Sunbirds

Jaren Jackson Jr., Desmond Bane and Tyus Jones each scored 21 points and the Memphis Grizzlies routed the Golden State Warriors 134-95 on Wednesday night to avoid elimination and force a sixth game in the Western Conference semifinal.
Dillon Brooks added 12 points for Memphis. Ziaire Williams and Brandon Clarke had 11 apiece and De&rsquo;Anthony Melton 10. Steven Adams had 13 rebounds, six offensive.
The Grizzlies never trailed, turning in their best performance of this series to pull to 3-2 even with All-Star guard Ja Morant sitting out his second straight game because of a bone bruise in his right knee. They improved to 4-11 when facing elimination.
Memphis scored 77 points in the first half, the most in franchise postseason history. The Grizzlies pushed their lead to 55 in the third quarter, threatening the three biggest postseason blowouts in NBA history. Their 52-point lead after three tied for the largest in a playoff game in the past 70 years.
When Memphis fans chanted &ldquo;Whoop That Trick! Whoop That Trick!&rdquo; early in the fourth, Stephen Curry laughed on the court laughing while Draymond Green swung a towel in unison with the crowd.
Game 6 is Friday night in San Francisco, where the Warriors have won five straight playoff games and their last seven overall.&nbsp;
Klay Thompson led Golden State with 19 points, Jonathan Kuminga added 17, Curry had 14 and Damion Lee and Moses Moody each had 10.
The Warriors lost for the first time with assistant Mike Brown filling in for coach Steve Kerr, who missed his second straight game since testing positive for COVID before Game 4.
The Grizzlies got back to doing the things that helped the post the second-best record during the regular season. They outrebounded Golden State and dominated on the offensive boards. They forced plenty of turnovers and got their best production from the bench of this series.
Golden State, thanks to Poole coming off the bench, had outscored Memphis&rsquo; reserves each of the first four games. Facing elimination, the Grizzlies had a 28-8 edge through the first two quarters and finished with a 52-35 margin.
Memphis led 38-28 at the end of the first quarter and continued a 24-8 run into the second quarter to go up 53-36t. They finished the second on a 20-4 run, including 14 straight, to outscore Golden State 39-22 for a 77-50 lead at halftime.
Then the Grizzlies opened the third quarter outscoring Golden State 20-6, prompting fans to start chanting &ldquo;Whoop That Trick.&rdquo; Memphis just pushing, outscoring Golden State 42-17 in the third for a 119-67 lead going into the fourth.
Brown benched most of his starters by 3:44 of the third, and Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins followed to start the fourth resting up for a flight to California and Game 6.
TIP-INS
Warriors: The 77 points allowed in the first half matched the most allowed all season. They also gave up 77 on Jan. 13 at Milwaukee. ... The Warriors also fell to 12-4 in Game 5s since 2015. ... Nemanja Bjelica started the third quarter in place of Jonathan Kuminga. Bjelica had played only four minutes in this series. ... Otto Porter Jr. played 12 minutes before being sidelined by a sore right foot.
Grizzlies: They matched their most first-half points, also scoring 77 against New Orleans on March 8. They did it by outscoring Golden State 24-5 on second-chance points with a 18-4 edge on the offensive boards.
POSTSEASON BLOWOUTS
The Bucks also led Philadelphia by 52 (124-72) on March 30, 1970. Denver beat New Orleans by 58 on April 27, 2009, matching the margin Minneapolis beat St. Louis on March 19, 1956. Golden State beat the Los Angeles Lakers by 56 on April 21, 1973.
GRIZZLIES&rsquo; D
Memphis scored 25 points off turnovers in the first half &mdash; most by any team in the 1st half over the last 25 postseasons. The Warriors had been averaging 19 turnovers a game in this series and had 14 by halftime and finished with 20.
BROWN&rsquo;S FIRST LOSS
Brown, the next coach of the Sacramento Kings, had been 12-0 coaching the Warriors in the postseason, winning 11 straight in the 2017 playoffs. He also won Game 4 when the Warriors took the lead for the first time with 45.7 seconds left to pull out a win for a 3-1 series lead.&nbsp;

Jaren Jackson Jr., Desmond Bane and Tyus Jones each scored 21 points and the Grizzlies routed the Warriors 134-95.

Grizzlies rout Warriors to avoid elimination, force Game 6

As the NBA season has wound down and funneled into fewer and fewer games, I've had the chance to dive deeper into the grassroots circuit and hone in more on what this next season of college hoops could look like.
I am irrationally excited about the Baylor Bears coming into the 2022-23 NCAA season.
After a second-round exit in the NCAA Tournament to eventual finalist North Carolina, the Bears are in a state of flux. <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-nba-mock-draft/players/jeremy-sochan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jeremy Sochan</a> and <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-nba-mock-draft/players/kendall-brown" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kendall Brown</a>, two projected first-round picks, are in the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2022 NBA Draft</a> pool. Starting point guard James Akinjo, who led the Big 12 with 5.8 assists per game this past season, announced he'd also enter the draft and hire an agent. Starting forward Matthew Mayer also entered, and recently entered the transfer portal. And finally, leading scorer Adam Flagler too entered the draft, although he remains NCAA eligible as he tests the waters of his draft stock.
Needless to say, things are changing in Waco, Texas! Baylor big man Flo Thamba will return for a fifth year and Jonathan Tchamwa-Tchatchoua is coming back from the knee injury that sidelined him late in conference play. LJ Cryer missed the NCAA Tournament and end of last year with a foot injury, and should step into an even larger role as a third-year player.
Five of the top six in minutes played on the team last year might not be back in the rotation, which is equally jarring and exciting. With that being said, open minutes means new opportunities!
Where things start for me in my intrigue is Keyonte George. The five-star shooting guard out of IMG Academy has a legitimate chance to be the best guard to play at Baylor, which is high praise considering the wealth of NBA talent that's flowed through head coach Scott Drew's tenure.
George is an effortless shooter off a variety of movements. He's comfortable off the ball and moves well as a cutter. His pull-up and shot creation are routinely cash for him. George's handle shifts defenders with guile, and he can maneuver his way through tight spaces with ease.
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He has real pop around the rim, and some of the finishes through contact he pulls off are WILD. So often, we talk about three-level scorers and look at guys who can handle and operate behind the arc and in the mid-range with lesser efficacy at the rim; George is a plus pretty much anywhere on the court, which makes him a remarkably tough guard.
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He can capably run offense, setting up incredibly well out of pick-and-roll situations with pocket passes, dump-offs and a really impressive lob game as well.
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George is a stout defender at the point of attack with active hands, and routinely will make the right plays off the ball as well. He's a tremendous all-around player with a real opportunity to make waves as a freshman. His shot creation next year is going to be a joy to watch against some of the best defenses in college basketball.
Another one of the major reasons I'm excited for Baylor is Langston Love's return to the court! Love was the 35th-ranked recruit in the 2021 high school class, but missed the entirety of his freshman season with an ACL tear. It would be unfair to expect him to come back without rust, but it's good to get a reminder of just how good Love is when healthy.
While it'd be tough to crack the starting lineup given who's returning, Love's shotmaking and creation (a theme for Baylor) could be a boon.
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Love has a really explosive drive game that allows him to get into the paint, but he tends to rely more on speed rather than his handle &mdash; which isn't neccesarily a bad thing &mdash; but will likely be there for him less in college.
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Watch that first clip. Love does a great job getting into the paint, but that's the sort of play where I really want to see him take a hang dribble and a momentary pause off the screen. He doesn't typically see skip passes from here &mdash; which again, not an indictment &mdash; but it's where he's at as a playmaker right now. There's a lot of room to grow with reps.
When he gets an ideal lane or angle, Love can collapse a defense, but I like what he can do operating on the second side of actions more. Getting involved in an empty-corner action, using pistol exchanges to get him open looks and getting the most out of his shooting gravity and straight-line speed are where a lot of his best reads come from as a playmaker. He's so solid at hitting backline cutters from the middle of the floor.
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As mentioned, the creation is what stands out with this Baylor squad.
Up and down the roster, there are players who can dribble, shoot and make the right plays.
Cryer was one of the best shooters on volume in basketball last season, canning 46.8% of his threes (5.8 per game). Flagler was a 38.7% shooter on 6.3 attempts per game last season.
Baylor is a team that's thrived upon having multiple shot-creators over the last few seasons, and the Bears have fully leaned into that identity headed into the upcoming year. As different as this team will be made up, its apparent strengths could make for some incredible offensive ball.
One of the bigger questions is the defense. While Love and George are both capable defenders to be sure, they're a significant downshift in size from Sochan and Brown. With Mayer out of the picture as well, things get murky on the wing.
Baylor added Caleb Lohner, a starter at BYU last year, via the transfer portal. The 6-foot-8 forward showed some ability to play defense out on the perimeter, although seems much more adept in help and as the low man. It'll be interesting to see how he factors in.
The Bears also added West Virginia transfer Jalen Bridges, who brings a vital skill set and versatility to Baylor and seems to be a likely starter (started all 33 games for the Mountaineers last season).
I was really intrigued by Bridges as a freshman, but last year's WVU team was a tough to evaluate contextually. After a 13-2 start, the team went 3-15 the rest of the way. The defense was average, but pretty awful by Bob Huggins' standards, and the offense was among the worst in the country. Bridges' efficiency dropped without much of an increase in usage, which was odd and a bit discouraging. Yet, with a new team and alongside better offensive talent, I think there's a chance Bridges really pops as a player &mdash; but much of it will be determined by how his shot falls.
Bridges has good size at 6-7 with a sizable wingspan and solid instincts. He has some really good moments both on and off the ball with active hands, but finding consistency on that end will be key for him and for Baylor.
This Baylor team has a new look, a retooled roster and a bright future this season if things really click.
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A retooled Baylor team could have a lot of upside and reason for excitement headed into a new season, writes Mark Schindler.

Why the new-look Baylor Bears could bring excitement in 2022-23

The Utah Jazz&rsquo;s 2021-22 season is officially over. The Jazz believed they were a championship contender, but this marks another season ending in disappointment and heartbreak. Now, looking ahead at what&rsquo;s to come in Salt Lake City, massive changes seem to be on the horizon. Whether it be Donovan Mitchell or Rudy Gobert on the move, something&rsquo;s gotta give. Other veterans such as Mike Conley and Bojan Bogdanovic could be on the move too.
While our Bryan Fonseca recently broke down <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/examining-potential-trade-desinations-for-donovan-mitchell-2022" target="_blank" rel="noopener">possible trade destinations for Mitchell</a>, it's seems likely that the Jazz will try to appease their young star shooting guard. Gordon Hayward already broke Utah&rsquo;s heart a few years ago when he left in free agency. If Mitchell requested a trade, it would send shockwaves throughout Utah. Unlike Hayward, Mitchell has star power that transcends Utah and he could potentially lead the team to heights they haven&rsquo;t reached since the 1990s with John Stockton and Karl Malone.
If the Jazz have to move their homegrown three-time Defensive Player of the Year in order to keep Mitchell, I'm almost certain it would happen. It&rsquo;s an unfortunate twist of fate for Gobert, but leaving the Jazz&rsquo;s system might be the best thing for him so he can truly blossom into a true two-way presence.
As seen throughout Utah's first-round series against the Dallas Mavericks, Gobert was ignored or simply used as a decoy more often than not. If Gobert is used on a more consistent basis in a different environment, who knows what he could accomplish as one of the NBA&rsquo;s premier lob threats?
Gobert hitting the trade market would result in a feeding frenzy around the Association. Whether it be title contenders or rebuilding teams who feel close to a massive leap, Gobert could be viewed as the missing piece to the puzzle.
Without further ado, let&rsquo;s dive into five realistic destinations for a Gobert blockbuster deal this offseason.
Chicago Bulls
Chicago knows they&rsquo;re in desperate need of a defensive jolt. Adding Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso in the backcourt already brought a new identity to the Bulls, who were seemingly allergic to defense before their arrival. Myles Turner has been mentioned as a possible target for Chicago, but the Indiana Pacers are <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/despite-trade-talks-the-pacers-want-to-keep-myles-turner-longterm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> expected to keep him long-term. Why not swing for the fences with Gobert? Acquiring the 29-year-old would be a crown-jewel moment for the organization.&nbsp;
Imagine the possibilities for Chicago with Gobert patrolling the paint with Ball and Caruso hawking the perimeter. It&rsquo;s the perfect complement to offensive dynamos Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan. Chicago&rsquo;s new starting lineup of Ball, Caruso, LaVine, DeRozan and Gobert would seemingly have no holes in it from a two-way perspective.
I absolutely love this idea for Chicago, and they should be blowing up the Jazz&rsquo;s phone this summer if it seems plausible.
Jazz receive: Nikola Vucevic, Patrick Williams, Coby White, draft compensation
Bulls receive: Rudy Gobert
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New York Knicks
The Knicks are bound to blow it up one way or another soon enough. Julius Randle feels like <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/five-nba-players-who-feel-destined-to-be-traded-this-offseason" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one of the most obvious trade candidates</a> to potentially hit the market this offseason. If the Knicks are done with Randle, could they parlay him and other young pieces to acquire Gobert? While <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/examining-potential-trade-desinations-for-donovan-mitchell-2022" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New York would love to land Mitchell</a>, the Knicks should seriously explore a Gobert trade since the organization needs some sort of game-changing move.
The 2022-23 season feels like a make-or-break year for the current Knicks regime. Head coach Tom Thibodeau&rsquo;s seat is red-hot, plus the Knicks&rsquo; front office has to be itching to make some sort of move to change course from a stale build.
Gobert&rsquo;s arrival would signal New York is ready to finally ascend the Eastern Conference standings. Sure, Gobert isn&rsquo;t a true &ldquo;superstar,&rdquo; but he&rsquo;s far and away the most impactful player the Knicks could realistically reel in this offseason. Gobert being the adult in the room for an accelerated rebuild in the Big Apple is a fun scenario, especially as it provides a high-floor outcome immediately.
New York&rsquo;s current roster has ample flexibility to turn it all over again by 2023. If the Knicks clear out all of their contracts with team options and expiring deals, sans the young core, they will have a max slot open for the loaded 2023 free-agent class. Would Gobert and RJ Barrett be able to sell a star on New York? If Barrett takes the leap forward that many expect, that&rsquo;s a fun big/wing duo to build around long-term.
Utah will likely want at least another young asset or two in return as part of this projected blockbuster, but the framework is strong enough to build off it.
Jazz receive: Julius Randle, Alec Burks, Quentin Grimes, draft compensation
Knicks receive: Rudy Gobert
Atlanta Hawks
Want to find the perfect fit for Gobert outside of Utah? The Hawks are the ideal destination for Gobert, who would be able to shine outside of the Jazz&rsquo;s system. Trae Young pick-and-rolls with Gobert would simply be unfair to try to guard, and it would help insulate their star point guard in a better situation.
Atlanta also has the right amount of assets to make this compelling for Utah to pull the trigger. Whether it be John Collins or Bogdan Bogdanovic, either one could be the centerpiece to a Gobert deal. Also, Atlanta has an upcoming expiring salary in Danilo Gallinari with only $5 million guaranteed on his contract. If you throw together Collins, Gallinari and future draft compensation, it could be enough for the Jazz to take negotiations more seriously. Clint Capela could also be re-routed to another team to free up further cap flexibility as well.
For Atlanta, they are ready to win right now with Young leading the way. With Young, Kevin Huerter, De&rsquo;Andre Hunter, Onyeka Okongwu and Jalen Johnson, they have a young core that's ready to take the next step. Gobert brings a star piece to an organization that has the urgency to compete right now in the East, and they'll want to bounce back after how they crashed and burned to end their 2021-22 season. Also, the Hawks had the NBA's 26th-ranked defense this season (allowing 112.1 points per 100 possessions), so adding a three-time Defensive Player of the Year could be just what they need.
It wouldn&rsquo;t be a surprise to see a player of Young&rsquo;s caliber push for Gobert to join him in Atlanta too. With all the trade rumors swirling around Collins since he signed a five-year extension, this deal makes a lot of sense for both sides to explore further.
Jazz receive: John Collins, Danilo Gallinari, future draft compensation
Hawks receive: Rudy Gobert
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Golden State Warriors
Smoke is already forming around this possibility, if the Jazz indeed decide to blow it up in a few months. For the Warriors, it&rsquo;s an all-in move to create another dynasty in the final prime years of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. With so much young talent climbing the ladder in the reloaded Western Conference, the time is now for the Warriors to make a splashy move to keep themselves atop the standings.
This will be the last time the Warriors can explore potential deals revolving around Andrew Wiggins&rsquo; bloated salary as well. Next season, Wiggins will be on an expiring contract making $33.6 million. With Wiggins, Golden State can immediately enter the conversation for Gobert while also having some intriguing young pieces that could appeal to Utah.
Jonathan Kuminga is likely off limits from the Warriors&rsquo; perspective, flashing real two-way potential throughout this season. However, what about a combination of Moses Moody and James Wiseman? Instantly, Utah can replenish their young core with two immediate contributors to place alongside Mitchell long-term. Throw in some future draft picks and the Jazz might be the ones who are ready to press &ldquo;accept&rdquo; on this hypothetical trade.
Golden State&rsquo;s new-age lineup of dominance would simply be unfair. Take a look at the Warriors&rsquo; projected lineup with Gobert: Curry, Jordan Poole, Thompson, Green and Gobert. With all of the versatility on display here, it could vault Golden State into a different stratosphere entirely.
Jazz receive: Andrew Wiggins, James Wiseman, Moses Moody, future draft compensation
Warriors receive: Rudy Gobert, Rudy Gay
Detroit Pistons
Here&rsquo;s a surprise team that could become very aggressive in the Gobert sweepstakes if the chips fall their way this offseason. No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham flashed superstar potential for the Pistons during his rookie campaign, especially after the All-Star break.
If the Pistons get lottery luck once more with a top pick in this year&rsquo;s draft, could they decide to push some chips into the middle of the table for Gobert? Imagine if the Pistons had a trio of Cunningham, Gobert and a top prospect (Jabari Smith or Paolo Banchero?) to build around for the next five-plus years.
For the Pistons, acquiring stars via the draft or trades is the only realistic route to obtaining a game-changing talent. We already saw it on display with their former regime when they traded for Blake Griffin, which led to little progress long-term. Unlike Griffin, Gobert actually fits into the organization's long-term calculus.
From the Jazz&rsquo;s perspective, they would be asking for a heavy return from a team like Detroit. We&rsquo;re talking two key pieces to their core as well as veteran wing Jerami Grant. Would the Pistons feel comfortable moving Saddiq Bey and Isaiah Stewart for Gobert? That may be Utah's asking price.
Jazz receive: Jerami Grant, Saddiq Bey, Isaiah Stewart, Kelly Olynyk, future draft compensation
Pistons receive: Rudy Gobert, Nickeil Alexander-Walker
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Entering a pivotal offseason, will the Utah Jazz blow it up? If so, which teams make sense as a landing spot for Rudy Gobert?

Examining potential trade destinations for Rudy Gobert

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) &mdash; Desmond Bane scored 22 points, De&rsquo;Anthony Melton and Dillon Brooks added 21 points each and the Memphis Grizzlies solidified their hold on second place in the Western Conference with a 123-95 victory over the short-handed Golden State Warriors on Monday night.
Kyle Anderson added 13 points for Memphis, which holds a five-game lead over the third-place Warriors in the conference. The Grizzlies won their fifth straight and for the ninth time in 10 games. Bane and Melton were key, as they were in Saturday&rsquo;s win over Milwaukee, combining to go 10 of 15 from 3-point range.
&ldquo;We all tell both those guys to keep shooting because it opens up the floor for us,&rdquo; Brooks said. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s the way we are built, and it&rsquo;s fun to play. It&rsquo;s fun to watch.&rdquo;
Jordan Poole led Golden State with 25 points, and Moses Moody finished with 18. Jonathan Kuminga scored 15 points as Golden State dropped its third straight and lost for the sixth time in seven games.
Golden State played without leading scorer Stephen Curry, who has missed six games with a left foot sprain. Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Otto Porter Jr. also sat out under various injury management situations.
That put the Warriors in an unfavorable position facing the Grizzlies, who were without leading scorer Ja Morant, who missed his fifth straight game with right knee soreness, and Jaren Jackson Jr., who sat with right thigh soreness.
But Memphis has played well in Morant&rsquo;s absence, winning the previous four after Morant was injured.
The game opened with both teams struggling on offense.
&ldquo;I thought we didn&rsquo;t have our footing in that first quarter,&rdquo; Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins said. &ldquo;A little sloppy.&rdquo;
Neither team was shooting well to start, and Memphis was a step slow to 50-50 balls. The teams combined to make only 13 of 45 shots in the first quarter.
Both were still mired at 25% each early in the second quarter before scoring started picking up &mdash; for Memphis.
Not Golden State.
&ldquo;We obviously started a little slow,&rdquo; Warriors assistant coach Mike Brown said after the game. &ldquo;(The Grizzlies) were a lot more physical than us in the first half. We didn&rsquo;t compete at the level that we felt we needed to coming into their building.&rdquo;
The Grizzlies shot 59% in the second, including making 4 of 6 from beyond the arc. With the Warriors still stuck at 25% shooting, Memphis outscored the Warriors 43-21 in the second and held a 63-37 lead at the break.
By the end of the half, Warriors coach Steve Kerr vehemently argued a no-call on the final play and was assessed two quick technicals, getting ejected for the second half as Brown took over the bench duties for Golden State.
Poole helped the Warriors cut into Memphis&rsquo; lead slightly with 13 points in the third, but Golden State never got within less than 18 points. Memphis carried a 95-67 lead into the final quarter.
&ldquo;That type of deficit is hard to overcome when you have all of your main guys,&rdquo; said Brown, who praised his team for its second half play.
GOODNIGHT, COACH
Kerr became very animated at the end of the half and let the officials know he was unhappy with their calls. And the two technicals came in rapid succession. Center Kevon Looney said he was walking toward the locker room when Kerr erupted. &ldquo;I seen Steve going crazy,&rdquo; Looney said. &ldquo;I know once he goes there, there ain&rsquo;t no stopping him.&rdquo;
TIP-INS:
Warriors: Finished five-game road trip 1-4. &hellip; Looney is the only Golden State player to appear in all 76 games this season and started his 74th on Monday. &hellip; Poole has reached the 20-point mark in 14 straight games. &hellip; Are 8-5 in the second game of a back-to-backs this season. &hellip; G/F Andre Iguodala, who has missed 49 games this season, including the last 21 with low back tightness, returned to action, playing 16 minutes and scoring six points.
Grizzlies: Have scored at least 120 points in eight of their last 10 games. &hellip; Melton is now 27 of 45 from 3-point range over the last six games. &hellip; F Brandon Clarke, who missed the last game with left hip soreness and was listed as questionable before Monday night, returned to action and scored 12 points.
UP NEXT:
Warriors: Host the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday.
Grizzlies: At San Antonio on Wednesday.
&nbsp;

Desmond Bane scored 22 points as the Memphis Grizzlies came away with a 123-95 victory over the Golden State Warriors.

Grizzlies beat Warriors 123-95, tighten hold on 2nd in West

Darius Garland had 25 points and 12 assists, leading Cleveland to a 107-101 victory over the Orlando Magic on Monday night in a game in which the Cavaliers lost rookie big man Evan Mobley to a sprained left ankle.
Mobley, the No. 3 overall pick, landed on the foot of Franz Wagner while defending under the basket in the second quarter. He limped to the locker room after briefly laying on the court and did not return to the game.
Lauri Markkanen scored 20 points, Kevin Love had 19 points and seven rebounds, and Isaac Okoro added 11 points for the Cavaliers, who snapped a three-game losing streak and remained seventh in the Eastern Conference with a 42-33 record.
Magic power forward Wendell Carter Jr. had 15 points, 12 rebounds and six assists, Ignas Brazdeikis scored 13 points and Wagner had 10 points and six assists. Orlando has the worst record in the East at 20-56.
The Cavaliers clinched their first winning season in four years. It is the first time they will finish above .500 without LeBron James on their roster since 1997-1998.
Mobley is averaging 14.9 points and 8.3 rebounds, placing him squarely in the Rookie of the Year race with Toronto&rsquo;s Scottie Barnes and Detroit&rsquo;s Cade Cunningham.
Brazdeikis&rsquo; layup gave Orlando a 92-90 lead midway through the fourth, but Markkanen and Garland combined to score the next 12 points, putting Cleveland in front for good. It was capped by an alley-oop from All-Star point guard Garland to Markkanen.
All-Star center Jarrett Allen (left middle finger fracture) missed his 11th straight game for the Cavaliers. Point guard Rajon Rondo (right ankle sprain) has not played since March 12, and shooting guard Collin Sexton (left knee surgery) is out for the season.
Love had eight points in an 18-3 run to start the second that extended Cleveland&rsquo;s lead to 45-25. The Magic answered with a 20-4 spurt, fueled by six points from Carter to pull within two. Cavaliers carried a 60-53 lead into the break.
COMING UP EMPTY
The Cavaliers lost their two most important games of the season to date, 117-104 at Toronto and 98-94 to Chicago in a three-day span. As a result, Cleveland slipped to seventh in the East and now trails both teams. &ldquo;It was the magnitude of the moment and the (limited) experience level of our guys,&rdquo; coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. &ldquo;It hurts. It&rsquo;s painful. But you have to go through it and you have to take some lumps.&rdquo;
Four of the Cavaliers&rsquo; final seven games are on the road.
TIP-INS
Magic: Coach Jamahl Mosley watched the Oscars with Bickerstaff at his house. &hellip; Wagner, Detroit&rsquo;s Saddiq Bey and Phoenix&rsquo;s Mikal Bridges are the only NBA players to start every game this season. &hellip; Rookie G Jalen Suggs (right ankle bruise), the No. 5 overall pick, last played on March 13 against Philadelphia. &hellip; C Bol Bol (right foot surgery) and C Jonathan Isaac (left knee rehabilitation) are out for the season.
Cavaliers: Mobley needs one point to become the eighth rookie in franchise history with 1,000. &hellip; F Dean Wade (right meniscus tear) will miss the rest of the season after undergoing knee surgery. Wade, who made 28 starts, averaged 5.3 points in 51 games. &hellip; C Moses Brown&rsquo;s second 10-day contract runs through March 30. &hellip; Cleveland took a 59-58 lead in its series with Orlando, which entered the NBA in 1989.
UP NEXT
Magic: Visit the Washington Wizards on Wednesday night.
Cavaliers: Host the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday night.

The Cavs clinched their first winning season in four years, and Evan Mobley, the No. 3 overall pick, didn't return to the game.

Cavaliers beat Magic 107-101, lose Mobley to sprained ankle

The second day of the 2022 NCAA tournament featured some slugfests, some blowouts, as well as a First Four team surviving another day. The Round of 32 is now completely locked-in, and we&rsquo;ll also take a peek at the must-watch matchups for Saturday.&nbsp;
UPSET ALERT&nbsp;
West Region: 11-seed Notre Dame defeats 6-seed Alabama 78-64
Alabama in recent seasons has had a strong program, with a number of players in the conversation for the NBA draft. This year the Crimson Tide&rsquo;s season has been a bit of a roller coaster, including a major win over arguably the best team in college basketball, Gonzaga, but also key SEC and non-conference losses that show in their 19-13 record coming into this game. Notre Dame had their fair share of ups and downs as well, but came into this first round matchup with momentum off their First Four double-OT win against Rutgers. The upset potential was apparent, and the Fighting Irish delivered behind a huge game from Cormac Ryan. The junior guard finished with a season-high 29 points, well above his 9.2 PPG average. Ryan has been coming on strong for the Irish with 20 and 16 points in their last two games respectively. Thanks to the efforts of Ryan and impressive freshman wing Blake Wesley &mdash; he scored 18 &mdash; Notre Dame moved on to play third-seeded Texas Tech in the second round.
Midwest Region: 11-seed Iowa State defeats 6-seed LSU 59-54
These were two teams with similar records that had similar patterns to their seasons &mdash; they both started the year with 12 game winning streaks that went through Christmas. However, playing in two of the best conferences in the country in the SEC and Big 12, both teams took their lumps through the remainder of the season. Although Iowa State took an 11-point lead around the 7-minute mark in the second half, LSU made an 11-1 run that brought the game within one point with under two minutes remaining. Iowa State pulled out the low scoring win with Tyrese Hunter being the team's major difference maker, dropping 23 points on 7-for-11 shooting from beyond the arc. The freshman guard&rsquo;s clutch shooting clinic included two late threes that helped Iowa State pull away from the Tigers at the end. Hunter&rsquo;s 5 steals also led a stingy Cyclones defense that recorded 15 total. Iowa State&rsquo;s victory means they advance to the second round to take on third-seeded Wisconsin on Sunday.
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BEST GAMES OF THE DAY
Midwest Region
No. 10 seed Miami defeats No. 7 seed USC 68-66
This matchup was tightly contested throughout the first 15 minutes, until Miami began to break the game open and took a 13-point lead with three minutes remaining in the first half. USC&rsquo;s offense grew stagnant, and the Hurricanes took advantage with a 31-20 lead at halftime. However, the Trojans came fighting back to begin the second half with two threes and a fast break layup from Isaiah Mobley (he finished with 11 points) to bring them within one. From this point it was a back and forth battle that favored Miami, yet USC would manage a big basket to keep it close &mdash; USC was down by seven points with 45 seconds left in the game. A Doug Peterson three, a Miami out-of-bounds call, and then another Peterson three brought the Trojans back within one, with 25.3 seconds left in the game.
After free throws from both teams, it was tied at 66 in the final moments. Charlie Moore drove to the lane and attempted a contested layup, which earned him a foul call. Moore stepped to the line and knocked down two free throws to seal the game. A halfcourt heave at the buzzer almost fell for Doug Peterson &mdash; he ended the game with a valiant effort of 17 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists. Miami&rsquo;s Isaiah Wong led the Hurricanes with 22 points while dealing with foul trouble and Moore followed with 16 points. Miami will see second-seeded Auburn in the second round.&nbsp;
South Region
No. 4 seed Illinois defeats No. 13 seed Chattanooga 54-53
Illinois only led this game for 25 seconds, but it was the most important time to do so. Chattanooga jumped on Illinois early, with a 14-3 lead in the first five minutes. The Mocs had control over most of the first half, but a Fighting Illini run at the end of period brought the score to 33-29.&nbsp;
The second half started much like the first with Chattanooga playing good basketball and giving themselves an 11-point cushion, but a very resilient Illinois team fought back again and kept the game within one or two possessions over the course of the closing minutes. After some questionable possessions by Chattanooga, Illinois took its first lead of the game on a Kofi Cockburn putback with 47 seconds remaining. The Mocs received a trip to the line on the next possession and two free throws were knocked down by SOCON Player of the Year Malachi Smith (who finished with 12 points and 8 rebounds), which gave his team the lead.
On the following possession Alfonso Plummer was fouled and hit two free throws for the Illini to take the lead back. On the final possession, the Mocs gave the ball to Smith who had two looks to take home the win &mdash; he was blocked on a left hand drive, then shot a last second midrange jumper that went just a tad long. Cockburn finished with 17 points and 13 rebounds and Plummer provided 15 points of his own. Illinois avoided the upset and will face fifth-seeded Houston on Sunday.
West Region
No. 7 seed MSU defeats No. 10 seed Davidson 74-73
An up-and-down season for Michigan State had some experts predicting Davidson would come away with this game. However, an impressive 27 points on 9-12 from the floor by Joey Hauser was the big difference.
An interesting storyline revolved around Davidson&rsquo;s transfer starting point guard, Foster Loyer &mdash; he's a Michigan native who made the move down to play with the Wildcats after three seasons of limited production for the Spartans. This proved to be a good move for Loyer, as he&rsquo;s been the leading scorer and assist man for Davidson with 16.1 points and 3.3 assists per game this season. The motivation was there for Davidson, and the team played with a confidence that showed each time the team came up with an answer to Michigan State&rsquo;s attempts to pull away.
Davidson took a five-point lead with under seven minutes to go, but with some big buckets by Hauser, heady play by AJ Hoggard (14 points) and a three from Gabe Brown (12 points), the Spartans made a 10-0 run to take a five-point lead of their own with under four minutes left. Michigan State had an eight point lead with one minute remaining, but a late push by the Wildcats with some great clock management, clutch baskets and pressure defense that led to a bad MSU turnover brought the game back in reach. However, in the end, Michigan State was able to close it out with two Tyson Walker free throws. Michigan State will take on second-seeded Duke in the round of 32.
No. 3 seed Wisconsin beats No. 14 seed Colgate 67-60
Colgate is one of the best three-point shooting teams in the country, and came into this game on a 15-game winning streak. The Patriot League champs made sure Wisconsin knew this one wouldn&rsquo;t be easy. However, this would be the Raiders&rsquo;s biggest test, as the Badgers won the Big Ten regular season championship and have a projected lottery pick in Johnny Davis.
Colgate found success scoring the ball from inside before unleashing their long-range prowess. Senior Nelly Cummings for Colgate finished the game with 20 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists &mdash; he gave the Badgers trouble on all three levels. Cummings even locked the game at 28-all with a baseline reverse layup at the buzzer to go into halftime.
But the stars shine bright on the big stage and, after a slow start, Johnny Davis got going in the second half. Davis finished with 25 points on 8 for 20 shooting from the floor and added 6 rebounds and 2 steals. Tyler Wahl followed Davis with 15 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals of his own. The Raiders played a strong game but wore down as the battle-tested Badgers showed up down the stretch. Wisconsin has a date with 11th-seeded Iowa State in the next round.
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OTHER FIRST-ROUND RESULTS
Midwest Region
2-seed Auburn defeats 15-seed Jacksonville State 80-61
East Region
3-seed Purdue defeats 14-seed Yale 78-56
6-seed Texas defeats 11-seed Virginia Tech 81-73
South Region
No. 1 seed Arizona defeats No. 16 seed Wright State 87-70
No. 2 seed Villanova defeats No. 15 seed Delaware 80-60
No. 5 seed Houston defeats No. 12 seed UAB 82-68
No. 7 seed Ohio State defeats No. 10 seed Loyola Chicago 54-41
No. 9 seed TCU defeats No. 8 seed Seton Hall 69-42
West Region
No. 2 seed Duke defeats 15-seed Cal State Fullerton 78-61
No. 3 seed Texas Tech defeats 14-seed Montana State 97-62
MUST-WATCH SECOND-ROUND GAMES ON DAY 3
No. 1 seed Gonzaga vs. No. 9 seed Memphis - 9:40 PM EST
A highly anticipated second round matchup of two potential top-10 picks in Chet Holmgren and Jalen Duren.&nbsp;
No. 1 seed Baylor vs. 8-seed North Carolina - 12:10 PM EST
Baylor is missing two key pieces due to injury, &mdash;LJ Cryer and Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua &mdash;&nbsp;while UNC is playing some of its best basketball of the season. Caleb Love is worth keeping an eye on.
No. 4 seed UCLA vs. 5-seed Saint Mary&rsquo;s - 7:10 PM EST
The Bruins are hoping to get back to the Final Four while Saint Mary&rsquo;s wants to prove the WCC isn&rsquo;t just run by Gonzaga. This could be a battle.
No. 7 seed Murray State vs. No. 15 seed Saint Peter&rsquo;s 7:45 PM EST
Does Saint Peter&rsquo;s have more magic for a Sweet 16 birth? Or will Murray State's toughness win out?
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Blake Hairston takes us through the upsets and thrillers of Day 2 of the NCAA DI men's basketball tournament, plus a preview of Day 3.

March Madness: Recapping Day 2 of the 2022 NCAA Tournament

The Sour Rankings are all about spotlighting disappointment, negativity and drama in the NBA. As the writer of this column, even I get a little bummed out after writing so many critical paragraphs.
So we're mixing up the agenda this week. You'll still receive the same Sour Rankings, but I'll additionally provide a positive development for each squad. Some will be obvious (LeBron James dropped 56 two nights ago), and others will hopefully surprise. For fans of these teams, the positivity should at least provide some much-needed comfort.
If you're new to the Sour Rankings, here's a refresher: Unlike the typical "power rankings" that repeat themselves throughout sports media, Sour Rankings are a bizarro-world counter. These rankings highlight the top-10 most frustrating NBA franchises throughout the season, and they will be updated every week to match the twists and turns of the league.
This is not merely a bottom-10 of your typical best-to-worst outlooks. You will see championship contenders and playoff hopefuls mixed in with struggling squads. Teams well under .500 may never touch the Sour Rankings because they are on track with their respective processes. Injuries, drama, transactions and generally underwhelming play will earn you a spot on this list.
The central question is ultimately this: How good should you feel about the direction of each franchise? Let's get going.
Escaping the Sour Rankings:&nbsp;The Milwaukee Bucks didn't stay long, now riding a four-game winning streak after picking up three statement wins against playoff competitors in the Miami Heat, Chicago Bulls and Phoenix Suns. The New Orleans Pelicans also received some positive news on the Zion Williamson front to pair with their solid play, so they escape as well.
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10. Toronto Raptors (34-30)
The Raptors have come out from the All-Star break just 2-5, with both those wins coming versus the Brooklyn Nets. They're in somewhat of an Eastern Conference standings bubble at seventh, currently three games behind the Cleveland Cavaliers and three games up on eighth place (a triple tie).
Unfortunately, Malachi Flynn is <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/basketball/news/raptors-malachi-flynn-out-at-least-10-days/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">out at least 10 days</a> with a hamstring injury. But his post-All-Star run is worth highlighting because it was sneaky-unreal. Flynn averaged 12.5 points per game, shot 42.3% from long range and handed out 27 assists against a single turnover in six contests. Hopefully he can return from injury soon because he really appeared to be putting things together offensively.
(Last week: Unranked)
9. Charlotte Hornets (32-33)
We're once again at the point of questioning a surprisingly successful Hornets defense. <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/stats-notebook-charlotte-is-buzzing-behind-a-weirdly-successful-defense" target="_blank" rel="noopener">I wrote a whole Stats Notebook on Charlotte's defense</a> over a month ago and the team responded by being abjectly terrible.&nbsp;
Well, now the Hornets are eighth in defensive rating since the All-Star break and one of five NBA teams with top-12 metrics on both sides of the basketball. Is this a real sign of progress or just another small-sample mirage? We'll find out pretty soon.
(Last week: 7)
8. Houston Rockets (16-48)
Jalen Green, man.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Jalen Green SAUCE 🥫🔥<a href="https://t.co/ofdpU8YjRv">pic.twitter.com/ofdpU8YjRv</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1500663635160481792?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 7, 2022</a></blockquote>

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He's been leading all rookies with 18.1 points per game since Feb. 1. Green is attacking the rim with effort (79th percentile in frequency, per Cleaning the Glass) and finishing effectively (64.0% at the rim, in the 74th percentile). The highlights alone have breathed some life into Houston, which finally snapped a 12-game losing streak with Sunday night's victory over the Grizzlies.
(Last week: 6)
7. Golden State Warriors (43-21)
So Golden State is 2-8 in its last 10 games, and Andrew Wiggins has notably underwhelmed since his first All-Star appearance. Still, we're keeping things positive, and the best part of the Warriors' past month has been the rise of two lottery rookies.
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/stats-notebook-3-nba-prospects-who-are-quietly-figuring-things-out" target="_blank" rel="noopener">I wrote about Jonathan Kuminga recently</a>, so I'd like to focus on Moses Moody here. He's played in 11 games for the Warriors since the start of February and knocked down an even 50.0% of his threes while averaging 17.1 minutes per contest. Regression is inevitable, but it's nice to see Moody's shot translating so far, as he moves up from the G League to a larger presence in the rotation.
(Last week: Unranked)
6. Washington Wizards (29-34)
Washington is about to hit a great stretch of its schedule despite heading out west. Just 3 of the next 8&nbsp; games are against teams over .500 (Los Angeles Clippers, Denver Nuggets and Warriors) and the other five matchups include the New York Knicks, Portland Trail Blazers, Los Angeles Lakers (twice) and Rockets. This is a great opportunity for the Wizards to string together some wins as their closest East competitors struggle. Washington is still just two games back of a three-way tie for eighth place in the standings. With Kristaps Porzingis now healthy, it's go time for a playoff push.
(Last week: 5)
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5. Portland Trail Blazers (25-38)
After losing four straight games by 14 or more points (three of them by at least 30), Portland has entered the cliff-hanging window for its playoff hopes. But let's give Brandon Williams the name recognition he deserves.&nbsp;
The 22-year-old guard went undrafted this past season, tried out for the Westchester Knicks in the G League and promptly tore it up with the team this season. He's now earned a two-way deal with the Blazers, and is averaging 14.8 points in 21.4 minutes per game over his last four contests while making 42.9% of his threes. These types of stories never get old.
(Last week: 8)
4. Sacramento Kings (24-42)
The Kings scrounge up a couple of wins against the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs to keep their postseason hopes barely alive. De'Aaron Fox is certainly doing his best to put any remaining ire about trading Tyrese Haliburton behind the team. Fox has put up a whopping 28.3 points per game since the start of February, and sports a 36.5% three-point clip. We've said this several times when Fox heats up, but if that jumper is even semi-legit, he becomes a wholly-different caliber of offensive player.
(Last week: 4)
3. Los Angeles Lakers (28-35)
LeBron James is just the fourth NBA player ever to score 50 or more points at over 37 years old. His 56-point outburst was historic on several fronts, and it reminded the city and the league that &mdash; when all else is failing &mdash; The King is still The King. In fact, LeBron's 29.4 points per game are the fourth-most he's had in any NBA season, and the most since the 2009-10 campaign in Cleveland. Level it out, and his per-36 scoring output of 28.8 points is the highest he's ever had.
(Last week: 1)
2. New York Knicks (26-38)
Ariel Pacheco is one of my favorite Knicks follows, so I'll let his Twitter thread do the talking after a great win over the Clippers:
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Knicks/Clippers - 6 things that stood out The Deuce, IQ, Cam, RJ, Mitch/Sims lineup held the Clippers scoreless for a 6 min stretch. Fun combo of ball pressure, timely switches, good contesting. Forced a couple of turnovers well. Multiple guys who can guard multiple positions <a href="https://t.co/6rWZ4lt0i6">pic.twitter.com/6rWZ4lt0i6</a>
&mdash; Ariel (@APachecoNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/APachecoNBA/status/1500850399464636416?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 7, 2022</a></blockquote>

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I will beg for more Deuce McBride-Immanuel Quickley minutes as long as I live, but this small sample bodes well for the defense of the future. New York actually has the ninth-best defensive rating in the NBA since the All-Star break (small sample size alert), so there may be some good development happening.&nbsp;
(Last week: 2)
1. Brooklyn Nets (32-33)
So, the Nets do have the league's second-worst defense since the All-Star break and lost at full strength to the Boston Celtics in a huge Sunday matinee game to move to 3-13 since Feb. 1.
However! Let's talk about Bruce Brown.
The 25-year-old has made 50% of his three-pointers in that 16-game stretch. He's up to 37.7% on the season, which would be a major career-high clip. Brown isn't exactly a Joe Harris replacement; he takes just 1.1 threes per game and hasn't earned the full respect of the defense. But he is probably Brooklyn's best perimeter defender, and if he can be solid enough on offense, the Nets could really use someone of his style.
(Last week: 3)
&nbsp;
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Ethan Fuller provides some positivity for each team in this week's Sour Rankings.

NBA Sour Rankings: Look on the bright side

Do you know that Joe Johnson will turn 41 in June?
Do you think he knows?
Do you think he cares?!?
Well, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/things-to-monitor-as-the-next-fiba-world-cups-next-qualifying-window-arrives" target="_blank" rel="noopener">as noted last week</a>, Joe Jesus is back on Team USA this week. You may or may not remember that Johnson was part of the 2006 World Championship American-squad that won a bronze medal. (The redeem team was still two years away.) Additionally, Johnson suited up for Team USA one year ago, playing in two FIBA AmeriCup 2022 qualifiers last February. Seven months later, he won his second BIG3 MVP Award in as many seasons, since the 2020 campaign was canceled due to COVID. Johnson even signed a 10-day NBA deal in December with the Boston Celtics, and scored <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrH_zCL9xts" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a garbage time bucket in his only appearance</a>.
We saw Johnson play again last night for the first time since, and he led Team USA to a <a href="https://www.fiba.basketball/basketballworldcup/2023/americas-qualifiers/game/2402/USA-Puerto-Rico#tab=boxscore" target="_blank" rel="noopener">93-76 victory over Puerto Rico in Washington D.C.</a> last night, beginning the second-window of round one for the FIBA World Cup 2023 qualifiers with a win. Team USA had trailed Puerto Rico 44-42 at halftime, but flipped the game on its head with a 32-14 third-quarter outburst. Johnson, who played about 23 minutes, led the way with a team-high 18 points on 7-of-11 shooting, also making 4-of-6 free throws, and collecting four assists.
And he looked &hellip; like Joe Johnson!
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0:38 &ndash; Maybe a travel, maybe not, but off the screen, catches, triple threats, puts the spin on Luis Hern&aacute;ndez, and creates just enough space to rise for the mid-range jumper. Vintage Joe Johnson, as Michael Cole would annoyingly say. &nbsp;
0:58 &ndash; Former Kent State and Christ The King standout Christopher Ortiz knew what was coming. He played fine defense but still couldn&rsquo;t stop Johnson from posting-up, dribbling four times, fading away, and drilling in the well-contested turnaround. Elite full-court run in August type of bucket.&nbsp;
1:22 &ndash; Johnson gets a pass from Langston Galloway, quickly drives baseline on Ortiz, and floats one in over 6-foot-9 Ismael Romero after just one dribble.
1:42 &ndash; Receives a pass on the right wing, pump fakes gets Jonathan Rodriguez to bite, takes two dribbles, sees that both Romero and Tyquan Rolon won&rsquo;t commit, so Johnson rises up for the open leaner.&nbsp;
That bag is still there. His game is still gorgeous, and he didn&rsquo;t need a three-point make the entire night to pull away from a fellow top-20 team in the nation, and one of the best in the Americas. (As a Puerto Rican, it was also 20% hurtful.)
Let&rsquo;s also shoutout former Golden State Warrior center Jordan Bell, currently of the Fort Wayne Mad Ants in the G League, who played a great enough game to get his own highlight reel (!!) afterward. Bell finished with eight points, eight rebounds, three blocks, three steals, and two assists in 23 minutes off the bench, and was a game-best +21 for the night. Puerto Rico was led by Javier Mojica (Northeast Conference shoutout!), who led with 18 points on 6-of-9 shooting, while former West Virginia point guard Gary Browne Ram&iacute;rez added 16 points and four assists.
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The W improves Team USA to 2-1, and drops Puerto Rico to 1-2, both of whom will return to action to close the Group D second-window on Sunday. In Washington D.C., Team USA will face 3-0 Mexico, who&nbsp;defeated them in Chihuahua City in November, and in Havana, Cuba, Puerto Rico will play against Cuba, who&nbsp;they beat in November, as well. Mexico defeated Cuba 82-72 on Thursday, and the rest of the Americas will begin play on Friday the 25th or Saturday the 26th.
In the African region, South Sudan defeated Rwanda 68-56 and the Democratic Republic of Congo outlasted Kenya 66-56, both on Friday morning, in what were the first games played of any kind in Groups B and D in the African Region. By the time you read this, other games might&rsquo;ve been played, <a href="https://www.fiba.basketball/basketballworldcup/2023/african-qualifiers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">which you can follow here</a>. Again, as outlined last week, especially keep tabs on Cameroon vs. Tunisia, which&rsquo;ll begin at 4 p.m. EST/1 p.m. PST.
In Asia, South Korea reportedly withdrew from qualifiers this window <a href="https://www.spieltimes.com/news/south-korea-withdraws-from-fiba-world-cup-qualifiers/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">due to COVID protocols</a>, forfeiting Thursday&rsquo;s game to the Philippines, which officially goes down as a 20-0 final. That matters because point differential could help break a tie if needed, and South Korea is currently last in Group A, where they&rsquo;re the only winless team in the group. The Philippines, who&rsquo;ll host the 2023 World Cup along with Japan and Indonesia, are 2-0 after also beating India 88-64.
So, Indonesia is 0-3, and their automatic World Cup bid &ndash; which is usually the case for hosts &ndash; is <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20171213161459/http:/www.philstar.com:8080/sports/2017/12/13/1767946/learning-2019-world-cup" target="_blank" rel="noopener">provisional due to their lack of international success</a>. So far, they&rsquo;ve lost to Lebanon 96-38, and again 110-64, before having a slightly better loss against Saudi Arabia, 95-66. In Group C, not only are Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Lebanon each 2-1, but Indonesia is dead last with a -133 point differential, the worst out of anyone in World Cup qualifiers at the moment. Do with all that what you will. For more updates on Asian qualifiers, <a href="https://www.fiba.basketball/basketballworldcup/2023/asian-qualifiers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">go here</a>.
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And, in Europe, Lithuania, now 3-0, remained undefeated after a narrow 78-77 win over Bosnia; as did Spain after winning 88-74 against Ukraine; and Russia, who won 80-69 over the Netherlands. Czech Republic, who stunned many and finished sixth in the 2019 World Cup, is now 0-3 after losing to Bulgaria, 79-70 on Thursday. Currently, they're last in Group F, and on pace to not even return to the World Cup without a substantial turnaround. Europe is the busiest of the regions and will spawn the most qualifiers, so the bulk of their games are from Friday through Sunday. For more on Europe, <a href="https://www.fiba.basketball/basketballworldcup/2023/european-qualifiers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here you go</a>.&nbsp;
There&rsquo;s a lot else worth getting to, but we&rsquo;ll leave some on the table for when we reconvene on Wednesday. By then, this window will be over and we could see where things stand before round one finishes over the summer.
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Bryan Fonseca reviews the action from Joe Johnson and Team USA, keeping the updates coming about the FIBA World Cup qualifiers.

Joe Johnson’s game and more notes from FIBA World Cup qualifiers

As we near the end of the NCAA regular season, let's take a dive into college basketball's Power Five conference standings, remaining matchups, and teams to watch as we come down the stretch.
Earlier this week we addressed the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/state-of-the-conference-evaluating-the-sec" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SEC</a>. For this article, we'll dive into the Big 12.
Here are the current Big 12 standings, with conference wins and losses to the left and overall record to the right (table via <a href="https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/conferences/big-12/2022.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CBB Sports-Reference</a>):
<table dir="ltr" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 112.547%; height: 264px;" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><colgroup><col width="50" /><col width="120" /><col width="61" /><col width="61" /><col width="81" /><col width="61" /><col width="61" /><col width="64" /><col width="65" /></colgroup>
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="height: 22px; width: 6.51974%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Rk&quot;}">Rk</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 23.651%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;School&quot;}">School</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 7.71057%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;W&quot;}">W</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 6.619%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;L&quot;}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:1}">L</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 12.1915%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;W-L%&quot;}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:4,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;[$$]#,##0.00&quot;,&quot;3&quot;:1}">W-L%</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 8.3984%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;W&quot;}">W</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 7.09351%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;L&quot;}">L</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 14.519%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;W-L%&quot;}">W-L%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="height: 22px; width: 6.51974%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:1}">1</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 23.651%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Kansas&quot;}">Kansas (6)</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 7.71057%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:10}">10</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 6.619%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;2&quot;}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:1}">2</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 12.1915%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:0.833}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;0.0%&quot;,&quot;3&quot;:1}">83.3%</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 8.3984%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:21}">21</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 7.09351%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:4}">4</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 14.519%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:0.84}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;0%&quot;,&quot;3&quot;:1}">84%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="height: 22px; width: 6.51974%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:2}">2</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 23.651%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Baylor&quot;}">Baylor (7)</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 7.71057%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:9}">9</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 6.619%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;3&quot;}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:1}">3</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 12.1915%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:0.75}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;0.0%&quot;,&quot;3&quot;:1}">75.0%</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 8.3984%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:21}">21</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 7.09351%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:4}">4</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 14.519%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:0.84}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;0%&quot;,&quot;3&quot;:1}">84%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="height: 22px; width: 6.51974%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:3}">3</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 23.651%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Texas Tech&quot;}">Texas Tech (11)</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 7.71057%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:8}">8</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 6.619%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;4&quot;}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:1}">4</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 12.1915%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:0.667}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;0.0%&quot;,&quot;3&quot;:1}">66.7%</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 8.3984%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:19}">19</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 7.09351%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:6}">6</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 14.519%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:0.76}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;0%&quot;,&quot;3&quot;:1}">76%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="height: 22px; width: 6.51974%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:4}">4</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 23.651%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Texas&quot;}">Texas (20)</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 7.71057%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:8}">8</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 6.619%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;5&quot;}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:1}">5</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 12.1915%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:0.615}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;0.0%&quot;,&quot;3&quot;:1}">61.5%</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 8.3984%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:19}">19</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 7.09351%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:7}">7</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 14.519%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:0.731}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;0%&quot;,&quot;3&quot;:1}">73%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="height: 22px; width: 6.51974%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:5}">5</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 23.651%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Kansas State&quot;}">Kansas State</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 7.71057%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:6}">6</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 6.619%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;7&quot;}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:1}">7</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 12.1915%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:0.462}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;0.0%&quot;,&quot;3&quot;:1}">46.2%</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 8.3984%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:14}">14</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 7.09351%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:11}">11</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 14.519%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:0.56}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;0%&quot;,&quot;3&quot;:1}">56%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="height: 22px; width: 6.51974%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:6}">6</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 23.651%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;TCU&quot;}">TCU</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 7.71057%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:5}">5</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 6.619%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;6&quot;}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:1}">6</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 12.1915%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:0.455}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;0.0%&quot;,&quot;3&quot;:1}">45.5%</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 8.3984%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:16}">16</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 7.09351%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:7}">7</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 14.519%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:0.696}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;0%&quot;,&quot;3&quot;:1}">70%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 44px;">
<td style="height: 44px; width: 6.51974%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:7}">7</td>
<td style="height: 44px; width: 23.651%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Oklahoma State&quot;}">Oklahoma State</td>
<td style="height: 44px; width: 7.71057%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:5}">5</td>
<td style="height: 44px; width: 6.619%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;8&quot;}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:1}">8</td>
<td style="height: 44px; width: 12.1915%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:0.385}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;0.0%&quot;,&quot;3&quot;:1}">38.5%</td>
<td style="height: 44px; width: 8.3984%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:12}">12</td>
<td style="height: 44px; width: 7.09351%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:13}">13</td>
<td style="height: 44px; width: 14.519%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:0.48}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;0%&quot;,&quot;3&quot;:1}">48%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="height: 22px; width: 6.51974%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:8}">8</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 23.651%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Iowa State&quot;}">Iowa State</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 7.71057%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:4}">4</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 6.619%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;9&quot;}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:1}">9</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 12.1915%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:0.308}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;0.0%&quot;,&quot;3&quot;:1}">30.8%</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 8.3984%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:17}">17</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 7.09351%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:9}">9</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 14.519%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:0.654}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;0%&quot;,&quot;3&quot;:1}">65%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="height: 22px; width: 6.51974%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:8}">8</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 23.651%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Oklahoma&quot;}">Oklahoma</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 7.71057%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:4}">4</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 6.619%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;9&quot;}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:1}">9</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 12.1915%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:0.308}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;0.0%&quot;,&quot;3&quot;:1}">30.8%</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 8.3984%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:14}">14</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 7.09351%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:12}">12</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 14.519%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:0.538}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;0%&quot;,&quot;3&quot;:1}">54%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="height: 22px; width: 6.51974%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:10}">10</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 23.651%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;West Virginia&quot;}">West Virginia</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 7.71057%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:3}">3</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 6.619%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;9&quot;}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:1}">9</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 12.1915%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:0.25}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;0.0%&quot;,&quot;3&quot;:1}">25.0%</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 8.3984%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:14}">14</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 7.09351%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:11}">11</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 14.519%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:0.56}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;0%&quot;,&quot;3&quot;:1}">56%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
FRONTRUNNERS: KANSAS, BAYLOR
Other than their embarrassing loss at home to Kentucky, the Kansas Jayhawks have looked the part of a No. 1 seed with an offense ranked third in the country and Adjusted Efficiency that ranks sixth. Ochai Agbaji and Christian Braun are incredibly difficult to contain, while role players such as Jalen Wilson and Remy Martin are reliable in their own right. Kansas has a primetime matchup against Baylor coming up, but other than that, the team should be able to finish the season on a strong note.
The Baylor Bears are only one game back from the Jayhawks, but recently lost Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua for the year with a devastating knee injury. While this will certainly impact them down the stretch, potential first-round picks Kendall Brown and Jeremy Sochan have the potential to win game when it matters, leading the No. 14 defense in the nation. Baylor is led offensively by a three-headed monster at guard: James Akinjo, LJ Cryer, and Adam Flagler. They are effective as floor generals, scorers and facilitators, and will look to power the Bears through the final few weeks of the regular season with an eye on the top spot if they can defeat Kansas on Feb. 26.
Notable games remaining:&nbsp;
Kansas: Baylor (Feb. 26), Texas (Mar. 5)
Baylor: Kansas (Feb. 26), Texas (Feb. 28)
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/usatsi_17546573_lg.jpg" alt="" width="647" height="431" />
ON THE HEELS: TEXAS TECH, TEXAS
Sporting the third-best defense in the country, the Texas Tech Red Raiders are ranked 11th nationally and have a chance to move even higher up with a win against Baylor on Wednesday. Sitting only two games back from the top spot, Bryson Williams, Terrence Shannon Jr. and Co. are nearly unbeatable at home, so Tech will push for a top-two seed over the next few weeks. Oral Roberts transfer Kevin Obanor is the swing factor for me. He&rsquo;s been inconsistent as a scorer, but when he&rsquo;s clicking and stretching the floor, the Red Raiders are incredibly difficult to compete with. Look for him to have a strong finish to the year.&nbsp;
The Texas Longhorns entered this season ranked No. 5 in the preseason poll, but are only 8-5 in conference play. While they have underperformed, I still wouldn&rsquo;t want any part of them come Big 12 or NCAA Tournament time. They are senior-laden, experienced and skilled across the board. Currently projected as as No. 5 seed in March, Timmy Allen, Marcus Carr and Co. have a very difficult schedule the next couple weeks, but have an opportunity to turn the tables in their favor.
Notable games remaining:&nbsp;
Texas Tech: Texas (Feb. 19)
Texas: Texas Tech (Feb. 19), Baylor (Feb. 28). Kansas (Mar. 5)
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/usatsi_17582791_lg.jpg" alt="" width="648" height="423" />
SLEEPERS: TCU
The TCU Horned Frogs are 5-6 in conference play, but we are going to find out what they&rsquo;re made of down the stretch. Five of the final seven games are against ranked opponents, a gauntlet that has not been friendly to others in the Big 12. Mike Miles is leading the team in scoring, but will need to play at an elite level to carry the team to the end.&nbsp;
Notable games remaining: Texas (Feb. 23), Texas Tech (Feb. 26), Kansas (Mar. 1, Mar. 3)
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THE REST: 
Kansas State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, West Virginia, Iowa State
2022 NBA DRAFT PROSPECTS TO WATCH
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-big-board/players/kendall-brown" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kendall Brown, Baylor</a>
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-big-board/players/ochai-agbaji" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ochai Agbaji, Kansas</a>
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-big-board/players/jeremy-sochan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jeremy Sochan, Baylor</a>
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-big-board/players/christian-braun" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Christian Braun, Kansas</a>
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-big-board/players/matthew-mayer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Matthew Mayer, Baylor</a>
Jalen Wilson, Kansas
Terrence Shannon Jr., Texas Tech
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
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Nearing the end of the NCAA regular season, Derek Murray takes a dive into the state of the Big 12.

State of the Conference: Evaluating the Big 12

Shaedon Sharpe, a five-star prospect who is enrolling at Kentucky for the spring semester, is eligible for the 2022 NBA Draft, according to <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/33109452/shaedon-sharpe-18-apply-2022-nba-draft-joining-kentucky-wildcats-january" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ESPN's Jonathan Givony</a>.&nbsp;
Sharpe is eligible to play for the Wildcats but has yet to appear in a game. Basketball News Senior NBA Draft Analyst Matt Babcock offered his insight on Sharpe's looming decision and his thoughts on Sharpe as a prospect:
"In early November, it was brought to my attention by Wes Brown, a top talent evaluator from Canada, that Sharpe could be eligible for the 2022 NBA Draft. So I'm not surprised to hear this news. However, from my understanding, although certainly possible, I don't think it's a foregone conclusion that he will be in this upcoming draft.
"I had the chance to watch Sharpe several times last spring when he played with his traveling team, UPLAY Canada. His athleticism and length were the first things that I noticed. Throughout the spring and summer, he elevated his game by proving to be a reliable shot-maker in addition to being such an explosive athlete.
"If Sharpe does decide to enter his name in the 2022 NBA Draft, he will likely receive legitimate interest from teams selecting in the lottery. So, naturally, I will be monitoring his situation closely.
&nbsp;

Sharpe is eligible to play for the Kentucky Wildcats but has yet to appear in a game.

Report: 5-star prospect Shaedon Sharpe eligible for 2022 NBA Draft

For the umpteenth season in a row, Buddy Hield is on the trade market and actively being shopped by the Sacramento Kings <a href="https://www.sacbee.com/sports/nba/sacramento-kings/article256556286.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">per Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee</a>.
<blockquote>
One source said the Kings are still shopping a package including Buddy Hield and Marvin Bagley III in hopes of getting a good player in return.&nbsp;
</blockquote>
With Tyrese Haliburton&rsquo;s emergence and Davion Mitchell&rsquo;s initial pop, Sacramento has consistently relied upon three-guard lineups &mdash; four of the top five players in minutes played for the Kings this season are guards.&nbsp;
While I wouldn&rsquo;t argue that Hield is the most replaceable of the guards, he is the oldest by a wide margin and the only guard on a non-max or rookie-scale contract, likely making him the easiest to trade without tearing apart the team structure in its entirety (hence why he&rsquo;s been in trade talks for multiple years).
The initial $24 million hit on his four-year contract, inked during the 2019 off-season, likely played into reticence or difficulty to trade for Hield. A descending scale on his deal and looming <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/mortenjensen/2021/09/19/with-new-tv-deal-looming-nba-teams-could-spend-big-on-extensions/?sh=51344fc73e85" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cap spike</a> could potentially temper trade discussions to the right degree.
While Hield has had a slow start to the season, he&rsquo;s caught fire the past two weeks, indicating a return to form. He's shooting 47% from three over the last 10 days on 9.4 attempts per game.
Buddy Hield is undoubtedly a specialist, but the level to which he specializes as a shooter brings much more value than that &ldquo;shooter&rdquo; label may imply.&nbsp;
Per Stathead, no player has hit more threes since the 2018-19 season than Hield, nailing just shy of a thousand in that span (950) with the next closest player, James Harden, nearly 100 behind (862).&nbsp;
He&rsquo;s an elite shooter off-the-catch and from a standstill, but his shooting variety is what makes him such a remarkable offensive player. An elite combination of movement, flexibility, and footwork open up his arsenal.
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He maintains balance and can start and stop on a dime, which allows him to create the slivers of space necessary to garner clean looks. Basketball Index uses NBA tracking data to contextualize data and create metrics to track overarching aspects of the game. For instance, Buddy Hield is in the fourth percentile of openness rating this season, which combines numerous factors to estimate how open a player is on average when they shoot. In essence, Hield is almost never open, which tracks with the eye test &mdash; defenses swarm him.
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One of my favorite aspects of Hield's game is his utility as a screener. The Sacramento Kings run "Spain" pick-and-roll a great deal, mostly with Hield as the back-screener in the action, flaring up after making contact to fly out for an open shot.&nbsp;
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Hield&rsquo;s proficiency as a movement shooter out of these sets has allowed the Kings to create a sort of gravity well between De&rsquo;Aaron Fox&rsquo;s downhill drive and Hield&rsquo;s shooting threat. It has created constant headaches for defenses for multiple seasons now. I cannot stress enough how rare it is for a player to be able to replicate this kind of action and hit that shot with consistency.
On the subject of the ridiculous number of difficult shots in his diet, he&rsquo;s particularly an artist as a pull-up shooter &mdash; especially on pick-and-roll actions.&nbsp;
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Hield is hitting 35.3% of his 3.7 pull-up three-point attempts per game, well above the league average (~31%). Putting that into context, this is actually the worst he&rsquo;s shot on threes off-the-dribble since his first full year in Sacramento (35.9%).&nbsp;
That prolific ability as an off-dribble shooter makes it nearly impossible to go under on-ball screens involving Hield. He doesn&rsquo;t possess great accuracy or court vision as a passer, but the windows provided to him by his scoring gravity are consistently there, and his playmaking out of the pick-and-roll has blossomed the past few years.
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No, Buddy Hield is not a perfect player, and his shortcomings as an athlete and defender do require gameplanning and proper roster construction to amplify what he does well. However, the right team could get the most out of his skill set moving forward if he is traded.
Which teams around the league should be looking into a deal for Buddy Hield and what would it take for a trade to work?
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Orlando Magic
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Orlando is currently 10th in three-point attempts but only 26th in three-point percentage &mdash; spacing has been an issue across the majority of the Magic&rsquo;s lineups. Hield would immediately be the best shooting threat on the team, and could be an intriguing off-ball partner to Cole Anthony and Franz Wagner as they continue to grow on-the-ball.
Terrence Ross&rsquo; career-low shooting has played a part in Orlando&rsquo;s spacing issues, and he seems ripe for a new opportunity for a myriad of reasons.
The main purpose of the deal for Sacramento is to add depth via Ross and potentially Michael Carter-Williams (whose timetable for return <a href="https://nba.nbcsports.com/2021/08/24/magic-michael-carter-williams-to-miss-start-of-season-with-ankle-injury/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">is still indefinite</a>), while also adding an intriguing young player in Chuma Okeke on the wing. Okeke missed the beginning of the season recovering from injury after a solid close last season, and he has struggled to find his footing offensively. He hasn&rsquo;t looked quite the same post-injury in general, and the budding potential of Franz Wagner &mdash; along with the looming return of Jonathan Isaac to an already loaded frontcourt &mdash; makes it appear that Okeke could be on the outside of the lineup looking in.
I probably wouldn&rsquo;t be ready to move on from Okeke if I was in charge of the Magic's front office but, all things considered, there&rsquo;s sensibility to this deal on both sides &mdash; but it may need evening out in the way of draft capital from Orlando.
Memphis Grizzlies
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The Grizzlies have been in need of a consolidation trade for a few seasons now, and this is probably not the one! But it's an intriguing look for both sides nonetheless.&nbsp;
Memphis is two years away from new contracts hitting the cap sheet for Ja Morant (presumably) and other members of the core rotation. While Hield isn&rsquo;t the star likely envisioned as the next player to tip the scales in Memphis, he could be someone who does push the needle while smoothing out a jammed rotation. He'd also provide shooting and spacing to a team that&rsquo;s relatively average in that area, and lacks the elite dynamic that few players can add to an offense like Hield.&nbsp;
In a year and a half or two years from now when the Grizz need to re-up, Hield will be on an expiring deal and maybe part of the consolidation trade that does net Memphis a third star. Regardless, he offers a skill set that&rsquo;s intriguing to ponder alongside Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr.
Kyle Anderson&rsquo;s role has decreased in Memphis after starting all of last year, and he would likely slide back into a starting role with Sacramento. His defense, along with his connective passing and positive decision-making on both ends, could do wonders for the Kings. While he is on an expiring deal, perhaps trading for him could give them a better path to re-signing Anderson than would be available if he were on the open market.
Jarrett Culver has looked like an NBA player in his short time in Memphis, which has been awesome to see. Admittedly, that would make me wary of trading him to Sacramento, but in the reality of this trade, the Kings would love to add a young player at a position of need. John Konchar is a solid role player who would likely factor into the back end of the rotation &mdash; that's a spot the Kings need more consistent play from.
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Detroit Pistons
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This is my favorite deal with regards to potential for both sides. Jerami Grant has grown as a player in Detroit, but has been overtaxed in his role. Shams Charania of The Athletic <a href="https://theathletic.com/3011544/2021/12/13/optimism-for-a-kyrie-irving-return-the-latest-on-ben-simmons-trade-talks-and-more-nba-news-and-notes-inside-pass/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recently reported</a> that the Pistons are fielding calls for Grant.
I do wonder what it would look like, and particularly if there would be growing pains if Grant tried to return to a reduced role after high-usage play and some success with the Pistons. However, he would fit pretty well on this team. Ideally, both he and Harrison Barnes are fours, but Grant is a better option at the three-spot than anyone the Kings have employed there since&hellip; Rudy Gay? (Bogdan Bogdanovic was a two-guard)
While the Kings would miss Hield&rsquo;s powers as a spacer, Grant can and will shoot, albeit at a lesser level &mdash; but adding size and athleticism on the wing would be a boon for this team.
On the other hand, Hield to Detroit intrigues me a great deal. The Pistons are the worst shooting team in the league, and while part of that is explained by a slow start from pretty much everyone, it&rsquo;s largely held up. Cade Cunningham and Frank Jackson have both shot well over the past month and a half and Saddiq Bey has come on in the past week, but this is just a bad shooting team regardless of shot luck.
Imagining "Spain" actions with Hield, or even Hield as a direct screener for Cade is so enticing. The best way to get the most out of a young player and bolster his development is to surround them with veterans who can maximize their best skill sets, or ease the load they carry. Hield would do wonders for Detroit&rsquo;s offense (though he couldn't possibly fix them), and could be a quality running mate for Cunningham as he grows as an initiator.
None of these deals are perfect, but most trades aren&rsquo;t &mdash; there are some merits for both sides making these moves. While it&rsquo;s unlikely that any of these deals end up ultimately being made if the Kings do finally move Hield, they provide an interesting framework for viewing his fit within some of the organizations that are reportedly active in the trade market. Regardless, Buddy Hield is one of the higher profile players that&rsquo;s been in reported trade talks in the young season, and he could alter a team&rsquo;s identity prior to the trade deadline.

Buddy Hield is on the trade block again. Mark Schindler writes on what he brings and some possible landing spots that make sense.

Examining potential trade destinations for Buddy Hield

The Indiana Pacers are finally embracing a rebuild. After years of toiling around in mediocrity, the Pacers realized their slow start and league-low attendance weren't going to turn around anytime soon. According to The Athletic&rsquo;s Shams Charania and Bob Kravitz, Indiana is open to trading the following players before February&rsquo;s deadline: Caris LeVert, Domantas Sabonis and Myles Turner.
We already covered <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/examining-potential-trade-destinations-for-caris-levert" target="_blank" rel="noopener">five potential destinations for LeVert</a>, who quickly became expendable with Chris Duarte emerging as a long-term building block. Nekias Duncan has some <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/exploring-trade-destinations-for-domantas-sabonis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">trade ideas cooking on Sabonis</a> as well. So now, to round things out, it&rsquo;s time to reveal the best win-win deals involving Turner.&nbsp;
Unlike Sabonis, who some teams may need to reinvent their entire system around, Turner is the ideal complementary piece for any contender looking to take a leap forward &mdash; this season and beyond. As a modern center who can stretch the floor and block shots at an elite level, many teams will be calling Indiana to inquire about a potential deal.
So, which teams actually make sense for Turner? Let&rsquo;s reveal our six best destinations:
Charlotte Hornets
I already mentioned Turner to the Hornets as a perfect fit for both player and team last week when discussing <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/five-potential-trades-that-make-way-too-much-sense-leading-up-to-februarys-deadline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">five potentially playoff-altering trades before the deadline</a>. Charlotte is so close to taking a massive step forward in the Eastern Conference. All the Hornets need is an adequate rim-protector to help them from leaking too many points to opponents on a nightly basis. Acquiring Turner not only solves that issue, it also raises the ceiling for young superstar point guard LaMelo Ball as well.
Imagining Turner catching lobs from LaMelo and spacing the floor is so much fun, in addition to what he would provide defensively. Charlotte&rsquo;s potential core of Ball, Miles Bridges, Terry Rozier, Gordon Hayward and Turner would be a well-put-together starting lineup. The Hornets could still have James Bouknight and Kai Jones developing off their bench as long-term lottery tickets too.
With Turner expected to fetch a nice return for Indiana, what actually makes sense in terms of an offer? There are two different scenarios to parse through:
Option 1: Kelly Oubre Jr., PJ Washington and a protected future first-round pick
Option 2: Gordon Hayward and a protected future first-round pick
The only reason why Hayward is included here is because we already know Indiana was seriously pursuing the former Indianapolis native during the 2020 offseason. When the Pacers offered Turner for Hayward in the past, former Boston Celtics general manager Danny Ainge didn't budge. Hayward instead bolted to Charlotte, receiving a big bag of cash in the process.
Would Indiana be open to revisiting a similar package 18 months later?
Pacers owner Herb Simon has been reluctant to dip his toes into any luxury-tax payments, so we know that&rsquo;s not happening as sellers. So, how about this Hayward-centric return to try out a &ldquo;soft rebuild&rdquo; or retool?
Pacers receive: Gordon Hayward, PJ Washington, JT Thor, protected first-round pick
Hornets receive: Myles Turner, Jeremy Lamb, Justin Holiday
Hayward would slide in as the 4 next to TJ Warren on the wing, forming an interesting duo. Washington&rsquo;s role in Charlotte isn&rsquo;t growing anytime soon, so giving the former lottery pick a bigger opportunity in Indiana makes sense as well. And from a pure fan perspective of putting butts in the seats, Brownsburg, Indiana native and former Butler Bulldog Gordon Hayward absolutely does that.
From Charlotte&rsquo;s perspective, it&rsquo;s a massive win. Acquiring Turner raises the team's immediate and long-term ceiling, with Lamb and Holiday bolstering that bench.
I doubt Indiana would be interested in Oubre, so let&rsquo;s roll with the options revolving around Hayward. What do you think of this big move for both sides?
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New Orleans Pelicans
As I mentioned yesterday with LeVert, keep an eye on New Orleans as the most desperate team in the NBA. Pelicans executive vice president David Griffin knows the hourglass could soon be running out on his tenure, plus Zion Williamson&rsquo;s injury history continues to pile on.
How about acquiring Turner as an ideal buffer between Brandon Ingram and Zion? It makes a lot of sense to help out a team that's in desperate need of a consistent defensive identity.
Turner is an absolutely perfect third piece to the puzzle in New Orleans, and hopefully a healthy and dominant version of Williamson reappears as well.
However, for a valuable piece like Turner, what would the Pelicans need to send back the Pacers&rsquo; way? Hint: it&rsquo;s going to be a lot.
Here&rsquo;s what I cooked up for a potential Pacers-Pelicans blockbuster revolving around Turner:
Pacers receive: Josh Hart, Kira Lewis Jr., Jaxson Hayes, two future first-round picks (via Lakers and Bucks)
Pelicans receive: Myles Turner, Jeremy Lamb, Brad Wanamaker
Indiana acquires two young assets in Lewis and Hayes, plus another player yet to hit his prime with Hart. The two first-round picks from the Los Angeles Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks are the icing on top of the cake from the Pelicans.
Yes, the Pelicans have Jonas Valanciunas and he&rsquo;s playing at an awesome level right now, but you have to begin thinking about accelerating the rebuild. New Orleans could play Turner and Valanciunas together at some points if necessary, but they could reroute the 29-year-old Valanciunas with his value at an all-time high.
With all three players age-25 or under, a trio of Williamson, Ingram and Turner is something to invest real assets into before it&rsquo;s too late.
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Golden State Warriors
Could you imagine Turner in the same role Kevon Looney is filling right now for Golden State? The Warriors&rsquo; defense would be incredible, and completely unfair. Turner and Draymond Green would make up a terrifying frontcourt duo, plus the former&rsquo;s floor-spacing is an ideal fit in Golden State&rsquo;s offense.
From Indiana&rsquo;s point of view, though, what makes sense in return for Turner? If I&rsquo;m in Pacers president Kevin Pritchard&rsquo;s shoes, I&rsquo;m holding out for Jonathan Kuminga in any Turner deal with Golden State. If push comes to shove with the Warriors refusing to include Kuminga, the following may make sense for both sides:
Pacers receive: James Wiseman, Moses Moody, Damion Lee, future protected first-round pick
Warriors receive: Myles Turner, Kelan Martin
Indiana would acquire two young prospects in Wiseman and Moody to add alongside Duarte and fellow first-round pick Isaiah Jackson. Golden State would probably become the true NBA Finals favorite bringing aboard Turner, plus a sharpshooting wing who can provide spot minutes in Martin.
The Warriors have the assets to make a title push even more likely. Don&rsquo;t be surprised if they have already called Indiana about Turner or Sabonis, because either one makes this team even more of a juggernaut in the Western Conference.
Chicago Bulls
This one is interesting, especially when you consider it would be Pacers 2.0 all over again with an offense-first big alongside Turner in Nikola Vucevic. However, Vucevic's contract expires after this season. If the Bulls retooled a little bit and moved Vucevic this summer, could you imagine the spacing and defensive versatility a frontcourt duo of Turner and Patrick Williams would provide? That sounds like a massive upgrade to me, allowing the ball to be in the hands of Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan even more.
Indiana would of course ask for Williams if the team were to trade Turner within its own division, but that would be a swift, "No." Instead, what about this compelling offer with a young prospect, salary filler and multiple first-round picks going back to Indiana?
Pacers receive: Coby White, Derrick Jones Jr., 2022 first-round pick via Portland, 2026 heavily protected first-round pick
Bulls receive: Myles Turner
Assuming Turner coming aboard would put into motion a long-term vision of him and Williams sharing a frontcourt (the more I talk about it, the more I love this idea), Chicago could offload Vucevic this offseason to recoup some sort of draft capital lost here.
LaVine and DeRozan being insulated defensively by the likes of Lonzo Ball, Alex Caruso, Turner and Williams is a dream scenario for Chicago. This would make the Bulls a terrifying team in the East for years to come.
Meanwhile, Indiana could be the ideal reset for a former lottery pick in White, who wasn&rsquo;t selected by the Bulls&rsquo; current front office regime.
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Milwaukee Bucks
Another Central Division team knocking down the door of Indiana? Again, this one seems far-fetched, but the possibilities are endless here. Imagining a modern big like Turner alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo brings forth mouth-watering possibilities for the Bucks.
However, with little draft capital, would Indiana even be interested in a package revolving around Brook Lopez&rsquo;s contract and Donte DiVincenzo? Maybe with a future pick or two thrown in, it could entice a conversation with Indiana.
Don&rsquo;t forget, there&rsquo;s already trade history between these two divisional teams. When the Pacers pulled off a sign-and-trade for Malcolm Brogdon, it was structured to be a win-win deal for both sides.
Could history repeat itself with Turner joining the Bucks this time around?
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Plopping Turner within the Bucks&rsquo; core is a game-changing move for them. Immediately, Milwaukee would stake its claim as the top team in the East in 2021-22 and beyond. Turner&rsquo;s shooting and rim-protection would essentially give Milwaukee a younger version of Lopez.&nbsp;
I would say this move is doubtful, but don&rsquo;t be surprised if Milwaukee calls about Turner to try to go all-in as they look to repeat.&nbsp;
Portland Trail Blazers
Portland needs to do something soon. Damian Lillard is obviously frustrated with the direction of the team, so what&rsquo;s going to happen with the Trail Blazers&rsquo; roster? As a team with little to no defensive integrity, currently and historically, inserting Turner would be a massive win for Portland.
Turner would become an immediate upgrade over Jusuf Nurkic, who would be sent back to Indiana as salary filler in this scenario. On top of Nurkic, the Blazers would attach promising combo guard Anfernee Simons.
Although Portland loves what it has seen from Simons and Nassir Little in terms of player development, these types of moves have to occur in order to raise the ceiling and floor of the team's current roster.
From Indiana&rsquo;s perspective, this deal is very interesting. The Pacers&rsquo; primary prize here would be Simons alongside a future first-round pick. (Nurkic may even be flipped again or bought out since a rebuilding team has no need for a veteran big on an expiring contract). Seeing Simons in a bigger role would be very intriguing, and that's exactly what would occur in Indy alongside Duarte.
***
So, there we have it. Six teams who stand out as possible landing spots and who should be banging down Indiana's door in pursuit of a perfect modern big man.
This isn&rsquo;t even the tip of the iceberg in terms of Turner&rsquo;s potential destinations though. Many other teams not listed will certainly call about the 25-year-old. As a floor-spacer and rim-protector who might not have hit his true ceiling yet, expect over the half of the league to inquire about Turner in some fashion.

The Pacers are about to blow up their roster. Which teams make the most sense to pursue Myles Turner? Evan Sidery lists six.

Examining potential trade destinations for Myles Turner

The Indiana Pacers might press the big red button.
Fresh off a <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/pacers-must-accept-new-reality-and-become-sellers-at-trade-deadline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">plea from our own Evan Sidery</a>, The Athletic's Shams Charania and Bob Kravitz reported that the Pacers may be ready to <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/pacers-moving-to-substantial-rebuild-listening-to-trade-calls-on-stars" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shift into a rebuild</a>. 
"In need of a new direction amid a 10-16 start to the season, the Indiana Pacers are moving toward a substantial rebuild and are expected to open up trade conversations around some of their veteran stalwarts, sources tell The Athletic."
The report lists Caris LeVert as a name that's garnered interest from teams around the league. BasketballNews.com wrote about <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/examining-potential-trade-destinations-for-caris-levert" target="_blank" rel="noopener">five teams that could make sense for the 27-year-old swingman</a> on Tuesday.
Myles Turner also intrigues the masses; with his blend of shooting and elite rim protection, why wouldn't he?
And then there's Domantas Sabonis, the two-time All-Star bruiser who the Pacers are willing to take calls on.
There's been plenty of smoke over the past few seasons about the Sabonis-Turner pairing, and how tenable it is long-term. If there was a split, Turner seemed to be the odd man out. But if Sabonis is actually available, the calculus on that changes.&nbsp;
WHAT SABONIS BRINGS TO THE TABLE
Don't tell Rick Carlisle, but Sabonis is a high-level post hub.
Dump it to him at the elbow, and he'll give you options. He can flow into handoffs with guards, prying his partner open for shots or rolling into open space. He can take matters into his own hands, facing up or bumping and grinding his way into paint touches. Or, he can set up shop and pick out cutters in stationary sets.
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Sabonis is most effective at the elbow, but because of his mix of ball skills and brute strength, he can be moved around the chessboard a bit.
He's a willing participant in Delay sets &mdash; the cue would be a big handling the ball above the break &mdash; which allows him to pry guards open higher on the floor. Pull-up twos turn into three-point opportunities; and for Sabonis, he has even more space to roll into when operating that high.
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And then, there's the traditional low-post usage for him. He's a bully in every sense of the word. Having tremendous footwork is a bonus (I avoided the pun, you're welcome), but the physicality really stands out with him.
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The scoring is the impressive (and important) part, but I've always marveled at how Sabonis nails the little things. He makes himself available, as simple as that sounds. High hands. Constant movement. He always jockeys for position, creating post looks out of nowhere. He's not just a hub; he's a security blanket of sorts.
LIMITATIONS
What Sabonis is not, however, is a shooter. The "stretch big" experiment in OKC lasted one (1) season &mdash; his rookie campaign &mdash; and even that was a 32.1% clip on 2.0 attempts. He's gotten back to slinging them on occasion over the past two seasons, but his numbers (30.9% on 2.6 attempts) underwhelm.
Sabonis is also a limited defender. A lack of length (6-foot-10.5 wingspan) and vertical pop prevent him from being a real rim deterrent. His lateral mobility isn't at a level where you'd be comfortable switching him.
But this is where we have to be careful with Sabonis. He has clear limitations, but he isn't&nbsp;useless.&nbsp;The Pacers have experimented with showing at the level of the screen, or outright blitzing them.&nbsp;
He's not equipped to do that full-time, but he&nbsp;does&nbsp;have active hands and a solid enough understanding of positioning to pull the coverage off.&nbsp;
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Funny enough, the Pacers' ball-screen defense featuring Sabonis has fared better in more aggressive coverages. Per Second Spectrum, opponents are generating 1.07 points per possession when Sabonis is in drop (or "soft") coverage; that number drops to 1.0 when Sabonis shows and recovers, or outright blitzes the screen.
Neither mark is great &mdash; again, Sabonis has his limitations &mdash; but he can work as a cog if you have the personnel around him. Elite point-of-attack defenders are needed if you want him to work in drop; active backline helpers are needed if you want him to play aggressively.
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POTENTIAL LANDING SPOTS
Not knowing precisely what the Pacers are going after makes this a tough exercise. High level prospects and/or picks likely top the list, assuming they aren't able to snag a young All-Star for an outright swap.
Beyond that, a suitor for Sabonis has to need what he provides &mdash; frontcourt passing and rim pressure via post-ups &mdash; while covering for what he doesn't.&nbsp;
That narrows the list down to a few teams for me.
The Golden State Warriors top the list. They've been the league's best team this season, though there's room to shore up some things. Specifically on the offensive end, they currently lack a high-level secondary creator beyond Stephen Curry.
Jordan Poole can do it. Andrew Wiggins can do it. Saying either of them fill that role consistently is a bridge too far for me at the moment. The jury is out on Klay Thompson right now for rather obvious reasons.
Sabonis would certainly aid in the rim pressure department with his post-up and roll-man chops. The Warriors run enough post split action as-is; running it through Sabonis with the added element of post-up scoring if the cuts don't work? Whew, buddy.&nbsp;
Defensively is where the questions come in, but Sabonis should be rather insulated. Assuming he's flanked by Draymond Green, the Warriors could afford to have Sabonis hedge or blitz ball-screens while Green works his usual magic on the backline.&nbsp;
And if you're looking for a trade package, the Warriors conveniently have three recent lottery-pick talents (James Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody) that nearly match Sabonis' salary on the nose.&nbsp;
I'd guess the Pacers would want all three youngins; I'd also guess the Warriors would be fine with parting with Wiseman and one of Kuminga or Moody, and finding the salary to make it work elsewhere on the depth chart, and likely throw in some pick consideration to even the scales.&nbsp;
There's a malleable framework if both teams are down to deal.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
The Boston Celtics also intrigue me as a fit. Sabonis' skillset would be a nice complement to the perimeter exploits of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, and the Celtics already run similar high-post actions through Al Horford and Robert Williams (when healthy). The scheme fit wouldn't be troublesome.
Threading the needle on a package is where it gets tricky. The Pacers would rightfully ask for Brown first, aiming for the fabled "young All-Star for young All-Star" swap that was mentioned earlier. The Celtics would scoff at that.
They have enough mid-tier salaries to make a deal &mdash; I'd guess Marcus Smart and Williams (extension kicks in next season) &mdash; but the pick capital and rookie-scale prospects (do we feel good about Romeo Langford as the blue-chipper in an All-Star trade?) leave a bit to be desired.
The Dallas Mavericks are on the "good on-court fit, 'meh' assets to get it done" list, as are the Portland Trail Blazers (who may need to reset soon anyway) and Phoenix Suns (they aren't giving up Ayton... at least they better not).
The Memphis Grizzlies intrigue me &mdash; imagine Ja Morant as a pick-and-roll partner, and Jaren Jackson Jr. sniping around the perimeter &mdash; though I'm not sure they'd be willing to give up what it may take to satisfy Indiana.
Who knows whether Sabonis is dealt or not, but at the very least, Indiana is listening intently to offers around the trio of Sabonis, Turner and LeVert.

Nekias Duncan takes a look at possible landing spots for Pacers All-Star Domantas Sabonis if they decide to move him.

Examining potential trade destinations for Domantas Sabonis

In the G League Ignite&rsquo;s inaugural season last year, the program produced several notable NBA Draft picks: Jalen Green (No. 3 overall, Houston Rockets), Jonathan Kuminga (No. 7 overall, Golden State Warriors) and Isaiah Todd (No. 31 overall, Washington Wizards). Former five-star recruit and UCLA commit Daishen Nix didn&rsquo;t hear his name called, but was signed to a two-way contract shortly after the draft. Despite the complications and challenges the Ignite faced with the pandemic last season, I&rsquo;d say it was a success overall.
This past weekend, I traveled to Des Moines, Iowa to see the new-look Ignite take on the Iowa Wolves (the Minnesota Timberwolves affiliate) in their 2021-22 season opener.
The young Ignite struggled mightily early on versus a talented Wolves team, having trailed 65-34 at halftime. However, with things looking bleak, newly-appointed head coach Jason Hart impressively kept the energy level high. His team subsequently chipped away at the deficit, closing the gap to make it a competitive game in the second half despite ultimately falling, 98-87.&nbsp;
Although the young prospects started off their pro careers with that common &ldquo;deer in the headlights&rdquo; look, I found the game to be very fruitful from a scouting perspective, nonetheless. Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Rod Strickland have done a terrific job of carrying over the momentum they created last season, and it&rsquo;s great to see that they have put together another very talented group of young NBA prospects.&nbsp;
Prior to attending the game in Iowa, I had previously crossed paths with the American prospects &mdash; Jaden Hardy, Michael Foster and MarJon Beauchamp &mdash; multiple times. I have also watched an extended amount of film on Australian prospect Dyson Daniels, who our very own <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-little-guy-from-bendigo-dyson-daniels-game-is-unlike-anyone-elses" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Spencer Davies interviewed this summer</a> too. So I didn&rsquo;t go into that game starting my evaluations from scratch, and had a decent level of familiarity with these young men. That said, this was the first time I was able to see them in their new professional setting &mdash; naturally, the next step in my evaluation process.
Here are my thoughts on each of the Ignite&rsquo;s top prospects:
Jaden Hardy
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 85%; height: 66px; border-style: none;" border="0">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 48.1356%; height: 22px;">Height: 6-4</td>
<td style="width: 48.1356%; height: 22px;">Position: Guard</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 48.1356%; height: 22px;">Weight: 198</td>
<td style="width: 48.1356%; height: 22px;">Draft Day Age: 20.1</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 48.1356%; height: 22px;">Wingspan: 6-9</td>
<td style="width: 48.1356%; height: 22px;">Nationality: USA</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
&nbsp;
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Jaden Hardy is already well-known as a dynamic scorer. I might even go as far as to call him a potentially-elite scorer. However, in this specific game, he was not. Hardy&rsquo;s game generally starts from the outside. He is a terrific outside shooter with limitless range, which subsequently opens things up for him and allows him to use his explosiveness and finishing abilities at the rim. He clearly wasn&rsquo;t feeling it in Iowa, as his outside shots weren&rsquo;t falling, which seemed to put some additional pressure on him to create more off the dribble and get to the hole. Despite only shooting 1-of-8 from three-point range, Hardy still ended up with 12 points and 6 assists. To be clear, I&rsquo;m not concerned with one off shooting night at all. I have no doubt that the kid can fill it up.
I&rsquo;m intrigued to watch Hardy more and get a better feel as to whether he can play some point guard, or if he will be limited to strictly playing as a shooting guard primarily as a scorer. If he is limited to only playing off the ball, I don&rsquo;t think it&rsquo;s necessarily a huge knock on his evaluation; it just changes the outlook as to what his long-term role will be.&nbsp;
I&rsquo;m also going to be keeping an eye on his defensive fundamentals and discipline. I can&rsquo;t say that I was overly alarmed, but he has a lot of room for growth on that end of the floor. At the same time, similar things were said about Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball and Jalen Green at the same stage in their development &mdash; and they&rsquo;re all just fine.
We currently have Jaden Hardy at No. 3 on our <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2022 NBA Draft Big Board</a>, and I am comfortable with him in that spot for now. At this point, I believe that, in some type of order, Chet Holmgren, Paolo Banchero and Hardy are the &ldquo;Big Three&rdquo; of the 2022 draft class.
Dyson Daniels
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 89.6695%; height: 75px; border-style: none;" border="0">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 25px;">
<td style="width: 48.1356%; height: 25px;">Height: 6-6</td>
<td style="width: 48.1356%; height: 25px;">Position: Guard/Forward</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 25px;">
<td style="width: 48.1356%; height: 25px;">Weight: 198</td>
<td style="width: 48.1356%; height: 25px;">Draft Day Age: 19.3</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 25px;">
<td style="width: 48.1356%; height: 25px;">Wingspan: 6-7</td>
<td style="width: 48.1356%; height: 25px;">Nationality: Australia</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
&nbsp;
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5g3qhDiVJEE" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
As opposed to most NBA prospects who I track for years and see in live action before they step into their pre-draft season, this was the first time I had seen Dyson Daniels in person. As mentioned before, I had spent time watching film on him, but I find it hard to get a great grip without seeing a prospect with my own two eyes.&nbsp;
At first glance, Daniels more than passes the eye test. At 6-foot-6 and 199 pounds, he looks like an NBA player. Interestingly, Daniels started at point guard as Scoot Henderson &mdash; who will be eligible for the 2023 NBA Draft &mdash; was out with a minor injury. Although Daniels looks like he&rsquo;d be an athletic and slashing wing, his greatest strength is his ability to get to his spots off the bounce. My early impression is that, regardless of what position he plays, his ability to create is what appeals the most.
Daniels showed flashes of major upside as a versatile guard with terrific positional size, but was unassertive, which seemingly led to a lack of production. It was only his first game with the Ignite, so I&rsquo;m not going to overreact here, but I would like to see him break out of his shell a bit moving forward.&nbsp;
We will be tracking Daniels very closely moving forward, as he has a lot of talent. He is currently ranked 21st on our <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Big Board</a>.
Michael Foster
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 85%; border-style: none; height: 66px;" border="0">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 48.1356%; height: 22px;">Height: 6-8</td>
<td style="width: 48.1356%; height: 22px;">Position: Forward</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 48.1356%; height: 22px;">Weight: 250</td>
<td style="width: 48.1356%; height: 22px;">Draft Day Age: 19.4</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 48.1356%; height: 22px;">Wingspan: 6-11</td>
<td style="width: 48.1356%; height: 22px;">Nationality: USA</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/20210913_ng0934_ignite_lg.JPG" alt="" width="650" height="433" />
I have seen Michael Foster play in-person many times. There&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/michael-foster-wont-be-stopped-from-turning-nba-dream-into-reality" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a lot to like about him</a> &mdash; his physical profile, tools and raw skill set are undeniable. He played hard and was terrific on the boards in the game vs. the Wolves, but offensively he left me wanting more, as he has done before. Actually, his lack of self-awareness on the offensive end has made me increasingly frustrated.&nbsp;
When evaluating Foster, I can&rsquo;t help but think about a scene from an old Vince Vaughn movie named, &ldquo;Swingers.&rdquo; In the scene, Vaughn&rsquo;s character said something along the lines of:
You&rsquo;re a big bear with big claws and fangs, and there&rsquo;s like this little bunny just cowering in the corner. You&rsquo;re looking at these claws, and you&rsquo;re thinking to yourself, &lsquo;I don&rsquo;t know how to kill the bunny.&rsquo;
Although I&rsquo;ll admit the analogy is a bit off the wall, I think it fits. Foster has the physical tools and skills to be such a physical force, but regularly chooses to be a finesse player.
If I were coaching Foster, I would set him on a two-dribble limit and only give him the green light to shoot jumpers off the catch; my hope would be that it would force him to simplify his game. I&rsquo;d like to see Foster turn himself into a rebounding machine who is constantly looking to tear the rim down, while also being able to hit an open shot from the perimeter. He&rsquo;s certainly capable of doing these things, but he needs to choose to play that way.
I&rsquo;m not giving up on Foster as a prospect, but I think he needs to make the next steps in his development in order to even come close to maximizing his talent.
MarJon Beauchamp
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 89.6695%; height: 100px; border-style: none;" border="0">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 48.1356%; height: 22px;">Height: 6-6</td>
<td style="width: 53.6301%; height: 22px;">Position: Guard/Forward</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 48.1356%; height: 22px;">Weight: 199</td>
<td style="width: 53.6301%; height: 22px;">Draft Day Age: 20.8</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 48.1356%; height: 22px;">Wingspan: 7-0</td>
<td style="width: 53.6301%; height: 22px;">Nationality: USA</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
MarJon Beauchamp (<a href="https://twitter.com/Marjon32?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Marjon32</a>) putting his explosion &amp; athleticism on full display with a couple monster dunks, including this one that fired up the Ignite bench. <a href="https://t.co/SiZf3d0IBn">pic.twitter.com/SiZf3d0IBn</a>
&mdash; Derek Murray (@DMurrayHoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/DMurrayHoops/status/1454247282271039490?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2021</a></blockquote>
A couple of years ago, I had the opportunity to spend some time with MarJon Beauchamp and watch him work out after he joined trainer Frank &ldquo;Hell&rsquo;s Trainer&rdquo; Matrisciano&rsquo;s Chameleon BX (now Stealth X Athletics). It seems as if the pandemic really threw a wrench in the program&rsquo;s plans, as MarJon has not gotten much exposure since I first saw him. However, as soon as he took the court in Des Moines, it was instantly noticeable that he had transformed his body. Once a skinny kid, Beauchamp now looks like a grown man physically. And you know what? He played like one too.
Tallying 18 points and 8 rebounds, Beauchamp utilized his athleticism to execute various slashing moves, throw down some impressive dunks and contribute on the boards. If he&rsquo;s able to prove to be reliable enough as an outside shooter, I think he&rsquo;ll find a place for himself in the NBA.
Following my trip to Des Moines, I&rsquo;m not sure any player helped himself more than Beauchamp did. As a result, we have moved him up our <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Big Board</a>. He is currently ranked No. 48.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Today is November 1, and the NBA Draft is set to take place on June 23, 2022. The NBA Draft process is exactly that &mdash; a process. As an NBA Draft Analyst, I spend years evaluating prospects, starting when most are at the high school level. My personal approach is to not be overly concerned with being the first to be right about a prospect, but rather to organize my schedule and my efforts to make sure that I&rsquo;m able to gather the proper amount of relevant information to be able to come to a conclusive evaluation by draft night.
I&rsquo;ve now shared my candid thoughts with you as to where I stand with each of the G League Ignite&rsquo;s prospects at this particular point in the process. One thing I really like about evaluating prospects early in the season is that there is still plenty of time for the prospects to change the narrative &mdash; for better or worse.&nbsp;
And for that reason, I&rsquo;ll continue to watch closely.

Matt Babcock provides his thoughts on each of the G League Ignite’s top NBA Draft prospects after seeing their pro debuts in Iowa.

Babcock: Takeaways from the G League Ignite’s season-opener

After rolling out my<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/ranking-the-top-150-nba-players-for-fantasy-basketball-in-2021-22" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Top-150 NBA Fantasy overall rankings</a> last week, I have broken down each position into tiers.
It is important to state that these rankings are based on a nine-category roto format (points, assists, rebounds, steals, blocks, three-pointers, field goal percentage, free-throw percentage and turnovers). Also, please note position eligibility is based on Yahoo&rsquo;s fantasy settings and, as a result, many players qualify at multiple positions.
Guards
The two biggest question marks among all guards reside in Philadelphia and Brooklyn. Ben Simmons has (awkwardly) returned to Sixers, but it is still unclear whether Big Ben plans to "merely report to the team or truly rejoin the team," <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/ben-simmons-arrives-in-philly-takes-covid19-test" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN</a>. Thus, Simmons is arguably the biggest boom-or-bust fantasy pick in the NBA this season.
Irving, on the other hand, is <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/itll-be-difficult-for-kyrie-and-the-nets-to-come-back-from-this" target="_blank" rel="noopener">persona non grata in the borough of Brooklyn</a>. Although Kyrie is eligible to participate in the Nets' away games, Brooklyn general manager Sean Marks said Tuesday that Irving will not be allowed to play or practice with the team at all until he gets vaccinated. &ldquo;He has a choice to make, and he made his choice,&rdquo; Marks <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nets-say-kyrie-irving-cant-play-or-practice-with-team-while-unvaccinated" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told reporters Tuesday</a>. &ldquo;And my job here is to make what we deem is the best choices for the organization moving ahead and as a whole.&rdquo; There is certainly still a chance Irving gets his jab and is cleared to play, but it&rsquo;s too much of a risk to roll the dice until late in the draft, in my opinion.
Tier 1: James Harden PG, SG (BKN)&nbsp; Luka Doncic PG, SG (DAL) Stephen Curry PG, SG (GSW) Damian Lillard PG (POR)
Tier 2: Bradley Beal SG, SF (WAS) Trae Young PG (ATL) Jimmy Butler SF, PF, SG (MIA) LeBron James PG, SG, SF, PF (LAL)
Tier 3: Fred VanVleet PG, SG (TOR) Shai Gilgeous-Alexander PG, SG (OKC)
Tier 4: Jrue Holiday PG, SG (MIL) Chris Paul PG (PHO) &nbsp; Zach LaVine SG, SF (CHI) Donovan Mitchell PG, SG (UTAH)
Tier 5: Khris Middleton SF, PF, SG (MIL) Jaylen Brown SG, SF (BOS) De'Aaron Fox PG (SAC)&nbsp; Devin Booker SG, SF, PG (PHO)
Tier 6: LaMelo Ball PG, SG (CHA) CJ McCollum PG, SG (POR) Russell Westbrook PG (LAL) Kevin Porter Jr. SG, SF, PG (HOU)&nbsp; Dejounte Murray PG, SG (SAS) Malcolm Brogdon PG, SG (IND)&nbsp; Terry Rozier PG, SG (CHA)
Tier 7: Mikal Bridges SG, SF (PHO) Lonzo Ball PG, SG (CHI) Gordon Hayward SG, SF (CHA) Ja Morant PG (MEM) Bogdan Bogdanovic SF, PF, SG (ATL) Darius Garland PG, SG (CLE) Anthony Edwards SG, SF (MIN) DeMar DeRozan SF, PF, SG (CHI) Kyle Lowry PG (MIA) Tyrese Haliburton PG, SG (SAC) Derrick White PG, SG (SAS)
Tier 8: Mike Conley PG (UTAH) Jalen Suggs PG, SG (ORL) Spencer Dinwiddie PG, SG (WAS) Cade Cunningham PG, SG (DET) Ben Simmons PG (PHI) Caris LeVert SG, SF (IND) D&rsquo;Angelo Russell PG, SG (MIN) Collin Sexton PG, SG (CLE) Marcus Smart PG, SG (BOS) Jordan Poole PG, SG (GSW)&nbsp;
Tier 9: Andrew Wiggins SG, SF (GSW)&nbsp; Nickeil Alexander-Walker SG, SF, PG (NOP) Devonte&rsquo; Graham PG, SG (NOP) Evan Fournier SG, SF (NYK) Buddy Hield SG, SF (SAC) Norman Powell SG, SF (POR) Kemba Walker PG (NYK) RJ Barrett SG, SF (NYK) Reggie Jackson PG, SG (LAC) Dennis Schroder PG (BOS) Jordan Clarkson PG, SG (UTAH) Joe Ingles SG, SF, PF (UTAH) Joe Harris SG, SF (BKN)&nbsp; Malik Beasley PG, SG, SF (MIN) Kyrie Irving PG, SG (BKN)&nbsp;
Tier 10:&nbsp; De&rsquo;Anthony Melton PG, SG (MEM) Jalen Green SG (HOU) Klay Thompson SG, SF (GSW) Dillon Brooks SG, SF (MEM) Matisse Thybulle SG, SF (PHI) T.J. McConnell PG, SG (IND) Derrick Rose PG, SG (NYK) Tim Hardaway Jr. SG, SF (DAL) Kelly Oubre Jr. SG, SF, PF (CHA) Eric Bledsoe PG, SG (LAC) Kevin Huerter SG, SF (ATL) Josh Giddey PG, SG, SF (OKC) Tyrese Maxey PG, SG (PHI)
Forwards
Looking for a potential sleeper at forward? I&rsquo;d suggest highlighting Pascal Siakam or Evan Mobley on your cheat sheet.&nbsp;
After a phenomenal 2019-20 campaign, in which he was named to the All-NBA Second Team, Siakam failed to live up to expectations last season; his scoring average, three-point makes and effective field goal percentage all decreased. In addition, Pascal is still working his way back from surgery on a torn labrum, which has forced his ADP (Average Draft Position) to plummet. However, earlier this week, Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse said his star forward has been &ldquo;going 100%&rdquo; without contact for about 4-6 weeks, and could return later this month.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Evan Mobley is going to be a special defender in the NBA. GMs believe that Mobley will be the best player from his draft class in five years 👀 (🎥 <a href="https://twitter.com/Mike_Schmitz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Mike_Schmitz</a>) <a href="https://t.co/iPiaabn2Gu">pic.twitter.com/iPiaabn2Gu</a>
&mdash; NBA Central (@TheNBACentral) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheNBACentral/status/1446161049753882629?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 7, 2021</a></blockquote>

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

Mobley&rsquo;s stock is soaring after impressive performances and extended usage for the Cleveland Cavaliers in the preseason (he&rsquo;s leading his team in playing time, logging 28.4 minutes per game). Mr. Mobley is probably worth the gamble, as his upside is emarkably enticing.&nbsp;
Tier 1: Nikola Jokic PF, C (DEN)
Tier 2: Jayson Tatum SF, PF (BOS) Giannis Antetokounmpo PF, C (MIL) Kevin Durant SF, PF (BKN) Joel Embiid PF, C (PHI) Anthony Davis PF, C (LAL)&nbsp; Bradley Beal SG, SF (WAS) Paul George SF, PF, SG (LAC)
Tier 3: Jimmy Butler SF, PF, SG (MIA) LeBron James PG, SG, SF, PF (LAL) Domantas Sabonis PF, C (IND) Bam Adebayo PF, C (MIA) Michael Porter Jr. SF, PF (DEN Zach LaVine SG, SF (CHI)
Tier 4: Khris Middleton SF, PF, SG (MIL) Jaylen Brown SG, SF (BOS) Julius Randle PF, C (NYK) Devin Booker SG, SF, PG (PHO) Myles Turner PF, C (IND) OG Anunoby SF, PF (TOR)&nbsp; Tobias Harris SF, PF (PHI)
Tier 5: Richaun Holmes PF, C (SAC) Brandon Ingram SF, PF (NOP) Christian Wood PF, C (HOU) Kristaps Porzingis PF, C (DAL) John Collins PF, C (ATL) Kevin Porter Jr. SG, SF, PG (HOU)&nbsp; Zion Williamson PF (NOP)
Tier 6: Pascal Siakam PF, C (TOR) Mikal Bridges SG, SF (PHO) Jaren Jackson Jr. PF, C (MEM) Chris Boucher PF, C (TOR) Gordon Hayward SG, SF (CHA) Bogdan Bogdanovic SF, PF, SG (ATL) Anthony Edwards SG, SF (MIN) DeMar DeRozan SF, PF, SG (CHI) Robert Williams III C, PF (BOS)
Tier 7: Draymond Green PF, C (GSW) Jerami Grant SF, PF (DET) Caris LeVert SG, SF (IND) Robert Covington PF, C, SF (POR) Miles Bridges SF, PF (CHA) Kelly Olynyk PF, C (DET) Buddy Hield SG, SF (SAC)&nbsp; Isaiah Stewart PF, C (DET) Andrew Wiggins SG, SF (GSW)&nbsp;
Tier 8: Nickeil Alexander-Walker SG, SF, PG (NOP) Evan Fournier SG, SF (NYK) P.J. Washington PF, C (CHA) Norman Powell SG, SF (POR) Kyle Anderson SF, PF (MEM) Jonathan Isaac SF, PF (ORL) Evan Mobley C, PF (CLE) Larry Nance Jr. PF, C (POR) Harrison Barnes SF, PF (SAC) Mason Plumlee PF, C (CHA) Bobby Portis Jr. PF, C (MIL) De&rsquo;Andre Hunter SF, PF (ATL) Daniel Gafford C, PF (WAS)
Tier 9: Thaddeus Young PF, C, SF (SAS) Joe Ingles SG, SF, PF (UTAH) Lauri Markkanen PF, C (CLE) Joe Harris SG, SF (BKN)&nbsp; Keldon Johnson SF, PF (SAS) Malik Beasley PG, SG, SF (MIN) T.J. Warren SF, PF (IND) Jae'Sean Tate SF, PF (HOU) Daniel Theis PF, C (HOU) Brandon Clarke PF, C (MEM) Saddiq Bey SF (DET)\ Klay Thompson SG, SF (GSW) Derrick Favors C, PF (OKC) Al Horford PF, C (BOS)
Tier 10: Kyle Kuzma SF, PF (WAS) Matisse Thybulle SG, SF (PHI) Nicolas Batum SF, PF, SG (LAC) Derrick Rose PG, SG (NYK) Marcus Morris Sr. PF, C, SF (LAC) Dillon Brooks SG, SF (MEM) Alperen Sengun PF, C (HOU) Tim Hardaway Jr. SG, SF (DAL) Montrezl Harrell PF, C (WAS) Kelly Oubre Jr. SG, SF, PF (CHA) Nerlens Noel PF, C (NYK)&nbsp; Isaiah Roby C, PF (OKC) Kevin Huerter SG, SF (ATL) Khem Birch PF, C (TOR) Aaron Gordon SF, PF (DEN)
Centers
Centers take on added importance in fantasy hoops due to the scarcity. That&rsquo;s part of the reason why Jokic is viewed as the near-unanimous top overall selection in drafts this year.&nbsp;
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Last season, Jokic authored a season for the ages. Not only did he score a career-high 26.4 points and rip down 10.8 rebounds per game, but he also dished out an average of 8.3 dimes each night, joining Russell Westbrook and Oscar Robertson as the only players in NBA history to average at least 25 points, 10 boards and 8 assists over a season. Incredibly, Jokic tallied a total of 599 assists in 2020-21, which was the third-most in the entire league. Wilt Chamberlain, who led the NBA with 8.6 APG in 1967-68, is the only center to post a higher assist-average over a full season. As a fantasy cherry on top, the Joker proved incredibly durable, appearing in every game last season.
Tier 1: Nikola Jokic PF, C (DEN)
Tier 2: Karl-Anthony Towns C (MIN)
Tier 3: Giannis Antetokounmpo PF, C&nbsp; Joel Embiid PF, C (PHI) Anthony Davis PF, C (LAL)
Tier 4: Nikola Vucevic C (CHI) Domantas Sabonis PF, C (IND) Bam Adebayo PF, C (MIA) Rudy Gobert C (UTAH)
Tier 5: Myles Turner PF, C (IND) Clint Capela C (ATL) Julius Randle PF, C (NYK) Richaun Holmes PF, C (SAC) Deandre Ayton C (PHO) Christian Wood PF, C (HOU)&nbsp; Kristaps Porzingis PF, C (DAL) John Collins PF, C (ATL)
Tier 6: Jaren Jackson Jr. PF, C (MEM) Jusuf Nurkic C (POR) Pascal Siakam PF, C (TOR) Chris Boucher PF, C (TOR)&nbsp; Robert Williams III C, PF (BOS) Jonas Valanciunas C (NOP) Draymond Green PF, C (GSW) Robert Covington PF, C, SF (POR) Jarrett Allen C (CLE) Kelly Olynyk PF, C (DET) Isaiah Stewart PF, C (DET)
Tier 7: P.J. Washington PF, C (CHA) Evan Mobley C, PF (CLE) Mitchell Robinson C (NYK) Larry Nance Jr. PF, C (POR) Jakob Poeltl C (SAS) Wendell Carter Jr. C (ORL) Brook Lopez C (MIL) Mason Plumlee PF, C (CHA) Bobby Portis Jr. PF, C (MIL)
Tier 8: Daniel Gafford C, PF (WAS) Thaddeus Young PF, C, SF (SAS) Lauri Markkanen PF, C (CLE) Daniel Theis PF, C (HOU) Brandon Clarke PF, C (MEM) Ivica Zubac C (LAC) Derrick Favors C, PF (OKC) Al Horford PF, C (BOS)
Tier 9: Marcus Morris Sr. PF, C, SF (LAC) Mo Bamba C (ORL) Montrezl Harrell PF, C (WAS) Thomas Bryant C (WAS) Nerlens Noel PF, C (NYK)&nbsp; Alperen Sengun PF, C (HOU)&nbsp;
Tier 10: Khem Birch PF, C (TOR) Isaiah Roby C, PF (OKC) Andre Drummond C (PHI)&nbsp; Steven Adams C (MEM) Serge Ibaka PF, C (LAC)&nbsp; James Wiseman C (GSW) Naz Reid C (MIN) Marvin Bagley III PF, C (SAC) LaMarcus Aldridge PF, C (BKN) Nicolas Claxton PF, C (BKN) Kevin Love PF, C (CLE) Hassan Whiteside PF, C (UTAH)

Tommy Beer divides the top NBA fantasy guards, forwards and centers into 10 tiers each based on their value.

2021-22 NBA Fantasy Basketball Rankings: 10 tiers for each position

With the start of the season just three weeks away, here is my ranking of the top 150 players for the 2021-22 campaign.
It is imperative to note that this list is based on nine-category roto scoring formats (points, assists, rebounds, steals, blocks, three-pointers, field goal percentage, free-throw percentage and turnovers) .&nbsp;
I've added comments to a handful of players to help explain the rationale behind some of their rankings.&nbsp;
So without further ado, let's get to it.
1. Nikola Jokic PF, C (DEN) 2. James Harden PG, SG (BKN): The Beard was the top-ranked fantasy player in back-to-back seasons in 2018-19 and 2019-20. He's healthy and ready to rock in Brooklyn. 3. Luka Doncic PG, SG (DAL) 4. Stephen Curry PG, SG (GSW) 5. Karl-Anthony Towns C (MIN) 6. Damian Lillard PG (POR): Dame is one of only two players in NBA history to record at least 1,500 points and 400 assists in each of their first nine seasons; Oscar Robertson is the other. 7. Jayson Tatum SF, PF (BOS) 8. Giannis Antetokounmpo PF, C (MIL): There have been some mildly concerning signs regarding Giannis' left knee since the start of training camp. (The reigning NBA Finals MVP <a href="https://twitter.com/Bucks/status/1445846786657112074?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">assures us he's alright</a>.) He should be ready for opening night, but I fully expect the Bucks to rest their franchise cornerstone early and often to reduce wear-and-tear on the knee.&nbsp; 9. Kevin Durant SF, PF (BKN) 10. Joel Embiid PF, C (PHI) 11. Bradley Beal SG, SF (WAS) 12. Paul George SF, PF, SG (LAC) 13. Anthony Davis PF, C (LAL): AD finished both the 2018-19 and 2019-20 season ranked second overall in nine-category fantasy formats. Yes, the injury issues are certainly a concern, but he's a steal in the second round due to his unmatched ceiling.&nbsp; 14. Nikola Vucevic C (CHI) 15. Trae Young PG (ATL) 16. Jimmy Butler SF, PF, SG (MIA) 17. LeBron James PG, SG, SF, PF (LAL) 18. Fred VanVleet PG, SG (TOR): Last season, VanVleet joined Harden and Curry as just the third player in NBA history to average more than 6 assists, 4 rebounds, 3 made triples and 1.5 steals per game. 19. Domantas Sabonis PF, C (IND) 20. Bam Adebayo PF, C (MIA) 21. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander PG, SG (OKC): The Oklahoma City Thunder's max-man is primed for a breakout campaign. 22. Rudy Gobert C (UTAH) 23. Michael Porter Jr. SF, PF (DEN): MPJ shot over 40% from downtown in each of his first two seasons (42.2% and 44.5%). The only other active players to do that in each of their first two NBA campaigns (min. 100 three-point attempts) are the Splash Brothers: Curry and Klay Thompson. 24. Jrue Holiday PG, SG (MIL) 25. Chris Paul PG (PHO) &nbsp; 26. Zach LaVine SG, SF (CHI) 27. Donovan Mitchell PG, SG (UTAH): In the 19 games he appeared in after the All-Star Break, Mitchell averaged 29.6 points per contest. The only player with a higher post-ASB scoring average was Curry. 28. Tobias Harris SF, PF (PHI) 29. Khris Middleton SF, PF, SG (MIL) 30. Jaylen Brown SG, SF (BOS) 31. Myles Turner PF, C (IND) 32. De'Aaron Fox PG (SAC): Over a <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-can-deaaron-fox-save-the-sacramento-kings-postseason-play-in-tournament-playoff-hopes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">12-game stretch late last season</a>, Fox averaged 30.6 points (on 53.4% shooting), 6.7 dimes and 4.2 boards. If he can improve his offensive efficiency and cut down on his turnovers, Fox has a chance to establish himself as a fantasy stud. 33. Clint Capela C (ATL) 34. Julius Randle PF, C (NYK) 35. Devin Booker SG, SF, PG (PHO) 36. OG Anunoby SF, PF (TOR): In 2020-21, OG finished the year ranked 35th overall in nine-category leagues (one spot behind LeBron James). 37. Richaun Holmes PF, C (SAC) 38. Brandon Ingram SF, PF (NOP) 39. Deandre Ayton C (PHO) 40. Christian Wood PF, C (HOU)&nbsp; 41. LaMelo Ball PG, SG (CHA): I'm not nearly as high on LaMelo as the rest of the industry seems to be. He exceeded expectations as a rookie, but I'm worried about his effective field goal percentage (eFG%) dropping and his turnover rate increasing. 42. CJ McCollum PG, SG (POR) 43. Zion Williamson PF (NOP): Zion underwent surgery to repair a fracture in his right foot early in the offseason. The team "hopes" he'll return by the start of the regular season, but this is a problematic injury for the high-flying big man. ​​44. Russell Westbrook PG (LAL) 45. Kristaps Porzingis PF, C (DAL): If KP plays even 65+ games, he's a steal in the fifth round. 46. Dejounte Murray PG, SG (SAS) 47. Malcolm Brogdon PG, SG (IND)&nbsp; 48. Terry Rozier PG, SG (CHA) 49. John Collins PF, C (ATL) 50. Kevin Porter Jr. SG, SF, PG (HOU): KPJ is gonna get buckets and dimes (he averaged 17.2 PPG and 6.3 APG over the final two months of the 2020-21 season); my only concerns are his high turnover rate and poor percentages.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
25 PTS for <a href="https://twitter.com/Kevinporterjr?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Kevinporterjr</a> power the <a href="https://twitter.com/HoustonRockets?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HoustonRockets</a>! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAPreseason?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAPreseason</a> <a href="https://t.co/iDXezFBiBi">pic.twitter.com/iDXezFBiBi</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1445590596987482121?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 6, 2021</a></blockquote>

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51. Mikal Bridges SG, SF (PHO) 52. Jaren Jackson Jr. PF, C (MEM): Jackson is one of two active players averaging at least 1.5 blocks and 1.5 three-pointers per game for his career. The issue has been <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-gms-believe-jaren-jackson-jr-is-poised-for-a-breakout-year" target="_blank" rel="noopener">staying on the floor</a>, as injuries have limited JJJ to a total of just 126 games in three seasons. 53. Lonzo Ball PG, SG (CHI) 54. Gordon Hayward SG, SF (CHA) 55. Ja Morant PG (MEM): The upside is tantalizing, but Morant was the only player in the NBA last season to attempt more than 15 shots per game and shoot below 45% from the floor, below 75% from the FT and below 31% from downtown. 56. Jusuf Nurkic C (POR) 57. Bogdan Bogdanovic SF, PF, SG (ATL) 58. Darius Garland PG, SG (CLE) 59. Chris Boucher PF, C (TOR): Boucher finished last season ranked 40th overall in nine-category formats despite logging just 24.2 minutes a night. However, he just had surgery on his dislocated left middle finger and is expected to miss a "minimum" of 3-to-4 weeks.&nbsp; 60. Anthony Edwards SG, SF (MIN) 61. DeMar DeRozan SF, PF, SG (CHI) 62. Kyle Lowry PG (MIA) 63. Pascal Siakam PF, C (TOR): Once fully healthy, I think Siakam will bounce back in a big way and inherit plenty of scoring opportunities with Kyle Lowry no longer in the picture. Still, Siakam had shoulder surgery in June and will likely miss at least the start of the season. 64. Robert Williams III C, PF (BOS) 65. Tyrese Haliburton PG, SG (SAC): He finished last season ranked 65th overall in nine-category fantasy formats, and I think he has a chance to crack the top-50 this year.&nbsp; 66. Derrick White PG, SG (SAS) 67. Jonas Valanciunas C (NOP) 68. Kyrie Irving PG, SG (BKN): Kyrie could end up missing every Nets home game <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/kevin-durant-im-envisioning-kyrie-being-a-part-of-our-team" target="_blank" rel="noopener">if he refuses to get vaccinated</a>. So many unknowns are swirling around him right now. I'll pass.&nbsp; 69. Draymond Green PF, C (GSW) 70. Mike Conley PG (UTAH) 71. Jalen Suggs PG, SG (ORL): My pick for Rookie of the Year. Suggs can do it all and should see all the minutes he can handle for a rebuilding Orlando Magic squad.&nbsp; 72. Spencer Dinwiddie PG, SG (WAS) 73. Cade Cunningham PG, SG (DET) 74. Caris LeVert SG, SF (IND) 75. Jerami Grant SF, PF (DET) 76. D&rsquo;Angelo Russell PG, SG (MIN) 77. Collin Sexton PG, SG (CLE): Last season, Sexton became the second-youngest player in NBA history (behind only KD) to average more than 24 points per game while shooting above 47% from the floor and 37% from downtown. 78. Robert Covington PF, C, SF (POR) 79. Jarrett Allen C (CLE) 80. Miles Bridges SF, PF (CHA): Over his final 15 games last season, Bridges averaged 21.0 points, 6.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.1 blocks and 3.1 made three-pointers. He did so while shooting over 50% from the floor, 42% from downtown and 84% from the charity stripe. 81. Marcus Smart PG, SG (BOS) 82. Kelly Olynyk PF, C (DET): Kelly-O averaged a whopping 19.0, 8.4 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.8 treys and 1.4 steals in the 27 games he played in Houston last season. The Pistons signed him to a big contract in August, hoping he can come close to replicating those numbers. 83. Isaiah Stewart PF, C (DET) 84. Kemba Walker PG (NYK) 85. Andrew Wiggins SG, SF (GSW): Now that he's vaccinated, we know he'll be <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/andrew-wiggins-has-been-vaccinated-will-be-eligible-for-all-games" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cleared to play</a> in all Golden State Warriors home games this season.&nbsp; 86. Devonte&rsquo; Graham PG, SG (NOP) 87. Evan Fournier SG, SF (NYK) 88. P.J. Washington PF, C (CHA) 89. Buddy Hield SG, SF (SAC): Dating back to the start of the 2018-19 campaign, Buddy has knocked down more triples (831) than any other player in the NBA (Harden, Lillard and Curry rank second, third and fourth, respectively). 90. Nickeil Alexander-Walker SG, SF, PG (NOP) 91. NOPman Powell SG, SF (POR) 92. Kyle Anderson SF, PF (MEM) 93. Mitchell Robinson C (NYK): In 2018-19, Mitch Rob led all rookies in blocks (2.4) and field goal percentage (69.4%). As a sophomore in 2019-20, he made 74.2% of all field goals he attempted, setting the all-time NBA record for the highest single-season field goal percentage ever, passing Wilt Chamberlain. <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/its-been-three-years-and-mitchell-robinson-still-has-a-lot-to-prove" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Can he stay healthy</a> in 2020-21? 94. Larry Nance Jr. PF, C (POR) 95. RJ Barrett SG, SF (NYK) 96. Jakob Poeltl C (SAS) 97. Ben Simmons PG (PHI): Impossible to try and figure out this Simmons situation going forward. I'm not willing to roll the dice until the value starts getting ridiculous. 98. Jonathan Isaac SF, PF (ORL) 99. Wendell Carter Jr. C (ORL) 100. Reggie Jackson PG, SG (LAC) 101. Brook Lopez C (MIL) 102. Harrison Barnes SF, PF (SAC) 103. Mason Plumlee PF, C (CHA) 104. Bobby Portis Jr. PF, C (MIL) 105. De&rsquo;Andre Hunter SF, PF (ATL) 106. Dennis Schroder PG (BOS) 107. Malik Beasley PG, SG, SF (MIN): Beasley has appeared in just 51 games for the Wolves since being acquired at the trade deadline in 2020, but has averaged 19.9 points, 4.6 boards, 2.4 dimes and a whopping 3.5 made treys. A great late-round value pick if he can stay on the court.
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Malik Beasley 29 points in 32 minutes last night... averaging 20/5 on the season... time to starting giving him his flowers as a top young talent in the NBA <a href="https://t.co/wz7XnezAzf">pic.twitter.com/wz7XnezAzf</a>
&mdash; Ben Stinar (@BenStinar) <a href="https://twitter.com/BenStinar/status/1357329089997209602?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2021</a></blockquote>

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108. Thaddeus Young PF, C, SF (SAS) 109. Jordan Clarkson PG, SG (UTAH) 110. Joe Ingles SG, SF, PF (UTAH): He's not the sexiest pick, but Ingles will help in nearly every fantasy category and doesn't hurt you in any way. 111. Lauri Markkanen PF, C (CLE): The Cleveland Cavaliers have excess depth up front, but coach J.B. Bickerstaff has been raving about Markkanen during camp. He was a forgotten man in Chicago last season, but the dude is a 7-footer who can stretch the floor, is still just 24 years of age and averaged 18.7 points and 9.0 rebounds during his age-21 season. 112. Daniel Gafford C, PF (WAS) 113. Joe Harris SG, SF (BKN)&nbsp; 114. Keldon Johnson SF, PF (SAS) 115. T.J. Warren SF, PF (IND): Yes, Warren's injury history is undoubtedly concerning &mdash;&nbsp; and he is currently still recovering from a stress fracture in his foot &mdash; but this is a guy who <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/a-100-million-payday-awaits-tj-warren-if-he-continues-to-silence-the-critics" target="_blank" rel="noopener">finished inside the top-50</a> overall back in 2019-20.&nbsp; 116. Jae'Sean Tate SF, PF (HOU) 117. De&rsquo;Anthony Melton PG, SG (MEM) 118. Daniel Theis PF, C (HOU): Theis ranked inside the top-100 overall when he logged starter minutes for the Boston Celtics in 2019-20. He could see 25 or more minutes a night for a Houston team that has little depth up front. Don't sleep. 119. Jalen Green SG (HOU) 120. Brandon Clarke PF, C (MEM) 121. Jordan Poole PG, SG (GSW): In the seven games Poole started last season, he averaged 21.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2.8 made treys. With Klay still sidelined, Poole is expected to start early on this season. (And he's already off to a fast start, having <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/breakingnews/raptors-finally-return-to-toronto-as-lowry-begins-in-miami" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dropped 30 points</a> in Golden State's preseason opener.) 122. Saddiq Bey SF (DET) 123. Klay Thompson SG, SF (GSW): I'm concerned that the Warriors will limit Klay's minutes and rest him often, even after he is cleared to return to game action (whenever that is). The Dubs have to think long-term, as Thompson still has three years and $120-plus million left in his contract. 124. Ivica Zubac C (LAC) 125. Derrick Favors C, PF (OKC) 126. Al Horford PF, C (BOS) 127. Kyle Kuzma SF, PF (WAS) 128. Dillon Brooks SG, SF (MEM) 129. Matisse Thybulle SG, SF (PHI) 130. T.J. McConnell PG, SG (IND): McConnell led the NBA in steal percentage last season at 3.4% and shot 55.9% from the floor. He was one of just eight players to record an assist rate above 34% and a True Shooting percentage above 58% (the other seven members of this elite club were Lillard, Chris Paul, Jimmy Butler, LeBron James, Luka Doncic, Trae Young and Jokic.) 131. Evan Mobley C, PF (CLE) 132. Nicolas Batum SF, PF, SG (LAC) 133. &nbsp;Derrick Rose PG, SG (NYK) 134. Marcus Morris Sr. PF, C, SF (LAC): Mook will see an increased share of the offensive pie with Kawhi Leonard sidelined for the first half of the season (and possibly more). 135. Mo Bamba C (ORL): This is a make-or-break season for Bamba. The Magic will give their former lottery pick every opportunity to earn playing time. If he plays significant minutes, he'll supply blocks and treys. (Bamba has looked sharp early on in the preseason.) 136. Tim Hardaway Jr. SG, SF (DAL) 137. Montrezl Harrell PF, C (WAS) 138. Kelly Oubre Jr. SG, SF, PF (CHA) 139. Thomas Bryant C (WAS) 140. Nerlens Noel PF, C (NYK)&nbsp; 141. Alperen Sengun PF, C (HOU): Sengun looked fantastic in Vegas, averaging 14.5 points, 10.8 rebounds, 2.8 dimes, 1.3 steals and 3.0 blocks in 25 minutes a night during summer league action. He'll have a chance to stuff the stat sheet for a Rockets team looking to play its youngsters.&nbsp; 142. Eric Bledsoe PG, SG (LAC) 143. Khem Birch PF, C (TOR) 144. Isaiah Roby C, PF (OKC) 145. Kevin Huerter SG, SF (ATL) 146. Tyrese Maxey PG, SG (PHI): Maxey will be one of the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/tyrese-maxey-centered-on-getting-1-better-every-day-for-76ers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">primary beneficiaries</a> of Simmons' eventual departure from Philly. 147. Aaron Gordon SF, PF (DEN) 148. Andre Drummond C (PHI): If you draft Embiid early, you probably want to handcuff him with Drummond later on. 149. Steven Adams C (MEM) 150. Josh Giddey PG, SG, SF (OKC): Giddey started the Thunder's preseason opener and looked good, tallying 18 points (8-of-12 FGs), 7 rebounds, 3 assists and two triples. Considering his talent, the No. 6 overall pick is worth a late-round dart throw.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
⭐ 18 points (8-12 in the field inc. 2-4 from range) ⭐ 7 rebounds ⭐ 3 assists Josh Giddey looked at 🏠 at NBA level! FULL HIGHLIGHTS ⬇️ <a href="https://t.co/Sw7U4nEjdT">pic.twitter.com/Sw7U4nEjdT</a>
&mdash; ESPN Australia &amp; NZ (@ESPNAusNZ) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNAusNZ/status/1445211953421557767?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 5, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Tommy Beer lists his best 150 fantasy basketball players available for the 2021-22 NBA season.

Ranking the top-150 NBA players for fantasy basketball in 2021-22

More than a dozen former NBA players have been charged in New York federal court in an alleged multi-million-dollar health insurance fraud scheme to rip off the league's benefit plan, according to an indictment unsealed in the Southern District on Thursday.
Source: <a href="https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/nba-veterans-arrested-in-alleged-health-insurance-fraud-scheme-sources/3311071/?_osource=db_npd_nbc_wnbc_twt_shr" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jonathan Dienst/NBC New York</a>
ANALYSIS:&nbsp;According to <a href="https://twitter.com/Tom_Winter/status/1446122432700424195" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tom Winter</a>, the players include: Glen Davis, Sebastian Telfair, Darius Miles, Will Bynum, Tony Allen and Shannon Brown, among others. Dienst reports that the players participated in the scheme from 2017-2020, "by submitting fake reimbursement claims for medical and dental services that were never actually rendered." The fraud claims total up to about $3.9 million.

Glen Davis, Sebastian Telfair and Darius Miles were among the players listed in the scheme.

At least 18 former NBA players indicted in alleged insurance fraud scheme

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

2021-22 NBA Season Preview: Pacific Divison

The first practices of the season in the NBA are here, with teams set to hit the floor on Tuesday to formally begin getting ready for the 2021-22 campaign.
A six-pack of things to watch as things get started:
THE CHAMPS
Milwaukee is running it back.
The Bucks used eight players in Game 6 of the NBA Finals, the title-clincher against Phoenix, and seven of them are still on the roster; the exception is P.J. Tucker, now part of the Miami Heat. The Bucks also have seven of their top eight scorers, in terms of total points, back from a year ago; the exception in that case is Bryn Forbes, who returned to San Antonio.
Plus, Giannis Antetokounmpo played the game of his life to finish off that title run, a 50-point, 14-rebound masterpiece &mdash; and he isn&rsquo;t even 27 yet. His best easily may be yet to come.
CAMP CENTRAL
San Diego hasn&rsquo;t technically had an NBA team since 1984.
This week, the city has three.
The Los Angeles Clippers, Denver Nuggets and Brooklyn Nets are all calling San Diego home this week for training camp. They&rsquo;re all practicing separately, using three different facilities. The Nets will play in Los Angeles against the Lakers on Sunday before returning home, while the Nuggets and Clippers will play in Los Angeles on Monday.
YOUTH IS SERVED
If so inclined, the Houston Rockets might be able to do something very rare in the preseason.
Start with a three-guard lineup: Josh Christopher, Jalen Green and Daishen Nix. Put Usman Garuba at forward, put Alperen Sengun at center.
It adds up to five teens on the floor.
There are no fewer than 21 teens on NBA rosters as training camps begin Tuesday, including five Rockets and a trio of 18-year-olds &mdash; Golden State&rsquo;s Jonathan Kuminga, Oklahoma City&rsquo;s Josh Giddey and San Antonio&rsquo;s Joshua Primo.
Of those, Kuminga and Giddey will turn 19 before the regular season begins. Primo doesn&rsquo;t turn 19 until Dec. 24. He&rsquo;ll be 18 years, 300 days old when the Spurs open their season Oct. 20 against Orlando.
That means he&rsquo;s in line to become the youngest player in an NBA game in more than 15 years &mdash; Andrew Bynum was 18 years, 191 days old when he appeared in a playoff contest for the Los Angeles Lakers against Phoenix on May 6, 2006.
There have been four 18-year-olds to debut in the NBA since Bynum: Dragan Bender, Sekou Doumbouya, Devin Booker and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
But technically, if Primo debuts before Nov. 17, he&rsquo;ll be younger than any of them were for their NBA regular-season games by a matter of days.
HOW THINGS CHANGE
It hasn&rsquo;t even been a year since the 2020 NBA Finals between the Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat &mdash; they were played in October.
&ldquo;Feels like three years ago,&rdquo; Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said.
The Lakers used 12 players in that series; of those, only LeBron James and Anthony Davis have remained with the team on an uninterrupted basis. Rajon Rondo and Dwight Howard are back now, after playing elsewhere last season.
The Heat also used 12 players in that series; of those, only Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson remain in Miami.
It should be noted that in both cases, the Lakers (Talen Horton-Tucker) and the Heat (Udonis Haslem, Gabe Vincent) have had other players remain on the roster since those finals. They just didn&rsquo;t play in that title series inside the restart bubble at Walt Disney World.
PRESEASON PERSPECTIVE
The games that start Sunday when Brooklyn visits the Los Angeles Lakers mean, and this can&rsquo;t be stressed enough, absolutely nothing in terms of wins and losses.
Milwaukee went 0-3 in the preseason last year and won the NBA title. Phoenix went 0-4 in the preseason last year and went to the NBA Finals.
The only team in the last 25 years that had the best record in the preseason and went on to win the NBA crown was Golden State in 2016-17.
FINALLY, HOME
For Raptors fans in Toronto, the wait is nearly over.
The team plays at home next week. Really at home, that is.
For the first time since Feb. 28, 2020, the Raptors will play a game in Toronto when they open their preseason schedule against Philadelphia. Only a handful of players and staff remain from that team, so the Raptors are having camp in Toronto instead of going elsewhere in Canada &mdash; as they&rsquo;ve done often in recent years.
Toronto called Tampa, Florida, home last season because of the pandemic.
&ldquo;We thought it was really important to re-establish our base here and get everyone familiar with the city,&rdquo; Raptors general manager Bobby Webster said. &ldquo;A lot of our players, a lot of our staff, haven&rsquo;t been here, so we thought that was really important for us to do that.&rdquo;

The first practices in the NBA are here, with teams hitting the floor on Tuesday to formally begin getting ready for the 2021-22 campaign.

6 things to watch for as NBA training camps are set to open

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