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Pistons

It is common for the players who score the most points to get the most praise. They get the credit on SportsCenter and are viewed as the stars of the night. But there is another kind of player who typically doesn't get the credit they deserve, whose importance to the team is not often illuminated.
Enter Victor Oladipo.
In Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Boston Celtics on Saturday night, Oladipo's 5 points didn't make the ESPN highlight reel or pop out in the box score. His stat line wasn&rsquo;t highlighted on the NBA TV recap.
After being bumped out of the rotation in the first half in favor of Caleb Martin and Duncan Robinson, Oladipo could have pouted and had an attitude. This is something that happens at every level: a player doesn&rsquo;t play in the first half and mentally checks out. Sometimes, they are visibily disgruntled. You may be able to see it during halftime warm-ups or in his demeanor on the bench.&nbsp;
Oladipo didn&rsquo;t do any of that. He stayed locked in and was ready and prepared if his number happened to be called. Then, it happened. Jimmy Butler went down and could not return to the game in the second half. Butler has been carrying the team throughout the series; he is who the offense runs through, who the team relies on every trip down the court in some capacity. When he couldn't return due to a knee injury, Oladipo&rsquo;s number was called and he was ready.
In just 20 minutes, Oladipo had 4 steals (twice as many as the Celtics had as team for the entire game) and 8 pass deflections (one more than the Celtics). After the game, PJ Tucker raved about Oladipo's play.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s usually his offense everybody talks about,&rdquo; Tucker said. &ldquo;He comes in with a spark. But his lateral slides and quickness were unbelievable. I told him tonight, 'That was some of the best lateral foot speed I&rsquo;ve seen anybody have.' Jaylen Brown, when he gets going &mdash; especially right &mdash; he's tough to get back in front of. For Vic to square him up was unreal. He gave us a spark.
&ldquo;We talked about it at the half, knowing he was about to start the half and play. To not play at all and then step in and do what he did in the second half, that level of professionalism is few and far between.&rdquo;
Former NBA guard Jamal Crawford tweeted: &ldquo;Vic Oladipo&rsquo;s stats won&rsquo;t justify the game he actually played. They don&rsquo;t win this game without him.&rdquo;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Vic Oladipo&rsquo;s stats won&rsquo;t justify the game he actually played. They don&rsquo;t win this game without him.
&mdash; 🏁 Jamal Crawford (@JCrossover) <a href="https://twitter.com/JCrossover/status/1528214518660157440?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 22, 2022</a></blockquote>

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&ldquo;Everything about it, it speaks to his competitive character,&rdquo; Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra said of Oladipo. &ldquo;That was not easy. We went with a slightly different rotation because Kyle [Lowry] came back. That is going to force some changes throughout the rotation, so he didn&rsquo;t play in the first half. We&rsquo;ve had so many guys that have had to take on different roles and sacrifice. We say it&rsquo;s always easy to sacrifice when you&rsquo;re not the one doing it, and he&rsquo;s had to sacrifice many times. That wasn&rsquo;t easy. That wasn&rsquo;t necessarily the way we were going to go the first half. Just things were going really well. We just kept going with that. Then, all of a sudden, boom: Jimmy is not going to go in the second half.
"For him to be stable enough and not be frustrated and not be rolling his eyes and like, 'Oh, okay, now I get an opportunity.... he&rsquo;s just steady. Stays the course. He&rsquo;s made himself available, made himself vulnerable through this whole process. He&rsquo;s prepared behind the scenes. His minutes in the second half were so important defensively against their two studs (Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown), and then offensively, he just gave us a facsimile of a lot of the stuff we do with Jimmy. And I mean that as the ultimate compliment.&rdquo;
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This isn&rsquo;t the first time during these playoffs that Oladipo has had to be ready to jump right in and be a determining factor when his number was called. Oladipo was actually outside of Miami's rotation in the first round against the Atlanta Hawks. However, he ended up being one of the key reasons for the Heat's 97-94 win in Game 5, which could have easily gone in the Hawks favor. Oladipo poured in 23 points, 3 assists and 3 steals, while shooting 50% from the floor and 50% from three. After that game, his play was featured in ESPN's highlight reel and his stat line jumped out when looking at the box score.
But again, if he hadn't been ready when his number was called, none of that would have been possible. Time and time again, Oladipo has shown that when given the opportunity, he can produce at a high level and be a game-changing player. Any questions about his past injuries (including a ruptured right quadricep tendon) should be laid to rest as he's proven that he's back in terms of his lateral movement, athleticism, ability to create his own shot, outside shooting and transition defense.
&ldquo;Signing Victor Oladipo [to a veteran-minimum deal] was one of the biggest steals in NBA history for the Miami Heat," said Daniel Abraham, Oladipo&rsquo;s former AAU coach. "To get a former All-Star and All-Defensive Team player still near his prime like that for very little and be able to wait patiently for him to get healthy is the type of move that will likely land them in the NBA Finals! And if you know Vic like I do, you know the level of the dedication and work ethic he has always had, so none of this would surprise you.&ldquo;
Many in the NBA world were ready to write him off into irrelevance after he re-injured his leg in 2020 and got traded twice. In January 2021, Oladipo was traded to the Houston Rockets in the four-team blockbuster deal that also sent James Harden to Brooklyn and Caris LeVert to Indiana. Two months later, the Rockets sent Oladipo to Miami for a first-round pick swap, Avery Bradley and Kelly Olynyk.
But with all that behind him, Oladipo is proving all of his doubters wrong. He is far from finished and he has proven that he's still capable of being an impact player and a X-Factor for his team &mdash; whether it&rsquo;s by solely playing defense on one of the best scorers in the league or stepping in and being one of the game's high scorers himself. Regardless of his role, Oladipo will have the right attitude and energy, even if those opportunities don&rsquo;t present themselves each and every game.
This is the type of player whom any organization would want on their team, and Oladipo should receive plenty of interest from teams when he hits unrestricted free agency this summer.
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Regardless of what the box score showed, Victor Oladipo played a crucial role in the Heat's Game 3 win over the Celtics.

Victor Oladipo staying ready and making the most of every opportunity

Through two weeks of the WNBA season, where does each team stack up and what are some prime takeaways?

WNBA Power Rankings 5/22

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

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

NBA announces 76 prospects who will attend 2022 NBA Draft Combine

For a third of the NBA, summer break comes early.&nbsp;
Though 10 teams didn't make the playoffs, it's not all doom and gloom. Several NBA bottom-feeders took tangible steps forward in their rebuilding efforts, while others &mdash; well, they're not supposed to be here.
Every franchise enters the offseason with summer plans. As teams get eliminated from the postseason, I'll be rounding up every team's offseason outlook and posing one question they must answer over the summer. You'll see each squad's 2022 NBA Draft chest, plus their potential free agents, along with the central question.&nbsp;
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Let's get started!
DETROIT PISTONS 
Draft assets: First-round pick (14.0% chance at No. 1), Second-round pick (via Brooklyn)
Potential free agents:&nbsp;Marvin Bagley III (restricted), Cory Joseph (player option), Hamidou Diallo (team option), Frank Jackson (team option), Luka Garza (team option), Carsen Edwards (team option), Rodney McGruder 
Central question: How do the Pistons build an offense around Cade Cunningham?
This was a pretty solid season for Detroit as far as rebuilding efforts go. Cade Cunningham emerged as a Rookie of the Year front-runner and two-way centerpiece who has fans ecstatic about his ceiling. The Pistons finished a solid 10-14 after the All-Star break, and have shown flashes of an improving defense. They did still finish with the 28th-ranked offense, per Cleaning the Glass, and one of the worst shooting rates in the NBA.
Cunningham had to carry a ridiculous offensive load in the latter stages of the season. Detroit has the power to change that in 2022-23, starting with its high draft pick. Maybe Jabari Smith's lights-out scoring means he's an ideal secondary option? Perhaps Paolo Banchero thrives as an additional creator, or maybe Chet Holmgren makes sense as a finisher and spot-up threat? The fun part about Cunningham is that his versatility creates so many pathways for the Pistons in the draft &mdash; whether or not the ping pong balls fall their way.
Detroit wields a cap hold of approximately $28 million on Bagley, and once that lifts (either via a new contract or letting him walk), the Pistons should have a solid chunk of cap space to add to the supporting cast.
HOUSTON ROCKETS
Draft assets: First-round pick (14.0% chance at No. 1), better of Brooklyn/Miami first-round picks
Potential free agents: John Wall (player option), Dennis Schroder, Bruno Fernando (restricted), Jae'Sean Tate (team option), Anthony Lamb (qualifying offer), Trevelin Queen (qualifying offer)
Central question: How patient is the front office willing to be?
Houston's 2021 draft strategy of "draft talent, figure out the fit later" appears to be working out. Jalen Green demonstrated an Anthony Edwards-esque leap post-All-Star break, Alperen Sengun is already one of the NBA's best passing bigs, and guys like Josh Christopher and KJ Martin routinely hinted at upside. Houston gets another prime shot at a franchise cornerstone this draft cycle. We're approaching Stage 2 of the strategy, though: figuring out how the pieces fit.&nbsp;
The Rockets were one of two NBA teams with bottom-five ratings on offense and defense. They led the league in rim frequency and were fourth in three-point frequency, but posted mediocre shooting clips. Houston evokes memories of the rebuilding Nets, who played a similarly extreme brand of ball for a few years as the team slowly reshaped into a fun playoff squad. Does the front office have the foresight to let head coach Stephen Silas work things out with his roster of young guns?&nbsp;
INDIANA PACERS
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
How is there a &ldquo;rebuild&rdquo; to afraid of if it isn&rsquo;t a rebuild? <a href="https://t.co/0pDD7E6Mss">pic.twitter.com/0pDD7E6Mss</a>
&mdash; Caitlin Cooper (@C2_Cooper) <a href="https://twitter.com/C2_Cooper/status/1512127632758001664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 7, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Draft assets: First-round pick (10.5% chance at No. 1), First-round pick (if 15-30, via Cleveland), Second-round pick (via Houston), Second-round pick (via Phoenix)
Potential free agents: Ricky Rubio, T.J. Warren, Jalen Smith, Lance Stephenson, Nate Hinton (restricted), Oshae Brissett (team option)
Central question: How extreme is the incoming rebuild, and what veterans mesh with the future vision?
Notably unlisted among the potential free agents are Malcolm Brogdon, Myles Turner, Buddy Hield and T.J. McConnell. All range from solid starters to rotational complements, and 3 of the 4 (not Turner) will be 30 next season. The Pacers are clearly retooling, as evidenced by their trade-deadline fireworks and Tyrese Haliburton's subsequent high usage. They also have publicly flip-flopped regarding the direction of the team; see the above Tweet.
Indiana doesn't have the pure depth of talent to straddle the line. The Pacers can trade many of these talented players and build up a chest of draft picks and young pieces, or they can charge ahead, turn their picks into win-now players and hope Haliburton is ready for the playoff push. But a middle ground doesn't exist in an Eastern Conference where just about every team has solidified its direction.
LOS ANGELES LAKERS
Draft assets: None
Potential free agents: Russell Westbrook (player option), Kendrick Nunn (player option), Austin Reaves (team option), Stanley Johnson (team option), Carmelo Anthony, Avery Bradley, Wayne Ellington, Dwight Howard, Kent Bazemore, Malik Monk, D.J. Augustin, Wenyen Gabriel, Mason Jones (restricted)
Central question: What does team-building around two injury-prone superstars look like?
LeBron James <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/lebron-james-i-dont-have-a-cap-on-how-long-i-want-to-play" target="_blank" rel="noopener">turns 38 next season</a>, and has played 60-plus games just once in the past four seasons. Anthony Davis has now missed more than half the season in back-to-back years. Sure, the Lakers were a mess regardless of their stars' health, but going forward, is pursuing fits next to James and Davis even worthwhile if the two won't consistently be on the court?
With just three players under contract (the aforementioned stars, plus Talen Horton-Tucker), the Lakers enter another offseason of a roster overhaul. This time, I'd recommend almost entirely forgetting about James and Davis when building the squad and simply try to assemble units that make sense together.&nbsp;
NEW YORK KNICKS
Draft assets: First-round pick (2.5% chance at No. 1, could change based on Play-In results), Second-round pick via Boston and Charlotte (if 56-60)
Potential free agents: Mitchell Robinson, Ryan Arcidiacono 
Central question: What's going to happen with the veterans?
The top six moneymakers for the Knicks next season are all 27 or older, and I think many fans would say that out of the group, only Julius Randle should have started &mdash; and he seriously regressed this season. The young Knicks <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/explain-one-play-young-knicks-playing-chess" target="_blank" rel="noopener">clearly showed they're ready to take the mantle</a>.
So what happens with Randle, Evan Fournier, Derrick Rose, Alec Burks, Nerlens Noel and Kemba Walker? Is Tom Thibodeau prepared to reduce their (their meaning Burks specifically in this case) minutes and usage, will trades be coming, or will Madison Square Garden burn when Immanuel Quickley opens the season by playing 16 minutes off the bench? New York has drafted extremely well in recent seasons, but the ceiling of the young core is capped if these youngsters don't get a chance to prove themselves in meaningful situations.
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OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER 
Draft assets: First-round pick (12.5% chance at No. 1), First-round pick via Clippers, First-round pick via Phoenix, Second-round pick
Potential free agents: Derrick Favors (player option), Mike Muscala (team option), Lu Dort (team option), Isaiah Roby (team option), Melvin Frazier (restricted)
Central question: What is the pathway in the frontcourt?
I've stanned Sam Presti's team-building strategy for years now, and I still think it's on track for a serious payoff. Josh Giddey slots in somewhere on your All-Rookie ballot, and draft classmates Tre Mann, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl and Aaron Wiggins flashed rotation-caliber play as well. It is simply a joy to watch a random young player have a breakout game on any given night, and OKC has already shown the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-oklahoma-city-thunders-emerging-defensive-identity" target="_blank" rel="noopener">early stages of a prominent defense</a>.
Next up: Capitalize on a draft loaded with intruiging frontcourt players. Banchero, Holmgren and Smith are obviously the best of the best. But even if the Thunder slide in the lottery, they could pounce on an athletic shot-blocker like Jalen Duren, or use one of their later picks on a center like Mark Williams. I'm just spit-balling, but the point is that OKC has plenty of chances to find its big-man anchor and further flesh out its core.
ORLANDO MAGIC
Draft assets: First-round pick (14.0% chance at No. 1), Second-round pick, Second-round pick via Indiana
Potential free agents: Gary Harris, Robin Lopez, Bol Bol (restricted), Ignas Brazdeikis (restricted), Admiral Schofield (restricted)
Central question: How do the offensive pieces fit together?
Orlando quietly logged a 17th-ranked defense this season, and an 11th-ranked unit since Feb. 1. A dismal offense ultimately doomed the Magic, who were riddled with inconsistent shotmaking and poor team efficiency marks throughout the half-court. We don't need to sound any player alarms; it takes time for young guards in particular to grasp the responsibilities of running NBA offenses.&nbsp;
But what if I told you Orlando has wielded bottom-10 offensive ratings every season for the last decade?&nbsp;
Change can start in the draft, again with some of the top offensive forward options like Banchero or Smith. Adding another ball-dominant guard in Jaden Ivey might be overkill, but AJ Griffin and Bennedict Mathurin feel like good wing fits at first glance. Spotrac estimates the Magic could have up to $30 million in practical cap space, leaving plenty of room for veteran players to accentuate the young talent.
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
THE D IN DREW STANDS FOR DUNK DO NOT GOOGLE THIS <a href="https://t.co/2AojdAskYV">pic.twitter.com/2AojdAskYV</a>
&mdash; Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) <a href="https://twitter.com/trailblazers/status/1508636734900166659?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 29, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Draft assets: First-round pick (9.0% chance at No. 1), First-round pick via New Orleans (if 5-14), Second-round pick, Second-round pick via Memphis
Potential free agents: Joe Ingles, Jusuf Nurkic, Ben McLemore, Anfernee Simons (restricted), CJ Elleby (restricted), Elijah Hughes (restricted), Keljin Blevins (restricted)
Central question: Is Portland actually trying to win "now" or win soon?
Some really great development happened for the Blazers during the "wash" portion of the season in the form of players like Trendon Watford, Keon Johnson and Drew Eubanks. Add them to Anfernee Simons, Nassir Little and the incomng draft picks, and Portland suddenly has... kind of a sneaky-deep prospect pool? There's real potential to mold this group into a rotation cast that gives Portland one of its deepest rosters in years.
That's why these <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/jerami-grant-trade-rumors-portland-is-still-the-frontrunner" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jerami Grant trade rumors concern me</a>. Giving up a possible lottery pick to try and piece together a short-term playoff team risks too much and keeps the Trail Blazers in the limbo they have lounged in for several years. Understandably, the franchise wants to build a contender while Damian Lillard is invested and in his prime. With some patience, Portland can without sacrificing sustainibility.
SACRAMENTO KINGS
Draft assets: First-round pick (7.5% chance at No. 1), Second-round pick, Second-round pick (via Chicago)
Potential free agents: Jeremy Lamb, Josh Jackson, Damian Jones, Donte DiVincenzo (restricted), Neemias Queta (restricted), Trey Lyles (team option)
Central question: How does Sacramento turn into a competitive NBA defense?
The Kings have trotted out lackluster defenses for as long as I can remember. In fact, they haven't ranked above 20th in Defensive Rating since 2005-06 &mdash; notably, the last time they made the playoffs.
And that didn't change under interim head coach Alvin Gentry. (Gentry will not return as head coach next season, but is <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/shams-alvin-gentry-no-longer-interim-coach-of-the-kings" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in talks for a front-office role</a>, per ESPN.) However, the on-paper roster actually shines some hope. Davion Mitchell made highlight reels out of his "Off-Night" defense. Justin Holiday is a solid individual defender, as is Harrison Barnes, and even De'Aaron Fox has his sporadic moments.&nbsp;
Can Sacramento find a head coach who turns a group of intriguing players with defensive potential into even an average squad? What draft and free agency options exist? Of course, the Kings would like to end their NBA-leading playoff drought. That'll come with changing the culture on defense.
WASHINGTON WIZARDS
Draft assets: First-round pick (2.5% chance at No. 1, depends on Play-In results), Second-round pick (via Dallas)
Potential free agents: Bradley Beal (player option), Thomas Bryant, Raul Neto, Tomas Satoransky, Anthony Gill (restricted), Cassius Winston (restricted)
Central question: What style of guard play is a feasible best fit?
Okay, so obviously the biggest question mark surrounds Bradley Beal's free agency. But from a conceptual standpoint, Washington has tried and failed over the past few seasons to find Beal's best-fitting partner in crime. John Wall, Russell Westbrook and Spencer Dinwiddie were each supposed to provide the downhill juice Beal lacks. The Wizards either did this at serious expense of another skill area (Wall, Westbrook), or it just didn't translate their at-rim ability (Dinwiddie). All battled injuries as well.
"I think we need bigger guards," <a href="https://www.nbcsports.com/washington/wizards/bradley-beal-outlines-what-wizards-need-build-contender" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Beal said in March</a>. "We need more guys that can get in the paint for us, more ball-handlers, more guys that can really create and get two feet in the paint, but also who can knock down threes."
I mean, Beal's needs make total sense. The problem is that every other basketball team on Earth also wants this type of guard.
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Ethan Fuller sets the offseason stage for each team that missed the NBA playoffs.

Summer plans for the NBA's 10 non-playoff teams

There wasn&rsquo;t exactly a consensus about how the 2021-22 Los Angeles Lakers&rsquo; season would end, but it&rsquo;s probably safe to say that nobody foresaw this.
On Tuesday night, the Lakers saw their bleak playoff hopes reduced to zero when the San Antonio Spurs defeated the Denver Nuggets, and immediately thereafter &mdash; and rightfully so &mdash; Frank Vogel, Anthony Davis, LeBron James and Russell Westbrook were all in the news.
In the end, there&rsquo;s no single reason the Lakers turned in one of the most disappointing seasons in franchise history &mdash; there&rsquo;s enough blame to go around.
What Rob Pelinka needs to figure out is how to fix it.
The answer, ironically, would probably be to start thinking small.
This past season, the team managed to find some serviceable pieces to augment the star-studded core, but only Davis, James, Talen Horton-Tucker and Austin Reaves are under contract next season. The Lakers hold a team option on Stanley Johnson and Westbrook and Kendrick Nunn both have player options they are likely to pick up.
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The official 2021-22 Kendrick Nunn highlight reel 🎥 <a href="https://t.co/wDPehJyqpN">pic.twitter.com/wDPehJyqpN</a>
&mdash; Lakers Lead (@LakersLead) <a href="https://twitter.com/LakersLead/status/1508967570560458762?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 30, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Combined &mdash; thanks in large part to the commitments to Westbrook, James and Davis &mdash; the Lakers are in line to have about $148 million on their 2022-23 ledger, which is already about $26 million over the projected salary cap.
Said differently, outside of offloading one of Westbrook, James or Davis without taking much salary back in return, the team wouldn&rsquo;t be able to manufacture enough cap space to have a competent opportunity of improving via free agency. Obviously, the club could go the route it went this past season and hand out one-year, minimum salary contracts to aging veterans, but the players who could actually make a difference for the Lakers won&rsquo;t exactly be lining up to sign on the dotted line given the performance of this year&rsquo;s team.
To make matters even worse, the Lakers don&rsquo;t own a pick in this year&rsquo;s draft. Their first rounder was sent to New Orleans in the Anthony Davis trade, while their second-round pick is owned by the Spurs.
So how does a team with no cap space and no draft picks improve?
Simple: by thinking small.
Ask the Brooklyn Nets, and look toward the Miami Heat.
A historically frugal franchise, Miami has never necessarily found itself in the kind of salary cap hell the Lakers are in at the moment. Part of the reason why is because one of the constants during Pat Riley&rsquo;s tenure has been investing heavily in scouting and player development. The same rings true of most successful small market franchises.
Players like LeBron James and Anthony Davis may win you the championship, but throughout history, it&rsquo;s always been players like Alex Caruso, Kyle Kuzma and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope who get you there in the first place.
Contenders invariably unearth valuable and sometimes unknown role players and maximize those role players' talent. For example, this year's Miami team has enjoyed the combination of Tyler Herro, Max Strus and Omer Yurtseven combining to earn only about $7 million. That's about $3 million less than Talen Horton-Tucker alone. Strus and Yurtseven are far from household names, but Miami wouldn&rsquo;t be entering play on April 6 as the first seed out East without them, especially considering the injuries the team has dealt with this season.
Duncan Robinson and Kendrick Nunn also go on a list that features the likes of Bam Adebayo, Mario Chalmers, Dwyane Wade and Udonis Haslem as players drafted and developed by the staff in Miami.
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Some time ago, the Lakers had what looked like a competent core of young players. It&rsquo;s hard to imagine that just four years ago, Brandon Ingram, Julius Randle, Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma, Josh Hart and Jordan Clarkson were all teammates in Los Angeles. They&rsquo;ve all come and gone, most to facilitate the arrivals of LeBron, Davis and then Westbrook.
The Lakers do have a championship to show for that roster churn, but from this point forth, the way out might actually be to go back to the drawing board. Sean Marks and his Brooklyn Nets, another franchise that Lakers VP of Operations Rob Pelinka would be wise to mimic this summer, provide a blueprint for how to go about doing that.
When Marks took over the Nets in 2016, Brooklyn was not in a good place. Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Jason Terry had all come and gone, and the draft picks that became Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and Collin Sexton were living their best lives elsewhere. The Nets had a bloated payroll, a team of scrubs and no future.
The NBA's Chicago Draft Combine was only two months after Marks was hired in Brooklyn, and despite not owning a first-round pick, he sent quite a contingent to the Windy City. Their directive was to do as much recon work as possible to find Marks some players who could help. Marks used Thaddeus Young to trade his way into the first round and came away from the draft with Caris LeVert and Isaiah Whitehead. Within the next six months, he signed two diamonds in the rough, Joe Harris and Spencer Dinwiddie.
One season later, Marks drafted Jarrett Allen and landed D&rsquo;Angelo Russell in a trade with the Lakers, and that was essentially the core that both got Brooklyn back on track and ultimately landed Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.
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Highlights Kyrie Irving &amp; Kevin Durant 🆚 Sixers<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NetsWorld?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NetsWorld</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBATwitter?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBATwitter</a> <a href="https://t.co/viw7ZzQQIZ">pic.twitter.com/viw7ZzQQIZ</a>
&mdash; Back2Back (@B2BFR) <a href="https://twitter.com/B2BFR/status/1502186067541307394?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 11, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Obviously, that all took time to come to fruition, and time isn't something that LeBron James has. But the point is that no matter how daunting the situation, a competent NBA front office can build a team without having the most obvious assets readily available. That the Lakers have two superstars should actually make the task a bit less difficult.
In this league, there are generally two types of teams: those who rely on free agency and trades to build their contender, and those who build their programs organically, most often through the draft. Big-market teams tend to be the former, while small market teams usually go the other route.
If either Marks or Riley were put in charge of the Lakers&rsquo; front office, they would probably trade Horton-Tucker for draft capital after realizing he&rsquo;s not the right fit there. They&rsquo;d engage the Pelicans, Blazers, Thunder, Rockets, Pacers and Grizzlies &mdash; teams who may have multiple first-round picks &mdash; and find a way to come away from the draft with a young piece and at least one more promising player from the summer circuit. Only then would they go knocking on the doors of guys like Tristan Thompson, Semi Ojeleye and Victor Oladipo, all of whom could help and potentially be had for cheap.
By the time the 2022-23 season tips off, the team could be remade. Some names we&rsquo;d know, and many we wouldn&rsquo;t. But as we&rsquo;ve seen before, often, it&rsquo;s the names we don&rsquo;t know who end up making the biggest difference. Alex Caruso, anyone?&nbsp;
Neither DeMar DeRozan, Buddy Hield nor Kyle Lowry will be coming to save the day; Pelinka and James got themselves into their current mess, and they&rsquo;ll have to get themselves out.
With their season ending much sooner than anyone could have imagined, the Lakers will have plenty to address over their long summer.
But, at least in the NBA, small steps can lead to major strides.
With few options, the Lakers should be so wise.
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With the Los Angeles Lakers out of playoff contention, they must now focus on rebuilding like a small-market team.

Only fix for LeBron’s Lakers is to operate like a small-market team

Although some top-tier players who were expected to hit free agency this coming summer have already signed extensions, the 2022 NBA free-agent class will feature quite a few stars.
After <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/2022-nba-free-agency-preview-ranking-the-top-10-guards">ranking the best guards</a> and <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/2022-nba-free-agency-preview-ranking-the-top10-forwards">forwards set to hit the open market</a>, let's complete this series by highlighting the top-10 big men up for grabs this summer. &nbsp;
1. Deandre Ayton &mdash; Phoenix Suns &mdash; Restricted
Deandre Ayton is the crown jewel of this year's free-agent center crop. Although the Suns surprisingly chose not to offer him a max extension last offseason (worth approximately $173 million over five years), Phoenix is still in the driver's seat, as the franchise can match any offer the former No. 1 overall pick receives this summer. Expect them to do just that for a young, improving player who is a foundational cornerstone of a team with championship aspirations.&nbsp;
2. Jusuf Nurkic &mdash; Portland Trail Blazers &mdash; Unrestricted
After a disappointing 2020-21 campaign, Jusuf Nurkic bounced back impressively this season, averaging 15.0 points, a career-high 11.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.1 steals while shooting 53.5% from the floor. Nurkic has been sidelined by plantar fasciitis for the past month, and will likely miss the rest of the season. However, he'll likely be ready to rock by the start of training camp next September. Due to Nurk's tight bond with Blazers point guard Damian Lillard, many pundits expect Portland to re-sign the big man to a multi-year deal.&nbsp;
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3. Mitchell Robinson &mdash; New York Knicks &mdash; Unrestricted
The Knicks technically have until June 30 to ink Mitchell Robinson to an extension worth up to $48 million over four years. However, the two sides have not yet reached an agreement, so it appears Mitch Rob will be able to test the market for his services. While he has flashed All-NBA Defense upside in short spurts throughout his four-year career, Robinson has battled numerous injuries and baffling inconsistency. His regression at the free-throw line (he's shooting below 50% in each of the past two seasons) is obviously worrisome as well. Nevertheless, few big men can supply the type of high-flying athleticism and rim-protection he brings to the table.
4. Bobby Portis &mdash; Milwaukee Bucks &mdash; Player Option 
With Brook Lopez sidelined for most of the 2021-22 season, Bobby Portis stepped in and stepped up for the Bucks, starting 57 of the team's last 58 games. He is averaging career-highs in scoring (15.1 points), boards (9.1), steals (0.8), blocks (0.8) and made three-pointers (2.0). Portis is currently one of only two players in the NBA averaging at least 9 rebounds and 2 made treys per game. (Luka Doncic and Karl-Anthony Towns are the other two members of this club.) Portis' player option for 2022-23 is only worth $4.6 million, so he is expected to opt-out and search for a significant raise.
5. Ivica Zubac &mdash; Los Angeles Clippers &mdash; Team Option 
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Zubac is a bonafide firefighter for LAC. In one possession he 1) traps Trae 28 ft out 2) sprints towards Capela hands up to dissuade the pass to the roller 3) checks Capela and stops the Collins drive 4) gets in front of Capela as the shot goes up and wins the glass battle <a href="https://t.co/OjS3dxuz4P">pic.twitter.com/OjS3dxuz4P</a>
&mdash; Justin W. (@LAClippersFilm) <a href="https://twitter.com/LAClippersFilm/status/1503470104041861120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 14, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Ivica Zubac's team option for next season is $7.5 million, so it's an easy decision for the Clippers to pick it up. He just turned 25 years old last week and continues to improve steadily. Zubac is posting career-highs in just about every statistical category this season.
6. Montrezl Harrell &mdash; Charlotte Hornets &mdash; Unrestricted
Montrezl Harrell has had another productive and efficient season off the bench, averaging 13.8 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists, while shooting 63.9% across 62 games for both the Wizards and Charlotte Hornets (following a midseason trade).&nbsp;
7. Mo Bamba &mdash; Orlando Magic &mdash; Restricted
After struggling mightily over his first three years in the NBA, Mo Bamba, the sixth overall pick in the 2018 draft, is enjoying the best year of his pro career. He is on pace to become the first player in Magic franchise history to average more than 1.5 blocks and 1.0 made three-pointers per game over an entire season. However, the Magic inked center Wendell Carter Jr. to a four-year, $50 million contract extension back in October and have Mo Wagner (brother of their prized rookie, Franz) under contract next season as well. In addition, lineups with both WCJ and Bamba have not performed well. Thus, Orlando will likely let the former lottery pick walk if another team offers a contract the team is uncomfortable matching.&nbsp;
8. Nic Claxton &mdash; Brooklyn Nets &mdash; Restricted
Nic Claxton continues to impress in limited playing time off the bench for Brooklyn. His per-36 minute averages this season are outstanding: 15.2 points (on 65.1% shooting), 9.6 rebounds and 2.0 blocks. The Nets have limited depth due to the high salaries of their top players, and billionaire owner Joe Tsai is unafraid of paying the luxury tax, so Brooklyn is expected to match any reasonable offer Claxton receives.&nbsp;
9. Andre Drummond &mdash; Brooklyn Nets &mdash; Unrestricted
Andre Drummond has increased his value following the trade that sent him from Philadelphia to Brooklyn. He has started all 14 games he's played as a Net, and is averaging 11.4 points (on 62.5% shooting), 9.6 rebounds and 0.9 blocks for Brooklyn. Drummond can boost his value significantly with a strong showing in the playoffs.&nbsp;
10. Thomas Bryant &mdash; Washington Wizards &mdash; Unrestricted:
Thomas Bryant inked a three-year, $25 million deal back in 2019 and played very well for the Wiz during the first year of that pact, averaging 13.2 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in under 25 minutes a night. He also started the following season impressively before tearing his ACL in early 2021. Bryant returned to action in January, but has seen his minutes reduced following Washington's acquisition of Kristaps Porzingis. Still just 24 years old, Bryant could be a worthwhile investment for a team in the market for a young big.&nbsp;
Best of the Rest:
LaMarcus Aldridge, JaVale McGee, Dwight Howard, Isaiah Hartenstein, Hassan Whiteside, Derrick Favors (player option), Tristan Thompson, Kevon Looney, JaMychal Green, Frank Kaminsky, Mike Muscala (team option), Bismack Biyombo
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Tommy Beer ranks the top centers who could be available as a part of the 2022 NBA free-agent class.

2022 NBA Free Agency Preview: Ranking the top-10 centers

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

March Madness: Conference tournament Thursday recap

Tommy Beer is back with his latest version of BasketballNews.com's NBA Power Rankings. To read last week's version, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-power-rankings-sixers-and-nuggets-on-come-up-nets-sliding" target="_blank" rel="noopener">click here</a>.
The Milwaukee Bucks, Dallas Mavericks and Boston Celtics (thanks to their dominant defense) are three of the big climbers this week, while the Nets continue to head in the wrong direction.
1. Phoenix Suns (44-10) &harr;️ Last Week: 1
Despite posting the NBA's best record, the Suns are reportedly looking to upgrade their roster. <a href="https://hoopshype.com/lists/nba-rumors-james-harden-ben-simmons-caris-levert-collin-sexton-malik-beasley-thaddeus-young/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype</a>, Phoenix is one of two teams (the Minnesota Timberwolves being the other) that have expressed interest in trading for San Antonio Spurs veteran Thaddeus Young.
2. Golden State Warriors (41-13) &harr;️ Last Week: 2
It appears Klay Thompson is finding his groove, which is bad news for the rest of the NBA. Klay has scored over 20 points in back-to-back games and is averaging 19.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 3.6 made treys (while shooting 42.9% from downtown) over his last five contests. &nbsp;
3. Memphis Grizzlies (38-18) &harr;️ Last Week: 3
The Grizz just keep on winning. They've won 6 of their last 7 games and 19 of their previous 23. Memphis has not lost consecutive contests since before Christmas. Over their last 20 games, Ja Morant is averaging 29.9 points (while shooting over 51% from the floor), 6.7 dimes, 6.3 assists, 1.6 made triples and 1.1 steals. Those are jaw-dropping numbers for any player, let alone a 22-year-old kid in just his third pro season.
4. Milwaukee Bucks (35-21) ⬆️ Last Week: 9
Interesting statistical factoid from the Bucks 137-113 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday. In that game, Milwaukee became the first team in NBA history to have each member of its starting lineup score at least 15 points, grab at least 5 rebounds and knock down at least 2 three-pointers.
5. Miami Heat (35-20) &harr;️ Last Week: 5
When the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Chicago Bulls on Sunday night, Miami clinched the best record in the Eastern Conference through the end of last week, which means Erik Spoelstra and his staff will head to Cleveland later this month to coach Team Durant in the All-Star Game.
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6. Chicago Bulls (33-21) &harr;️ Last Week: 6
The Bulls, playing without two of their best perimeter defenders in Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso, have lost 3 of their last 4. However, after playing Wednesday in Charlotte, Chicago begins a six-game homestand that wraps around All-Star weekend. Following the matchup with the Hornets, the Bulls don't play on the road again until Feb. 28.&nbsp;
7. Cleveland Cavaliers (33-21) ⬆️ Last Week: 8
The Cavs acquired Caris LeVert from the Indiana Pacers in exchange for injured point guard Ricky Rubio and three draft picks over the weekend. "Very excited to add a dynamic young player of this caliber and experience," Cleveland president Koby Altman told reporters. "LeVert fits uniquely into our culture, and his Ohio roots bring an immediate connection to our community. We look forward to seeing what type of impact he can make on this roster." It's an excellent addition for the Cavs to supply them with the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/reaction-caris-levert-fills-blended-need-for-cavs-as-pacers-reset" target="_blank" rel="noopener">scoring wing they were looking for</a>, making Cleveland that much scarier come playoff time. LeVert is expected to be active for Wednesday's game against the Spurs.
8. Philadelphia 76ers (32-22) ⬇️ Last Week: 4
The Sixers are 10 games over .500 and Joel Embiid is doing much of the heavy lifting. Over his last 10 games, the big man is averaging 36.0 points, 12.1 rebounds and 4.7 assists. In the process, he may have established himself as the odds-on favorite to take home the MVP award entering the All-Star break. &nbsp;
9. Dallas Mavericks (32-23) ⬆️ Last Week: 10
Reggie Bullock tallied 22 points (on 8 of 14 shooting with 6 made three-pointers), 9 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals in a win over the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday. He's been a big part of the Mavs success of late. Over Dallas' past seven games, Bullock is averaging 17.9 points (while shooting 50.0% from the floor), 5.4 rebounds, 4.6 treys, 1.3 steals and just 0.6 turnovers.
10. Utah Jazz (33-21) ⬆️ Last Week: 11
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Donovan Mitchell sealed the win for the <a href="https://twitter.com/utahjazz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@utahjazz</a> with 3 fourth-quarter steals, after GOING OFF for 21 points in the first half! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TakeNote?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TakeNote</a> 🕷 <a href="https://twitter.com/spidadmitchell?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@spidadmitchell</a>: 32 PTS, 7 REB, 6 AST, 4 STL <a href="https://t.co/IiPsFfYDIu">pic.twitter.com/IiPsFfYDIu</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1490927965319970816?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 8, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Donovan Mitchell racked up 32 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 steals in Utah's victory over the Knicks on Monday night. Rudy Gobert (left calf strain) did not play in the win, but the Jazz are hoping he is cleared to return to the action later this week. They also just acquired Nickeil Alexander-Walker <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nickel-alexanderwalker-on-the-move-again-as-blazers-jazz-spurs-complete-threeteam-deal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in a three-team deal</a> to add some youth (and depth) to their backcourt.
11. Denver Nuggets (30-24) ⬇️ Last Week: 7
Nikola Jokic was at it again Sunday, registering another triple-double in Denver's 124-104 win over the Brooklyn Nets. The Joker finished with 27 points (on 12 of 15 shooting), 12 rebounds, 10 assists, 2 steals and just 2 turnovers in only 30 minutes. This one (his NBA-leading 14th triple-double) was notable because it was the second time in Jokic's career he's recorded a 25-point triple-double while also shooting above 80% from the floor. Wilt Chamberlain is the only player in NBA history with more than one such game.
12. Toronto Raptors (29-23) ⬆️ Last Week: 14
The Raptors, who are currently riding a six-game winning streak, have discussed a trade that would send Goran Dragic (and his $18 million expiring contract) to the Hawks in exchange for Danilo Gallinari, <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2953236-nba-trade-intel-cj-mccollum-has-become-best-player-likely-dealt-at-deadline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report</a>.
13. Boston Celtics (31-25)&nbsp;⬆️ Last Week: 15
The Celtics have posted a 13-4 record dating back to New Year's Eve, and it's their defense that has turned Boston's season around. Over this 17-game stretch, the C's are allowing just 101.5 points per 100 possessions. To put that number in context: No team in the NBA other than Boston is allowing fewer than 106.5 points per 100 possessions over the past six weeks. Boston ranks first in Net Rating in 2022 as well. As usual, Marcus Smart has led the charge (pun intended) on the defensive front. He leads his team in pass deflections (64 more than any other Celtic) and charges drawn.
14. Minnesota Timberwolves (29-25) ⬆️ Last Week: 17
In the 18 games this season in which Minnesota has been able to roll out its preferred starting five of D&rsquo;Angelo Russell, Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Edwards, Jarred Vanderbilt and Patrick Beverley, the Wolves are 13-5.
15. Brooklyn Nets (29-25) ⬇️ Last Week: 12
The Nets have lost nine straight games. They are 12 games under .500 dating back to late December. Kevin Durant is still weeks away from returning to action after spraining the medial collateral in his left knee last month. James Harden looks puffy and is nursing a hamstring injury. Joe Harris suffered a setback in his recovery from left ankle surgery in late January and reportedly could need a second surgery. Of the 27 games remaining on the Nets schedule, 14 of them are on the road. However, four of those contests are against either the New York Knicks or Raptors, which means Irving will only be able to suit up for (at most) 10 games. But, yeah, other than that, everything is all good in Brooklyn.&nbsp;
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16. Charlotte Hornets (28-27) ⬇️ Last Week: 13
Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2953236-nba-trade-intel-cj-mccollum-has-become-best-player-likely-dealt-at-deadline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> this week that the Hornets are one of several teams that have expressed interest in Spurs big man Jakob Poeltl. The Bulls and Raps have also been rumored to be interested in Poeltl.
17. Atlanta Hawks (26-28) ⬇️ Last Week: 16
The Hawks were just 1-3 in their previous four games prior to Tuesday (although that one win was impressive &mdash; a victory at home over the Suns last Thursday, which snapped their 11-game winning streak). Atlanta took advantage of a reeling Indiana Pacers squad Tuesday night, beating them 133-112.
18. Los Angeles Lakers (26-29) &harr;️ Last Week: 18
Over the Lakers' last four games, Russell Westbrook is shooting a putrid 27.5% from the floor, 15.4% from downtown and 55.0% from the charity stripe. Late in the fourth quarter of Sunday's victory over the Knicks, when Westbrook was alone with the ball in the corner, the home crowd shouted at him not to shoot. When New York forced overtime, head coach Frank Vogel benched Russ for Talen Horton-Tucker. Westbrook was also benched for the final 14 minutes in Tuesday&rsquo;s loss to the Bucks. Will the Lakers admit they made a mistake before the deadline and reroute Russ out of Los Angeles?
19. New Orleans Pelicans (22-32) ⬆️ Last Week: 23
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🔥 Brandon Ingram WENT OFF for 17 points in the 3rd quarter on his way to 33 points and the <a href="https://twitter.com/PelicansNBA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PelicansNBA</a> win! <a href="https://twitter.com/B_Ingram13?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@B_Ingram13</a>: 33 PTS, 12 AST, 3 STL <a href="https://t.co/3uT1ocPpgg">pic.twitter.com/3uT1ocPpgg</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1490683017949552641?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 7, 2022</a></blockquote>

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New Orleans, who won just one of their first 13 games this season, is now riding a four-game winning streak and has jumped up into 10th place in the Western Conference. And on Tuesday, the team <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/why-the-pelicans-pushing-chips-in-on-cj-mccollum-was-a-wise-investment" target="_blank" rel="noopener">added a stud scorer to its roster</a>. The Pels acquired CJ McCollum along with Larry Nance and Tony Snell from the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for Jason Hart, Tomas Satoransky, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Didi Louzada and draft compensation. I love this deal for New Orleans.&nbsp;
20. Los Angeles Clippers (27-29) ⬇️ Last Week: 19
Last week, the Clippers made a shrewd trade, sending Eric Bledsoe, Justise Winslow, Keon Johnson, and a second-round pick to the Blazers for Norman Powell and Robert Covington. It will help not only help them make a playoff push this year, but will also <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/breaking-down-why-the-blazersclippers-deal-works-for-both-sides" target="_blank" rel="noopener">round out their roster next season</a> when they can count on both Kawhi Leonard and Paul George returning to full strength. Powell looked great in his Clippers' debut on Sunday, tallying 28 points on 9 of 16 shooting in just 24 minutes. He followed that up with a 16-point night in a lopsided loss to the Grizz.
21. Washington Wizards (24-29) ⬇️ Last Week: 20
After the 2021-22 season started with plenty of promise, the Wiz have lost 8 of 9 heading into Thursday's matchup with the Nets. They will likely look to <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/examining-trade-destinations-for-spencer-dinwiddie" target="_blank" rel="noopener">trade the struggling Spencer Dinwiddie</a> before the deadline arrives.&nbsp;
22. New York Knicks (24-31) ⬇️ Last Week: 21
New York has lost 10 of its last 12 games, but Mitchell Robinson had been playing some of the best basketball of his career before sitting out Tuesday's loss due to a back injury. Over the last month, Mitch Rob is averaging 11.5 points, 10.8 rebounds and 1.7 blocks. During this stretch, the only other players in the NBA also averaging double-digit points and rebounds to go along with at least 1.4 blocks are Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
23. San Antonio Spurs (20-34) ⬆️ Last Week: 24
Spurs fans learned Monday that Dejounte Murray will make his NBA All-Star Game debut after being named an injury replacement by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. Murray is averaging 19.6 points, 9.2 assists, 8.4 rebounds and 2.1 steals this season, and has a chance to become just the third player ever to average at least 8 assists, 8 rebounds and 2 steals per game over an entire season.&nbsp;
24. Sacramento Kings (20-36) ⬆️ Last Week: 26
The Kings shook up the league Tuesday afternoon, trading Tyrese Haliburton, Buddy Hield and Tristan Thompson to Indiana for Domantas Sabonis, Jeremy Lamb, Justin Holiday and a 2027 second-round pick. It is stunning that Sacaremto would part ways with Haliburton. The 21-year-old has exceeded all expectations since being drafted in 2020. He is on pace to become just the second player in NBA history to average at least 5 assists and 2 made three-pointers per game while shooting over 40% from downtown in each of his first two pro seasons. (The only player to have accomplished this feat is Stephen Curry.)
25. Portland Trail Blazers (21-34) ⬇️ Last Week: 22
The Blazers made waves on Tuesday, trading away former franchise cornerstone CJ McCollum. It continued on Wednesday afternoon, as Portland rerouted Nickeil Alexander-Walker to Utah for Joe Ingles' expiring $14 million deal in a <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nickel-alexanderwalker-on-the-move-again-as-blazers-jazz-spurs-complete-threeteam-deal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">three-team trade</a>. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Tuesday that "Portland plans to fully reshape the roster around Damian Lillard now... the plan is to pursue high-end talent now, not retreat." The team's also created a ton of cap space in the process and has a $21 million trade exception at its disposal.
26. Indiana Pacers (19-37) ⬇️ Last Week: 25
The Pacers, who are just 5-18 since Christmas, began breaking down their roster by trading Caris LeVert to the Cavs on Sunday, and then <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/pacers-exit-blockbuster-trade-with-kings-as-huge-winners-thanks-to-tyrese-haliburton" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shipped off Domantas Sabonis to Sacramento</a>, as noted above. As our <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/bucks-interested-in-trading-for-myles-turner-pacers-may-keep-him" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Alex Kennedy reported</a>, Myles Turner is "a big fan of Tyrese Haliburton's game and is excited about the possibility of playing with the young guard." It appears Turner may stay in Indiana.
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27. Oklahoma City Thunder (17-36) &harr;️ Last Week: 27
The Thunder lost to the Warriors on Monday night, but Luguentz Dort had another strong outing, tallying 26 points, 4 rebounds and 3 steals. In the three games OKC has played without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Dort is averaging 23.7 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.0 three-balls.
28. Houston Rockets (15-39) ⬆️ Last Week: 29
The Rockets would love to join this week's wheeling and dealing by exchanging veteran shooting guard Eric Gordon for draft capital. We'll see if they find a willing trade partner.&nbsp;
29. Orlando Magic (13-43) ⬆️ Last Week: 30
We know the Magic hope to flip Terrence Ross and Gary Harris in exchange for draft picks before Thursday's deadline. The question is whether they will also look to deal big man Mo Bamba. After struggling over his first three years in the NBA, Bamba is posting career-highs across the board this season. However, Orlando inked center Wendell Carter Jr. to a four-year, $50 million contract extension back in October. The Magic are reportedly willing to listen to offers for Bamba, who has a $10.1 million qualifying offer for 2022-23 and will be a restricted free agent this summer.
30. Detroit Pistons (12-42) ⬇️ Last Week: 28
Killian Hayes has played a bit better of late, but he has failed to live up to expectations since being selected with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. This season, Hayes is one of only two players in the NBA logging more than 20 minutes per game yet shooting below 38% from the floor and averaging fewer than 10 points per contest. For his career, he is just 50-of-179 from downtown (27.9%)... The Pistons have lost 9 of their last 10 contests.
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Tommy Beer checks in with an installment of BasketballNews.com's NBA Power Rankings.

NBA Power Rankings: Bucks back into top tier, Mavs vault into top-10

And here&rsquo;s the first pair of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=panEWmN28jM" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mentos thrown in the Coke bottle</a> that&rsquo;ll set off the rest of the league.
The trade deadline isn&rsquo;t until February 10 but, as usual, teams are already completing deals. In this case, per ESPN&rsquo;s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Los Angeles Clippers are sending over a package led by Eric Bledsoe and Justise Winslow to the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for Norman Powell and Robert Covington.
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The Clippers are trading Eric Bledsoe, Justise Winslow, Keon Johnson and future second-round pick to the Trail Blazers for Norman Powell and Robert Covington, sources tell ESPN.
&mdash; Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1489681792881860620?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2022</a>
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Clippers are sending Blazers a 2025 second-round pick via the Detroit Pistons, sources tell ESPN.
&mdash; Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1489683115077423106?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2022</a>
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As of this trade, the Blazers are 21-31, 10th in the Western Conference, and <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/whats-next-for-the-portland-trail-blazers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">still without Damian Lillard for at least a few more weeks</a>. The Clippers, even without Paul George and Kawhi Leonard &mdash; <a href="https://www.hoopsrumors.com/2022/02/latest-on-kawhi-leonard-paul-george.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">neither of whom are guaranteed to return this season</a> &mdash; are 27-27 and eighth in the West behind the leadership of head coach Tyronn Lue.
If you recall &mdash; and, well, how could you not &mdash; the Clippers completed a 36-point comeback against Portland East, a.k.a., the Washington Wizards, one of <a href="https://www.latimes.com/sports/clippers/story/2022-01-25/clippers-biggest-comeback-team-history-win-wizards" target="_blank" rel="noopener">three comebacks of at least 24 points or more in a two-week span</a>. That in itself is a feat reached by the Clippers and no one else in the last 25 years.
ESPN&rsquo;s Bobby Marks lays out the contractual mechanics. This is important &mdash; otherwise, you&rsquo;d think the Clippers just jacked the Blazers, but that&rsquo;s not fully true. (We&rsquo;ll get to that later.)
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Here are the contracts: For LAC: 🏀N. Powell: $15.5M, $16.8M, $18M, $19.2M, $20.5M 🏀R. Covington: $13M (UFA w/bird rights) For POR: 🏀E. Bledsoe: $18.1M, $19.4M ($3.9M guaranteed) 🏀J. Winslow: $3.9M, $4.1M 🏀K. Johnson: $2.6M, $2.7M, $2.8M, $4.5M
&mdash; Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) <a href="https://twitter.com/BobbyMarks42/status/1489683749335973889?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2022</a>
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The Clippers conceptually &ldquo;win&rdquo; the trade from the standpoint of fielding a better roster. Powell&rsquo;s been the Blazers third-leading scorer this season wiith Lillard and CJ McCollum out for extended periods, and the No. 1 option on numerous nights as a result. Powell extended with Portland over the summer for five years and $90 million, but it&rsquo;s an ascending contract that won&rsquo;t land him a salary north of $20 million until the last year of the deal. Powell gives the Clippers a No. 3 or even No. 4, ideally next to Leonard and George at some point, who can score efficiently and at-will in different facets of the game.&nbsp;&nbsp;
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In Portland, Powell averaged 18.7 points on 46/41/80 shooting splits and just 13.6 field goals per game. His field goal attempts are slightly over Anfernee Simons&rsquo; 12.9 attempts per contest, though he only averages 14.6 points by comparison &mdash; despite also shooting an efficient line, 44/40/90. Why the difference? Powell not only gets to the line five times per game, second only to Lillard on the team, but his .365 free-throw rate leads all non-centers on the roster. Additionally, Powell&rsquo;s been a quality pull-up shooter, ranking 16th in scoring efficiency, shooting with an Effective Field Goal percentage of 64% in spot-up situations and 56% in transition, <a href="https://twitter.com/SynergySST/status/1489684009454125062" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to Synergy</a>.
All of which are great signs if you&rsquo;re 6-foot-3, which you can&rsquo;t say that often in this league.
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Moreover, adding Powell removes the offensive strain on other Clippers, like Reggie Jackson, Marcus Morris and the emerging Luke Kennard especially &mdash; making them more potent on that end and, ideally, not putting them in positions where 24-point comebacks are all that necessary.
In theory, Covington will play a role on the Clippers, assuming he remains on the team, but it feels more like short-term insurance. And there&rsquo;s nothing wrong with that, but let&rsquo;s spell it out. Covington is on an expiring $13 million contract and will dive into unrestricted free agency in a few months. Positionally, as a theoretical stretch-four/three-and-D-wing, he has some duplication for this Clippers roster, mainly George, Leonard, Morris and Nicolas Batum.
Covington&rsquo;s statistically having his worst season since entering the league full-time, throwing out the seven games he played as a rookie in 2012-13. In 30 minutes per contest, and 40 starts in 48 appearances, Covington&rsquo;s averaging 7.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.3 blocks per game, shooting 38/34/83, and while the free-throw percentage is high, he&rsquo;s only taken 36 this season, and hasn&rsquo;t cracked 150 since 2016-17. Covington will split time with and see the floor beside other Clipper forwards, and just being on a better team with a better coach should help settle his role.
Let&rsquo;s also acknowledge that Covington could also be a part of this deal because the Clippers may move Morris and or Batum within the next few days. (Take it from me, Miami Heat fans are already trying to figure out how to get one of them. If the Clippers like Duncan Robinson &ndash; for Morris in particular &ndash; maybe they&rsquo;re in luck.) That&rsquo;d open things up for Covington, and Powell would replenish the scoring, albeit differently.
From a basketball perspective, the Blazers portion doesn&rsquo;t need an extensive breakdown, at least not on this piece &mdash; trust me, fam. Hell, the move itself isn&rsquo;t about their play as much as it is cap mechanics. But in summation, it isn&rsquo;t as bad as some tweeters are pondering, depending on what follows.
As Marks outlined earlier, around 20% of Bledsoe&rsquo;s $19.4 million salary next season is guaranteed, so the Blazers could easily move on from him. Winslow is only due $4 million next season, and Keon Johnson was just picked in the first-round, so he&rsquo;ll be cheap (by NBA standards) through 2025, assuming all his options are picked up. He&rsquo;s played 135 total minutes this season and won&rsquo;t turn 20 for another month, so we&rsquo;ll call him a project.
The move also places Portland under the luxury tax, per Marks, and it also creates a $6.5 million trade exception.
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The trade will put Portland under the luxury tax. The Clippers tax bill increases from $93.9M to $112.9M (+$19M). <a href="https://t.co/ZpEJfML8XM">https://t.co/ZpEJfML8XM</a>
&mdash; Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) <a href="https://twitter.com/BobbyMarks42/status/1489684937838059526?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2022</a></blockquote>
The big question around Portland is, obviously, what happens to Lillard. Question No. 1A is McCollum, but freeing Powell&rsquo;s salary and adding a trade exception aids the mechanics of making future moves. The Blazers have short-term contracts to use &mdash; hell, they could even re-route Bledsoe&rsquo;s $18.1 million this season if they wanted, or keep him on the books to use after the season since his deal won&rsquo;t be fully guaranteed <a href="https://www.hoopsrumors.com/2021/09/clippers-notes-bledsoe-winslow-vaccinations-drame.html#:~:text=Bledsoe%20currently%20has%20a%20partial,offseason%20flexibility%20for%20the%20franchise." target="_blank" rel="noopener">until four days after the July moratorium</a>.
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Jusuf Nurkić at $12 million and Larry Nance Jr. at $10.6 million are also usable deals in trades to monitor, along with several draft picks. So, for Portland, this trade is about what&rsquo;s next more than anything else. Maybe we&rsquo;ll look back and say they got the shaft at some point, but it&rsquo;s too early to make that judgment. To some degree, it may be for the Clippers as well, but they&rsquo;re clearly trying to be competitive now, and this should help them get there.
These are two franchises going in different directions. The Clippers, if they get healthy before the playoffs, should be taken seriously as a contender, especially because there&rsquo;s a world where they get to the NBA Finals last season if Leonard doesn&rsquo;t tear his ACL in the postseason. For the Blazers, I mean &hellip; we&rsquo;ll see.
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Bryan Fonseca breaks down the deal between the Clippers and Trail Blazers, which sent Norman Powell to LAC.

Breaking down why the Blazers-Clippers deal works for both sides

The NBA offseason is packed with entertaining events. In a matter of three or so months, the league undergoes free agency and trade season &ndash; and that&rsquo;s almost immediately after the Finals and the draft. And while everyone gets to experience all that is great about the NBA in a relatively short amount of time, it makes for a busy and pressure-filled time for NBA front offices &ndash; that can result in miscalculations.
The 2021 offseason had some abnormalities to contend with. The uncertain financial impact of COVID-19 and the free agent signings in the months leading up to free agency resulted in an underwhelming offseason.
Still, free agent signings and trades happened, even if it was on a smaller scale than normal. And what must surely result from NBA transactions? Regrettable transactions.
After seeing more than 40% of the season we can realistically judge the offseason&rsquo;s transactions with a modicum of accuracy. Sure, multi-year deals can&rsquo;t be graded in their entirety after less than half of a season, but slumps rarely persist for almost half a season, too. That leaves us in a gray area of sorts. Still, the impact of adding a player to a team&rsquo;s present and near-future salary cap is very real. So, after observing approximately half of a season, let&rsquo;s identify the worst deals of the 2021 offseason.
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Evan Fournier Sign-and-Trade to the New York Knicks
Entering this season, Fournier was widely seen as an above-average scorer and playmaker. He represented a relatively big upgrade from Reggie Bullock for the Knicks, providing much needed offensive versatility. So, while the pairing felt a bit off (given the Knicks defensive-mindedness), the four-year, $73 million contract seemed like only a minor overpayment.
Fournier kicked off his time as a Knick with a bang, scoring 32 points in an opening night win against the Boston Celtics &ndash; but the honeymoon was short-lived. Through 38 games, Fournier is averaging just 13.5 points with an Effective Field Goal percentage (eFG%) of 52.5%. Comparatively, he averaged 17.1 points in 2020-21 and 18.5 in 2019-19 with eFG% of 56 and 56.5 respectively. He&rsquo;s also shooting a near-career worst 38.1% on threes attempts.
The fact that the Knicks are in such hot water indicates a degree of buyer&rsquo;s remorse. So, while their future is still quite bright thanks to their younger players, their salary cap optimism has probably been muted. The fact that Bullock was lured away by the Dallas Mavericks for a three-year, $30.5 million contract only adds to the team's frustrations. And while that&rsquo;s a hefty contract, too, considering it&rsquo;s netted just 6.0 points per game on 28.7% shooting from deep, it&rsquo;s quite a bit less than the Knicks are paying Fournier. But Bullock aside, the Knicks might wish they could get a redo on this one (although maybe not quite as much, after Thursday night's career-high scoring effort from Fournier).&nbsp;
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Russell Westbrook trade to the Los Angeles Lakers 
Did anyone outside the Lakers&rsquo; front office really think this was a good idea? Westbrook is a dynamic, albeit polarizing, player who&rsquo;s produced some of the most amazing individual seasons we&rsquo;ve ever witnessed. But he was never a fit for the Lakers &ndash; and, namely, not a good fit alongside LeBron James.
On a positive note, Westbrook's contract is up after next season. So, the long-term impact is limited, even if he is still owed more than $90 million between this season and 2022-23.
But there is significant downside, too. Let's start with Westbook's play &ndash; it's not great. Westbrook's scoring (19.5 points per game), assists (8.1) and rebounds (8.1) are all down. So is his PER (15.9), which is the second-worst of his career. His turnovers (4.6) are still up and he's still struggling on threes (30%).&nbsp;
There's also the fact that the Washington Wizards are in the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference, and their depth has a lot to do with that. Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Montrezl Harrell are averaging at least 25.4 minutes per game. Harrell is actually posting a career-best 25.1 PER. The Lakers could use that depth. Just look at their top minute getters: James (36.9 per game), Westbrook (35.8) and Anthony Davis (35.4) lead the way. After the Big Three, it gets messy thanks in part to COVID. Talen Horton-Tucker gets 28.2 per game, Carmelo Anthony receives 27.1 and Stanley Johnson &ndash; who was just signed last week &ndash; is averaging 25.2. Isaiah Thomas, Avery Bradley, Wayne Ellington and Austin Reaves are all averaging more than 20 minutes per game, too. Now imagine if they had a more talented rotation of role players&hellip;
Next, there are the rumors that the Lakers were in advanced talks with the Sacramento Kings about swapping Kuzma for Kings sharpshooter Buddy Hield instead. Hield-to-Los Angeles makes so much more sense. He&rsquo;s the type of player who does well in a catch-and-shoot role. Hield is shooting better than 40% on threes across his 424 game career. Plus, the Lakers would have kept Harrell and Pope, meaning that the 15th best long-range shooting team could have added a top shooter (while subtracting a seriously subpar shooter in Westbrook ). Not to mention, they could have hung on to two quality role players.
And finally, there&rsquo;s the reality of James&rsquo; age and career trajectory. James is still playing insanely well, especially for a 37-year-old. But let&rsquo;s be honest, it won&rsquo;t be that way forever. In all likelihood, he will show more signs of aging over the next season or so. Unfortunately, Westbrook being signed through the end of 2022-23 eliminates cap flexibility, meaning that additional help will be hard to find until 2023-24, at which point James will turn 39. That's not a great outcome for a team hoping to win at least one more championship with their current core.
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Duncan Robinson re-signs with the Miami Heat
As the NBA season approaches its midway point, the Heat are pretty much exactly where we thought they would be. They&rsquo;re currently in fourth place in the Eastern Conference, boasting the seventh-best defensive and offensive ratings. And Kyle Lowry has fit perfectly with Miami&rsquo;s culture. But one thing isn&rsquo;t working, Robinson &ndash; and it&rsquo;s surpassingly due to a lack marksmanship.
Robinson signed his first big deal this past offseason to the tune of five-years and $90 million. And while that&rsquo;s a lot of money, Robison&rsquo;s shooting touch nearly warranted it. He shot 40.8 percent on 8.5 long-range attempts last season and 44.6% on 8.3 attempts per game in 2019-20.
But Robinson has struggled to replicate such performances. He&rsquo;s shooting just 34.6% on threes this season, and he hasn&rsquo;t made up for his slump elsewhere. He's down to 79.3% on free throws after shooting 82.7% last season and 93.1% in 2019-20. And he&rsquo;s connecting on just 52.2% of two-point attempts, after shooting 61.4% last season and 66.7% in 2019-20.
Ultimately, the bounce back performance of Tyler Herro is overshadowing Robinson&rsquo;s poor play, and the law of large numbers will probably win out with Robinson bouncing back at some point. In fact, there is a glimmer of hope in that he shot 37.6% on threes in December, which is less than ideal but better than he did in October and November.
A five-year, $90 million contract sounds like a lot, but to be fair Joe Harris signed a four-year, $75 million deal in late 2020, and Davis Bertans signed for five years and $80 million. Ironically, both players have been mentioned as being available this season, but Robinson signed at the going rate for a great knock-down shooter. If Robinson can get his shot back, this deal becomes infinitely more bearable.
The fact that players are assets is an unfortunate truth of professional sports. Love them or hate them, if players underperform for long enough it will inevitably draw the ire of their teams. What happens from there varies from team to team, but the business of basketball wins out more than not.

Drew Maresca takes a look trades and signings from the 2021 offseason that some teams might rather take back.

2021 Offseason redos: Decisions teams wish they could take back

The Pistons are signing guard Justin Robinson to a 10-day hardship contract, source tells ESPN.
Source: <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1475920949048397825" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Adrian Wojnarowski/ESPN</a>
ANALYSIS:&nbsp;Robinson will be joining his third team this NBA season after playing for the Milwaukee Bucks and Sacramento Kings. He enters his third season after going undrated in 2019. Palmer is averaging 11 points and six rebounds per game with the Pistons' G League affiliate Motor City Cruise.

Robinson joins his third NBA team this year after stints with the Bucks and Kings.

Pistons signing Justin Robinson, Trayvon Palmer to 10-day contracts

Are we absolutely sure that Greg Monroe should&rsquo;ve been&nbsp;out of the league&nbsp;prior to Monday night?
May 12, 2019 is the last time we saw Monroe in an NBA game, when he logged fewer than two minutes of play in the Philadelphia 76ers&rsquo; Game 7 loss to the Toronto Raptors in the Eastern Conference Finals. And while he only logged 9.0 minutes per contest in Philly's 12-game playoff run that spring, he had&nbsp;just&nbsp;been signed on April 4, and played three regular-season games to end the season. (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywCh-CFaW2c" target="_blank" rel="noopener">He played pretty well, too</a>.)
But despite averaging 13.2 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 2.1 assists on 51.4% shooting from 2010 to 2019 in 632 career NBA games, Monroe found himself out of the league for over two-and-a-half years until the Minnesota Timberwolves signed him this week. And fresh off the flight, he put up an 11-9-6-2-1 line against his former Boston Celtics.
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The vet hasn&rsquo;t lost a step! Greg Monroe went for 11 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists in his <a href="https://twitter.com/Timberwolves?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Timberwolves</a> debut. This was his first game in the NBA since 2019. 👏 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBACallUp?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBACallUp</a> <a href="https://t.co/XAiJh53Tw7">pic.twitter.com/XAiJh53Tw7</a>
&mdash; NBA G League (@nbagleague) <a href="https://twitter.com/nbagleague/status/1475679537065349122?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 28, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Monroe, by the way, doesn&rsquo;t turn 32 until June, and when we last saw him, he was one month away from turning 29.&nbsp;
On opening night, the average age of an NBA roster&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nba/news/lakers-oldest-nba-teams-entering-season/1gvfecopluvy71rmj43y8ezgtf">for 2021-22 was 26.1</a>. Though the number precedes what we&rsquo;ve seen regarding roster reshuffling due to COVID and injuries, the 26.1 median age is the youngest the league has been this century. It&rsquo;s also roughly where we&rsquo;ve been&nbsp;for at least a few seasons.
Ten seasons ago, <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_2012.html">the average age was 26.7</a>. In 2001-02,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_2002.html">we were at 27.4</a>, with five teams hovering around 30 years old on average and only two leveling at 25 or under. Entering the new millennium, <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_2000.html">the average was up at 27.8</a>.
Over the last several years, we&rsquo;ve also experienced <a href="https://www.theringer.com/2020/11/16/21566647/nba-undrafted-alex-caruso-duncan-robinson">a boom in undrafted talent making NBA rosters</a>. Many four-year college players are entering the league between the ages of 22 and 24, occasionally older, which &mdash; along with the continual record amount of one-and-dones &mdash; contributes to what generally is a less-experienced league than what we&rsquo;ve seen previously.
Think about this: You already can&rsquo;t have a &ldquo;Greatest Undrafted NBA Player of All-Time&rdquo; discussion without mentioning Fred VanVleet. And he&rsquo;s one of the many reasons NBA teams keep trying to find those possible diamonds in the rough instead of signing a 30-year-old veteran who's been around. The VanVleet revelation doesn&rsquo;t happen often, and he&rsquo;s also a Toronto Raptor; they don&rsquo;t exactly suck at development. Nevermind that a VanVleet or a Wesley Matthews is rare; if the Sacramento Kings had scooped up Gabe Vincent in 2019, he might be guarding Shane Larkin in the EuroLeague right now instead of Tyrese Maxey or... *checks Dec. 26 notes* ... Hassani Gravett. 
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It&rsquo;s something that magnifies an even larger societal complication &mdash; eliminating much of the middle class in any profession. We&rsquo;re increasingly watching decision-makers seek to hire fewer advanced and/or experienced employees in favor of entry-level labor, or shapeshifting transactions with those of the one percent with little in-between. It has long been reported on, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2021/03/18/the-pandemic-stalls-growth-in-the-global-middle-class-pushes-poverty-up-sharply/">the gap is continually increasing</a>. The NBA, as a business, isn&rsquo;t much different. Look up your favorite team and see how many guys are on minimum deals or minimum-adjacent (think rookie-wage scale) contracts.
No one with Monroe&rsquo;s career production and resume should&rsquo;ve been out of the whole-ass league by age-29. It&rsquo;s not to say he should&rsquo;ve been on a contender&rsquo;s starting five, or even in a playoff rotation, but out of the NBA entirely? Forced to play (<a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/international/players/greg-monroe-1.html">and play well, by the way</a>) elsewhere? In his case, he had been productive in the EuroLeague since leaving the NBA.
(As an aside: In Europe, it&rsquo;s harder to score, rotations are deeper and you don&rsquo;t play as much, so numbers will be lower. Look at <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/international/players/luka-doncic-1.html">Luka Dončić&rsquo;s MVP 2017-18 season</a> or <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/international/teams/barcelona/2021.html">Liga ACB champion FC Barcelona&rsquo;s 2020-21 stats</a> for example.)
Jeremy Lin ranted about this last season where, after averaging 19.8 points and 6.4 assists on 51/43/88 splits in the G League during a shortened season, he was the only top-10 G League scorer to <a href="https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3161207/coronavirus-omicron-spreads-global-gloom-over-new-years-celebrations?module=perpetual_scroll_2&amp;pgtype=article&amp;campaign=3161207">not earn an NBA 10-day contract</a> last season. The players who did include Henry Ellenson, 24, Justin Harper, 23 at the time, Tyler Cook, 23, Oshae Brissett, 22, and Ignas Brazdeikis, 22.
Lin, 32 then, 33 now, never received an offer, he said.
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❤️ <a href="https://t.co/7socHMLMkH">pic.twitter.com/7socHMLMkH</a>
&mdash; Jeremy Lin (@JLin7) <a href="https://twitter.com/JLin7/status/1394798832542699521?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2021</a></blockquote>

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COVID accelerated and exposed <a href="https://time.com/5888024/50-trillion-income-inequality-america/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">much of the nationwide economic imbalance</a>, but a deep dive on that is for another discussion. (Etan Thomas, if you&rsquo;re reading this...)
One of the only good things to come from this particular COVID surge is the temporary <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-four-10day-veterans-who-can-revitalize-their-nba-careers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">revitalization of some NBA careers</a>. It includes James Ennis, Lance Stephenson, Joe Johnson, Langston Galloway and Monroe, along with Alfonzo McKinnie (<a href="https://www.latinorebels.com/2021/12/06/prosportslatinamerica/">Mexico&rsquo;s own &hellip; kinda!</a>), who is the first 10-day to full-timer this season.
In more recent days, <a href="https://www.hoopsrumors.com/10daytracker">we&rsquo;ve seen Al-Farouq Aminu, Brandon Knight and Darren Collison get deals</a>, too. But plenty of the guys we&rsquo;re seeing get these calls probably should&rsquo;ve been in the league longer than they were over some of the undrafted guys who probably aren&rsquo;t true NBA players. Even if they don&rsquo;t play much, the locker room presence and leadership, if you find the right veteran, is priceless.
But hey, <a href="https://www.hoopsrumors.com/2021/12/salaries-for-10-day-contracts-in-2021-22.html">it saves a billionaire money</a> to go entry-level instead, and I&rsquo;m over hear bitching about it on the internet during the holiday week while trying to recover Dr. Dre&rsquo;s phone in the new GTA V: The Contract, so what do I know?

Bryan Fonseca dives into how veterans should hold more importance in the NBA over younger players on smaller contracts.

NBA teams need to show more respect to veterans, and we're seeing why

Because he agreed to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.spotrac.com/nba/denver-nuggets/will-barton-10865/">two-year, $30 million deal</a> with the Denver Nuggets this past August, swingman Will Barton wasn&rsquo;t eligible to be traded until Dec. 15. Well, we&rsquo;re past that mark.
And as the Nuggets stand at 14-14 on the season, it&rsquo;s time to wonder what they&rsquo;ll do since Jamal Murray (ACL) and Michael Porter Jr. (back) aren&rsquo;t returning to the lineup anytime soon, and might not play at all for the rest of the season.
(At this point, we can&rsquo;t even accurately predict who&rsquo;ll suit up tomorrow, so why try, I don&rsquo;t know, March?!?)
Barring a turn of events even Nikola Jokić wouldn&rsquo;t anticipate, the Nuggets aren&rsquo;t trading him, and that makes Barton the team&rsquo;s most compelling potential trade chip between now and the Feb. 10 deadline. Aaron Gordon would be the other, but he&rsquo;s in the first of a five-year deal signed this past summer. (So is Ben Simmons, but you get the point.)
In Murray and Porter&rsquo;s absence, Barton has been the Nuggets&rsquo; secondary offensive option this season. For some of you, it&rsquo;s a potentially frightening thought given that, conceptually, he&rsquo;s intended to be the fourth&nbsp;option on this team instead. But, if there&rsquo;s anything we&rsquo;ve learned from watching sports press-on during a pandemic, few things are more invoked than &ldquo;next man up&rdquo;... for better and/or worse.&nbsp;
Barton&rsquo;s averaging 16.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game on 44/38/74 shooting splits; 17.3 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists per 36 minutes, so that's significant. Add in the fact that he's their current minutes leader (33.3 per game, 798 total) &mdash; &nbsp;should the Nuggets even consider moving Barton?
Having trouble deciding which way to lean, we'll make a case for both sides of the argument.
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The Case To Keep
Beyond just Porter and Murray, injuries have decimated the Nuggets&rsquo; rotation. P.J. Dozier tore his ACL <a href="https://www.nba.com/news/nuggets-pj-dozier-suffers-torn-acl-in-left-knee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the day before Thanksgiving</a>. JaMychal Green is currently out with an ankle injury. Jokić and Barton have both missed a few games each during the season, and that&rsquo;s before you get to the league's COVID health and safety protocols, which is the reason why Austin Rivers has been out since Dec. 1.&nbsp;
Barton&rsquo;s primarily been the team&rsquo;s second-best offensive player, and it&rsquo;s reasonable to question what good it would even do for the Nuggets to trade him. Since being traded from the Portland Trail Blazers before the 2015 trade deadline, Barton&rsquo;s been with Denver, re-signing with the Nuggets later that summer. Jokić has never been on a Nuggets roster that didn&rsquo;t include Barton, the longest-tenured team member.&nbsp;
There&rsquo;s something to be said for the chemistry they&rsquo;ve established. And, while the Nuggets&nbsp;could&nbsp;benefit from dealing Barton, what deal is out there that will make them markedly better? Without Murray and Porter, it&rsquo;s difficult to say.&nbsp;
In many respects, keeping Barton and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/finding-the-perfect-team-and-deal-for-terrence-ross" target="_blank" rel="noopener">making a move elsewhere</a> to improve the roster might go a longer way, especially if Murray and or Porter do return later this season. If so, that&rsquo;s probably the significant transaction you could make, and it would prevent this season from being a lost year so long as the Nuggets could position themselves for the playoffs. It&rsquo;s a safe and boring play, but one that keeps Denver afloat, in theory. There&rsquo;s no doubt Jokić needs more help, but upgrading Barton &mdash; who is giving him plenty &mdash; probably isn&rsquo;t the solution.
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Will Barton no-look. Nikola Jokic through contact. 1Q on <a href="https://twitter.com/NBATV?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NBATV</a> <a href="https://t.co/FgT7hgwEtg">pic.twitter.com/FgT7hgwEtg</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1461521132004294658?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 19, 2021</a></blockquote>

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The Case to Trade
Or... is it?!?
If the Nuggets were to move Barton, it would be more beneficial to combine him in a multi-player Denver trade package and upgrade the top-end of the roster instead of breaking down Barton&rsquo;s salary into multiple (and likely lesser) players.&nbsp;
Looking at Denver's <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/contracts/DEN.html">salary cap table</a>, Barton&rsquo;s $15.4 million alone is around the range of guys like Lauri Markkanen, Duncan Robinson, Norman Powell, Gary Trent Jr., and... hmm... Dejounte Murray? That&rsquo;s the kind of guy you&rsquo;d want to package Barton for &mdash; if the San Antonio Spurs would be willing to even pick up the phone, that is; it's a two-way street, of course. (Totally hypothetical and aiming high, but that&rsquo;s why you&rsquo;re here anyway.)
Others in that $15-20 million category include guys like Jarrett Allen, Lonzo Ball and Terry Rozier &mdash; who are just about certainly staying put with their teams &mdash; or guys like Domantas Sabonis and Julius Randle. (Jokić and Sabonis is intriguing on paper, but you&rsquo;d probably need to deal more than you want if you&rsquo;re Denver.)
Dejounte does have $15.4 million coming to him this season, the second of a four-year deal worth $64 million. And if you&rsquo;re packaging Barton with, say, Bol Bol&rsquo;s $2.2 million expiring, it works out financially, according to your favorite trade machine. Significant draft capital would have to be involved as well.
At that point, you&rsquo;re even in Jerami Grant territory, who sits at $20 million with an additional $21 million coming next season. Myles Turner also hits that $17.5 million mark both this year and next.
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Let&rsquo;s focus on Dejounte, Grant and Turner briefly.
Dejounte and Grant would likely command, along with Barton and Bol, multiple future first-round picks, which is understandable. Grant was part of Denver&rsquo;s 2019-20 playoff run before signing the $60 million deal with Detroit last sum&hellip;err, fall prior to the 2020-21 season. Since joining Detroit, he&rsquo;s a different, more offensive-minded forward than he was in Denver, and it would serve this current version of the Nuggets well, especially with injuries.
The Spurs should want to keep their Murray, but amid a career season and prevailing health, maybe they&rsquo;d like to cash out. Plus, the Nuggets maintain all the necessary picks, as outlined in the our previous <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/finding-the-perfect-team-and-deal-for-terrence-ross" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Terrence Ross trade piece</a>. And, maybe, just maybe &mdash; Bol could actually play in San Antonio.&nbsp;
Picture a Jokić lineup including Gordon, Porter and the two Murrays. That&rsquo;s a Western Conference Championship contender if&nbsp;healthy, which is a big if, but an exciting risk to potentially take.&nbsp;
In another hypothetical, take out Dejounte and insert Turner. Yes, two centers, what a crime. The Cleveland Cavaliers are playing basically three of them in their starting lineup and have been <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/from-lovable-underdog-to-unforgiving-bully-how-the-cavs-got-here" target="_blank" rel="noopener">whooping nearly everyone&rsquo;s ass this month</a>. Turner is one of the league&rsquo;s best shot-blockers, is shooting 35% from three and would be a fascinating right-hand man to Jokić for a package similar to the one we&rsquo;ve been discussing.
The Verdict
Heading into this, I&rsquo;ve been partial to keeping Barton above all other options. While I&rsquo;m still mostly there, the exercise exposing the Dejounte and Turner deals, in particular, are maybe the only ones worth breaking up Barton and Jokić for on paper. The former, more so.
There&rsquo;s always something to be said for chemistry, familiarity and all the intangibles that spring from long-established camaraderie. It&rsquo;s way too often overlooked in our transaction-crazed time.
Maybe the Nuggets could facilitate something else through other means, but for now, don&rsquo;t expect anything earth-shattering yet.

Bryan Fonseca wrestles with the idea of Will Barton's future with the Nuggets: To trade, or not to trade?

The case against, and for, the Nuggets trading Will Barton

After evaluating all of the 2021 NBA Draft prospects before their transition to the pros, Senior NBA Draft Analyst Matt Babcock will continue to keep track of the first-year players as they start their NBA careers. 
Just under a month into the 2021-22 NBA season, here is Babcock's first edition of NBA Rookie Rankings:
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Evan Mobley, Cleveland Cavaliers (9-6) 
14.6 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 2.5 APG, 1.6 BPG, 1.0 SPG, 49.4 FG%, 30.8 3PT%, 77.1 FT%, 33.6 MPG
After being selected No. 3 overall in the 2021 NBA Draft, Evan Mobley is looking like a steal for the Cleveland Cavaliers thus far. At 7-feet tall, Mobley has shown that he's capable of being a defensive anchor for the Cavaliers by utilizing his length and mobility, and he has significant potential to become an offensive cornerstone for them as well. Perhaps the best part of Mobley&rsquo;s early success is that his individual production has not only led to him gaining recognition, but the Cavs are winning too. They are currently 9-6 after posting a subpar 27-45 record throughout the 2020-21 season. The Cavs announced recently that Mobley will be out for two-to-four weeks with an elbow injury; however, he remains the early front-runner for the NBA's Rookie of the Year award, nonetheless.
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Scottie Barnes, Toronto Raptors (7-8) 
16.3 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 2.8 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.6 BPG, 51.2 FG%, 18.2 3PT%, 79.1 FT%, 35.5 MPG
Although Evan Mobley has a slight edge in regards to being the early favorite for Rookie of the Year, Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes is certainly not far behind. In Barnes&rsquo; lone freshman season at Florida State, he regularly showed flashes of potential greatness, but he did not have a dominant year by any means; he only averaged 10 points per game over the season, and those numbers aren't what you'd typically expect to see from a high lottery pick. However, early in Barnes&rsquo; rookie campaign, he has already proven to be an extremely effective do-it-all forward, as he is averaging over 16 points and 8 rebounds per game while helping lead the Raptors to a near .500 record. Expect Barnes to be a mainstay and fan favorite in Toronto for years to come.
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Franz Wagner, Orlando Magic (3-10)
13.4 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 1.9 APG, 1.4 SPG, 0.6 BPG, 44.5 FG%, 37.1 3PT%, 76.0 FT%, 32.2 MPG
After a terrific sophomore season at Michigan, Franz Wagner has made a seamless transition into the NBA. At 6-foot-10, Wagner is big and versatile. He&rsquo;s not overly flashy, but he does a little bit of everything. This young Magic team is not winning games at a high rate just yet, but Orlando is drawing quite a bit of positive attention for the first time in a while, and Wagner has been a big part of that. I&rsquo;ve questioned Wagner&rsquo;s fluidity and consistency as an outside shooter in the past, but he&rsquo;s currently shooting an acceptable 37.1% from three-point range (23-of-62). If he&rsquo;s able to continue to develop in that area, his ceiling on the offensive end would be even higher than I originally thought. Regardless, I&rsquo;m expecting Wagner to become a good starter in the NBA and a player who will help a franchise win games, at the very least.
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Chris Duarte, Indiana Pacers (6-9) 
14.3 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 2.1 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.1 BPG, 43.1 FG%, 40.3 3PT%, 76.5 FT%, 32.1 MPG
While at Oregon last season, Chris Duarte was a prospect who I put my stamp of approval on early, so naturally I&rsquo;m happy to see him doing so well early in his career with the Indiana Pacers. At 6-foot-5, Duarte displays a lot of the qualities that one would want from the shooting guard position &mdash; most importantly, his ability to shoot and score the ball. Through 14 games, Duarte is averaging 14.3 points while shooting 40.3% from three-point range. After being selected No. 13 overall in the 2021 NBA Draft, Duarte is looking like one of the better picks from this class so far.
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Josh Giddey, Oklahoma City Thunder (5-8)
9.0 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 6.2 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.6 BPG, 37.1 FG%, 25.6 3PT%, 61.5 FT%, 28.8 MPG
Although he just turned 19 years old, Josh Giddey is already doing some really good things in his rookie season for the rebuilding Oklahoma City Thunder. Despite room for growth with his shooting efficiency &mdash; he&rsquo;s only shooting 37.1% from the field and 25.6% from three-point range &mdash; Giddey is just simply fun to watch as he makes crafty moves and slings dart-like passes all over the floor with both hands. It is going to be interesting to see him mature and grow as a player. After snagging Giddey with the No. 6 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, it looks as if Sam Presti has struck gold once again.
Jalen Green, Houston Rockets (1-13) 
13.9 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 2.6 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.3 BPG, 36.0 FG%, 27.4 3PT%, 78.6 FT%, 31.9 MPG
Jalen Green may be sixth on this list, but I don&rsquo;t think anyone is questioning him long-term... I&rsquo;m certainly not. The Rockets are in rebuild mode; they have a 1-13 record and, well, they&rsquo;re just not very good. They&rsquo;re going through some growing pains, and so is Green. Although he has been inconsistent, he has shown flashes as to why many believe he&rsquo;ll become a prolific scorer in the NBA &mdash; myself included. He possesses high-level explosiveness and has an uncanny ability to score the ball. Similar to Anthony Edwards last season, I think it&rsquo;s just a matter of time before he finds his footing and takes off.
Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons (3-10) 
13.4 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 3.6 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.4 BPG, 34.8 FG%, 27.6 3PT%, 92.9 FT%, 30.0 MPG
After missing the first handful of games to start the season due to a minor injury, Cade Cunningham, the top pick of the 2021 NBA Draft, has had a very slow start to his career with the Detroit Pistons. However, I don&rsquo;t think some of the harsh criticism he's received is all that fair. Recently, Cunningham has started playing much better, including an outstanding performance on Monday night, when he scored 25 points, grabbed 8 rebounds and dished out 8 assists in a loss to the Sacramento Kings. Despite the underwhelming start, I still think Cunningham will end up being one of the best players from the 2021 class. Similar to Jalen Green, I don&rsquo;t expect him to be ranked this far down this list for very long.
Davion Mitchell, Sacramento Kings (6-8)
9.6 PPG, 3.9 APG, 2.4 RPG, 0.7 SPG, 0.3 BPG, 40.1 FG%, 29.8 3PT%, 63.6 FT%, 26.3 MPG
I was a bit surprised when the Kings selected Davion Mitchell with the No. 9 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. However, it was not because of his lack of talent, but more so that the Kings seemed to have a bit of a logjam at guard with De&rsquo;Aaron Fox and Tyrese Haliburton. Despite the crowded backcourt, Mitchell has stepped in and contributed right away, playing 26.3 minutes per game. Perhaps my favorite part of Mitchell&rsquo;s game is that he&rsquo;s willing and able to pick up defensively full-court. Once he starts knocking down outside shots at a higher clip, as he did at Baylor, I believe his productivity and effectiveness will increase even to even higher levels.
Alperen Sengun, Houston Rockets (1-13) 
9.4 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 2.2 APG, 1.4 SPG, 0.6 BPG, 48.2 FG%, 37.5 3PT%, 66.7 FT%, 19.3 MPG
Though he falls into the category of being a throwback, traditional big, Alperen Sengun is doing a lot of the same things that he did in Turkey last season &mdash; he just produces. I think playing for a rebuilding Houston Rockets team is a great situation for him in regards to his development, as they have the luxury of playing him solid minutes in his rookie season. After being selected No. 16 overall, Sengun is looking like a terrific pick for Houston.
Herbert Jones, New Orleans Pelicans (2-13) 
7.0 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 1.5 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.6 BPG, 50.0 FG%, 38.5 3PT%, 78.6 FT%, 24.8 MPG
Selected with the No. 35 overall pick in the second round of the 2021 NBA Draft, Herbert Jones has carved out a solid role for himself with the New Orleans Pelicans, providing versatility on both ends of the floor. This past weekend, Jones had a career-night, scoring 17 points and grabbing 6 rebounds in a win over the Memphis Grizzlies. It sure is looking like Jones is in the NBA to stay.
Others worth mentioning:
Jalen Suggs, Orlando Magic Bones Hyland, Denver Nuggets Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, Oklahoma City Thunder Austin Reaves, Los Angeles Lakers Dalano Banton, Toronto Raptors

One month into the 2021-22 NBA season, Matt Babcock's unveils the first edition of his NBA Rookie Rankings.

NBA Rookie Rankings: Mobley, Barnes bursting onto the scene

The San Antonio Spurs are confronting basic questions they have not faced in decades.
Who is taking the last shot of the game in a critical situation? Which player will provide the team with leadership?
It&rsquo;s a dilemma Gregg Popovich has not had in 25 seasons while coaching players like David Robinson, Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, Kawhi Leonard, LaMarcus Aldridge DeMar DeRozan with the Spurs.
All the uncertainty has the 72-year-old absolutely stoked.
&ldquo;I have no idea who I&rsquo;m going to give it to or what play we&rsquo;re going to run,&rdquo; Popovich said. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s something we&rsquo;re going to figure out as we move along, and to me, that&rsquo;s exciting as hell.&rdquo;
San Antonio went all in on its youth movement this season, allowing DeRozan and veterans Patty Mills and Rudy Gay to leave through free agency. The franchise is now fully entrusted to 20-somethings like Dejounte Murray, Derrick White, Keldon Johnson, Lonnie Walker IV and Devin Vassell.
&ldquo;We all love to be around each other on and off the court,&rdquo; Walker said. &ldquo;There is a lot of opportunity on the court as teammates. We have a lot to prove.&rdquo;
At 25 and in his sixth season, Murray is the most tenured player on the roster. He has taken a leadership role since supplanting Parker as the team&rsquo;s starting point guard in 2017.
&ldquo;Leading by example,&rdquo; Johnson said. &ldquo;I feel like me, (Dejounte) and Derrick, we stay in the gym trying to perfect our craft. Everybody else does the same. That&rsquo;s all you can ask for. I feel like for such a young group, we&rsquo;ve got a really strong bond.&rdquo;
The Spurs also return Jacob Poeltl and Drew Eubanks at center along with free-agent addition Jock Landale from Australia.
The Spurs brought back Bryn Forbes, who won a championship last season with the Milwaukee Bucks, and added Doug McDermott, Zach Collins, Thaddeus Young and Al-Farouq Aminu for 3-point shooting and a veteran presence.
Still, the Spurs are willing to let their youths run wild.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m thrilled with this group,&rdquo; Popovich said. &ldquo;They are basically young, energetic, have got a lot of speed. There is no need to pace yourself. Nobody is going to play 39 minutes a game, don&rsquo;t have to worry about stats or individual honors or anything like that. These guys are just going to have a ball playing. It&rsquo;s going to be simple, simple stuff at both ends of the court. We want a lot of activity and a lot of pace. Just play fast. Hopefully smart along with fast, but the pace should be really enjoyable to watch.&rdquo;
The Spurs open the season at home Oct. 20 against Orlando.
WELCOME BACK
While the Spurs have fresh faces on the court, Popovich was ecstatic the franchise welcomed back a familiar one for the front office: Ginobili returned as a special adviser after retiring in 2017 following a 16-year career with the team. The 44-year-old will assist throughout the franchise.
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s going to do everything,&rdquo; Popovich said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s going to help Brian (Wright, Spurs general manager) with management. He&rsquo;s going to help me with coaching. He&rsquo;s going to help the players with development, probably going to scout some people. I think he&rsquo;s probably going to figure out a two-week trip to Italy to scout foreign players. I might go with him.&rdquo;
ALL THAT GLITTERS
Johnson has been proudly wearing the gold medal he won at the Tokyo Olympics as a member of the U.S. Men&rsquo;s National Team all summer. Johnson&rsquo;s teammates said they don&rsquo;t mind.
&ldquo;I think I got a little part of that,&rdquo; Walker said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve been in the practice gym with him, I&rsquo;ve been working out with him. I&rsquo;ll say I get at least .01% of that gold medal.&rdquo;
PARING THE ROSTER
The Spurs waived former first-round pick Luka Samanic on Monday. Drafted 19th overall in 2019, Samanic spent two seasons moving between the team&rsquo;s G-League affiliate in Austin and the Spurs&rsquo; bench. He appeared in 36 games, averaging 3.8 points and 2.2 rebounds in 9.9 minutes.

The Spurs franchise is now fully entrusted to Dejounte Murray, Derrick White, Keldon Johnson, Lonnie Walker IV and Devin Vassell.

Spurs facing unknown with youth replacing its veteran past

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

2021-22 NBA Season Preview: Southeast Division

Every season, a few teams undershoot expectations. Whether due to injuries, poor planning or an influx of talent in their division or conference, it&rsquo;s always inevitable.
This season will be no different.
Team building is hard work. After countless hours of scouting, reviewing film, practice and deal-making, health and circumstance play just as much of a role as anything &mdash; and have negatively impacted all three teams of the teams cited below.&nbsp;
In some cases, the 2021-22 season will be a minor hiccup. But for others, it could mark the end of an era, and could derail an otherwise successful rebuilding &ldquo;process&rdquo; (wink, wink). Considering that these situations usually blindside us, let&rsquo;s try to get out ahead of them this season. With that in mind, let&rsquo;s identity three teams who I think will regress from 2020-21.
Los Angeles Clippers (47-25) 
Previous Season: Pacific Division, 2nd; Western Conference, 4th; Eliminated in the Western Conference Finals
Of all three teams mentioned here, the Clippers are the most obvious. Why? Because Kawhi Leonard suffered a partially torn ACL last postseason. He had surgery on July 12, and he&rsquo;ll miss a good portion of the 2021-22 season, if not all of it. Leonard, who is always in contention for MVP (when healthy), averaged 24.8 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game last year. That&rsquo;s a lot of production to make up for... and frankly, the Clippers are unlikely to make up for all of it.
The Clippers' offseason didn&rsquo;t really help matters either. Signing Justise Winslow was a low-risk, high-reward move, but he won&rsquo;t come close to replacing Leonard&rsquo;s output. They brought in Eric Bledsoe via trade. The deal cost them Patrick Beverley, Rajon Rondo and Daniel Oturu. In total, that transaction was about cutting costs, not adding talent. And yes, the Clippers cut down their luxury tax payment and secured an $8 million trade exception, but they&rsquo;re still looking down the barrel of the luxury tax this season, and next. So how much did they really accomplish?
More importantly, Beverly and Leonard were instrumental it terms of establishing an identity. But maybe this is more strategic than is seems. The Clippers may have just punted on 2021-22 in hopes of a better season in 2022-23. But regardless as to what their desires are, the Clippers will not be overly successful this season, at least relative to recent outcomes.&nbsp;
2021-22 Prediction: Pacific Division, 4th; Western Conference, 8th; First-round elimination.
Philadelphia 76ers (49-23) 
Previous Season: Atlantic Division, 1st; Eastern Conference, 1st; eliminated in the Eastern Conference Semifinals
The <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/philadelphia-76ers-trade-seems-certain-but-we-havent-heard-last-of-ben-simmons" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ben Simmons saga</a> will hurt Philadelphia. And it will hurt badly. Simmons was easily the 76ers' second-most important player. He was a DPOY candidate last season who averaged 14.3 points, 7.2 rebound and 6.9 assists per game. He might not be an ideal fit alongside Joel Embiid, but he&rsquo;s an uber-talented player who&rsquo;s been receiving seriously unfair treatment since the 2021 postseason.&nbsp;
But partially as a result of <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/ben-simmons-deserves-criticism-but-not-to-be-thrown-under-the-bus-by-philadelphia-76ers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">comments from head coach Doc Rivers and Embiid</a> following their Game 7 loss to the Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference semifinals, Simmons <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/ben-simmons-intends-to-never-play-another-game-for-76ers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">refuses to take part in any activities with the 76ers</a> moving forward. And given the drama surrounding Simmons and the team, Philadelphia is unlikely to receive fair value in return; rumors have already begun to circulate about Minnesota&rsquo;s desire to wait out the Sixers on their trade demands, which currently include four future first-round picks and an All-Star.
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So, Philadelphia will have only one of its stars to start the season, and it&rsquo;s a bad season to be down a star. The Milwaukee Bucks are the defending champions, the Brooklyn Nets will be healthier than they were last season, the Miami Heat will be significantly better than they were last season and the Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Charlotte Hornets, Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks are all still formidable.&nbsp;
To summarize, the Eastern Conference hasn&rsquo;t been this good in some time. Despite all the talented teams around them, this season could have been among the Sixers' best seasons ever. Now, they&rsquo;re far more likely to struggle to separate themselves from the pack and incredibly unlikely to remain among the East's elites.&nbsp;
2021-22 Prediction: Atlantic Division, 3rd; Eastern Conference, 5th; First-round elimination.
New York Knicks (41-31) 
Previous Season: Atlantic Division, 3rd; Eastern Conference, 4th; Eliminated in the first-round of the Eastern Conference Playoffs
The Knicks exceeded expectations in 2020-21. Actually, they crushed expectations. And after a slow start in free agency, the Knicks ended up improving. The thing is, the Eastern Conference is going to be brutal for teams in the middle. As mentioned above, there is considerably more talent out East than there was last year, and the Knicks didn&rsquo;t keep pace.
The Knicks won 57% of their games last season. They&rsquo;ll bring a more talented roster into the 2021-22 season, and they&rsquo;ll win a lesser percentage of games. So is this pure regression? No. But it&rsquo;s going to look a lot like it.
But the thing about 2021-22 is that it was never the end game for New York. The Knicks were always taking on a longer rebuild. They re-signed Julius Randle, Alec Burks, Nerlens Noel and Derrick Rose, in addition to <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/for-a-change-a-successful-free-agency-period-propels-knicks-forward-" target="_blank" rel="noopener">signing Evan Fournier and Kemba Walker</a>. And that&rsquo;s all supporting a young core of RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, Mitchell Robinson and Obi Toppin. It&rsquo;s actually shocking that we&rsquo;re having this discussion about the Knicks this soon.
Big picture: New York is still well-positioned to strike if a star becomes disenchanted with his current situation, but the team is also fairly well-equipped to make a go of it with its current roster. This year could be good, but next season could be even better. And while fans might get a little impatient, the front office understands the long-term vision. So, while the Knicks are likely to falter this season, that&rsquo;s okay.
2021-22 Prediction: Atlantic Division, 4th; Eastern Conference, 8th; First-round elimination.&nbsp;
Regardless as to where teams are in their development, no one likes regression. All clubs will put a positive spin on their respective struggles, but only some of the narratives will be accurate.
But if you really want to know what teams think of their futures, look closely at how they respond to their respective challenges instead of the words they say in public.

Drew Maresca evaluates three teams in the league that are bound to take a step back after successful seasons last year.

3 contending teams that will regress in the 2021-22 NBA season

The Milwaukee Bucks have agreed to a two-way contract with guard Justin Robinson, his agency tells&nbsp;The Athletic.
Source: <a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1437168797505441794" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shams Charania/The Athletic</a>
ANALYSIS:&nbsp;Robinson suited up for the Oklahoma City Thunder last season and previously played for the Washington Wizards in 2019-20. The 23-year-old guard played sparingly in both seasons, but did average 15.5 points and 5.9 assists per game in 13 contests with the G League's Delaware Blue Coats.&nbsp;

Robinson played the 2020-21 season with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Bucks agree to two-way contract with guard Justin Robinson

Sometimes, it feels like the reality of possessing cap space does not line up with the rainbows-and-unicorns world of possibilities that some people imagine.&nbsp;
Fans can daydream about their favorite franchise hunting for a star because they have enough cap space to offer a max contract. But even if their team is capped out, many fans still spend hours on their online trade machine of choice until the result pops up with a green "Success!" and they've cracked the financial code on a title-winning maneuver.
If every NBA team can still wheel-and-deal, what's the benefit to having cap space, especially with a free-agency class generally viewed as mediocre?
It helps a lot &ndash; and often in unsuspecting ways. Take a look at the Oklahoma City Thunder, who have absorbed undesirable contract after undesirable contract to help add to their war chest of draft picks. Or the Brooklyn Nets, who kept their books clean enough to eventually pull off the James Harden blockbuster. Same with the Atlanta Hawks, who picked up some key depth pieces in 2020 free agency en route to the Eastern Conference Finals.
Teams get rewarded for being smart with their money. This offseason, eight teams will have an easy path to meaningful cap space while the rest would have to jump through more hoops. These squads range from playoff hopefuls to aggressive rebuilders. Who should capitalize with a spending spree or headliner trade, and who should wait for the longer-term future?
Let's break down each team's situation, using cap numbers provided by <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/contracts/">Basketball Reference.</a>
Charlotte Hornets &ndash; Possible Cap Space: approx. $27.4 million
This estimate means the Hornets let Devonte' Graham and Malik Monk hit restricted free agency. They'll also have Cody Zeller, Bismack Biyombo and Nick Richards as unrestricted free agents &ndash; notably, all bigs. Graham is probably the most coveted of the five, and if the Hornets re-sign him, they'd have a pretty nice guard rotation between Graham, LaMelo Ball and Terry Rozier.&nbsp;
Charlotte barely missed out on the postseason, and that was with a rookie leading the way and clear improvement areas inside. They can absolutely make the necessary depth moves (<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/hornets-mavericks-expected-to-pursue-richaun-holmes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Richaun Holmes?</a>) to get close to playoff contention, and they have the No. 11 overall pick to help as well. Outside of Gordon Hayward's $120 million contract, Charlotte isn't tied down to too many deals right now.
Should they spend?&nbsp;Yes.
Miami Heat &ndash; Possible Cap Space: approx. $34.5 million
The Heat would currently be over the cap, but that's before making a decision on team options for Goran Dragic ($19 million) and Andre Iguodala ($15 million). Those should probably be declined, and if they also ditch Omer Yurtseven's non-guaranteed deal, that suddenly gives Miami a ton of space.
However, the Heat would also have just five players on the team. They have to make re-signing decisions on Victor Oladipo, Duncan Robinson (RFA), Kendrick Nunn (RFA), Trevor Ariza, Nemanja Bjelica, Dewayne Dedmon, Udonis Haslem and the aforementioned players (Dragic, Iguodala and Yurtseven).
Miami is in a tough position. The Heat should be increasing their threat level as a playoff team, but first they simply have to worry about keeping the roster intact.
Should they spend?&nbsp;Yes.
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Memphis Grizzlies &ndash; Possible Cap Space: approx. $24 million
The Grizzlies are in fantastic financial standing. With this estimate including Justise Winslow's $13 million team option being declined, only two players (Jonas Valanciunas and Dillon Brooks) will be making eight figures. Memphis will have 13 players, plus the No. 17 and No. 51 overall draft picks, at its disposal.
At the same time, the Grizzlies have been on the doorstep of the playoffs in two consecutive seasons, despite boasting one of the youngest rosters in the Association. There's no need to make a move simply to make a move. Everything should be purposefully built around Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. &ndash; even if that means politely passing on splurging this summer.
Should they spend?&nbsp;Probably not.
Toronto Raptors &ndash; Possible Cap Space: approx. $22 million
Perhaps the single biggest offseason decision, outside of some superstar player options, is Kyle Lowry's unrestricted free agency. Does the face of the Raptors make sense on an expensive contract as he approaches age-35? Or do the Raptors sign-and-trade him and take that gut punch? They also have to think about paying restricted free agent Gary Trent Jr.&nbsp;
Toronto can get to about $22 million in room prior to those decisions by renouncing Rodney Hood and Aron Baynes. Considering they're still very much a win-now team with long-term commitments to Pascal Siakam, Fred VanVleet and OG Anunoby, I think the franchise should pay up to keep both Lowry and Trent Jr. It's unlikely they can match that short-term value with another move.
Should they spend?&nbsp;Yes &ndash; to re-sign their own talent.
Dallas Mavericks &ndash; Possible Cap Space: approx. $20.5 million
This is not a hot take by any means, but Luka Doncic desperately needs help on both sides of the ball. Dallas has to <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/for-dallas-building-around-luka-doncic-is-only-going-to-get-harder" target="_blank" rel="noopener">make something happen</a> after a pretty tumultuous start to the offseason. They get some space with Tim Hardaway Jr. and J.J. Redick hitting free agency.&nbsp;
While $20 million is not a max slot, it can assuredly net a secondary scorer or prominent 3-and-D player who can take some pressue off of Dallas' franchise cornerstone. The Mavericks should feel the most pressure to spend of any team here. Every season that they underwhelm, the "Free Luka" chants will get louder.
Should they spend?&nbsp;PLEASE Yes.
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Oklahoma City Thunder &ndash; Possible Cap Space: approx. $38 million
Even with Kemba Walker getting $36 million next season, the Thunder are free and clear in cap contexts because their second-largest contract will be the approximately $6 million given to the No. 6 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. That's simply amazing.
OKC should continue to lean on its staple move: taking on bad contracts paired with picks or prospects. The full-scale rebuild is still in effect, though pieces are quickly coming together. There's no need to get sidetracked with spending money when everything is going according to plan. With 11 current players and six picks in the 2021 NBA Draft (three first-rounders and three second-rounders), the roster will fill itself out.
Should they spend?&nbsp;No &ndash; except to take on contracts for young talent.
San Antonio Spurs &ndash; Possible Cap Space: approx. $48 million
San Antonio is at a crossroads unlike any other team. Veterans DeMar DeRozan, Patty Mills and Rudy Gay are unrestricted free agents, and the oldest player currently under contract is now 27-year-old Derrick White. After hanging on the fringes of contention since Kawhi Leonard departed, this feels like a real reset for the Spurs, who now have the <a href="https://www.spotrac.com/nba/san-antonio-spurs/cap/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">youngest roster in the entire NBA</a>.
They should keep things that way. The Western Conference is as loaded as ever and even play-in spots will be a battle. Dejounte Murray, Keldon Johnson and Devin Vassell lead an intruiging young core that still appears well away from the playoffs.
San Antonio has been winning for decades, but they should not shell out larger deals to keep the team afloat when they can focus on developing something bigger long-term.
Should they spend?&nbsp;No.
New York Knicks &ndash; Possible Cap Space: approx. $50 million
New York's playoff berth was <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/roundtable-which-teamplayer-surprised-you-most-this-year" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the biggest surprise of the season</a>, so many people are forgetting that this was supposed to be a youth-focused team. But now that the postseason is the expectation, there's no turning back, and the Knicks have the potential to build out a deep roster without sacrificing young talent.
Assuming New York picks up Julius Randle's team option, they still have a ton of room to add better-fitting parts around Randle, R.J. Barrett, Mitchell Robinson and Immanuel Quickley. The franchise can choose to retain or bypass unrestricted free agents Derrick Rose, Taj Gibson, Nerlens Noel, Elfrid Payton or Alec Burks. They will also be the easiest financial facilitator for any blockbuster trades.&nbsp;
Obviously, they shouldn't get reckless, and unless the perfect storm comes, they shouldn't part with their youth. But otherwise, go crazy, Leon Rose and Scott Perry.
Should they spend?&nbsp;Yes.

Eight NBA teams have an easy path to meaningful cap space this summer. Which franchises should splurge on free agents or trades?

Which NBA teams have cap room this offseason, and should they use it?

Let's start here: The NBA is a superstar league.&nbsp;
If history has taught us anything, it's that an NBA franchise needs a superstar if they want to have a legitimate chance to capture a championship.&nbsp;
While the New York Knicks' 2020-21 season was undeniably encouraging, and <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-knicks-are-finally-winning-but-theyre-positioned-for-longterm-success-too">their future is bright</a>, they don't currently have a player capable of pushing them over the top.&nbsp;
Which is why, if the opportunity presents itself, New York should push all their chips into the middle of the table and go all-out to obtain Damian Lillard.&nbsp;
As you have undoubtedly heard, Lillard may be running out of patience in Portland. After being eliminated by the Denver Nuggets earlier this month, Dame quoted lyrics from rapper Nipsey Hussle in an Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CPr8Btxgyzk/?utm_medium=copy_link">post</a>: "How long should I stay dedicated? How long til opportunity meets preparation?"&nbsp;
Make no mistake, Lillard is a bonafide superstar &mdash; a rare, precious commodity in today's NBA. And, despite the fact that he will celebrate his 31st birthday next month, he is still squarely in the heart of his prime and clearly playing at an elite level.&nbsp;
In this year's first-round playoff series against Denver, Lillard averaged 34.3 points (on a 66% True Shooting percentage), 10.2 assists and 4.3 rebounds. He knocked down 35 three-pointers in the six-game series, the most threes in any playoff series in NBA history.&nbsp;
During the 2019-20 regular season, Lillard averaged a career-high 30.0 points to go along with 8.0 assists, 4.3 boards and 4.1 made three-pointers. The only other players in league history to average at least 30/8/4 over an entire season are Oscar Roberston, James Harden, Russell Westbrook and Michael Jordan.&nbsp;
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During a five-game stretch last February, Dame averaged 48.4 points, 8.2 rebounds, 9.8 assists, and 8.0 made three-pointers, while shooting 54% from the floor, 56.3% from downtown and 91% from the free-throw stripe. In the bubble last August, Portland needed to win its final three games to qualify for the playoffs; Dame averaged 51.3 points and 9.0 dimes over those three contests. And, yes, Portland won all three.&nbsp;
His recent success certainly isn't a fluke. Lillard has been named either First- or Second-Team All-NBA in each of the past four seasons (and in six of the past eight). Lillard 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.
It's also important to note that these aren't empty-calorie stats Lillard is compiling. They have resulted directly in team success. The Blazers have advanced to the playoffs in each of the past eight seasons. That's the longest active streak in the NBA.&nbsp;
Lillard has single-handedly carried his team to victory by knocking down big shot after big shot throughout his career. And this past season was no different. Lillard led the NBA in clutch scoring, pouring in 162 points while shooting 51.1% from the field, 39.1% from deep and 94.7% from the free-throw line in clutch situations.&nbsp;
Over the course of his career, Lillard has made 35 go-ahead buckets in the final minute of a game, including the playoffs. That's the most in the NBA since the start of the 2012-13 season.&nbsp;
Some pundits knock Lillard for his inability to carry Portland to a championship. However, as noted above, his production in the postseason has been top-notch. His supporting cast, on the other hand, has often failed to carry their weight. Pinning defeats on Lillard is misguided, at best. Consider Game 5 vs. Denver earlier this month, which the Blazers lost despite Lillard scoring 55 points. Dame scored 20 of the Blazers' final 22 points in that contest. Over the last 10 minutes, he shot 7-of-9. His teammates combined to score two points on 1-of-14 shooting.&nbsp;
It's also imperative to point out that the Blazers have run into some elite teams in the playoffs. In 2014, Portland lost to the San Antonio Spurs in the second round, and the Spurs would go on to win the championship. Portland was eliminated by the dynastic Golden State Warriors in 2016 and 2017 and, most recently, in the 2019 Western Conference Finals. Last year, Portland lost to the Los Angeles Lakers team that took home the title.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Imagine <a href="https://twitter.com/Dame_Lillard?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Dame_Lillard</a> balling at the Mecca 👀 <a href="https://t.co/VKsA6K9KUX">pic.twitter.com/VKsA6K9KUX</a>
&mdash; DraftKings (@DraftKings) <a href="https://twitter.com/DraftKings/status/1409529573709058052?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 28, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Surprisingly, many Knicks fans have voiced strong opposition to pulling the trigger on a trade for Lillard. Some argue that Lillard is too old. Or that he's not worth the hefty price New York would have to pay to pry him from Portland.&nbsp;
Let's address the age issue first. As highlighted above, Lillard has shown no signs of wearing down. In fact, he's only gotten better and more efficient over the past few years. Furthermore, Lillard has never been overly dependent on his quickness or athleticism. His skillset is perfectly suited to excel in today's NBA, which places an astonishingly high premium on long-range marksmanship. It's not hyperbole to assert that Lillard is one of the best shooters the sport has ever seen.&nbsp;
So, this isn't Allen Iverson breaking down on the wrong side of 30. Dame's game is <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-damian-lillard-stephen-curry-are-exception-to-rule-bad-shot-trae-young-three-pointers">more akin to Stephen Curry</a>. And, if you noticed, Curry, who celebrated his 33rd birthday this year, is still able to dominate defenses. In 2020-21, Curry averaged career-highs in scoring (32.0), rebounds (5.5), three-pointers (5.3) and free-throws (5.7). Lillard won't turn 33 until the summer after the 2022-23 season.
In addition, Lillard has proven to be exceptionally durable. Over the first three-plus seasons of his career, he played in 275 consecutive contests. Over the past three seasons, he's played in 213 of a possible 223 games (95.5%).&nbsp;
The reluctance among Knicks fans to part with precious assets is understandable. Fans fall in love with homegrown talent and teams that exceed expectations. However, successful executives don't let emotions get in the way of savvy business decisions. The Knicks shocked the basketball world with their success in 2020-21. While the franchise is appropriately positioned to continue its push toward consistent contention, there&rsquo;s no guarantee that New York won't stumble and take a step back next season.&nbsp;
To enter the league's upper-echelon, the Knicks need to import a superstar.&nbsp;
To acquire a player on Lillard's level, New York will need to pony up. Ideally, the Knicks could acquire Lillard without having to give up RJ Barrett. Suppose Dame demanded a trade and made it clear he wanted to play in New York, thus limiting the Blazers' leverage. In that case, New York could conceivably snag Lillard in exchange for a bevy of future first-round picks and a combination of Immanuel Quickley, Mitchell Robinson, Kevin Knox and Obi Toppin.&nbsp;
However, if push comes to shove, and refusing to include Barrett would be a deal-breaker, the Knicks would be wise to pull the trigger. When trading for a future Hall of Famer in his prime, no player on the current Knicks roster should be considered off-limits.&nbsp;
Knicks fans on Twitter are quick to claim a trade for Lillard would gut the roster, leaving New York incapable of putting a quality, well-balanced team on the floor. This is not the case.&nbsp;
Remember, New York will enter this offseason with more cap space than any team in the league. If the Knicks are forced to trade away Barrett and include Knox in the deal, New York would be sending out more than $14 million in salary between just those two players. Thus, even after they take back Lillard's $39.3 million pact, New York would still have plenty of cap space.&nbsp;
Speaking of Lillard's contract, next season is the first year of the four-year extension he signed in 2019. That means Dame is under contract through at least 2023-24, with a $48.8 million player option for 2024-25. So, it's not as if New York would be trading for a stud and hoping they'd be able to convince him to stay.&nbsp;
The Knicks have rightly received plenty of praise for protecting their assets, including their future first-round picks. (New York owns seven first-rounders over the next five years; the Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets are the only teams with more.) However, if we are to believe the Knicks have turned the corner, the importance of those picks is diminished. Selections in the late teens and early 20s don't have nearly the same value as lottery picks.
Regarding Barrett specifically, I have detailed how impressive he was as a sophomore in 2021. But the odds of him developing into one of the 10-best players in the NBA, as Lillard is right now, are slim. And it could be argued that New York might be selling high on RJ if they traded him away since he&rsquo;s coming off his stellar season. Think back to this past November, when James Harden told the Rockets that his three preferred destinations were Brooklyn, Miami and Philly. The Sixers reportedly refused to part with Ben Simmons in a potential deal, and the Heat were rumored to be unwilling to include Tyler Herro in a swap. Think about how far the value of those two players plummeted in the six months that followed.&nbsp;
If they don't trade for Lillard, how will the Knicks add the franchise-defining superstar they've coveted since Patrick Ewing left town? Teams carve out cap space in the hopes of signing a stud in free agency, but that's always a crapshoot. Knicks fans were hoping LeBron James would relocate to NYC in 2010; we know how that panned out. Kevin Durant was the apple of the city's eye in 2019, and he ended up across the river.&nbsp;
The other avenue to top-tier status is utilizing hard-earned cap space and draft picks to facilitate a trade for a disgruntled superstar.&nbsp;
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As far as what a post-trade Knicks lineup might look like, the two cornerstones would be Lillard and Julius Randle. Both players made the All-NBA Second Team in 2020-21, which would give the Knicks one of the more dynamic duos in the league. Over the last decade, the only squads to boast two First- or Second-Team All-NBA players in the same season are the Lakers (LeBron James and Anthony Davis, who carried L.A. to a title in 2020) and the Warriors (Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant, who won two rings together).&nbsp;
For all his regular-season success last year, Randle fizzled out in the playoffs. Even at his peak, Randle is best suited to be the second-banana on a good team. Randle would be arguably the best teammate Lillard has played with in his career. If the Knicks could also keep Barrett, a trio of Dame, Randle and RJ would be a dream scenario for New Yorkers.&nbsp;
Regarding the rest of the roster, if New York was able to enter free agency with north of $30 million in cap room, and Lillard and Randle as the two foundational pieces, plenty of talented players would likely be enticed by the prospect of joining a talented, New York-based team capable of making a deep playoff run.&nbsp;
Kawhi Leonard is the gem of the summer's free-agent class. It was rumored that there was mutual interest between the Knicks and Kawhi when he last hit the open market in 2019. Even if they weren&rsquo;t able to land Leonard, there are plenty of players to pursue.&nbsp;
For instance, DeMar DeRozan is the second-best wing on the market. At 31 and an assassin in the mid-range, he'd fit in very nicely alongside Lillard and Randle. Other free-agent options include Lonzo Ball (restricted), Norman Powell, Duncan Robinson (restricted), Evan Fournier, Lauri Markkanen (restricted), Montrezl Harrell, Gary Trent Jr. (restricted), Otto Porter, Spencer Dinwiddie, Victor Oladipo, Josh Hart and Justise Winslow, to name a few.
It's also entirely possible Portland would be willing to include center Jusuf Nurkic in a potential Dame deal. Earlier this week, Nurk said he would bolt from the Blazers if Lillard leaves. "If [Lillard] goes, then I leave Portland as well," Nurkic declared.&nbsp;
Fleshing out the roster with quality veterans would be far easier with Dame as a drawing card. Year after year, we've seen vets willing to accept minimum contracts to play for a contender. It&rsquo;s safe to assume Carmelo Anthony would relish a role off the bench in New York to cap off his career. Players such as Serge Ibaka, JJ Redick, Patty Mills, Blake Griffin, PJ Tucker, Nicolas Batum, Paul Millsap, and Andre Iguodala are respected, free-agent vets who would potentially be willing to prioritize the right situation over the highest offer.&nbsp;
Players who excelled last season in New York, such as Reggie Bullock, Alec Burks and Nerlens Noel, would also be welcomed back to the Big Apple at the right price. And playing behind Lillard would be ideal for Derrick Rose at this stage of his career.&nbsp;
Ultimately, it all comes down to Dame. If he doesn't demand a trade, he won't be traded. If he does, he'll let the Portland front office know which team(s) he wants to go to. If New York is one of his desired landing spots, the Knicks should absolutely go all in.

New York should do everything in their power to try to acquire Damian Lillard, and no current Knick should be considered off-limits.