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Following the Phoenix Suns&rsquo; shocking postseason exit, all eyes are now on Deandre Ayton's free agency.
After the Suns declined to sign Ayton to a five-year, rookie-scale max extension before the 2021-22 season, restricted free agency is now on the horizon for the athletic big man. During the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago, Ayton&rsquo;s agent Bill Duffy discussed Ayton's future on SiriusXM&rsquo;s NBA show.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;re disappointed. We wanted a max contract,&rdquo; Duffy <a href="https://twitter.com/esidery/status/1527772160923619328" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. &ldquo;He went out and was a solider the whole year, played well, improved his statistics. So, we&rsquo;re proud of him. A lot of guys handle things differently, but he was very mature about it. Things will work out for Deandre. He&rsquo;s a valuable player. There&rsquo;s other teams in the league as well. He&rsquo;s a restricted free agent, so we&rsquo;ll see how this process unfolds.&rdquo;
Ayton averaged 17.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 0.7 blocks on a career-high 65.6% True Shooting percentage during the 2021-22 campaign. Ayton was a key asset for the Suns on both ends of the court, especially around the basket as an easy lob threat and defensive anchor. Ayton has been a key piece for the Suns, but is he worth a max contract? Based on Duffy&rsquo;s comments earlier this week, it sounds like Ayton&rsquo;s camp won&rsquo;t settle for anything less than the max entering free agency.
From the Suns&rsquo; perspective, they saw improvement from the 2018 No. 1 overall pick this season before the team's disappointing postseason showing.
&ldquo;I think he&rsquo;s shown that he&rsquo;s improved each year, helps us on both the defense and the offense,&rdquo; Suns owner Robert Sarver told <a href="http://BasketballNews.com">BasketballNews.com</a> recently about Ayton. &ldquo;I think offensively, you see this year he&rsquo;s taken another good step in terms of his touch and his ability to score around the basket. So, he&rsquo;s been a key part of what we&rsquo;re doing.&rdquo;
Taking all of this into consideration, what if Ayton's days in Phoenix are numbered? Here's a look at the most realistic sign-and-trade destinations for Ayton this summer.
Note: It's important to remember that sign-and-trade deals rarely return the same value as a traditional trade. The Suns have let it be known that they won't simply let an asset like Ayton walk for nothing. If Ayton&rsquo;s time in Phoenix is indeed over, the Suns won&rsquo;t be leaving the relationship empty-handed.
San Antonio Spurs
Spurs receive: Deandre Ayton
Suns receive: Jakob Poeltl, Devin Vassell, Tre Jones
San Antonio is one of the few teams this offseason with secured max-level cap space. All that needs to be done in order to chase Ayton is renounce the restricted rights to Lonnie Walker.
Being at the bottom of the NBA standings is new for the Spurs. After being one of the league's model organizations for over two decades, they have officially hit a playoff drought. San Antonio was hoping for some lottery luck, but now they have to try another plan to bring in a star.
San Antonio&rsquo;s dynamic young duo of Dejounte Murray and Keldon Johnson is so fun to watch, but the they need a third game-changer to take this rebuild back into playoff mode. Ayton would be an ideal solution, mainly because of his excellent two-way fit in the Spurs&rsquo; system. Dropping Ayton into the Spurs&rsquo; player-development program could make some in Phoenix worry about the long-term consequences of this deal.
For Phoenix, cooperating with a long-time rival would hurt. However, if the relationship between team and player becomes fractured, the Suns won&rsquo;t have much of a choice if he finds a max offer on the open market.
The Suns won&rsquo;t let Ayton leave Phoenix unless they receive strong assets in return. The Spurs can actually provide a solid package that helps in the short and long-term.
In this deal, Phoenix could land one of the most underrated big men in the Association as well as two young players who have shown flashes. The Jalen Smith experiment was a disaster for the Suns after taking him No. 10 overall in the 2020 NBA Draft, and Vassell went one pick later. Phoenix can right that wrong while also obtaining an intriguing point guard to develop in Jones.
This feels like a win-win for both sides. San Antonio would have a new Big 3 in Ayton, Murray and Johnson, while the Suns could acquire their new starting center and two pieces to bolster the bench unit.
Charlotte Hornets
Hornets receive: Deandre Ayton
Suns receive: Terry Rozier, PJ Washington and draft compensation
There might not be a team with a more dire offseason need than the Hornets and their hole at center. Charlotte was one of my NBA League Pass teams this season due to their fun offensive pace, but the defense often bordered on disastrous. Montrezl Harrell and Mason Plumlee aren&rsquo;t going to cut it, so it&rsquo;s time for Charlotte to get aggressive.
Given Charlotte&rsquo;s roster, they would have to move some salaries around to make an Ayton chase realistic. Offloading Gordon Hayward&rsquo;s contract is going to be a tough task and they may even have to relinquish one of their top-15 picks to do so, but it would have to happen in order for them to pursue Ayton. Hayward is due $61.6 million over the next two seasons, and Charlotte simply can&rsquo;t afford to keep biting that bullet with restricted free agent Miles Bridges due for a payday and LaMelo Ball&rsquo;s own rookie-scale extension on the horizon. Trading away Hayward and Mason Plumlee would give the Hornets max space.
Landing Ayton is Charlotte's dream scenario. Not only would Ayton continue to get spoon-fed easy looks from an elite point guard, he would help stabilize the Hornets' defense to respectable levels. Thanks to his freakish athleticism, Ayton would be able to cover up a lot of holes around him defensively.
Phoenix would love to pull off a double sign-and-trade to nab Bridges, but that seems unlikely. Instead, this deal allows them to find their long-term answer at point guard post-Chris Paul. While Terry Rozier is a shot-chucker, he has improved as a playmaker in Charlotte. In the short-term, Rozier could step in as the Suns&rsquo; sixth man and provide the exact boost that they need in offensive guard creation. PJ Washington is an interesting add because he could slide right into the small-ball 5 role played previously by Dario Saric.
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Indiana Pacers
Pacers receive: Deandre Ayton
Suns receive: Myles Turner, Chris Duarte, TJ McConnell
What&rsquo;s the next step for Indiana? Long gone are Victor Oladipo, Domantas Sabonis and Caris LeVert. Malcolm Brogdon, Myles Turner and Buddy Hield could be the next Pacers veterans to be shipped out via trade as Indiana fully embraces a rebuild attempt. It&rsquo;s been long overdue for the Pacers to pull the plug on the core that continued to stagnate once the postseason arrived.
A year later, Indiana&rsquo;s future looks much brighter with a talented, new-look core of Tyrese Haliburton, Chris Duarte, Isaiah Jackson and whoever is selected at No. 6 overall.
Ayton couldn't ask for a better pick-and-roll partner than Haliburton. Already making magic happen with CP3, Ayton&rsquo;s rolling ability would help accentuate Haliburton&rsquo;s biggest strengths. Also, Ayton&rsquo;s defensive versatility would be a welcome arrival for a team that nosedived in that category last season.
For Indiana, the price would be hefty. Not only would this trade require a four-year max contract for Ayton, but the Pacers would likely need to ship out a key piece of their young core via sign-and-trade (such as Duarte).
This trade would be a huge win for Phoenix, but it also looks great for the Pacers. The Suns would have a starting center who adds floor-spacing equity and elite rim protection, a capable veteran backup point guard who can spell Paul at times, plus one of the most impactful rookie wings in the Association. Having to include Duarte could leave the Pacers apprehensive, but they are reportedly enamored with adding another explosive piece via the draft, as Jaden Ivey (Purdue), Shaedon Sharpe (Kentucky) and Bennedict Mathurin (Arizona) have all been linked to Indiana early in the pre-draft process.&nbsp;
Detroit Pistons
Pistons receive: Deandre Ayton
Suns receive: Jerami Grant, Isaiah Stewart, Cory Joseph and draft compensation
Another team that has considered making a run at Ayton this offseason is the Pistons, and they can create max space very easily: trading away Kelly Olynyk&rsquo;s contract.
The Pistons struck gold with Cade Cunningham and Saddiq Bey and they are helping usher in a new era in Detroit. Ayton&rsquo;s arrival would be the final piece to the puzzle for a team seemingly pushing their chips in on postseason play as early as 2023.
It would be best for Ayton to land with a capable lead guard who can feed him regularly. Already capable of tallying 20 and 10 most nights, Ayton would be set up for long-term success alongside Cunningham and Bey.
The question is, what would the Pistons need to send Phoenix&rsquo;s way in order for this sign-and-trade to go through? It&rsquo;s going to be a lot, and it would be a blockbuster-type transaction.
Blockbuster indeed, because Grant is now heading back to the Valley in this scenario. If the Suns and Pistons want to cooperate on a Ayton deal, I have to imagine one of Grant or Bey would have to be involved. Stewart is another enticing trade chip because he&rsquo;s shown the versatility to space the floor from three-point range. While he doesn't have the same touch as Ayton, Stewart brings nastiness and a tenacity on both ends of the court that Phoenix would absolutely love.
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Atlanta Hawks
Hawks receive: Deandre Ayton
Suns receive: Clint Capela, Bogdan Bogdanovic
No ifs, ands or buts about it, Trae Young would make Ayton an All-Star next season. What a fun inside-out duo this is to envision. While Atlanta is nowhere close to reaching the necessary cap space to absorb a massive Ayton deal on their own, a sign-and-trade becomes feasible with all of the talent that could fit into the Phoenix roster.
For the Hawks, Ayton represents another foundational building block to place alongside Young for the long-term. John Collins could be the guy, but he&rsquo;s been in trade rumors for the past year with no signs of those slowing down. Onyeka Okongwu could also grow into that role, but the Hawks signing Clint Capela to a long-term extension perhaps signals that they see him more as a piece to the puzzle rather than a true building block.
Ayton would arrive in Atlanta and instantly average around 23 points and 12 rebounds per game. On box-score fit alone, this would be the best landing spot for Ayton thanks to the greatness of Young.
If Phoenix had drafted Luka Doncic rather than Ayton at No. 1 overall in 2018, Phoenix may have considered adding Clint Capela to their frontcourt. Four years later, Capela being re-routed to Phoenix in an Ayton sign-and-trade is a plausible scenario to imagine. Capela would provide similar numbers to Ayton while requiring less of an offensive workload. Meanwhile, Bogdan Bogdanovic might vault to the top the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year leaderboards in the near future. Bogdanovic and Cameron Johnson leading the Suns&rsquo; second unit? That&rsquo;s a filthy thought.
***
None of these trades are perfect, but they do illustrate how challenging it will be for Phoenix to find a home for Ayton while also returning the value they'd love to get back for him. Ultimately, it may be in the Suns' best interest to re-sign Ayton this offseason and trade him at some point down the road when his value isn't so depressed.
Whatever happens, Ayton&rsquo;s name will continue to pop up in rumors throughout the spring and summer until the Suns and Ayton's camp find common ground at the negotiation table. This situation could become awkward and dragged out, which would surely kick the trade rumors into high gear. This isn't the last we'll hear about Ayton and the possibility of him changing teams.
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With Deandre Ayton's future in Phoenix becoming murky, it's time to examine potential destinations for the former No. 1 overall pick.

Examining potential sign-and-trade destinations for Deandre Ayton

The NBA sent four teams home from its Play-In Tournament after Friday night, but all four are poised to contend next season.
Though the Charlotte Hornets, Cleveland Cavaliers and San Antonio Spurs exited early, their trio of All-Star guards and exciting young cores mean all three should be back in the hunt &mdash; provided they beef up their rosters in the offseason. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Clippers weren't supposed to make it this far without their franchise cornerstones; that only creates more buzz surrounding a 2022-23 championship contender.
What can these franchises do this offseason to set themselves up for success? I've written up some summer plans for all four squads, including draft assets (via Tankathon), potential free agents (via Spotrac) and a central team-building question (via my deranged mind). If you missed last week, I did the same for the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/summer-plans-for-the-nbas-nonplayoff-teams" target="_blank" rel="noopener">10 teams who did not crack the NBA postseason</a>.
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Let's dive in.
CHARLOTTE HORNETS
Draft assets:&nbsp;First-round pick, First-round pick via Pelicans, Second-round pick, Second-round pick via Toronto (if 55-60)
Potential free agents:&nbsp;Montrezl Harrell, Isaiah Thomas, Miles Bridges (restricted), Cody Martin (restricted), Arnoldas Kulboka (restricted), Scottie Lewis (restricted)
Central question:&nbsp;How can the Hornets construct an interior defense?
Charlotte's bottom-10 defense doomed the franchise several times in the regular season and, ultimately, in the Play-In loss to Atlanta. The Hornets gave up boatloads of at-rim attempts and three-pointers, and simply looked like turnstiles at times. Improvement is necessary across the board, but an on-paper view highlights a clear need for upgrades inside.
Mason Plumlee is a fine basketball player, but he's not anchoring a high-level NBA defense. Neither is Montrezl Harrell, and 2021 first-round pick Kai Jones barely touched the floor in Charlotte. The Hornets don't have a whole lot of salary flexibility with big-money deals in place for Gordon Hayward and Terry Rozier. Miles Bridges' restricted free agency is also a key offseason focal point.&nbsp;
Though the Hornets likely can't throw outright money at a Deandre Ayton-level restricted free agent, perhaps they could work a sign-and-trade for a lesser-known young talent. Maybe Mo Bamba fits the bill from Orlando? Charlotte was tied to trade rumors surrounding Myles Turner before the trade deadline, and the front office could also elect to sign a veteran at a mid-level exception.
Regardless of the pathway, the Hornets have needed to address the center position for years now. With a playoff leap now the expectation in 2022-23, they can't afford to let another summer slip away.
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS
Draft assets:&nbsp;First-round pick, Second-round pick via Spurs, Second-round pick via Heat
Potential free agents:&nbsp;Ed Davis, Rajon Rondo, Brandon Goodwin, Collin Sexton (restricted), Moses Brown (restricted), RJ Nembhard (restricted), Dean Wade (team option)
Central question:&nbsp;What is Collin Sexton's future in Cleveland?
The Cavaliers may have slid out of the playoffs, but this was a banner year for the franchise's long-term trajectory. Darius Garland emerged as a cornerstone point guard, Evan Mobley might win Rookie of the Year, and the frontcourt pairing with Jarrett Allen looks to be a mainstay in the Eastern Conference. Injuries ultimately derailed what was a top-four seed. Most of the rotation is under contract and under 30, hinting at continued growth.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Darius Garland -&gt; Jarrett Allen -&gt; Evan Mobley (Lob) <a href="https://t.co/nDQz7tkxbs">pic.twitter.com/nDQz7tkxbs</a>
&mdash; Jackson Lloyd (@JacksonLloydNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/JacksonLloydNBA/status/1515354588353728522?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 2022</a></blockquote>

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

This seaon's leap makes the situation with Sexton... difficult. Let's not forget that the combo guard is a season removed from a 24-point-per-game season as an efficient primary scorer, and that the Cavs were 19th in Offensive Rating this year. Sexton can meaningfully boost Cleveland simply as a bucket-getter, nevermind if he keeps improving as a playmaker.
What kind of contract do the Cavs offer to a 23-year-old who missed nearly a full season with a knee injury though? If a desperate team decides to throw money at Sexton to force the franchise to match, is there a limit to the front office's willingness? What would an extension mean for Isaac Okoro and Caris LeVert?&nbsp;
Sexton is one of the biggest dominoes in the upcoming offseason, and arguably the most unpredictable.
LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS
Draft assets:&nbsp;Second-round pick
Potential free agents: Robert Covington, Rodney Hood, Isaiah Hartenstein, Amir Coffey (restricted), Xavier Moon (restricted), Ivica Zubac (team option), Nic Batum (player option)
Central question:&nbsp;What does a fully-healthy 10-man rotation look like?
Nobody expected the Clippers to be a playoff contender without Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, and they still almost cracked the postseason with the supporting cast chipping in. L.A. made a splash at the trade deadline by adding Norman Powell and Robert Covington, two players who conceivably make sense next to the franchise's two stars.
This roster is deep. It's a great problem to have, but it's still a problem with several rotation options potentially hitting free agency. Covington will likely command a solid new deal as one of the league's more reliable two-way complements, and Batum could easily decline his $3.3 million team option in search of a raise. Ivica Zubac and Isaiah Hartenstein may both hit free agency; what would happen to the center rotation in that case?
The Clippers have Leonard, George, Powell, Reggie Jackson, Luke Kennard, Terance Mann and Marcus Morris locked down for next season. That's already seven rotation-caliber players, and it doesn't account for leaps from young talents like Brandon Boston Jr., Jason Preston or Amir Coffey. A roster crunch is inbound, and the organization can't let a quality addition slip away as it positions itself for title contention next season.
SAN ANTONIO SPURS
Draft assets:&nbsp;First-round pick, first-round pick via Raptors, first-round pick via Celtics, second-round pick via Lakers
Potential free agents:&nbsp;Lonnie Walker IV (restricted), Devontae Cacok (restricted), Joe Wieskamp (restricted), DJ Stewart Jr. (restricted), Robert Woodard II (restricted)
Central question:&nbsp;How do the Spurs toe the line between developmental patience and consolidation?
San Antonio valiantly fought to get to the Play-In Tournament before losing to New Orleans, but also had one of the more underrated developmental seasons across the roster. Dejounte Murray made his All-Star leap and Jakob Poeltl established himself as <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/jakob-poeltl-san-antonios-newest-watchful-protector" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one of the league's better rim-protectors</a>; the Spurs collectively were just a tick under league-average on both ends of the floor, per Cleaning the Glass.
One of the NBA's youngest rosters is well on track and about to receive another influx of potential. San Antonio could use its three first-rounders (including its own lottery pick) to add to the frontcourt or find another lead guard. However, the Spurs already have 12 players locked down for next season under at least partial guarantees, and 11 of them are under 30. They have a pathway to over $24 million in salary cap space this summer should they move on from restricted free agents like Walker.&nbsp;
There's an avenue, with draft picks, young players and cap space, for San Antonio to make a serious splash. Is that in the programming for this franchise, though? San Antonio hasn't acquired a star via trade in several years, unless you want to count adding DeMar DeRozan in the Kawhi Leonard blockbuster. At the same time, there are only so many minutes to go around for the young guns, especially if the Spurs think they can compete for the playoffs.
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Ethan Fuller sets the stage for the NBA's four Play-In exits approaching the offseason.

Summer plans for the Spurs, Hornets, Cavaliers and Clippers

A rested and rehabbed Ja Morant is all set for the NBA playoffs, and the All-Star guard has the talented Memphis Grizzlies believing they're ready to make a deep postseason run.
Morant sat out the regular-season finale on Sunday, but returned the night before after missing nine games with a <a href="https://apnews.com/article/memphis-grizzlies-nba-sports-taylor-jenkins-memphis-3edf112695f80293ee4a45297b50ae52">sore right knee</a>.
&ldquo;I felt like I needed a game or two to get my legs back under me, to get the game-type feel,&rdquo; Morant said.
It appears he has his legs back under him.
Morant <a href="https://apnews.com/6c14b04053027561ae8e40065ebab0fc">scored 21 points in a win over the New Orleans Pelicans</a> that tied Memphis' franchise record for victories in a season at 56. Then, along with the other Grizzlies starters, he sat out the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/memphis-grizzlies-boston-celtics-nba-sports-santi-aldama-bd5aa43bdefea2681b5c59dd1df5f2f0">regular-season finale</a>.
It has been a steady ascension for Morant, who boosts the Grizzlies with each step he takes.
The No. 2 overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft and 2020 rookie of the year, Morant helped end Memphis&rsquo; playoff drought in 2021 when the Grizzlies played their way to the No. 8 seed.
Now with a resume worthy of MVP consideration, he has led Memphis to its highest seed ever at No. 2 in the West with the NBA's second-best record of 56-26. The Grizzlies believe they are ready to take the next step; reaching the playoffs is no longer good enough for this team.
Memphis starts its quest Saturday when it hosts Minnesota, a 109-104 winner over the Los Angeles Clippers. Not that the opponent matters to Morant.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m focused on us,&rdquo; the third-year guard out of Murray State said. "Getting better during that week stretch and just being ready to go out there and play the first two games here at home. No matter who it is, we go into the game's the same way. It&rsquo;s going to be different coverages, depending on the team, but our play style never changes.&rdquo;
This franchise was swept in the 2013 Western Conference finals, which was the only time it got past the second round.
Morant's value to the Grizzlies goes beyond mere stats.
Head cheerleader when on the bench, he brings everyone to their feet by <a href="https://twitter.com/NBATV/status/1498479488316809217?s=20&amp;t=vElgdbRggUxur_d4YlmOAw">dunking over 7-footers</a>, throwing down lobs or dishing the ball off to a teammate for an easy basket.
Even his high-flying <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1512944760541126657">blocks</a> on defense are must-see TV.
His own coach wants to see what Morant does next to attack with his &ldquo;elite level&rdquo; ballhandling skills.
&ldquo;That&rsquo;s what you need at this level,&rdquo; Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said. "I&rsquo;m trying to follow him at times to see what&rsquo;s coming next but when he does something I&rsquo;m like, &lsquo;Here we go!&rsquo; This is what he does. I know he has more in store moving forward that&rsquo;s going to definitely surprise me.&rdquo;
And likely opponents as well.
Morant boosted his scoring average by 8.3 points a game and improved in every statistical category this season. He averaged 27.4 points, 5.7 rebounds and 6.7 assists in 57 games.
Orlando coach Jamahl Mosley said people get so enamored watching Morant's nightly highlight-reel plays that they forget his high basketball IQ.
&ldquo;His ability to understand where the reads are on the floor, teams are still going under him and he&rsquo;s still able to get to the paint at such a high clip,&rdquo; Mosley said. "He&rsquo;s just playing at a tremendous pace, and he has the ability to get to the paint continuously without teams being able to stop him.&rdquo;
Morant's speed and fearlessness driving to the basket helped him shoot 49.3% in the paint where he averaged an NBA-high 16.8 points. He had 22 games this season scoring at least 20 points in the paint, most by a guard over the last 25 seasons, according to ESPN Stats &amp; Info.
Spurs guard Lonnie Walker IV said he could learn from Morant on how to go attack the big men inside.
&ldquo;He does a fantastic job going to his left,&rdquo; Walker said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s either, if he&rsquo;s on the right side, he&rsquo;s going to snake it or if he&rsquo;s on the left side, he&rsquo;s going downhill and doing what he does.&rdquo;
With this ability to get to the basket, when he's making 3s, San Antonio forward Doug McDermott said Morant is almost un-guardable.
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s so quick,&rdquo; McDermott said. "He can split ball screens and he gets everyone else involved. He&rsquo;s a great player, and we&rsquo;ll be seeing a lot of him in the coming years."
Having Morant healthy for the postseason is a confidence boost for the Grizzlies, even though they went 20-5 without him during the season.
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s the motor for our team," forward Brandon Clarke said. "Obviously we&rsquo;re still a good, good team without him. But with Ja, we&rsquo;re great.&rdquo;
___
AP Freelance Writer Clay Bailey in Memphis contributed to this report.

Memphis starts its quest Saturday when it hosts Minnesota. Not that the opponent matters to Ja Morant.

Healthy Ja Morant has Grizzlies thinking deep postseason run

New Orleans first-year coach Willie Green could have been forgiven for wondering what he had gotten himself into early this season.
Star forward Zion Williamson was injured with no clear timeline for recovery, and the Pelicans started 1-12.
Rather than foreshadowing a long year at the bottom of the Western Conference, those setbacks set the stage for New Orleans to exemplify the benefits of patience and perseverance.
Williamson still hasn't played all season, yet the Pelicans have won more games than they've lost since last Thanksgiving. They finished ninth in the Western Conference and will host the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday night in the first postseason game played in New Orleans since 2018.
&ldquo;We definitely have resiliency," Green said. "It&rsquo;s a continuation of trying to build our program, starting with the beginning of this season and how difficult it was to be 1-12, and be at a point where we have this opportunity in front of us.&rdquo;
While Gregg Popovich is in his 26th season as Spurs coach, is the NBA's career leader in coaching victories and has five NBA championships to his name, his road to the 2022 postseason hasn't been much different from Green's.
The Spurs won just four of their first 17 games and were 16 games below .500 after a loss at Charlotte on March 5. Since then, they've gone 10-8 to sneak into the last Western Conference play-in spot as the 10th seed.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;re starting to get better and better,&rdquo; said Spurs wing player Devin Vassell, now in his second NBA season. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re growing as a team. We&rsquo;ve got a lot of young players, but we&rsquo;re all developing right now.&rdquo;
Spurs guard Dejounte Murray has made major strides, becoming a first-time All-Star and averaging 21.1 points, 9.2 assists and 8.3 rebounds this season.
Brandon Ingram has been New Orleans' most productive offensive player, averaging 22.7 points, but he has gotten some help since the Pelicans acquired guard CJ McCollum in a multiplayer deal with Portland shortly before the NBA trade deadline in February.
McCollum, averaging 24 points since the trade, wasn't around for New Orleans' early season stumbles, but was well aware of them.
&ldquo;It shows you how they stuck together, how they continued to fight through adversity, how much growth the team has had,&rdquo; McCollum said. "I&rsquo;m happy I could help get us into this position where we have a chance to get some postseason experience.&rdquo;
To make it into the first round of the NBA playoffs, the winner in New Orleans must win again on Friday night, on the road, against the Los Angeles Clippers.
PRODUCTIVE LINEUP
Some recent lineup changes have yielded compelling results for New Orleans.
The 6-foot-11 Jaxson Hayes, drafted eighth overall in 2019, was inserted into the starting lineup at power forward, and McCollum took over at point guard following his trade. When those two have started alongside center Jonas Valanciunas, Ingram and defensive-minded rookie Herb Jones, the Pelicans are 7-3.
That is the likely lineup against San Antonio. Ingram, who missed the last three regular-season games with a sore hamstring, practiced Tuesday and declared himself ready.
While various injuries have limited that lineup's sample size to 10 games, Green said the way that group plays passes the &ldquo;eye test.&rdquo;
&ldquo;It looks right. It feels right,&rdquo; Green said. "The numbers kind of solidify what we&rsquo;re seeing, and we kind of go with that.&rdquo;
PERIMETER IMPROVEMENT
Spurs forward Keldon Johnson set career highs in points (17.0), rebounding (6.1), assists (2.1) and 3-point shooting (40%) in his third NBA season.
Johnson led the Spurs in 3-pointers, going 159 for 399 after making just 73 in his first two seasons.
The long-range scoring "frankly kind of surprised us all,&rdquo; Popovich said. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s not what we expected him to improve on to that degree.&rdquo;
ROOKIE TRIO
During the final weeks of the regular season, the Pelicans relied on significant contributions from three rookies.
The 6-8 Jones, a second-round pick out of Alabama, has started much of the season after demonstrating he could defend many opposing teams' top scorers.
First-round pick Trey Murphy III and undrafted rookie Jose Alvarado also have emerged during the latter portion of the season.
While Murphy has only scored 10 or more points eight times &mdash; seven of those instances came in the last 16 games, including a high of 32 points.
Alvarado seldom played prior to January, but now has 16 games with two or more steals, including a high of six. He has scored more than 10 points 12 times since Jan. 20, with a high of 23, and routinely plays meaningful minutes in the fourth quarter.
&ldquo;You see the strides throughout the year, especially Trey Murphy in these last few games,&rdquo; Ingram said. &ldquo;Jose is getting more confidence shooting the basketball and Herb has been playing like a professional since he&rsquo;s been here.&rdquo;
CLOSING TIME
The Spurs say they have become more poised in late-game situations. They blew numerous fourth-quarter leads early this season, but have closed out some critical wins in recent weeks, including a 107-103 victory on March 23 in New Orleans.
&ldquo;That&rsquo;s something I&rsquo;ve really been saying since Day One: We&rsquo;re young, we&rsquo;re still growing,&rdquo; fourth-year guard Lonnie Walker said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re starting to get used to (close games) and have that type of mindset &mdash; locked in &mdash; those final moments.&rdquo;

To make it into the first round of the NBA playoffs, the winner in New Orleans must win again on Friday night, on the road, in L.A.

Pelicans-Spurs Play-In Tournament matchup a study in resilience

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Jonathan Kuminga and Jordan Poole each had 18 points and the Golden State Warriors won their fourth straight, beating the San Antonio Spurs 100-94 on Saturday night and strengthen their hopes for a top-three seed. 
Golden State is a game ahead of Dallas in the Western Conference and can secure the third seed with a victory Sunday at New Orleans in the season finale. If the Warriors lose, and the Mavericks beat the Spurs on Sunday, Dallas will finish third after going 3-1 in its season series with Golden State.
San Antonio will finish 10th in the Western Conference and must travel to ninth-seeded New Orleans for the opener of the play-in tournament Wednesday.
Lonnie Walker IV had 24 points to lead the Spurs. Walker was the only San Antonio player in double figures through the first 39 minutes. Tre Jones finished with 15 points, Josh Primo had 14 and Josh Richardson added 10.
After the Spurs pulled within two points with two minutes remaining, Poole made a pair of free throws with 47.9 seconds to put Golden State up 98-94 remaining after Jones missed a running layup.
Andrew Wiggins finished with 15 points and Draymond Green added 12 points and 13 rebounds for Golden State.
The Warriors were without Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. The Spurs were without their entire starting lineup of Dejounte Murray, Keldon Johnson, Jakob Poeltl, Devin Vassell and Doug McDermott. 
Those absences led to a low-scoring affair with the teams combining to score 44 points in the opening quarter. The Spurs scored 36 points in the first quarter of each of their three previous games against the Warriors.
After trailing by as many as 17 points, the Spurs closed to 78-71 on a 3-pointer by Primo as time expired in the third quarter. A 3-pointer by rookie forward Joe Wieskamp and a 15-foot jumper by Primo cut the Warriors’ lead to 86-84 with 6 1/2 minutes remaining.
San Antonio outscored Golden State 17-12 in the opening seven minutes of the fourth quarter.
The Warriors were able to maintain their lead down the stretch with veterans Green and Wiggins leading the way.
TIP-INS
Warriors: Golden State sat Thompson for the fourth straight game as part of the injury management for his right Achilles’ tendon, which he had surgery on in November 2020. Thompson was crisply working out and shooting prior to the game with no discomfort. … Curry remains out with a sprained left foot. The two-time MVP has not played since suffering the injury March 16 against Boston. … 
Spurs: San Antonio honored former owner Red McCombs during the game’s first time out. McCombs was member of the original ownership that bought the ABA’s Dallas Chapparals and brought them to San Antonio in 1973. He sold his interest in the Spurs in 1978 and later owned the Denver Nuggets from 1982 to 1985. McCombs returned to the Spurs in 1988 to become the team’s majority owner at a time when the franchise’s future in San Antonio was in question. … Murray sat out for reconditioning after missing four consecutive games with a non-Covid upper respiratory illness.
UP NEXT
Warriors: At New Orleans on Sunday night.
Spurs: At Dallas on Sunday night.

The Golden State Warriors maintained their hold on the three-seed with a win over San Antonio.

Warriors hold off Spurs and maintain hold on third seed

SAN ANTONIO (AP) &mdash; Keldon Johnson scored 28 points and the San Antonio Spurs defeated the short-handed Portland Trail Blazers 113-92 on Sunday night to strengthen their bid for a play-in berth.
Coupled with the Los Angeles Lakers&rsquo; loss to Denver, San Antonio&rsquo;s magic number for clinching 10th place in the Western Conference is two games. The Spurs (33-45) also hold the tiebreaker over the Lakers (31-47) with a better conference record.
San Antonio won a two-game weekend series with Portland to complete a four-game sweep of the Trail Blazers. It was the sixth win in seven games for the resurgent Spurs.
San Antonio's Zach Collins had 18 points and 13 rebounds for his first career double-double. Tre Jones added 18 points and Keita Bates-Diop 12.
The Blazers struggled to maintain any consistency offensively without Damian Lillard, Jusuf Nurkic, Josh Hart, Eric Bledsoe, Anfernee Simmons and several other injured players.
Keon Johnson and Ben McLemore had 19 points each to lead Portland.
San Antonio was without Dejounte Murray and Jakob Poeltl.
As they did Friday, the Trail Blazers took an early lead as the Spurs struggled to adjust without its missing starters.
Johnson responded with his sixth straight 20-point game.
San Antonio outscored Portland 34-16 in the third quarter to overcome a 13-point deficit.
The Spurs tied the game at 23 on a runner by Josh Richardson off a pair of offensive rebounds and then took the lead on Lonnie Walker IV&rsquo;s 3-pointer.
The Blazers regained the lead in the second quarter, much to Spurs coach Gregg Popovich&rsquo;s dismay. The veteran called a timeout with 7 minutes remaining after San Antonio allowed a 3-pointer that put up Portland up 43-37.
The Blazers were 6 for 10 on 3-pointers in the second quarter and shot 52% overall in the period. Portland finished 16 for 44 on 3-pointers and shot 40% overall.
TIP-INS
Trail Blazers: Portland has lost four straight to San Antonio. The Trail Blazers' last victory at the AT&amp;T Center was May 8, 2021. ... Portland is 27-51, its first 50-loss season since going 32-50 in 2007. ... Rookie F Greg Brown III was assessed a clear path foul with 11:30 remaining in the fourth quarter. After committing a turnover, Brown began attempting to wrap up Tre Jones near midcourt on a fast break. ... G Kris Dunn received a flagrant foul 1 after hitting Johnson in the head on a layup attempt with 8 minutes remaining in the fourth. Initially ruled a common foul, the penalty was changed after video review. Johnson had to reinsert a contact lens before shooting free throws.
Spurs: San Antonio star Manu Ginobili received a standing ovation after the Spurs honored the Argentinian for his selection to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The Spurs showed a video of Ginobili receiving a call from Hall of Fame president John Doleva informing him of the selection. San Antonio then cut to a live shot of Ginobili, who was in attendance &mdash; which drew another huge roar and standing ovation. ... Murray and Poeltl were both late scratches from the starting lineup. Murray is still battling a non-COVID upper respiratory illness. Poeltl has a back injury. ... Collins was a rebound shy of completing his first career double-double on Friday. ... C Jock Landale did not return after spraining his right foot 30 seconds into the second quarter. After writhing in pain on the court for about a minute, Landale walked back to the locker room unassisted. ... Romeo Langford played for the first time since March 7 after missing 12 straight games due to an injured hamstring.
UP NEXT
Trail Blazers: At Oklahoma City on Tuesday night.
Spurs: At Denver on Tuesday night.

Keldon Johnson led the San Antonio Spurs with 28 points in their play-in strengthening win against the Trail Blazers.

Spurs top short-handed Blazers to strengthen play-in hopes

SAN ANTONIO (AP) &mdash; Tyus Jones scored 25 points and the Memphis Grizzlies edged the San Antonio Spurs 112-111 on Wednesday night to capture the Southwest Division title and clinch the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference.
The Grizzlies claimed their first division title in franchise history and accomplished the feat with All-Star point guard Ja Morant watching from the sidelines.
&ldquo;Definitely a big milestone,&rdquo; Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said. &ldquo;I told the group, a special accomplishment for a special group, but we&rsquo;ve got more work to do.&rdquo;
Memphis never trailed, even as Morant missed his sixth straight game with a sore right knee. The Grizzlies improved to 19-2 without Morant this season.
&ldquo;A gutsy win,&rdquo; Jones said. &ldquo;Those are the wins that show you it&rsquo;s not always going to be a pretty game. It&rsquo;s not always going to be every shot falling and we win by 20. Sometimes you&rsquo;re going to have to grind it out and go win a game down the stretch on the offensive end or maybe the defensive end. We need those games down the stretch here.&rdquo;
The loss halted San Antonio&rsquo;s four-game winning streak, the Spurs&rsquo; longest of the season. They dropped a half-game behind the Los Angeles Lakers for 10th in the West and the final berth in the play-in tournament.
San Antonio closed within a point, at 112-111, on a tip-in by Keldon Johnson with 27.8 seconds remaining. Following a miss by the Grizzlies&rsquo; Desmond Bane, Johnson missed a layup contested by Bane with 2.7 seconds remaining.
&ldquo;What a brilliant (play call),&rdquo; Jenkins said. &ldquo;They probably knew that we were going to switch before. They got exactly what they wanted, a shot right at the rim. It just didn&rsquo;t go in.&rdquo;
Jenkins said it was &ldquo;stressful&rdquo; matching basketball wits with San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich, who he considers a mentor. Jenkins spent six seasons with the Spurs, including head coach of their G League affiliate.
Memphis withstood San Antonio with a balanced effort, as it has done for much of the season.
The Grizzlies had five players score in double figures and shot 48% (44 for 91). Dillon Brooks scored 21 points and Bane and De&rsquo;Anthony Melton each added 16.
Dejounte Murray had 33 points, matching the career-high he set Monday in Houston, and added 13 rebounds. Johnson scored 23 points.
Consecutive 3-pointers by Murray and Lonnie Walker IV and a video review that disallowed a basket by Jarren Jackson Jr. cut Memphis&rsquo; lead to 93-86 entering the fourth, the first time San Antonio was within single digits in the second half. The Spurs scored the first five points of the fourth, pulling within 93-91 and setting up the tense final seconds.
&ldquo;I was really proud of them,&rdquo; Popovich said. &ldquo;But I am proud of them, it was great. Good stuff. Great growing experience for them against a hell of a team. Like I said before, Taylor and his staff have done a fantastic job. That team competes hard, they execute really well, maybe better than most anybody in the league, so that is a fine performance for us tonight."
Jackson scored the game&rsquo;s first five points, including his only 3-pointer. The Grizzlies and Spurs were a combined 10 for 23 on 3-pointers in the opening quarter.
GO DUKE!
With Memphis having the weekend off, Jones is considering traveling to New Orleans on Saturday to see Duke play North Carolina in the Final Four.
Jones played for the Blue Devils under Mike Krzyzewski, who is retiring at the close of the tournament after 41 seasons as the team&rsquo;s head coach.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m not nervous, I&rsquo;m excited. I&rsquo;m excited,&rdquo; Jones said.
The fact that Duke is facing rival North Carolina for the first time in the NCAA Tournament only makes this moment more meaningful for Jones and the Blue Devils.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s kind of fate that the first time ever playing UNC would be in his last year in the Final Four with the chance to go to the championship game,&rdquo; Jones said. &ldquo;Everything lines up. I&rsquo;m excited for him.&rdquo;
TIP-INS
Grizzlies: Morant was shooting 3-pointers minutes before pregame warmups after his teammates had left the court. Morant didn&rsquo;t show any signs of discomfort during his workout. He was bounding around the court as he attempted numerous half-court and three-quarter court shots before sprinting off the court. &hellip; Jackson played 25 minutes after being a game-time decision because of a sore right thigh. &hellip; Jones injured his left hand in the first half after the ball bounced back and jammed his fingers. He returned in the third quarter with his middle and ring finger taped together. &hellip; Memphis&rsquo; bench averages a league high 98.5 minutes per game.
Spurs: San Antonio has lost six straight to Memphis and five straight at home. The Spurs last home victory against the Grizzlies was Jan. 5, 2019, and their last win overall as Dec. 23, 2020. &hellip; Walker had six points and played 14 minutes in his return from a four-game absence. Walker injured his back March 18 after a blind screen from Willy Hernangomez on March 18.
UP NEXT
Grizzlies: Host Phoenix on Friday night.
Spurs: Host Portland on Friday night.
&nbsp;

Tyus Jones scored 25 points and the Memphis Grizzlies edged the San Antonio Spurs 112-111 to capture the Southwest Division title.

Grizzlies edge Spurs 112-111, clinch No. 2 seed in West

Karl-Anthony Towns had a career-high 60 points &mdash; the most scored in the NBA this season &mdash; and the Minnesota Timberwolves outlasted the San Antonio Spurs 149-139 on Monday night.
Towns shot 19 for 31 and grabbed 17 rebounds in surpassing his previous best of 56 points against Atlanta on March 28, 2018. Lakers star LeBron James and Hawks point guard Trae Young previously shared league-high honors this season with 56 points.
Minnesota&rsquo;s 7-foot All-Star capped his dazzling performance by draining a 3-pointer with 1:39 remaining, shortly after making one of two free throws to reach 57 points.
San Antonio has lost two straight since Gregg Popovich earned his 1,336th career victory to become the winningest coach in NBA history. The Spurs have dropped seven of nine and are 2-3 during a seven-game homestand, their longest of the season.
Spurs forward Keldon Johnson had 34 points, Dejounte Murray added 30 points and 12 assists, and Lonnie Walker IV scored 22.
The teams combined for 148 points in the first half, shooting 58 for 100 while playing at a frenzied pace.
San Antonio opened the game 4 for 5 on 3-pointers but Minnesota shot 75% from the field during the first seven minutes of the opening quarter.
Towns had 14 points and five rebounds while playing the entire first quarter against Jakob Poeltl and Zach Collins.
The game got chippy in the third with Wolves guard Patrick Beverley getting entangled with Murray and Collins on separate possessions. The skirmishes fueled a 16-7 run for the Wolves that gave them a 112-99 lead with 2:30 remaining in the quarter.
Towns had 56 points through the first three quarters. He sat down with 6:34 remaining in the final period shortly after picking up his fourth and fifth fouls within 45 seconds, but returned to the floor with three minutes remaining to set his career high.
TIP-INS
Timberwolves: Anthony Edwards had five points in 30 minutes after being listed as probable due to a tendinopathy. &hellip; Towns&rsquo; foul on Poeltl in the third quarter was upgraded to a flagrant 1 after video review. &hellip; Towns also inadvertently elbowed teammate Taurean Prince on the bridge of the nose late in the first quarter after both attempted to rebound a missed 3-pointer by Josh Primo. Prince sat on the court for a minute clutching at his nose but remained in the game following a timeout. &hellip; Beverley started the game and had 20 points in 30 minutes after being questionable due to an ear injury.
Spurs: Murray is the first player in franchise history with 1,000 points, 500 rebounds and 500 assists in a single season. &hellip; Johnson joined Kawhi Leonard as the only players in franchise history with 1,000 points, 400 rebounds and 125 3-pointers in a single season. &hellip; Doug McDermott missed the game after spraining his right ankle Saturday in the first half of San Antonio&rsquo;s 11-point loss to Indiana. Popovich is unsure how long McDermott will be sidelined, but said he is out &ldquo;for a while.&rdquo; &hellip; Keita Bates-Diop sat out with back soreness after playing eight minutes against the Pacers. He has missed four of five games. &hellip; Romeo Langford did not play due to a strained right hamstring.
UP NEXT
Timberwolves: Host the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night.
Spurs: Host the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Karl-Anthony Towns had a career-high 60 points — the most scored in the NBA this season — and the Timberwolves outlasted the Spurs.

Towns scores NBA-high 60 points, Wolves top Spurs 149-139

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. Here's a recap of Friday's slate.
Games of the Day
Texas Tech def. Oklahoma 56-66 - Big 12 Semifinal The Sooners have been on the bubble for quite some time and, after a big win against Baylor, we&rsquo;ll have to wait and see what this loss does to them. They fought tooth and nail after being down 14 points in the second half, and even took a 54-52 lead with 3:05 to play. Clarence Nadolny hit a free throw to make it 56-54 and the Red Raiders held on from there. Great game.
Saint Louis def. St. Bonaventure 57-56 - A10 Quarterfinal Saint Louis held a nine point lead with 9:35 to go, but the Bonnies went on a run to take a one point lead with 1:24 remaining. Gibson Jimerson hit a jumper with 0:17 on the clock that would end up being the game-winner. Big win for the Billikens as they advance to the A10 Semifinals.
UAB def. MTSU 102-98 in 3OT - CUSA Semifinal In a thriller, the largest lead for either team was just seven points. With a 62-62 score after regulation, the two teams headed to overtime, in which Donovan Sims hit a clutch free throw to send it to double-overtime at 69-69. It would take another overtime, but Jordan Walker and co. finally sealed the deal at 102-98, keeping the team's dream alive.
Dayton def. UMass 75-72 - A10 Quarterfinal In the second half of this one, neither team led by more than five points as it went down to the wire. DaRon Holmes II made a jumper with 51 seconds remaining that gave Dayton a 69-68 lead, and they took it home from there. Holmes II would end with 28 points in a strong outing.&nbsp;
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/usatsi_17876491_lg.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="333" />
Duke def. Miami (FL) 80-76 - ACC Semifinal The Canes led for a good part of the first half, but it was tied at 36-36 going into the break. Duke held a 69-65 lead with 2:09 to play and from there it was a free-throw game for the Blue Devils. Keels, Moore Jr., and Griffin knocked them down and were able to seal the deal. They advance to the ACC Championship.
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The Upsets, the Madness
Indiana def. Illinois 65-62 - Big Ten Quarterfinal The Hoosiers entered this game, once again, heavy underdogs with only a 29.2% chance of winning. They kept the first half competitive and trailed by only two points at the break, but turned on the jets and had a 5 point lead in just under 10 minutes to play. Indiana is still considered a Bubble Team, but along with yesterday&rsquo;s win, they should be more comfortable.&nbsp;
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/usatsi_17876690_lg.jpg" alt="" width="452" height="548" />
Michigan State def. Wisconsin 69-63 &nbsp;- Big Ten Quarterfinal As a true bubble team, this was a huge win for Sparty. They advance to the Big Ten Semifinals thanks in large part to Marcus Bingham Jr. and his stellar performance. Marble II and Hoggard both provided sparks off the bench in the win.
Virginia Tech def. North Carolina 72-59 - ACC Semifinal After leading by six points at the break, the Hokies really opened it up halfway through the second half. Keve Alume posted 18 and Darius Maddox scored 20 huge points off the bench in the win. They move on to the ACC Championship and hope to put a bow on this amazing run.
Creighton def. Providence 85-58 - Big East Semifinal Creighton absolutely handed it to the No. 11 team in the nation. They led by 15 points at the break and only grew their lead as the game went on. With four players in double-digits scoring, it was a balanced attack from the get-go. Great win for the Bluejays.
Texas A&amp;M def. Auburn 67-62 - SEC Quarterfinal The Aggies have had a solid season, but I doubt many people saw this coming. Tyrece Radford and Quenton Jackson had big moments and now they are (likely) a lock for the NCAA Tournament. They will face Arkansas in the Semifinals.&nbsp;
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/usatsi_17874929_lg.jpg" alt="" width="450" height="300" />
Standout Performances
Jordan Walker (UAB): 40 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists
Keegan Murray (Iowa): 26 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists
Xavier Castaneda (Akron): 26 points, 4 rebounds
Michael Ertel (UAB): 26 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists
DaRon Holmes (Dayton): 28 points, 5 rebounds, 3 blocks
Jordan Wright (Vanderbilt): 27 points, 6 rebounds
Noah Fernandes (UMass): 26 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals
Jesse Zarzuela (Coppin State): 27 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds, 2 steals
TyTy Washington (Kentucky): 25 points, 3 rebounds
Kameron McGusty (Miami FL): 24 points, 7 rebounds
Holland Woods (Grand Canyon): 24 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals
Deandre Dishman (MTSU): 23 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists
Kofi Cockburn (Illinois): 23 points, 10 rebounds, 2 blocks
Geo Baker (Rutgers): 23 points, 3 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 assists
Brad Davison (Wisconsin): 23 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists
Teddy Allen (New Mexico State): 25 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists
Au&rsquo;Diese Toney (Arkansas): 22 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists
Jermaine Samuels (Villanova): 21 points, 12 rebounds
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/usatsi_17878061_lg.jpg" alt="" width="445" height="366" />
2022 NBA Draft: Prospect Watch
Keegan Murray (Iowa): 26 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists
TyTy Washington (Kentucky): 25 points, 3 rebounds
Ochai Agbaji (Kansas): 22 points, 3 rebounds
AJ Griffin (Duke): 21 points, 7 rebounds, 4-6 3PT
Jabari Smith (Auburn): 17 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks
Jaden Ivey (Purdue): 17 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks
Walker Kessler (Auburn): 16 points, 9 rebounds, 4 blocks, 3 steals, 2 assists
Tari Eason (LSU): 15 points, 3 assists, 3 steals
Johnny Davis (Wisconsin): 11 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists
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Derek Murray takes us through Friday's conference tournament results, as bubble teams battle for an NCAA tourney spot.

March Madness: Conference tournament Friday recap

SAN ANTONIO (AP) &mdash; Gregg Popovich is the winningest coach in NBA regular-season history, getting his 1,336th victory when the San Antonio Spurs rallied to beat the Utah Jazz 104-102 on Friday night.
Popovich broke a tie with Don Nelson, the friend and mentor he served as an assistant under while with Golden State for two seasons beginning in 1992.
The milestone came in Popovich&rsquo;s 2,030th game and 26th season with the Spurs, the only franchise he has served as head coach for.
Unsurprisingly, the evening was met with zero fanfare.
Praise or celebration of any achievement is brusquely deflected or simply ignored by Popovich. To hear Popovich explain it, he simply shows up to work and rolls the ball onto the court.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
Popovich has won five NBA championships, 13 division titles and was recently named one of the 15 greatest coaches in league history. He has coached NBA 75th Anniversary Team members David Robinson and Tim Duncan, future Hall of Fame members Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker as well as journeymen who found careers in San Antonio such as Danny Green and current NBA coaches Steve Kerr, Monty Williams, Ime Udoka and Doc Rivers.
&ldquo;Gregg Popovich&rsquo;s success with the Spurs is unprecedented in our league so it&rsquo;s only fitting that he now holds the record for most career wins," NBA Commissioner Adam Siler said in a statement.
"His leadership and unwavering commitment to the game are widely admired by generations of players and coaches alike. Congratulations to Coach Pop on this latest achievement in his legendary career.&rdquo;
San Antonio won 50 games for a league record 18 straight seasons from 2000-2017 under Popovich.
The Spurs matched a league record with 22 straight playoff appearances but have missed two straight postseasons since their streak ended in 2017.
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While the glory days seem distant, the 73-year-old Popovich continues plugging along.
Popovich joked that coaching Duncan, Parker and Ginobili had grown &ldquo;boring&rdquo; because they knew everything. The current roster is the antithesis of that.
This year&rsquo;s team is the youngest of Popovich&rsquo;s career. The Spurs have fully embraced a rebuild expedited by Kawhi Leonard&rsquo;s forced departure from San Antonio along with the retirement of the Big Three.
Dejounte Murray, who has emerged as the team's newest star, had 27 points and nine rebounds to lead the Spurs past the Jazz. Murray made two free throws with 4.8 seconds and 1 of 2 with a second remaining to seal the victory.
Murray&rsquo;s 17-footer tied the it at 84 with 5:28 remaining to close an 18-3 run by the Spurs. Lonnie Walker IV made two of three free throws to put San Antonio up 96-95 for its first lead since Josh Richardson&rsquo;s 15-footer put them ahead 5-3 1:31 into the game.
Donovan Mitchell had 24 points for Utah, and and Rudy Gobert added 13 points and 16 rebounds.
Former Spurs forward Rudy Gay pulled Utah to 103-102 on a 3-pointer with 1.0 seconds left.

Gregg Popovich is the winningest coach in NBA regular-season history, getting his 1,336th victory on Friday night.

Spurs' Gregg Popovich becomes NBA regular-season wins leader

SAN ANTONIO (AP) &mdash; Fred VanVleet had 26 points and the Toronto Raptors beat the San Antonio Spurs 119-104 on Wednesday night, delaying Gregg Popovich&rsquo;s coronation as the winningest coach in NBA history.
Popovich is tied with his friend and mentor, Don Nelson, with 1,335 regular-season victories.
&ldquo;Obviously, we have a competitive pride and professional pride,&rdquo; VanVleet said. &ldquo;With as much respect to Pop and what he&rsquo;s been able to do in his career, we didn&rsquo;t want to be the team that he won against. So, that was a little bit of added motivation.&rdquo;
San Antonio&rsquo;s next opportunity to get the record for its 73-year-old coach is Friday night at home against Utah.
VanVleet was 7 for 15 from the field in his return from a five-game absence because of knee soreness. Scottie Barnes and Pascal Siakam added 20 points to help Toronto snap a three-game skid.
The Spurs entered the game 3-36 when trailing by double digits and VanVleet and the Raptors made sure that dubious trend continued. Toronto led by 17 points in winning for the first time since beating Brooklyn on March 1.
Toronto had five players score in double figures while shooting 48% from the field and 37% on 3-pointers.
&ldquo;You got to fight, NBA, next man up,&rdquo; San Antonio point guard Dejounte Murray said. &ldquo;We tried, but that&rsquo;s a long talented team that&rsquo;s been together. They all get to their spots, whether it&rsquo;s driving, kicking or finding the open man.&rdquo;
After Murray cut San Antonio&rsquo;s deficit to 91-86 three minutes into the final quarter, Toronto went on an 8-0 run to regain control.
Keldon Johnson had 27 points for San Antonio, and Murray added 25 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds. The Spurs have lost five of six games.
Murray exited with 6:57 remaining in the third quarter after colliding heads with Khem Birch. Birch appeared to take the blow to his mouth and Murray immediately pressed a towel to his brow after play was stopped. Murray and Birch both walked to the locker room after the play. Murray returned but Birch did not.
&ldquo;I thought we played them well until we got that one stretch in the third quarter,&rdquo; Popovich said. &ldquo;They scored nine in a row, and that really changed the game. Having Dejounte out for that period right after, that didn&rsquo;t help. But they did a great job on the board, we turned it over too much, 22 points off turnovers and they were tough to stop.&rdquo;
VanVleet had eight points, three rebounds and an assist in leading the Raptors to a 34-29 lead in the opening quarter.
&ldquo;We know how special this building can be when it gets going,&rdquo; VanVleet said. &ldquo;So, just having a good start to give us a chance for the rest of the night was really important.&rdquo;
HAPPY BEING ME
VanVleet smiled when asked if he was envious of how much easier Siakam and Barnes can bull their way into the paint while he has to work extra to do so.
&ldquo;No,&rdquo; VanVleet said. &ldquo;No. I&rsquo;m happy with who I am. I think you know that. I&rsquo;ll take the skills and talents that I have, and I appreciate what those guys can do. We try to make it work put it all together.&rdquo;
VanVleet is averaging 21.4 points this season.
TIP-INS
Raptors: Toronto remains seventh in the Eastern Conference, 2 1/2 games in front of Brooklyn and 4 on Atlanta and Charlotte. The Nets and the Hawks were both idle Wednesday. &hellip; VanVleet was listed as questionable with a sore right knee but was cleared prior to warmups. &hellip; F OG Anunoby missed his eighth straight game after fracturing his right ring finger. Anunoby is averaging career-highs with 17.5 points and 5.5 rebounds.
Spurs: San Antonio is 12th in the West with 16 games remaining. The Spurs are 2 games behind New Orleans and 3 1/2 games behind the Los Angeles Lakers. &hellip; Devin Vassell and Lonnie Walker IV returned after missing Monday&rsquo;s game with an undisclosed illness unrelated to Covid-19. &hellip; Keita Bates-Diop missed Monday&rsquo;s game with an undisclosed illness and sat out the Raptors&rsquo; game with a sore lower back. &hellip; Rookie guard Josh Primo missed the game with an undisclosed illness. &hellip; Josh Richardson received a technical foul with 1:53 remaining from Ed Malloy. Richardson flailed his right arm in anger after Malloy called a defensive foul against him near midcourt against Siakam.

Fred VanVleet had 26 points and the Toronto Raptors beat the San Antonio Spurs 119-104 on Wednesday night.

VanVleet, Raptors delay Popovich's record in win over Spurs

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.
In particular, the crop of guards up for grabs is quite impressive, which is where we will begin this three-part ranking series.
1. James Harden &mdash; Philadelphia 76ers &mdash; Player Option
James Harden holds a player option worth $47.4 million for the 2022-23 season, and it was reported that Harden would exercise it in conjunction with his trade from Brooklyn to Philadelphia. Although he hasn't done so yet, Harden has said he plans to. Over the summer, the maximum offer the Sixers can present to Harden is a pact that would pay him up north of $270 million over the next six years, which ESPN analyst Bobby Marks declared would be the "worst contract in NBA history." Here's a look at what Harden's annual salary would look like:
2022-23: $47.4 million 2023-24: $49.7 million 2024-25: $53.7 million&nbsp; 2025-26: $57.7 million 2026-27: $61.7 million&nbsp;
2. Zach LaVine &mdash; Chicago Bulls &mdash; Unrestricted
Zach LaVine bet on himself instead of signing a four-year, $105 million extension last offseason, and the gamble has most certainly paid off. He's averaging 24.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.9 made three-pointers while shooting 40.0% from downtown and a career-high 85.7% from the free-throw line. Steph Curry is the only player in the NBA to match or exceed LaVine in those statistical categories this season. With LaVine playing at such a high level and the Bulls near the top of the Eastern Conference standings, Chicago is fully expected to offer him a max deal of five years at approximately $200 million. The most any other team can offer LaVine is around $160 million over four years.
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3. Bradley Beal &mdash; Washington Wizards &mdash; Player Option
The Wizards announced last month that Bradley Beal underwent surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left wrist. Prior to the injury, Beal's scoring average had dipped dramatically (from 31.3 points per game in 2020-21 to 23.2 this season), and he was shooting just 30.0% from downtown, but the three-time All-Star was averaging a career-high 6.6 assists. Beal's player option for the 2022-23 season is worth $36.4 million.
4. Kyrie Irving &mdash; Brooklyn Nets &mdash; Player Option
It's been a tumultuous season for both Kyrie Irving and the Nets. Kyrie's refusal to get vaccinated against COVID-19 &mdash; which resulted in him being banished from the team for the first half of the year before Brooklyn welcomed him back to play in road games &mdash; reportedly was an important factor in James Harden's decision to demand a trade. In the preseason, the Nets were heavy favorites to take home the title, but find themselves below .500 and in ninth place in the East. Brooklyn is just 1-9 in the last 10 games Irving has appeared in. Considering all the drama (and the reports that Irving would consider retirement if he was traded), it seems safe to assume Kyrie will remain in Brooklyn. But when it comes to Mr. Irving (who has a player option for the 2022&ndash;23 season worth $36,934,550), making assumptions often proves unwise. Stay tuned.&nbsp;
5. Anfernee Simons &mdash; Portland Trail Blazers &mdash; Restricted
It could be argued that Anfernee Simons has increased his value more than any player in the league over the last five months. After averaging a modest 7.8 points per game last season, Simons is pouring in 17.3 points per game in 2021-22, which represents the largest year-over-year increase in the NBA this season. And his numbers are even more impressive dating back to the start of the New Year, when he was permanently inserted into the starting lineup.
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38 points (9 threes), 3 rebounds, 3 assists in 40 minutes. If you're not taking notice of <a href="https://twitter.com/AnferneeSimons?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@anferneesimons</a> yet, you should be! <a href="https://t.co/5IPvZXFvyo">pic.twitter.com/5IPvZXFvyo</a>
&mdash; Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) <a href="https://twitter.com/trailblazers/status/1500324039100755972?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 6, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Over the 27 games he's appeared in since the calendar flipped to January, the 22-year-old Simons is averaging 23.4 points, 5.8 assists, 2.7 rebounds and 4.4 made triples, while shooting 42.3% from downtown and 86.6% from the charity stripe. Simons leads the league in made three-pointers (119) in 2022. Yes, he's struggled on the defensive end, but one of the primary reasons the Blazers made multiple major moves before the deadline (trading away CJ McCollum, Norman Powell and Robert Covington) was to clear up cap space to sign Simons to a considerable extension this summer. They are not going to let him walk.
6. Jalen Brunson &mdash; Dallas Mavericks &mdash; Unrestricted
After two solid, if unspectacular, seasons to start his NBA career, Jalen Brunson took a significant step forward last season; he averaged 12.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.2 treys in 25.7 minutes per game, while shooting 52.3% from the floor and 40.5% from downtown. The Villanova product has continued to improve in 2021-22, posting career-highs in points (16.2), assists (5.3) and rebounds (3.7) per contest. Brunson also showed he could shoulder increased responsibility by stepping in and stepping up when Luka Doncic missed 14 of Dallas' first 35 games this season. Jalen played the best basketball of his NBA career over an eight-game stretch in mid-to-late December, when he averaged 22.4 points and 7.9 dimes a night. This offseason, Brunson reportedly will be seeking a four-year, $80 million deal. The New York Knicks are among the teams expected to express serious interest.
7. Collin Sexton &mdash; Cleveland Cavaliers &mdash; Restricted
Collin Sexton injured his left knee in a game in early November, and an MRI revealed a torn meniscus. He had surgery a week later, sidelining him for the entirety of the 2021-22 campaign. It will be fascinating to see what offers he receives on the open market. Last season, Sexton averaged 24.3 points and 4.4 assists while shooting 47.5% from the floor, 37.5% from downtown and 81.5% from the free-throw line. However, he struggled defensively, and the Cavs registered a league-worst 60-159 record over the first three years of his career. With Sexton out of action this season, Cleveland is 10 games above .500. Because he is restricted, the Cavs can match any offer he receives this summer.&nbsp;
8. Malik Monk &mdash; Los Angeles Lakers &mdash; Unrestricted
Mailk Monk, the 11th overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, failed to live up to expectations over the first four years of his career in Charlotte. He made just one career start as a member of the Hornets, and had averaged 9.1 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 233 appearances while shooting below 34% from downtown. As a result, the Los Angeles Lakers were able to ink him to a one-year contract at the veteran minimum ($1.7 million) for this season. Surprisingly, Monk has established himself as one of the Lakers' most consistent and effective players. In the 23 games he's started for L.A., Monk has averaged 17.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists while posting a True Shooting percentage of 58.8%. He will look to cash in with a significant pay raise in July.&nbsp;
9. Russell Westbrook &mdash; Los Angeles Lakers &mdash; Player Option
Besides Monk's unexpected success and the MVP-caliber performance of the ageless wonder that is LeBron James, the 2021-22 Lakers season has been an absolute nightmare. L.A. is eight games below .500 and desperately fighting just to make the Play-In Tournament. And Russell Westbrook is the player <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/russell-westbrook-opens-up-about-shaming-from-lakers-fans" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the public has pilloried and pinned the Lakers' failures on</a>. Russ has a player option for the 2022-23 season worth a whopping $47,063,478, so there is almost zero chance of him opting out. The Lakers will undoubtedly explore all possible trade scenarios this offseason.
10. John Wall &mdash; Houston Rockets &mdash; Player Option
John Wall showed flashes of his immense talent last season, when he averaged 20.6 points and 6.9 assists per game for the Rockets, but he hasn't set foot on an NBA court since April 2021. Wall will almost certainly exercise his player option for 2022-23 worth $47.4 million. At that point, he'll be on an expiring contract, which will make it far easier for Houston to move him.
Best of the Rest: Dennis Schroder, Patty Mills (player option), Kendrick Nunn (player option), Victor Oladipo, Gary Payton II, Gary Harris, Lonnie Walker IV (restricted), Tomas Satoransky, Ricky Rubio, Goran Dragic, Delon Wright, Lou Williams, Facundo Campazzo (restricted), Bruce Brown Jr., Donte DiVincenzo (restricted), Pat Connaughton (player option), Jeremy Lamb, Tyus Jones, Cory Joseph
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Tommy Beer ranks the top guards who could be available as part of the 2022 NBA free-agent class.

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

Gregg Popovich tied Don Nelson&rsquo;s NBA record with his 1,335th career victory as a coach in the San Antonio Spurs&rsquo; 117-110 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday night.
Popovich chose to ignore the achievement, as he has many others during his illustrious 26-year tenure leading San Antonio. He didn't mention it to players after the victory, and he didn't take any questions about the record during a brief, three-question session with reporters after.
&ldquo;You guys know Pop,&rdquo; San Antonio center Jakob Poeltl said. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t think he really cares about stuff like that. It didn&rsquo;t even really get mentioned. I doubt it will get mentioned when we get the next win. It&rsquo;s just how he is.&rdquo;
Popovich will try to pass Nelson when San Antonio hosts the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday night.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s hard to put into words how much of an impact he&rsquo;s had on the Spurs organization, USA Basketball and basketball in general," Spurs guard Josh Richardson said.
The only difference between this record-tying game and any previous was the 73-year-old Popovich&rsquo;s decision to get a little physical with players prior to the game.
&ldquo;He was trying to get us to play a little bit more aggressive,&rdquo; Poeltl said. &ldquo;In these last few games, we&rsquo;ve been pretty soft on defense. Shootaround this morning was a little bit more intense. I think that was just him trying to get a message across. He was pushing guys around, and then it kind of ended up in a huddle mosh-pit situation.&rdquo;
San Antonio needed the jolt, even with the struggling Lakers without LeBron James.
The Spurs had lost four straight with Popovich on the precipice of matching the record, and they were in danger of extending that skid with a late collapse as James sat the game out with a sore left knee.
Dejounte Murray had 26 points and 10 rebounds, and Poeltl and Richardson each had 18 points. Richardson was making his first start with San Antonio.
Talen Horton-Taylor had 18 points to lead Los Angeles, and Russell Westbrook, Malik Monk and Carmelo Anthony added 17 points each.
Popovich has five NBA titles and is a lock for enshrinement in the NBA Hall of Fame after a career in which he&rsquo;s coached Spurs greats including David Robinson, Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili. Robinson sat courtside Monday, and Popovich jokingly told him to check into the game during a time.
These aren&rsquo;t the same Spurs from Robinson&rsquo;s prime. San Antonio is 25-40, already assured of a third straight losing season after 22 consecutive finishes over .500. Monday&rsquo;s game nearly got away, too.
The Lakers pulled within 108-105 on Horton-Taylor&rsquo;s jumper with 5:40 left, and the Spurs were scoreless for nearly four minutes before Poeltl&rsquo;s free throw with 37.4 seconds left. Los Angeles never got closer than three, though.
&ldquo;The just played a little smarter than us down the stretch,&rdquo; LA guard Malik Monk said.
The Lakers were without James and Anthony Davis. James was a late scratch Monday after scoring a season-high 56 points Saturday in a victory over the Golden State Warriors.
Los Angeles had lost four straight and seven of eight prior to James&rsquo; highest point total with the Lakers, which matched the third highest of his career.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s kind of frustrating that we have a great win like we did against Golden State and Lebron&rsquo;s knee is a little sore and he&rsquo;s got to miss and we take a little step back,&rdquo; Monk said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve got to do a better job and figure things out as a team when he&rsquo;s out.&rdquo;
It marked the eighth straight game that the Lakers have faced a double-digit deficit.
The Lakers remained in the game by cutting to the rim without the ball for open layups, drives to the basket and the Spurs&rsquo; poor free-throw shooting. San Antonio was 16 for 30 on free throws, including 6 for 14 in the third quarter.
TIP-INS
Lakers: James has missed 17 games this season due to various injuries, including abdomen and ankle ailments. Los Angeles coach Frank Vogel is hopeful James will play Wednesday in Houston. ... Westbrook collected his third foul with 11:38 left in the first half. He finished with five fouls in 35 minutes.
Spurs: Devin Vassell, Lonnie Walker IV and Keita Bates-Diop all missed the game with an undisclosed illness. Popovich said it was not COVID-19 related. ... Poeltl picked up two fouls in the first 1 1/2 minutes and spent the remainder of the first quarter on the bench.
UP NEXT
Lakers: At Houston on Wednesday.
Spurs: Host Toronto on Wednesday.

Gregg Popovich tied Don Nelson’s NBA record with his 1,335th career victory as a coach in the Spurs’ 117-110 win over the Lakers.

Spurs' Popovich ties Nelson for NBA career wins record

You know who's having a weird year? The San Antonio Spurs.
Consider this: They're currently 14 games under&nbsp;.500, yet have a Net Rating that is positive&nbsp;(plus-0.2) and higher than five teams currently in the Play-In (Brooklyn, Charlotte, Los Angeles x2, New Orleans).
You can blame that weird discrepancy on their late-game woes. Their 9-19 record (.321 win percentage) is the second worst in the league; they have&nbsp;the&nbsp;worst clutch offense in basketball (92.1 ORTG), and their average defense (106.9 DRTG, 15th) is offset by being the worst team &mdash; by far &mdash; <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/teams/clutch-advanced/?sort=DREB_PCT&amp;dir=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">at ending possessions</a> (57.9% defensive-rebound rate).&nbsp;
(San Antonio's clutch offense was 15 points per 100 possessions better last season; one might say having a closer like DeMar DeRozan can be helpful.)
But here the Spurs are, just 1.5 games out of the final Play-In spot. They have an <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/examining-potential-landing-spots-for-dejounte-murray" target="_blank" rel="noopener">All-Star in Dejounte Murray</a>, a massively <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/jakob-poeltls-highfloor-play-brings-stability-for-spurs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">underrated interior force in Jakob Poeltl</a> (don't let Ja Morant spoil this for you) and a whole lot of athleticism around them.
Quietly on the rise is Lonnie Walker IV, a ridiculous athlete who has both fallen down the young prospect hierarchy, and has been prone to inconsistency throughout his career. (Murray, Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson, Poeltl and rookie Josh Primo seem more valuable/important to the team moving forward.)
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At different points of his career, we've seen transition brilliance. A silky spot-up jumper. Unique passing flashes. Aggressive drives. A slick-enough handle to get into an array of pull-ups or stepbacks. Very, very, very&nbsp;rarely have seen Walker put these things together, but he's on a bit of a run right now.
He's averaging 20.3 points (.590/.382/.579 shooting splits, 59.0% True Shooting) off the bench over his past six games. His current streak of six games with 15 or more points is the longest of his career; heck, his longest streak of double-digit scoring games is eight, something he accomplished for the first time last season and has repeated earlier this year.
We can start with the easy stuff. Walker is a devastating transition weapon. He doesn't run &mdash; he glides. And he doesn't jump &mdash; he opts to activate his jetpack instead. He's generated a preposterous 1.46 points per possession in transition over his last six games, per the good folks at InStat.
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I'm not sure what you're supposed to do with that.
In the half-court, Walker is doing most of his work in a secondary role. The Spurs design some looks to get him on the move &mdash; mostly pindowns and staggered screens &mdash; since he's a threat to knock down shots or immediately attack off the catch. He's much better attacking a tilted defense than he is creating against a set piece.
There has been some growing comfort in pick-and-roll with Walker. He's been trusted to attack with drag screens in semi-transition, and has been the second (or third) option in San Antonio's set pieces. He's finding pockets to pull-up when faced with drop coverage, a boring-yet-vital piece to the creation puzzle. His recent outing against the Memphis Grizzlies was a nice snapshot of his growth.
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But even when he's playing off of Murray or others, he keeps light on his feet, constantly looking for space to fill. He roams around the perimeter to stay in a driver's line of sight; he's made 42.0% of his relocation threes during this stretch, per Second Spectrum tracking. Pay too much attention to the main action, and he'll cut to the rim for easy ones.
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Walker is at his most dangerous when he gets downhill. His <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/drives/?Season=2021-22&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season&amp;TeamID=1610612759&amp;sort=DRIVES&amp;dir=1&amp;LastNGames=6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">forays to the basket</a> are up during this stretch, and he's converting nearly 67% of his shots via drives.&nbsp;
What I've enjoyed are the passing flashes. There isn't real manipulation at play right now, but that's fine. What he&nbsp;is&nbsp;doing, however, is leveraging his driving chops to make easy reads to others. The video comp below will mostly feature missed shots &mdash; that'll affect the assist rate, some of his pick-and-roll metrics, all that good stuff &mdash; but you'll see where things are starting to come together for him.
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It probably isn't reasonable to expect Walker to be a 20-point guy the rest of the way. But the pathway to him being an effective option &mdash; transition buckets, attacking off screens, secondary ball-screens against drop coverage &mdash; is evident and realistic.
I'd keep an eye out for Walker moving forward. He didn't receive a contract extension before the season, setting him up to become a restricted free agent this summer... unless the Spurs &mdash; armed with the aforementioned guards, plus Romeo Langford (and Josh Richardson) &mdash; decide there's no room for him.
Walker is an interesting second-contract gamble that teams should be interested in making.&nbsp;
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Nekias Duncan breaks down the recent run of Spurs wing Lonnie Walker IV.

Lonnie Walker IV's surge could make him a compelling offseason gamble

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Ja Morant threw down a massive dunk over 7-footer Jakob Poeltl and scored a career-high 52 points, lifting the Memphis Grizzlies over the San Antonio Spurs 118-105 Monday night. 
The arena was still buzzing from Morant's fast-break slam late in the second quarter when Steven Adams delivered a length-of-the-court pass to Morant, who knocked down a buzzer-beater from the left baseline for a 68-58 halftime lead. 
Morant added 13 consecutive points during the fourth quarter to break the game open, following up a career-best 46 points in a win Saturday at Chicago by connecting on 22 of 30 from the field. He hit all four 3-point tries as Memphis won its second straight.
De’Anthony Melton added 15 points for Memphis, while Tyus Jones scored 13.
Morant’s performance was the first 50-point game in Grizzlies franchise history.
Lonnie Walker IV led the Spurs with 22 points, and Dejounte Murray added 21 points and eight assists before being ejected late in the fourth quarter. Poeltl finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds.
The Spurs loss left coach Gregg Popovich one game short of tying Don Nelson for the most regular-season wins by an NBA coach.
The Grizzlies built the lead to 13 early in the fourth, their largest of the game at that point, but the Spurs were within 104-99 near the midway point of the fourth. That’s when Morant scored 13 straight.
Morant had 29 points in the first half on 12-of-15 shooting. 
TIP-INS
Spurs: G Doug McDermott, listed as questionable with right knee soreness before the game, was available. ... San Antonio went 4-4 on its annual Rodeo Road Trip. ... Walker came off the bench and scored 11 points in six minutes of the first quarter. ... Poeltel and Keldon Johnson, who sat out Saturday’s loss to the Heat with lower back soreness, returned to the lineup. 
Grizzlies: F Brandon Clarke, who was listed as questionable with a left eye abrasion, was available. ... Have won five straight over San Antonio. ... Adams had 14 rebounds.
UP NEXT
Spurs: Entertain Sacramento on Thursday
Grizzlies: Travel to Boston to face the Celtics on Thursday.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Ja Morant scored a career-high and franchise record 52 points as the Grizzlies beat the San Antonio Spurs.

Morant dunks over 7-footer, scores 52 as Grizzlies top Spurs

MIAMI (AP) &mdash; Bam Adebayo scored a season-high 36 points, Tyler Herro added 27 off the bench and the Miami Heat overcame an early 16-point deficit to beat the San Antonio Spurs 133-129 on Saturday night.
Jimmy Butler scored 27 points in 30 minutes to help Miami improved the Eastern Conference's best record to 40-21. Butler didn't play in the fourth quarter.
Kyle Lowry had maybe the biggest shot of the night, a 3-pointer with 1:37 left to put Miami up by seven. San Antonio got within two on a 3-pointer by Keita Bates-Diop with nine seconds left, but Miami held on.
&ldquo;I've got to do my part," Adebayo said.
The Heat win kept Spurs coach Gregg Popovich at 1,334 regular-season wins in his career, meaning he remained one victory behind Don Nelson &mdash; one of his former bosses &mdash; on the NBA's career list.
&ldquo;Being in this position is awkward, surreal, unexpected, never planned and all of the above,&rdquo; Popovich said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s the best way to describe it.&rdquo;
Devin Vassell had a career-high 22 points for the Spurs. Bates-Diop and Lonnie Walker IV also had 22 apiece for San Antonio, which got 19 points and 11 assists from Tre Jones.
Lowry finished with 13 points and 10 assists for Miami.
The Spurs were without their three leading scorers. All-Star Dejounte Murray was held out with a bruised left knee &mdash; &ldquo;probably being overly cautious,&rdquo; Popovich said &mdash; while Olympic gold medalist Keldon Johnson and starting center Jakob Poeltl were both sidelined by low back soreness.
Perhaps it lulled Miami into a seriously false sense of early security, because the Spurs got whatever they wanted for most of the first half.
The Spurs scored 157 points &mdash; the most ever by a San Antonio team in the Popovich era &mdash; in a double-overtime win at Washington on Friday, then kept the scoring going to get things started in Miami. San Antonio led 28-12 early and 40-28 when the first quarter was done, matching the most points the Heat had yielded in any quarter this season.
After 16-1/2 minutes, the Spurs were already up to 50 points.
And over the final 7-1/2 minutes of the half, San Antonio managed only eight points. Miami outscored the Spurs 20-8 to close the quarter, got its first lead of the game on a three-point play by Butler with 38.6 seconds left before intermission and went into the break up 61-58.
The Heat pushed the lead out to 68-58 after a quick start to the third, but the defense went missing again and Miami wound up allowing 39 points in the quarter &mdash; with the teams going back and forth on the lead.
Adebayo made a 21-footer at the buzzer to put Miami up 99-97 going into the final quarter. That was the start of him scoring 15 points in a span of 4:02, but the Heat still had to sweat it out all the way to the end.
TIP-INS
Spurs: San Antonio&rsquo;s first 18 points were all scored from inside the paint. ... Vassell had a four-point play with 8:43 left in the third, his corner 3 being accompanied by a foul from P.J. Tucker. He then hit another 3 on the next possession, giving him seven points in 26 seconds. ... Murray didn&rsquo;t play in either game against Miami this season.
Heat: A monster week awaits Miami, with the team&rsquo;s next four games coming up against fellow Eastern Conference contenders Chicago, Milwaukee, Brooklyn and Philadelphia. ... Miami committed seven fouls in the first half, then was whistled for 12 in the third quarter alone, plus a technical on head coach Erik Spoelstra. ... The Heat got down double-digits almost immediately for the second consecutive night; it was 10-0 at New York on Friday, 12-2 against the Spurs in this one.
FAN NIGHT
Among those in the crowd: new Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel, along with Floyd Mayweather, Antonio Brown and Alex Rodriguez.
STATEMENT MADE
A fan unfurled a Ukrainian flag inside the arena during the first half, drawing cheers. Later, the Heat displayed the same flag on the massive video screen that adorns the front of the building.
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SPURS MOVE
A few hours before the game, the Spurs waived guard Tomas Satoransky. He appeared in one game with the Spurs after being acquired in a trade two weeks ago.
UP NEXT
Spurs: Visit Memphis on Monday.
Heat: Host Chicago on Monday.

Bam Adebayo scored a season-high 36 points, Tyler Herro added 27 and the Heat overcame an early deficit to beat the Spurs 133-129.

Adebayo scores season-high 36 points, Heat top Spurs 133-129

The DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic pairing has been cooking lately.&nbsp;
Since Jan. 1, DeRozan and Vucevic have been the NBA's most frequent ball-screen partnership, per Second Spectrum. The Chicago Bulls have scored 1.11 points per possession on trips featuring a DeRozan-Vucevic ball screen &mdash; the second-best mark among high-volume pairings.
(The Suns are getting an eye-popping 1.26 points per possession on trips featuring a Chris Paul-Deandre Ayton ball-screen. Good freakin' luck, man.)
It makes sense that the duo works. DeRozan is a downhill savant with mid-range guile that reminds you of a former Los Angeles Laker. Vucevic can get busy as a roller, a short-roller and a pick-and-pop threat. That type of versatility makes life difficult for a defense, as we saw during the Bulls' 120-109 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Monday night.
Duck under against DeRozan, and he'll just slither his way into spots anyway. Go over a screen and commit extra attention on his drive, and Vucevic can find a lane to the rim or flare out for triples. Give too much attention to Vucevic, and DeRozan can bake single coverage.
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Switch the screen, and you're in double-trouble; DeRozan is generating one point per possession on isolations against centers this season, while Vucevic is punishing guards or forwards on post-ups at roughly the same clip (1.01 PPP).
And speaking of post-ups, you typically imagine guards spacing the floor around a bruising or skillful center. Because of DeRozan's craft &mdash; and Vucevic's shooting ability &mdash; the Bulls are able to invert that look. Devote too much attention to DeRozan, and you get stuff like this:
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All of that sets the stage for the late-fourth-quarter dagger. In a game where he scored 40 efficient points, it was DeRozan's seventh dime of the affair that caught my eye. I'll show it in full below, then we'll break this sucker down.
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Whew. Okay. Let's get into it.
First, in light of how effective the partnership is, and how effective it had been in the game (1.57 PPP on direct hookups), it makes sense that the Bulls wanted to end this game with a DeRozan-Vucevic ball-screen.
The Spurs tried drop coverage for most of the game, particularly in the first half, and it simply didn't work. Too much space was afforded. The adjustment was to have their big &mdash; either Jakob Poeltl or Zach Collins &mdash; play "up to touch" on the screen, meaning they'd come to the level before settling into a drop.
On this possession, the Spurs are planning to do exactly that. The weak-side help is key though. With Poeltl playing this high up, the potential for Vucevic to slip through is there. Doug McDermott tasks Lonnie Walker IV with making the short-roll rotation; that leaves McDermott to split the difference &mdash; play between two defenders &mdash; on the weak side.
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That's a lot of ground to account for, and it's especially tough to cover on the fly. That's what makes DeRozan's next move &mdash; a spin&nbsp;away&nbsp;from Vucevic's screen &mdash; so freakin' nasty. It leaves Keldon Johnson in his tracks, Poeltl on the wrong side of a screen that isn't even used,&nbsp;Walker IV out of position and McDermott in an impossible spot at the same time.
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McDermott is already accounting for two guys standing at least 20 feet from each other. Once Javonte Green cuts baseline, the play is&nbsp;really&nbsp;dead. DeRozan drives, leaps in the air while staring down Green's cut to move McDermott, then&nbsp;fires a dart to Coby White for the open three.
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I'm not sure what you're supposed to do with that.
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Nekias Duncan breaks down DeMar DeRozan's game-sealing assist in the Bulls' victory over the Spurs on Monday night.

Explain one play: DeMar DeRozan's dagger dime in winning time

The 2022 NBA trade deadline has come and gone, and the likes of James Harden, Ben Simmons, CJ McCollum, Domantas Sabonis, Tyrese Haliburton and Kristaps Porzingis each found themselves with new addresses.
However, for those teams that weren&rsquo;t as fortunate, there will still be opportunity to improve. Impact players often become available on the buyout market, and this year is no exception.
As of Friday morning, there were reports of a few players already having been waived, and in the right situation, they may be able to help a playoff contender.
DeAndre Bembry, pending free agent
With injuries to Kevin Durant and James Harden, as well as the issue with Kyrie Irving&rsquo;s part-time availability, DeAndre Bembry emerged as a fairly reliable two-way player for Steve Nash. The six-year pro made a name for himself as a member of the Atlanta Hawks before eventually joining the Nets last August.
Bembry was waived by the club after it agreed to terms with the Philadelphia 76ers on the trade that sent Ben Simmons, Seth Curry and Andre Drummond to Brooklyn in exchange for James Harden and Paul Millsap.
Gary Harris, Orlando Magic
Still quite productive, Harris can help a contending team. Orlando still owes him slightly less than half of his $20.5 million salary for the remainder of the season, but if the team isn&rsquo;t planning on re-signing him over the summer, a buyout is a possibility. Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer reported that Harris may be bought out, which led to our Nekias Duncan <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/report-gary-harris-likely-on-the-move" target="_blank" rel="noopener">breaking down possible landing spots for Harris</a>.
Whether or not Harris hits the market likely boils down to how much of his salary he would be willing to give up to secure his freedom and latch on with a contender. This season, Harris has averaged 11.7 points, while shooting 44.4% from the field, 38.8% from three and 84.4% from the free-throw line.
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Goran Dragic, San Antonio Spurs
The 14-year veteran spent six years with the Miami Heat before being traded to the Toronto Raptors in the sign-and-trade agreement that landed Kyle Lowry in South Beach, and he appeared in only five games for Toronto before being traded to San Antonio for Thaddeus Young on deadline day.
San Antonio &mdash; who also traded Derrick White to the Boston Celtics on deadline day &mdash; appears content with newly-minted All-Star Dejounte Murray, Keldon White, Devin Vassell and Lonnie Walker patrolling the perimeter. There&rsquo;s very little chance Dragic would play much in San Antonio and probably even less chance that he remains long-term. The Dallas Mavericks are considered the favorite to add Dragic if he's bought out.
Dennis Schroder, Houston Rockets
After just 49 games, Schroder was traded by the Boston Celtics to Houston in a trade that saw Daniel Theis reunited with his former club.
Just last year, Schroder famously turned down a four-year deal from the Los Angeles Lakers worth up to $84 million. He eventually signed with Boston for $5.9 million.
Having been dealt to the Rockets, Schroder would seem a likely candidate for a buyout. The remaining salary due to him is relatively cheap, the Rockets are rebuilding and have turned their offense over to Kevin Porter Jr. Schroder himself should know that a big contract this offseason will only result from helping a team go on a deep playoff run.
Tristan Thompson, Indiana Pacers
Included in the trade that saw Tyrese Haliburton sent to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for Domantas Sabonis, Tristan Thompson has proved in spurts this season that he can still be somewhat effective.
Teams thinking about winning the Eastern Conference will need to have at least a few big bodies to present resistance to the likes of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Joel Embiid, Nikola Vucevic, Bam Adebayo and Kevin Durant.&nbsp;
To that end, the 30-year-old big man &mdash; who is in the final year of a contract paying him about $9.2 million &mdash; would probably rather relocate to a playoff contender that will offer him more minutes and a chance to compete than the Pacers will.
Robin Lopez, Orlando Magic
With Mo Bamba and Wendell Carter Jr. showing flashes this season, Lopez has often been the odd man out in head coach Jamahl Mosley&rsquo;s rotation. For the same reasons as Thompson, Lopez will likely become a buyout candidate.
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DeAndre Jordan, Los Angeles Lakers
Jordan secured a buyout from the Detroit Pistons after the Brooklyn Nets dealt him to the Motor City in September. A return to Los Angeles made sense at the time, but with Stanley Johnson now commanding rotation minutes, there&rsquo;s barely enough minutes for Dwight Howard, much less Jordan.
Jordan has appeared in just four contests since Christmas, so unless head coach Frank Vogel suddenly has a change of heart and believes the key to turning around the Lakers&rsquo; season is playing bigger lineups, it&rsquo;s difficult to imagine Jordan being happy with sticking around.&nbsp;
Kent Bazemore, Los Angeles Lakers
Similar to Jordan, Bazemore has struggled to find a fit on this Lakers team. After beginning the season as a starter, he&rsquo;s played 62 total minutes since Dec. 19.&nbsp;
The Lakers were obviously unable to make a trade on deadline day, so the team&rsquo;s only hope for external improvement will come on the buyout market.
The only problem is that Los Angeles already has 15 guaranteed contracts on its books, meaning someone would have to be waived in order for the team to add another player.&nbsp;Like Jordan, Bazemore would seem a sensible candidate.
Michael Carter-Williams, pending free agent
The former Rookie of the Year saw his tenure with the Orlando Magic end when the Magic executed a trade with the Boston Celtics. Boston sent Bol Bol and PJ Dozier to Orlando along with a future second-round draft pick and cash. The move amounted to a salary dump for Boston, and Orlando got cash and the pick as their compensation.
The only issue? Orlando had to create the two roster spots in order to complete the transaction, which led to Carter-Williams and teammate E&rsquo;Twaun Moore being waived. The 30-year-old started 25 of his 31 games for the Magic this season, averaging 8.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 0.8 steals.
E'Twaun Moore, pending free agent
Like his teammate Carter-Williams, Moore was waived as a result of the aforementioned transaction with the Celtics.
At 31 years old, Moore &mdash; whose most productive years were as a member of the New Orleans Pelicans &mdash; no longer fit in with the youth movement in Orlando.
&mdash;&mdash;
Nearly every season, contending teams manage to land a player or two who secures a post-deadline buyout.&nbsp;In order for a player to be eligible to suit up in the playoffs, however, they must be waived by March 1 and rostered by another team by April 11.
So for those teams that didn&rsquo;t have the good fortune of landing an impact on deadline day, they'll shift their focus to the buyout market.
All hope, obviously, is not lost.&nbsp;
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After a busy trade deadline, the NBA shifts its attention to the buyout market. Moke Hamilton looks at 10 players who may be available.

NBA buyout candidates: 10 players who could be available

Nekias Duncan thoroughly grades every NBA trade from 2022 Deadline Week.

Grading every move from 2022 NBA trade deadline week

Chris Paul has been to the All-Star Game 11 times in his NBA career and &mdash; barring a mammoth snub &mdash; is headed there for No. 12 next month.
Now coach Monty Williams will get to join him for the first time.
Devin Booker scored 28 points, Mikal Bridges added a season-high 26 and the Phoenix Suns overcame a 12-point deficit in the fourth quarter to beat the San Antonio Spurs 115-110 on Sunday night.
The NBA-leading Suns became the first team in the league with 40 wins &mdash; against only nine losses. The victory ensured that Phoenix will have the best record in the Western Conference at the All-Star break, which means Williams and his staff get to lead Team LeBron in Cleveland on Feb. 20.
Paul said getting Williams the All-Star head coaching honor has been top of mind for the players over the past week or two.
&ldquo;Over the course of the long season, there's nothing wrong with having a little benchmark, a little goal,&rdquo; Paul said. &ldquo;I'm just happy for Monty, happy for our staff. That's cool."
Booker hit back-to-back 3-pointers late in the fourth to turn a two-point deficit into a 112-108 lead with 1:18 left. He finished 12 of 24 from the field, going 4 of 9 from 3-point range.
The Spurs took a 91-79 lead into the final quarter, but the Suns erased that advantage in less than 3 1/2 minutes. They used a 14-point run &mdash; highlighted by Cam Johnson's powerful one-handed jam &mdash; to take a 96-93 lead.
The game stayed tight from that point forward until Booker's two big shots pushed the Suns ahead for good. Booker didn't have a particularly great shooting game until that point, but was clutch when needed.
&ldquo;I just know he's not afraid to take the shot,&rdquo; Williams said.
Paul had another huge game with 20 points, 19 assists and eight rebounds, just two nights after he had his 18th career triple-double. Bridges shot 11 of 16 from the field.
Williams said he appreciated how his players wanted him to receive the All-Star honor.
&ldquo;It's a huge blessing to be in this position where you can be the caretaker of an organization and represent the city, the team, your family,&rdquo; Williams said. &ldquo;I'm mindful of all the sacrifices that people make so I can be in this position. It's a team effort for sure.&rdquo;
Doug McDermott led San Antonio with 24 points. Lonnie Walker IV added 22 off the bench.
JaVale McGee returned to the Suns after missing two games with left knee soreness. Starters Deandre Ayton (right ankle sprain) and Jae Crowder (left wrist contusion) and key backup Cameron Payne (right wrist sprain) remained out.
The Spurs were missing three starters, guards Derrick White (rest) and Dejounte Murray (left knee contusion) and forward Jakob Poeltl (low back soreness). Even so, San Antonio pushed the NBA's best team until nearly the final buzzer.
&ldquo;There was nobody that played badly,&rdquo; Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. &ldquo;They played together, we were physical, we had great pace. They played with confidence against a hell of a team. Sure, I want fewer mistakes and I want a win, but it is hard to ask for more than what they gave tonight."
San Antonio shot 54% in the first quarter to take a 31-23 lead and had a 55-50 advantage at halftime.
Tre Jones led the Spurs with 13 points before the break while McDermott added 12. Booker had 15 points for the Suns, who shot just 3 of 19 (15.8%) from 3-point range.
WAINRIGHT'S TIME
In the closing minutes, the Suns had an unfamiliar face on the floor &mdash; forward Ish Wainright.
The muscular 6-foot-5, 235-pound rookie finished with a career-high 10 points, including a bucket late in the fourth. He hit two 3-pointers, grabbed two rebounds and blocked two shots. Wainright's received more playing time in recent weeks since the Suns have had several players out with injuries.
&ldquo;It was fun, real fun,&rdquo; Wainright said. &ldquo;To have a coach that trusts you every single game, that means a lot.&rdquo;
Wainright has a football frame and played both basketball and football in college at Baylor. He finally broke into the NBA with the Suns this season at 27 years old.
TIP-INS
Spurs: Guard Josh Primo, a rookie who recently turned 19 years old, finished with 13 points, which was two from his career high.
Suns: Hosted a sellout crowd at the Footprint Center for an 11th straight game. ... F Bismack Biyombo had his 64th career double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds. ... G Landry Shamet left the court in the fourth quarter with an apparent ankle injury. He finished with three points in 17 minutes.
UP NEXT
Spurs: Host Golden State on Monday night.
Suns: Host Brooklyn on Tuesday night.

Devin Booker scored 28 points, Mikal Bridges added a season-high 26 and the Suns overcame a 12-point deficit in the fourth quarter.