Falcons

Similar to when we discussed <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-draft-combine-takeaways-from-anthro-testing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">anthro testing</a>, the NBA Draft Combine provides opportunities for both fans and scouts alike to overreact. Some around the league put lots of stock into agility and strength testing, while others do not. The eye of the beholder takes each test into account in his or her own way.&nbsp;
Our Sr. NBA Draft Analyst, Matt Babcock, weighs in: &ldquo;I can't say I put a ton of stock into the physical testing, but I certainly look at them. I'm usually not too surprised at the results, as I think a decently experienced scout can generally judge a player's athleticism relatively well by watching them play in person. However, seeing results like Kennedy Chandler jumping an impressive 41.5 inches on his max vertical and Patrick Baldwin Jr. jumping a Combine-worst 26.5 inches does sway my opinion of them some.&rdquo;
Here are a few of my takeaways from agility testing:
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-nba-mock-draft/players/kendall-brown" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kendall Brown</a>, Baylor
Kendall Brown leaped to a 41-inch max vertical in Chicago. This explosiveness, paired with being 6-foot, 7.5 inches and 201 pounds, gives insight into the physical athlete he really is. While there are concerns about some of Brown&rsquo;s perimeter skills, his athleticism and ability to impact the game on both ends will translate. He&rsquo;ll be a coveted player in next month&rsquo;s draft.
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-nba-mock-draft/players/kennedy-chandler" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kennedy Chandler</a>, Tennessee
Although only measuring in at 5-foot, 11.5 inches without shoes, Kennedy Chandler posted the highest vertical leap of the day at 41.5 inches. Scouts and media alike were impressed with the athleticism, as he makes a strong case for himself as a first-round pick.&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-nba-mock-draft/players/jalen-williams" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jalen Williams</a>, Santa Clara
After registering tremendous numbers in the anthro testing, Jalen Williams then posted a 39-inch max vertical, giving real promise to how he'll fit on an NBA floor. His defense leaves a lot to be desired, but his shooting, offensive skill set and obvious athleticism may lead to a rise in his draft value.&nbsp;
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/usatsi_18295573_lg.jpg" alt="" width="547" height="400" />
Terquavion Smith, NC State
It&rsquo;s been a solid week of measurements for Terquavion Smith as he continues to consider whether he'll stay in the 2022 NBA Draft. After measuring in at 6-foot, 2.25 inches without shoes, he then posted a 10.63 lane agility time and a 38.5-inch max vertical. He&rsquo;s twitchy and explosive, and has a chance to be a reliable guard in the NBA regardless of when he declares.&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-nba-mock-draft/players/david-roddy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">David Roddy</a>, Colorado State
Roddy is 6-foot-6 in his shoes, 260 pounds, has a 6-foot, 11.5-inch wingspan and registers a 35.5-inch max vertical. Not only would these be strong at an NFL Combine, they were in a solid tier in Chicago as well. Roddy has a real chance to be a first-round pick next month and has helped himself this week.&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-nba-mock-draft/players/patrick-baldwin-jr" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Patrick Baldwin Jr.</a>, UW-Milwaukee
Baldwin Jr. recorded a 23.5-inch standing vert and 26.5-inch max vert. The 26.5-inch mark is the fourth-lowest number at the Combine since 2011, ahead of only Dakari Johnson, Dedric Lawson and Nikola Vucevic. While he shows incredible potential as a shooter at the NBA level, these numbers will likely be taken into heavy consideration around the league.
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Derek Murray highlights key observations from the agility testing portion of the 2022 NBA Draft Combine.

2022 NBA Draft Combine: Takeaways from agility testing

The NBA announced the 76 players who are expected to attend the 2022 NBA Draft Combine, which is scheduled for May 18-20 at Wintrust Arena and the Marriott Marquis in Chicago.
The 2022 NBA Draft Combine is an important step in the draft process for NBA prospects, leading up to 2022 NBA Draft on June 23.&nbsp;
Players will have interviews with NBA teams and participate in five-on-five games, shooting drills and strength-and-agility drills from May 18-20. Coverage of the 2022 NBA Draft Combine begins Thursday, May 19 on ESPNews from 3-5 p.m. ET and transitions to ESPN2 from 5-7 p.m. ET. The coverage continues on Friday, May 20 from 1-2 p.m. ET on ESPN2 and 2-5 p.m. ET on ESPNews.
Additionally, a select number of standout players from the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-announces-field-of-44-draft-prospects-for-g-league-elite-camp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2022 NBA G League Elite Camp</a>, which takes place May 16-17 at Wintrust Arena, will be invited to participate in the 2022 NBA Draft Combine.
Here is the complete list of expected attendees for this year's NBA Draft Combine (and check out <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BasketballNews.com's 2022 NBA Mock Draft</a> to see where each player is projected to go):&nbsp;
<table style="font-weight: 400;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" width="832">
Player (College/Club)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Ochai Agbaji (Kansas)
</td>
<td width="442">
Jake LaRavia (Wake Forest)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Patrick Baldwin Jr. (Milwaukee)
</td>
<td width="442">
Justin Lewis (Marquette)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Paolo Banchero (Duke)
</td>
<td width="442">
E.J. Liddell (Ohio State)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Dominick Barlow (Overtime Elite)
</td>
<td width="442">
Bennedict Mathurin (Arizona)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Marjon Beauchamp (G League Ignite)
</td>
<td width="442">
Matthew Mayer (Baylor)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Hugo Besson (New Zealand Breakers)
</td>
<td width="442">
Bryce McGowens (Nebraska)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Malaki Branham (Ohio State)
</td>
<td width="442">
Leonard Miller (Fort Erie Intl. Academy [Canada] )
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Christian Braun (Kansas)
</td>
<td width="442">
Josh Minott (Memphis)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Kendall Brown (Baylor)
</td>
<td width="442">
Aminu Mohammed (Georgetown)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
John Butler Jr. (Florida State)
</td>
<td width="442">
Iverson Molinar (Mississippi State)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Julian Champagnie (St. John&rsquo;s)
</td>
<td width="442">
Jean Montero (Overtime Elite)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Kennedy Chandler (Tennessee)
</td>
<td width="442">
Wendell Moore Jr. (Duke)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Max Christie (Michigan State)
</td>
<td width="442">
Keegan Murray (Iowa)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Kofi Cockburn (Illinois)
</td>
<td width="442">
Andrew Nembhard (Gonzaga)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Dyson Daniels (G League Ignite)
</td>
<td width="442">
Scotty Pippen Jr. (Vanderbilt)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Johnny Davis (Wisconsin)
</td>
<td width="442">
Gabriele Procida (Fortitudo Bologna [Italy] )
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
JD Davison (Alabama)
</td>
<td width="442">
Orlando Robinson (Fresno State)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Moussa Diabate (Michigan)
</td>
<td width="442">
David Roddy (Colorado State)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Ousmane Dieng (New Zealand Breakers)
</td>
<td width="442">
Ryan Rollins (Toledo)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Khalifa Diop (Gran Canaria [Spain] )
</td>
<td width="442">
Dereon Seabron (North Carolina State)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Jalen Duren (Memphis)
</td>
<td width="442">
Shaedon Sharpe (Kentucky)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Tari Eason (LSU)
</td>
<td width="442">
Jabari Smith (Auburn)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Keon Ellis (Alabama)
</td>
<td width="442">
Terquavion Smith (North Carolina State)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Michael Foster Jr. (G League Ignite)
</td>
<td width="442">
Jeremy Sochan (Baylor)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Collin Gillespie (Villanova)
</td>
<td width="442">
Matteo Spagnolo (Cremona [Italy] )
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
AJ Griffin (Duke)
</td>
<td width="442">
Julian Strawther (Gonzaga)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Jaden Hardy (G League Ignite)
</td>
<td width="442">
Dalen Terry (Arizona)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Ron Harper Jr. (Rutgers)
</td>
<td width="442">
Drew Timme (Gonzaga)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Chet Holmgren (Gonzaga)
</td>
<td width="442">
Jabari Walker (Colorado)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Harrison Ingram (Stanford)
</td>
<td width="442">
TyTy Washington Jr. (Kentucky)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Jaden Ivey (Purdue)
</td>
<td width="442">
Peyton Watson (UCLA)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Trayce Jackson-Davis (Indiana)
</td>
<td width="442">
Blake Wesley (Notre Dame)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Nikola Jovic (Mega [Serbia] )
</td>
<td width="442">
Alondes Williams (Wake Forest)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Johnny Juzang (UCLA)
</td>
<td width="442">
Jalen Williams (Santa Clara)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Ismael Kamagate (Paris [France] )
</td>
<td width="442">
Jaylin Williams (Arkansas)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Trevor Keels (Duke)
</td>
<td width="442">
Mark Williams (Duke)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Walker Kessler (Auburn)
</td>
<td width="442">
Trevion Williams (Purdue)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="390">
Christian Koloko (Arizona)
</td>
<td width="442">
Fanbo Zeng (G League Ignite)
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
&nbsp;

The NBA announced the 76 players who are expected to attend the 2022 NBA Draft Combine, which takes place May 18-20 in Chicago.

NBA announces 76 prospects who will attend 2022 NBA Draft Combine

Prior this year's trade deadline, the Indiana Pacers were one of the NBA's busiest teams. When all was said and done, Indiana traded Domantas Sabonis, Caris LeVert, Torrey Craig, Justin Holiday and Jeremy Lamb, shifting their focus to building around their young core.
While Myles Turner's name was popping up in trade rumors quite a bit leading up to Feb. 10, the front office ultimately decided to keep Turner past the deadline. Initially, it was unclear if the Pacers planned to resume trade talks involving Turner over the offseason or if they truly wanted to hold onto him.
Now, we have an answer. According to <a href="https://marcstein.substack.com/p/whats-next-for-nash-and-the-nets?s=r" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NBA insider Marc Stein</a>, the Pacers are no longer interested in moving Turner and want to keep him long-term.
On Monday, Turner <a href="https://twitter.com/Original_Turner/status/1518602463401627650" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tweeted</a> that he "can't wait for next season." Privately, he has also expressed excitement about the chance to play with Tyrese Haliburton, whom the Pacers acquired from the Sacramento Kings as part of the Sabonis trade.
Turner has one year remaining on his current contract, and he'll earn $18,000,000 next season. He'll be extension-eligible this summer, so perhaps the two sides can come to an agreement on a new deal.
While Turner has been in the NBA for seven seasons, he just turned 26 years old last month, so he's not much older than Chris Duarte (who turns 25 in June) or Oshae Brissett (who turns 24 in June).
Turner's season ended in mid-January due to a stress reaction in his left foot. Prior to the injury, he averaged 12.9 points, 7.1 rebounds, 2.8 blocks and 1.5 threes in 42 games, while shooting 50.9% from the field, 33.3% from three and 75.2% from the free-throw line. Turner was on pace to lead the NBA in blocks per game for the second-straight season (and the third time in four years).
The Pacers finished the season 25-57, which was the third-worst record in the Eastern Conference. In <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BasketballNews.com's latest 2022 NBA Mock Draft</a>, Indiana is projected to draft Keegan Murray with the No. 5 overall pick and David Roddy with the No. 31 overall pick.

The Pacers shopped Myles Turner prior to this year's NBA trade deadline, but now Indiana wants to keep Turner long-term.

Despite trade talks, the Pacers want to keep Myles Turner long-term

With March Madness behind us and the NBA Draft lottery odds set, we're now into the next phase of the scouting season.
BasketballNews.com Sr. NBA Draft Analyst Matt Babcock transitioned our 2022 NBA Draft Big Board into <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">our first NBA Mock Draft of the year</a>. As teams, scouts and analysts gather intel, this mock serves as an early peek into what draft night could look like in June.
Babcock discussed his latest projections, some early storylines to monitor in the spring, prospects who shined in the NCAA Tournament, and more in the following Q&amp;A.
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pScMEHWYzOQ" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
What makes Jabari Smith the pick for the Rockets at No. 1?
The Houston Rockets only won 20 games this season, but it's not all doom and gloom. They're in rebuild mode, and they've already gotten a good group of young players together. In last year's NBA Draft, they selected Jalen Green with the second pick, and it looks as if he could emerge into a primetime scorer who they can build around. 
They also drafted Alperen Sengun, Usman Garuba and Josh Christopher,&nbsp; selected KJ Martin with a late second-round pick the year before, and added Kevin Porter Jr. via trade. All of the players mentioned above are younger than 21 years old. They've struggled to win games up to this point, but they have a young nucleus to work with as they look to build for the future.
Regarding this year's draft, it's pretty close among the top prospects, and it seems as if everyone has their unique argument as to who are the top prospects and why &mdash; which I appreciate, as I think there usually tends to be too much groupthink in the draft space. Anyway, Jabari Smith Jr. is my No. 1 guy, and he has been for a while now. At 6-foot-10, Smith is an absolute sniper from the perimeter as a stretch four, and with time I think he will also prove that he has much more in his bag as a scorer. 
On the defensive end, Smith has a chance to be special. He's about as switchable as it gets, and he's tough. His versatility on both ends of the ball will provide a lot of lineup flexibility to whatever team selects him. In addition to possessing perhaps the most upside of any player projected to be in the 2022 NBA Draft, he can essentially co-exist with just about any group of players. Therefore, I believe that Jabari Smith Jr. would be the right pick for the Rockets if they indeed win the NBA Draft Lottery.&nbsp;
Which teams could shake up the draft selections if lottery luck lands them in the top-3?
My first tier includes Jabari Smith Jr., Jaden Ivey, Chet Holmgren and Paolo Banchero this year. Of that group, Jaden Ivey is the only guard. Due to his style of play, I'm not sure he's a great fit with several teams potentially selecting towards the top, including Houston, Orlando, Indiana and San Antonio -- they're all pretty guard-heavy at the moment. If any combination of these teams lands in the top-3, I wouldn't be surprised to see Ivey sliding back a touch. 
Another thing worth noting is that I'm also not sure Paolo Banchero would fit well with teams like New York or New Orleans. On the flip side, Jabari Smith Jr. and Chet Holmgren fit in pretty seamlessly with most teams. I think these are a few elements that could potentially dictate how the first few picks unfold.
What inspired Mark Williams' rapid rise to the No. 12 overall pick?
I'll admit the 12th pick is on the high side for Mark Williams, but I like the fit, and I don't think it's too much of a stretch. Williams had a terrific season at Duke this year, and he's continued to grow on me. His performance versus Gonzaga in Las Vegas in November was one of the best showings I saw in-person all season. I think he has a chance to develop into becoming a solid starting center as a rim running and rim-protecting 5-man. I wouldn't be surprised to see him have a long and productive NBA career. 
In our most recent simulated mock draft, Oklahoma City selected Paolo Banchero with the fourth pick and Mark Williams with the 12th pick, coincidentally Duke's frontcourt this past season. The Thunder have Shai Gilgeous-Alexander locked up on a long-term deal and Sam Presti's lottery selection last year, Josh Giddey, looks like a star in the making. So it seems their backcourt of the future is solid. Adding Bancero and Williams would bolster their frontcourt, giving OKC's roster shape moving forward.
Which other prospects benefited most from their March Madness performances?
He was already rated super high, but I think Paolo Banchero finished strong. Ochai Agbaji was terrific versus Villanova in Kansas' Final Four game. Benedict Mathurin had a couple of outstanding games in the tournament, and Kennedy Chandler was good for Tennessee. I think all of those players helped themselves in March.
What is one of your favorite later-round team-player fits?
A few picks in the second round that stand out are David Roddy from Colorado State to the Pacers, Jake LaRavia from Wake Forest to the Hawks, and Colin Gillespie from Villanova to the Pelicans. None of those players necessarily blow me away with their talent or tools, but I think all three could become excellent complementary players.
What makes G League Ignite prospects Dyson Daniels, MarJon Beauchamp and Jaden Hardy worthy of first-round status?
They're all very different players from one another, but they're all talented in their own right. Daniels and Beauchamp showed well this season and have moved up the ranks. Hardy came into the season projected to be a high pick and the highest of this group, but he didn't do quite as well as most people had hoped, myself included.&nbsp;
Daniels has terrific size and versatility on both ends of the ball, Beauchamp is very athletic, plays with a great pace, and makes a lot happen. Hardy might have struggled a bit this season, however, he still has a lot of raw talent as a scorer and shot-maker with deep range. I expect all three to be selected in the first round.
While many of us were focused on March Madness, have any draft-eligible international players made waves recently?
Ousmane Dieng, a player from France currently playing for the New Zealand Breakers in the Australian League, is the player that comes to mind in regards to someone who has been making waves recently on the international scene. Dieng has terrific size for an on-ball playmaker, and I think he possesses a lot of upside as a versatile point forward. He has a good chance of becoming a first-round pick.
After the success of last year's first Tampa Bay Pro Combine, what should we expect from the event this spring?
It's been great to see some of our guys who participated in the Tampa Bay Pro Combine last year find success quickly in their careers. I mean, Terry Taylor and Brandon Williams signed NBA contracts, but they also played significant minutes for their teams. Jordan Goodwin and Micah Potter had opportunities with NBA teams too. It was incredible to see!&nbsp;
We've changed the format this year. First, we cut the number of invited players from nearly 50 to 24 this year. Instead of just playing five-on-five games all week, we decided to host simulated NBA pre-draft workouts the first two days, where we'll have six players on the court at a time and 12 per day. The main reason for this change was to comply with NBA guidelines so that NBA scouts could attend. Anyway, we have another great group of guys set to fly out and compete. It should be a great week!
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Ethan Fuller checks in with Matt Babcock after the unveiling of his first 2022 NBA Mock Draft.

2022 NBA Draft: Q&A with Matt Babcock on first mock, notable risers

CLEVELAND (AP) — With a large, loud contingent of Slovenia fans on hand, Luka Doncic wanted to give his countrymen a show.
The Cavaliers couldn't stop it.
“When all the people come to see you, you want to put on a show," Doncic said.
He didn't disappoint.
Doncic scored 35 points, added 13 assists and just missed another triple-double, leading the Dallas Mavericks to a 120-112 win on Wednesday night over the Cleveland Cavaliers, who were without star rookie forward Evan Mobley.
Dorian Finney-Smith added a career-high 28 points — many of them off passes from Doncic — for Dallas, which came in fourth in the Western Conference and locked up one of the top six playoff spots.
Doncic scored 20 with ease in the third, when the Mavericks took control by outscoring the Cavaliers 39-22.
With Cleveland still hanging around in the fourth, the do-it-all All-Star forward, who finished one rebound short of his second triple-double in two nights, put the Cavs away with a deep, dagger 3.
“We talked about there being a large Slovenian contingent in Cleveland on the plane,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said. "He wanted to put on a good show and came to work. He comes to work every night.
“He knew when to pass the ball and when to attack. Luka will have two (guys) on the ball and he trusts his teammates to make plays.”
Caris LeVert had his best game with Cleveland, scoring 32 points. Darius Garland added 25 points and 10 assists for the Cavs, who have dropped four of five and are trying to hang onto a home game in the play-in tournament amid some major injuries.
Mobley, one of the Rookie of the Year frontrunners, missed the game with a sprained ankle suffered Monday night and will miss at least two more.
One of the game's most complete players, Doncic dominated in the third to help the Mavericks erase a six-point halftime deficit and take an 11-point lead into the fourth.
Doncic did it almost effortlessly as the Cavs couldn't figure out how to stop him from splitting high screens and driving down the lane for either a short bank shot or an assist to an open teammate.
Dallas closed the third with a 15-2 run, highlighted by Doncic feeding Finney-Smith with a behind-the-back pass for a 3-pointer.
“He does a great job of playing at the right tempo and the right speed," Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff said of Doncic. “Tonight it was a pick your poison because his teammates were making shots. He does a great job of finding them and setting them up.”
“He's a wizard with the ball in his hands.”
Mobley's loss is a huge blow at the worst possible time for the Cavs. He will not travel to Atlanta and New York in the next few days so he can get more treatment and hopefully be back for the final few games.
Bickerstaff said Mobley's not in a walking boot, perhaps an encouraging sign the injury isn't long-term.
The Cavs have been forced to maneuver around injuries all season, and because of that Bickerstaff was confident his players would respond.
“It's a test of character and that our guys have passed time and time again,” he said. “Our guys don't quit.”
Another positive for Cleveland was LeVert, who has struggled with his role and confidence since coming to the Cavs in a deadline trade.
“This is who Caris is,” Bickerstaff said. “It was just a matter of time.”
TIP-INS
Mavericks: G Spencer Dinwiddie sat out the second night of a back-to-back as part of planned maintenance for his surgically repaired right knee. ... G Frank Ntilikina (right ankle sprain) and G Theo Pinson (right finger fracture) were also unavailable. … G Sterling Brown and G Trey Burke remain in the NBA’s health and safety protocols.
Cavaliers: Allen has missed 12 games since getting hurt on March 6. ... G Rajon Rondo (sprained ankle) was downgraded from doubtful to out and was sidelined for his ninth consecutive game. ... C Moses Brown made his first start with Cleveland and had 12 points and nine rebounds in 21 minutes.
TEAM PLAYERS
Cavs forward Kevin Love and Mavs center Boban Marjanovic are among the 12 finalists for Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year Award.
A year ago, it would have been impossible to imagine Love being considered. He was frustrated and vented toward teammates on the floor more than once. But he’s changed and his turnaround has had a major impact on Cleveland’s success.
“He’s a guy who has truly been supportive of the guy (Mobley) he had to pass the torch to, and in sports that’s not always the case,” Bickerstaff said. “Not too many people at his level are willing to sacrifice the way he has."
As for the 7-foot-4 Marjanovic, Kidd said he’s never seen the big man have a bad day.
“I hope he wins,” Kidd said, “because he deserves it.”
NEW JERSEY (PATCH)
The Cavaliers are making a subtle but strong change to their jerseys for next season. The team expanded its partnership with Cleveland Cliffs and will wear the local steel company’s logo. It will replace Goodyear’s iconic Wingfoot logo, which the club has had for five seasons.
UP NEXT
Mavericks: Continue a four-game trip Friday in Washington.
Cavaliers: Visit Atlanta on Thursday, beginning a stretch of three games in four days.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Luka Doncic's big night fuels win for Dallas Mavericks.

Doncic's 35 points, 13 assists send Mavs past Cavs 120-112

Last night, on his 42nd birthday, Jamal Crawford announced his retirement from the NBA. Crawford is one of eight players in NBA history to play for 20 seasons; only Vince Carter (22), Robert Parish (21) and Kevin Willis (21) had a longer career.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
&ldquo; Goodbye to the game, all the spoils the adrenaline rush.&rdquo; Thank you basketball, I owe you everything &hellip;..✌🏾 <a href="https://t.co/PpKYjoqz9p">pic.twitter.com/PpKYjoqz9p</a>
&mdash; 🏁 Jamal Crawford (@JCrossover) <a href="https://twitter.com/JCrossover/status/1505795444693082112?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 21, 2022</a></blockquote>
Crawford will go down as arguably the greatest sixth man of all-time, and he's one of just two players to win the Sixth Man of the Year award three times. He was known for creating instant offense off of the bench, and he was one of the league&rsquo;s best ball-handlers &mdash; consistently coming up with new moves and wowing fans with his handles. He scored the second-most points off the bench in NBA history (trailing only Lou Williams), per <a href="https://twitter.com/statmuse/status/1505915685238497285" target="_blank" rel="noopener">StatMuse</a>.
Crawford was also known as one of the best teammates around the league, winning the NBA&rsquo;s Teammate of the Year award in 2018. He has strong relationships with many people around the basketball world &mdash;&nbsp; from players to coaches to executives to media. Throughout his career, he garnered a ton of respect from fellow players because of his immense love of the game and electrifying style of play, which inspired plenty of younger hoopers (especially in his hometown of Seattle).&nbsp;
Over the years, Crawford has done everything in his power to help up-and-coming Seattle-area players, even letting some live with him throughout his NBA career (including Isaiah Thomas, Nate Robinson and Abdul Gaddy among others).
&ldquo;That&rsquo;s what it&rsquo;s all about. When you&rsquo;re a kid, you think it&rsquo;s all about you making it. Then, as you get older, the real joy, the real fulfillment, comes from seeing someone else make it," Crawford <a href="https://hoopshype.com/2018/09/03/nba-seattle-supersonics-sonics-jamal-crawford-proam-crawsover/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told me</a> in 2018. &ldquo;How can I tell someone like Isaiah Thomas or Brandon Roy or Nate Robinson or Tony Wroten or any of these guys to go help the next generation if I&rsquo;m not doing it? It all goes full circle. That&rsquo;s the payback. I don&rsquo;t want anything from those guys, I just want them to do it for the next generation... Before looking at their talent, I like to see how good of a kid they are and what kind of character they have. That&rsquo;s No. 1 for me. Once I see that, I&rsquo;m willing to help to the moon and back. I want to work with them and show them that this [lifestyle] is attainable.&rdquo;
When Crawford thinks about his career, he's said that passing down that pay-it-forward mentality to the next generation of Seattle players is one of his proudest achievements. Chicago Bulls star Zach LaVine raves about Crawford, and he now tries to help younger players just as Crawford helped him.
&ldquo;Jamal is just, like, the best human being. He&rsquo;s a great person,&rdquo; LaVine&nbsp;<a href="https://hoopshype.com/2018/09/03/nba-seattle-supersonics-sonics-jamal-crawford-proam-crawsover/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told me</a> in 2018. &ldquo;I try to be the same way; it&rsquo;s just how you&rsquo;re supposed to be, how you&rsquo;re supposed to treat other people. I thank my parents [for instilling that]. I remember being in high school &ndash; or even right before I entered high school &ndash; getting little invites to their pro runs. To be a high-schooler going up against Brandon Roy, Jamal, Nate Robinson, Tone [Wroten]? You keep getting better and better. You can see the progression, and they can see that you&rsquo;re part of that group of players who will carry on Seattle basketball. You start from a young age and then once you get there [to the pros], you just pass it down the same way.&rdquo;
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Crawford is beloved by quite a few fan bases, having suited up for the Chicago Bulls, New York Knicks, Golden State Warriors, Atlanta Hawks, Portland Trail Blazers, Los Angeles Clippers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Phoenix Suns and Brooklyn Nets.
After a productive 2018-19 season with the Suns (where Crawford was a strong leader and scored 51 points in his final game), he had a hard time getting signed by NBA teams. The Nets ultimately signed him during the NBA Bubble in Orlando, but he appeared in just one game before injuring his left hamstring. That would end up being Crawford&rsquo;s final NBA game, as he remained unsigned throughout the 2021-22 season &mdash; even when COVID-19 ravaged rosters and created opportunities for other veterans.
What&rsquo;s next for the 42-year-old? He has already been co-hosting the HooperVision broadcasts on NBA League Pass alongside Quentin Richardson, and he has received other offers in the media space (such as podcasting opportunities). Crawford has long been considered an excellent candidate for a broadcasting gig, and now he can seriously pursue that.&nbsp;
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Recently, Crawford has been coaching his son's basketball team, and he revealed on a Twitter Spaces conversation several months ago that he has received coaching and front-office offers from NBA teams. He has said that he wants to become an NBA executive someday because he feels that the NBA needs more former players in those positions, but it remains to be seen when he&rsquo;ll pursue that.
&ldquo;I [have] wanted to get into management just from the standpoint, I think we need more players in those roles and positions, someone that can give some insight into what it is like in the locker room,&rdquo; Crawford said, according to <a href="https://landonbuford.com/2021/10/03/jamal-crawford-reveals-he-has-gotten-nba-coaching-front-office-offers/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Landon Buford</a>. &ldquo;Everything is not about numbers; sometimes, it is: what is driving this person? For example, how much does this person love the game? And is there something off the court affecting his on-the-court play? Those are the little nuances that I don&rsquo;t think they are looking at.
&ldquo;I would love to do that still, but I am enjoying coaching my son&rsquo;s team right now. Like, I am having a ball doing that. And I&rsquo;ll tell you guys that I have gotten offers for front-office and coaching in the NBA. I have put it on pause because I enjoy doing this, and I&rsquo;m the parent that is good with keeping the scorebook. The coach asked me to help out and that turned into a bug. I look forward to it and that&rsquo;s the immediate step basketball-wise, and then the other [stuff] will be there like TV and management hopefully at some point down the road.&rdquo;
After an amazing 20-year career, the basketball world is excited to see what the future holds for Crawford.
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Last night, on his 42nd birthday, Jamal Crawford announced his retirement after a 20-year NBA career. What's next for Crawford?

Jamal Crawford retires after 20-year NBA career: What's next for him?

Who are the notable prospects to keep an eye on during the 2022 NCAA Tournament? Here's a complete guide with scouting reports.

NBA Draft guide to March Madness: Notable prospects to watch

March Madness is underway!
Across the country, teams are competing in conference tournaments and trying to punch their ticket for the NCAA Tournament. Selection Sunday is almost here, and then the tourney starts next Tuesday.
If you missed any of the Day 2 action, here's a recap of what went down on Thursday.
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Games of the Day
Indiana def. Michigan 74-69 &mdash; B1G Second Round
With 11:03 remaining, Michigan led 60-43 and appeared to be in complete control. The Hoosiers would go on a 20-2 run and took the life right out of the Wolverines, completing the comeback by winning 74-69. Trayce Jackson-Davis led all players with 24 points and 4 blocks in a stunner. Indiana faces No. 1 Illinois next.
Texas A&amp;M def. Florida 83-80 in OT &mdash; SEC Second Round
This one was wild. The Aggies dominated all afternoon and held a 9-point lead with 1:07 to play, but the Gators went on a 12-3 run of the next 50 seconds to tie it at 70-70, forcing the game into overtime. They stayed deadlocked at 78-78 with 1:10 left in overtime when Hassan Diarra hit a triple with one second on the clock to win 83-80. A huge win for a true Bubble Team in A&amp;M.
Arizona def. Stanford 84-80 &mdash; Pac-12 Quarterfinals
The largest lead either way today was 7 points &mdash; in a game where Stanford was given a whopping 5% chance of victory. The Cardinal took a 75-74 lead with just over three minutes to go, but the Wildcats had answers. Kerr Kriisa exiting with injury is important to monitor, but Christian Koloko led the team with 24 points as Arizona survives and advances.
Miami (FL) def. Boston College 71-69 in OT &mdash; ACC Quarterfinals
Kam McGusty led the Canes with 16 points in the nail-biter, as they avoided the upset in overtime. Only one basket was scored in the final 2:30 of the contest &mdash; a Jordan Miller layup that sealed the deal. A big save by Miami.&nbsp;
Villanova def. St. John&rsquo;s 66-65 &mdash; Big East Quarterfinals
The Red Storm let a 17-point second half lead slip away to end their season. Villanova was carried by its starting five, with only 7 points coming from the bench unit. Caleb Daniels led the way with 19 points and 7 rebounds. Justin Moore added 15 points of his own.&nbsp;
Toledo def. Central Michigan 72-71 &mdash; MAC Quarterfinals
In a game where the largest lead was 7 points for each team, Toledo held on for the 1-point win. Harrison Henderson scored with 20 seconds remaining to make it 71-70 Central Michigan, but a RayJ Dennis layup with 10 seconds left would seal the deal. Setric Milner Jr. led the way with 22 points for the Rockets. It's a big win for Toledo who currently projects a No. 13 seed.
Providence def. Butler 65-61 &mdash; Big East Quarterfinals
This one was back-and-forth from the tip, as the teams traded leads the entire contest. Tied at 55 with 3:06 remaining, Simas Lukosius hit a big pair of free throws for Butler to take the lead, but Al Durham hit a huge triple with 43 seconds to go for the Friars to take a 61-59 lead. Durham would follow with a dunk at the end of the game to seal the deal at 65-61. Despite the loss, it was a hard-fought game by the Bulldogs.&nbsp;
Wyoming def. UNLV 59-56 &mdash; Mountain West Quarterfinals
The Cowboys held a 9-point lead in the second half, but allowed the Rebels to fight their way back into it. Xavier DuSell hit a huge three with 30 seconds, and then, Brendan Wenzel iced the game with a pair of free throws. A great game from UNLV&rsquo;s Bryce Hamilton comes up just short.&nbsp;
Akron def. Buffalo 70-68 &mdash; MAC Quarterfinals
This was a fight from start to finish. Led by Ali Ali&rsquo;s 19-point effort and a pair of Greg Tribble free throws with four seconds remaining, the Zips survive and advance. They will face No. 1 seed Toledo on Friday afternoon in the MAC semis.
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The Upsets, the Madness
Oklahoma def. Baylor 72-67 &mdash; Big 12 Quarterfinals
The Sooners took the lead with 11:51 to play and never gave it back. With a balanced offensive attack of five players in double-digits, Oklahoma shocked the Bears. Jacob Groves led the way with 15 points, while Marvin Johnson provided 12 off the bench.&nbsp;
Vanderbilt def. Alabama 82-76 &mdash; SEC Second Round
Bama led by 10 points at the break but Scotty Pippen Jr. and Co. had other plans. Vandy roared back to take a 68-67 lead with 4:26 to play, and was able to hold the Crimson Tide off the rest of the way. Jordan Wright hit a pair of free throws late to ice the game, and the Commodores advance. Pippen Jr. ended with 26 points and 7 assists.
TCU def. Texas 65-60 &mdash; Big 12 Quarterfinals
The Horned Frogs had a win probability of 29.3% entering this one, and that&rsquo;s all they needed. After being down 40-20 in the first half, TCU did a complete 180 and outscored the Longhorns 45-20 the rest of the way. Mike Miles and Co. are setting themselves up well, and will take on the Kansas Jayhawks in the Big 12 semis.
Penn State def. Ohio State 71-68 &mdash; Big Ten Second Round
The Nittany Lions were given a 24.2% chance of winning today, and they did just that behind Sam Sessoms' 18 points off the bench. Jalen Pickett also had a huge game with 16 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists. Penn State moves on to play No. 3 Purdue.&nbsp;
Grambling def. Southern 60-58 &mdash; SWAC Quarterfinals
Led by Tra&rsquo;Michael Moton&rsquo;s 12 points, 11 rebounds and 9 assists, Grambling took the lead with 10 minutes left in the game and never gave it back. The Tigers will face Texas Southern next.&nbsp;
Tulsa def. Wichita State 73-67 &mdash; American First Round
The Golden Hurricane had four players with 10 or more points, including two with at least 20. After an 11-19 season, this was a nice win for Tulsa as it tries to make a late push in the conference. Tulsa will move on to face No. 2 SMU.&nbsp;
Portland State def. Southern Utah 77-65 &mdash; Big Sky Quarterfinals
The Vikings entered this game under .500 on the season, but put up 77 points on 51.9% shooting from the floor. They held Southern Utah to a lowly 36.8% from the floor and are able to advance.
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Standout Performers
Noah Fernandes (UMass): 29 points, 7 assists
Spencer Jones (Stanford): 28 points, 8 rebounds
Jimmy Boeheim (Syracuse): 28 points, 7 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 assists
Keegan Murray (Iowa): 26 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal
Grant Sherfield (Nevada): 25 points, 6 assists, 3 rebounds
Joel Murray (Long Beach State): 25 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds
Trayce Jackson-Davis (Indiana): 24 points, 8 rebounds, 4 blocks, 10-17 FG
Wendell Moore Jr. (Duke): 26 points, 8 assists, 3 rebounds, 1 block, 1 steal
Nate Watson (Providence): 26 points, 7 rebounds, 9-14 FG
Scotty Pippen Jr. (Vanderbilt): 26 points, 7 assists
Tristen Newton (East Carolina): 26 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists
Jordan Walker (UAB): 26 points, 5 steals, 3 rebounds, 3 assists
EJ Liddell (Ohio State): 25 points, 8 rebounds, 2 blocks
Orlando Robinson (Fresno State):&nbsp;25 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists
Christian Koloko (Arizona): 24 points, 9 rebounds, 10-12 FG
Dillon Jones (Weber State): 23 points, 11 rebounds, 3 steals
Julian Champagnie (St. John&rsquo;s): 23 points, 9 rebounds, 4 steals, 3 assists
Jaime Jaquez Jr. (UCLA): 23 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals
Prentiss Hubb (Notre Dame): 23 points, 5 assists
Zyon Pullin (UC Riverside):&nbsp;23 points, 5 assists, 4 rebounds
Amadou Sow (UC Santa Barbara): 21 points, 16 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks
Bryce Hamilton (UNLV): 22 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists
Mahki Morris (Abilene Christian): 22 points, 4 assists, 2 rebounds
Chuba Ohams (Fordham): 20 points, 16 rebounds, 2 steals
Darien Jackson (Tulsa): 20 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks
Brady Manek (UNC): 21 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists
Malique Jacobs (Kent State): 21 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists
Kowacie Reeves (Florida): 21 points, 6 rebounds
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2022 NBA Draft: Prospect Watch&nbsp;
Keegan Murray (Iowa): 26 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal
Wendell Moore Jr. (Duke): 26 points, 8 assists, 3 rebounds, 1 block, 1 steal
EJ Liddell (Ohio State): 25 points, 8 rebounds, 2 blocks
Orlando Robinson (Fresno State):&nbsp;25 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists
Christian Koloko (Arizona): 24 points, 9 rebounds, 10-12 FG
Jaime Jaquez Jr. (UCLA): 23 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals
Tari Eason (LSU): 19 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 blocks
Justin Lewis (Marquette): 17 points, 7 rebounds, 2 steals
Ochai Agbaji (Kansas): 18 points, 3 rebounds, 2 steals
Trevor Keels (Duke): 14 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists
Jabari Walker (Colorado): 18 points, 16 rebounds
Iverson Molinar (Miss. State): 19 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists
Julian Champagnie (St. John&rsquo;s): 23 points, 9 rebounds, 4 steals, 3 assists
Collin Gillespie (Villanova): 14 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists
David Roddy (Colorado State): 13 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks
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March Madness is underway! If you missed any of the Day 2 action, here's a recap of what went down during Thursday's games.

March Madness: Conference tournament Thursday recap

The Oklahoma City Thunder played their cards close to the vest when they selected Josh Giddey at No. 6 overall in the 2021 NBA Draft. As GM Sam Presti explained after drafting Giddey, he first discovered the 19-year-old Australian point-forward while quarantining during the G League Bubble. Locked in his hotel room, Presti endlessly flowed through tape on Giddey and fell in love with him as a prospect. It turned a lot of heads and draft night, but Oklahoma City felt very comfortable with their intel on Giddey and his potential upside.
&ldquo;I went down to the G League Bubble this year and we had to quarantine. And I was down there with our Blue team,&rdquo; Presti said after the 2021 draft. &ldquo;So, I had four days to sit in my room and that was the first time I really dug into a lot of his film. By the time I left my room, I had a pretty good feel for (Giddey), I think, because I piled up a bunch of games when I sat in there.&rdquo;
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As of late, Giddey has proven to be not only one of the best prospects with early returns from this year&rsquo;s draft class, but his tantalizing ceiling continues to show up more consistently. Heading into the All-Star break, Giddey has recorded three triple-doubles in a row. Giddey only needs one more triple-double to break Luka Doncic&rsquo;s record for most by a player under age-20.
Oklahoma City was always an ideal scenario for Giddey, mainly because he can have a full-on focus for his player development in an environment where they know plenty of work is still to be done. Winning is not the priority for the Thunder right now, and that&rsquo;s totally okay because Giddey&rsquo;s recent play is a positive all by itself, overcoming the immediate on-court win-loss total.
During his rookie campaign, Giddey is averaging 12.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 6.4 assists. The efficiency numbers are definitely cringe-worthy at a measly 47.8 True Shooting percentage, but the 6&rsquo;8&rdquo; Australian&rsquo;s recent surge is showing true signs of growth for an Oklahoma City team needing another promising player alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander long-term.
Speaking of Gilgeous-Alexander, he&rsquo;s missed the Thunder&rsquo;s last 11 games with an ankle injury heading into the All-Star break. In the meantime, Giddey has taken on a bigger role and began to show real untapped potential as an all-around offensive fulcrum. Giddey averaged 16.1 points, 9.1 rebounds and 7.3 assists on a 52.4 TS% as the Thunder slid into the break as a real contender to chase for the No. 1 overall pick.
The one very promising note on this latest stretch of play from Giddey revolves around his usage and overall efficiency as a scorer. Before Jan. 28, when SGA went down with his ankle injury giving the offensive keys to Giddey, the rookie&rsquo;s TS% was at 46.3% on a 21.2% usage. Since taking over as the Thunder&rsquo;s primary option, Giddey&rsquo;s usage rate jumped 2.9% while his True Shooting percentage climbed from 46.3 to 52.4.
It&rsquo;s going to take awhile for Giddey to hit his potentially perennial All-Star ceiling, but what&rsquo;s happening lately has to give Thunder fans hope this long standing, creative rebuild attempt from Presti will pay off soon enough.
Giddey at this point in time looks like a steal for the Thunder. Creating an ultra unique backcourt with Gilgeous-Alexander, Giddey brings a nice changeup of funkiness and creativity within the flow of an offense. Giddey is simply an aesthetically more pleasing player when he&rsquo;s running the show.
Where Giddey lacks in overall speed and athleticism, he certainly won&rsquo;t pop during games as an off-the-ground guard, the Aussie makes up for it with innately high basketball IQ and maestro abilities running a coach&rsquo;s system. Giddey makes pocket-passes pop up out of nowhere. He can set up the corner pocket pass with precision by manipulating defenders with his eyes to open up the dishing lane.
The swing skill set for Giddey will ultimately be his floor-spacing acumen. Shooting only 26.7% on threes, Giddey&rsquo;s penultimate outcome as a prospect seems capped. However, in Oklahoma City, he&rsquo;s becoming insulated by SGA&rsquo;s All-Star-level scoring and versatility, plus the fireball off the bench in rookie combo guard Tre Mann as well. Looking down the road a few years, Giddey as the set-up man for the Thunder&rsquo;s offense with plenty of shooting and defensive versatility surrounding him sounds like a winning recipe. Incredibly enough, over OKC&rsquo;s last 11 games, they are a plus-point team with Giddey on the court (0.1 NetRtg).
If Giddey is able to find a consistent shooting stroke within the next few years, his ceiling seems way up there for star-level modern guards. If the last three games are any indication, Giddey could be a triple-double machine soon enough. That type of player brings winning value instantly, making an organization more comfortable placing him within the "untouchable" tier. Gilgeous-Alexander is already there, but Giddey might be joining him, if he hasn't already.
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Nobody knew how long this rebuild attempt from Presti in Oklahoma City would truly last. Would it go longer than the failed attempts in Phoenix with Ryan McDonough and Philadelphia with Sam Hinkie? That firm is still unknown, but the timeline is starting to form together a little bit for the Thunder.
Gilgeous-Alexander already raised the Thunder to at least a competitively competent team when he&rsquo;s on the court. Giddey&rsquo;s recent ascension adds another piece to the puzzle for the Thunder, laying out when exactly they could jump and push that war chest of future draft capital in for a win-now star play.
Oklahoma City slots in at No. 4 in the reverse standings, which is right at the cut-off mark for the consensus top four prospects on BasketballNews&rsquo; Big Board: Jabari Smith (Auburn), Paolo Banchero (Duke), Jaden Ivey (Purdue), Chet Holmgren (Gonzaga). If the Thunder stay within that range come draft night, they add another blue chip talent to the pool of an already strong bunch forming.
The upward trajectory of Giddey has me rightfully giddy to see him and Gilgeous-Alexander share the floor once again after the All-Star break. If this backcourt can show real winning promise over the final stretch of games for OKC, we could finally be seeing the arrow point up for the organization after a decade-long stretch of sustained playoff appearances beforehand.
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The Oklahoma City Thunder are not prioritizing winning right now, but Josh Giddey could be changing their timeline soon.

Josh Giddey's rise makes Thunder's rebuild even more intriguing

Another piece of the Suns&rsquo; resurgent puzzle has officially returned to the Valley. Phoenix had a quiet trade deadline compared to some teams, but the moves they made on the margins are actually very noteworthy.
Reuniting with versatile veteran forward Torrey Craig, plus flipping some cash for Aaron Holiday, has made the Suns&rsquo; already deep rotation even stronger heading into postseason play in a few months. And don&rsquo;t rule out Phoenix also being potential buyers on the buyout market as well &mdash; Elfrid Payton&rsquo;s role could be redundant now, with Holiday&rsquo;s arrival.
The most attractive aspect of the Suns&rsquo; strong deadline period was bringing back Craig for another championship run. Phoenix wanted Craig to return, but they were unable to give him the contract he wanted while also signing JaVale McGee. In the end, Suns GM James Jones got them both for the price of Jalen Smith &mdash; now viewed as an expiring contract &mdash; plus potentially the last pick in this year&rsquo;s draft.
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Good luck trying to contain the energy of McGee and Craig together, patrolling the mid-post area in Phoenix&rsquo;s second unit. This combination is something to be very giddy about, especially when their strengths at rebounding and overall defensive versatility mesh very well together.
Craig can guard four and sometimes even all five positions. That type of piece entering into head coach Monty Williams&rsquo; strategic puzzle yet again is an underrated move to fortify a potential weakness. Jae Crowder, Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson can all guard multiple positions, but Craig&rsquo;s sturdier frame proved to be a nice changeup against superstar wing scorers. For example, Craig helped swing the pendulum back in the Suns&rsquo; favor against the Los Angeles Clippers in the Western Conference semifinals via his stellar one-on-one defense versus Paul George. Craig put the clamps on George when it mattered most, producing 3-of-12 shooting from the Clippers' swingman.
Being around the Suns, it&rsquo;s apparent how their overall energy and chemistry within the locker room are at all-time levels. Adding back a player everyone loves in Craig for the stretch run to make a repeat Finals trip sits well with everyone in Phoenix. Chris Paul even admitted it was hard to not still view Craig as a teammate even after he left for Indiana.
&ldquo;T. Craig is one of us, you know? When we played when he was with the Pacers, I damn near passed him the ball because I thought he was one of us. It&rsquo;s good to have him back with us. He knows what the culture is like here. He&rsquo;s gonna come in here like he never left.&rdquo;
Another strong voice in the locker room, Deandre Ayton, let it be known he&rsquo;s enthused about Craig&rsquo;s return as well. With Craig, his personality fits right into what they do in Phoenix. Ayton even mentioned that Craig went into the Suns&rsquo; locker room last month when the Pacers recently visited just to chat with his former teammates.
&ldquo;Oh, man, my man Torrey is back,&rdquo; Ayton said. &ldquo;I can&rsquo;t believe it. I&rsquo;m very happy. I gotta send him a text (right after postgame media). He&rsquo;s a real funny guy. We love Torrey here.&rdquo;
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We already know the role Craig will play with the Suns. It&rsquo;s literally the role Phoenix was looking for all season since his offseason departure. The Suns saw some actual success in small spurts when putting two-way forward Ish Wainwright within the Craig role, but getting the actual prototype back is a major boon.
Within the Suns&rsquo; system, Craig checks every box for a reliable wing &mdash; one that can provide real impact for 15-20 minutes when called upon. Last season with Phoenix, Craig put up career-best numbers thanks to how he meshed within their playbook.
This season in Indiana, Craig averaged 6.5 points and 3.8 rebounds while his shooting splits took a sizable dip. The talent pool for the Pacers compared to the Suns also placed Craig within a different role. He still excelled as the Pacers&rsquo; best on-ball defender, but he tried unsuccessfully experimenting with a higher usage. Back in the Valley, Craig will now focus on hounding scorers and crashing the boards relentlessly.
Through at least the end of next season in 2022-23, Phoenix has all of their wings under contract (Jae Crowder, Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson and now Craig). It will be a hard assignment to find a more consistent quartet, who all thrive within their certain bubble of attributes. Craig and Crowder provide the veteran, hard-nosed attitude. Bridges and Johnson provide the long-term stability and immense upside to bring Phoenix to new heights long-term.
Kudos to Suns GM James Jones, because he once again hit a trade deadline out of the park. Flipping Smith and this year&rsquo;s second-round pick was a necessary move when realizing Craig was available again. Holiday is an intriguing dice roll who provides more offensive creation than Payton, which could loom large soon on the buyout market for a team that still has roster flexibility.
Bringing back Craig obviously won&rsquo;t be headline-grabbing news around the NBA, but it&rsquo;s a transaction that could loom very large in June. Craig brings back an element of chaos the Suns can put together against opposing scorers. Now, with McGee&rsquo;s athleticism flanking Craig instead of Dario Saric, the second unit&rsquo;s potential has risen another level &mdash; and it was already top-notch.
Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!

Torrey Craig's reunion with the Phoenix Suns is an underrated move that could finally put this organization's depth over the top.

Suns running it back with Torrey Craig will loom large in postseason

Fort Collins, CO&nbsp; &mdash;&nbsp; In a game that had Colorado State favored by 14 points, UNLV went in and stole the show with a 88-74 victory on the road. Senior Bryce Hamilton had a phenomenal night, leading all players with 45 points on 8 of 14 from behind the arc. Isaiah Stevens played well for the Rams in a losing effort, posting 35 points on 12 of 21 from the floor.
The Rams (16-2, 6-2 Mountain West) have been one of the best stories in college basketball this season, as they are projected a No. 7 seed in the NCAA tournament. Led by David Roddy&rsquo;s 18.6 points per game on 45.8% shooting from deep, they currently rank 20th in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency in the country. Stevens has also been sensational. The Allen, Texas native is averaging 15.1 points and 5.2 assists per game.
Although it has been an up and down year, UNLV's (12-9, 4-4 Mountain West) Hamilton has been reliable. The 6-foot-4 guard averages 19.8 points per game, leading the team. Texas transfer Royce Hamm Jr. brings stability to the inside with 8.6 points and 9.9 rebounds.&nbsp;
Hamilton came out firing on all cylinders. By the 10-minute mark the lead was 19-11 for UNLV, and by the four-minute mark it was 32-18. Suffice to say it wasn&rsquo;t the start that many saw coming for the Rams.&nbsp;
The Rebels took a 43-25 lead into the break behind Hamilton's 21 points. Stevens led the Rams with 10, doing all he could to keep it competitive. Roddy was held in check early with only 3 points at half.&nbsp;
Stevens got to work quickly in the second period, scoring seven points in the first three minutes and forcing UNLV to take a timeout, hoping to kill some momentum. It worked. The Rebels would extend the lead to 60-39 and never look back, winning 88-74.
David Muoka posted 11 points and 6 rebounds for the Rebels. Roddy had an off-night shooting, posting 13 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists. Royce Hamm Jr., Jordan McCabe, Jalen Lake, and John Tonje each had 7 points.&nbsp;
UNLV grabbed a much-needed conference win.
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UPCOMING
UNLV will host Nevada on Tuesday.
Colorado State visits Wyoming on Monday night.
Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com. <a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!

In a game that had Colorado State favored by 14 points, UNLV went in and stole the show with a 88-74 victory on the road.

UNLV beats Colorado State 88-74, Hamilton scores career high 45

The Sacramento Kings are once again on pace to stay "in neutral" throughout the 2021-22 season, nowhere closer to the longstanding goal of snapping their current 15-year playoff drought. However, one bright spot is beginning to peek through in Sacramento, and it might be able to turn the tides soon enough for the organization.
Tyrese Haliburton, the Kings&rsquo; No. 12 overall pick from the 2020 NBA Draft, is flourishing while the main rotation is being decimated by COVID-19. Over the last week, Haliburton&rsquo;s averages are eye-popping: 23.5 points, 11.3 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game across four contests. On top of that, Haliburton is also carrying an elite 63.8% True Shooting percentage.
Haliburton&rsquo;s emergence for Sacramento could be the exact blessing this franchise has needed, especially when having to juggle guard minutes for De&rsquo;Aaron Fox, Buddy Hield and rookie Davion Mitchell alongside him.
This isn&rsquo;t a hyperbolic take, especially when watching him during his collegiate career at Iowa State, where he became an advanced metrics darling, Haliburton is the exact antidote to cure the Kings&rsquo; woes. A savvy playmaker who brings innate basketball IQ on both ends of the court, Haliburton is beginning to find his footing in the league as a lead ball-handler. All he needs is more confidence and reps, which will result in obvious growing pains (averaging 4.5 turnovers over the aforementioned four-game stretch).
The plus with Haliburton is he can play both on and off the ball, which allows him to play heavy minutes meshing alongside the three other guards, who all bring different qualities to the table. Also, Haliburton is a well above-average three-point shooter, currently hitting those opportunities at an above-40% clip on the season.
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Haliburton&rsquo;s chameleon-like ability to fit wherever is needed makes him an ultimate glue guy who can become so much more if the keys are passed to him more often in Sacramento.
Take a look at Haliburton&rsquo;s head-to-head statistics when he plays with and without Fox during his short professional career:
With Fox: 11.5 points, 5.7 assists, 4.0 rebounds, 1.8 steals, 54.2 TS%, 15.5 USG%
Without Fox: 23.5 points, 11.3 assists, 4.3 rebounds, 2.0 steals, 63.8 TS, 24.7 USG%
The difference for Haliburton when he&rsquo;s not playing alongside a high-usage lead guard in Fox is absolutely jarring. When his own usage rate is bumped up, in this case almost 10%, the results have been magnificent.
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Seeing Haliburton in more control of the Kings&rsquo; fast-paced offense, led by interim head coach Alvin Gentry, should make Kings fans giddy for the future. And one intriguing angle really not discussed enough is how Sacramento has approached the NBA Draft over the last two years.
After drafting Haliburton and Mitchell in the lottery, it certainly put Hield on notice (a trade with the Los Angeles Lakers for Kyle Kuzma and Montrezl Harrell was <a href="https://theathletic.com/2740307/2021/07/29/kings-left-exploring-their-buddy-hield-options-after-deal-with-lakers-doesnt-materialize/?source=emp_shared_article" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly nixed</a>), and our Mark Schindler took a look at <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/examining-potential-trade-destinations-for-buddy-hield" target="_blank" rel="noopener">possible landing spots for the veteran sharpshooter</a>.
However, what about Fox? The former Kentucky Wildcat has been the primary building block in Sacramento for five years now, but there&rsquo;s only been one season over that span that the Kings have even been in contention for a playoff spot in March.
With Fox and other guards sidelined by COVID-19 health and safety protocols, Kings general manager Monte McNair has gotten a glimpse up-close of a potential road he can travel down when envisioning his future roster construction.
What if McNair decided to shake things up in a major way before February&rsquo;s trade deadline? Kevin O&rsquo;Connor of The Ringer mentioned earlier this month he&rsquo;s heard from other executives that Sacramento is more open to the idea of trading Fox after drafting Haliburton and Mitchell in consecutive years. Meanwhile, ESPN&rsquo;s Tim Bontemps said a few days ago that he&rsquo;s heard Fox isn&rsquo;t off-limits in trade discussions anymore.
Where there&rsquo;s smoke, there&rsquo;s usually fire, especially as it relates to trade rumors. If two notable national NBA reporters are hearing the same type of intel revolving around Fox&rsquo;s future in Sacramento, Haliburton&rsquo;s recent play could put this potential scenario into realistic overdrive.
At this current rate, the Kings are nowhere close to being a true threat to even make the play-in tournament, barring a sudden surge to an improbable run later on. Also, team owner Vivek Ranadive seems to be <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=newssearch&amp;cd=&amp;cad=rja&amp;uact=8&amp;ved=2ahUKEwi36-7Mw_r0AhW1lYkEHekSAg8QxfQBKAB6BAgOEAI&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sacbee.com%2Fsports%2Fnba%2Fsacramento-kings%2Farticle256698727.html&amp;usg=AOvVaw0s36AipjhR0J_iB3JuScTF" target="_blank" rel="noopener">getting impatient with the current roster in place</a>. It seems inevitable that something big happens in Sacramento between now and the 2022 offseason.
Haliburton&rsquo;s on-court wizardry as of late makes it easy to imagine how he could lead pushing the break for Sacramento alongside ample floor-spacing and athletic wings who thrive in transition. Two names in particular would be very strong fits alongside Haliburton, and the cost would likely revolved around Fox: Ben Simmons and Pascal Siakam.
Both players would instantly step in and provide an ideal buffer for what&rsquo;s needed to help the Kings reset and properly build out their roster to competent levels. Another idea I&rsquo;ll throw against the wall and see if it sticks for both sides: What about Fox to the New York Knicks for RJ Barrett? If the Knicks are in true win-now mode, as evidenced by their offseason, Fox could be a much-needed jolt to their stagnating hopes of making the playoffs once more.
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Sacramento resetting around Haliburton as a primary option, likely as the No. 2 behind someone like Simmons or Siakam, for example, isn&rsquo;t a far-fetched idea at all. Haliburton is a great shooter, playmaker, defender and high-character player. He checks all the boxes you want to see from a young prospect beginning to find his way in the NBA. Haliburton is beginning to soar forward in his own development, allowing the Kings to see an upgraded version during an interesting portion of their season due to a COVID outbreak within the organization.
As Haliburton dazzles, it&rsquo;s going to bring some very tough questions that have to be answered for the Kings&rsquo; front office. Even if Haliburton continues his stretch of play once Fox returns, it will be with fewer touches. Hield is another player who could soon be on the move, maybe freeing up more minutes for Haliburton and Mitchell as one last attempt to make it work alongside Fox for the three-guard lineups.
With the Kings&rsquo; recent team-building strategy &mdash; plus Haliburton showing the goods as a legitimate two-way weapon who can be multi-faceted running an offense &mdash; maybe the best scenario is to make a major move.
Shooting for Simmons or Siakam alongside Haliburton would likely lead to a better on-court product for the Kings to potentially break through in a loaded Western Conference.

Tyrese Haliburton's dazzling performances are giving the Kings hope, and a shakeup elsewhere in the guard room makes sense.

Tyrese Haliburton could force Kings' hand on backcourt decisions

Alperen Sengun has always been an intriguing prospect to follow since he entered the NBA. Acquired by the Houston Rockets during the 2021 NBA Draft for two future first-round picks likely to convey in 2023 (via the Wizards) and 2025 (via the Pistons), Sengun instantly became an integral piece to the next chapter post-James Harden.
Exiting the Harden era, Houston is in the midst of a full-scale rebuild, building around young players such as No. 2 overall pick Jalen Green and Sengun. With Green sidelined due to injury, Sengun is beginning to take the spotlight and shine under the bright lights.
As a unique, throwback player, Sengun brings a crafty style to the basketball court based around footwork in the post, savvy playmaking and strong rebounding ability. Recently against the Milwaukee Bucks, Sengun's interior footwork was dazzling to watchm as he continously punished his matchup around the basket on countless possessions. Eventually, Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer had to adjust and put Giannis Antetokounmpo on Sengun. A small moment, but one that provides a glimpse into a potential future outcome for the Rockets' rookie.
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Expected to have an adjustment period to the NBA after winning the Turkish League MVP at age-18, not many expectations were laid upon Sengun in Year 1 &mdash; especially as a reserve big man. Recently though, he&rsquo;s flashing an extremely high ceiling that has many within the Rockets organization giddy for his next developmental steps.
Sengun&rsquo;s season averages don&rsquo;t scream "breakout campaign," but, when placed into a per-36 minute workload, it changes the equation: 17.9 points, 9.2 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 2.1 steals, 1.5 blocks while carrying a 57.9% True Shooting percentage.
Ready for a crazy statistic revolving around Sengun? Here are the only players joining the Turkish rookie amassing at least 9 rebounds, 5 assists and 1 block per 36 minutes: Giannis and Draymond Green.
If Sengun is allowed to further spread his wings later this season, there&rsquo;s a real trajectory path to him becoming a member of the First-Team All-Rookie lineup. Sure, there will be some ups-and-downs in terms of inconsistency along the way, but the bright spots make up for all of it.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Sengun in 𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒎𝒐𝒅𝒆 😤 <a href="https://t.co/jnFP7MpEPa">pic.twitter.com/jnFP7MpEPa</a>
&mdash; Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) <a href="https://twitter.com/HoustonRockets/status/1471279315463639048?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 16, 2021</a></blockquote>

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

There is something in the way of Sengun receiving heavy minutes however &mdash; the two bigs currently ahead of him on the Rockets&rsquo; depth chart: Christian Wood and Daniel Theis, a pair of veterans who are heavily mentioned in trade talks around the Association. Our own Nekias Duncan recently wrote a piece regarding <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/examining-trade-destinations-for-christian-wood" target="_blank" rel="noopener">potential destinations for Wood</a>, who would be an instant-impact piece on a legitimate playoff contender. Theis is another piece who could help boost the depth of a contender as well, providing floor-spacing and defensive versatility.
Sengun&rsquo;s ceiling already looks similar to ones we&rsquo;ve seen enter the NBA before. Nikola Jokic, Domantas Sabonis and Nikola Vucevic all play a similar game as the young Sengun. If the Rockets properly construct a versatile roster around Sengun, he could help the organization reap significant benefits soon enough.
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Houston&rsquo;s goal is to construct a sustainable winner with multiple hits on draft picks. Green looks the part of a future 25-point-per-game scorer. Sengun could be the hub of an entire offensive system, a la Sabonis. Kevin Porter Jr. is an offensive spark plug himself. Jae&rsquo;Sean Tate, Josh Christopher and Usman Garuba all look like valuable depth pieces of the next great Rockets era as well. Houston still has considerable distance to being a real threat in the Western Conference playoff picture, but the foundation is coming along together at a quicker pace than expected.
If the Rockets are lucky again in the lottery, could you imagine Auburn&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-big-board/players/jabari-smith" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jabari Smith</a> alongside Sengun providing defense and transition scoring? What about Duke&rsquo;s Paolo Banchero as a frontcourt partner for Sengun? This was initially expected to be a rebuild that lasts awhile, but one or two moves could truly change the whole equation. Having a big man like Sengun as an anchor is a very promising start to it all, and one who can seemingly provide a little bit of everything on the basketball court for the Rockets.
The buzz around Sengun is palpable, and he&rsquo;s slowly but surely making his way up the top rookie ladder. By season&rsquo;s end, Sengun could be alongside Evan Mobley and Cade Cunningham for Rookie of the Year honors &mdash; particularly if he's given more of a runway, with Wood and Theis moved elsewhere.

Alperen Sengun is turning heads with his recent play for the Houston Rockets. Are we seeing the beginning of another star big man?

Alperen Sengun's surge providing hope for Rockets' rebuild

The NBA recently announced that players won't be randomly tested for marijuana throughout the 2021-22 season. While players will still be tested for performance-enhancing drugs and "drugs of abuse" (such as opiates, methamphetamines and cocaine), the league hasn't tested for marijuana since last year's NBA Bubble.
In recent years, 16-year NBA veteran Al Harrington has been speaking out about marijuana use in the league after starting a number of businesses that produce cannabis and CBD products (including Viola, Harrington Wellness, Butter Baby and re+PLAY Hemp).&nbsp;
Harrington <a href="https://www.gq.com/story/allen-iverson" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stated</a> that &ldquo;85% of the players in the [NBA] smoke... or use some type of cannabis,&rdquo; but many have been afraid to publicize their marijuana use because of the stigma associated with the drug. 
However, he says that is about the change.
&ldquo;Even my best friends in the league, they didn&rsquo;t want [their] parents knowing they smoke or support a cannabis brand,&rdquo; Harrington told <a href="https://www.gq.com/story/allen-iverson" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GQ</a>. &ldquo;But, this year will be the year we will be surprised. I know personally of a few athletes that&rsquo;ll push that line, and say they use and why they use.&rdquo;
Harrington specified that there are three &ldquo;top-20-in-the-league-type guys&rdquo; who are expected to speak out. He believes this will have a huge impact on how marijuana is perceived.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;ll open up the conversation,&rdquo; Harrington told <a href="https://www.gq.com/story/allen-iverson" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GQ</a>. &ldquo;These guys do use cannabis on a daily basis and that stigma of, you smoke and you&rsquo;re unproductive or lazy&nbsp;&mdash; that shit goes out the window. Right now in professional sports &mdash; being that it&rsquo;s pretty much allowed in all leagues right now, in some shape, form or fashion &mdash; the level of play is still through the roof... It&rsquo;s a safe and alternative way to deal with sh*t. Yes, we are supermen. We do make a lot of money. But we have a lot of stress and sh*t on our plate. Constantly. So what is our vice? What can we use to get away? What&rsquo;s available to us? Cannabis is recreationally available or decriminalized in 18 NBA markets. So, I pay taxes in this state, I hoop in this state, and you&rsquo;re trying to tell me I can&rsquo;t go to the dispensary? It makes no sense.&rdquo;
Kevin Durant may be one of those top-20 players that Harrington is speaking about. Durant <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/kevin-durant-partners-up-with-weedmaps-aims-to-destigmatize-marijuana" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recently partnered</a> with Weedmaps, an online marketplace for cannabis consumers and businesses. When he announced the partnership, Durant spoke out about destigmatizing weed.
"I think it's far past time to address the stigmas around cannabis that still exist in the sports world as well as globally," Durant <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/32051873/kevin-durant-aims-destigmatize-marijuana-use-new-partnership" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. "This partnership is going to help us continue to normalize those conversations, as well as create content, events, and a lot more through our Boardroom media network. This is just the beginning for us."
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NBA legend Allen Iverson recently became an ambassador for Viola, which is one of Harrington&rsquo;s cannabis businesses. Iverson has been open about his struggles with alcohol, and he openly wonders what would&rsquo;ve happened if he had been able to turn to marijuana instead of alcohol when he was young.
&ldquo;I used to smoke every goddamn day. It was the best feeling in the world,&rdquo; Iverson told <a href="https://www.gq.com/story/allen-iverson" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GQ</a>. &ldquo;I used to smoke and not drink sh*t. [Or] I used to smoke a blunt and drink a Corona, and I&rsquo;d be straight for the rest of the day.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Then, in 1997, Iverson was arrested and charged with possession of marijuana. As part of a plea agreement, he agreed to random drug tests every month for two years, 100 hours of community service and three years of probation. He also had to enter the NBA&rsquo;s drug treatment program.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Once they put me through that program for a year, I felt like [smoking] wasn&rsquo;t worth it,&rdquo; Iverson <a href="https://www.gq.com/story/allen-iverson" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>, adding that it made parts of his rookie season miserable. &ldquo;I had to take a hiatus. That&rsquo;s what mighta turned me into a maniac with this Dom P&eacute;rignon. &lsquo;Cause I can&rsquo;t smoke no damn more.&rdquo;
For Iverson, marijuana never felt like a responsible option.
&ldquo;[Weed] always had a negative stigma with it. Until all these years later, you find out you&rsquo;ve had it all wrong,&rdquo; Iverson told <a href="https://www.gq.com/story/allen-iverson" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GQ</a>. &ldquo;I remember getting arrested for having a blunt and being all on ESPN. I was taunted when I was playing. Called &lsquo;Weed Head&rsquo; from people in the crowd. &lsquo;Where&rsquo;s the marijuana? Who&rsquo;s got the blunt, AI?&rsquo; I had to go through that throughout my career, particularly when I was younger. And look how far it&rsquo;s come now. That stigma. Them criticizing it as they were, it&rsquo;s like, &lsquo;Y&rsquo;all had it all wrong.&rsquo;&rdquo;
It remains to be seen whether the NBA&rsquo;s decision to suspend marijuana testing is temporary, but it certainly seems like the league is open-minded when it comes to this issue. Perhaps if some of the league's most notable players speak out (as Harrington predicts), the NBA will permanently do away with marijuana testing.

Al Harrington says that 85% of NBA players use cannabis, and that three top-20 players will speak out about their marijuana use soon.

Al Harrington: 85% of NBA players smoke weed, stars to speak out soon

The Oklahoma City Thunder aren&rsquo;t talking about the playoffs, wins or losses.
A franchise that had missed the playoffs just once in the previous 11 seasons ended last season in the draft lottery with a 22-50 record. General manager Sam Presti&rsquo;s focus is on helping a group of talented young players led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander flourish so the Thunder can be competitive again &mdash; eventually.
&ldquo;This year for us is as much about anything as getting a baseline of where we&rsquo;re at, now that we have a grouping of young players that will compete to figure out who will be here for the long term and who can help us cultivate the next era of Thunder basketball,&rdquo; Presti said. &ldquo;I think that&rsquo;s incredibly exciting, but I also think it&rsquo;s necessary.&rdquo;
Presti said fans need to be patient because Oklahoma City is not a prime free agent destination, and there are no quick fixes for medium- and small-market teams. He said immediately recreating the glory days with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook that included an NBA Finals appearance and four trips to the Western Conference Finals is unrealistic.
&ldquo;If you want to lower your expectations, you can change the way you build and be a little bit more short-term oriented,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;But if you want to have high aspirations and high-performing teams of years upon years, you can&rsquo;t do that and think you can do it quickly or with shortcuts.&rdquo;
There is potential.
Gilgeous-Alexander led the team last season with 23.7 points and 5.9 assists per game. He shot 51% from the field and 42% on 3-pointers. He is healed from the torn plantar fascia that kept him out the final two months of last season. He signed a max deal in the offseason, and he&rsquo;s ready to show he deserves it.
&ldquo;It was a dream come true,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Super proud of it, super happy about it, obviously. But I know for me, the job is not done, work is not done. It&rsquo;s just one milestone I get to cross off my list, but I still have 90% of my list, so I won&rsquo;t stop.&rdquo;
Forward Darius Bazley averaged 13.7 points and 7.2 rebounds last season. Guard Luguentz Dort is a shutdown defender who emerged as an offensive player late last season and averaged 24.4 points and 5.3 rebounds on 46% shooting from the field in April.
Presti believes things are heading in the right direction.
&ldquo;I think ultimately, when we are playing really high level basketball in Oklahoma City and the arena is on fire and we&rsquo;re in the postseason and fans have witnessed the come-up and understand the time, they&rsquo;re going to look back on a few things,&rdquo; he said.
GIDDY FOR GIDDEY
Australian guard Josh Giddey, the sixth overall pick in the 2021 draft, is a 6-foot-8 point guard who looked ready for the league in his debut. He scored 18 points on 8-for-12 shooting and had seven rebounds and three assists in the preseason opener Oct. 4 against Charlotte.
&ldquo;The stats tonight didn&rsquo;t really worry me,&rdquo; he said after the game. &ldquo;It was more about just getting a feel for the NBA league, getting adjusted to the pace and physicality of the game.&rdquo;
DERRICK FAVORS
Favors, a 6-foot-10 big man, arrives wit a chance to provide leadership and steady play. The 12-year NBA veteran has career averages of 10.8 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game. The Thunder acquired him and a future first-round draft pick from the Jazz in July in exchange for a 2027 second-round draft pick and cash considerations. Favors gets a look at his immediate past right away: The Thunder season opener is Oct. 20 at Utah.
BULKIER BAZLEY
Bazley said he&rsquo;s been focused on adding strength in the offseason. He was slender his first two seasons, but now, he has some power to go with his exceptional leaping ability.
&ldquo;I took, like, two weeks off after the season ended and then got straight to it,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Me and the strength coaches, we had a plan, and we stuck to it. ... It makes me feel good that the work is paying off. I definitely was in the weight room trying to get bigger and get stronger for this upcoming season.&rdquo;
YEAR TWO
Theo Maledon and Aleksej Pokusevski, who played significant minutes as rookies last year, are back.
Maledon, a point guard from France, started 49 games at point guard and averaged 10.1 points and 3.5 assists. Pokusevski, a 7-foot wing player from Serbia, averaged 8.2 points and 4.7 rebounds. He scored 29 points in his final regular-season game last season against the Los Angeles Clippers.
DECK&rsquo;S OLYMPICS
Forward Gabriel Deck played for Argentina at the Olympics. He averaged 11.8 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists for a squad that lost to Australia in the quarterfinals.

The Thunder aren’t talking about the playoffs, wins or losses. OKC ended last season in the draft lottery with a 22-50 record.

Sam Presti urges patience for Thunder fans used to winning

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

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

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

One of the biggest winners from the 2021 NBA Summer League was Cam Thomas.
After surprisingly slipping in the first round where the Brooklyn Nets ended his fall at No. 27 overall, Thomas put on a show in Las Vegas on his way to winning NBA Summer League Co-MVP alongside No. 9 pick Davion Mitchell of the Sacramento Kings. In four games for the Nets, Thomas averaged 27.0 points, 2.0 assists and 1.3 steals while shooting 36% on three-pointers.
As Thomas proved during his lone collegiate season at LSU &mdash; where he averaged 23.0 points on a 55.3% True Shooting percentage &mdash; he&rsquo;s a pure bucket-getter who can take over at a moment's notice. Thomas&rsquo; ability to create for himself on all levels of the court drew the Nets to him throughout the pre-draft process.
&ldquo;Cam, I think he has an elite skill,&rdquo; Nets general manager Sean Marks said after drafting Thomas. &ldquo;You watch him play, you watch him find his shot, create his shot that&rsquo;s at a very, very high level. For him to continue to learn from three of maybe the greatest scorers the league has right now will be great for him. The other part of it is, he&rsquo;s fearless and he&rsquo;s not afraid. I think that&rsquo;s what we&rsquo;re looking for. We&rsquo;re looking for guys that are competitive, have that edge to them and a chip on their shoulder.&rdquo;
Throughout summer league play, Thomas showed off his knack for scoring, joining an incredible tier of players who eventually became NBA superstars. The only players in summer league history to average over 26 points per game over a multi-game span are Donovan Mitchell, Damian Lillard and, now, Thomas. Although it will take time for him to break through a loaded Nets rotation for a big role, Thomas is poised to soak up valuable knowledge from the likes of Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m just trying to learn on the fly,&rdquo; Thomas said after the Nets&rsquo; final game in Las Vegas. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m basically like learning on the job really, because we only had three or four practices, two live days going against each other 5-on-5. I&rsquo;m basically just learning on the job really, and I think I&rsquo;m doing real well. My progress has been great. I&rsquo;ve been getting better game to game; getting a better feel for the game, a better feel for the pace.&rdquo;
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CAM THOMAS IS REALLY LIKE THAT 🤯 A game-tying bucket followed by a one-legged three to win it in sudden-death! <a href="https://t.co/8mdLLqD1HY">pic.twitter.com/8mdLLqD1HY</a>
&mdash; SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) <a href="https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/1425966738638721024?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 12, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Looking over the Nets&rsquo; roster, Thomas will slide right in alongside veteran free-agent acquisition Patty Mills in the second unit as their primary offensive engines, spelling the dynamic backcourt duo of Irving and Harden. Thomas&rsquo; knack for scoring in isolation, around the basket and out-of-structure bode well for him to share the floor with the Nets&rsquo; Big Three for some minutes as well.
Turning 20 years old the week before the regular season begins, Thomas' early career flashes should make the Nets giddy about his long-term outlook. If Thomas is able to translate his scoring against regular rotation players throughout an 82-game season, Brooklyn may have just secured a long-term building block to plan down the line for an era not headlined by three of the biggest superstars ever assembled.
Over the next couple of years, Thomas having mentors to rely on like Durant, Harden and Irving is such a valuable resource. Learning tricks of the trade from arguably the greatest three-level scorers in the modern era is such an enticing thought to imagine with Thomas. If Thomas becomes a more consistent three-point shooter who can improve off the catch, while also being able to draw fouls at an above-average rate, he has all the makings of an eventual 20-plus point scorer on a nightly basis.
If the summer league proved anything for Thomas, he might have landed in the absolute perfect situation for him to eventually reach his sky-high ceiling. Already an impressive scorer with multiple tricks up his sleeve, Thomas hit a gold mine in terms of prospect-team fit.
Looking over the Nets&rsquo; projected 2021-22 rotation, here&rsquo;s where Thomas will slot in for potential minutes distribution:
Starters: Kyrie Irving, James Harden, Joe Harris, Kevin Durant, Blake Griffin
Second Unit: Patty Mills, Cam Thomas, Bruce Brown, Nic Claxton, DeAndre Jordan
As the fourth guard behind Irving, Harden and Mills, Thomas should see an immediate 15-20 minute role on opening night. And if Thomas exceeds early expectations, his role should only continue to grow throughout the regular season. There will also be nights where Harden and Irving take off to rest for an expected long run in the postseason, so there will be ample opportunities for Thomas to receive starter-like minutes as well.
Thomas&rsquo; scoring reminds you of a player shining in New York&rsquo;s Rucker Park. Landing in the boroughs of Brooklyn, Thomas now becomes one of the most intriguing prospects to follow in 2021-22 and beyond with the Nets.

After falling to No. 27 in the draft, Cam Thomas may have landed in the perfect situation to reach his sky-high ceiling.

Did the Nets get a late-round draft steal in Cam Thomas?

A new era of Detroit Pistons basketball has officially begun in the Motor City. After over a decade of waiting anxiously for a return to relevance since the golden years of Chauncey Billups, Richard &ldquo;Rip&rdquo; Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince, Rasheed Wallace and Ben Wallace, Detroit is back on the map.
Securing their first No. 1 overall pick in franchise history, Detroit landed one of the most pro-ready star prospects in the modern era.
Cade Cunningham instantly became Detroit&rsquo;s top sports figure once he donned the Pistons&rsquo; hat during the 2021 NBA Draft. After dominating the competition at Oklahoma State University on his way to winning the Wayman Tisdale Award (given to the top freshman in college basketball), Cunningham was a sure-fire No. 1 selection with limited flaws in his repertoire.
Cunningham represents how franchise-changing players enter the NBA: jumbo playmakers who can score efficiently on all three levels. Many of today's top young stars, such as Devin Booker, Trae Young, Luka Doncic and Jayson Tatum, possess these traits that have helped them reach new heights in short order.
Becoming the immediate No. 1 option in Detroit&rsquo;s system, Cunningham will put up numbers during his rookie season, but don&rsquo;t sleep on his defense. Cunningham has every tool at his disposal to become a top-20 player in the league within the next few years, which should make Pistons fans giddy for their immediate- and long-term future.
During the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, Cunningham has continuously flashed his sky-high potential by averaging 18.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.3 blocks per game while shooting an eye-opening 50% (13-for-26) on three-point attempts. Of course, it&rsquo;s a small three-game sample size, but Cunningham is showing exactly why he was one of the easiest No. 1 picks in recent memory.
With their young superstar secured for nearly a decade, Detroit also has a promising trio of prospects already in their development system.
2020-21 All-Rookie forward Saddiq Bey is locked in as Detroit&rsquo;s wing of the future. Perfectly fitting within the 3-and-D label, Bey shined last season, averaging 12.2 points with a 38.8% clip from deep.
Killian Hayes, the No. 7 overall pick from the 2020 draft, struggled adjusting to NBA speed on both ends, but he looks the part of a low-usage primary initiator who can play solid point-of-attack defense.
Isaiah Stewart made veteran center Mason Plumlee expendable after showcasing real value as a multi-faceted big man who can contribute in every fashion. Among players who logged at least 700 minutes last season, only four averaged 13.0 points, 11.0 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per 36 minutes: Rudy Gobert, Clint Capela, Robert Williams and Stewart.
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The No. 1 pick can join this solid young core and quickly expedite their rebuild. Cunningham, Bey and Stewart check the boxes at each of the game&rsquo;s three foundational spots (ball=handler, wing and big), but questions still loom about whether Hayes is a compatible fit long-term alongside Cunningham due to his lack of shooting at this stage.
We haven&rsquo;t even discussed Jerami Grant yet, who exploded onto the national scene once he finally received an expanded role in Detroit. Showcasing himself as one of the NBA's best role players in Oklahoma City and Denver &mdash; thriving alongside stars such as Russell Westbrook, Paul George, Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray &mdash; Grant decided to bet on himself, signing with the Pistons instead of returning to a potential Finals contender. During the 2020-21 season, Grant averaged 22.3 points as his career-best usage rate jumped over 10 percentage points from the year prior with the Nuggets (18.0% to 28.5%).
Detroit is still a year or two away from playoff contention, but having Grant on board will ease the pressure placed upon Cunningham. The Grant-Cunningham duo will create highlight moments and wreak havoc in two-way situations as a guard-wing combination. Cunningham will allow Grant to slide back into a secondary role as well, which should make him an even stronger complement to the Oklahoma State product.
Although they will surely fly well under the radar next season, Detroit has a complementary core that fits well together. Cunningham, Bey and Stewart are part of the long-term core, while Grant has the potential to ascend to an All-Star-caliber player with extra help surrounding him.
This leads us back to the biggest question currently on Detroit&rsquo;s roster: Hayes. The 20-year-old French point guard is the X-Factor in Detroit's status as a rising franchise. Hayes struggled mightily during his rookie campaign, which resulted in a porous 42.2% True Shooting percentage. Hayes flashed the defensive ability to handle point guards in one-on-one matchups, but the offense was a net negative. The 6-foot-5 guard averaged 6.8 points per game while shooting 27.8% on three-pointers. In order for Hayes to become a strong complement to the sturdy core already in place, he needs to expand his two-way profile.
So far in Las Vegas, the results haven&rsquo;t been encouraging during Summer League action. Hayes is 7-for-22 (31.8%) from the floor, including 2-for-11 (18.2%) from deep. Hayes&rsquo; inability to keep defenses honest is a real concern moving forward, questioning again whether he can be a real complementary piece around Cunningham, who needs floor-spacers to showcase his playmaking chops as a 6-foot-8 offensive engine.
Once Detroit added Cunningham, they made a real effort to acquire perimeter gravity within their system. Signing Kelly Olynyk to a three-year, $37.2 million contract on the first day of free agency &mdash; the best floor-spacing big on the open market &mdash; sent a message about how the Pistons' offense will function in 2021-22 and beyond: completely through their generationally-talented rookie. Detroit also signed Trey Lyles, another jump-shooting big, and re-signed Frank Jackson and Rodney McGruder.
Hamidou Diallo, whom Detroit acquired mid-season from Oklahoma City, has his restricted offer waiting from the Pistons. It&rsquo;s currently a waiting game between both sides, but it should get done eventually, returning a springy athlete to feast on lobs and cuts around the basket from Cunningham.
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Scanning through Detroit&rsquo;s rotation, it&rsquo;s not a collection of misfit toys. There&rsquo;s real talent assembled in the Motor City, allowing head coach Dwane Casey to trot out a potential 10-12 man unit that could look like this:
Starters: Killian Hayes, Cade Cunningham, Saddiq Bey, Jerami Grant, Isaiah Stewart
Bench: Frank Jackson, Saben Lee, Hamidou Diallo, Rodney McGruder, Josh Jackson, Trey Lyles, Kelly Olynyk
Sure, the Pistons are not a real threat in 2021-22 and perhaps not in 2022-23. However, don&rsquo;t be surprised if the team makes a leap quicker than expected. With Cunningham, they have a win-now, face-of-the-franchise prospect who could lift a subpar roster on his own terms. Throw in their strong ancillary pieces and Detroit is coming down the pipeline as a real Eastern Conference playoff threat. In the meantime, they&rsquo;re definitely near the top of the list of squads to follow on NBA League Pass throughout the season.

Although the Detroit Pistons are still a few years away, a new era led by an enticing young core provides hope for the future.

Motor City Renaissance: The future is now for the Pistons

By trading long-time franchise building blocks Aaron Gordon and Nikola Vucevic at last season's trade deadline, the Orlando Magic finally pushed the reset button after toiling below even the Eastern Conference's middle tier for way too long. &nbsp;
Fortunately for the franchise, Orlando was one of the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/2021-nba-draft-recap-winners-and-losers-steals-biggest-surprises-" target="_blank" rel="noopener">biggest winners</a> of the 2021 NBA Draft.
Selecting Gonzaga guard Jalen Suggs at No. 5 and Michigan forward Franz Wagner at No. 8, the Magic's young core got a much-needed boost toward respectability as they begin the process of building out a talented crop of young prospects.
Suggs has the alpha dog mentality many stars need to thrive on the next level. Winning has always been in his DNA, and <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/jalen-suggs-thinks-2021-class-definitely-has-a-chance-to-rival-2003" target="_blank" rel="noopener">he made it known</a> that the teams who passed over him would eventually regret it.
"I will say: the ones that do pass on me and take another prospect, it will come back," Suggs told reporters prior to the draft. "It will be to their detriment, honestly, because you can look at my track record &mdash; what I&rsquo;ve done and where I&rsquo;ve been &mdash; it&rsquo;s always win at the highest level. And my play has been at the highest level.
"As far as that goes, if somebody makes a decision that&rsquo;s not me, that&rsquo;s their opinion and I can never be angry at them for that. But I don&rsquo;t forget those kinds of things; that&rsquo;s just how competitive I am.&rdquo;
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Leading a new era of Magic basketball, Suggs is exactly the type of prospect needed to take their rebuild off ground level. An aggressive scorer, willing defender and growing playmaker, it's hard to envison the 20-year-old failing in the NBA. Possessing one of the highest floors of any player in this year's draft, Suggs will be a long-time starter who could quickly ascend to a star-caliber player. If all works out for Suggs, he's someone Orlando can build the next great Magic team around, in short order.
As a freshman last season, Suggs averaged 14.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.9 steals and 1.2 threes, while shooting 50.3% from the field, 33.7% from three and 75.4% from the free-throw line. He shined during the NCAA Tournament, leading the Bulldogs to the National Championship Game, elevating his averages to 16.2 points, 5.2 assists, 4.8 rebounds and 1.8 steals.
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Franz Wagner also has a high floor, as he can serve as the new connective tissue to help Orlando leap up another rung on the proverbial ladder to relevance. A great help defender with real versatlity to guard three positions, Wagner helps cement an identity for the Magic, which can become a respectable two-way team that flanks Jonathan Isaac and Wendell Carter Jr.
Reportedly growing to 6-foot-11, Wagner also offers floor-spacing potential from NBA range, which raises his own ceiling.
Both Suggs and Wagner are very unselfish players with high basketball IQs. Inserting these two prospects into an already enticing core should make Magic fans giddy for the future. Check out how Orlando's potential rotation stacks up for 2021-22:
STARTERS: Jalen Suggs, Markelle Fultz, Gary Harris, Jonathan Isaac, Wendell Carter Jr.
SECOND UNIT: Cole Anthony, R.J. Hampton, Chuma Okeke, Franz Wagner, Mo Bamba
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Terrance Ross is missing from the projected rotation because the acquisitions of Suggs and Wagner could signal that Ross will be dealt once the new league year begins next week. There's already interest around the Association in Ross, <a href="https://www.sny.tv/articles/several-teams-have-been-in-touch-with-magic-on-trades-involving-terrence-ross" target="_blank" rel="noopener">per SNY's Ian Begley</a>, and Orlando's draft results will only add to the speculation.
In the end, shipping Gordon and Vucevic out led Orlando to these potential long-term pieces: Harris, Hampton, Carter, Wagner, and a 2023 first-round pick (via Chicago) and a 2025 protected first-round pick (via Denver). Add on another potential asset or future pick in a possible Ross deal, and the Magic will continue to help themselves in their rebuild.
Trotting out a rotation with nine players who are age-25 or younger next season, Orlando is back to square one. Where the club goes from here all depends on its player development, but hiring former Mavericks assistant Jamahl Mosley to be their new head coach fits right into that critically important strategy. Luka Doncic, who established himself as an MVP contender in his third season, was a huge Mosley supporter. Now, with a copious amount of young talent to groom, the coach-organization fit between Mosley and the Magic is perfect.
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All teams start where Orlando currently is.
The Phoenix Suns toiled in mediocrity for years before finally breaking through this past season, and after hiring Tom Thibodeau, the New York Knicks finally returned to respectability after the coach helped to elevate the team's young core, led by Julius Randle and RJ Barrett. Philadelphia endured "The Process" years, and now they are a perennial contender.
Orlando now has all the pieces in place to eventually make a leap back to where they haven't been since the prime Dwight Howard days &mdash; regarded as a real threat in the Eastern Conference. With Mosley leading a strong young core that's spearheaded by Isaac and their two top-eight picks, the Magic could soon have Orlando back on the map.

After selecting two of the 'safest' prospects in the 2021 NBA Draft, the rebuilding Magic have a solid foundation to stand upon.

Orlando Magic kick-start rebuild by drafting Jalen Suggs, Franz Wagner

WASHINGTON (AP) — Russell Westbrook and Bradley Beal did what they do — a near triple-double for one, 25 points in just 29 minutes for the other — and the Washington Wizards reached the NBA playoffs as the Eastern Conference’s No. 8 seed by overwhelming the Indiana Pacers 142-115 in the play-in round Thursday night.
Washington led by as many as 38 points and advanced to face Joel Embiid and the No. 1 seed Philadelphia 76ers in the first round, marking quite a turnaround for coach Scott Brooks' crew, which was 17-32 in early April. 
Indiana's run of five consecutive playoff appearances ended in coach Nate Bjorkgren's debut season.
A little more than a week after breaking Oscar Robertson’s career record for most regular-season triple-doubles, Westbrook finished Thursday with 18 points, 15 rebounds and eight assists, and it was Beal — second in the NBA in scoring two years in a row — whose 3-pointer opened up a 30-point lead at 98-68 with about four minutes left in the third quarter. 
Beal skipped the fourth quarter entirely. Westbrook sat out the last 8 minutes and tossed his shoes to a fan. 
The backcourt mates both heard “M-V-P!” chants during trips to the foul line, as did reserve center Robin Lopez in an appreciative if more tongue-in-cheek way, from a giddy crowd capped at 5,333 — a quarter of the arena's capacity — because of COVID-19 concerns. The coronavirus pandemic is also why the season consisted only of 72 games, instead of the standard 82, and the league created the play-in format involving teams that were 7-10 in each conference.
The Wizards went 17-6 over the last six weeks of the season to finish with the eighth-best record in the East, but then lost the 7-vs.-8 game at the Boston Celtics 118-100 Tuesday. The Pacers won the 9-vs.-10 game at home against the Charlotte Hornets 144-117 that night.
Washington averaged 139.7 points while sweeping the three-game season series against the Pacers and, well, this one had much the same feel. It was close until a little more than 1 1/2 minutes elapsed in the second quarter, when the score was 34-all. 
From there, Westbrook took over for a bit, bullying his way through the lane and mean-mugging Pacers players. A 16-0 run fueled by six points from Lopez made it 50-34 and prompted the Pacers to take a timeout. They never recovered.
Heading to the sideline for the break, Westbrook paused on the court to raised a hand and wiggled his fingers while looking into the stands, pleading for more noise. Later, it was Beal — who has been dealing with a strained left hamstring — wind-milling his arms as he and his teammates poured it on, hitting 58.1% of their shot attempts; the visitors only finished above 40% thanks to some fourth-quarter baskets long after the outcome was decided.
Malcolm Brogdon led Indiana with 24 points. Pacers All-Star Domantas Sabonis had a triple-double with 19 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists before fouling out early in the fourth quarter. 
They now head into the offseason, while the Wizards are back in the postseason after missing out the past two years before acquiring Westbrook in a trade that sent John Wall to Houston.
Washington dealt with a COVID-19 outbreak that affected more than half of its roster and led to a two-week hiatus. The team also lost two starters for the season with injuries: first-round draft pick Deni Avdija (broken right ankle) — he took shots in the paint while seated on a black folding chair before Thursday's game — and center Thomas Bryant (torn left knee ligament). 
Now, though, Westbrook, Beal and Co. get to keep playing.
TIP-INS
Pacers: As expected, were without second-leading scorer Caris LeVert (COVID-19 protocols), NBA blocks leader Myles Turner (right foot), T.J. Warren (left foot) and Jeremy Lamb (left knee). 
Wizards: F Rui Hachimura scored 18 points, 10 more than against Boston. ... F Davis Bertans started 0 for 2 on 3-pointers, following an 0-for-7 night Tuesday, but then made two in a row. ... C Daniel Gafford's five first-half blocks were the most by a Wizards player in a decade. He also scored 15 points.
UP NEXT
Wizards: At Philadelphia for Sunday's Game 1 of their first-round playoff series against the 76ers.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

The Washington Wizards beat the Indiana Pacers 142-115, to secure the 8th seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Goddy