Colonels

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

NBA announces 242 early-entry candidates for 2023 NBA Draft

NEW YORK (AP) &mdash; Back when the NBA playoffs were always part of the springtime schedule at Madison Square Garden, this is what they looked like.
Tough to score. Even a little tough to watch.
And on Friday night, the fans loved it.
Jalen Brunson scored 21 points, RJ Barrett broke out of a slump with 19 and the New York Knicks held the Cleveland Cavaliers to the lowest point total in the NBA this season, rolling to a 2-1 lead in the first-round playoff series with a 99-79 victory.
The Knicks emphatically bounced back from a loss in Game 2 and moved halfway to their first series victory since 2013. They led by 27 points in the fourth quarter, when a sold-out crowd of 19,812 was so loud there was little chance of hearing much of what the public address announcer was saying &mdash; especially as seldom-used veteran Derrick Rose was checking into the game to a huge ovation.
&ldquo;It was what I expected for sure,&rdquo; Knicks All-Star Julius Randle said. &ldquo;A lot of, lot of energy and we were able to feed off it, so I love it.&rdquo;
Josh Hart added 13 points for the fifth-seeded Knicks, who host Game 4 on Sunday. They became the first team to allow fewer than 80 points during the regular season or postseason.
Donovan Mitchell scored 22 points for the Cavaliers, who never gave themselves a chance with their most inept offensive performance of the season, rattled perhaps by the Knicks on the court and the fans surrounding it.
&ldquo;Not being able to make shots definitely hurts as well, but it&rsquo;s one of those things where we&rsquo;ll be good,&rdquo; Mitchell said. &ldquo;Like, kind of breathe and relax and calm down.&rdquo;
Darius Garland, who scored 32 points in Game 2, managed just 10 on 4-for-21 shooting. Caris LeVert, moved into the starting lineup after scoring 24 in that 107-90 victory, missed all six shots in the first half before coming on late for 17 points.
Barrett was 6 for 25 in the first two games but his shot was falling and he aggressively drove to the basket to get himself going. Plus, some of the Cavs&rsquo; 21 turnovers sent Barrett and the Knicks off to easy transition baskets.
It was just the second time the playoffs came to Madison Square Garden in the last 10 years and it looked like something played by the beloved 1990s Knicks, who had the Garden rocking deep in many springs with their rugged brand of basketball.
&ldquo;As a basketball player you kind of grow up thinking about moments like these,&rdquo; Barrett said. &ldquo;It was electric in there and happy we get to come back Sunday.&rdquo;
Bodies crashed to the floor or into each other, and once in a while the ball went into the basket.
The Cavs had 13 baskets and 12 turnovers at halftime, when the Knicks&rsquo; 4-for-19 shooting from behind the arc looked practically hot compared to the Cavs&rsquo; 2-for-19 effort.
The teams combined to miss 20 of 23 3-pointers in a first quarter that ended tied at 17, and Garland (0 for 8) and Randle (0 for 5) couldn&rsquo;t hit from anywhere. The Cavs&rsquo; worst previous effort this season was also against the Knicks, 81 points on Dec. 4.
&ldquo;It was nasty, like a lot of games have been with them this season,&rdquo; LeVert said.
The Knicks ran off six straight points in the second to open a 38-27 lead when Brunson stole the ball from Mitchell and dunked it, then got the final five of the half on a 3-pointer by Immanuel Quickley and another dunk off a Mitchell turnover, this one by Barrett, to make it 45-32.
The offenses got going in the third quarter, with both teams shooting above 50% and LeVert scoring 11 points. The Cavs got within single digits before the Knicks closed the period on an 8-0 run to take a 72-55 lead.
It was a rough first playoff game back home for Mitchell, who was born in Elmsford, New York, not far from where the Knicks practice, and thought he might be a Knick last summer before Utah instead traded him to Cleveland.
He said he cut off communication with some friends who were Knicks fans and left some group chats so there would be no distractions. Usually warmly received in the arena, the fans even turned on the All-Star guard, loudly chanting &ldquo;airball! airball!&rdquo; when he was well off on a 3-pointer in the second quarter.
TIP-INS
Cavaliers: Garland left the game for a time in the fourth quarter after hurting his ankle when he stepped on a photographer behind the basket. ... The Cavs matched their worst first half in a playoff game, also scoring 32 in an 81-76 loss to the Knicks in Game 3 of 1996 playoffs. ... Isaac Okoro was benched for LeVert after shooting 1 for 7 in the two games in Cleveland.
Knicks: Randle and Quickley each scored 11 points. ... Backup big man Jericho Sims was out with a sore right shoulder. He hasn&rsquo;t played in the series.

The Knicks held the Cavs to the lowest point total in the NBA this season, 99-79, rolling a 2-1 lead in the first-round series.

Knicks romp past Cavaliers 99-79, take 2-1 series lead

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

Here's the list of NCAA players who have as of April 6 filed for consideration as a candidate for the 2023 WNBA Draft

2023 WNBA Draft: Full list of prospects who have entered

LOS ANGELES (AP) &mdash; Julius Randle scored 33 points in a bounce-back performance, RJ Barrett got 20 of his 30 in the second half, and the New York Knicks snapped their three-game losing streak with a 112-108 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday night.
Immanuel Quickley had 15 points as the Knicks survived a ferocious late rally by the Lakers to salvage a weekend split in Los Angeles without second-leading scorer Jalen Brunson, who has a bruised left foot.
Los Angeles scored eight straight points down the stretch to make it close, trimming New York&rsquo;s lead to 110-108 on Dennis Schr&ouml;der&rsquo;s layup with 19.3 seconds left. After Los Angeles needed 14 seconds to commit a foul to stop the clock, former Lakers guard Josh Hart hit two free throws to seal it.
New York hadn&rsquo;t won since its impressive nine-game winning streak ended a week ago, but Randle added eight rebounds and five assists one day after struggling through a 5-for-24 shooting effort in a loss to the Clippers.
D&rsquo;Angelo Russell had a season-high 33 points and eight assists despite managing just two points in the fourth quarter for the Lakers, whose three-game winning streak ended with only their fourth loss in 12 games since the trade deadline.
Randle and Russell spent two seasons together as teammates with the Lakers. Russell got off to a scorching start in his highest-scoring performance since rejoining LA, but went 1 for 5 and missed three 3-point attempts in the fourth quarter.
Anthony Davis had 17 points and 16 rebounds, but the Lakers fell behind during an erratic shooting performance by three starters: Malik Beasley, Troy Brown Jr. and Jarred Vanderbilt were a combined 5 for 23, missing 14 of their 16 3-point attempts.
Los Angeles dropped to 4-3 during the latest injury absence for LeBron James, who missed his seventh straight game with a sore right foot.
Randle scored 18 points in the first quarter with help from seven free throws after he complained publicly about the officiating in Saturday&rsquo;s loss to the Clippers. Russell kept the Lakers close with 23 points in the first half, but Randle&rsquo;s 3-pointer shortly before halftime put the Knicks up at the break.
TIP-INS
Knicks: Coach Tom Thibodeau gave no timetable for his return, saying Brunson will &ldquo;continue to do treatments and see where he is.&rdquo; Brunson has missed four of New York&rsquo;s last five games. ... New York beat the Lakers in Los Angeles for the first time in four meetings since 2019.
Lakers: James wasn&rsquo;t wearing a walking boot when he returned to watch from the Lakers&rsquo; bench. He missed their previous two games while apparently taking some time away with his family. Coach Darvin Ham said James&rsquo; rehab is &ldquo;going according to plan,&rdquo; but it was good for the NBA&rsquo;s career scoring leader to &ldquo;unplug a little bit.&rdquo; ... Los Angeles got 43 combined points from the only four bench players used by Ham.
UP NEXT
Knicks: Host Portland on Tuesday.
Lakers: At New Orleans on Tuesday.

Julius Randle scored 33 points, and the Knicks snapped their three-game losing streak with a 112-108 win over the Lakers on Sunday,

Julius Randle, Knicks hold off Lakers 112-108 to snap 3-game skid

BOSTON (AP) &mdash; Immanuel Quickley scored a career-high 38 points, playing 55 minutes in place of injured starter Jalen Brunson, and the New York Knicks outlasted the Boston Celtics 131-129 in two overtimes Sunday night for their season-high ninth straight victory.
Quickley had seven points in the second overtime and added eight rebounds and seven assists with Brunson sidelined because of soreness in his left foot.
&ldquo;It was a huge performance by him,&rdquo; Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. &ldquo;I was going to give him rest at the start of the fourth, but then he knocked down a couple of shots and I thought the game was in the balance right there.&rdquo;
Julius Randle had 31 points and nine rebounds, and RJ Barrett finished with 29 points and 11 boards for the Knicks, who held on when Boston&rsquo;s Al Horford front-rimmed a 3-pointer from the right corner just before the final buzzer.
&ldquo;I just think I rushed it a little bit,&rdquo; Horford said. &ldquo;I felt like I didn&rsquo;t stay with my shot long enough.&rdquo;
Jayson Tatum led Boston with 40 points, 11 rebounds and six assists, Jaylen Brown scored 29 points and Horford finished with 20 points and 14 rebounds.
Boston, which owned the NBA&rsquo;s best record for much of the season, has dropped three of four and is a 1 1/2 games behind Milwaukee for the Eastern Conference&rsquo;s top spot.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve just got to get our swagger back,&rdquo; Celtics guard Derrick White said. &ldquo;Find a way to play with each other, have fun out there. I&rsquo;m sure we&rsquo;ll get it back here soon.&rdquo;
Randle had 43 points in a victory at Miami on Friday that included an off-balance, game-winning 3-pointer in the closing seconds.
The Celtics were also missing a couple of key players in starting center Robert Williams III (left hamstring tightness) and reserve guard Malcolm Brogdon (right ankle soreness).
Quickley scored New York&rsquo;s first seven points of the second overtime on a 3-pointer and two driving baskets,&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1632585752365211649?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">skipping in front of Boston&rsquo;s bench</a>&nbsp;celebrating after the last basket made it 128-123.
&ldquo;When I laid it up, it was still rolling around, so I kind of skipped it, willed it in,&rdquo; he said, smiling when explaining his last basket. &ldquo;I just kept skipping down the floor. I was having fun, though.&rdquo;
Horford nailed a 3-pointer from the right corner with 29.2 seconds left to push Boston ahead 121-119 in the first OT after Randle&rsquo;s two free throws had moved the Knicks in front.
But Quickley&rsquo;s driving one-handed flip in the lane tied it before Tatum missed on his baseline drive, sending it to double OT.
&ldquo;You celebrate the team and you celebrate winning,&rdquo; Thibodeau said of Quickley&rsquo;s dancing, at times, after key baskets. &ldquo;I want our team to have fun, I want them to have joy, but I don&rsquo;t want it to get lost and I don&rsquo;t want it to get twisted.&rdquo;
Brown&rsquo;s three-point play with 12.9 seconds left sent it to overtime.
Coming off an embarrassing home loss in their last game when they blew a 28-point lead against Brooklyn, the Celtics had opened a 14-point edge midway into the third quarter. The Knicks closed the quarter with a 9-0 surge and pushed their advantage to 100-89 on Obi Toppin&rsquo;s driving layup early in the final quarter.
BAD EXAMPLE
Randle was whistled for a technical by referee Brett Nansel when he was showing what happened after being called for an offensive foul. The problem was he used his left shoulder to bump into Nansel&rsquo;s chest as he was explaining it.
TIP-INS
Knicks: Quickley hit a 3 for the game&rsquo;s first basket, raising his fingers in celebration. &hellip; Brunson was the Eastern Conference&rsquo;s player of the month for February, averaging 27.3 points, six assists and shooting 52.9%.
Celtics: Coach Joe Mazzulla said Williams could be out &ldquo;seven to 10 days.&rdquo; &hellip; Tatum was ejected with two technical fouls in the teams&rsquo; last meeting, a 109-94 loss in New York.
UP NEXT
Knicks: Host the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday.
Celtics: At the Cleveland Cavaliers Monday

Immanuel Quickley scored a career-high 38 points, and the Knicks outlasted the Celtics 131-129 in two overtimes on Sunday night.

Immanuel Quickley scores 38 in start, Knicks outlast Celtics in 2 OTs

Nekias Duncan checks back in with this year's NBA award races with an in-depth look at who leads the pack through the end of February.

2022-23 NBA award front-runners Vol. 2: MVP, DPOY, ROY, more

WASHINGTON (AP) &mdash; Julius Randle answered Kristaps Porzingis&rsquo; early flurry, and by the time the New York standout was done, he&rsquo;d matched his career high in scoring.
Randle also led the Knicks to an impressive comeback victory.
Randle finished with 46 points, and New York rallied from a 19-point deficit to beat the Washington Wizards 115-109 on Friday night.
&ldquo;Just came out aggressive,&rdquo; Randle said. &ldquo;That time of the year, got to lock in.&rdquo;
Jalen Brunson broke a 109-all tie with a bank shot in traffic with 42.1 seconds remaining, and the Knicks held on from there in a pulsating matchup between two teams coming out of the All-Star break in the thick of Eastern Conference playoff race &mdash; but in far different positions.
The Knicks, who are trying to finish high enough to avoid the play-in round, now lead Miami by 1 1/2 games for sixth place. The 10th-place Wizards would make the play-in if the season ended now, but their lead over Chicago fell to 1 1/2 games.
Bradley Beal tied the game for Washington with a 3-pointer with 59.5 seconds remaining. Then Brunson drove into the lane, picked up his dribble and appeared to be stuck amid a group of players when he was able to flip the ball up off the glass and in.
&ldquo;That was a big win for us,&rdquo; Randle said. &ldquo;We needed this, especially coming off the break. We know they&rsquo;re a team that gets off to fast starts, so they did that and we responded.&rdquo;
Porzingis missed a 3-pointer at the other end, and Randle found Mitchell Robinson for a layup that pushed New York&rsquo;s lead to four with 11.2 seconds to go. Then Washington&rsquo;s Kyle Kuzma stepped out of bounds while receiving an inbound pass, essentially sealing his team&rsquo;s chances.
&ldquo;They ramped up their defense a little bit,&rdquo; Washington&rsquo;s Monte Morris said. &ldquo;Julius was balling. Feel like we could have gave him a couple more different looks at times. Just hitting him more, doubling him more a little bit. Any player in the league get it going like that, it&rsquo;s hard to put out the fire.&rdquo;
Porzingis and Kuzma scored 23 points apiece. Porzingis made all five of his 3-point attempts on his way to a 19-point first quarter, then didn&rsquo;t attempt another shot until the fourth.
&ldquo;They amped up the pressure, they started switching earlier with the pick-and-pops,&rdquo; Porzingis said. &ldquo;We have seen that before, of course, especially when we get going early in the game. I feel like we went away a little bit from that maybe two-man game with Brad.&rdquo;
BIG RALLY
The Wizards led 57-38 in the second quarter, but New York came charging back behind Randle, whose dunk started a 12-2 run by the Knicks to close the half. Randle scored 11 points during that stretch, and Washington was up only 64-60 after two quarters.
&ldquo;Once we got lost in the game and started getting some stops and the rebounding was good, and then the movement without the ball,&rdquo; Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. &ldquo;We got some easy buckets and then that got us going.&rdquo;
Randle previously scored 46 points on March 7, 2022, at Sacramento.
TIP-INS
Knicks: Randle went 7 of 14 from 3-point range. ... Immanuel Quickley scored 16 points and RJ Barrett had 14. ... Robinson (right thumb) played for the first time since Jan. 18. He had 10 points and 12 rebounds.
Wizards: Beal scored 16 points and Delon Wright added 15.
UP NEXT
Knicks: Host New Orleans on Saturday night.
Wizards: At Chicago on Sunday.

Julius Randle finished with 46 points, and New York rallied from a 19-point deficit to beat the Wizards 115-109 on Friday night.

Julius Randle scores 46 as Knicks rally past Wizards 115-109

NEW YORK (AP) &mdash; Jalen Brunson scored 22 of his 38 points in the first half, Josh Hart had 11 points off the bench in his Knicks debut and New York outlasted the Utah Jazz 126-120 on Saturday night.
Julius Randle added 31 for New York, which has won three of four to improve to 31-27. R.J. Barrett scored 20 points before fouling out, and Immanuel Quickley finished with 15.
&ldquo;We have a lot of unselfish guys who are willing to do whatever it takes to win,&rdquo; Brunson said. &ldquo;As long as we&rsquo;re keeping that our main priority, we&rsquo;re going to continue to get better.&rdquo;
Hart, acquired Wednesday night from Portland, made a quick impact on his new team while adding seven rebounds and four assists.
&ldquo;Josh was huge. How many did he have? Seven? Seven rebounds, something like that,&rdquo; Barrett said of his new teammate. &ldquo;He brought a lot of effort, toughness.&rdquo;
Lauri Markkanen scored 29 points to lead the Jazz, who lost for the fourth time in five games. Jordan Clarkson had 24, Talen Horton-Tucker added 23 off the bench and Collin Sexton finished with 15.
&ldquo;Sometimes it&rsquo;s just the game gets away from you and you struggle with some of the details on the defensive end,&rdquo; Jazz coach Will Hardy said. &ldquo;Situational basketball is something we talk about a lot.&rdquo;
Hart snapped a 101-all tie with 6:44 left in the fourth with a corner 3 off a feed from Brunson &mdash; his former college teammate at Villanova. On the ensuing possession, Isaiah Hartenstein fouled Markkanen to prevent a dunk. After Utah&rsquo;s power forward knocked down both free throws, Hartenstein&rsquo;s follow dunk allowed New York to regain its three-point lead.
The teams traded baskets over the next two minutes, culminating with Clarkson&rsquo;s 12-footer which tied it at 109.
&ldquo;Madison Square Garden, it&rsquo;s tied, four minutes left, the place is rocking,&rdquo; Hardy said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a great environment for our team and we relish those moments. Obviously we wish we could have executed better down the stretch.&rdquo;
Consecutive 3-pointers from Brunson and Barrett gave New York a 115-109 lead with 3:49 left. A few moments later, Randle&rsquo;s third 3 extended the advantage to 118-109.
On New York&rsquo;s next two possessions, Randle had a baseline dunk and found Hart with a cross-court pass that pushed the lead to 123-114.
&ldquo;I like the way he&rsquo;s attacking the basket,&rdquo; Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said of Randle. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s attacking the rim and it sets up everything else for him. He knocks down a couple 3s (and) now they come up on him. He uses his quickness and strength really well.
&ldquo;When I see his aggressiveness, I know we&rsquo;re (going) to be hard to beat.&rdquo;
TIP-INS
Jazz: Hardy said the next step in Markkanen&rsquo;s development is to become a leader. &ldquo;His presence has to change a little bit in the locker room,&rdquo; Hardy said before the game. &ldquo;It has to change a little bit at practice and shootaround and film sessions. Stepping into that leadership role a little bit more now with that void being there.&rdquo; Markkanen is averaging 24.7 points and 8.6 rebounds per game, and as such Hardy thinks he can handle increased responsibility. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s ready for that,&rdquo; Hardy said.
<div class="Component-dfp-0-2-62 apnews_article_midarticle_3" data-card-id="sovrn-article-midarticle">Knicks: About 3 1/2 hours before tipoff, Hart met reporters for the first time as a member of the Knicks. Hart, who was teammates with Randle with the Lakers to go along with his friendship with Brunson, believes he has found a home in New York. &ldquo;Obviously on the court, there&rsquo;s a lot of things I&rsquo;m excited about, with teammates and Thibodeau) and the front office I&rsquo;m familiar with,&rdquo; Hart said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s my third time getting traded, sixth year in the league, fourth team, sixth head coach. It&rsquo;s been a whirlwind. I didn&rsquo;t think that was how my first six years were going to be, but I&rsquo;m looking for a home, and I think this could be it.&rdquo;</div>

Jalen Brunson scored 22 of his 38 points in the first half, and New York Knicks outlasted the Utah Jazz 126-120.

Brunson scores 38 as Knicks outlast Jazz in Hart’s NY debut

The trade deadline is fast approaching and the Memphis Grizzlies have to make an important decision.
Grizzlies general manager and executive vice president Zach Kleiman has been doing his best Marvel impression by living in a multiverse, attempting to walk out two timelines: contending and developing.
The core of Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane is in its third year together and, when healthy, is one of the top trios in the entire NBA. More importantly, only Jackson is beyond his rookie contract, as Morant and Bane are both still on rookie deals. This fact has led to a polarizing debate surrounding the Grizzlies.
When Memphis knocked the Golden State Warriors out of the first NBA Play-In Tournament, everyone raved at the "ahead-of-schedule" nature of this team. Last season, the team traded away Jonas Valanciunas for Steven Adams and a shot at developing Ziaire Williams and Santi Aldama. Kleiman was trying to develop ancillary pieces while still putting a competitive product on the floor.
Morant and the Grizzlies surprised everyone, finishing with the second-best record in the league and pushing the eventual-champion Warriors to six games in arguably Golden State's toughest series last year. The "ahead-of-schedule" Grizzlies were still given a pass because they were young and overacheiving.&nbsp;
Memphis is still the second seed in the Western Conference despite losing eight of their last nine contests. Injuries have been a huge factor as Jackson (17 games), Bane (22), Adams (10) and Morant (8) have all missed time due to injury. With the NBA trade deadline on Thursday, the question is whether Kleiman will push the chips in and go for a title piece this year or continue on his multiverse timeline.
Re-signing Adams and Tyus Jones suggests Memphis is interested in contending. Trading away De'Anthony Melton, who struggled mightily in the postseason, suggests the same. Playing Ziaire Williams, David Roddy and Jake LaRavia is the organization attempting to sneak in development. It makes sense, as you have to find the right role players on affordable deals (in this case, rookie contracts) who can have winning impact around your big three.&nbsp;
But even if it makes sense, there is also the flip side. At some point, you are no longer ahead of schedule and overachieving. At some point, the schedule and timeline eventually readjust to the progress that has been made, and a new schedule begins. The Grizzlies are no longer up-and-coming. They are here and the league has adjusted, and so must Memphis.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
There have been social-media posts circling that the Grizzlies and New Orleans Pelicans both do not want their counterpart to land O.G. Anunoby, and that Memphis would be a perfect fit for OG. This Grizzlies front office has historically moved in silence, and nothing suggests it will overpay in a bidding war for a player who might&nbsp;move the needle toward a title.
Over the next few days, Kleiman will have to decide what is most important for the franchise entrusted to his leadership. The Grizzlies clearly need shooting (still) and perimeter defending &mdash; two things every team is looking for at all times.&nbsp;
Morant, Bane and Jackson are non-starters in any trade conversation (as they should be). They are a core that meshes beautifully. It's the pieces surrounding them that Kleiman has to be willing to part ways with.
One of the most polarizing players in the NBA is Dillon Brooks; you either hate him or you love him. He is on an expiring contract, with his days in Memphis possibly winding away. Brooks' antics on the court and refusal to accept his spot in the pecking order offensively at times have led many to wonder whether he is a long-term fit with the Grizzlies.
With Bane due for a near-max payday, Brooks could be traded at the deadline for assets or given the Kyle Anderson treatment, using his contributions for this run and letting his deal expire at season's end.
Then, there is Jones, who is often lauded as the best backup point guard in the NBA and basically a health-insurance policy for Morant. Memphis needs to send Tyus somewhere he can start and bring in a bigger combo guard who can help Bane run the non-Morant minutes.&nbsp;
Adams and Danny Green are the veterans on the roster who also have extremely tradeable contracts if Kleiman were to do some type of big-game hunting. Adams' presence has allowed Jackson to develop into the Defensive Player of the Year candidate he has become, but at some point, JJJ needs to become the full-time starting 5.&nbsp;
Williams and Xavier Tillman are pieces that Memphis should be willing to include to upgrade their roster. And as well as Memphis has done drafting the last few years, they should now be at the point in this process where first-round picks are on the table.&nbsp;
OUTLINING POTENTIAL TRADE IDEAS
I'm no trade-machine guru, but something along the lines of this framework makes sense for both teams:
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/fanspo-nba-trade-machine-snap_2-6-2023_1-05-25pm.png" alt="" width="685" height="337" />
Memphis gets to keep its primary defender in Brooks while adding a 24-year-old scorer to come off the bench. If the Toronto Raptors begin a fire sale, they get an expiring contract, two second-round picks (<a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=&amp;cad=rja&amp;uact=8&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjg0d7A8oP9AhVuFlkFHQ-iAGkQFnoECEQQAQ&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fhoopshype.com%2F2023%2F02%2F03%2Fgary-trent-jr-s-trade-value-at-a-protected-first-round-pick-or-two-good-second-rounders%2F&amp;usg=AOvVaw2EDYmp9Yp1qneXxEEdRIt_" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trent's reported projected value</a>) and a player who fits their mold of lenghty wings.
The Grizz bench unit is currently 12th in the NBA in scoring at 35.5 points per contest, but is a minus-313 in scoring for the season. They are also 25th in three-point percentage (32.4%) in the league. Adding Gary Trent Jr. could bolster a glaring weakness if Memphis is to be a legitimate contender.&nbsp;
In the interest of getting assets in return for Brooks, Kleiman would likely be choosing to remain on the course of developing players, as Morant, Jackson and Bane are not yet in their primes. Memphis can recoup cheaper, more controllable assets by moving Dillon:
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/fanspo-nba-trade-machine-snap_2-7-2023_8-25-52am.png" alt="" width="686" height="275" />
In this scenario, Memphis takes a shot on Cam Reddish while finding the eventual Jones replacement in Immanuel Quickley. The Knicks get a perfect-fit player to go with Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle in Brooks as they attempt to make a run in the Eastern Conference this postseason, plus a lottery-protected first-rounder from the Grizzlies via the Warriors (from the Andre Iguodala trade in July 2019.)
Speaking of replacing Jones, Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins could use a defensive upgrade in the backcourt as well someone with a little more size:
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/fanspo-nba-trade-machine-snap_2-7-2023_8-55-00am.png" alt="" width="686" height="275" />
The Chicago Bulls are at a crossroads, and if they decide to start rebuilding the makeup of their roster, bringing in Jones as their starting point guard would not be the worst idea. The Grizzlies get two combo guards in Alex Caruso and Coby White in this trade framework.
White is playing the least amount of minutes of his career this season, and could afford a change of scenery. Caruso is a perfect fit for Memphis, as an athletic guard who can defend on the perimeter. This move also fits Kleiman's desire to flirt with two timelines.
These three trades could be a sequence of moves done at once, but there's a next-to-zero chance Memphis makes multiple moves at the deadline, if any. However, there are peripheral moves to be made for Memphis because it seems clear that standing pat and riding it out is no longer the right choice for this franchise.&nbsp;

Justin Lewis explains how the Grizzlies have to move ahead with contention and suggests three possible trades that could help.

Proposing 3 potential trades that could spark the Memphis Grizzlies

HOUSTON (AP) &mdash; Marcus Sasser scored a career-high 31 points, Jamal Shead added 20 points and six rebounds, and No. 1 Houston used a huge second half to beat South Florida 83-77 on Wednesday night.
Sasser scored 25 points and Shead had 13 as the backcourt mates combined to score 38 of Houston&rsquo;s 46 second-half points. Sasser, a preseason All-American, finished 7 of 17 from the field, including 6 of 12 on 3-pointers. In the second half, Sasser and Shead combined to shoot 10 of 16 from the field and were 6 of 11 on 3s.
&ldquo;My teammates were telling me it&rsquo;s time step up,&rdquo; Sasser said. &ldquo;They were trying to get me going, giving me confidence. Being a senior on the team, being a leader, I&rsquo;ve kind of seen it all. ... When you have good teammates, they trust you with the ball and feel like you can change the game.&rdquo;
Tramon Mark scored 13 points for Houston (17-1, 5-0 American Athletic Conference), which won its eighth straight game.
Houston coach Kelvin Sampson appreciated his team&rsquo;s grit during a less-than-stellar performance.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve had a lot of nights where we&rsquo;ve played poorly and won over the years, but it&rsquo;s a beautiful win,&rdquo; Sampson said. &ldquo;That game was a thing of beauty. ... Get the win and go home.&rdquo;
Tyler Harris scored a career-high 31 points, Russel Tchewa added 14 points and eight rebounds and Jamir Chaplin scored 14 points for the Bulls (7-10, 0-4), who lost their fourth straight.
South Florida coach Brian Gregory said Houston needed an All-American effort out of Sasser to beat the Bulls, and that&rsquo;s what he gave the Cougars.
&ldquo;It challenged our guys a little bit in terms of the competitiveness and toughness that you have to play with,&rdquo; Gregory said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re a good team. We&rsquo;ve had second-half leads in all four games in our league. ... It&rsquo;s disappointing where we&rsquo;re at.&rdquo;
Harris was 9 of 13 from the field, including 6 of 10 on 3-pointers.
Houston shot 42%, including 11 of 27 from the 3-point line. The Cougars forced South Florida into 18 turnovers and converted those into 13 points.
South Florida shot 49%, including 10 of 21 on 3-pointers.
&ldquo;Every time it looked like we were about to stretch it out from 10 to 12 or 12 to 15 or something like that, they would bang a 3,&rdquo; Sampson said. &ldquo;They&rsquo;ve been a poor 3-point shooting team and free throw (shooting team). Not tonight, but that&rsquo;s how upsets occur. It&rsquo;s nights like tonight.&rdquo;
Trailing 53-48 with 14 1/2 minutes remaining, Houston went on a 20-4 run over the next 7 1/2 minutes to open up an 11-point lead on a 3-pointer by Shead. Sasser scored 13 points during the burst. The Bulls got no closer than six points the rest of the way.
Houston used a 10-0 run to open a 37-26 lead on a 3-pointer by Emanuel Sharp with three minutes left in the first half, but South Florida answered with a 10-0 run to end the half to cut the lead to one on a layup by Chaplin.
BIG PICTURE
South Florida: The Bulls fell to 0-6 all-time against No. 1-ranked teams. ... South Florida did not hit a field goal for nearly 8 1/2 minutes in the second half as Houston went on its run. ... The Bulls outrebounded Houston 36-30, and South Florida had a 26-22 edge in points in the paint.
Houston: Jarace Walker, who had scored more than 20 points in two straight games, was out of the lineup with an illness. ... The 36 first-half points by the Bulls were the most Houston has allowed before halftime this season, and the 77 points allowed was also a season high. ... Houston won its 12th straight over the Bulls.
FOUL TROUBLE
The teams combined for 45 fouls. Houston shot 22 of 32 from the free-throw line, led by Sasser, who was 11 of 14. The Bulls were 21 of 27 from the line, with Tchewa going 8 of 9.
UP NEXT
South Florida: At East Carolina on Sunday.
Houston: At Tulane on Jan. 17.

Marcus Sasser scored 25 and Jamal Shead had 13 as the backcourt mates combined to score 38 of Houston’s 46 second-half points.

Sasser, Shead lead No. 1 Houston past South Florida 83-77

NEW YORK (AP) &mdash; Pascal Siakam scored a career-high 52 points and the Toronto Raptors snapped the New York Knicks&rsquo; NBA-leading eight-game winning streak 113-106 Wednesday night.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s cool,&rdquo; Siakam said of posting his first 50-point game at Madison Square Garden. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m not a super basketball historian. I didn&rsquo;t start basketball until a little late, but I know how special this building is, and I think that for me the most important thing is that my team needed every bucket for us to win, which is the most important thing to me.&rdquo;
Siakam added nine rebounds and seven assists in 41 minutes as Toronto snapped its six-game skid. Fred VanVleet scored 28 points and OG Anunoby had 15 as the Raptors won for the fourth time in 16 road games. It was their first win away from home since Nov. 14.
&ldquo;We just wanted to get a win,&rdquo; Siakam said. &ldquo;For us, it just felt good to get a win, and the most important thing is to build on it.&rdquo;
R.J. Barrett scored with 30 points and Julius Randle finished with 30 points and had 13 rebounds. Immanuel Quickley added 20 points on 7-for-10 shooting in his first start of the season.
&ldquo;I thought Quickley played a really solid game,&rdquo; Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. &ldquo;The way he&rsquo;s shooting the ball, we knew that would come around for him. He&rsquo;s not hesitating. He&rsquo;s letting it go.&rdquo;
Toronto led by as many as 11 points in the fourth quarter before the Knicks used a 17-5 run to take a one-point lead at 102-101. New York limited Siakam to one field goal in the fourth quarter and held him to nine points in the period.
&ldquo;It was tough and not unlike a lot of the games we&rsquo;ve been in here lately,&rdquo; Toronto coach Nick Nurse said. &ldquo;We could&rsquo;ve folded up a couple of times in the second half and kept answering back.&rdquo;
VanVleet specifically picked up the slack for Toronto, hitting two 3-pointers and scoring 10 points in the fourth. Toronto closed the game on a 12-5 run.
The Knicks had allowed an average of 98 points during their win streak, but no answer for Siakam, who nearly matched his career high (44 points) by scoring 43 in three quarters. Siakam had 34 points total in the second and third quarters, including Toronto&rsquo;s final 17 points over a seven-minute span in the third.
Siakam scored 26 in the first half, including eight during an 11-0 run in the second quarter that turned a one-point game to a double-digit Toronto lead. Siakam had 17 of the Raptors&rsquo; 35 points in the second, and Anunoby had seven points in the second.
&ldquo;I didn&rsquo;t think he was that involved in the game offensively, and then he got super-involved,&rdquo; Nurse said of Anunoby. &ldquo;He just started making some big drives and some strong finishes.&rdquo;
Barrett kept New York in the game by scoring 19 points in the first half. Despite shooting 53% in the first half, the Knicks had 11 turnovers and trailed by as many as 14 in the first period and by 10 at halftime.
But New York took the lead with a 13-2 run that was keyed by Quickley&rsquo;s two 3-pointers.
TIP-INS
The NBA announced it docked the Knicks a second-round pick in the 2025 NBA draft after &ldquo;finding that (they) engaged in free agency discussions involving Jalen Brunson prior to the date such discussions were permitted.&rdquo; Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau refused to comment on the matter. &hellip; Toronto guard Gary Trent, Jr. (quad) and center Khem Birch (non-COVID illness) did not play. Trent missed his fourth straight game. &hellip; New York guard Quentin Grimes (ankle) missed his first game since Nov. 16 after sustaining the injury against Golden State on Tuesday.

Pascal Siakam scored a career-high 52 points and the Raptors snapped the Knicks’ eight-game winning streak 113-106.

Knicks' NBA-leading 8-game win streak ends versus Raptors

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) &mdash; Steve Kerr wanted Klay Thompson to relax a little, let the game come to him.
And Thompson is certainly showing signs of finding his shooting groove again.
&ldquo;I thought a lot about that,&rdquo; Thompson said about being patient.
He scored 20 points with four 3-pointers, Stephen Curry added 24 points, 10 assists and six rebounds, and the Golden State Warriors beat the New York Knicks 111-101 on Friday night.
Andrew Wiggins added 20 points with seven rebound and Draymond Green contributed 10 points, nine rebounds and seven assists with two blocked shots.
Thompson hit 4 of his first 6 shots with three 3s for 11 early points.
&ldquo;It seemed like every time Klay just made an extra pass, the ball started to move and then we got a wide open shot,&rdquo; Kerr said. &ldquo;We ended up with 32 assists. It started with early on Klay taking a more patient approach. And then the game rewarded him.&rdquo;
Jordan Poole scored 13 points off the bench and JaMychal Green 12. He credited a team meeting earlier Friday as the Warriors had a tough conversation about their struggles and &ldquo;addressed the elephants in the room.&rdquo;
Thompson called it &ldquo;a very constructive meeting ... an incredible time of growth.&rdquo;
&ldquo;I feel like tonight was the best game we've put together on the defensive end,&rdquo; he said.
Julius Randle had 20 points and seven rebounds and RJ Barrett scored 18 for the cold-shooting Knicks, who began 5 of 22, shot 34.5% and tried to play catch up all night.
Jalen Brunson struggled on his shot to go 2 for 13 &mdash; 1 for 5 from long range &mdash; and finish with 13 points for New York coming off a 106-103 win at Denver on Wednesday night. The Knicks had won two straight and three of four but missed matching their longest winning streak so far.
HOME AND ROAD
The Warriors are 7-1 at home and 0-8 on the road.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m actually much more interested in why we&rsquo;re not playing well on the road than why were are playing well at home,&rdquo; Kerr said. &ldquo;I expect to play well at home. We&rsquo;ve got a good record here over the years and good players, great fans. No reason we shouldn&rsquo;t control our home court. But we got to start putting it together on the road, too.&rdquo;
Golden State snapped a three-game home skid to the Knicks and has won its last eight in New York.
&ldquo;To me, the road record is directly connected to the defense,&rdquo; Kerr said.
TIP-INS
Knicks: C Mitchell Robinson sat out with a sprained right knee. ... New York lost on the Warriors' home floor for the first time in four games since a 122-95 defeat on Jan. 8, 2019. ... The Knicks missed their initial 10 3-pointers before RJ Barrett connected at the 9:15 mark of the second quarter. Derrick Rose, Jalen Brunson and Immanuel Quickley began a combined 0 for 9 from deep.
Warriors: The Warriors shot just 11 of 20 at the free throw line, Curry missing two and Wiggins three. &ldquo;It happens, just one random game,&rdquo; Kerr said. ... Thompson passed J.J. Redick (1,950) &mdash; in the house working the broadcast &mdash; for 16th place on the 3-pointers list. ... C Kevon Looney has played in 127 consecutive regular-season games, the third-longest active streak. ... Golden State built an 18-point lead in the first quarter and kept pushing.
UP NEXT
Knicks: At Phoenix on Sunday in the fourth contest in a five-game, seven-day trip. The Knicks will play at Oklahoma City on Monday night to complete the back-to-back and finish the swing out West.
Warriors: At Houston on Sunday for the first in a road back-to-back that finishes at New Orleans on Monday night.

Stephen Curry had 24 points, 10 assists and 6 rebounds as the Golden State Warriors beat the New York Knicks 111-101 on Friday.

Steph Curry, Andrew Wiggins help Warriors beat Knicks 111-101

NEW YORK (AP) &mdash; Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 37 points, Josh Giddey had a triple-double and the Oklahoma City Thunder shot a season-high 62.5% from the field in a 145-135 victory over the New York Knicks on Sunday.
Giddey had 24 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds for the Thunder, who picked up their fifth straight victory at Madison Square Garden. Giddey joined Wilt Chamberlain (1968) as the only other player in NBA history to record triple-doubles during their first two games at MSG.
&ldquo;Any time your name is within the company of (Chamberlain), one of the all-time greats, is special,&rdquo; Giddey said. &ldquo;But basketball is a team game, so if those things contribute to winning and helping my guys around me be better, then it makes it worth it.&rdquo;
Lu Dort also had 24 points for Oklahoma City and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl added 17.
&ldquo;We took the right shots; we made the right passes,&rdquo; Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. &ldquo;No one was pounding it. We just kind of moved it and let the ball find the right guy. Guys were all ready to attack. It was a good offense.&rdquo;
Six Knicks scored in double figures, led by Cam Reddish, who had a season-high 26 points. Julius Randle had 25 and Immanuel Quickley chipped in 24.
RJ Barrett, the Knicks&rsquo; second-leading scorer, got into foul trouble and was held to a season-low four points on 2-of-10 shooting in 19 minutes. He did not play in the final 21-plus minutes.
&ldquo;We just got behind by so much that we were just looking for life,&rdquo; Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said of his decision to leave Barrett on the bench. &ldquo;The group that was in there gave us a little bit of a spark, so that&rsquo;s where we went with it.&rdquo;
The Thunder surpassed their season average for points (113.4) by scoring 122 points through three quarters. Gilgeous-Alexander scored 21 in the third, and the Thunder used a 17-2 run to turn a three-point game into a rout.
"(Gilgeous-)Alexander, he&rsquo;s a tough matchup. So is Giddey,&rdquo; Thibodeau said. &ldquo;You&rsquo;re not guarding those guys individually, you&rsquo;re guarding those guys with your team, so that&rsquo;s where we fell short.&rdquo;
The teams set a torrid pace from the outset, with New York putting up 48 first-quarter points, a season high for a single quarter. New York, which led by as many as 13, shot 64.5% from the field in the first quarter and went 4 of 7 from 3-point range, with 12 assists on its 20 field goals.
Oklahoma City set a season high by scoring 43 points in the second quarter, then duplicated it in the third. The Thunder made 74% of their shots in the second and turned a 12-point deficit into a six-point halftime lead. The Thunder, who outscored the Knicks by 18 in the second quarter, scored a season-high 79 first-half points and closed the frame with a 24-12 run.
&ldquo;We obviously didn&rsquo;t start the way we wanted,&rdquo; Daigneault said. &ldquo;I thought we did a great job of course-correcting in the second quarter and just settled back into our stuff and got control of the game going into the half.&rdquo;
In the Thunder's last visit to MSG, Giddey finished with 28 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds in a 127-123 overtime victory on Feb. 14.
&ldquo;We only come (to MSG) once (per season), so we&rsquo;ve got to make the most of it,&rdquo; Giddey said.
TIP-INS
The Knicks were without center Mitchell Robinson for the fifth consecutive game because of a knee injury. Isaiah Hartenstein started in his place for the third straight game and had 14 points and seven rebounds.
Gilgeous-Alexander, who played his college basketball at Kentucky, was kept off the scoreboard for the first 8 minutes, 11 seconds but improved to 5-0 combined at MSG in his college and professional career. &hellip; The Thunder have scored 130-plus points in three straight games (2-1).
UP NEXT
Oklahoma City: At Boston on Monday.
New York: At Utah on Tuesday.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 37 points, Josh Giddey had a triple-double and the Thunder beat the Knicks 145-135 on Sunday.

Gilgeous-Alexander, Giddey power Thunder past Knicks

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

2022-23 NBA Season Preview: Atlantic Division

In recent weeks, the New York Knicks seemed to be the frontrunner in the Donovan Mitchell sweepstakes. The Knicks were in advanced talks with the Utah Jazz, and a deal seemed likely. Then, on Thurday, the Cleveland Cavaliers pulled off a blockbuster trade for Mitchell, giving up Collin Sexton, Lauri Markkanen, Ochai Agbaji, three unprotected first-round picks (2025, 2027 and 2029) and two pick swaps (2026 and 2028).
How did the Knicks fail to land their superstar target?
According to <a href="https://twitter.com/esidery/status/1565449589435637764?s=21&amp;t=e7tIKNTxtqBIUHLLmFzoaA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Athletic&rsquo;s Shams Charania</a>, Utah&rsquo;s final counter-offer was RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, another young player (presumably Obi Toppin), three unprotected first-round picks and two pick swaps. New York (understandably) declined this monster asking price. As <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/34502825/sources-cleveland-cavaliers-trade-3-first-round-picks-two-swaps-utah-jazz-star-donovan-mitchell" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ESPN&rsquo;s Adrian Wojnarowski noted</a>, the Knicks refused to include Quentin Grimes alongside Barrett in any potential package.
With Mitchell in New York, Madison Square Garden would&rsquo;ve been buzzing in a way that we haven't seen since Carmelo Anthony first arrived from the Denver Nuggets in 2011. However, looking back on the 'Melo Era, was that blockbuster really worth it in the end? The team never became a legitimate title contender throughout Anthony's tenure.
Mitchell would've instantly become the Knicks&rsquo; biggest star since Anthony, but how high would the team's ceiling have been? At best, the Knicks probably would've been a middle-seed in the reloaded Eastern Conference. On paper, here&rsquo;s what the Knicks&rsquo; rotation would&rsquo;ve looked like had they accepted Utah&rsquo;s immense asking price:
Starters: Jalen Brunson, Donovan Mitchell, Evan Fournier, Julius Randle, Mitchell Robinson
Second Unit: Derrick Rose, Quentin Grimes, Cam Reddish, Isaiah Hartenstein
At best, this feels like maybe a No. 6 seed next season. And with all of the picks that the Knicks would've parted with, it becomes a massive all-in bet that another star would want to join Mitchell in New York over the next few years.
Sound familiar, Knicks fans?
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Looking back on the negotiations between New York and Utah, the Knicks may have been saved from themselves in the end. Barrett being the centerpiece of the package is stunning, as it was assumed that he would play a pivotal role alongside Mitchell long-term. Without Barrett, the Knicks were seemingly comfortable betting on a Mitchell/Brunson/Randle trio.
New York's refusal to part with three unprotected first-rounders is why Mitchell didn't land in the Big Apple. The Knicks weren't comfortable matching the price that the Cavaliers ultimately paid &mdash; three unprotected first-round picks (2025, 2027, 2029) and two pick swaps (2026 and 2028) &mdash; because they knew that the remaining core wouldn&rsquo;t be enough to seriously compete in the East. New York wanted to save some of their draft picks and young assets for when the next star becomes disgruntled down the road.
Knicks president Leon Rose held firm and didn't give in to Danny Ainge&rsquo;s demands. In the end, Cavaliers GM Koby Altman swooped in and took advantage, building an <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-trade-instant-reaction-donovan-mitchell-cleveland-cavaliers-utah-jazz-collin-sexton-lauri-markkanen-ochai-agbaji-darius-garland-evan-mobley-jb-bickerstaff-koby-altman" target="_blank" rel="noopener">underrated powerhouse with long-term sustainability</a>. Cleveland had the infrastructure in place to feel comfortable gambling away their top draft picks through 2029 on Mitchell, who will now be insulated by a formidable defensive duo in Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. Darius Garland&rsquo;s presence at point guard takes pressure off of Mitchell and allows him to focus solely on what he does best.
All in all, Mitchell's on-court fit in Cleveland is perfect &mdash; much better than his fit in New York. In the short-term and long-term window, Mitchell has a far better chance of reaching his ceiling within the Cavaliers&rsquo; environment versus trying to carry the Knicks&rsquo; young core on a team with little flexibility moving forward.
Now, after another failed star pursuit, what's next for New York? They still have the assets to strike whenever the iron becomes hot. Armed with eight first-round picks between 2023 and 2026 thanks to their draft-night trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Knicks still find themselves in a good position even though Mitchell isn&rsquo;t donning orange and blue.
The long-term answer is staring Rose and Co. right in the face: betting on their young core to take much-needed steps forward, most notably Barrett and Grimes. While head coach Tom Thibodeau may not be a fan of this idea, prioritizing the development of their young core must now take center stage. Allow Barrett, Grimes, Quickley, Toppin and Brunson to play as many minutes together as possible. Moving veterans such as Julius Randle and Evan Fournier would make sense, as they don't seem to fit with this Knicks team. Dealing both for the best offer on the table would clear the runway for the young guys. Having a larger sample size to evaluate will only help New York as they make decisions about their cornerstones.
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Will Barrett become an All-Star after signing a four-year, $120-million extension? Can Grimes and Toppin carve out starting spots and thrive in a larger role? As Brunson enters his prime, can he improve the players around him?
At the moment, the Knicks are stuck in the middle, and they've reached a proverbial fork in the road. While the summer-long chase of Mitchell didn't amount to anything, the deal falling apart may have been for the best. If the Knicks actually paid up and matched the Cavs' offer, it&rsquo;s fair to wonder whether that move would've set the organization back &mdash; especially since the team wouldn't have been a contender.
Missing out on Mitchell must sting for the Knicks and their fans. However, they weren&rsquo;t one big splash away from becoming a formidable contender. Even with Brunson and Mitchell, they would've still been in the market for a third star. Handing over all of their juiciest assets for Mitchell would've hamstrung the Knicks and made it difficult to build a winner around the New York native.

After pursuing Donovan Mitchell all summer, the Knicks wisely backed out at the last minute. Evan Sidery explains why.

Knicks were wise to step away from Donovan Mitchell sweepstakes

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?

Chet Holmgren, the No. 2 pick in the draft, had 16 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to an 84-81 victory over the Orlando Magic on Monday night in the Las Vegas Summer League.
Holmgren shot 7 of 10 in a game that was originally expected to be a matchup of the Nos. 1 and 2 picks. But the Magic announced earlier Monday that Paolo Banchero would not play the remainder of the summer after averaging 20 points, five rebounds and six assists in his two games in Las Vegas.
Josh Giddey added 12 points, seven rebounds and eight assists for the Thunder (1-1).
Holmgren, a 7-footer out of Gonzaga, did a little bit of everything, from bringing up the ball to anchoring the Oklahoma City defense. He threw down dunks, was 2 of 4 from 3-point range, blocked two shots and changed multiple more, but committed four turnovers.
Justin James led Orlando (2-1) with 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting. Tommy Kuhse scored 14 points, Devin Cannady added 12 and Zavier Simpson had 11 points, seven assists and five steals. Emanuel Terry scored 10 points and grabbed 14 rebounds.
ROCKETS 97, SPURS 84
Tari Eason had 22 points, 10 rebounds, two steals and two blocks, and Jabari Smith Jr. had 19 points and nine rebounds as Houston rallied from an 18-point deficit to beat San Antonio.&nbsp;
Josh Christopher scored 13 of his 18 points in the final six minutes as Houston (2-1) pulled away. Daishen Nix added 18 points, six assists and two steals for the Rockets.
San Antonio led 54-36 with 2 minutes left in the first half. Houston used a 16-5 run midway through the third quarter to take a 62-61 lead after Smith hit a 3-pointer.
Malaki Branham led San Antonio (0-3) with 20 points. Blake Wesley made just 3 of 20 from the field &mdash; 0 of 7 from 3-point range &mdash; but finished with 14 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals.
Josh Primo (health and safety protocols) did not play for the Spurs.
CELTICS 111, BUCKS 109
Matt Ryan scored 23 points and hit six of Boston&rsquo;s 18 3-pointers &mdash; including a tightly contested running 3 with 0.8 seconds to play &mdash; and Boston stunned Milwaukee.
After Lindell Wigginton made two free throws to give the Bucks a one-point lead, Ryan took the inbounds pass, dribbled up the left sideline and went behind-the-back near midcourt and hit a straight-away 3 with the 6-foot-7 MarJon Beauchamp in his face. Ryan appeared to hurt his left ankle on the play and writhed in pain on the court before Wigginton missed a heave from beyond half court as time expired.
Mfiondu Kabengele had 15 points, 11 rebounds &mdash; including seven offensive &mdash; four assists and two blocks, while Brodric Thomas made 4 of 8 from 3-point range and finished with 14 points and eight rebounds for Boston (1-1). Juhann Begarin scored 13 points, Sam Hauser 12 and Justin Jackson added 10.
Milwaukee&rsquo;s Sandro Mamukelashvili had 28 points and nine rebounds. Wigginton added 24 points and Beauchamp scored 15.
PELICANS 101, HAWKS 73
Trey Murphy III, the No. 17 selection in the 2021 draft, had 30 points on 10-of-18 shooting and Daequan Plowden scored 16 to help New Orleans beat Atlanta.
Dyson Daniels, the Pelicans&rsquo; first-round draft pick (No. 8 overall), did not play because of an ankle injury.
Jared Harper made 9 of 12 from the free throw line and finished with 14 points and seven assists for the Pelicans (1-1). Tyrique Jones added 11 points, nine rebounds and four blocks.
AJ Griffin, the Hawks&rsquo; No. 16 pick in the draft, did not play did not play due to discomfort in his right foot.
Chaundee Brown Jr. and Justin Tillman scored 14 points apiece for Atlanta (0-2).
The Hawks shot 31.7% (26 of 82) from the field and made 3 of 24 (12.5%) from 3-point range.
JAZZ 83, MAVERICKS 82
Tacko Fall and D.J. Funderburk each had a double-double and Johnny Juzang hit a step-back 3-pointer in the closing seconds to help cold-shooting Utah beat Dallas.
Fall scored 12 points, grabbed 15 rebounds and blocked three shots, while Funderburk added 10 points, 10 rebounds and two steals. The Jazz (2-0) outrebounded Dallas 65-46 overall and had a 22-7 advantage on the offensive glass. Fall pulled down 12 offensive rebounds as Utah outscored the Mavericks 21-0 in second-chance points.
Juzang, Justin Robinson and Xavier Sneed scored 11 points apiece for the Jazz. Jarod Butler finished with nine points, 10 assists and three steals but made just 3 of 22 (16%) from the field and went 0 for 10 from behind the arc.
Jerrick Harding led Dallas (0-2) with 18 points and A.J. Lawson had 15 points, 12 rebounds and two blocks. Jaden Hardy was just 4-of-15 shooting but finished with 14 points, six rebounds and five assists. Derrick Alston Jr. scored 13 points and Moses Wright added 11.
Utah shot just 31% (26 of 84).
TRAIL BLAZERS 88, KNICKS 77
Trendon Watford scored 18 points and Jabari Walker had 16 points on 6-of-8 shooting and grabbed 13 rebounds to help Portland overcome a slow start to beat New York.
Craig Randall II hit 4 of 8 from 3-point range and finished with 12 points, Keon Johnson scored 11 and Brandon Williams added 10 for the Trail Blazers (2-1).
Portland shot just 3 of 14 from the field in the first quarter and trailed 24-9. The Trail Blazers were 27 of 48 (56.3%) the rest of the way.
Quentin Grimes scored 24 points for the Knicks (2-1), who led 13-0 for the second straight game. Miles McBride scored 16 and Feron Hunt added 12. Jericho Sims had six points, 11 rebounds, four assists and three blocks.
ESPN analyst and former NBA player Richard Jefferson, who won an NBA title with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016, officiated the second quarter.&nbsp;

The Thunder were victorious with an 84-81 victory over the Magic on Monday night in the Las Vegas Summer League.

Holmgren, Giddey lead Thunder over Magic in NBA Summer League

The Orlando Magic led by 18 points with less than five minutes left in regulation of their NBA Summer League against the Sacramento Kings on Saturday, well on their way to a victory.
They wound up getting that win &mdash; after some very wild events down the stretch.
Emanuel Terry&rsquo;s layup off a pass from No. 1 pick Paolo Banchero gave the Magic a 94-92 victory in sudden-death overtime, capping a frantic finish to a game that had a little bit of everything in the final moments.
&ldquo;That&rsquo;s a game I&rsquo;ll probably never, ever forget,&rdquo; Magic summer coach Jesse Mermuys said.
With good reason. Sacramento closed regulation on a 23-5 run, getting the last six of those points in the final 5.1 seconds on a pair of 3-pointers to force overtime.
The fun was just getting started.
Keon Ellis banked in a 3-pointer with 22 seconds left in the first 2-minute overtime, putting Sacramento up 92-89. But the Kings fouled Devin Cannady with 6.2 seconds left, and he swished all three free throws to tie it.
Ellis missed a short jumper with a second left in OT, and Cannady nearly won the game there with a 60-foot heave that bounced off the rim. That sent the teams to a second overtime, sudden death, first score wins.
Banchero was called for a foul on the first Sacramento possession and the Kings would have gone to the line to shoot free throws &mdash; but after a lengthy review, the call was overturned. Orlando got the ball, Banchero found Terry down low, and the Magic got their winner.
&ldquo;This was one of the most fun games I&rsquo;ve ever been a part of,&rdquo; Cannady said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve played in the NCAA Tournament, obviously I&rsquo;ve played in NBA games, but this was basketball at its purest.&rdquo;
Banchero scored 23 points for the Magic and had six rebounds, six assists and four steals. Admiral Schofield scored 14 points for Orlando.
Neemias Queta topped Sacramento with 23 points. Keegan Murray, the No. 4 pick, scored 20 points and grabbed nine rebounds. Queta hit the first 3-pointer in the final moments of regulation to give Sacramento a chance, and Murray made the tying one with two-tenths of a second remaining.
RAPTORS 97, 76ERS 77
Armoni Brooks made five 3-pointers and scored 25 points, Delano Banton added 21 and Toronto breezed to a victory over Philadelphia.
Christian Koloko, the Raptors&rsquo; only pick in this year&rsquo;s draft, added 12 points and seven rebounds. The No. 33 overall pick added three steals and three blocks.
Isaiah Joe buried 7 of 9 shots from 3-point range, scoring 24 points to pace the Sixers.
HEAT 88, CELTICS 78
Mychal Mulder scored 23 points to help Miami beat Boston.
Mulder made 5 of 8 shots from 3-point range for the Heat. Serbia&rsquo;s Nikola Jovic, the 27th overall selection and Miami&rsquo;s only pick in the draft, missed two free throws and his only shot attempt. He grabbed four rebounds in just under 14 minutes of action.
Matt Ryan topped Boston with 15 points, and Mfiondu Kabengele had 14. JD Davison, the Celtics&rsquo; only pick in the draft (53rd overall), finished with 10 points, six rebounds and six assists.
PISTONS 105, WIZARDS 99
Isaiah Livers scored 20 points in Detroit&rsquo;s victory over Washington.
Jalen Duren, the 13th overall pick whom the Pistons acquired in a draft-day trade with Charlotte, had 13 points and six rebounds. Jaden Ivey, the fifth overall selection, scored 11 points in a little over five minutes of action before leaving because of a sprained right ankle.
Jordan Schakel had 24 points, and Jordan Goodwin had 20 to pace Washington. Johnny Davis &mdash; the 10th overall pick &mdash; finished with six points and five rebounds.
JAZZ 72, HAWKS 66
Jared Butler had 15 points and seven assists to lead Utah past Atlanta.
Kofi Cockburn added 13 rebounds and six points for the Jazz.
Chaundee Brown Jr. scored 15 poins to lead Atlanta. Justin Tillman added 12. A.J. Griffin, the Hawks&rsquo; top pick at No. 16, did not play.
ROCKETS 90, THUNDER 88
No. 17 overall pick Tari Eason made the second of two free throws with 4.1 seconds left and Houston held off Oklahoma City.
Eason finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds for the Rockets. No. 3 overall pick Jabari Smith had 12 points, nine rebounds and four steals. Josh Christopher had 19 points, nine rebounds and five assists.
Jalen Williams, one of OKC&rsquo;s three first-round draft picks, topped the Thunder with 15 points. No. 2 overall pick Chet Holmgren had 12 points, eight rebounds and four blocks. Ousmane Dieng &mdash; the 11th overall selection acquired in a trade with the Knicks &mdash; added 10 points and six rebounds.
CLIPPERS 94, GRIZZLIES 76
Reggie Perry had 17 points and Brandon Boston Jr. scored 15 to lead Los Angeles past Memphis.
Second-rounder Moussa Diabate, the Clippers&rsquo; only pick in the draft, had 10 points and six rebounds.
Kenneth Lofton Jr. topped Memphis with 18 points. First-round pick David Roddy had 10.
TRAIL BLAZERS 85, PELICANS 68
Trendon Watford had 17 points, 11 rebounds and five assists to power Portland past New Orleans.
Second-round pick Jabari Walker finished with 12 points and five rebounds for the Trail Blazers.
Trey Murphy III had 23 points, eight rebounds and four steals for the Pelicans. No. 8 overall pick Dyson Daniels missed all five of his shots and 1 of 2 free throws. Second-rounder E.J. Liddell scored two points on 1-for-6 shooting.

“That’s a game I’ll probably never, ever forget,” Magic summer coach Jesse Mermuys said.

Top pick Banchero, Magic beat Kings 94-92 in sudden death

Things could get messy with the Brooklyn Nets.
Most of the chatter surrounds Kyrie Irving's future. He's up for new money &mdash; either on an opt-in-and-extend deal, or by opting out and testing the free agent market. The Nets are reportedly willing to play ball, but not in the way Irving wants. That <a href="https://www.netsdaily.com/2022/6/25/23182609/woj-negotiations-between-nets-and-kyrie-irving-have-turned-acrimonious-as-lakers-loom" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ranges from</a> a shorter-term deal, to an opt-in-and-prove-it type scenario.&nbsp;
Irving, of course, wants long-term security. He's one of the most talented guards to lace up a pair of sneakers, and balled out in (self-imposed) limited action to the tune of 27.4 points on 59.2% True Shooting, and a shade under six assists per game. If he and the Nets aren't able to come to agreement, he's reportedly <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/34138693/sources-kyrie-irving-sign-trade-wish-list-no-deal-brooklyn-nets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ready to find a new home</a> via sign-and-trade.
That's enough to flip this summer on its head. But the domino effect could lead to an even bigger shift: Kevin Durant wanting his Brooklyn exit too.
The Athletic's Shams Charania <a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1540064142555496452?s=20&amp;t=vNPqKF6zRYFSv1rv_KLiuw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">has reported</a> that Durant is monitoring the Irving situation and mulling his own options. On the most recent episode of The Lowe Post, ESPN's Zach Lowe said that teams are already setting up contingency plans for a potential Durant pursuit.
We're less than a week out from Irving's opt-in decision, which means it's more than possible he and the Nets are able to find common ground and we laugh about all of this. But if they aren't, and Durant actually becomes available, there isn't a team in the league that won't inquire.
And why would any team skip over the possibility to acquire a top-15 player of all-time? This is a player who just slapped up 30-7-6 on 63.4% True Shooting this season, and was in the thick of the MVP race before suffering an MCL injury in mid-January.
Though Durant doesn't have the threat of free agency as leverage &mdash; he just&nbsp;signed a four-year extension last August &mdash; you have to assume he'll have some say in his next stop, if it gets that far. The Nets will want to do right by him. And with him heading into his age-34 season, it's fair to assume he'll want to land somewhere he'd have an immediate chance to win.
The challenge from there will be finding teams that have enough to offer the Nets to appease them &mdash; because you're not getting equal value for Kevin freaking Durant &mdash; while also having enough of a supporting cast to pursue a title with.&nbsp;
The first team that came to mind was the Phoenix Suns.
They have a trio of young pieces &mdash; Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson and the oddly-wasn&rsquo;t-given-a-max Deandre Ayton &mdash; they could theoretically offer up. Between Ayton&rsquo;s max in a sign-and-trade, Bridges&rsquo; extension kicking in and Johnson&rsquo;s team option, the Suns could easily get to north of $40 mililion in salary to make it work.
(There could be some haggling for Johnson. The Suns do have&nbsp;<a href="https://www.prosportstransactions.com/basketball/DraftTrades/Future/Suns.htm">all their picks</a> from 2023 and onward &mdash; and it's not like they're <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/insider/story/_/id/34126111/how-phoenix-suns-plan-nail-nba-draft-mostly-ignoring-it" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fans of the draft anyway</a> &mdash; so maybe they'd be willing to sub in future firsts in an effort to keep Johnson.)
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I can hear Boston Celtic fans yelling now because of the age gap, but using Jaylen Brown as the centerpiece of a deal for Durant is feasible. They'd love to form a Big Three with Durant, Jayson Tatum and Brown of course, but it's hard to picture a package of Marcus Smart, Al Horford, Grant Williams, Payton Pritchard and picks getting it done. Starting with Brown would get them in the room pretty quickly.
Then there are the Miami Heat, who would try to use Tyler Herro as the blue chip piece to build a deal around. With Herro's question marks as a lead-dog &mdash; can he get to the rim enough? &mdash; and defensive shortcomings, on top of him being extension-eligible this offseason, I don't know if that would be enough. Herro and Duncan Robinson wouldn't be enough salary anyway, and it's hard to imagine the Heat toss Kyle Lowry into a deal considering a) what it cost to bring him in and b) his relationship with Jimmy Butler.
And to that point, a Durant pursuit could serve as a fork-in-the-road moment for this franchise. Whose timeline is most important: Butler's or Bam Adebayo's? Because like the Celtics with Brown, the Heat could put themselves in the room easily by offering up Adebayo in an effort to maximize Butler's window. I'd be shocked if they went that route, but it's something to keep in mind.
There are funkier options that intrigue me. Lowe already touched on it in his most recent pod, but Zion Williamson (and other stuff) for Durant is something to think about. The New Orleans Pelicans have enough young prospects (that may not even have room to crack the rotation, as things currently stand) to raise Brooklyn's brow. Even with the health concerns for Williamson, it's hard to pinpoint a trade headliner with his kind of potential.
The other issue with a Zion-led package is his current cap number, a little over $13 million. Him plus other young pieces sound nice in theory, but it'd be hard to cobble up the salary to match Durant's number from there. At best, it would cost them Jonas Valanciunas, who Brooklyn could use or ask to be rerouted to a third team. One way to make all of this easier would be to swap out Zion and use Brandon Ingram as the headliner instead. New Orleans would have to decide if they'd want to push that button following the postseason run Ingram just had.
The Toronto Raptors could offer up Scottie Barnes as a headliner, though I'm sure they would try to keep him (and Pascal Siakam) out of talks. Would three of Fred VanVleet, OG Anunoby, Gary Trent Jr. or Precious Achiuwa plus pick equity get it done? The Raptors do own their first-round picks moving forward.
The Memphis Grizzlies have enough non-Ja Morant pieces &mdash; Jaren Jackson Jr and Desmond Bane in particular &mdash; to put something together if they want. If the on-court potential of Morant and Durant isn't enough, they'd easily be the most prolific Twitter duo in the league. But the "if they want" looms large in this regard. They may not want to give up on JJJ considering his importance to their defense. And as good as Bane is offensively, it's at least fair to question what his potential as a legit primary guy is.&nbsp;
Oh, hey, the Golden State Warriors could...
Nevermind.
If there's one other team worth monitoring here, it would be the New York Knicks. Between Julius Randle or RJ Barrett &mdash; offering up both would defeat the "having something for Durant when he gets there" point &mdash; they have something to build a deal around. Immanuel Quickley would likely be involved regardless of which headliner the Knicks choose.
Beyond that, the Knicks have the mid-tier salaries necessary to match Durant's number, as well as an influx of future picks due to their draft-night moves. If their cards are played right, there exists a world where they could cobble a deal together for Durant, have at least one young(ish) guy they like, and meaningful enough cap space to make another splash.&nbsp;
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Nekias Duncan looks into potential trade packages for Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant if their situation turns dire.

Emmanuel