey Craig and JaVale McGee. Phoenix can be so multiple now with their lineups &mdash; always a plus for a championship-chasing team.
Mat Issa: I think the Raptors came away like bandits snagging Thad Young for virtually nothing. He&rsquo;s always had a really additive and versatile skill set that has allowed him to morph himself into whatever role the team he plays on needs (energy guy, post scorer, playmaking hub, etc.) In Toronto, he&rsquo;ll provide some much-needed playmaking (he&rsquo;s probably already one of the five best passers on the roster) and add some more size to the mix.
Mark Schindler: I loved the Pistons adding Marvin Bagley III. They've truly lacked a real vertical threat around the rim on offense, and he adds that dynamic alongside Cade Cunnigham. He's made subtle improvements in his game this season &mdash; a change of environment could really be a boon for his further development.
Justin Lewis: Torrey Craig to Phoenix was nice. I was personally hoping that Memphis would snag him. The Suns look like the odds-on favorite to win it all, taking for granted the team's health. Adding Craig and Aaron Holiday to the mix just adds to their roster depth without messing with any of the chemistry.
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Which under-the-radar move from the NBA trade deadline is your favorite? BasketballNews.com's writers shared their thoughts.

NBA Roundtable: Which under-the-radar trade is your favorite?

With the NBA trade deadline over and done with, the BasketballNews.com staff wants to share our thoughts on the moves that went down. Since Nekias Duncan thoroughly <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/grading-every-move-from-the-2022-nba-trade-deadline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">graded each and every trade from the past week</a>, we asked the rest of our team to react to the results of the ever-so-eventful week.
Here are our staff's thoughts on the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/roundtable-who-are-your-biggest-2022-nba-trade-deadline-losers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">losers of the 2022 NBA trade deadline</a>. Now, in our latest Roundtable, we asked our writers the following question:
Who are the biggest winners of the NBA trade deadline? 
Alex Kennedy: My trade deadline winners are the Philadelphia 76ers and Indiana Pacers. I was someone who believed that Daryl Morey should trade Ben Simmons sooner than later, because I thought Simmons' trade value would only decrease over time. I didn't think the 76ers would actually be able to land a star player for Simmons, but I was clearly wrong. Morey's gamble paid off and now he's reunited with James Harden. As for the Pacers, I love&nbsp;what they did over the last week. We all knew that they were going to make drastic changes, but I was really impressed with how much they were able to get back for Domantas Sabonis, Caris LeVert and Torrey Craig. I love the addition of Tyrese Haliburton, and I truly believe he's going to develop into a star in Indiana. I also liked the buy-low addition of Jalen Smith, who was the No. 10 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. Kevin Pritchard and Chad Buchanan deserve credit for pulling off some smart trades and assembling an impressive young core.
Spencer Davies: I&rsquo;m going to be contrarian here, but good for the win-now teams who aren&rsquo;t really in a position to contend this season, yet still went for a swing. I&rsquo;m talking about the New Orleans Pelicans, Sacramento Kings and Los Angeles Clippers. The Pels acquired a 20 point-per-game scorer in CJ McCollum to put next to Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson (defense we&rsquo;ll worry about later; Herb Jones and his 10 arms have it all covered anyway). My thoughts on the Kings acquiring an All-Star such as Domantas Sabonis are well-documented, and now, they&rsquo;ve added an underappreciated two-way guard in Donte DiVincenzo, who&rsquo;s still finding his form since his playoff injury last year. Finally, as for the Clippers, Norm Powell and Robert Covington are championship-caliber veterans who will get acclimated the rest of the season as L.A. stays afloat &mdash; and fit like a glove in Tyronn Lue&rsquo;s rotation next year beside Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. Individually, I also have to give big-ups to Daryl Morey for sticking to his guns.
Ethan Fuller: The Celtics and Pacers each made the right moves for their franchise directions. Boston needed to find another ball-handling guard to fit with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, and the team did exactly that by adding Derrick White. They also brought back a perfect third center in Daniel Theis while clearing roster space to pursue bench upgrades on the buyout market. Indiana is crushing its rebuild initiation. Tyrese Haliburton is obviously the headliner, but the Pacers also netted a first and second-round pick, plus a noteworthy flier in Jalen Smith and tradeable players like Buddy Hield. They also didn't overextend with any forced moves.
Bryan Fonseca: It would be silly to say Indiana, and as much as I do like Tyrese, I'm not a *full-blown* Haliburton hipster. He can be an All-Star, for sure, but Domantas Sabonis is already that. The deal isn't *that* one-sided. I could say Brooklyn or Philly for getting themselves out of a situation, but both teams might've just traded one set of problems for another. In fact, I'd say that's likely. So, you know what, I really enjoy what New Orleans did. You can't rebuild forever and Zion Williamson's already extension-eligible this summer. We'll have to see him again at some point, and with CJ McCollum and Brandon Ingram, you should be competitive, especially next year &mdash; if you have mostly good health. To me, it's a diet version of the Chicago Bulls adding DeMar DeRozan.&nbsp;
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Evan Sidery: Exiting this year&rsquo;s trade deadline, it's rare to list both teams from the biggest transaction as winners. That's exactly what happened in the Sixers and Nets&rsquo; blockbuster when James Harden and Ben Simmons swapped places. Harden joins Joel Embiid forming a lethal, potentially transcendent one-two scoring combination. Philadelphia pushed the chips in as Embiid continues to display rare big man dominance. For Brooklyn, this situation was untenable with Harden&rsquo;s on-court pouting. The Nets&rsquo; Big 3 of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden will be looked back on with so many questions down the road. Both teams shook it up, and in the end it's fair to say both teams made weaknesses a strength. Harden is Daryl Morey&rsquo;s big moment in Philly, but Simmons could finally be fully maximized alongside Durant.
Mat Issa: Of course, the 76ers are &ndash; any time you can end an annoying, eight-month-old saga by securing a top-12 player in the world, you&rsquo;ve won immensely. However, the team that really stands out to me is their counterpart in the deal, the Brooklyn Nets. Despite having their back against the wall with very little leverage (thanks to Harden&rsquo;s displeasure being confirmed the morning of the deadline), the team netted a pretty nice return. Say what you will about him, but Simmons was a solid All-Star in a suboptimal situation in Philadelphia. Next season, he&rsquo;ll be operating with the perimeter gravity that the likes of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Joe Harris, and Seth Curry (another valuable piece from the deal) afford you. Also, adding a solid backup center and some draft capital is always nice, as well.
Justin Lewis: The Brooklyn Nets, because they just became a better team. The Detroit Pistons paid next to nothing for a shot at Marvin Bagley. The Memphis Grizzlies because Dallas got worse and no one in the West really made a move to pull closer or further away from them.
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Who are your biggest NBA trade deadline winners? BasketballNews.com's writers shared their thoughts.

Roundtable: Who are the biggest winners of the NBA trade deadline?

It's that time of year when NBA trade machines and insider gossip hijack basketball discourse. Trade deadline season means absolute chaos for just about anyone involved in basketball from a management, player or media perspective. For better or for worse, I'm pulling the "we live in a society" card and conforming.
The Tank-O-Meter is back for the second time this season to assess how seriously teams should consider folding for the remainder of 2021-22. Teams are rated on a scale from 1 (playoffs or bust) to 10 (do not even think about winning a game again) based on how much a rebuild helps the long-term franchise outlook.
A key part of any good rebuild is maximizing selling out at the trade deadline. It makes sense to get a read on what teams should do before Thursday to build their chests of assets and get out of the limbo of a weak postseason push. You'll see a Tank-O-Meter reading for each of these 10 squads, plus the usual 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.&nbsp;
This is not merely a bottom-10 of your typical best-to-worst outlooks. You will see championship contenders and playoff hopefuls mixed in with struggling squads. Teams well under .500 may never touch the Sour Rankings because they are on track with their respective processes. Injuries, drama, transactions and generally underwhelming play will earn you a spot on this list.
The central question is ultimately this: How good should you feel about the direction of each franchise? Let's get going.
Escaping the Sour Rankings:&nbsp;The New Orleans Pelicans got Brandon Ingram back from injury and immediately started winning. They're currently on a three-game stampede and have even moved into the Play-In tier of the Western Conference standings. Boston is also rolling on a five-game win streak with perhaps the hottest defense in basketball, suddenly tied with Toronto and Brooklyn for sixth in the Eastern Conference.
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10. Charlotte Hornets (28-26) &mdash; Tank-O-Meter reading: 2/10
The Hornets sink into the Sour Rankings as they tough out a four-game losing streak with defeats against the Los Angeles Clippers, Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat. Their run to the All-Star break is daunting; it features 6 games in 11 days and includes matchups against the Toronto Raptors, Chicago Bulls, Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves and Heat (again). According to <a href="https://heavy.com/sports/boston-celtics/nba-trade-rumor-josh-richardson/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Heavy's Steve Bulpett</a>, Charlotte is also looking to trade PJ Washington, which still doesn't make much sense to me.
Charlotte shouldn't consider bottoming out as long as the team has confidence in its young core. The Hornets have the pieces to either become buyers or sellers at the deadline, and are right in the thick of a competitive East playoff race. At the absolute minimum, this is great experience for guys like LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges, and the Hornets are still a threatening offense on a nightly basis.
(Last week: Unranked)
9. Detroit Pistons (12-41) &mdash; Tank-O-Meter reading: 9/10
Easy reading for Detroit &mdash; the franchise has already been near the bottom of the league all season. The Pistons can really supercharge the current rebuild with how they approach the trade deadline regarding veterans like Jerami Grant and Cory Joseph.
But Detroit still cracks the Sour Rankings, because even in the scheduled losses, it just feels like there's been too much uninspired basketball. Honestly, what young talents on the roster do you feel better about from the start of the season besides Cade Cunningham? I'd say there's an argument for Saddiq Bey and... that's about it. Detroit still has several questions to answer about the team's identity, and those questions can be answered even in losses.
(Last week: Unranked)
8. Utah Jazz (32-21) &mdash; Tank-O-Meter reading: 1/10
Utah battled to a win against the Denver Nuggets and dismantled the flailing Nets this week, bringing some stability after a five-game skid. However, reports are back (this one from <a href="https://www.deseret.com/2022/2/4/22916919/utah-jazz-donovan-mitchell-on-reports-relationship-with-rudy-gobert-has-deteriorated-thats-not-true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ESPN's Brian Windhorst</a>) that Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert are "at each other's throats." Mitchell once again denied the rumors, and who knows at this point what's grounding the reports. But it's never good to hear.
No, the Jazz should not tank &mdash; they're still fourth in the West standings even in this rough patch.
(Last week: 6)
7. Indiana Pacers (19-36) &mdash; Tank-O-Meter reading: 9/10
The Pacers <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/reaction-caris-levert-fills-blended-need-for-cavs-as-pacers-reset" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dealt Caris LeVert to the Cavaliers yesterday in a trade</a> that brought back an expiring (and injured) Ricky Rubio, a lottery-protected first-round pick that will likely convey this season and two additional second-rounders. That's not a bad return for a team that simply needs young talent in waves, and draft picks always add some trade flexibility.&nbsp;
Moving LeVert for that package signals a rebuild is on the way. It's long overdue. Now, the Pacers have to get what they can for Myles Turner, Justin Holiday and their other vets. I do not think Domantas Sabonis is a "must-trade" due to his sheer skill. But Indiana also can't be afraid to accept a good offer. They're one of the primary teams to watch ahead of Thursday.
(Last week: 4)
6. Portland Trail Blazers (21-33) &mdash; Tank-O-Meter reading: 8/10
Here's another team giving off "rebuild" vibes. The Trail Blazers traded Norman Powell and Robert Covington to the Clippers this week for Eric Bledsoe, Justise Winslow, Keon Johnson and a future second-round pick. That return feels underwhelming considering Portland gave up two very good rotation players. But if they like the uber-athletic Johnson, so be it.
With no Damian Lillard return in sight, Portland should really sell at this deadline. What does being in a Play-In race even mean for this franchise? Young trade pieces and the NBA Draft are the best way to find game-changing talent. CJ McCollum and Jusuf Nurkic have been involved in trade rumors recently. I wouldn't be surprised if both had new homes by Thursday evening.
(Last week: 7)
5. New York Knicks (24-29) &mdash; Tank-O-Meter reading: 7/10
One day, Deuce McBride and Immanuel Quickley will join the starting lineup and everything will be alright in New York. For now, the Knicks remain a woefully inconsistent basketball team that can't be trusted &mdash; but can't be counted out &mdash; on any night. If I had my way, Tom Thibodeau would commit to playing the youth; Quentin Grimes, Quickley and McBride would see serious playing time increases, and New York would head into the offseason with a good draft pick and an enticing young core. Then again, it's Thibs.
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Julius Randle got into it with a coach on the bench against the Lakers. 😬 (h/t <a href="https://twitter.com/AhnFireDigital?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AhnFireDigital</a>) <a href="https://t.co/NNhrE2XgVt">pic.twitter.com/NNhrE2XgVt</a>
&mdash; theScore (@theScore) <a href="https://twitter.com/theScore/status/1490765945396244482?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 7, 2022</a></blockquote>

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By the way, read this <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/julius-randle-and-the-george-costanza-problem" target="_blank" rel="noopener">excellent piece from Mat Issa</a> that further highlights how the Knicks are leaving Julius Randle out to dry.
(Last week: 5)
4. Sacramento Kings (20-35) &mdash; Tank-O-Meter reading: 9/10
<a href="https://theathletic.com/3113791/2022/02/07/detroit-pistons-nba-trade-deadline-guide-what-im-hearing-about-jerami-grant-trade-tiers/?article_source=search&amp;search_query=jerami%20grant" target="_blank" rel="noopener">James L. Edwards III of&nbsp;The Athletic</a>&nbsp;says that the Kings have reported interest in Jerami Grant. This comes after all the will-they-won't-they drama surrounding a Ben Simmons trade and the availability of De'Aaron Fox and Tyrese Haliburton. Of course, smokescreens exist in trade gossip, but I still can't rationalize most of the reported targets for Sacramento.
This is a bad basketball team. The Kings have the second-worst offensive rating in the NBA over the past few weeks in addition to their perenially-porous defense. Sacramento may be two games out of 10th place, but the team would have to unseat several better squads in the San Antonio Spurs, Trail Blazers and Pelicans. As repetitive as selling is for this squad, it's the logical step.
(Last week: 2)
3. Los Angeles Lakers (26-28) &mdash; Tank-O-Meter reading: 1/10
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&ldquo;more from an off-ball perspective&rdquo; from TALEN HORTON-TUCKER is just- <a href="https://t.co/LO3LSpvuxR">https://t.co/LO3LSpvuxR</a>
&mdash; Nekias (Nuh-KY-us) Duncan (@NekiasNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NekiasNBA/status/1490191241878851589?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 6, 2022</a></blockquote>
I audibly chuckled reading this reaction from Nekias Duncan on Frank Vogel's rationale benching Russell Westbrook late against the Knicks. L.A. won that game in overtime, but it sure wasn't thanks to either player. Even though the Lakers went 2-1 this week, the lasting image will be the game-winner from Clippers guard Reggie Jackson on Thursday. The purple and gold are now down to ninth in the Western Conference.
The Tank-O-Meter reading remains the same: You don't tank with a healthy LeBron James.
(Last week: 3)
2. Washington Wizards (24-28) &mdash; Tank-O-Meter reading: 5/10
Washington's downward spiral continued last week with two one-sided losses to the Bucks and Suns. The Wizards did manage a 106-103 win over Philadelphia, but they've now been usurped by the Atlanta Hawks for the final Play-In bid. Does being on the outside looking in change anything from a directional perspective?
I think the Wizards are at the most polarizing trade deadline crossroads of any NBA team. They could make a desparation play for a star to help Bradley Beal and <a href="https://twitter.com/JakeLFischer/status/1488860395683168259?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1488860395683168259%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2F8points9seconds.com%2F2022%2F02%2F03%2Findiana-pacers-domantas-sabonis-trade-wizards%2F" target="_blank" rel="noopener">swing on someone like Domantas Sabonis.</a> Or, Washington could send out its solid veterans in return for young talent or draft assets &mdash; at the risk of losing Beal this offseason. Moves have to be made by Thursday, but I couldn't honestly say what the right direction is.
(Last week: 1)
1. Brooklyn Nets (29-24) &mdash; Tank-O-Meter reading: 1/10
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Harden effort thread because I watched the film back and, my god, it's pathetic. Clip 1: just blatantly not caring. <a href="https://t.co/NbCccj2Ntt">pic.twitter.com/NbCccj2Ntt</a>
&mdash; Erik Slater (@erikslaterNR) <a href="https://twitter.com/erikslaterNR/status/1489287381031297027?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 3, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Whew... An eight-game losing streak, complete with some epic meltdowns, has the Nets in the Play-In tournament. And that's not even the worst part amidst the firestorm of rumors surrounding James Harden's potential availability. Whether or not he gets traded, Harden is showing visible disinterest at a critical point in Brooklyn's season. It's hard to consider the Nets a legitimate title contender with the way they've played over the past three weeks.
(Last week: 8)
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Ethan Fuller looks at which struggling teams should sell ahead of Thursday's trade deadline.

NBA Sour Rankings: Tank-O-Meter readings ahead of the trade deadline

And here&rsquo;s the first pair of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=panEWmN28jM" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mentos thrown in the Coke bottle</a> that&rsquo;ll set off the rest of the league.
The trade deadline isn&rsquo;t until February 10 but, as usual, teams are already completing deals. In this case, per ESPN&rsquo;s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Los Angeles Clippers are sending over a package led by Eric Bledsoe and Justise Winslow to the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for Norman Powell and Robert Covington.
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The Clippers are trading Eric Bledsoe, Justise Winslow, Keon Johnson and future second-round pick to the Trail Blazers for Norman Powell and Robert Covington, sources tell ESPN.
&mdash; Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1489681792881860620?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2022</a>
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Clippers are sending Blazers a 2025 second-round pick via the Detroit Pistons, sources tell ESPN.
&mdash; Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1489683115077423106?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2022</a>
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As of this trade, the Blazers are 21-31, 10th in the Western Conference, and <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/whats-next-for-the-portland-trail-blazers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">still without Damian Lillard for at least a few more weeks</a>. The Clippers, even without Paul George and Kawhi Leonard &mdash; <a href="https://www.hoopsrumors.com/2022/02/latest-on-kawhi-leonard-paul-george.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">neither of whom are guaranteed to return this season</a> &mdash; are 27-27 and eighth in the West behind the leadership of head coach Tyronn Lue.
If you recall &mdash; and, well, how could you not &mdash; the Clippers completed a 36-point comeback against Portland East, a.k.a., the Washington Wizards, one of <a href="https://www.latimes.com/sports/clippers/story/2022-01-25/clippers-biggest-comeback-team-history-win-wizards" target="_blank" rel="noopener">three comebacks of at least 24 points or more in a two-week span</a>. That in itself is a feat reached by the Clippers and no one else in the last 25 years.
ESPN&rsquo;s Bobby Marks lays out the contractual mechanics. This is important &mdash; otherwise, you&rsquo;d think the Clippers just jacked the Blazers, but that&rsquo;s not fully true. (We&rsquo;ll get to that later.)
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Here are the contracts: For LAC: 🏀N. Powell: $15.5M, $16.8M, $18M, $19.2M, $20.5M 🏀R. Covington: $13M (UFA w/bird rights) For POR: 🏀E. Bledsoe: $18.1M, $19.4M ($3.9M guaranteed) 🏀J. Winslow: $3.9M, $4.1M 🏀K. Johnson: $2.6M, $2.7M, $2.8M, $4.5M
&mdash; Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) <a href="https://twitter.com/BobbyMarks42/status/1489683749335973889?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2022</a>
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The Clippers conceptually &ldquo;win&rdquo; the trade from the standpoint of fielding a better roster. Powell&rsquo;s been the Blazers third-leading scorer this season wiith Lillard and CJ McCollum out for extended periods, and the No. 1 option on numerous nights as a result. Powell extended with Portland over the summer for five years and $90 million, but it&rsquo;s an ascending contract that won&rsquo;t land him a salary north of $20 million until the last year of the deal. Powell gives the Clippers a No. 3 or even No. 4, ideally next to Leonard and George at some point, who can score efficiently and at-will in different facets of the game.&nbsp;&nbsp;
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In Portland, Powell averaged 18.7 points on 46/41/80 shooting splits and just 13.6 field goals per game. His field goal attempts are slightly over Anfernee Simons&rsquo; 12.9 attempts per contest, though he only averages 14.6 points by comparison &mdash; despite also shooting an efficient line, 44/40/90. Why the difference? Powell not only gets to the line five times per game, second only to Lillard on the team, but his .365 free-throw rate leads all non-centers on the roster. Additionally, Powell&rsquo;s been a quality pull-up shooter, ranking 16th in scoring efficiency, shooting with an Effective Field Goal percentage of 64% in spot-up situations and 56% in transition, <a href="https://twitter.com/SynergySST/status/1489684009454125062" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to Synergy</a>.
All of which are great signs if you&rsquo;re 6-foot-3, which you can&rsquo;t say that often in this league.
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Moreover, adding Powell removes the offensive strain on other Clippers, like Reggie Jackson, Marcus Morris and the emerging Luke Kennard especially &mdash; making them more potent on that end and, ideally, not putting them in positions where 24-point comebacks are all that necessary.
In theory, Covington will play a role on the Clippers, assuming he remains on the team, but it feels more like short-term insurance. And there&rsquo;s nothing wrong with that, but let&rsquo;s spell it out. Covington is on an expiring $13 million contract and will dive into unrestricted free agency in a few months. Positionally, as a theoretical stretch-four/three-and-D-wing, he has some duplication for this Clippers roster, mainly George, Leonard, Morris and Nicolas Batum.
Covington&rsquo;s statistically having his worst season since entering the league full-time, throwing out the seven games he played as a rookie in 2012-13. In 30 minutes per contest, and 40 starts in 48 appearances, Covington&rsquo;s averaging 7.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.3 blocks per game, shooting 38/34/83, and while the free-throw percentage is high, he&rsquo;s only taken 36 this season, and hasn&rsquo;t cracked 150 since 2016-17. Covington will split time with and see the floor beside other Clipper forwards, and just being on a better team with a better coach should help settle his role.
Let&rsquo;s also acknowledge that Covington could also be a part of this deal because the Clippers may move Morris and or Batum within the next few days. (Take it from me, Miami Heat fans are already trying to figure out how to get one of them. If the Clippers like Duncan Robinson &ndash; for Morris in particular &ndash; maybe they&rsquo;re in luck.) That&rsquo;d open things up for Covington, and Powell would replenish the scoring, albeit differently.
From a basketball perspective, the Blazers portion doesn&rsquo;t need an extensive breakdown, at least not on this piece &mdash; trust me, fam. Hell, the move itself isn&rsquo;t about their play as much as it is cap mechanics. But in summation, it isn&rsquo;t as bad as some tweeters are pondering, depending on what follows.
As Marks outlined earlier, around 20% of Bledsoe&rsquo;s $19.4 million salary next season is guaranteed, so the Blazers could easily move on from him. Winslow is only due $4 million next season, and Keon Johnson was just picked in the first-round, so he&rsquo;ll be cheap (by NBA standards) through 2025, assuming all his options are picked up. He&rsquo;s played 135 total minutes this season and won&rsquo;t turn 20 for another month, so we&rsquo;ll call him a project.
The move also places Portland under the luxury tax, per Marks, and it also creates a $6.5 million trade exception.
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The trade will put Portland under the luxury tax. The Clippers tax bill increases from $93.9M to $112.9M (+$19M). <a href="https://t.co/ZpEJfML8XM">https://t.co/ZpEJfML8XM</a>
&mdash; Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) <a href="https://twitter.com/BobbyMarks42/status/1489684937838059526?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2022</a></blockquote>
The big question around Portland is, obviously, what happens to Lillard. Question No. 1A is McCollum, but freeing Powell&rsquo;s salary and adding a trade exception aids the mechanics of making future moves. The Blazers have short-term contracts to use &mdash; hell, they could even re-route Bledsoe&rsquo;s $18.1 million this season if they wanted, or keep him on the books to use after the season since his deal won&rsquo;t be fully guaranteed <a href="https://www.hoopsrumors.com/2021/09/clippers-notes-bledsoe-winslow-vaccinations-drame.html#:~:text=Bledsoe%20currently%20has%20a%20partial,offseason%20flexibility%20for%20the%20franchise." target="_blank" rel="noopener">until four days after the July moratorium</a>.
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Jusuf Nurkić at $12 million and Larry Nance Jr. at $10.6 million are also usable deals in trades to monitor, along with several draft picks. So, for Portland, this trade is about what&rsquo;s next more than anything else. Maybe we&rsquo;ll look back and say they got the shaft at some point, but it&rsquo;s too early to make that judgment. To some degree, it may be for the Clippers as well, but they&rsquo;re clearly trying to be competitive now, and this should help them get there.
These are two franchises going in different directions. The Clippers, if they get healthy before the playoffs, should be taken seriously as a contender, especially because there&rsquo;s a world where they get to the NBA Finals last season if Leonard doesn&rsquo;t tear his ACL in the postseason. For the Blazers, I mean &hellip; we&rsquo;ll see.
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Bryan Fonseca breaks down the deal between the Clippers and Trail Blazers, which sent Norman Powell to LAC.

Breaking down why the Blazers-Clippers deal works for both sides

When&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/kings-making-buddy-hield-richaun-holmes-harrison-barnes-available" target="_blank" rel="noopener">seeing the report late last week</a>&nbsp;of the Sacramento Kings making Richaun Holmes available for trade, there should&rsquo;ve been several NBA teams channeling a 1980 Muhammad Ali saying, &ldquo;I want Holmes! I want Holmes!&rdquo;&nbsp;
(Couldn&rsquo;t find the clip, but I remember watching it long ago.)
Of course, Ali was talking about former World Heavyweight Champion Larry Holmes, whom he lost to later that year &mdash; 42 years later, we&rsquo;re talking about an underrated Kings center, but the point stands. Nothing, not even 50-year-old <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFK9zh2yHO4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Johnny Knoxville being in this week&rsquo;s Royal Rumble</a>, is less surprising than the Kings looking to revamp their roster in some form. That basketball team in Sacramento rebuilds more often than Griselda releases music.&nbsp;
But, again,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.spotrac.com/nba/sacramento-kings/richaun-holmes-17865/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">less than five months after signing a four-year, $46 million extension</a>, including a $12.9 million player option for 2024-25, Holmes is possibly available. At just $10.3 million this season, he&rsquo;s very affordable by NBA standards. Having turned 28 years old in October and playing in year seven, he&rsquo;s in the prime of his career. Given where he currently is, he might indeed be better off elsewhere.&nbsp;
Holmes has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/kings/richaun-holmes-commits-goggles-recounts-scary-eye-injury" target="_blank" rel="noopener">battled an eye injury</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sacbee.com/sports/nba/sacramento-kings/article256988807.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">COVID</a> this season, but has been productive despite a drop in playing time, logging 25.8 minutes through his 32 games (all starts) compared to last year, where he was at 29.2 minutes. He&rsquo;s posting 12.3 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game this season while shooting a career-best 70% from the floor. Per 36-minutes, he&rsquo;s at 17.1 points, 1.5 blocks and a career-best 11.3 boards. Holmes is a distant first in win shares per 48 minutes at .179 (second is .111). He&rsquo;s also second in team box plus-minus (1.3) behind Tyrese Haliburton&rsquo;s 2.5 and ahead of Harrison Barnes&rsquo; 0.5; everyone else is in the negative. (Yes, that means De&rsquo;Aaron Fox, for whatever that&rsquo;s worth.)&nbsp;
Ideally, if you&rsquo;re the team making this move, you&rsquo;d look to solidify your center position while prepping for your playoff push. The good news is that all of the following teams are in the playoff hunt &mdash; so don't worry, my fellow rec spec-wearing friend, let's get you outta there.&nbsp;
Charlotte Hornets
The Hornets are (quietly?) 27-22 as of this writing, and are seventh in the Eastern Conference. At least they're quiet for a team run by a rising star in LaMelo Ball, his underappreciated backcourt mate Terry Rozier, Most Improved Player candidate Miles Bridges and steady swingman Gordon Hayward&nbsp; That&rsquo;s four-fifths of their starting five, with the center spot being occupied by Mason Plumlee. Kelly Oubre Jr. and PJ Washington play significant minutes off the bench, meaning the Hornets &mdash; who are 21st in rebounding and allow the third-most rebounds per game &mdash; are often playing small.&nbsp;
PJ Washington, in particular, is a&nbsp;<a href="https://hoopshype.com/storyline/pj-washington-trade/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">trade piece that&rsquo;s been rumored to be available</a> and likely has to be included in the deal, since his minutes and production have declined since last season, where he was an everyday starter. It should be added that, entering the last of his rookie-scale contract next season, it&rsquo;s likely the Hornets won&rsquo;t extend him by 2023.&nbsp;
The trade logistically couldn&rsquo;t be PJ for Holmes straight up since Washington only makes $4.2 million this season. The Kings also are rumored to be shopping others on their team, so there&rsquo;s a potential for this to extend beyond Holmes arriving from Sacramento by himself in this hypothetical &mdash; your simplest route is to pair Washington with Plumlee&rsquo;s $8.1 million, which mathematically makes this work straight up. Plumlee has a partially guaranteed $8.5 million coming to him next season, and the Kings should also receive a couple of second-rounders or a first coming back to them, both of which the Hornets <a href="https://www.prosportstransactions.com/basketball/DraftTrades/Future/Hornets.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">have enough to entice with</a>.&nbsp;
A Ball-Rozier-Hayward-Bridges-Holmes lineup sounds fun as hell.
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Richaun Holmes is dunking all over the Lakers 😤 <a href="https://t.co/y9fO2OprSI">pic.twitter.com/y9fO2OprSI</a>
&mdash; NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNNBA/status/1465891771489996805?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 1, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Dallas Mavericks
Between Dwight Powell, Moses Brown, Maxi Kleber, Willie Cauley-Stein, Marquese Chriss and Boban Marjanović, the Dallas Mavericks have had what&rsquo;s felt like a 💩 ton of bigs this season. Even so, as our Nekias Duncan wrote last week, without a true anchor, the Mavs have recently <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/how-do-the-mavericks-have-an-elite-defense" target="_blank" rel="noopener">become one of the league&rsquo;s best defenses</a>.&nbsp;
Still, on the roster, there isn&rsquo;t a clear long-term answer there as you continue to build this around the already extended Luka Dončić and, for now, the seemingly bought-in Kristaps Porziņģis. Enter Holmes, who is signed through at least the 2023-24 season. Powell and Kleber, who generally eat the lion&rsquo;s share of minutes next to KP, are both signed through 2022-23 before they&rsquo;d each become unrestricted free agents. Though Kleber makes $8.9 million this season and Powell is at $11 million, both work for Holmes mathematically straight up. Obviously, Dallas would attach at least one or two second-round draft picks, if not a protected first, to either guy (Powell more likely) and make it nearly a straight-up trade.&nbsp;
There&rsquo;s room to open this up further. Buddy Hield makes $22.5 million this season, and his contract descends to $20 and $18 million until it expires in the summer of 2024. Tim Hardaway Jr., who Dallas extended this past summer and <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/33148625/dallas-mavericks-tim-hardaway-jr-ruled-game-left-foot-injury" target="_blank" rel="noopener">is now out with a fractured left foot</a>, makes $21 million this year but is also on a descending deal that drops to $19.6, $17.9, and $16.1 million through the 2024-25 season. Both struggling shooting guards probably aren&rsquo;t long for their organizations, even as they were both recently extended. Hardaway Jr. was also moved to the bench for Jalen Brunson, who&rsquo;s facing a contract situation of his own given his pending free agency (keep him, Dallas).&nbsp;
So there&rsquo;s a path to this becoming a Powell and Hardaway plus draft picks for Holmes and Hield exchange. Holmes is the type of hustling, dirty-work, efficient and quality center that the Mavericks could use. Unlike in 2K, you can trade injured players in real life &mdash; sorry Tim. Just imagine the push shots off Luka feeds.&nbsp;
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death, taxes, and richaun holmes hitting 62.5% of his push shots (20-of-32) <a href="https://t.co/iGH0xuA7Gn">pic.twitter.com/iGH0xuA7Gn</a>
&mdash; Dan Favale (@danfavale) <a href="https://twitter.com/danfavale/status/1465715242952900614?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 30, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Toronto Raptors
I mean, could you think of a more Raptor-ass center than Holmes? Who better be run with Fred VanVleet, Scottie Barnes, OG Anunoby, Pascal Siakam and Gary Trent Jr.?&nbsp;
Now, how do you make this happen? First, with that being the Raptors&rsquo; starting five, where does Holmes fit? Well, it&rsquo;s really their starting five out of necessity because Precious Achiuwa hasn&rsquo;t had the second NBA season they&rsquo;d been hoping for. Ideally, you&rsquo;d still want an actual center in that mix as one of your top six minutes getters so that you have a bit more reliable size. The Raptors don&rsquo;t currently have a true center you could trust for extended periods, and Holmes fills that void.&nbsp;
Now, regarding trade pieces, Chris Boucher is on a $7 million expiring contract, and Khem Birch is on the first of a three-year, $19 million contract, which lands him at $6.3 million this season. Combining those two does work, and it would obviously have to come with considerable draft capital, but even the Kings would probably ask wtf are they going to do with that and have a point.&nbsp;
Remove Birch and insert Achiuwa? That works &ndash; would the Raptors already want to move off the centerpiece of their Kyle Lowry trade, who is just due $2.8 million next year with a $4.3 million team option the season after? I mean, maybe? It would certainly help preserve some draft capital in a hypothetical Holmes trade and, you figure, if you&rsquo;re acquiring a center Achiuwa would have a tougher time seeing minutes anyway. But that&rsquo;s generally what you&rsquo;d be looking at moving if you&rsquo;re Toronto: Boucher and Birch, Boucher and Achuiwa; Boucher, Achiuwa and Malachi Flynn, along with some combination of picks or a first-rounder, for Holmes.&nbsp;
And if I&rsquo;m Holmes, I&rsquo;m down for whatever, as long as I could leave Sacramento.&nbsp;
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Bonus: Golden State Warriors
Okay &hellip; here we go.
There&rsquo;s really only one way to do this, and it&rsquo;s using James Wiseman&rsquo;s $9.1 million salary this season straight up. Y&rsquo;all could determine what picks may or may not go where, but these are the two names because the Golden State Warriors don&rsquo;t have much middle-class salary to use, nor do they probably want to shake up their roster a ton, including even this. But if they determine that Wiseman, who hasn&rsquo;t played since Apr. 10 of last year due to a torn meniscus that <a href="https://theathletic.com/news/warriors-james-wiseman-needed-additional-knee-surgery-in-december-sources/DyEHJgzTblrO/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">required additional arthroscopic surgery in December</a>, isn&rsquo;t worth waiting for, then there you have it.&nbsp;
Wiseman showed flashes, but struggled defensively as a rookie while only logging 39 games (though he posted 11.5 points and 5.8 rebounds on 52% percent shooting in 21.4 minutes per contest). He&rsquo;ll turn 21 in March, and because of NCAA nonsense, we were only able to see him three times in college. Wiseman&rsquo;s due $9.6 million next year and will likely bank another $12.1 million, assuming his option gets accepted.
I&rsquo;m still a Wiseman stockholder, but I&rsquo;m also pro going for a championship now in this seemingly wide-open NBA season &mdash; an immediate upgrade at center might be what Golden State sees as a necessary step. It makes something like a possible Holmes deal reasonable to think twice about. Just sayin&rsquo;.
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Bryan Fonseca ponders a handful of teams who could be a good fit for Kings big man Richaun Holmes.

Examining potential trade destinations for Richaun Holmes

Because he agreed to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.spotrac.com/nba/denver-nuggets/will-barton-10865/">two-year, $30 million deal</a> with the Denver Nuggets this past August, swingman Will Barton wasn&rsquo;t eligible to be traded until Dec. 15. Well, we&rsquo;re past that mark.
And as the Nuggets stand at 14-14 on the season, it&rsquo;s time to wonder what they&rsquo;ll do since Jamal Murray (ACL) and Michael Porter Jr. (back) aren&rsquo;t returning to the lineup anytime soon, and might not play at all for the rest of the season.
(At this point, we can&rsquo;t even accurately predict who&rsquo;ll suit up tomorrow, so why try, I don&rsquo;t know, March?!?)
Barring a turn of events even Nikola Jokić wouldn&rsquo;t anticipate, the Nuggets aren&rsquo;t trading him, and that makes Barton the team&rsquo;s most compelling potential trade chip between now and the Feb. 10 deadline. Aaron Gordon would be the other, but he&rsquo;s in the first of a five-year deal signed this past summer. (So is Ben Simmons, but you get the point.)
In Murray and Porter&rsquo;s absence, Barton has been the Nuggets&rsquo; secondary offensive option this season. For some of you, it&rsquo;s a potentially frightening thought given that, conceptually, he&rsquo;s intended to be the fourth&nbsp;option on this team instead. But, if there&rsquo;s anything we&rsquo;ve learned from watching sports press-on during a pandemic, few things are more invoked than &ldquo;next man up&rdquo;... for better and/or worse.&nbsp;
Barton&rsquo;s averaging 16.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game on 44/38/74 shooting splits; 17.3 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists per 36 minutes, so that's significant. Add in the fact that he's their current minutes leader (33.3 per game, 798 total) &mdash; &nbsp;should the Nuggets even consider moving Barton?
Having trouble deciding which way to lean, we'll make a case for both sides of the argument.
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The Case To Keep
Beyond just Porter and Murray, injuries have decimated the Nuggets&rsquo; rotation. P.J. Dozier tore his ACL <a href="https://www.nba.com/news/nuggets-pj-dozier-suffers-torn-acl-in-left-knee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the day before Thanksgiving</a>. JaMychal Green is currently out with an ankle injury. Jokić and Barton have both missed a few games each during the season, and that&rsquo;s before you get to the league's COVID health and safety protocols, which is the reason why Austin Rivers has been out since Dec. 1.&nbsp;
Barton&rsquo;s primarily been the team&rsquo;s second-best offensive player, and it&rsquo;s reasonable to question what good it would even do for the Nuggets to trade him. Since being traded from the Portland Trail Blazers before the 2015 trade deadline, Barton&rsquo;s been with Denver, re-signing with the Nuggets later that summer. Jokić has never been on a Nuggets roster that didn&rsquo;t include Barton, the longest-tenured team member.&nbsp;
There&rsquo;s something to be said for the chemistry they&rsquo;ve established. And, while the Nuggets&nbsp;could&nbsp;benefit from dealing Barton, what deal is out there that will make them markedly better? Without Murray and Porter, it&rsquo;s difficult to say.&nbsp;
In many respects, keeping Barton and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/finding-the-perfect-team-and-deal-for-terrence-ross" target="_blank" rel="noopener">making a move elsewhere</a> to improve the roster might go a longer way, especially if Murray and or Porter do return later this season. If so, that&rsquo;s probably the significant transaction you could make, and it would prevent this season from being a lost year so long as the Nuggets could position themselves for the playoffs. It&rsquo;s a safe and boring play, but one that keeps Denver afloat, in theory. There&rsquo;s no doubt Jokić needs more help, but upgrading Barton &mdash; who is giving him plenty &mdash; probably isn&rsquo;t the solution.
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Will Barton no-look. Nikola Jokic through contact. 1Q on <a href="https://twitter.com/NBATV?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NBATV</a> <a href="https://t.co/FgT7hgwEtg">pic.twitter.com/FgT7hgwEtg</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1461521132004294658?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 19, 2021</a></blockquote>

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The Case to Trade
Or... is it?!?
If the Nuggets were to move Barton, it would be more beneficial to combine him in a multi-player Denver trade package and upgrade the top-end of the roster instead of breaking down Barton&rsquo;s salary into multiple (and likely lesser) players.&nbsp;
Looking at Denver's <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/contracts/DEN.html">salary cap table</a>, Barton&rsquo;s $15.4 million alone is around the range of guys like Lauri Markkanen, Duncan Robinson, Norman Powell, Gary Trent Jr., and... hmm... Dejounte Murray? That&rsquo;s the kind of guy you&rsquo;d want to package Barton for &mdash; if the San Antonio Spurs would be willing to even pick up the phone, that is; it's a two-way street, of course. (Totally hypothetical and aiming high, but that&rsquo;s why you&rsquo;re here anyway.)
Others in that $15-20 million category include guys like Jarrett Allen, Lonzo Ball and Terry Rozier &mdash; who are just about certainly staying put with their teams &mdash; or guys like Domantas Sabonis and Julius Randle. (Jokić and Sabonis is intriguing on paper, but you&rsquo;d probably need to deal more than you want if you&rsquo;re Denver.)
Dejounte does have $15.4 million coming to him this season, the second of a four-year deal worth $64 million. And if you&rsquo;re packaging Barton with, say, Bol Bol&rsquo;s $2.2 million expiring, it works out financially, according to your favorite trade machine. Significant draft capital would have to be involved as well.
At that point, you&rsquo;re even in Jerami Grant territory, who sits at $20 million with an additional $21 million coming next season. Myles Turner also hits that $17.5 million mark both this year and next.
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Let&rsquo;s focus on Dejounte, Grant and Turner briefly.
Dejounte and Grant would likely command, along with Barton and Bol, multiple future first-round picks, which is understandable. Grant was part of Denver&rsquo;s 2019-20 playoff run before signing the $60 million deal with Detroit last sum&hellip;err, fall prior to the 2020-21 season. Since joining Detroit, he&rsquo;s a different, more offensive-minded forward than he was in Denver, and it would serve this current version of the Nuggets well, especially with injuries.
The Spurs should want to keep their Murray, but amid a career season and prevailing health, maybe they&rsquo;d like to cash out. Plus, the Nuggets maintain all the necessary picks, as outlined in the our previous <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/finding-the-perfect-team-and-deal-for-terrence-ross" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Terrence Ross trade piece</a>. And, maybe, just maybe &mdash; Bol could actually play in San Antonio.&nbsp;
Picture a Jokić lineup including Gordon, Porter and the two Murrays. That&rsquo;s a Western Conference Championship contender if&nbsp;healthy, which is a big if, but an exciting risk to potentially take.&nbsp;
In another hypothetical, take out Dejounte and insert Turner. Yes, two centers, what a crime. The Cleveland Cavaliers are playing basically three of them in their starting lineup and have been <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/from-lovable-underdog-to-unforgiving-bully-how-the-cavs-got-here" target="_blank" rel="noopener">whooping nearly everyone&rsquo;s ass this month</a>. Turner is one of the league&rsquo;s best shot-blockers, is shooting 35% from three and would be a fascinating right-hand man to Jokić for a package similar to the one we&rsquo;ve been discussing.
The Verdict
Heading into this, I&rsquo;ve been partial to keeping Barton above all other options. While I&rsquo;m still mostly there, the exercise exposing the Dejounte and Turner deals, in particular, are maybe the only ones worth breaking up Barton and Jokić for on paper. The former, more so.
There&rsquo;s always something to be said for chemistry, familiarity and all the intangibles that spring from long-established camaraderie. It&rsquo;s way too often overlooked in our transaction-crazed time.
Maybe the Nuggets could facilitate something else through other means, but for now, don&rsquo;t expect anything earth-shattering yet.

Bryan Fonseca wrestles with the idea of Will Barton's future with the Nuggets: To trade, or not to trade?

The case against, and for, the Nuggets trading Will Barton

The Athletic&rsquo;s Shams Charania officially tossed out a stick of dynamite on Tuesday, and the fuse was lit from Indiana. Trade season has officially begun, and <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/pacers-moving-to-substantial-rebuild-listening-to-trade-calls-on-stars" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the Pacers are open to a fire sale</a> to begin an &ldquo;extensive rebuild.&rdquo; A long overdue strategy in Indiana, it&rsquo;s the right move for a team that has shown a low ceiling and potential roster regression.
With a 10-16 record, Indiana is open to all of its key pieces being shipped out, per Charania, including Caris LeVert, Myles Turner and Domantas Sabonis. Here on BasketballNews.com, we will be providing the best potential landing spots for all three. Nekias Duncan will be handling the two-time All-Star center in Sabonis, while I&rsquo;ll be scouring through the best situations for LeVert and Turner.
We&rsquo;re going to kick things off with LeVert. As I wrote last month, No. 13 overall pick Chris Duarte&rsquo;s quick emergence as a key long-term piece <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/pacers-facing-a-key-decision-point-later-on-with-chris-duarte-early-emergence" target="_blank" rel="noopener">changed the calculus on the future of the team's backcourt</a>. With Malcolm Brogdon signing an extension and not being eligible for a trade until this offseason, that leaves LeVert as the odd man out. He also plays the same position as Duarte, making his exit even more likely before February&rsquo;s deadline.
When the Pacers acquired LeVert almost exactly one year ago in the blockbuster four-team James Harden trade (which also sent Victor Oladipo to Houston), Indiana believed it might have struck discount gold once again. However, LeVert&rsquo;s on-court value is nowhere close to what it once was. LeVert has shown to be a solid combo guard, but his overall ineffectiveness in reading the floor and his poor shot selection make paying him a hefty contract a very worrisome proposition.
So, which teams actually make sense for the 27-year-old scorer? Let&rsquo;s dive into the best win-win scenarios for the Pacers and LeVert.
Cleveland Cavaliers
Although the Cavs are in the same division as Indiana, they immediately popped up as my best-case scenario in a potential LeVert deal. Not only would LeVert be able to slide in at shooting guard in the short-term replacing Collin Sexton &mdash; who is sidelined with a torn meniscus &mdash; but he also fits Cleveland&rsquo;s long-term puzzle alongside Darius Garland, No. 3 overall pick Evan Mobley and potential All-Star center Jarrett Allen. LeVert is an ideal score-first complement to the gigantic frontcourt duo that is wreaking havoc to opposing offenses around the rim.
From the Pacers&rsquo; point of view, the Cavaliers have a former top-five pick in Isaac Okoro who seems like an ideal roll of the dice and trade sweetener. Okoro is a strong, defense-first wing, but his offense still isn&rsquo;t developing at the rate Cleveland had hoped. Okoro&rsquo;s fit with the Cavaliers core right now is clunky, so swapping him out for LeVert is a major win for 2021-22 and beyond.
Cleveland throwing out an offer to Indiana revolving around Okoro, Cedi Osman and a lottery-protected 2022 first-round pick has to at least lead into serious discussions. Osman is salary-filler with a contract only guaranteed through the 2022-23 season, but he&rsquo;s a solid shooter who can provide wing minutes off the bench.
It&rsquo;s hard to peg LeVert&rsquo;s overall value, but a former top-five pick and a first-round pick make up a solid baseline and, honestly, this feels like the most realistic scenario as well. Cleveland is surprisingly in win-now mode, and LeVert adds a much-needed jolt offensively.
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Memphis Grizzlies
On the surface, you may be wondering why the Grizzlies are included here. They have Ja Morant and Dillon Brooks, plus some enticing young prospects developing in their system. However, Memphis continues to remain afloat in the Western Conference play-in race early on without Morant, who is sidelined with a knee injury. Adding LeVert into the Grizzlies&rsquo; rotation would soften the blow of not having Morant at the moment, but he also fits very well alongside their young superstar point guard.
LeVert would slide right in as Memphis&rsquo; sixth man who can score for himself or create for others in a pinch. I&rsquo;m very intrigued by the idea of LeVert playing heavy minutes in combination with the likes of Morant, Brooks and Desmond Bane. This would be a move to raise the immediate and long-term ceiling for the Grizzlies, who could also deal Brooks this offseason if LeVert thrives in their system (which is something I actually <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/why-its-wise-for-the-grizzlies-to-canvass-the-trade-market-on-dillon-brooks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">suggested Memphis look into</a> before the season started).
The Grizzlies&rsquo; rotation once Morant returns would look like this:
Starters: Morant, Bane, Brooks, Jaren Jackson Jr., Steven Adams
Second Unit: De&rsquo;Anthony Melton, LeVert, Brandon Clarke, Xavier Tillman
That&rsquo;s a strong nine-man rotation that could go up against a lot of teams in the reloaded West.
As you can tell above, two names in the Grizzlies&rsquo; current rotation are missing: Kyle Anderson and No. 10 overall pick Ziaire Williams. That would be the return for Indiana, potentially with a lottery-protected first-round pick as well.
Again, it's a solid baseline offer for LeVert and the move could help both teams. Memphis acquires a win-now piece who can also help them long-term, plus Indiana receives a young prospect alongside another future draft pick. Win-win.
Dallas Mavericks
This one was tough, but LeVert's fit in Dallas is very intriguing. Could you imagine Luka Doncic playing alongside LeVert in the Mavericks&rsquo; backcourt? That would be so much fun, because LeVert is an ideal complementary piece who can take pressure off Doncic in key situations.
With the Mavericks&rsquo; roster, though, there are not many assets that would intrigue Indiana. So, unless Dallas was open to this idea, a swap of LeVert for Jalen Brunson at least makes a little bit of sense.
Brunson&rsquo;s strong start to the 2021-22 season is bringing his value to an all-time high as we inch closer toward restricted free agency. Would Dallas want to ship Brunson for a potentially cheaper option who could play more minutes alongside Doncic? Brunson would be an excellent fit in Indiana as well, forming a strong one-two punch with Duarte long-term.
Would Dallas even be open to the idea of something like Dwight Powell and Brunson for LeVert? It&rsquo;s a tough sell, but one that could be a potential win-win down the road for both sides.
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Utah Jazz
Talk about a potential shift atop the West if Utah were to snag LeVert between now and February. LeVert, I feel, would be a strong fit within head coach Quin Snyder&rsquo;s system. He'd take pressure off of LeVert and have him focus on the finer details. LeVert&rsquo;s scoring package would be another win-now, all-in push from Utah, who is trying to capitalize on its Finals window being open.
From Indiana&rsquo;s perspective, there&rsquo;s not a lot that Utah could offer that would intrigue them. However, an expiring contract in Joe Ingles (who could be bought out after a trade) alongside second-round pick Jared Butler, Eric Paschall and a lightly-protected 2023 first-round pick could at least make for some interesting discussions.
Ingles has been an integral piece to the Jazz&rsquo;s success for years, but upgrading to LeVert would be a major win for their title hopes. Utah would have copious amounts of scoring off its bench &mdash; LeVert, Jordan Clarkson and Rudy Gay. The Jazz could also trot out LeVert as their starting small forward, inserting him between Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert. Either way, it would be a massive opportunity to bring LeVert aboard.
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New Orleans Pelicans
The Pelicans are teetering on desperation mode. The hot seat has been cranked up on executive vice presiident David Griffin, and Zion Williamson&rsquo;s injury issues continue to short-circuit their hopeful rise up the West standings. Whether it be Turner or LeVert, expect the Pelicans to be calling Indiana sometime soon if they haven&rsquo;t already.
Bringing LeVert to the Bayou would lead to an experimental fit alongside Williamson and Brandon Ingram. LeVert would slide right in at shooting guard for the Pelicans, or he could lead their second unit as a dynamic sixth man.
As a potential trade package, what about sending Indiana the following: Josh Hart, Trey Murphy III and a future first-round pick, if necessary? The Pacers would then have two young wings on their roster who could help build out a new vision under head coach Rick Carlisle.
It&rsquo;s another interesting trade destination for LeVert, and one that actually makes sense for both sides when examined under the microscope.
***
Overall, LeVert&rsquo;s market is so hard to project. As a score-first combo guard on an attainable contract for the next two seasons, his market could be robust. However, there&rsquo;s another scenario where his injury history and inefficiency could seriously limit the market for him.
Indiana is <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/pacers-must-accept-new-reality-and-become-sellers-at-trade-deadline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">finally blowing it up</a>, and LeVert seems to be an obvious candidate to be moved very soon. Stay tuned to BasketballNews.com as we continue to track the situation, plus reveal more trade destinations for the team's other notable pieces in Sabonis and Turner.

Which teams around the NBA could soon be calling about Pacers shooting guard Caris LeVert? Evan Sidery lists five.

Examining potential trade destinations for Caris LeVert

Hi, hello, and welcome to another edition of "Roaming The Baseline"! This will be a weekly endeavor where I point out some things that caught my eye: a hot or cold streak from a player, a developmental flash, a well-run play, a funny tweet, who knows? There will be film &mdash; it&rsquo;s me, so of course there will be film &mdash; but this will also be a bit looser. It&rsquo;s an extension of my Twitter feed, if you will.&nbsp;
With that said, let&rsquo;s roam the baseline.
IT TAKES TWO (TO THE BALL)
The Golden State Warriors are humming to start the year, shaky performance against the Oklahoma City Thunder not withstanding. They're 4-0, sporting the NBA's 6th best net rating (plus-7.3) and offense (111.4).&nbsp;
It's not a shock that the Warriors are playing well, but the&nbsp;way&nbsp;they're getting it done is both fun and encouraging when projecting forward.
The Dubs have trended smaller; their nominal starting center, Kevon Looney, is averaging a shade over 16 minutes a night. That has allowed them to play with more pace and, with Looney off the floor, more space.&nbsp;
As a defense, the last thing you want to do is give Stephen freakin' Curry more space to operate in. You can't afford to single-cover him; any slip from his primary defender causes mass hysteria elsewhere.
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Nobody bends the game quite like Curry. So surrounding him with space and quick-processors make the Warriors virtually impossible to defend when they're rolling &mdash; figuratively and literally.
Curry's leading the NBA with 1.8 secondary assists, a mundane-looking number before you consider he averaged 0.9 during his 2015-16 campaign, and peaked at 1.4 during the 2017-18 season.
You've seen the song and dance before. Curry shakes free &mdash; either darting around in transition, or running a defender off of an on or off-ball screen; a second defender jumps up to help; a pass is slipped to a rolling teammate, and that teammate slings the pill to an even more open teammate.
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Unless you have the personnel for a switch-literally-everything scheme, I'm not sure what you can do. And even if you do, Curry can still dance on you, create an advantage on the drive, and start the chain all over again.
EARLY RETURNS ON RUSS
The Russell Westbrook Experience has been a wild one through four games. He's filling the stat sheet (17-8-9), missing a lot of shots (44.3 eFG%), and trying to find his spots in between. The season opener was awful (8-5-4, 31% FG); his performance against the Spurs on Tuesday night (33-10-8-3, 56% FG) was masterful.
It's been fun to track his usage on the floor, particularly in ball screens. It was clear that traditional pick-and-rolls wouldn't do the trick; <a href="https://twitter.com/stevejones20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Steve Jones Jr</a>, my co-host at <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/podcasts/the-dunker-spot" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Dunker Spot</a>, noted how teams were <a href="https://twitter.com/NekiasNBA/status/1453036197417086987?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">simply ducking under screens</a> against Westbrook pick-and-rolls, and that creativity would be needed.
We've seen some alterations on both sides. With Westbrook handling the ball, the Lakers have dug into their bag with "ghost" and "flat" screens.
Using a (movement) shooting threat to run up to, then abruptly dart away from Westbrook has generated some fruitful stuff.
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Going with flat screens &mdash; setting the pick directly on a defenders back, as opposed to their side &mdash; makes it difficult, at best, to duck under the action.
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It's also nice to see Westbrook actually setting screens. Inverted ball screens with him and LeBron should lead to small-on-LeBron switches that defenses don't want, or short-roll opportunities for Westbrook.
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More of this, please.
HASSAN WHITESIDE: DOING THE LITTLE THINGS (FOR NOW, AT LEAST)
The Utah Jazz are also off to an undefeated start (3-0). While I'm here for Rudy Gobert owning the interior on both ends, and Donovan Mitchell making magic in pick-and-roll (he'll hit shots soon), you know who I've enjoyed watching?
Hassan Whiteside.
That's right, 8 points and 8 rebounds in 16 minutes per game off the bench is doing it for me right now.&nbsp;
In all seriousness, as someone that covered his entire stint in Miami, one thing that frustrated me was how much he left on the table. His physical gifts and (before knee issues sapped it) rare nimbleness for a guy his size were incredible. He also had a tendency to break scheme to chase blocks, and just. would. not. set. solid. screens.
Both things are happening so far.
Whiteside has been a legit deterrent in Utah's drop scheme. Though he's averaging a little over a block per game, it's been fun to see him go with vertical contests instead of looking to swat the ball out of bounds.&nbsp;
Offensively, he's setting screens. Holding before releasing. Flipping the angle when necessary. It's simple stuff, but so important to getting teammates open.
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Utah runs a "Veer" set &mdash; the screener faking a ball screen before darting away to pry a shooter loose &mdash; and I mean, look at Big Fella work! Stonewalls Monte Morris, waits for Jordan Clarkson to survey the floor, then flips the pick to disrupt Morris' path as Clarkson attacks.
This version of Whiteside, if he commits to this moving forward, is worth a lot more than the vet's minimum.
THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GO "HMMMM"
<ul>
<li>Cam Reddish is averaging nearly 19 points but I'm not sure how I feel about it yet. He's lighting it up from 3 (56.3% on 5.3 attempts), but he's converting roughly 42% of his shots inside of three feet. The jumper will cool off and the rim shots should normalize, but I don't know what that's going to look like.</li>
<li>On Shai Gilgeous-Alexander pick-and-rolls, his teammates are shooting 8-of-40 (20%) following his passes (Synergy). The screeners have converted two (2) of 18 shot attempts. I just-</li>
<li>Quick shoutout to Seth Curry who, after his 0-of-4 night against the Knicks on Tuesday, is shooting (checks notes) 13-of-21 (61.9%) from three on the year.</li>
<li>It's too early for lineup data. I know this, because the net rating leaders among starting lineups are Memphis (plus-41.0), Atlanta (plus-29.9), Toronto (plus-22.9), Orlando (plus-22.3) and New Orleans (plus-17.8).</li>
<li>Much has been made about the new rule changes and their effect on foul-drawing. The league is averaging 19.9 free throw attempts, its lowest mark in history. You know who's leading the NBA in free throw attempts right now? Rudy freakin' Gobert at 10.7. Of course.</li>
</ul>
PLAYS I LIKED
Trapped in the Elevator
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If you're able to bet in your state, and you can find a site for it, you should hammer whatever the number is on Duncan Robinson scoring the Heat's first basket. Virtually every game begins with choreography designed to spring him free for a triple.
Two things stand out to me, here. Using Chicago action &mdash; a pindown into a dribble handoff &mdash; as decoy action is pretty cool, though I wish Jimmy Butler would've sold it a little more.
Beyond that, Robinson electing to push put his defender into the elevator instead of using it for himself? Chef's kiss. Three points on the board.
Give Me a Lift
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Brief aside: we have to tinker the "alley-oop attempts aren't actually shooting fouls" rule at some point. There's no reason Dwight Powell shouldn't get free throws for that.
Anyway, we get not one, but two (2) lifts to stress out Toronto's defense. As Powell trots up the floor to set a screen for Luka Doncic, Tim Hardaway Jr. sets up shop above the break at the same time. While Luka and Powell get busy, Kristaps Porzingis lifts from the dunker spot (subscribe!) to the left elbow area.&nbsp;
Luka is trapped, setting up a 3-on-2. With Hardaway Jr. being spaced where he is, the 3-on-2 is really a 2-on-1 with Dallas' frontcourt setting up a high-low read against Toronto's shortest guy. No wonder this ends in a foul.
Simplicity Sells
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Terrence Ross had himself a night on Sunday, scoring all 22 of his points in the 4th quarter during a surprising Magic win. What tripped me out about the explosion, aside from its ridiculousness, was how easily it happened.&nbsp;
The Magic legit spammed this double stagger look for Ross throughtout the 4th, generating open look after open look after open look. Thibs had to be losing his mind watching his squad get torched by it.&nbsp;
THE READING LIST
There is plenty of high-level basketball content out here if you know where to look. I wouldn&rsquo;t be where I am as a writer without reading a ton of <a href="https://twitter.com/ZachLowe_NBA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Zach Lowe</a> or <a href="https://twitter.com/Herring_NBA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chris Herring</a> or <a href="https://twitter.com/C2_Cooper/status/1452614316553867269" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Caitlin Cooper</a> or <a href="https://twitter.com/MirinFader">Mirin Fader</a>&nbsp;or, well, you get the point.&nbsp;
Anyway, here are some &mdash; not all, but some! &mdash; of the stories I&rsquo;ve read this week that I think you should check out. Their Twitter handles will be linked under their names, so click and follow if you don&rsquo;t already.
<a href="https://twitter.com/MirinFader">Mirin</a> came through with the goods <a href="https://twitter.com/MirinFader/status/1453001746373136387?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on Immanuel Quickley</a>.&nbsp;
<a href="https://twitter.com/Herring_NBA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chris</a> wrote about the <a href="https://twitter.com/Herring_NBA/status/1450815448228970498?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">intrigue of this year's Chicago Bulls</a>. They're off to a great start so far.
<a href="https://twitter.com/C2_Cooper/status/1452614316553867269" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Caitlin</a> with some early goodness on the <a href="https://twitter.com/C2_Cooper/status/1452614316553867269?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pacers' starting frontcourt</a>.
<a href="https://twitter.com/CoupNBA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Couper Moorhead</a> on giving <a href="https://twitter.com/CoupNBA/status/1453084258877194240?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tyler Herro room to grow</a>.
Not a traditional basketball piece, but this from <a href="https://twitter.com/JoshuaBRobbins" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Josh Robbins</a> is well <a href="https://twitter.com/JoshuaBRobbins/status/1453392882472206342?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">worth your time</a>. Best of luck on the Wizards beat!

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