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Jazz

Over the offseason, Bradley Beal agreed to a five-year maximum extension with the Washington Wizards that will pay him $251 million over the course of the contract.
During <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYZBLnwTOMs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">an appearance on J.J. Redick's podcast</a> ("The Old Man and The Three"), the three-time All-Star opened up about his decision to stay in Washington, what he was thinking during free agency and whether he has ever come close to requesting a trade.
When asked if there was ever any doubt that he'd re-sign with Washington, Beal gave an honest answer.
"I wouldn't say there was 'doubt,' but I was definitely being human and thinking about it; I was thinking about what it would be like on the other side, on different teams, and seeing what was available for me," Beal said. "I did do that. The market was what it was; it wasn't too promising. It wasn't neccessarily where I wanted to go or what I wanted to do. But I ended up staying and I felt like that was the best decision for me. But I'd be lying if I sat here and said I wasn't human and I didn't think about [leaving]."
Has Beal ever come close to requesting a trade from the Wizards in order to team up with another star? When asked this, Beal nodded his head and said, "For sure."
"I think. I live in the present. I have a phone just like everybody else, so I see people like, 'Oh, you should play here! What would it be like if you played with Jayson [Tatum]?!' or, 'What would it be like if you went to Brooklyn or you went to L.A. or you went to Denver?!' And it's like: Yeah, I mean, sh*t, it would look good! I'm not gonna sit here and lie!" Beal said.
"But I also know that with those deals, it's gonna take a while for those things to get done and you're gonna offer up pretty much your whole team in order to get to where you want to get to, so it's kinda playing devil's advocate too in where you want to go and factoring all of that into it. It's a part of the game. It is a part of it. I definitely gave [a trade request] some thought; I'd be lying if I said I didn't."
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Redick jokingly asked Beal if he was lying when he said that he believed he could win in Washington, and if he only stayed with the Wizards because they could offer the most money. Beal laughed and then explained&nbsp;why he re-signed.
"I honestly feel like [we can win]," Beal said. "It's very tough to win; only one team gets to win, and it's not like I'm saying, 'Oh, we're going to hold up the Larry [O'Brien trophy] this year.' That's not what I'm sitting here saying. But I do believe in what we're building, and I do believe in what we have. I never had a chance to step on the floor with [Kristaps] Porzingis, and I think that could be an interesting duo. And Kuz (Kyle Kuzma) is constantly developing. And then to add the pieces we added &mdash; Will Barton, Monte [Morris] &mdash; we added some guys who could be difference-makers on our team and actually be legit guys who fit into our system and especially with the way that Wes [Unseld Jr.] wants to coach and play too.
"For me, it was just about figuring out where I fit best. You know, the market was a little scarce this year too, so that kinda played a little bit of a factor into it as well. Sure enough, I just felt like DC was it for me."
Last season, the 29-year-old averaged 23.2 points, 6.6 assists, 4.7 rebounds, 1.6 threes and .9 steals, while shooting 45.1% from the field, 30.0% from three-point range and 83.3% from the free-throw line.
Over the course of his 10-year career, Beal has averaged 22.1 points, 4.2 assists, 4.1 rebounds, 2.2 threes and 1.1 steals on .456/.372/.821 shooting splits.

On "The Old Man and the Three," Beal discussed his extension with the Wizards and whether he ever considered leaving Washington.

Bradley Beal admits he has considered requesting a trade from Wizards

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

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

We're flipping our calendar at BasketballNews &mdash; but not before taking one look back at a memorable 2021.
Sports never cease to give us compelling storylines. Last year, they came from all places, from the pros in the U.S. and abroad, to college, to youth levels, and even off the basketball court. Below are some of our staff's best stories, arranged in several categories. Read the Best of BasketballNews 2021:
Best Features
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/gary-payton-ii_lg.jpg" alt="" />
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-g-league-raptors-905-gary-payton-ii-on-growing-up-in-fathers-shadow-we-have-two-different-paths">Gary Payton II on growing up in father's shadow: 'We have two different paths'</a> &mdash; by Kelsea O'Brien
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/high-school-basketball-former-nba-execs-aaron-ryan-brandon-williams-kevin-ollie-overtime-elite-seek-to-revolutionize-amateur-to-pro-preparation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Former NBA execs, Overtime Elite seek to revolutionize amateur-to-pro p</a><a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/high-school-basketball-former-nba-execs-aaron-ryan-brandon-williams-kevin-ollie-overtime-elite-seek-to-revolutionize-amateur-to-pro-preparation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reparation</a> &mdash; by Spencer Davies
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-daniel-gafford-washington-wizards-russell-westbrook-bradley-beal-tony-falce-arkansas-razorbacks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Daniel Gafford, Wizards surging since trade: 'When I got here, it clicked automatically'</a> &mdash; by Spencer Davies
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/pj-dozier-took-a-whirlwind-journey-to-the-denver-nuggets-starting-lineup">Two-way threat: PJ Dozier reflects on whirlwind path to Nuggets</a> &mdash; by Ethan Fuller
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/g-league-finals-mvp-devin-cannady-remains-focus-bigger-goals">NBA G League Finals MVP Devin Cannady remains focused on bigger goals</a> &mdash; by Kelsea O'Brien
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/theres-plenty-of-blame-to-go-around-for-frank-ntilikinas-failure">There&rsquo;s plenty of blame to go around for Frank Ntilikina&rsquo;s failure</a> &mdash; by Moke Hamilton
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nikola-vucevic-may-finally-get-credit-he-deserves-with-newlook-bulls">Nikola Vucevic may finally get credit he deserves with new-look Bulls</a> &mdash; by Alex Kennedy
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/meet-juste-jocyte-15-year-old-phenom-and-professional-record-breaker" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Meet Justė Jocytė: 15-year-old phenom and professional record-breaker</a> &mdash; by Ethan Fuller
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/kristaps-porzingis-renewed-confidence-leading-to-resurgent-season-with-mavericks">Kristaps Porzingis' renewed confidence leading to resurgent season</a> &mdash; by Evan Sidery
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/scoot-henderson-aspirations-far-exceed-any-hype-we-can-give-him" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NBA G League star Scoot Henderson's aspirations far exceed the hype</a> &mdash; by Spencer Davies
Best Interviews and Q&amp;As
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/markelle-fultz_lg.png" alt="" />
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-richaun-holmes-qa-interview-free-agency-all-defensive-team">Richaun Holmes Q&amp;A: 'I definitely feel I&rsquo;m deserving of the All-Defensive Team'</a> &mdash; with Alex Kennedy
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-orlando-magic-rj-hampton-q-and-a-i-dont-think-you-can-put-a-cap-on-our-ceiling">Magic's R.J. Hampton Q&amp;A: 'I don&rsquo;t think you can put a cap on our ceiling'</a> &mdash; with Alex Kennedy
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/podcasts/the-rex-chapman-show/episodes/basketballnews-com-episode-8-episode-7-stephen-curry">The Rex Chapman Show with Josh Hopkins Episode 7 - Stephen Curry</a>
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/podcasts/the-rex-chapman-show/episodes/basketballnews-com-episode-10-episode-9-james-jones">The Rex Chapman Show: James Jones on Suns' culture change, player-to-GM leap</a>
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-san-antonio-spurs-derrick-white-dejounte-murray-gregg-popovich-colorado-buffaloes">One-on-One: Derrick White, Spurs' youth trying to make a name for themselves</a> &mdash; with Spencer Davies
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-one-on-one-patrick-patterson-los-angeles-clippers-tyronn-lue-paul-george-kawhi-leonard-demarcus-cousins-kentucky-wildcats-basketball">One-on-One: Patrick Patterson opens up as Clippers begin playoff run</a> &mdash; with Spencer Davies
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/larry-nance-jr-qa-i-did-not-come-out-here-to-halfass-this-thing">Larry Nance Jr. Q&amp;A: 'I did not come out here to half-ass this thing'</a> &mdash; with Alex Kennedy
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/jermaine-oneal-on-reconciling-with-ron-artest-i-didnt-know-about-mental-health">Jermaine O&rsquo;Neal on reconciling with Metta World Peace: 'I didn't know about mental health'</a> &mdash; with Etan Thomas
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/markelle-fultz-reveals-what-really-happened-with-his-shot-shoulder">Markelle Fultz reveals what really happened with his shot, shoulder</a> &mdash; with Etan Thomas
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/podcasts/the-alex-kennedy-podcast/episodes/basketballnews-com-episode-29-thad-young-on-getting-blindsided-by-trade-to-spurs,-dealing-with-recent-trade-rumors,-the-key-to-nba-longevity,-more-ep-29">Thad Young on being blindsided by Spurs trade, trade rumors, key to longevity</a> &mdash; with Alex Kennedy
Best Player Breakdowns
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/kyle-lowry_lg.jpg" alt="" />
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/on-lock-how-jrue-holiday-became-the-nba-finals-xfactor-">On Lock: How Jrue Holiday became the NBA Finals&rsquo; X-Factor</a> &mdash; by Jannelle Moore
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/enough-no-bag-talk-giannis-antetokounmpo-put-the-nba-on-notice-finals-mvp-champion">Enough 'no bag' talk: Giannis Antetokounmpo put the NBA on notice</a> &mdash; by Nekias Duncan
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/what-kyle-lowry-brings-to-the-miami-heat">Film study: What Kyle Lowry brings to the Miami Heat</a> &mdash; by Nekias Duncan
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/dime-fest-breaking-down-courtney-vandersloot-historic-night-wnba-playoffs">Dime Fest: Breaking down Courtney Vandersloot's historic night</a> &mdash; by Nekias Duncan
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/all-signs-pointing-to-marcus-smart-as-the-celtics-swing-player">What does Marcus Smart at point guard look like for the Celtics? </a>&nbsp; &mdash; by Ethan Fuller
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/rudy-gay-is-injecting-the-jazz-with-funk">Rudy Gay is injecting the Jazz with funk</a> &mdash; by Mark Schindler
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/is-jaren-jackson-jr-a-star-in-making-or-something-else">Is Jaren Jackson Jr. a star in the making, or something else?</a> &mdash; by Matt Brooks
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/dissecting-desmond-bane-role-memphis-grizzlies-offense">Dissecting Desmond Bane's growing role in the Grizzlies' offense</a> &mdash; by Jackson Frank
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/is-dave-bing-right-about-cade-cunningham">Is Cade Cunningham a franchise player the Pistons can build around?</a> &mdash; by Mat Issa and Bryce Simon
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/making-the-nba-all-star-case-for-cavs-big-man-jarrett-allen">Making the NBA All-Star case for Cavs big man Jarrett Allen</a> &mdash; by Bryan Fonseca
Best Team and League Breakdowns
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/jarrett-allen_lg.png" alt="" />
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-to-tank-or-not-to-tank-analyzing-the-toronto-raptors-present-and-future">To tank, or not to tank? Analyzing the Raptors' present and future</a> &mdash; by Imman Adan
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-nba-draft-lottery-is-not-rigged-and-heres-why">The NBA Draft Lottery is not rigged, and here's why</a> &mdash; by Alex Kennedy&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/why-big-men-take-more-time-to-develop-in-the-nba-than-guards-and-wings">Why NBA bigs take more time to develop: 'They're used to imposing their will'</a>&nbsp;&mdash; by Spencer Davies
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/as-the-offseason-revs-up-what-nba-teams-are-in-the-dead-money-doldrums">As NBA offseason nears, which teams are in the dead money doldrums?</a> &mdash; by Ethan Fuller
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/suns-create-unnecessarily-awkward-situation-not-signing-deandre-ayton-to-extension">Suns create unnecessarily awkward situation by not extending Ayton</a> &mdash; by Evan Sidery
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/in-the-nba-length-matters-unedited">Length matters: The NBA's long-ball revolution may be coming</a> &mdash; by Imman Adan
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/grindhouse-how-the-grizzlies-are-winning-with-defense">The Grindhouse: How the Grizzlies are winning with defense</a> &mdash; by Nekias Duncan
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/tom-thibodeau-isnt-the-only-reigning-coach-of-the-year-to-struggle">Tom Thibodeau isn&rsquo;t the only reigning Coach of the Year to struggle</a> &mdash; by Moke Hamilton
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-power-rankings-warriors-reclaim-top-spot-from-suns">NBA Power Rankings: Bulls are hot, Warriors reclaim top spot from Suns </a>&nbsp;&mdash; by Tommy Beer
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/hornets-embarrassing-defense-sinking-their-enticing-potential">Hornets' embarrassing defense sinking their enticing potential</a> &mdash; by Evan Sidery
Best Opinion
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/draymond-green_lg.png" alt="" />
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/injuries-galore-the-nba-all-too-soon-return-has-made-losers-of-us-all">Injuries Galore: The NBA&rsquo;s all-too-soon return has made losers of us all</a> &mdash; by Moke Hamilton
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/what-can-the-nba-do-to-prevent-ugly-fan-incidents">What can the NBA do to prevent more ugly fan incidents?</a> &mdash; by Alex Kennedy
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/rachel-nichols-maria-taylor-incident-exposes-espn-racism-sexism" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rachel Nichols-Maria Taylor incident exposes ESPN&rsquo;s racism, sexism&nbsp;</a> &mdash; by Imman Adan
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-discourse-around-nba-superteams-is-tiresome-stars" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The discourse around NBA stars and super-teams is tiresome</a> &mdash; by Spencer Davies
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/a-beginners-guide-to-nba-stats-written-by-a-beginner">A beginner's guide to NBA stats: The three types of statistics</a> &mdash; by Ethan Fuller
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/which-nba-players-could-have-realistically-played-in-the-nfl" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Which NBA players could have realistically played in the NFL?</a> &mdash; by Alex Kennedy
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/no-enhancement-necessary-the-nba-should-leave-well-enough-alone">No enhancement necessary: NBA should leave well enough alone</a> &mdash; by Jannelle Moore
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-nets-should-be-ashamed-of-themselves">The Nets should be ashamed of themselves</a> &mdash; by Nekias Duncan
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/missing-the-forest-through-the-trees-on-christmas-day-games">Missing the forest through the trees on Christmas Day games</a> &mdash; by Mark Schindler
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/greg-monroe-and-the-brief-case-for-us-to-see-more-nba-veterans-this-season">NBA teams need to show more respect to veterans, and we're seeing why</a> &mdash; by Bryan Fonseca
Best of the NBA Draft
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<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2022 NBA Draft Big Board</a> &mdash; by Matt Babcock
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/a-behindthescenes-look-at-james-bouknights-predraft-training">Behind the scenes with projected lottery pick James Bouknight</a> &mdash; by Matt Babcock
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/qa-nba-draft-prospect-nahshon-bones-hyland-demands-your-attention">Q&amp;A: Draft prospect Nah'Shon 'Bones' Hyland demands your attention</a> &mdash; by Alex Kennedy
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/qa-2021-nba-draft-intel-with-lead-draft-analyst-matt-babcock-rumors-offseason">2021 NBA Draft: Matt Babcock on rumors, trades, risers, fallers</a> &mdash; by Ethan Fuller and Matt Babcock
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-little-guy-from-bendigo-dyson-daniels-game-is-unlike-anyone-elses">The Little Guy From Bendigo: Dyson Daniels is unlike anyone else</a> &mdash; by Spencer Davies
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/2022-nba-draft-qa-french-big-man-ismael-kamagate">2022 NBA Draft Q&amp;A: French big man Ismael Kamagate</a> &mdash; by Jason Filippi
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/2022-nba-draft-jean-montero-scouting-report">2022 NBA Draft: Jean Montero scouting report</a> &mdash; by Doc Martin
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/babcocks-takeaways-jabari-smith-patrick-baldwin-jr-matthew-cleveland-more">Babcock&rsquo;s Takeaways: Jabari Smith, Patrick Baldwin, Matthew Cleveland</a> &mdash; by Matt Babcock
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/2022-nba-draft-the-evolution-of-kansas-guard-ochai-agbaji">2022 NBA Draft: The evolution of Kansas guard Ochai Agbaji</a> &mdash; by Derek Murray
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/2022-nba-draft-getting-to-know-alabamas-native-son-jd-davison">2022 NBA Draft: Getting to know JD Davison, Alabama's native son</a> &mdash; by Grant Aqui
Best Player Pieces
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<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-washington-wizards-troy-brown-jr-bradley-beal-russell-westbrook-outbreak-covid-19-coronavirus-virus-contract-health-safety-protocol">Behind the scenes of the Wizards' COVID-19 outbreak: 'It's been a wild season'</a> &mdash; by Troy Brown Jr.
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/its-a-shame-carmelo-didnt-end-up-in-portland-sooner">It&rsquo;s a shame Carmelo Anthony didn&rsquo;t end up in Portland sooner</a> &mdash; by Kenyon Martin
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/my-first-time-getting-traded-learning-what-its-like-to-be-dealt-in-the-nba">My first time getting traded: Learning what it's like to be dealt in the NBA</a> &mdash; by Troy Brown Jr.
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/kwame-brown-stephen-a-smith-stephen-jackson-matt-barnes-charlemagne-etan-thomas-washington-wizards-media">After 20 years of public degradation, Kwame Brown is fed up</a> &mdash; by Etan Thomas
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/paul-george-is-silencing-his-critics-los-angeles-clippers-nba-playoffs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Paul George is silencing his critics</a> &mdash; by Etan Thomas
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-nba-is-big-business-and-players-should-be-allowed-to-act-like-it">The NBA is a big business, and players should be allowed to act like it</a> &mdash; by James Posey
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/lebron-james-doesnt-seem-to-be-succumbing-to-father-time-just-yet">LeBron James doesn&rsquo;t seem to be succumbing to Father Time just yet</a> &mdash; by James Posey

BasketballNews highlights its best stories over the calendar 2021 year.

The Best of BasketballNews: 2021

MIAMI (AP) — To realize how challenging it was for P.J. Tucker to begin getting settled at a new home in Miami, consider all the places in this country where he stores his collection of sneakers. Many thousands of pairs, some worn, most not, all cherished.
He has so many that it’s not easy to remember all the places where he's kept them.
“I think I’ve got them in six places,” Tucker said, ticking down a list of places of where he's either had or currently has a residence. “There’s Miami. Houston. Dallas. Milwaukee. L.A. And Raleigh. Oh, I’m lying. Phoenix, too. I forgot Phoenix. So, seven or eight places.”
The sneaker collection is well-traveled, as is Tucker.
After helping the Milwaukee Bucks win last season’s NBA championship, the 36-year-old forward is starting anew with the Miami Heat. It is his third franchise in 2021 alone, the fifth NBA club of his career, no less than the 13th different professional team from seven different countries that he has joined along the way. It's also a place where he had wanted to be for years.
“It’s been a long time coming,” Tucker said of joining the Heat. “It made sense. At the trade deadline this year before I got traded to Milwaukee, Miami was at the top of the list. The way they play, the guys, the personnel, I knew the way I would fit in. I’ve been a Miami fan for a while.”
That said, it is important to note that Tucker was not displeased about getting moved from Houston — a team that was at the bottom of the NBA — to the Bucks last spring. It was already clear that Milwaukee was going to contend for the title it ultimately grabbed by rallying from a 2-0 deficit against Phoenix in the finals. 
He became a huge part of Milwaukee’s title run and instantly became a fan favorite, never more so than when he held a bottle of champagne in one hand and the Larry O’Brien Trophy in the other during the team’s championship celebration.
“I went to Milwaukee with one thing in mind,” Tucker said. “I did exactly what I set out to do. Those moments were validation.” 
Those moments almost never happened. Tucker almost stopped playing basketball a long time ago.
He was the Big 12’s player of the year at Texas in 2006, but his NBA success wasn’t exactly instant after turning pro. He was a second-round pick by Toronto, ended up in what’s now called the G League, then bounced around a bunch of international leagues. It was on a long bus ride after a game in Ukraine in 2008 when he grabbed his phone, turned on the international roaming feature — his cell bills got as big as $8,000 a month in those days — and called his agent.
“I’m done,” Tucker said. “I’ll see you at home.”
Cooler heads prevailed. Tucker stuck it out. He became a perennial All-Star and MVP candidate in Europe. And eventually, after five years of grinding overseas, summer league stints and more, Tucker returned to the NBA with Phoenix in 2012.
He’s been a mainstay ever since.
“P.J. Tucker is the perfect addition to this team,” Heat President Pat Riley said. “He brings both shooting and most importantly, the ability to defend a lot of perimeter players. We love his versatility in order to put a defensive team on the court, where all five guys can defend, while also having enough shooting and scoring to win games.”
Tucker doesn’t wow with stats: He averaged 2.6 points and 2.8 rebounds in 20 regular season games with Milwaukee last season, then 4.3 points and 4.8 rebounds after becoming a starter during the Bucks’ playoff run. He wows with defense, toughness, the things that only players and coaches tend to appreciate and that those judging solely by boxscores wouldn’t appreciate.
“Tuck is always just going to do the dirty work,” Phoenix guard Chris Paul said during the NBA Finals of his former Houston teammate. “Whatever his team needs from him to help his team win, he’s always going to do that.”
On the court, nothing is flashy about Tucker.
Off the court, everything is.
His sneaker collection — it started years and years ago — is the envy of even the most ardent sneakerheads in the NBA. The constant expense of moving and packing them all has Tucker starting to think he’s got enough pairs now.
“I’m not there yet. But I’m thinking about it," he said. "It's all love for me, but the expense of moving this stuff is, like, insanity,”
Tucker’s a true wine aficionado, like more than a few guys around the league and even is known to travel with a bottle or two. And fashion is a true passion, so much so that he even got an invite to the Met Gala earlier this month and showed up in velvet Gucci.
“I showed that you can go through everything I went through and still be an NBA champion,” Tucker said. “It’s not just about me. It really isn’t. But I still want more.”
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

P.J. Tucker spoke with the Associated Press about his road to joining  Miami and what he can contribute to the team.

Shoes, fashion and grit mark P.J. Tucker's journey to Heat

Four NHL teams have overcome 3-0 deficits in a best-of-seven playoff series, including the 1942 Stanley Cup champion Toronto Maple Leafs. The Boston Red Sox pulled off MLB's only such comeback against the New York Yankees in 2004.
The Denver Nuggets are the 143rd NBA team to go down 3-0 in a best-of-seven playoff series and nobody's ever overcome such a daunting deficit to win four straight.
The Nuggets say their only aim is to send the series back to Phoenix with a win in Game 4 Sunday night in Denver.
&ldquo;The last thing I want to see is the Phoenix Suns pushing a broom across our home court,&rdquo; Nuggets coach Michael Malone said Friday night after Denver's <a href="https://apnews.com/article/denver-nuggets-phoenix-suns-nikola-jokic-entertainment-nba-8b5618ad45575b05f160c02baced3296">116-102 </a> loss to the Suns.
Malone has said all along the Nuggets could show growth this season after losing a year ago to the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Finals.
&ldquo;We have had a tremendous season, tremendous. I said going into this year you can't judge a season by the end result. ... But the one thing I don't want is for us just to go out quietly into that good night," Malone said. "I hope we show some real fight and resolve and force this series to go back to Phoenix for Game 5.&rdquo;
If not, Nikola Jokic will become the first MVP to get swept in a playoff series since the league adopted the best-of-seven format for all rounds beginning in 2003.
&ldquo;We just need to go out there and fight and give everything we&rsquo;ve got,&rdquo; Jokic said.
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Only three MVPs (Steph Curry in 2015, LeBron James in 2012 and &lsquo;13 and Tim Duncan in 2003) have won it all since 2003 when it&rsquo;s taken 16 playoff victories to raise the Larry O'Brien NBA Championship Trophy.
Curry came up just short again in 2016 when James led the Cavaliers to a Game 7 win in the NBA Finals. Since then, MVPs are just 31-24 in the playoffs with none of them even reaching the Finals.
That includes two MVPs who exited in the first round: Russell Westbrook in 2017 and Dirk Nowitzki in 2007.
Here's a look at Sunday's slate of games:
NETS AT BUCKS
Game 4, 3 p.m. EDT, ABC
&mdash; NEED TO KNOW: This series features the NBA&rsquo;s two highest-scoring teams from the regular season but has been noteworthy for its defense so far. The Bucks scored a league-high 120.1 points a game in the regular season but have averaged just 93 points in this series. Milwaukee scored a season-low 86 points in a 39-point Game 2 loss and matched that total in a 86-83 Game 3 win. The Nets had their lowest scoring output of the season in Game 3. Kevin Durant has led the way for Brooklyn by averaging 30.3 points, 8 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 2 steals and 1.3 blocks.
&mdash; KEEP AN EYE ON: Nets guard/forward Joe Harris. His shooting accuracy has been a reliable indicator of how this series has gone. Harris shot 12 of 23 overall and 8 of 16 from 3-point range over the first two games. He was 1 of 11 overall and 1 of 7 from beyond the arc before fouling out of the Nets&rsquo; Game 3 loss.
&mdash; INJURY WATCH: The Brooklyn Nets again won&rsquo;t have James Harden (hamstring) but could have forward Jeff Green (plantar fascia strain) for Game 4. Coach Steve Nash says Harden and Green are &ldquo;progressing well.&rdquo; Bucks guard Donte DiVincenzo is out for the rest of the season after tearing a ligament in his left ankle during their first-round series with Miami.
&mdash; PRESSURE IS ON: Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo. Although the two-time MVP is averaging 28.3 points and 12 rebounds in this series, he has shot just 3 of 16 from 3-point range and 6 of 19 on foul shots. The free-throw issues are somewhat surprising because Antetokounmpo closed the regular season by shooting 72.5% from the line after the All-Star break. He had a 10-second violation on a Game 3 free-throw attempt, the second time that&rsquo;s happened to him in this postseason.
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SUNS AT NUGGETS
Game 4, 8 p.m. EDT, TNT
&mdash; NEED TO KNOW: The Suns have won six straight games since falling behind the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers 2-1 in the opening round. Phoenix point guard Chris Paul has bounced back from his ailing shoulder that forced head coach Monty Williams to sit him in the fourth quarter twice against the Lakers. In the fourth quarters against the Nuggets, Paul is 12 for 13 from the floor, including 4 for 4 on 3-pointers with eight assists and no turnovers. In Game 3, he had 27 points to go with Devin Booker's 28.
&mdash; KEEP AN EYE ON: Nuggets guard Monte Morris, who responded to a challenge from Malone to be more of a factor in Game 3 after two mediocre performances in Phoenix. He scored 21 points in 30 minutes off the bench and was the only Denver player to shoot 50% or better (8 for 12) besides Zeke Nnaji (1 for 1).
&mdash; INJURY WATCH: In Game 3, Nuggets' Will Barton played 28 minutes and scored 14 points in his second game back from a serious hamstring injury. P.J. Dozier (adductor) is still out. The Nuggets rallied around fallen teammate Jamal Murray, who tore his left ACL on April 12, going 13-5 down the stretch and beating the Trail Blazers in five games in the opening round. But they seem to have hit the wall in this round, showing how much they really miss their dynamic scorer who twice pumped in 50 points in the bubble in last year's playoff run.
&mdash; PRESSURE IS ON: Michael Porter Jr., who hasn't been the same since tweaking his surgically repaired back just before halftime of the series opener. MPJ went 5 for 13 from the field in Game 3 for 15 points. He's shooting 36% from the floor and 38% on 3s in this series after marks of 54.2 and 44.5 in his breakout regular season.
__
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

The Nuggets are the 143rd NBA team to go down 3-0 in a best-of-seven series and nobody's ever come back to win four-straight.

Nuggets face daunting deficit; Nikola Jokic faces ignominious exit

Entering this season, the Los Angeles Clippers were considered the favorites to hoist the Larry O'Brien trophy. They were deemed the winners of the offseason after signing Kawhi Leonard and trading for Paul George, while bringing back many of their key contributors from the year before. Then, they continued to improve with midseason acquisitions like Marcus Morris and Reggie Jackson.
However, being stacked on paper didn&rsquo;t translate to postseason success for the Clippers, who were eliminated by the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday night. The Clippers were up 3-1 over the Nuggets and seemed poised to make the Western Conference Finals for the first time in franchise history, but they ultimately lost Game 7, 104-89.
There were <a href="https://theathletic.com/1557316/2020/01/23/chemistry-setting-behind-the-scenes-of-kawhi-leonard-and-the-clippers-merging-culture/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reports</a> throughout the season that the Clippers were struggling to develop chemistry and having some issues behind the scenes. While the players and coaches <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2872930-patrick-beverley-calls-rumors-of-clippers-chemistry-issues-fake-fake-fake-news" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shot</a> <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/clippers-news-lou-williams-laughs-off-rumored-chemistry-issues/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">down</a> those reports during the year, they seemed to confirm them after the Game 7 loss.
"We came up short. We did have championship expectations," Lou Williams said. "We had the talent to do it. We didn't have the chemistry to do it and it showed."
"Internally, we've always felt this isn't a championship-or-bust year for us," Paul George <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2909353-excuses-abound-after-clippers-historic-playoff-collapse-vs-nuggets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. "We didn't have enough time together&hellip; Year one together, [our] first run together, of course we wanted to win this. But we&rsquo;ve been very optimistic about us being together and building something going down the road.&rdquo;
Clippers head coach Doc Rivers believes that the Nuggets&rsquo; continuity and chemistry gave them an advantage and helped them pull off this upset.
&ldquo;Honestly, you could just see the difference in the two teams. That team&rsquo;s been together. We haven&rsquo;t,&rdquo; Rivers <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2909353-excuses-abound-after-clippers-historic-playoff-collapse-vs-nuggets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. &ldquo;And you could see it as the games went on.&rdquo;
&ldquo;We can&rsquo;t even say we want to change our roster; we like what we got,&rdquo; George <a href="https://larrybrownsports.com/basketball/lou-williams-paul-george-point-to-clippers-chemistry-as-problem/563686" target="_blank" rel="noopener">added</a>. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve been saying it all year - just chemistry, being together... The more we&rsquo;re together, the better we will be. It&rsquo;s year one. Year one. We&rsquo;ve got a lot to reflect on.&rdquo;
Where do the Clippers go from here?&nbsp;
While it&rsquo;s possible that Los Angeles just needs more time together, it remains to be seen what this team will look like next season. The Clippers currently have $109,039,053 in guaranteed salaries on their books for next year, and that number could be $116,737,394 (if JaMychal Green opts in and Joakim Noah&rsquo;s $2,692,991 salary for 2020-21 becomes guaranteed).
L.A. has several players hitting unrestricted free agency this offseason including Montrezl Harrell, Marcus Morris, Reggie Jackson and Patrick Patterson. Green&rsquo;s player option is worth $5,005,350 and he could also become an unrestricted free agent if he opts out.&nbsp;
Harrell won the NBA&rsquo;s Sixth Man of the Year award and he's helped his stock tremendously with his play over the last two years. After averaging 18.6 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.1 blocks while shooting 58 percent from the field, he's expected to generate a lot of interest from teams. In a free-agent class that&rsquo;s widely regarded as mediocre, the 26-year-old will be one of the top players available (especially <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/ranking-top-10-nba-free-agent-centers-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener">at his position</a>).
<img src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/Harrell_lg.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="AUTO" />
Morris should also be highly coveted. He started this season with the New York Knicks and played some of the best basketball of his career, averaging 19.6 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.7 threes (on 43.9 percent shooting). When the Knicks shopped him prior to the trade deadline, multiple contenders reportedly pursued him (including the Los Angeles Lakers) before he joined the Clippers. While his numbers came back down to Earth in L.A. (particularly his three-point shooting), he can help most teams with his toughness and two-way production.
The Clippers are <a href="https://theathletic.com/1636284/2020/02/26/analyzing-the-questions-the-clippers-will-face-in-the-2020-offseason/?source=shared-article">reportedly</a> interested in re-signing Harrell and Morris, but the team is over the cap even before agreeing to deals with either player. The NBA salary cap for the 2019-20 season was set at $109.1 million. Given how the pandemic has impacted the NBA&rsquo;s revenue (plus the early-season controversy with China), it&rsquo;s unclear how the NBA will adjust the 2020-21 salary cap. It could remain at $109.1 million next season, or it could even decrease a bit.
Steve Ballmer has been very aggressive since purchasing the franchise, so paying the luxury tax shouldn&rsquo;t be a concern. Still, keeping this team together won&rsquo;t be cheap. As HoopsHype <a href="https://hoopshype.com/2020/03/16/los-angeles-clippers-their-salary-cap-situation-right-now/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recently noted</a>, if the Clippers decide to re-sign Harrell and Morris, their combined payroll and luxury-tax payment could be close to $200 million.&nbsp;
Here&rsquo;s the problem for the Clippers: If they don&rsquo;t re-sign Harrell or Morris, it will be very difficult to find a replacement given their cap situation. If Harrell signs elsewhere, it&rsquo;s not like they can just go sign another free agent for the same amount they offered him. They have Harrell&rsquo;s Bird rights, so they&rsquo;re able to go over the cap to re-sign him. And they have Morris' non-Bird rights, meaning they can pay him 120 percent of his previous salary (so they can offer $18,000,000 annually). For any other free agents, the most that the Clippers have to offer is the mid-level exception since they are over the cap.
The Clippers will either have the standard MLE (which is worth approximately $9,755,000) or the taxpayer MLE (which is worth approximately $6,025,000), depending on what happens with Harrell and Morris. The players who would be available to the Clippers for either MLE likely wouldn&rsquo;t replicate Harrell or Morris&rsquo; production. L.A. would be searching for bargains and hoping that veteran would be willing to take a discount in order to compete for a championship and play in Los Angeles, but there would be a clear drop-off in talent from Harrell or Morris.
This is the same situation that the Cleveland Cavaliers <a href="https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nba/news/tristan-thompson-contract-82-million-cavaliers-cleveland/1f21eaapw3eho14uycqtctp96f" target="_blank" rel="noopener">found themselves in</a> back in 2015 when they had championship expectations but very little cap flexibility. They had no cap space, so they focused on re-signing Tristan Thompson, J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert among others because replacing those players through free agency was impossible. Basically, their options were to re-sign their own players using their Bird rights or let those key contributors walk and try to replace them with veteran-minimum players. Because they were trying to build a championship contender around LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love, they re-signed their role players (even though it was very expensive) and the team ultimately hoisted the Larry O&rsquo;Brien trophy in 2016.
In addition to the Clippers&rsquo; cap restrictions, they have limited draft capital as well (which could make it tough for them to improve their roster through trades too). L.A. doesn&rsquo;t have a first-round pick in the 2020 NBA Draft because they traded it to the Knicks for Morris. They have a 2021 first-rounder, but they can't trade it due to the Stepien Rule (which blocks teams from trading their first-round pick in consecutive years). In order to acquire George, the Clippers dealt five first-round picks (MIA's 2021 unprotected first, LAC's 2022 unprotected first, MIA's 2023 lottery-protected first, LAC's 2024 unprotected first and LAC's 2026 unprotected first) as well as the right for the Oklahoma City Thunder to swap first-round picks with them in 2023 and 2025.
When the Clippers decided to add George and Leonard, they went all-in on this current group of players. They sacrificed their future and long-term flexibility to build a star-studded team that could potentially win them their first championship in franchise history. They knew that this experiment would be expensive and restrict them going forward, but they decided to swing for the fences anyway. If the Clippers win their first-ever title, this will all be worth it.&nbsp;
But if the team continues to struggle and fails to live up to expectations, it could be very hard for the Clippers to dig their way out of this hole. What makes this even scarier for the Clippers is that Leonard and George only have one more guaranteed year on their contracts (and then they have player options for 2021-22).&nbsp;
Given the Clippers&rsquo; financial situation and draft capital, their best option is likely to re-sign their own free agents, run it back and hope that this current group does just need more time together to develop chemistry and realize its full potential.

After losing to the Nuggets in the playoffs, where do the Clippers go from here? Alex Kennedy breaks down their offseason options.