Urban Knights

Basketball News highlights the reporting, analysis and podcasts that defined a year of basketball in 2022.

Best of Basketball News: Spotlighting our top content from 2022

For the last four years, Nikola Jokic has set a standard as the offensive fulcrum in the NBA.
The two-time Most Valuable Player led the league in touches per game from 2018-19 through 2021-22, according to data tracked by NBA Stats and Second Spectrum. He became the first player in tracking history (dating back to 2013-14) to average over 100 touches per game across an entire season in 2020-21, then did it again last year.
But for the first time in five years, Jokic isn't atop the leaderboard in that statistical category.
That spot currently belongs to Tyrese Haliburton.&nbsp;
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The dynamic young guard is averaging 97.1 touches per contest through his first 21 games &mdash; easily a career high, and even an uptick from his two-month stretch last spring after the Indiana Pacers acquired him before the trade deadline. That mark is on pace to be the fourth-highest non-Jokic touch diet recorded in 10 years of tracking.&nbsp;
At just 22 years old, Haliburton has rapidly ascended to his current status as the NBA's assist leader and one of its premier orchestrators. Just look at the latest history he made:
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Tyrese Haliburton has posted 40 assists and zero turnovers across his last three games 🔥 Per NBA Stats, he&rsquo;s the first player to do that in a three-game span since individual turnovers were first tracked in 1977-78 🤯 <a href="https://t.co/3EKLBYNd73">pic.twitter.com/3EKLBYNd73</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1597745470264131589?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 30, 2022</a></blockquote>
&ldquo;I want to be a 20-and-10 guy and I want to be an All-Star,&rdquo; Haliburton <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-interview-tyrese-haliburton-indiana-pacers-chad-buchanan-bennedict-mathurin-myles-turner-sacramento-kings-domantas-sabonis-trade-drew-hanlen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told our Alex Kennedy before the season</a>.
So far, he's on track, posting 19.3 points and 11.2 assists per game, even after a dud outing against his former Sacramento Kings team. Many people, myself included, expected Haliburton to stuff the stat sheet this year on a bad Pacers team destined for the NBA Draft lottery.
Except... the Pacers haven't been bad. They're 12-9 and fourth in a crowded middle pack of the Eastern Conference. In that time, Haliburton has been the clear best high-volume passer in the league.&nbsp;
Seriously, pick a site and pick a stat. Haliburton is responsible for 51.3% of his team's assists, the best mark in the NBA, and his 1.76 assist-to-usage rate is also tops in the league, per Cleaning the Glass. He passes the ball more than anyone else (76.2 times per game) and 18.3% of those passes turn into assists or free throws (ranked 7th), according to Second Spectrum.&nbsp;
BBall Index has 11 listed metrics for playmaking traits; Haliburton is in the 98th percentile or higher in 10 of them. But I'd like to specifically highlight his 11.7 "high value assists" per 75 possessions, which track his rate of creation for three-point, at-rim and free-throw assists.
Haliburton leads the NBA by a significant margin with 4.76 three-point assists per game. His instinctual processing is otherworldly, as he'll show us:
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Tyrese Haliburton takes us inside the mind of the <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nba</a>&rsquo;s assists leader, sharing his thought process during the final play of last night's game when he found Andrew Nembhard for the game-winning three. <a href="https://t.co/u6D1McSmqD">pic.twitter.com/u6D1McSmqD</a>
&mdash; Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) <a href="https://twitter.com/Pacers/status/1597663024386801666?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 29, 2022</a></blockquote>

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The most popular assist combination in the league, according to PBP Stats, is Haliburton setting up Buddy Hield. He's done it 61 times; no other player has connected with a teammate more than 50 times this season. Haliburton also has another, quieter frequent-assist partner: Jalen Smith, who's been the beneficiary 44 times this season (seventh-most in the NBA).&nbsp;
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Haliburton recognizes that defenses don't fully respect Smith as a perimeter shooter yet. But the combo guard is still happy to hit up his teammate for an open shot, and Smith has lately been knocking them down as a trailing or spot-up shooter. Then Haliburton also capitalizes with his ball-screen savvy, drawing in defenders to hit Smith as the roller or as a separate cutter.&nbsp;
These dishes might not always seem flashy, but they reinforce two key developments: Haliburton's overall pristine court awareness, and his growing gravity as an individual scorer. Here's a snapshot of his presence at the rim in his career, per Cleaning the Glass:
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%; height: 132px;" border="1">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 44px;">
<td style="width: 15.6944%; height: 44px;">Season</td>
<td style="width: 13.9972%; height: 44px;">% of FGA At Rim</td>
<td style="width: 23.3968%; height: 44px;">% of Rim FGM That Were Assisted</td>
<td style="width: 19.6108%; height: 44px;">At-Rim FG%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 15.6944%; height: 22px;">2020-21</td>
<td style="width: 13.9972%; height: 22px;">16%</td>
<td style="width: 23.3968%; height: 22px;">40%</td>
<td style="width: 19.6108%; height: 22px;">67%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 15.6944%; height: 22px;">2021-22 (SAC)</td>
<td style="width: 13.9972%; height: 22px;">15%</td>
<td style="width: 23.3968%; height: 22px;">28%</td>
<td style="width: 19.6108%; height: 22px;">64%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 15.6944%; height: 22px;">2021-22 (IND)</td>
<td style="width: 13.9972%; height: 22px;">22%</td>
<td style="width: 23.3968%; height: 22px;">49%</td>
<td style="width: 19.6108%; height: 22px;">64%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 15.6944%; height: 22px;">2022-23</td>
<td style="width: 13.9972%; height: 22px;">30%</td>
<td style="width: 23.3968%; height: 22px;">18%</td>
<td style="width: 19.6108%; height: 22px;">67%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Haliburton is getting to the cup more than ever and doing some serious heavy lifting by himself to create those shots. Yet, he's experienced no falloff in efficiency whatsoever.&nbsp;
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I mean &mdash; this just looks so easy! Haliburton is changing directions quickly into mismatches, getting low and turning corners with purpose, using changes in stride to decelerate, finishing off buckets with his length and touch, and, in the last clip, just making defenders look downright silly. He was not supposed to have this in his bag coming out of Iowa State. He just makes attacking with the basketball look effortless.
Haliburton is scoring on 51.7% of his driving field goal attempts; that's not a world-beating rate, but it's very good for his volume, and it sufficiently threatens opponents. This means more defenders stay focused on Haliburton, resulting in more passing lanes appearing on his internal radar.
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This glosses over Haliburton's perimeter shot-making, which has started cold, but is a hallmark of his game. The third-year guard has canned just 34.0% of his catch-and-shoot treys while keeping a better, 38.0% clip on pull-ups. The catch-and-shoot numbers are bound to improve; he's been over 43% in each of his prior two years and has a long track record of shooting prowess.&nbsp;
Revisiting Kennedy's <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-interview-tyrese-haliburton-indiana-pacers-chad-buchanan-bennedict-mathurin-myles-turner-sacramento-kings-domantas-sabonis-trade-drew-hanlen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">summer feature</a>, Haliburton said that becoming an imposing scorer would allow both himself and his teammates to prosper:
"I think being more aggressive as a scorer will allow me to also open up more things as a facilitator; I think it boosts both things for me... [I&rsquo;ll] still be facilitating, but I&rsquo;ll also be looking for my own [shot], and that's gonna help everybody at the end of the day," Haliburton said.
It is remarkable that, in the span of 21 games, Haliburton has manifested these results. It's another testament to his vision, both on the basketball court and of his own stardom.
THE OUTLIERS (a.k.a. other random interesting numbers I found in the void):
<ul>
<li>Returning to the touches leaders: Jokic ranks third currently at 93.1 touches per game. The slight dip makes sense; Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. have hit a string of consistent health, and Bones Hyland's role continues to grow. Don't let the change distract from Jokic remaining one of the sport's unique artists.</li>
<li>The Boston Celtics!</li>
</ul>
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Jump Shooting By Team. <a href="https://t.co/DJav9GGB6d">pic.twitter.com/DJav9GGB6d</a>
&mdash; Kirk Goldsberry (@kirkgoldsberry) <a href="https://twitter.com/kirkgoldsberry/status/1597984396732428293?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 30, 2022</a></blockquote>

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<ul>
<li>With the continued demise of mid-range shooting and a push towards creating quality shots at the rim, we might be hitting a math-breaking point for the league:</li>
</ul>
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eFG% on 2PAs has passed that of 3PAs as 2P% keeps climbing. <a href="https://t.co/lujr2qBEYy">pic.twitter.com/lujr2qBEYy</a>
&mdash; Tom Bassine (@tvbassine) <a href="https://twitter.com/tvbassine/status/1598314428042280961?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 1, 2022</a></blockquote>
<ul>
<li>Would like to give a shoutout to Jalen Williams, who just won NBA Rookie of the Month for November and has absolutely been one of my favorite rookies to watch all season long:</li>
</ul>
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Jalen Williams is shooting 62.1% on two-pointers this season and only 45% of those have been assisted. He's already got such a smooth ability to change pace, finish with strength and length, and use floater touch. Some great moments from his 27-point game: <a href="https://t.co/fZxV1Uuacx">pic.twitter.com/fZxV1Uuacx</a>
&mdash; Ethan Fuller (@ethman43) <a href="https://twitter.com/ethman43/status/1598340267588861952?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 1, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Tyrese Haliburton is the NBA's leader in touches per game and has made the most of his offensive impact.

NBA Stats Notebook: Tyrese Haliburton arriving as an offensive engine

Which top rookie in the class of 2021 will end up being the best long-term? Mat Issa breaks down the case for each young stud.

Why they are all special: A guide to the top-five NBA rookies

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

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

The Houston Rockets are trending upward.
We're three weeks removed from <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2950751-sources-houston-rockets-weighing-future-of-head-coach-stephen-silas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on-the-hot-seat reporting</a> from Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer concerning head coach Stephen Silas. The offense was bland and ineffective; the defense was spotty, to be kind. It wasn't all on Silas, as <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/whats-wrong-with-the-houston-rockets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">explained in this space</a>, but things certainly didn't look good.
Since that report, the Rockets have won eight of their last 11 games behind an elite offense (116.4 Offensive Rating, 3rd in the NBA). The defense still ain't great &mdash; it's actually gotten worse (115.7 Defensive Rating, 26th) during this stretch &mdash; but it hasn't bitten them yet.
Despite the recent success, the Rockets are aware of where they are: Stage 1 of the rebuild. As such, the phone lines are open for some of their veterans. Chief among them is Christian Wood, an All-Star caliber frontcourt talent.
On the surface, that's a surprise. When you think of Rocket vets that could swap teams, you'd likely land on 32-year-old Eric Gordon (absolutely balling as of late) or 29-year-old Daniel Theis. Not only is Wood better than both players, he's also much younger (26 years old).&nbsp;
But over the last week, <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/rockets-willing-listen-offers-christian-094911591.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ESPN's Tim MacMahon</a> and Bleacher Report's Fischer have hinted at a willingness to at least hear offers for the big man. The price would likely be steep &mdash; Fischer ballparks it at "a first round pick plus further capital" <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2951461-latest-nba-trade-buzz-sourced-intel-on-simmons-kyrie-lakers-and-more" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in his latest report</a> &mdash; but that could be worth it for a team looking for help up front.
WHAT WOOD BRINGS&nbsp;
As our Jackson Frank wrote <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/christian-woods-offensive-versatility-will-benefit-houstons-core" target="_blank" rel="noopener">before the season</a>, there aren't many centers more gifted than Wood on the offensive end of the floor.
He's a dynamic partner in ball-screens, able to beat defenses as a roller or popper. He transitions smoothly from screener to roller or popper, allowing him to get a jump on the defense depending on what coverage they're in.
Wood has had to pop more this season due to the spacing around him, but he remains a paint threat due to his ability to pump-and-go. Leave him completely open and he'll fire above the break; close-out too hard, and he'll get downhill.
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Wood's ability to handle could be an added dimension for a team. He's not a Giannis-type threat to grab-and-go after misses, but he can push a break and allow offenses to attack earlier. His handle also allows him to initiate &mdash; or fake &mdash; handoffs against unbalanced defenses.
This is a down year for Wood as a finisher &mdash; spacing and playmaking issues have put a more difficult self-creation load on him &mdash; and he's still converting 73% of his shots inside of 3 feet, per Basketball-Reference. There's room to believe he could be even more effective with more room to operate, and/or more dynamic ball-handlers to work with.
LIMITATIONS
While Wood is able initiate some early offense in Delay sets, he doesn't have the passing chops to act as a true offensive hub. That's not inherently a bad thing; a team hoping to acquire him just has to understand he's a play-finisher that can sometimes get you into your offense, not Western Conference Domantas Sabonis.
Wood isn't the quickest processor when forced to make playmaking reads, and his actual pass accuracy leaves a bit to be desired. Combine those traits, and you get some rough turnovers when he's in creator mode.
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Defensively, Wood doesn't have the spatial feel to hold up as a primary rim-protector. His drop coverage film is littered with possessions of him conceding too much space to the ball-handler, or playing too high up (in a hunched over stance, no less) on the floor, allowing his assignment to get behind him for lobs.
Wood has shown some comfort switching out on the perimeter. He also possesses the mobility and hands necessary to play in more aggressive schemes. The swing skill for him would be his recovery; cutting off a ball-handler is one thing, but finding your assignment after the hedge is a separate task that he's had uneven results with.&nbsp;
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Even with some of his limitations, he's shown to be an active communicator. He's been a competent weak-side rim-protector. So long as you have good personnel around him, Wood can be a positive cog in a system.
LANDING SPOTS
If you're looking for a team with 1) a dynamic ball-handler, 2) plenty of spacers and 3) a strong defensive infrastructure, look no further than the Golden State Warriors.&nbsp;
Among the many weapons the Warriors have at their disposal, a vertical spacer is one they currently lack. It's safe to say Wood could slot right into that role. This may shock you, but Stephen Curry has had success with those type of partners.&nbsp;
Since the 2017-18 season, ball-screens spearheaded by Curry have generated roughly 1.08 points per possession &mdash; the best high volume mark in the NBA over that stretch, per Second Spectrum. When working with an athletic vertical threat &mdash; let's say JaVale McGee, Damian Jones, and Marquese Chriss &mdash; that number jumps to 1.12.
Last season's blockbuster trade cut the sample short, but it's worth noting just how successful the James Harden-Wood connection was last season (north of 1.13 PPP). It's fair to believe the Curry-Wood pairing would be a darn good one.
And if you need defensive covering for Wood, is there a better guy to pair him with than Draymond Green? Curry would be step up from what Wood has had to cover for at the point of attack this season; doubly so when Curry is replaced by Gary Payton II in the lineup.&nbsp;
The complicated matter would be the price. I would imagine the Rockets would want two of the Warriors' three young prospects &mdash; James Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga, and Moses Moody &mdash; if possible.
The Athletic's Tim Kawakami recently laid out <a href="https://theathletic.com/3006586/2021/12/09/kawakami-why-the-warriors-absolutely-positively-are-not-trading-james-wiseman/?redirected=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a strong argument</a> regarding why the Warriors don't want to part with Wiseman right now. Beyond that, it would be shocking if the Rockets prioritized Wiseman considering they just drafted Alperen Sengun (please play him more!) and Usman Garuba over the summer.&nbsp;
Kuminga and Moody might be considered steep for the Warriors; only flipping one of those would make salary matching a bit of a chore. The Warriors do have all of their future firsts, sans a 2024 pick that will likely transfer to the Grizzlies.&nbsp;
For an off-the-radar team, how about the Minnesota Timberwolves?&nbsp;
Their defense has been surprisingly sturdy (6th in half-court defense, 12th in overall DRTG) thanks to an aggressive scheme. The offense has lagged behind (26th in half-court offense, 24th overall ORTG) behind spotty shooting and a quietly-subpar conversion rate at the rim.
The (admittedly reductive) question I have: What do the Wolves look like with Wood instead of Jarred Vanderbilt in the lineup?
Wood is not the overall defender that Vanderbilt is, but how much of the backline workload could he replicate?&nbsp;More importantly, is the gap between the two as defenders greater than the gap in scoring chops?
I would answer "maybe 75-80% of it" and "absolutely not" to those questions.
To the defense point, the Wolves often play at, or above, the level of the screen when defending pick-and-rolls. That puts strain on the backline to clean up messes behind it. Like this, basically:
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One blocked shot doesn't mean he can be peak Paul Millsap in this role, but again, Wood does possess legit weak-side rim-protection chops. If he can nail those rotations, the Wolves shouldn't see a major slide defensively. It also helps that Wood is one of the best defensive rebounders in the sport. The Wolves have, uh, struggled (30th in defensive-rebound rate) in that regard.
The offensive upgrade is an easier case to make. Wood has shot 36.9% from three dating back to his Detroit season (2019-20), and has converted 40% of his corner threes in that time frame. He's both a better shooter, and more of a threat to beat a (soft) closeout than Vanderbilt is.
With Karl-Anthony Towns often setting up shop above the break or from the mid-post, Wood seems more equipped to convert catch-and-shoot looks, or to take advantage of the space Towns provides with drives, and cuts, or to work as the screener in pick-and-rolls.
About those pick-and-rolls: I'm be interested in seeing what he could do when screening for D'Angelo Russell or Anthony Edwards.
Like the Warriors example, the price is worth the pause. The Wolves have all of their firsts moving forward. They also have Jaden McDaniels, an intriguing, rangy forward worth investing in.
The salary filler is where things could sputter. Taurean Prince probably isn't enough short-term help; Malik Beasley would further crowd the guard room, and I'm not sure how willing the Wolves would be to part with him. There's an intriguing package to be made, though.&nbsp;
I'd like to live in a world where Luka Doncic has a legitimate roll man (and thus, a complement to Kristaps Porzingis up front), but I'm not sure the Mavericks have the horses to get a deal done. What exactly is Tim Hardaway Jr. doing for this version of the Rockets?
The Hornets haven't just been linked to Wood in the past; they literally had him on their roster a few years ago, though this was obviously before he broke out. They could use some frontcourt juice, and have enough wing talent (hello, Kelly Oubre Jr.) to potentially intrigue the Rockets.
We'll keep an eye on the talented Houston big man moving forward, because there are bound to be plenty of suitors.

Nekias Duncan breaks down potential trade destinations for Rockets big man Christian Wood.

Examining potential trade destinations for Christian Wood

We are nearly one month into the 2021-22 NBA season, and the standings are beginning to take shape. There have been a number of standout performances from well-known stars, a stacked rookie class and a handful of breakout players making a leap.
There have been more than a handful of players who have put their stamp on the league already.
So in our latest Roundtable, we asked our BasketballNews.com writers the following question:
Over the first month, which player has surprised you most and why? 
Alex Kennedy: When the Toronto Raptors drafted Scottie Barnes at No. 4 overall, I was a big fan of the pick because of his long-term outlook. I loved that he landed in Toronto since they do a fantastic job of developing prospects and helping them realize their full potential. I was on the Barnes bandwagon, but I expected it to be a slow ride that picked up steam after a year or two. Instead, Barnes is already barreling down the tracks. In his second game, the kid had 25 points and 13 rebounds (on 64.7/50.0/100.0 shooting splits) in a win over the Boston Celtics! He&rsquo;s not &ldquo;raw&rdquo; or a &ldquo;project&rdquo; like I expected; he&rsquo;s an absolute beast who can already impact a game in so many ways, averaging 16.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists and a steal. Now, after watching the first month of Barnes&rsquo; NBA career, I&rsquo;m even more excited about what the future holds.
Nekias Duncan: I recently <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/tyrese-maxey-is-taking-the-reins-philadelphia-76ers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote about his second-year bump</a>, but I had no idea Tyrese Maxey was ready for this type of usage. He's grown tremendously as a shooter and processor, and has looked like the long-term answer at guard during his most recent stretch of play.
Spencer Davies: Can we show Cole Anthony a little love? This is a guy whose team drafted a point guard in Jalen Suggs, traded for another backcourt player in R.J. Hampton midseason and is a part of a Magic squad with many at his position &mdash; and yet, he's been the star of the show. The former No. 15 overall pick from 2020 is balling out, and nobody's batting in eye because of where the team sits in the standings. He's been a supremely confident scorer this year from the mid-range and outside, and has involved his teammates to boot. He's averaging just under 20 points a night and knocking down 37.3% of his 7.9 (!) triple tries per contest. His usage rate has also increased by almost 5%, as head coach Jamahl Mosley continues to roll with him as Option A. Among players taking at least five pull-up attempts per contest, Anthony's 56.9% Effective Field Goal Percentage ranks second in the NBA.
Ethan Fuller: It's honestly Evan Mobley. I knew he had a high ceiling coming out of USC, but the No. 3 overall pick is already an impact defender and finisher who doesn't appear to be as bothered by NBA strength as I expected. He has demonstrated some excellent craft around the basket and serious promise with his touch in the mid-range and from beyond the arc. I thought Mobley was much more of a long-term play for Cleveland; he's easily in the lead for Rookie of the Year. Hopefully, he gets healthy and recovers from his elbow injury soon.
Moke Hamilton: I&rsquo;d probably have to go with Cole Anthony, who I know well. I watched him in person in high school, did a few stories on him and interviewed his father Greg. I got a lot of love for my fellow New Yorkers. Sure, the Magic are dead last out East, but I didn&rsquo;t think Cole Anthony would be averaging 20 points per game in the NBA in just his second season. I didn&rsquo;t see it.
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shoutout <a href="https://twitter.com/The_ColeAnthony?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@The_ColeAnthony</a> 29 PTS | 11 AST | 58% FG | 4 3PM <a href="https://t.co/LBKgaUxoiJ">pic.twitter.com/LBKgaUxoiJ</a>
&mdash; Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) <a href="https://twitter.com/OrlandoMagic/status/1460595415858954244?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 16, 2021</a></blockquote>

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

Evan Sidery: Miles Bridges is my answer. The way he&rsquo;s reinvented himself into the Hornets&rsquo; primary scorer has been so impressive to watch. Now, Bridges is positioning himself to secure a massive payday from Charlotte or elsewhere as a top restricted free agent. Bridges becoming a more consistent perimeter threat changes his offensive ceiling entirely.
Blake Hairston: Miles Bridges becoming a real offensive threat has been surprising. I do think he's been building up towards production like this, but the jump he's made to start this season has been impressive &mdash; and it's great timing for him financially.
Alexander Cohen: It's surprising to see how much Damian Lillard has struggled, especially after coming out and saying that he will not be asking out (again?), showing some signs of a player motivated to carry his team as usual. Instead, he's still having the worst season of his career 14 games in. And while All-Stars go through slumps, this is certainly prolonged. While he's been battling an injury that is now holding him back, it is still shocking to see a bona fide superstar and one of the greatest shooters and scorers of all time struggle so mightily in his prime.
Drew Maresca: There are a few major surprises, including a 48-point outburst by Anthony Edwards; but for me, it has to be Ricky Rubio. Rubio is averaging a career high 15.3 points per game, connecting on a career best 38% of his three-point attempts. His previous best was 36%, and he&rsquo;s shot over 35% in just 2 of his 10 seasons. While his marksmanship is impressive, the fact that he&rsquo;s getting up as many shots as he is, is equally impressive. Rubio is hoisting 5.8 three-point attempts per game; last season, he attempted just 3.1. Who said you can&rsquo;t teach old dogs new tricks?
Jesse Blancarte: Ja Morant. We all knew Morant was special and would work his way to the top of the league. I don&rsquo;t think many expected Morant would do it this early in his career. Morant has been shredding defenses and imposing his will on opponents on a nightly basis.

Over the first month, which player has surprised you most and why? BasketballNews.com's writers shared their thoughts.

NBA Roundtable: Which player has surprised you in the first month?

The Phoenix Suns surprised the NBA when they drafted former Maryland big man Jalen Smith with the No. 10 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. Less than a year later (348 days to be exact), Phoenix is already pulling the plug on further developing potentially their last lottery pick for the extended future.&nbsp;
Coming to the conclusion that they swung-and-missed on Smith, Phoenix is already committed to wiping their hands of the mistake as soon as possible. The team declined to pick up Smith's third-year option, which means he'll be an unrestricted free agent after this season.
In 2019, the Suns uncovered a gem when they traded back from No. 6 overall (which became Jarrett Culver) to nab Dario Saric and North Carolina sharpshooter Cam Johnson&rsquo;s rights from the Minnesota Timberwolves. However, the following year, Suns GM James Jones over-calculated and tried to be the smartest one in the room in terms of his evaluation of Smith. The big man was projected as a mid-to-late first-round pick by most credible draft experts, which is why jaws dropped when the Suns reached for Smith with a top-10 selection.
Smith's season in the Valley was somewhat tumultuous. He was outside of Phoenix's rotation, so he saw some time in the G-League with the Agua Caliente Clippers and didn&rsquo;t stand out. That was the first real sign of concern. Then, in his first-ever Summer League action, Smith continued to be just a guy rather than showing some real promise against many players on the NBA bubble.
Smith was soon involved in trade rumors, with the Suns reportedly trying to package him for a win-now veteran piece to bolster their second unit. Nobody bit on a former lottery pick less than a year after he donned a Suns hat on draft night. Thaddeus Young was the Suns' top target, and now you have to wonder if those talks will intensify with Smith&rsquo;s option declined and Young barely logging minutes in San Antonio.
Once <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/suns-decline-thirdyear-option-on-2020-lottery-pick-jalen-smith" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news leaked</a> from The Athletic&rsquo;s Shams Charania on Monday morning, Suns head coach Monty Williams spoke of Smith&rsquo;s situation after practice. In short, Williams summarized that Phoenix&rsquo;s plans for Smith changed after Chris Paul and Jae Crowder arrived that same offseason. If that&rsquo;s the case, yikes. What a waste of a potential long-term asset and investment.
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&ldquo;He hasn&rsquo;t been dealt the best hand, as far as just not being a rookie but being a rookie [and] all of a sudden everything changed when we got Chris and Jae. All of a sudden, our trajectory changed,&rdquo; Williams said. &ldquo;So, instead of being a young guy who could just come out and play with Mikal (Bridges) and all the young guys we had, he got COVID. Got drafted, two weeks later he&rsquo;s in training camp. He&rsquo;s had a whirlwind, so it&rsquo;s hard to grade him because he hasn&rsquo;t had the chance to play. And I feel somewhat responsible for that, but it&rsquo;s just been the cards we&rsquo;ve been dealt."
Smith was short and to the point when asked about it on Monday.
&ldquo;You just control what you can control," Smith said. "Just come here and hoop. That&rsquo;s my job, just coming in here and hooping. All that outside stuff handles itself.&rdquo;
As you can tell, Smith didn&rsquo;t really dive into his thoughts on the situation. But from a historical perspective, Smith joins Earl Clark (2009) and Kendall Marshall (2013) as the Suns' only lottery picks in recent memory to have their third-year options declined. It&rsquo;s a damning indictment when you realize that Suns busts from 2016, Dragan Bender and Marquese Chriss, didn&rsquo;t suffer the same fate.
Smith was supposed to develop for a few years behind Saric (and now JaVale McGee), then assume the long-term role of unique two-way connector for the Suns&rsquo; second unit (backing up Deandre Ayton). Less than a year later, the Suns are ready to completely move on. If this was just about limited opportunities for playing time on a win-now contender, it seems unlikely that Phoenix would decline his third-year option. It seems that the Suns' decision-makers haven't been impressed by Smith behind the scenes.
Imagine the possibilities for Phoenix&rsquo;s long-term future if they would&rsquo;ve hit on their last lottery pick for potentially the rest of the 2020s. They passed on all of the following prospects for Smith: Tyrese Haliburton, Devin Vassell, Saddiq Bey, Tyrese Maxey and Desmond Bane among others. After losing Torrey Craig in free agency, Vassell, Bey or Bane would&rsquo;ve been ideal replacements. Haliburton or Maxey being tutored by Paul before eventually taking the reins at point guard would've been incredible for all involved (although Haliburton seemd intent on landing in Sacramento).
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Now, the Suns will let Smith enter unrestricted free agency after his second NBA season. Look for Phoenix to soon try to package Smith with salary filler in an effort to make a move that improves their 2021-22 title chances. It&rsquo;s a sudden fall from grace for Smith, but one that&rsquo;s necessary with player and organization being on opposite ends of the spectrum with prioritized development.
&ldquo;If he just plays with energy, defends and rebounds, he could find himself a box. It&rsquo;s just hard to get him on the floor where we really can see what he can do, because when you&rsquo;re playing two, three, four minutes, it&rsquo;s hard to get a rhythm,&rdquo; Williams said. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s the part where you just feel bad for him, because he just works his tail off. He&rsquo;s in the gym every single day. He doesn&rsquo;t miss days. He just hasn&rsquo;t had the chance to carry it over to the floor... When he&rsquo;s out there, we saw it the other day, like the blocked shot he had. Not many guys can do that on the move."
Smith's days in Phoenix are numbered, and it'll be interesting to see whether the 21-year-old is able to realize his full potential elsewhere in the Association.

The Suns shocked everyone when they drafted Jalen Smith at No. 10 in the 2020 NBA Draft. Now, they're admitting it was a mistake.

Suns admit drafting Jalen Smith was mistake, decline third-year option

Just two days into the 2021-22 season, the NBA is already off and running. We've had a wild double-overtime finish at Madison Square Garden, a comeback thriller in Charlotte and we're seeing familiar faces in new places. (People have wasted no time in firing off their hot takes, too.) And there are still four teams who will make their season debut on Thursday evening too.
With our Evan Sidery debuting his <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nothing-but-bets/id1589799249" target="_blank" rel="noopener">"Nothing But Bets" podcast</a> on the Basketball News Podcast Network, we decided to have some fun by predicting how some franchises will fare record-wise in the upcoming campaign, primarily using <a href="https://dknation.draftkings.com/2021/8/17/22629137/nba-win-totals-odds-lines-2021-bulls-lakers-heat-jazz-knicks-warriors-nets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DraftKings' preseason NBA win totals</a>.
In our latest Roundtable, we asked our BasketballNews.com writers the following question:
Which team will hit its &ldquo;Over&rdquo; win total? 
Alex Kennedy: Last season, the Phoenix Suns finished with the second-best record in the NBA and went on an NBA Finals run despite relying heavily on their young core as well as incoming veterans (Chris Paul and Jae Crowder). This season, those young players should benefit greatly from that postseason experience, and the group should have improved chemistry thanks to their continuity. The Suns are bringing back largely the same roster, with a few excellent offseason additions such as JaVale McGee and Landry Shamet. Both role players fill a need for Phoenix and add to the Suns&rsquo; already impressive depth. Despite all of this, Phoenix enters this season with a projected win total of 51.5, meaning oddsmakers expect them to regress since they won 51 games last season while playing 10 fewer games (since the NBA had a 72-game season). I&rsquo;m hitting the over on the Suns.
Nekias Duncan: Sign me up for the Minnesota Timberwolves' over (34.5). The mind-meld between Karl-Anthony Towns and head coach Chris Finch seems like a perfect match. Anthony Edwards, D&rsquo;Angelo Russell and Malik Beasley should provide plenty of scoring support. Add in the fact that they're playing defense more aggressively, which fits their personnel much better than it did last season, and I'm ready to call my shot with the Wolves as a play-in team.
Spencer Davies: I think I've got to pick the Washington Wizards at 34.5. If you've been following along on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/keepin-it-94/id1545629382" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Keepin' It 94</a>, you'd have heard how much I loved their offseason. Not only did they address defensive areas of need, they also brought in a brand new head coach in Wes Unseld Jr. to have a clean slate going into 2021-22. Bradley Beal is still Bradley Beal, and he'll have some of the weight off his shoulders as a faciliator with Spencer Dinwiddie in the fold. I truly believe that Kyle Kuzma and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope can alter the attitude of that team from a defensive/hustle standpoint. And let's not forget Montrezl Harrell is going to play with a ridiculously large chip on his shoulder. Daniel Gafford just got paid and continues to grow too. This team won 34 games last season with less time; do we really think they've regressed? Not this guy.
Ethan Fuller: I'm extremely in on the Toronto Raptors to surpass a win total that most sites predict will be in the mid-30s (36.5 <a href="https://dknation.draftkings.com/2021/8/17/22629137/nba-win-totals-odds-lines-2021-bulls-lakers-heat-jazz-knicks-warriors-nets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on DraftKings</a>). This is a playoff-caliber team with a certified star in Pascal Siakam, and when he returns from injury, Toronto has one of the most versatile defensive lineups in the entire league. OG Anunoby is everyone's favorite Most Improved Player candidate, Fred VanVleet continues to be underrated and Scottie Barnes should help open up the floor as a passer.
Jannelle Moore: It's early, but I'm inclined to believe that the Golden State Warriors will surprise folks and hit their over win total (48.5). Their defense is solid, and they have made acquisitions in the offseason such as Otto Porter Jr. and Nemanja Bjelica who seem to mesh well offensively in the areas of shooting and spacing. Jordan Poole is emerging as another perimeter threat too. After the season-opener and how they were able to withstand the Los Angeles Lakers&rsquo; runs &mdash; and finding a way to win despite an off night from Steph Curry &mdash; I'm getting &ldquo;Strength In Numbers&rdquo; vibes from this squad.
Moke Hamilton: I&rsquo;d probably have to go with the Washington Wizards. Depending on which book you&rsquo;re looking at, most people see them winning somewhere between 30 and 33 games &mdash; 34.5 on DK &mdash; and I think they have a chance to be much better than that. If Bradley Beal is healthy, he&rsquo;ll suddenly find himself surrounded by a capable cast of players, with those coming over from Los Angeles boasting championship experience. There&rsquo;s a decent amount of optimism that Washington may have gotten its hands on some players, and I&rsquo;m with it.
Evan Sidery: Even without Jamal Murray, I think this Denver Nuggets team has the chance to rack up 50-plus wins this season. They showcased on Wednesday night against Phoenix when Nikola Jokic gets hot and their role players make shots that they can beat anybody. Coming into the season, Denver&rsquo;s <a href="https://dknation.draftkings.com/2021/8/17/22629137/nba-win-totals-odds-lines-2021-bulls-lakers-heat-jazz-knicks-warriors-nets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">over-under was 46.5</a>. I'm hammering the over here.
Blake Hairston: After the preseason this may not be a surprise, but the Chicago Bulls. Caesars has them at 43.5 wins and DraftKings has them at 42.5, but if all falls right, a team with good talent and players with a bit of a chip on their shoulders could reach 45-to-48 wins in the Eastern Conference.
Alexander Cohen: If the Minnesota Timberwolves build on their solid play under Chris Finch, they will easily surpass their 35-game line &mdash; in spite of the turmoil in the front office. The Wolves were 7-25 before Finch coached, and they're 16-25 since he took the helm. There's no reason to expect they won't build off that. Their young core should continue to grow and find consistency, and Patrick Beverley is an underrated veteran addition to ensure that.
Mark Gunnels: I think the Toronto Raptors will win over 35 games this year. I know Kyle Lowry is gone, but I believe this allows guys like Malachi Flynn and Fred VanVleet to spread their wings. Also, look for OG Anunoby to be a serious MIP candidate.

Which team will hit its “over” win total? BasketballNews.com's writers shared their thoughts.

NBA Roundtable: Which team will hit its 'Over' win total?

With NBA training camps open for business, teams are getting back in the swing of things. Since Sunday afternoon, the preseason has been in full swing, meaning the 2021-22 campaign is right around the corner.
Building a team is not an easy task without a dash of draft luck and a pinch of good chemistry. Once you find the combination that sticks, there's no telling how high your squad's ceiling can get. While we've seen a handful of organizations struggle with their inexperience year-after-year, we've also seen others soar and show that they'll be around for quite some time.
In our latest Roundtable, we asked our BasketballNews.com writers the following question:
Which NBA team has the best young core?
Alex Kennedy: This is tough. The New Orleans Pelicans&rsquo; young core has the most upside, with two potential superstars in Zion Williamson (21) and Brandon Ingram (24), plus talented prospects like Nickeil Alexander-Walker (23), Trey Murphy III (21), Kira Lewis Jr. (20) and Jaxson Hayes (21) among others. However, if we&rsquo;re talking about the &ldquo;best young core,&rdquo; I have to go with the Atlanta Hawks after what they showed during their Eastern Conference Finals run. Trae Young (23), John Collins (24), De'Andre Hunter (23), Kevin Huerter (23), Cam Reddish (22) and Onyeka Okongwu (20) is a very talented young nucleus that&rsquo;s already succeeding in the postseason. In a few years, this team could be a juggernaut.
Nekias Duncan: Trae Young, John Collins, De&rsquo;Andre Hunter, Onyeka Okongwu, Cam Reddish, Kevin Huerter and Jalen Johnson are all 24 or younger. All but Johnson were contributors on a team that made the conference finals last season. I don&rsquo;t think I need to say much else.
Spencer Davies: There are a number of teams that intrigue me around the NBA as far as a youth movement is concerned. If we're talking about a young core that contends for a championship &mdash; let's call 26-and-under the cutoff &mdash; I like the Denver Nuggets a lot. Nikola Jokic has already won the league MVP and continues to only get better. Jamal Murray, when healthy, is as electrifying as any guard in the NBA. Michael Porter Jr. just earned himself a maximum rookie contract extension due to his outstanding scoring capabilities and potential to expand his game. Aaron Gordon's athleticism and defensive abilities make him the ideal complement to all three. That's a fantastic four to build around for a number of years to come, and ultimately, compete for a title in the process. Throw Monte Morris and P.J. Dozier in there with rookie Bones Hyland and mystery-box Bol Bol, and that's just about the perfect mixture of youth and experience.
Ethan Fuller: It's the Oklahoma City Thunder for me by a significant margin. Oklahoma City has the youngest roster in the NBA per RealGM, and those players are a mix of high-upside swings and crystal-clear NBA fits. The team has guys like Lu Dort, Tre Mann, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, Darius Bazley and Theo Maledon, who are safe bets to be solid rotation players or elite specialists. Then, they have the potential game-changers like 7-foot wing Aleksej Pokusevksi and 2021 No. 6 pick Josh Giddey. Of course, OKC already has a rising star as well in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. There's just so much to like across the board.
Drew Maresca: Easily the Hawks. Atlanta advanced to Game 6 in the East Finals last season, way before anyone expected them to be competitive. And they did so without two key youngsters (Cam Reddish and Onyeka Okongwu). They&rsquo;ll only go as far as Trae Young takes them, but Young proved that putting him in any kind of a box is a fool&rsquo;s errand. The Hawks are going to struggle with expectations in 2021-22, but that doesn&rsquo;t change the fact that they&rsquo;ve arrived way ahead of schedule, and they&rsquo;ve done so with three starters who are 23 or younger.
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Ja gotta chill it&rsquo;s PRESEASON 🤣 (via <a href="https://twitter.com/NBAonTNT?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NBAonTNT</a>)<a href="https://t.co/VdSPG66MvE">pic.twitter.com/VdSPG66MvE</a>
&mdash; Overtime (@overtime) <a href="https://twitter.com/overtime/status/1445547212516192259?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 6, 2021</a></blockquote>

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

Moke Hamilton: If I had to choose one, I&rsquo;d probably say Memphis. For a 22-year-old, Ja Morant is damn good, and the Grizzlies seem to be further along in their development than other contenders for this label such as New Orleans. Ditto for Minnesota. Now that I think about it... Who else is even a credible contender for this title?
Jesse Blancarte: The Phoenix Suns. Devin Booker rose to a new level last season and led his talented team to the NBA Finals. With Deandre Ayton, Mikal Bridges, Cameron Johnson, Landry Shamet and other young, talented players on the roster, the Suns are well-positioned to compete at the highest levels &mdash; this season and beyond.
Jackson Frank: Young core is such an ambiguous term to define because everyone cuts off the &ldquo;young&rdquo; moniker at different thresholds. But I&rsquo;ll make 25 the high-end here and go with the Atlanta Hawks. Trae Young is a superstar. John Collins is a marvelous pick-and-roll/pop big, and tenable defender. When healthy last season, De&rsquo;Andre Hunter looked the part of a mighty fine two-way wing. Kevin Huerter took a leap last season as a 2-point scorer and defender. Onyeka Okongwu dazzled at times in the playoffs with his defense and finishing. Cam Reddish continues to hint at enticing on-ball defense and pull-up shooting; consistency and health are the vital pillars. Jalen Johnson and Sharife Cooper probably won&rsquo;t play much next season, but you saw their allure at NBA Summer League. Skylar Mays is even a useful combo guard. I hope I didn&rsquo;t miss any member of the Hawks&rsquo; young core, which is both deep and very good. There's a bright present and future for this team.
Alexander Cohen: Best young core is always a tricky question unless it&rsquo;s quantified. Based on sheer young talent, it&rsquo;s the Dallas Mavericks alone for simply having Luka Doncic. But if we&rsquo;re focusing on true young core of players that have a chance to grow together, I&rsquo;ll take the San Antonio Spurs for Devin Vassell, Dejounte Murray, Lonnie Walker IV, Keldon Johnson and even Tre Jones. There&rsquo;s not one player there that I would anticipate becoming an All-Star, but I&rsquo;d be shocked if any didn&rsquo;t turn into at least high-level role players.

Which NBA team has the best young core? BasketballNews.com's writers shared their thoughts.

NBA Roundtable: Which team has the best young core?

Nekias Duncan previews the Northwest Division for the 2021-22 NBA season.

2021-22 NBA Season Preview: Northwest Division

With NBA training camps open for business, teams are getting back in the swing of things. We are just two days away from the first preseason game between the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Lakers (Sunday at 3:30 p.m. ET), meaning the 2021-22 campaign is right around the corner.
While these two teams are commanding the spotlight more than any other squads around the league, there are plenty of franchises that would love to knock them right off their pedestal, or at least have some of that light shone on them.
In our latest Roundtable, we asked our BasketballNews.com writers the following question:
Who is your favorite dark-horse team entering the 2021-22 season? 
Alex Kennedy: The Washington Wizards are my dark-horse team because I really liked their offseason moves. They acquired Spencer Dinwiddie, Kyle Kuzma, Montrezl Harrell, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Corey Kispert, Aaron Holiday and Isaiah Todd among others. Dinwiddie and Bradley Beal should form a terrific one-two punch in the backcourt, and it&rsquo;s very possible that Deni Avdija (20 years old), Rui Hachimura (23), Daniel Gafford (23) and Thomas Bryant (24) will make significant strides as they take the next step in their development. Suddenly, Washington has some nice depth and a very solid supporting cast around Beal. Don&rsquo;t be surprised if they exceed expectations.
Nekias Duncan: Do the Milwaukee Bucks count here? It&rsquo;s hard to think of a title-winning team that&rsquo;s been disregarded quite like this one. I get the Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets&rsquo; optimism, I do, but the Bucks feel pretty slept on at large.&nbsp;
Ethan Fuller: The Toronto Raptors are going to massively exceed expectations after they faced arguably the most challenging circumstances of any team in 2020-21. They're back in Toronto with a team that screams positive regression. Pascal Siakam is <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/roundtable-which-nba-player-will-have-a-major-bounceback-season" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a prime bounce-back candidate</a>, Fred VanVleet continues to fly under the radar and the young core might be one of the more underrated groups in the NBA. I'm excited to see guys like OG Anunoby, Scottie Barnes, Precious Achiuwa and Malachi Flynn take their next steps.
Spencer Davies: I can't just land on one in particular. There's so much love (and rightfully so) for the Lakers and Nets that the possibility of any other teams making it to the NBA Finals would be a shock to many. In the Eastern Conference, watch out for the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics. It seems that the Heat like to sneak up on people when they least expect it, and uh, that shouldn't be the case considering they were in the Finals at this time one year ago in the NBA Bubble. Kyle Lowry's going to prove to be a tremendous pickup if he can stay healthy, and Jimmy Butler seems to perform at his best when he's not being paid attention to. There's also that Bam Adebayo guy, who's somehow a Swiss Army knife with room for growth. As for the Celtics, a new head coach has the potential to inject a sense of freshness into the air. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have already been unleashed, but Ime Udoka may just be the one to kick the door open further. Plus, those contract worries over the last couple of seasons have been put to rest with Marcus Smart. Oh, and Al Horford's back with gang green, too &mdash; never a bad thing to see a familiar face.
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Moke Hamilton: I&rsquo;d probably have to go with the Denver Nuggets. It&rsquo;s tough to pick a dark horse from the Western Conference because there are a ton of teams out there that are worthy of the respect of being called a credible contender... But I think most people are looking at the Lakers, Clippers, Golden State Warriors and Phoenix Suns as the teams to beat. Denver often gets left out of the conversation, especially since Jamal Murray is still on the shelf. Nonetheless, I like them. If Murray can return to form and Michael Porter Jr. continues to grow, they&rsquo;ll be formidable.
Jackson Frank: Before the injury bug caught them in recent weeks, I would&rsquo;ve loved to slot the Indiana Pacers here, but my pick is the New Orleans Pelicans. I&rsquo;m not sure this means much more than competing for a low playoff seed &mdash; still an improvement, comparatively &mdash; but they seem a bit discounted among preseason projections. The acquisitions of Devonte&rsquo; Graham and Jonas Valanciunas should really help this team approach elite offense territory. Garrett Temple and Tomas Satoransky are steady veterans who can contribute in the rotation. The Pelicans house a bevy of young dudes, and while it&rsquo;s unlikely all of them will experience substantial strides, banking on a few of them to do so is prudent. Jaxson Hayes had an encouraging second half of 2020-21. Nickeil Alexander-Walker fared quite well as a shooter and complementary handler in his 19 starts. Naji Marshall brings versatile defense, playmaking and slashing. Zion Williamson&rsquo;s exploits speak for themselves. Brandon Ingram is a very good second scorer. To cap it off, new head coach Willie Green is an excellent offensive mind, and should serve as a general upgrade over Stan Van Gundy&rsquo;s struggles on the sidelines. I like the Pelicans to take a notable step forward and compete for a playoff spot &mdash; or a little better.
Drew Maresca: What exactly constitutes a dark-horse team? Technically, everyone is a dark-horse team except for the Lakers and Nets. As it relates to the question though, I really like the Nuggets. Nikola Jokic is going to pick up right where he left off, Michael Porter Jr. should immediately begin earning the five-year, $207 million extension he just signed and Aaron Gordon is the same cat he&rsquo;s been for the past few seasons. If Jamal Murray can return at nearly full strength at any point this season, the Nuggets are going to be scary.
Jesse Blancarte: The Los Angeles Clippers. With Kawhi Leonard out indefinitely after undergoing surgery to repair a torn ACL, the Clippers are no longer considered a championship contender for the upcoming season. However, the Clippers are bringing back their core players and have plenty of wing depth to keep the ship level during the season. With Leonard sidelined, I predict Paul George will have a big season, while other players like Marcus Morris, Terance Mann and Justise Winslow could help fill the void. If Leonard can return in time for the postseason, the Clippers may have a shot at advancing deep into the postseason. &nbsp;
Chris Sheridan: The Charlotte Hornets. If they can get a full healthy season from Gordon Hayward, that will be the key. I love the pickup of Mason Plumlee at center, and we all learned last season what LaMelo Ball can do. They play way under the radar because of their market size.
Alexander Cohen: My favorite dark-horse (and also NBA League Pass) team is easily the Pelicans. David Griffin has received a great deal of mostly-warranted slack for his offseason due to asset management, but I think New Orleans has a good team here. While I&rsquo;m not a fan of letting Lonzo Ball walk, moving on from Steven Adams and Eric Bledsoe should both be additions by subtraction. Bringing on Jonas Valanciunas and Devonte&rsquo; Graham &mdash; two dark horses in their own right as top players on their former teams despite LaMelo Ball and Ja Morant being understandably more publicized &mdash; should also be instrumental additions. They provide scoring presences the Pelicans lacked last season, with Graham and Valanciunas being worlds more aggressive than Ball and Adams. The two-man combo of Willy Hernangomez &mdash; who has a similar skill set to Valanciunas &mdash; and Zion Williamson had a staggering net rating of plus-11.9 last season. Factor in those changes with the anticipated improvement of Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Jaxson Hayes and Kira Lewis, and the Pelicans should be a thrilling team this year with a healthy Williamson.

Who is your dark-horse team to watch entering the 2021-22 NBA season? BasketballNews.com's writers shared their thoughts.

NBA Roundtable: Who is your dark-horse team for the 2021-22 season?

If you're reading this article, chances are you're a diehard NBA fan.
Most fans can recall the player or team that made them fall in love with this sport. For some, it was a specific player; for others, a certain team won them over. We asked our BasketballNews staff:
Which player or team made you fall in love with the NBA?
Alex Kennedy: I fell in love with basketball because of Tracy McGrady and the early-2000s Orlando Magic. They were my local team, and McGrady made the game look so easy. He scored at will (winning back-to-back scoring titles and, at one point, averaging 32.1 points per game). I had T-Mac shoes, shirts, bracelets, etc. My first NBA game was the Christmas Day showdown between McGrady and LeBron James in 2003. In Orlando&rsquo;s overtime win, T-Mac had 41 points, 11 assists and 8 rebounds while LeBron had 34 points and 6 assists. From that point on, I was hooked.
Spencer Davies: The first memory of basketball I have is watching my old Superstars VHS Tape, along with NBA Jam Session from the early and mid-90s. I absolutely felt the energy that Shawn Kemp and Larry Johnson radiated with their thunderous dunks and blocks. When they screamed after a big play, I jumped up with them wanting to be a part of the moment. There were always video games that made me appreciate the sport, but my first hometown memories were of the playoff Cleveland Cavaliers with Kemp, Derek Anderson, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Wesley Person and Brevin Knight. If we want to talk about favorite players as I started to love the game in the late &lsquo;90s, it goes Ray Allen, Kobe Bryant and Tracy McGrady in that order. Of course, when LeBron came along, my attachment to the league grew even further. I was also a sucker to watch Josh Smith jump all over the building wherever he played (and I even met him in 2009 in Atlanta). There&rsquo;s so much more I could get into, but I&rsquo;d take up the whole page!
Ethan Fuller: How could you not get fired up when Kevin Garnett stepped on the court? I grew up watching him talk at the basketball hoop in front of roaring crowds before every Boston Celtics game. Garnett never took a night off from his unrelenting, fierce energy. He was a unique type of leader in the way he consistently channeled his voice into a positive impact -- and he was a pretty legendary individual player too.
Moke Hamilton: Easily Patrick Ewing. I am the son of Jamaican immigrants, and I grew up in the New York City metropolitan area during Ewing&rsquo;s prime. Some of my fondest memories as a child involve watching basketball with my dad and my brothers, so this one, for me, is easy. As much as Ewing, and those Knicks made me love basketball, Michael Jordan made me hate it (laughs). Man, even though it was a long time ago, 1994 is still fresh in the minds of Knicks fans everywhere. I can relate.
Chris Sheridan: Julius Erving and the red, white and blue basketball-playing New York Nets, who were on tape-delay after the Knicks when I was a kid growing up and were always worth waiting until 10:30 p.m. to watch.
Drew Maresca: The New York Knicks of the 1990s. The swag was on an entirely different level &mdash; fresh haircuts, scrappy (to say the least) play and a relentless home crowd. I know Jordan owned the '90s, but the Knicks&rsquo; us-versus-the-world mentality was all consuming for mostly everyone in the tri-state area.
Evan Sidery: It has to be my hometown Indiana Pacers during the Reggie Miller era. In Indiana, basketball is king. Reggie Miller ruled the entire state. It&rsquo;s still shocking that there&rsquo;s not a Miller statue outside Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

Which player or team made you fall in love with basketball? We asked our writers to share their thoughts.

NBA Roundtable: Which player/team made you love basketball?

Now that the NBA offseason is winding down and the start of the 2021-22 regular season is right around the corner, it's time to make some predictions. But rather than playing it safe, we asked our writers:
What is your bold prediction for the 2021-22 NBA season?&nbsp;
Alex Kennedy: In October of 2019, Bradley Beal signed a two-year, $72 million extension with the Washington Wizards &mdash; much to the chagrin of many executives and fans around the NBA. While people seem to be anxiously awaiting the day that Beal requests a trade from the Wizards, I believe Beal is going to extend in Washington once again. He is <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/wizards-retooling-led-to-a-competent-roster-surrounding-bradley-beal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">eligible to sign an extension</a> this offseason (worth roughly $181.5 million over four years), or he can opt to wait until next summer to re-sign for roughly $235 million over five years. During a recent appearance on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nba-offseason-preview-jake-fischer-alex-kennedy-on/id1528900732?i=1000530625591" target="_blank" rel="noopener">my podcast</a>, Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report predicted that Beal will stay in Washington long-term. Beal is close with Spencer Dinwiddie, whom he recruited to Washington, and the Wizards have a solid roster that could exceed expectations this year. This will be Beal&rsquo;s 10th season in Washington, and don&rsquo;t be surprised if he sticks around for more.
Ethan Fuller: I think there's a very real possibility Michael Porter Jr. eclipses 25 points per game and leads the Denver Nuggets in scoring. He seriously ratcheted up the volume last season while maintaining elite shooting efficiency. Per Basketball Reference, Porter Jr. made 83.1% of his at-rim attempts last season and 44.5% of his threes. Those are unreal rates, especially for a second-year forward. With Nikola Jokic warping defenses with his passing and a healthy Jamal Murray returning, the Nuggets will have plenty to throw at defenses, potentially creating even easier looks for Porter Jr.
Spencer Davies: It might not be considered &ldquo;bold,&rdquo; but with so much love being shown to the Chicago Bulls&rsquo; offseason, I&rsquo;ll be that guy to throw a wet blanket on things by saying the team won&rsquo;t get out of the first round of the playoffs. Arturas Karnisovas and Marc Eversley certainly did a number both at last year&rsquo;s trade deadline and in this summer&rsquo;s free-agency period to prove to Zach LaVine how serious they are about winning... but will the pieces fit together? Chicago shelled out a lot of dough for DeMar DeRozan, an aggressive scorer and one of the most underrated improved playmakers in the league; however, how will he play when LaVine is commanding the basketball more often than not? Lonzo Ball is essentially going to be the point-man in transition and a spot-up marksman in the corners. More importantly, though, he&rsquo;s likely to be the team&rsquo;s best perimeter defender (next to Patrick Williams, who will have all eyes on him). But who else is going to step up guarding the opposition? Will Alex Caruso get more minutes than Coby White? On paper, the Bulls&rsquo; rim protection isn&rsquo;t great, nor is the defense on the outside. It&rsquo;ll be interesting to see how that all balances out.
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Drew Maresca: One or both of these will happen: Dame Lillard gets moved or Zion Williamson trade chatter heats up. Why? Because both the Trail Blazers and Pelicans will not make the playoffs, and both franchises can&rsquo;t wait much longer to show their stars significant improvement. The Western Conference is deep and, if we&rsquo;re being honest with ourselves, there is only one available playoff spot between the Trail Blazers, Grizzlies and Pelicans. The team(s) that misses the postseason will see rumors fly, and maybe more.
Jesse Blancarte: My bold prediction is that Russell Westbrook will adapt his game significantly in an effort to help the Los Angeles Lakers win the 2022 NBA championship. Westbrook always gives his best effort and, of course, has always worked hard. But now that he&rsquo;s at this stage of his career and surrounded by generational talent, I believe he will lower his usage rate, shoot less frequently and focus on playmaking and creating easy scoring opportunities for his teammates. There will be nights when teammates are injured or struggling where we will see vintage Westbrook, but I think that he will make a true effort to plug himself into this roster.
Evan Sidery: We&rsquo;ll have league-wide parody for every single playoff spot. Sure, that may not seem bold, but when was the last time potentially 25-30 teams in the NBA felt like they had a realistic shot at the playoffs? It&rsquo;s a great time to follow the NBA with so many teams making a run for it.
Moke Hamilton: I think Lonzo Ball makes the All-Star team. It&rsquo;s hard to imagine him not thriving in Chicago. He is surrounded by plenty of talented players, his specific skill set is needed, he has something to prove and Chicago is probably going to be one of the better teams in the Eastern Conference. To this point in his career, Lonzo has not really lived up to the expectations that followed him from UCLA to the NBA. He&rsquo;s still a really good player though, and I wouldn&rsquo;t be surprised to see him make the leap to All-Star-caliber player. He will be facing some stiff competition &mdash; Kyle Lowry will probably find himself back in the conversation for one of the reserve spots, as could Kemba Walker &mdash; but I guess that&rsquo;s why we call it a bold prediction.&nbsp;
Chris Sheridan: The Miami Heat are going to do what they did two seasons ago and be sneaky good, primarily because they have added a hungry Kyle Lowry but also because they shouldn&rsquo;t have to deal with the same types of interruptions that robbed them of the chance to build chemistry over the course of the 2020-21 regular season. The <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-roundtable-breaking-down-this-offseasons-most-underrated-moves" target="_blank" rel="noopener">signing of P.J. Tucker</a> gives them another lockdown defender alongside Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler, so they should be a strong defensive unit. Erik Spoelstra's team will not make waves early, but they will be a steady contender.&nbsp;

Since the 2021-22 NBA season is right around the corner, we asked our writers to share a bold prediction about the upcoming campaign.

Roundtable: 8 bold predictions for the 2021-22 NBA season

This summer, there were a handful of teams that got better through the NBA Draft and free-agency period. Recently, our staff discussed the organizations that <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/roundtable-which-nba-team-had-the-best-offseason" target="_blank" rel="noopener">had the best offseason</a> as well as the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-roundtable-breaking-down-this-offseasons-most-underrated-moves" target="_blank" rel="noopener">most underrated moves of this summer</a>. But who didn't take advantage of this window to add to their roster?
Today, we asked our writers:
Which NBA team had the worst offseason?
Nekias Duncan: I&rsquo;m just not a fan of what the Portland Trail Blazers did. Their coaching hire of Chauncey Billups was mired in controversy. There&rsquo;s been no major swing on the roster, with their best free agent acquisition being Cody Zeller. They got virtually nothing from the draft, then followed that up by building a summer league roster that frankly <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/news/authors/nekias-duncan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">didn&rsquo;t make much sense</a>. I can&rsquo;t say I&rsquo;m a fan of how things have been handled.
Jackson Frank: It&rsquo;s the Dallas Mavericks for me. They didn&rsquo;t get substantially better in an offseason when they touted lots of cap space and resemble a very similar team to last year. They still need a secondary creator to aid Luka Doncic. The wing defense is lackluster. The center rotation is worrisome. This just felt like a considerable misstep, given Luka&rsquo;s superstardom and the financial flexibility drying up moving forward.
Alex Kennedy: In one of the most important offseasons in the Portland Trail Blazers' history (given what's at stake with Damian Lillard's future), Neil Olshey and Co. dropped the ball. The team lost Carmelo Anthony, Enes Kanter and Zach Collins, and their only notable moves were re-signing Norm Powell and adding Cody Zeller, Tony Snell and Ben McLemore. Entering this offseason, Lillard said: "I think if you look at our team as it is going into next season, I don&rsquo;t see how you can say, &lsquo;This is a championship team. You just need a new coach.&rsquo;" He's 100% right, and now the roster is arguably worse than when he made that comment. When asked about Portland's free-agency moves, Lillard <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/damian-lillard-not-unhappy-with-blazers-despite-losses-in-free-agency" target="_blank" rel="noopener">was honest</a> and said, "We weren&rsquo;t able to go out there and get some of the guys that we would have liked."&nbsp;
Spencer Davies: Surprisingly, I am asking myself what the San Antonio Spurs are doing with their money. Bringing in veterans like Thaddeus Young, Doug McDermott, Zach Collins, Bryn Forbes and Al-Farouq Aminu would make more sense if they were contending for a postseason spot... but that almost certainly won&rsquo;t be the case. From a developmental standpoint, it should be good to have these guys around to mentor Dejounte Murray, Derrick White and Keldon Johnson. Still, it kind of takes time away from Lonnie Walker Jr. and Devin Vassell, and that&rsquo;s the last thing you want for a team that&rsquo;s going to reset after losing DeMar DeRozan and a slew of vets who had been around for years. That said, taking Josh Primo as a take-your-time project is intriguing... just maybe not so much for the other young players who play that position. Oh, and Jakob Poeltl signed an extension not too long ago too, yet R.C. Buford decided to invest in Collins. This summer just seemed like an interesting, maybe not-so-smart way to use cap space for one of the best-run organizations in sports.
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Imman Adan: The New Orleans Pelicans. They went all in, giving up two future first-round picks in the Memphis Grizzlies deal for Jonas Valanciunas, and a pick swap. They also didn&rsquo;t re-sign Lonzo Ball, moved off of Eric Bledsoe and Steven Adams' money and gave up Wes Iwundu with very little to show for it. I&rsquo;m all for big swings, but this didn&rsquo;t feel all that calculated. It's hard to understand what they&rsquo;re trying to accomplish, and they certainly took a step back.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Evan Sidery: I have no idea what the Spurs are doing. Why sign Doug McDermott to a big contract, while also signing Bryn Forbes? Zach Collins on a multi-year deal was another head-scratching move. The Spurs <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/with-veterans-moving-on-san-antonio-spurs-would-be-wise-to-hit-the-reset-button" target="_blank" rel="noopener">should be trying to tank this year</a>, but that might not be their plan internally. Give those minutes opened by veteran departures to your young core, not new free agents. Now, players like Devin Vassell and Lonnie Walker are still stuck to the bench.
Ethan Fuller: Portland could win this off of the Chauncey Billups hiring (and subsequent fallout) alone, and I'm sure some of our fellow writers picked the Trail Blazers. So I'll add another team in the Dallas Mavericks, whose offseason <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/mavericks-gm-donnie-nelson-agree-to-mutually-part-ways-" target="_blank" rel="noopener">consisted of a front-office blowup</a>, three minor roster additions <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/reggie-bullock-mavs-agree-to-threeyear-deal-worth-305m">headlined by Reggie Bullock</a> and the hiring of Jason Kidd as head coach. Kidd not only was convicted of domestic abuse in 2001 &mdash; and has done little publicly to atone for it &mdash; but he also has a 183-190 record as the head coach of talented teams. And there is <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/book-jason-kidd-held-christmas-163516649.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">anecdotal evidence of a problematic past</a> in Milwaukee. It's hard for a team to regress with a rising star, but that seems to be what the Mavs are doing despite Luka Doncic's ascension.
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Jesse Blancarte: In an offseason where the Portland Trail Blazers are at risk of superstar Damian Lillard demanding to be traded, the franchise failed to make any moves that would quell the situation. Re-signing Norman Powell was a good move. However, Portland lost notable players like Enes Kanter, Carmelo Anthony and Zach Collins. The only other additions so far include Cody Zeller on a minimum contract, Tony Snell and Ben McLemore. Unless Portland has a few tricks up its sleeves, it seems likely Lillard and C.J. McCollum are going to lack the support they need on the court to take Portland on a deep playoff run next season.
Drew Maresca: I was on the fence between the Dallas Mavericks and Portland Trail Blazers, but Doncic&rsquo;s re-signing made the difference for me. Ultimately, Dallas is now where Portland was two years ago. The Blazers needed to do something to impress Damian Lillard, and they failed. Lillard is insanely loyal, but even the most loyal among us has limits. Lillard will end up giving Portland an ultimatum at some point in the near future, and the Blazers might find themselves stonewalled into trading Lillard instead of building around him. Who knows, it might already be too late.
Chris Sheridan: That is a tough one because the summer is a time of hope for all 30 teams. But the Orlando Magic are the winners of this category. They added Robin Lopez and head coach Jamahl Mosley, but little else outside of their draft picks. I hated the Nikola Vucevic trade when they made it. I hated it even more when Khem Birch was waived and outplayed his replacement Wendell Carter Jr. with the Toronto Raptors late last season. I do not see much hope here for an Orlando win total north of the teens.

Which team did the worst job during the 2021 NBA offseason? Our writers share their thoughts.

Roundtable: Which NBA team had the worst offseason?

The 2021 NBA offseason featured blockbuster trades, draft-day surprises and some big-name players changing teams. Those are typically the transactions that garner the most attention, but what were some of the under-the-radar moves that deserve to be highlighted?
Now that most of the free agents have signed and the dust has settled, we asked our writers:
What was your favorite "underrated move" of this offseason?
Jackson Frank: I really liked the Pistons nabbing Kelly Olynyk. A versatile offensive big man to pair with their young guards in Cade Cunningham and Killian Hayes is so important. He&rsquo;s going to help facilitate their development and ease some of their creation burden with his pick-and-pops, dribble handoffs and mismatch-hunting in the post. Good, complementary players for young dudes is critical and Olynyk is exactly the former.
Alex Kennedy: Victor Oladipo went from being regarded as one of the top free agents in this class to a complete afterthought. After signing a one-year, minimum deal with the Heat, he's the ultimate low-risk, high-reward addition. If it doesn't work out, Miami can cut him or let him walk. If he gets healthy and has a strong bounce-back season, he'll be a steal. The 29-year-old will need to make an impact in order to ink a more lucrative deal next offseason. Oladipo's days as an All-NBA player are likely over, but he doesn't even need to play at that level in order to drastically outperform this contract. Despite his struggles last year, he averaged 20.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 2.6 threes and 1.3 steals in 29 games with the Rockets and Pacers. After Oladipo's season-ending quad surgery in May, his surgeon <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/31489484/miami-heat-victor-oladipo-cleared-full-contact-basketball-november-doctor-says" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told ESPN</a>, "I was amazed he was playing with what he had. I'm very optimistic that I could clear him in six months, by November." If he was able to put up those numbers on a badly-injured quad that he had no business playing on, he should be able to help the Heat. Miami had an exciting offseason &mdash; from acquiring Kyle Lowry to signing P.J. Tucker to extending Jimmy Butler and Duncan Robinson &mdash; but re-signing Oladipo at the minimum was another impressive move that could look really smart come playoff time.
Nekias Duncan: I like Isaac Bonga heading to Toronto. There&rsquo;s been a clear emphasis in adding rangy defenders, and Bonga fits the bill while adding a hint of ball skills. I felt like he was a bit buried in Washington, so I&rsquo;m interested to see if he gets more burn.
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Spencer Davies: Patty Mills to the Brooklyn Nets on a two-year, $12 million deal. With Spencer Dinwiddie leaving and no regularly-dependable backup in the backcourt, Mills will bring an edge and depth to Steve Nash&rsquo;s second unit in this go-round. While he may not be the FIBA Patty that everybody loves, Mills will not hesitate to take shots and bury triples when one of James Harden or Kyrie Irving is getting a rest. That&rsquo;s going to make Brooklyn a tough customer from a pace standpoint, as well.
Imman Adan: It&rsquo;s not that the move itself was underrated, but I'm surprised that people are more focused on what the Wizards-Lakers trade means for Los Angeles and for Bradley Beal rather than focusing on how much of a win it is for Washington. John Wall&rsquo;s massive contract was widely considered one of the worst deals in the league, yet they turned him into Russell Westbrook and then turned Westbrook into multiple talented rotation pieces and no behemoth contract. Just a massive win for the Wizards' books.&nbsp;
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Chris Sheridan: That would be Miami signing P.J. Tucker away from Milwaukee. I am a huge fan of guys who kill it on defense, and we saw P.J. do a great job against the Brooklyn Nets in their second-round series when the Bucks came back from being down 3-2. Milwaukee is going to miss that guy. The reason they got him in the first place was to have someone who could guard opposing forwards in the postseason, and there will come a time when the Bucks realize how much they miss him. Both Tucker and Jimmy Butler really get after it on the defensive end, so kudos to Pat Riley and Erik Spoelstra and Andy Elisburg for snatching Tucker away from the Bucks in free agency.
Ethan Fuller: I'm a big fan of the Los Angeles Clippers' draft class as a whole. The Clippers went after their favorite prospects, trading up to get uber-athletic Keon Johnson at No. 21 and cerebral playmaker Jason Preston at No. 33. Then, they took a flier on a former five-star player in Brandon Boston Jr. with the No. 51 pick. All three possess immense upside, and the Clippers are deep enough where they don't need any rookie to step into the rotation right away.
Evan Sidery: In terms of overall value, the Phoenix Suns hit a home run re-signing backup point guard Cameron Payne to a three-year, $19 million deal. Compared to other backup facilitators, Payne&rsquo;s annual value fell well below what others have been paid over the last few offseasons. After Phoenix gave Payne a chance to revive his NBA career, the 27-year-old point guard returned the favor by giving the Suns a discount. Payne, who has become a wonderful fit within their system, will continue to play a vital role for the Suns as a key cog to their improved second unit. Payne, Landry Shamet, Cameron Johnson and JaVale McGee will give Phoenix such a strong bench.
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Jesse Blancarte: The Los Angeles Clippers&rsquo; trade for Eric Bledsoe. There may be some pushback on this selection, but hear me out. Yes, Eric Bledsoe has struggled over the last few seasons. Yes, Patrick Beverley is a high-level defender (when healthy) and was an emotional leader for the Clippers. Yes, Rajon Rondo has championship experience and is capable of elevating his game in the postseason. But with this deal, the Clippers lowered this season's luxury-tax payment significantly, opened a needed roster spot and took a reasonable chance on Bledsoe having a bounce-back season. With Kawhi Leonard sidelined for possibly the entire season, Bledsoe offers another playmaker who can attack the basket and defend multiple positions.
Drew Maresca: This one&rsquo;s easy &mdash; Kemba Walker to New York. It flew under the radar given the timing of the move relative to the other major signings, but adding a legitimate point guard who is just <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/an-indepth-breakdown-on-how-and-why-kemba-walker-will-help-the-knicks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">two years removed from an All-Star selection</a> is a big deal for a team that&rsquo;s been looking for a reliable point guard for (literally) decades. Just two years ago, Walker signed a four-year max contract worth $141 million, so the fact that New York was able to sign him to a two-year, $18 million deal makes the move even more impactful.
Jonathan Concool: P.J. Tucker to the Heat. 100%. I think this also wins because absolutely no one saw this move coming. Tucker, who is coming off his first championship with the Milwaukee Bucks, was expected to remain with the team considering how much he contributed during their postseason run. However, Pat Riley had other plans. The Heat nailed their offseason &mdash; re-signing Duncan Robinson and Jimmy Butler, acquiring Kyle Lowry, and then bringing in more veteran, championship experience in Tucker. Tucker does so many things that don&rsquo;t show up on a box score and he'll be a key contributor for the Heat, who are clearly serious about making another deep playoff run.
Jannelle Moore: My pick for the best underrated move is JaVale McGee joining the Phoenix Suns. The Milwaukee Bucks exposed Phoenix&rsquo;s lack of depth at center. By signing McGee &mdash; a serviceable big with playoff experience and three championships on his resume &mdash; the Suns addressed that need.

Now that most of the free agents have signed and the dust has settled, what were some of the most underrated offseason moves?

NBA Roundtable: Breaking down this offseason's most underrated moves

In the latest BasketballNews.com roundtable, we asked our writers the following question:
Which player from a previous era would be a perfect fit in today&rsquo;s NBA?
Alex Kennedy: Rather than selecting a legend like Larry Bird who would obviously be incredible in today&rsquo;s NBA, I chose a player who was solid in his era but whose career would&rsquo;ve played out very differently if he was drafted today: <a href="https://youtu.be/faK8ElMK2B4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jamal Mashburn</a>. In his prime, Mashburn averaged 21.6 points, 6.1 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 1.5 threes and 1.0 steal while shooting 38.9% from three. He was 6-foot-8 and roughly 250 lbs. (the same size as Julius Randle). Here's how a 1993 pre-draft scouting report described him: &ldquo;Mashburn is a jack of all trades. He can play either inside or outside. Inside, he has a variety of moves, a la Kevin McHale, with all sorts of head fakes and turnaround moves. He can be virtually unstoppable in the low post. If that isn't enough, he can take his game outside, where he can easily stroke the three-pointer. He is an excellent ball-handler, and he can score from a set shot, posting up, and off the dribble.&rdquo; In today&rsquo;s NBA, Mashburn would play multiple positions; he would be a terrific stretch-four and small-ball five. But back in the day, he played 84% of his 16,217 NBA minutes at small forward. These days, he&rsquo;d also attempt more than just 3.6 threes per game. A team could run their offense through Mashburn since he could create his own shot and get his teammates involved. Today, he&rsquo;d be highly coveted due to his versatility, athleticism, shooting, touch around the rim and playmaking. He was incredibly talented (and underrated), and it&rsquo;s unfortunate that he wasn&rsquo;t born a few decades later.
Spencer Davies: It's not as if Rashard Lewis had a poor career -- especially judging by his contributions over a decade with the Seattle SuperSonics and Orlando Magic, where he averaged 18 points and nearly six rebounds per game on 39.4% from long distance -- but it is so easy to picture him in the modern NBA stretching the floor and jacking up 8-to-10 threes and nailing 40-plus percent of them. Later down the line, he was a bigger body with more strength, however, in the mid-2000s, he just had the length that would bother you defensively. Lewis would probably be able to easily average 20-plus points these days. He was quite adaptable despite being a 3/4 tweener, but in June 2021, he would be exactly what these teams are frothing at the mouth for: length, athleticism and most importantly, shooting.
Moke Hamilton: Definitely an interesting question. Vlade Divac and Arvydas Sabonis are two that immediately come to mind for me, with Sabonis being particularly interesting. For those of you who are younger than me, Sabonis &mdash; the father of NBA All-Star Domantas Sabonis &mdash; is a great &ldquo;what if?&rdquo; in NBA history. Without taking a long stroll down memory lane, Sabonis was a truly gifted big man whose NBA career never became what it should have been. He was able to make plays from the interior, had magnificent court vision and shot 32% of his career looks from more than 10 feet from the basket. He shot over 100 three-pointers in each of his first three seasons in Portland and connected on about 34% of them. But when Mike Dunleavy took over head-coaching duties prior to Sabonis&rsquo; fourth year, things changed, to say the least. Seriously, go Google Arvydas and check out his personal story. It&rsquo;s incredible&hellip; And he would&rsquo;ve fit right in with today&rsquo;s NBA&hellip; Just like his son.
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Nekias Duncan: I&rsquo;ll go off the cuff: I would&rsquo;ve loved to see how scalable Detlef Schrempf&rsquo;s game would&rsquo;ve been today. A 6-foot-10 forward who could shoot (criminally low three-point volume), and play-make the way he could would&rsquo;ve been incredibly valuable.
Jannelle Moore: Scottie Pippen is the quintessential choice for a player from a previous era who would be great today. Why? Because Scottie would kill on defense -- a versatile wing who could guard all positions. Furthermore, he can facilitate. And Pippen in transition with today&rsquo;s space and tempo would be scary.
Ethan Fuller: I beg younger basketball fans to go watch highlights of Dana Barros in the 1990s. Barros was a simply unreal shooter caught in an era where three-point shooting took a back seat. He shot at least 39% from three in 10 of his 13 full seasons while flying around off screens and off the dribble. At his peak with the 76ers in 1994-95, Barros averaged 20.6 points, 7.5 assists and 1.8 points per game while hitting 50 points in one contest. But Barros only attempted at least 5.0 threes per game in one season. If he played today, he'd be a premier shot-making point guard and absolutely lethal with the emphasis on floor spacing. Think peak Isaiah Thomas with even more shooting upside.

Which player from a previous era would be perfect fit in today's NBA? BasketballNews.com writers shared their thoughts.

Roundtable: Which former player would fit perfectly in today’s NBA?

Every postseason, there's a role player who surprises everyone by stepping up and contributing huge performances that help their team. Predicting who that role player will be isn't easy, but we asked our BasketballNews.com writers to give it a shot.
Which role player will elevate their game and make a big impact in the playoffs?
Alex Kennedy: Mikal Bridges could become a star, but he's still a role player for now so I'll go with him. The Phoenix Suns have their work cut out for them against the Los Angeles Lakers, and they'll need Bridges knocking down shots and playing solid defense if they want to take down L.A. In three games against the Lakers this season, Bridges averaged 14.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.7 threes, 1.0 block and just 1.0 turnover, while shooting a ridiculous 63.0% from the field, 45.5% from three and 100% from the free throw line. He's had <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-mikal-bridges-phoenix-suns-breakout-season-three-point-shooting-pick-and-roll-defense-deandre-ayton-turnover-percentage-monty-williams-chris-paul-villanova-jay-wright-ashley-howard" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a terrific season</a> and he finds so many different ways to impact each game, so I can see him driving the Lakers crazy and having a coming-out party during this series. The 24-year-old has stepped up on big stages before, as he was a two-time NCAA champion while at Villanova.
Nekias Duncan: Dorian Finney-Smith may be Dallas' third-most important player in this series. He shot a career-high 39.4% from three (5.0 attempts), and I'm not sure defenses really care about him. Part of the reason the Clippers were okay with cross-matching with Kristaps Porzingis is that they're also content with Ivica Zubac "guarding" Finney-Smith. He'll have to make them pay with the three-ball to reconfigure those matchups.
Spencer Davies: I&rsquo;ll pick one from each conference. In the Eastern Conference, let&rsquo;s go with Reggie Bullock on the New York Knicks. Tom Thibodeau&rsquo;s been able to rely on the eighth-year veteran in key moments due to his knockdown shooting and contributions on the defensive end. He can be a real difference-maker for that team. As for the Western Conference, Denver Nuggets point guard Monte Morris is going to be a calming influence on a squad who most believe is done for (due to the loss of Jamal Murray). Morris is a basketball savant, taking care of the ball and making unselfish decisions, but most importantly, hitting threes when his opportunities come. He&rsquo;ll pick your pocket from time-to-time, too.
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Moke Hamilton: This is tough to predict, but I think Seth Curry is a reasonable bet. The Sixers need him to produce, so he&rsquo;ll probably get a fair amount of reps. He quietly shot 45% from distance over the course of the season and with the amount of attention Joel Embiid is likely to command on the interior for Philadelphia, Curry will have an opportunity to make a name for himself. I think the Sixers are focused and have the pain of last year&rsquo;s sweep at the hands of the Celtics still pretty fresh in their minds. All things considered, I expect them to put it together, make a deep run and for Curry to be a major reason why.
Chris Sheridan: I have to go with Rajon Rondo given his illustrious playoff history. Also, if there was any doubt about his effectiveness at this stage of his career, Ty Lue tossed him into the starting lineup for the first time all season last week and he put up 13 assists without Paul George or Kawhi Leonard on the court with him. The guy has been around for 15 years and has 121 playoff games under his belt. He was the catalyst in the clincher for the Lakers last season vs. the Heat.
Ethan Fuller: If the Suns are ready to cash in on their regular-season breakout, I think Mikal Bridges must play an instrumental role in the playoff defense. He's become a key cog in a top-10 defensive unit, but the West has a gauntlet of scoring wings. Bridges will have to lead the charge on and off the ball, often guarding the best scorer on the opposing team. He'll likely spend a lot of time on LeBron James during the Suns' first-round matchup with the Lakers. If Bridges can wreak havoc on defense while continuing to be a spot-up sniper offensively, we could see his underrated two-way play go mainstream.

Which role player will elevate their game and make a big impact in the playoffs? BasketballNews.com's writers share their thoughts.

NBA Roundtable: Which role player will step up in the playoffs?

LeBron James. Kevin Durant. Stephen Curry. Giannis Antetokounmpo. James Harden. Anthony Davis. Luka Doncic. Joel Embiid. Damian Lillard. Nikola Jokic.
These are some of the biggest superstars in the NBA. But which up-and-coming talent will make the leap to superstardom next? We asked our BasketballNews.com staff to weigh in:
Which player is poised to become a superstar?
Alex Kennedy: This is a tough one since superstar is a strong word, but give me Bam Adebayo. He wreaks havoc on both ends of the floor, he has ridiculous upside and, at 23 years old, he's already averaging 18.9 points, 9.0 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.1 blocks (on 56.7% shooting from the field). I can absolutely see Bam making the leap from star to superstar in the near future.
Nekias Duncan: I <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-jayson-tatum-growing-around-margins-passing-floaters-scoring-boston-celtics" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recently wrote about how Jayson Tatum has impressed me</a> by doing the little things, which has him on the verge of making the NBA's toughest leap: going from star to bonafide, no-questions-asked superstar.&nbsp;
Ethan Fuller: R.J. Barrett is dangerously close to a full breakout. Moke Hamilton has detailed his&nbsp;<a class="c-link" href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-news-its-about-time-we-start-talking-about-rj-barrett-improvements-new-york-knicks" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-news-its-about-time-we-start-talking-about-rj-barrett-improvements-new-york-knicks" data-sk="tooltip_parent">second-year rise</a>, and Julius Randle's massive year has overshadowed the marked growth from the future face of the Knicks. Barrett is a much-improved shooter, defender and decision-maker. I also think he still has untapped playmaking potential based on what we saw at Duke. Some team continuity and playoff experience could really help Barrett catapult himself next season -- or sooner.
Chris Sheridan: I am going to go with De'Aaron Fox of the Sacramento Kings, whose scoring average is up to 25.2 points this season, which is 15th in the NBA -- better than Nikola Vucevic, Jaylen Brown, Julius Randle, Brandon Ingram, and Paul George.
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Yasmin Duale: I think OG Anunoby is rounding out into a two-way monster. His defense is excellent, his smart interior passing is emerging, and plays that used to result in clumsy falls and travels have transformed into intentional finishes. To top it off, Anunoby has demonstrated consistent off-the-dribble chops this season. When also considering his proficiency as a knockdown shooter, he has all the ingredients to become a star small forward in the future.
Spencer Davies: Brandon Ingram is right on the cusp, for me. Yes, Zion Williamson draws the eyes and headlines, but Ingram is showing what he&rsquo;s capable of doing. The consistency is not yet there, but his ability to drive to the hole when he has space (which the New Orleans Pelicans are currently lacking) and slither to the bucket, as well as being able to shoot the deep ball and&nbsp;the mid-range pull-up, is quite impressive. Remember folks, he&rsquo;s only 23 years old and he&rsquo;ll already be entering his sixth season next year.
Imman Adan: Michael Porter Jr. has been utterly spectacular in the wake of Jamal Murray&rsquo;s absence. In the last 10 games, MPJ is averaging 25/6/2 on near 56/50/80 splits. He&rsquo;s not only taken on a larger portion of the scoring, but he&rsquo;s doing so efficiently, which has allowed the Nuggets to remain in championship contention. Porter Jr. has been flat-out awesome filling in as the Nuggets&rsquo; No. 2, and he may have already ascended to &ldquo;star&rdquo; status.
Jonathan Concool: Does Ja Morant count as an acceptable answer or is he already considered a superstar? Ja has at least one SportsCenter Top-10 moment in every game he plays in, and his impact on the court is undeniable. Since being drafted by the Grizzlies, Morant has Memphis overachieving in just about every way, as the franchise finds themselves in contention for a playoff spot for the second consecutive year, which isn&rsquo;t too bad for the youngest team in the NBA. Over the past week, Morant is averaging 29.8 points and 8.0 assists on 58% shooting from the field and 55% from behind the arc.
Check out our other Roundtable conversations on <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/roundtable-which-nba-contract-is-the-biggest-bargain" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the NBA's biggest bargain contract</a>, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/roundtable-who-is-the-most-untouchable-player-in-the-nba" target="_blank" rel="noopener">which player is the most untouchable</a>, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-roundtable-who-is-the-darkhorse-team-to-watch-entering-the-playoffs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">who is a dark-horse team entering the playoffs</a> and more!

Which up-and-coming talent will make the leap to superstardom next? We asked our BasketballNews.com staff to weigh in.

NBA Roundtable: Which player will make the leap to superstar next?

With the NBA six days into May and games winding down, the postseason is right around the corner. Teams are jockeying for position, and the competition is tightening up as we hit the home stretch in the Association.
In our latest Roundtable, we asked our BasketballNews.com writers the following question:
Who is your dark-horse team to watch entering the playoffs?
Nekias Duncan: I think it&rsquo;s Miami, almost by default. As uneven as their season has been &mdash; due to injuries, COVID or otherwise &mdash; it&rsquo;s still hard to discount the type of playoff pedigree they have. Erik Spoelstra, Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo is a big three nobody in the East wants to deal with.
Spencer Davies: The team that nobody believes can do it, and that&rsquo;s the current top seed in the Western Conference: the Utah Jazz. Although I like the Los Angeles Clippers to come out of the West, it&rsquo;s going to take a lot to slow these Jazz down from deep. Their playing style, similar to the Phoenix Suns, is half-court-based, something fit for the postseason environment when execution matters the most. You&rsquo;ve got a number of All-Star talents such as Mike Conley, Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert; however, Utah features a plethora of players that star in their roles -- Bojan Bogdanovic with his three-point barrages, Royce O&rsquo;Neale defending with a purpose, Jordan Clarkson being a microwave off the bench, Joe Ingles looking to consistently make the right play and even Georges Niang and Derrick Favors producing when their names are called.
Chris Sheridan: The dark-horse team to watch going into the playoffs is the Atlanta Hawks, because they have needed an entire season to achieve some chemistry. They are a nifty mix of young and old, and Nate McMillan has them peaking at the right time. Their size will be a problem for every single team in the East.
Alex Kennedy: All season, the Miami Heat have dealt with injuries and COVID absences, so this team is much better than their record indicates. We just saw this same group shock everyone last year when they became the first No. 5 seed to advance to the NBA Finals. They have a terrific coach (Erik Spoelstra), multiple stars (Bam Adebayo, Jimmy Butler), solid depth and a terrific culture. James Posey <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/basketball-news-james-posey-as-long-as-pat-riley-is-in-the-picture-the-miami-heat-have-a-shot-nba-championship" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recently wrote about why you can never count out the Heat</a>, and I agree with the three-time NBA champion.
Kelsea O'Brien: Remember that guy at the beginning of the season who bet $10,000 on the Wizards winning the Finals (which would result in a $5 MILLION payout)? He&rsquo;s not looking so silly anymore.
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Imman Adan: Oddly enough, I&rsquo;m picking a team that might not even make the playoffs, but what they&rsquo;re doing right now is hard to ignore. The Washington Wizards have won 13 of their last 17 games. At the time of this writing, over their last 10 games, they have the second-best offensive rating in the league (120.1), while also boasting the league&rsquo;s fourth-best net rating (8.3). The Wizards have been fantastic on both sides of the ball, playing their best basketball of the year heading into the play-in tournament. With Bradley Beal&rsquo;s scoring tear and point-GOAT Russell Westbrook activated, they are not a team anyone should want to see come playoff time.
Ethan Fuller: A lot of people crossed Denver off their contender lists when Jamal Murray tore his ACL. That is a brutal loss, but I sort of think people are sleeping on the rest of this roster. Nikola Jokic is the MVP frontrunner right now, and Michael Porter Jr. has quietly become a menacing three-level scorer. They'll need him and the rest of an extremely deep supporting cast to replace what Murray did last postseason. The Nuggets are a year removed from a Western Conference Finals appearance, and I fully expect them to make serious noise again.
Jonathan Concool: The Denver Nuggets. Since losing Jamal Murray, the Nuggets have won six of their last seven (and 10 of 12), and Michael Porter Jr. has been playing the best basketball of his young career over the past few games. We all know what we are going to get from MVP candidate Nikola Jokic, but Denver has a real supporting cast behind the Joker, so don&rsquo;t overlook the Nuggets just because Murray is lost for the season. They can still make some noise this postseason.
Yasmin Duale: My dark-horse team come playoff time is the Golden State Warriors. It feels weird to say, but if we end up seeing Steph Curry face off against the LeBron-led Lakers in the play-in tournament, I can&rsquo;t really say with certainty who&rsquo;d come out on the other side. All it&rsquo;d take is one possessed performance from the greatest shooter of all-time to usher in some chaos.&nbsp;
Jannelle Moore: My dark-horse playoff team to watch is Boston. Yeah, they have underachieved this season, but you can&rsquo;t underrate their experience and don&rsquo;t count out the possibility that they'll gain momentum as the season closes.

Who is the dark-horse team to watch entering the NBA Playoffs? BasketballNews.com's writers shared their thoughts.

NBA Roundtable: Who is the dark-horse team to watch entering the playoffs?

There are currently five NBA teams above .600 in the Western Conference: the Utah Jazz (.745), Phoenix Suns (.727), Los Angeles Clippers (.684), Denver Nuggets (.636) and Los Angeles Lakers (.607).
Unfortunately, Jamal Murray's <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-on-jamal-murray-a-lost-season-denver-nuggets-deserve-better-nikola-jokic-aaron-gordon-mike-malone" target="_blank" rel="noopener">season-ending injury likely kills Denver's shot at contending</a> this season, but that still leaves several uber-talented teams fighting one spot in the NBA Finals. With so much competition, we recently asked our BasketballNews.com staff the following question:
Who's the team to beat in the Western Conference?
Alex Kennedy: If the Los Angeles Lakers are healthy, they&rsquo;re going to be very difficult to dethrone. However, since they aren&rsquo;t at 100% at the moment, so I&rsquo;ll go with the Utah Jazz. Not only do they have the NBA&rsquo;s best record, they are the only team with a top-four offense and defense; they&rsquo;re scoring 115.5 points per 100 possessions (third-best in the NBA) and allowing 105.9 points per 100 possessions (fourth-best). They are shooting 38.9% percent from deep and knocking down an unprecedented 16.8 threes per game. The NBA record for most threes per game belongs to the 2018-19 Houston Rockets, who made 16.1 per game at a 35.6% clip. The Jazz are putting on a shooting clinic every night, and they have a very balanced attack (with six players averaging at least 12.0 points). And unlike other contenders, the Jazz have continuity and chemistry (as Rudy Gobert <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/rudy-gobert-qa-jazzs-title-hopes-nba-top-shot-more" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pointed out in a recent interview with BasketballNews.com</a>). It&rsquo;s time to stop sleeping on this Jazz team.
Nekias Duncan: I think you still have to respect the champions, assuming they get healthy. A Laker squad with LeBron James and Anthony Davis should be favored if they&rsquo;re available. In the event that they aren&rsquo;t, I&rsquo;m kinda drinking the Phoenix Suns Kool-aid. I love their blend of shot creation, shooting, defensive versatility, and toughness.
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Moke Hamilton: The Lakers. LeBron James is obviously a year older and both he and Anthony Davis have had injury issues this season, but they&rsquo;re the defending champs and they&rsquo;ve managed to add Andre Drummond and Ben McLemore to what was already a talented team. If I&rsquo;m them, I&rsquo;m not necessarily fearing any other team in the Western Conference, though the Clippers would certainly be the one that I&rsquo;d be thinking about at night time. Still, though, I&rsquo;m not sure how you can go against picking the defending champs, especially knowing that James will soon be back in the lineup.&nbsp;
Spencer Davies: It&rsquo;s probably foolish to doubt the reigning champions, but there&rsquo;s something about the top-four teams in the West that makes me a believer. As good as the Utah Jazz and Phoenix Suns have been at methodically dissecting their opponents, I just have a certain feeling about the Los Angeles Clippers. With Tyronn Lue at the helm, this group has shown that they&rsquo;re much more than "Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and the rest." They <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-los-angeles-clippers-tyronn-lue-serge-ibaka-ivica-zubac-contrasting-big-man-skill-set" target="_blank" rel="noopener">have legitimate versatility at the center position</a> with Ivica Zubac and Serge Ibaka, reliable veterans in Marcus Morris, Nicolas Batum and the recently-acquired Rajon Rondo, and an extremely confident Reggie Jackson manning the point with Patrick Beverley on the mend. It&rsquo;s the Clippers&rsquo; depth -- I didn&rsquo;t even mention the growth of Terance Mann and sharpshooter Luke Kennard -- that makes me think things could go better this postseason.
Ethan Fuller: Well, the team to dethrone is the Los Angeles Lakers. But I'm dangerously close to putting all my chips in on the Phoenix Suns. I love everything about this team. Phoenix is one of two teams with a top-six offensive and defensive rating (along with Utah); Milwaukee just missed the cut (fifth-best offensive rating, eighth-best defensive rating). The Suns&rsquo; roster meshes so well together under Monty Williams. They're 28-7 since February, and I think it's time to peg them as a genuine title contender.
Chris Sheridan: The easy answer is the Lakers. They are just so loaded.... But since everyone will likely have the same answer, I will pick Utah because of the fact that they have the best record in the NBA and they are very good at putting up points three at a time.&nbsp;
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Jannelle Moore: The team to beat in the West, in my opinion, is Utah. Their three-point shooting and three-point defense as a collective are two huge reasons as to why they have the best record in the league -- along with the continued emergence of Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert&rsquo;s impact defensively. This team has been hard to stop, but I do wonder whether this is sustainable in the playoffs. We'll see what they do on the biggest stage.
Jonathan Concool: I mean, I think it has to be the defending champs. Are the Los Angeles Lakers the best team in the West right now? No. But you still have to respect the reigning champs, and with Anthony Davis and LeBron James set to return to the court soon, don&rsquo;t overlook the Lakers as they look to make another postseason run.
Mark Gunnels: It has to be the Lakers, if healthy. Until we see LeBron James and Anthony Davis lose four times to the same team, this will always be the answer.

Who is the team to beat in the Western Conference? Is it the loaded Lakers? An underdog like the Jazz or Suns? Our staff weighs in.