https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/nba-logos/chi.png

Bulls

A champion will be crowned in the Basketball Africa League (BAL) today, as Tunisia&rsquo;s US Monastir and Angola&rsquo;s Petro de Luanda face off at noon ET.
The game will reach fans in 215 countries and territories, and will air in Africa on ESPN, Canal+, VisionView TV and Voice of America (VOA) radio, and around the world on American Forces Network (AFN), ESPNews, NBA TV International, Tencent Sports, TSN, the NBA App and <a href="NBA.com">NBA.com.</a> The BAL featured the top 12 club teams from 12 African countries.
On May 22-23, Indiana Pacers assistant coach Lloyd Pierce and Detroit Pistons assistant coach Bill Bayno led a BAL Coaches Clinic for more than 70 local basketball coaches in the Rwandan capital Kigali. The clinic offered tools and strategies to help the coaches enhance their player-development curriculum. Former NBA players Joakim Noah and Ian Mahinmi were in attendance along with BAL players from US Monastir.
BasketballNews.com caught up with Coach Pierce to discuss the camp, his growth as a coach, his experience as an assistant coach with Team USA, the Pacers&rsquo; young core and more.
You and Coach Bill Bayno just wrapped up the BAL Coaches Clinic. How did it go?
Lloyd Pierce: &ldquo;First and foremost, you have to give credit to the NBA and especially NBA Africa and the staff. [BAL President] Amadou Gallo Fall has done an amazing job of taking a vision and executing that vision to bring this together. The BAL league is really taking off over here in Africa, and I think the next layer of really trying to get this thing to grow and develop properly is teaching and trying to educate the coaches on the strategies and techniques so that they can not only coach it, but coach it better and find their passion. They have a huge impact by finding these players in the early stages in their career and teaching them and giving them the proper tools so that they can take off.
"So, this Coaches Clinic is probably as important as the games because it&rsquo;s education. It&rsquo;s educating an entire continent on the game of basketball that we all know so well, and they are eager to learn more and more about the different things that we have. I really feel blessed to be a part of this Coaches Clinic along with Coach Bayno and working with these coaches here and seeing the excitement that they have to teach the game, which really excites us as coaches as well.&rdquo;
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/camp1_lg.jpg" alt="" width="699" height="360" />
There was a classroom component and an on-court component. Can you walk me through each session and what kind of stuff you covered?
Pierce: &ldquo;Coach Bayno spoke in the classroom and really just gave them a ton of gems on player development and the different techniques that a coach needs to help a player get better. Using your imagination as a coach, the sweat equity &ndash; being able to get out there with your guys and work. But also the sweat technique &ndash; as you&rsquo;re working with those guys, giving them the proper technique and the essential tools to not just do it but do it correctly. The importance of that one-on-one relationship when it comes to connecting with players. Focusing on development, but being able to give them that same energy that you&rsquo;re expecting from them in return. He did a tremendous job on the player-development side.
"I tried to do more of a team-focused [lesson], both offensively and defensively. Offensively, we talked about some general principles and spacing &ndash; what spacing looks like, using cuts, using screens, using respace, our first three steps to open the floor up. These are a lot of strategies and techniques that we use in the NBA, but I think it&rsquo;s very important for young players too. There&rsquo;s commitment and a selflessness to spacing the floor that they have to learn and buy into. And defensively, we talked a lot about positioning, taking pride in being a good defender, understanding what a help defender looks like and just sticking to the basics &ndash; so a lot of shell-drill emphasis and a lot of one-on-one defensive emphasis.&rdquo;
The NBA has really prioritized globalization in recent years. What are your thoughts on the NBA&rsquo;s globalization efforts?&nbsp;
Pierce: &ldquo;I think it&rsquo;s probably one of the most important things that we do. As the top professional basketball league in the world, I think it&rsquo;s an obligation of ours to help grow the game globally. Our game benefits from the globalization of [basketball] and from the millions of viewers who watch across the world, so it&rsquo;s our obligation to give back. And there&rsquo;s no shortage of talent on this continent, so our main contribution is not only discovering talent but helping develop that talent. You&rsquo;re looking at a guy like Joel Embiid or Giannis Antetokounmpo or any of these players who have come from different countries. But [when it comes to] players with African heritage, the [talent pool] is plentiful on this continent. I think they&rsquo;ve done a great job of not only discovering these players, but also trying to get to them early about the right habits, techniques, nutrition and strength development. I don&rsquo;t know if there&rsquo;s a more important global impact that we can have in our sport than being here on this continent and helping spread the game.&rdquo;
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/image00017_lg.jpeg" alt="" width="698" height="346" />
I want to discuss how coaches can develop over time. There are many examples of a coach struggling early on and then doing a much better job after they&rsquo;ve learned from their mistakes and gained experience. Someone like Jason Kidd was labeled a &ldquo;bad coach,&rdquo; but he&rsquo;s gotten better over the years and silenced those doubters. Do you think fans and media sometimes throw that label around prematurely and underestimate how much coaches can grow over time?
Pierce: &ldquo;Yeah. I&rsquo;m a reader, and I try to learn things that I think can apply to basketball. In Malcolm Gladwell&rsquo;s book &lsquo;Outliers,&rsquo; he talked about the 10,000-Hour Rule. If you spend enough time on something, you&rsquo;re going to get better at it. As coaches, that can be youth development, that can be personal development (or how to connect with players), that can be strategy and technique. As a former head coach and current assistant coach, you have to continue to work at your craft &ndash; whether it&rsquo;s decision-making, making reads, connecting with players or finding your joy and the energy that you bring to the game. That last one is important; there are a lot of coaches you hear from who burn out &ndash; they lose [their passion], have a lack of energy and aren&rsquo;t as motivating anymore. I think it&rsquo;s important to go and find ways to challenge yourself.
"For me to be over here in this beautiful city of Kigali, Rwanda &ndash; one of the cleanest cities I&rsquo;ve ever been in &ndash; to work with players who are excited about us being here, there&rsquo;s a renowned joy of coaching because it&rsquo;s purposeful for me. That helps us as coaches grow. So, you see a lot of coaches like Jason Kidd who get their second or third opportunities and find a renewed sense of energy and strength and strategy. They see the game a little differently. Things they may have over-complicated before, they simplify those things now. These things are important for us. I have a saying that I use all the time: For me, coaching is about getting better and helping others get better. And I truly, really mean that. I&rsquo;ll get better if I&rsquo;m helping others get better, and that&rsquo;s my purpose in coaching.&rdquo;
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
From when you started coaching to where you&rsquo;re at now, how much do you feel you have improved? I&rsquo;m sure it&rsquo;s a night-and-day difference.
Pierce: &ldquo;It is! And I think the biggest joy that you get to experience as a coach who&rsquo;s been through the ringer is Summer League. Most coaches in Summer League are player-development guys or front-of-the-bench assistants that are constantly working their way up. I think when you&rsquo;re an assistant, you think you know all of the answers. Then, when you&rsquo;re forced into that head-coach seat, you gotta make all of the decisions so there&rsquo;s no one else to blame or be pissed at for not taking your idea. (laughs) You make the decisions. When I first started coaching, my voice wasn&rsquo;t as strong. The eye-contact wasn&rsquo;t as great. The conviction wasn&rsquo;t always there. Now, it&rsquo;s simple. It&rsquo;s not the ideas; I have lots of ideas and I love listening to ideas. It&rsquo;s the decision. And when you make the decision, you&rsquo;ve gotta believe it. Because if you don&rsquo;t believe it, they won&rsquo;t believe it. And if you don&rsquo;t believe it, they&rsquo;ll know you don&rsquo;t believe it. That comes over a period of time. You might be down 20 points and you&rsquo;ve gotta sell it to your guys that the game ain&rsquo;t over. You might be up 20 and you&rsquo;ve gotta convince your guys that we shouldn&rsquo;t be complacent. You&rsquo;ve gotta do those things with conviction, and that just comes with experience, you know? Maybe as a first-time head coach, in your first game when you&rsquo;re up 20, you relax. Well, guess who else relaxes? The players! So, that&rsquo;s a lesson learned.
"All of those things, I think, are hard to measure from the outside looking in. Everyone always paints the picture of a coach &lsquo;not making the right adjustments&rsquo; or they really hate his rotations, but some of those things, you&rsquo;ve gotta have conviction and sell it with conviction. And if it doesn&rsquo;t work out, you&rsquo;ve gotta live with it. But if you&rsquo;re wishy-washy and going back and forth, it really puts your team in a bad spot, and it also puts you in a bad spot because now you don&rsquo;t believe what you&rsquo;re doing; you&rsquo;re just trying stuff. That all comes with experience. You see these coaches [in the playoffs]: I love Jason Kidd&rsquo;s demeanor on the sideline, I love Steve Kerr&rsquo;s demeanor on the sideline, I love Spo and Ime Udoka&rsquo;s demeanor. Because they are confident in what they&rsquo;re doing, and their players are playing to their confidence and their strengths right now. And that&rsquo;s all you can ask. You&rsquo;ve done all of the preparation and now it&rsquo;s [late in a series] and these guys know each other extremely well, so the coach just has to sit back and stay the course and be extremely confident, so that the players can do the same thing.&rdquo;
You were part of Gregg Popovich's Team USA coaching staff alongside Steve Kerr and Jay Wright among others. What were your biggest takeaways from that experience and how did that help you grow as a coach?
Pierce: &ldquo;Pop didn&rsquo;t show his angst. Pop is always cool under pressure, but he preached to us &lsquo;appropriate fear.&rsquo; You fear your opponents out of respect, not out of fear so it&rsquo;s appropriate. And if you have that level of respect, you know that you need to bring it and not go into any game feeling overconfident against any opponent. I just thought being around guys like Pop and Jay Wright and Steve Kerr and Jeff Van Gundy and all of those guys was tremendous for my development. Because you not only got to see how their minds work and how they communicate with each other and the respect they have for the game, but you got to experience high-level conversations with the players and that connectivity and then apply it to the game. The level of experience that those coaches have, it was unfair that I was able to gain the advantage of learning from them during the two summers that we had together. It&rsquo;s a different game and it was a different challenge for all of us, but we embraced it. We came together, we had great dinners and great conversations, and the gold medal was rewarding.&rdquo;
I love the core that your Indiana Pacers are assembling, with Tyrese Haliburton, Chris Duarte, Myles Turner and so on. What are your thoughts on the team&rsquo;s development throughout the season and how excited are you about this young core going forward?
Pierce: &ldquo;Extremely excited. I think we&rsquo;ve got some guys who, more importantly, want to be in Indiana. They&rsquo;re excited about starting and continuing their careers [here]. You&rsquo;re looking at a guy like Tyrese whose third year is coming up and he&rsquo;s now on his second team, and he&rsquo;s looking to make Indiana a home. Chris Duarte, after going through his rookie season, is looking to make Indiana a home and find some consistency. We&rsquo;re all excited about what we have, and we look forward to the draft and free agency. I&rsquo;ve talked to Coach [Rick] Carlisle often about this new group next year being his team and not the team that we inherited, and he gets an opportunity to really mold some young guys and some really talented guys and bring back some veterans who will get a fresh start with the youth and the guys that have talent. I think we&rsquo;re all looking forward to training camp and this summer of development to get back on the right track.&rdquo;
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<div class="css-1dbjc4n r-1habvwh r-eqz5dr r-11rk87y r-1dye5f7 r-m611by r-13qz1uu">
<div class="css-1dbjc4n r-eqz5dr r-glunga r-13qz1uu">
<div class="css-1dbjc4n r-13qz1uu">
<div class="css-1dbjc4n r-eqz5dr r-glunga r-13qz1uu">
<div>
Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>

Lloyd Pierce discusses the BAL Coaches Clinic, the Pacers' young core, his development as a coach, coaching Team USA and more.

Lloyd Pierce opens up about BAL Coaches Clinic, his growth as a coach

The Tyrese Haliburton era is well on its way in Indianapolis, which means it&rsquo;s likely time to say adios to Malcolm Brogdon in an Indiana Pacers uniform. Brogdon is one of the more <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/five-nba-players-who-feel-destined-to-be-traded-this-offseason" target="_blank" rel="noopener">obvious trade candidates in the NBA this offseason</a> thanks to his consistent injury issues and Haliburton&rsquo;s quick emergence. Despite Brogdon's missed games, he will still attract interest from rival teams.
During Brogdon&rsquo;s three-year tenure with the Pacers, he averaged 18.9 points, 6.3 assists, 5.1 rebounds and 0.8 steals per game on a 55.3 True Shooting percentage. Brogdon always produced when he was on the court for Indiana, but his availability was an issue. Going forward, it&rsquo;s going to be hard for Brogdon to shed the &ldquo;injury prone&rdquo; label because it&rsquo;s been an issue dating back to his collegiate career at the University of Virginia.
Aside from injury concerns, Brogdon&rsquo;s market will be robust with playofff or championship-hopeful teams lining up for his services. As a versatile multi-positional defender, connective playmaker and secondary scorer, Brogdon can really help a team that's going in the opposite direction as the rebuilding Pacers.
Without further ado, let&rsquo;s go ahead and dive into the most realistic trade packages Indiana could expect for Brogdon this offseason. As Indiana turns the page to Haliburton, it&rsquo;s time to extract some value from a potential Brogdon deal.
Phoenix Suns
Pacers receive: Landry Shamet, Dario Saric, 2024 1st-round draft pick (lottery protected)
Suns receive: Malcolm Brogdon, 2022 No. 31 pick
Phoenix&rsquo;s lack of guard depth was exposed throughout the playoffs. They simply can&rsquo;t rely on Cameron Payne anymore, who was a DNP-CD when it mattered most in the Western Conference Semifinals. Phoenix flirted with the idea of chasing Brogdon before signing Ricky Rubio back in 2019. Three years later, bringing Brogdon to the Valley as the Suns&rsquo; short-term backup and long-term fit alongside Devin Booker is a home run transaction.
Also, there has been some buzz that the Suns are trying to get into the 2022 NBA Draft. They have met with multiple players projected to be selected in the mid-to-late first round, including LSU&rsquo;s Tari Eason, Ohio State&rsquo;s E.J. Liddell and Duke&rsquo;s Wendell Moore. Adding any of those prospects will be impossible without adding a pick. The Suns could always buy an early second-round pick for $3 million, but that&rsquo;s never been their way of thinking.
Is this where Suns GM James Jones could get creative to snag a championship piece at discounted value? Brogdon and Chris Paul sharing minutes is a dream scenario for Phoenix since all 48 minutes at point guard would provide well above-average production. Also, we could see three-guard lineups galore thanks to Brogdon&rsquo;s versatility.
In this scenario, Indiana would add a shooter in Shamet who only has two guaranteed years left on his extension. Maybe Shamet could be their Buddy Hield replacement if they also decide to trade him soon. Adding a future first for Brogdon is the right risk for Indiana to take as well.
Utah Jazz
Pacers receive: Mike Conley, Jared Butler, 2025 2nd-round pick
Jazz receive: Malcolm Brogdon
The Jazz desperately need to shake things up. Stagnation is on the horizon in Salt Lake City, if it hasn&rsquo;t reached that point already. Utah may blow it up this offseason, but even if they don't, they need to do something in order to keep Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert happy long-term.
As we saw during the Jazz&rsquo;s quick postseason exit, Conley seems like a shell of himself. Looking back on that trade now, Utah has to be kicking themselves for surrendering so much for the veteran point guard.
Utah needs to get creative to avoid moving one of Mitchell or Gobert soon, so Conley going back home to Indianapolis makes a lot of sense here. Brogdon is a huge upgrade over Conley, and he helps address a dire need of perimeter defense.
Indiana would add a veteran mentor for Haliburton to lean on for a year since Conley&rsquo;s contract isn&rsquo;t fully guaranteed in 2023-24. Adding a young scoring guard in Butler alongside a future second-round pick might not be enough for the Pacers, but it's at least enough to start negotiations.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Los Angeles Lakers
Pacers receive: Russell Westbrook, Talen Horton-Tucker, 2023 2nd, 2025 2nd, 2027 1st (lottery protected)
Lakers receive: Malcolm Brogdon, Buddy Hield, Goga Bitadze
This only makes sense if the Pacers are willing to take on the final year of Westbrook&rsquo;s contract, which would have any team second-guessing themselves beforehand. Surprisingly enough, Indiana is actually the betting favorite to land Westbrook if the Lakers offload him this offseason.
The Pacers would need a hefty return in order take on Westbrook while also relinquishing Brogdon and Hield. Adding Horton-Tucker, two future second-round picks and the Lakers&rsquo; next available first-round selection gets the job done. Los Angeles would hate to part with THT and even more draft capital, but Brogdon and Hield are perfect pieces to place alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Who knows, maybe Bitadze slides into the Lakers&rsquo; rotation as the backup center?
Indiana is embracing a full-scale rebuild, and pulling off a move like this would be consistent with that approach.
Minnesota Timberwolves
Pacers receive: D&rsquo;Angelo Russell, No. 19 pick, No. 40 pick
Timberwolves receive: Malcolm Brogdon, Goga Bitadze, No. 31 pick, 2023 2nd (via San Antonio Spurs)
As <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/examining-potential-trade-destinations-for-dangelo-russell" target="_blank" rel="noopener">our Nekias Duncan recently wrote</a>, a D&rsquo;Angelo Russell departure from Minnesota feels imminent this summer. It&rsquo;s another unfortunate turn in the career for Russell, who continues to bounce around the Association, unable to find a long-term home. The fit in Minnesota alongside good friend Karl-Anthony Towns had its moments, but Russell&rsquo;s negatives popped up in the postseason when it mattered most. After being benched in crunch-time situations by head coach Chris Finch and not having his name mentioned in The Athletic&rsquo;s recent story on new executive Tim Connelly, it wouldn't be shocking to see Russell playing elsewhere in 2022-23.
Even with the Pacers already having Haliburton and Chris Duarte, this feels like a spot where they could take a year-long look at Russell as a potential long-term backcourt piece. As a former top-three pick, Russell would bring more fanfare to the Pacers&rsquo; rebuild. And if he meshes well alongside Haliburton, Russell could become a long-term piece in Indiana and finally find a home.
From the Timberwolves&rsquo; point of view, this makes a whole lot of sense. Brogdon is a much better fit alongside Towns and Anthony Edwards, as he's easily able to slide into the No. 3 scoring role while providing an ideal complementary low-usage skill set. Taking a flier on Bitadze, a former top-20 pick, is also interesting, and as he could back up Towns.
Miami Heat
Pacers receive: Duncan Robinson, Max Strus, 2023 1st (lottery protected)
Heat receive: Malcolm Brogdon
As we&rsquo;ve seen unfold late in the postseason, Miami needs to find another offensive creator. Simply put, the Heat need more weapons to compete with the NBA&rsquo;s current juggernauts. Luckily for Miami, some much-needed flexibility could be on the way.
The Duncan Robinson contract looks like a disaster, but what if they could use his bloated salary and some future draft capital to bring in an immediate impact piece? Brogdon feels like the perfect remedy for Miami since he can take playmaking pressure off of Jimmy Butler, Tyler Herro and Kyle Lowry. Brogdon and Lowry could split minutes, which is a huge benefit for both players and would help keep them fresh and out of the training room.
For Indiana, they could be comfortable taking on Robinson&rsquo;s contract with all of their salary-cap space currently available. Adding Strus and a draft pick could make this deal worth it for the Pacers.
All of a sudden, Miami is now in a strong position to make another deep postseason push with Brogdon onboard for 2022-23 and beyond.
***
Every team in the NBA needs shooting, defensive versatility and playmaking. Even with his injury history, Brogdon would be well worth the risk for any team looking to take the next step forward.
If Brogdon is able to stay healthy, adding him at this price could be a coup for whichever team is next after Milwaukee and Indiana.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!

With the Tyrese Haliburton era blossoming for the Pacers, Malcolm Brogdon is one of the most logical NBA trade candidates.

Examining potential trade destinations for Malcolm Brogdon

Jayson Tatum scored 31 points and the Boston Celtics took their turn pounding the Miami Heat early, jumping out to a 26-4 lead and cruising to a 102-82 victory that evened the Eastern Conference finals at two games apiece.
Miami missed 15 of its first 16 shots in the second straight game that was all but over after 12 minutes. The Heat led 39-18 after the first quarter of Game 3 of this bizarre series in which no game has been close down the stretch.
Game 5 is Wednesday in Miami.
Payton Pritchard had 14 points for the Celtics. Derrick White added 13 points, eight rebounds and six assists, and Robert Williams finished with 12 points and nine rebounds.
The Celtics led by 27 points in the second quarter and stretched their advantage to 32 in the third. Each game in this series has featured a lead of at least 20 points.
Victor Oladipo led the Heat with 23 points. Miami&rsquo;s starting five of All-Star Jimmy Butler (six points), Kyle Lowry (three points), P.J. Tucker (no points), Max Strus (no points) and Bam Adebayo (nine points) were a combined 7 of 36 shooting. They all sat out the fourth quarter.
And the Celtics stymied the Heat without Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart, who sat with a sprained right ankle he suffered in the second half of Game 3.
The Heat were without Tyler Herro, who suffered a groin injury late in Game 3.
Butler was in the starting lineup after missing the second half of Game 3 with swelling in his right knee. Lowry (strained left hamstring), Strus (strained hamstring) and Tucker (left knee irritation) all tested their injuries pregame before being cleared to go.
Boston&rsquo;s Williams returned after missing a game with soreness in his surgically repaired left knee.
Even with their banged-up roster, the Celtics enjoyed their fastest start of the series. Starting in place of Smart, White scored the game&rsquo;s first seven points as Boston took an 8-0 lead.
It quickly grew to 18-1, with Miami misfiring on its first 14 shots. The Heat didn&rsquo;t get their first points until Adebayo&rsquo;s free throw at the 7:56 mark. Miami made its first field goal at 3:22, a 3-pointer by Oladipo, and finished the quarter 3 for 20.
The Celtics took a 29-11 lead into the second quarter and led 57-33 at the half.
TIP-INS
Heat: Shot 33% (30 of 90). ... Finished with 64 bench points. ... Miami had one point in the first eight minutes, the lowest total by any team in a playoff game in the last quarter-century, according to ESPN Stats &amp; Info.
Celtics: Outrebounded Miami 20-8 in the first quarter. ... Several current and former New England Patriots were in the crowd, including Devin and Jason McCourty, Malcolm Butler and Damien Harris.

Jayson Tatum scored 31 points and the Celtics took their turn pounding the Heat early, jumping out to a 26-4 lead and cruised.

Celtics torch Heat early, even series with 102-82 blowout

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.
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/aytonturn.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="377" />
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.
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/ayton1.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="373" />
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.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!

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

Dallas Mavericks point guard Jalen Bruson is expected to be in high demand this offseason when he becomes an unrestricted free agent. While the Mavs will be aggressive in trying to retain him, <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10035491-nba-offseason-buzz-all-eyes-on-utah-jazz-stars-knicks-lakers-pelicans-rumors?share=other" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report</a> notes that the Knicks, Pistons and Pacers are interested in signing him.
Fischer reports that "New York's efforts before the February trade deadline were primarily geared toward freeing ample cap space to offer Brunson a competitive contract this July."
Meanwhile, the Pistons would like to pair Brunson with Rookie of the Year finalist Cade Cunningham in hopes that he will thrive like he has next to Luca Doncic in Dallas.
The Pacers - who are now led on the sidelines by former Mavs coach Rick Carlisle &ndash; could have up to $25 million in available cap space this offseason. The team will also look to move Malcom Brogdon and see what his trade market is.
All that being said, <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10035491-nba-offseason-buzz-all-eyes-on-utah-jazz-stars-knicks-lakers-pelicans-rumors?share=other" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fischer says that</a> "Dallas personnel have also shared a repeated confidence they will be able to retain Brunson after this strong postseason run in North Texas."

The Knicks, Pistons, and Pacers are reportedly interested in Mavericks' point guard Jalen Brunson this offseason.

Report: Knicks, Pistons, Pacers interested in Brunson

Ever since Artūras Karni&scaron;ovas and Marc Eversley took over the Bulls&rsquo; front office two years ago, Chicago has been one of the most aggressive teams in the NBA. Their fingerprints are all over this roster, with notable acquisitions such as DeMar DeRozan, Nikola Vucevic, Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso.
These moves have translated to on-court success, as the Bulls posted their best winning percentage since the 2014-15 season and ended their four-year playoff drought. This year, Chicago was 46-36 &mdash; more wins than they had in the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons combined. (Zach LaVine and Coby White are the only remaining players from that 2019-20 squad).
The Bulls entered the playoffs as the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference while boasting the NBA's 11th-ranked offense (scoring 111.0 points per 100 possessions) and 23rd-ranked defense (allowing 111.1 points per 100 possessions).&nbsp;
While this season marked a step in the right direction, the Bulls&rsquo; first-round series against the Milwaukee Bucks showed that there&rsquo;s still plenty of work to be done. Despite Milwaukee losing their second-best player, Khris Middleton, to a sprained MCL in Game 2, the Bucks completed a gentleman's sweep against the Bulls. Chicago wasn&rsquo;t at full strength either, with Ball sidelined due to a knee injury and LaVine (COVID-19) and Caruso (concussion) each missing Game 5. Still, the reigning champions were a good litmus test.
Entering the offseason, where does Chicago go from here? Are big changes coming?
RE-SIGNING ZACH LAVINE
Entering this offseason, Chicago&rsquo;s top priority should be re-signing LaVine, who is set to hit unrestricted free agency. The 27-year-old has emerged as a perennial All-Star, earning a spot on the Eastern Conference squad in each of the last two seasons.&nbsp;
This year, LaVine averaged 24.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.8 threes, while reducing his turnovers to 2.6 per game and shooting 47.6% from the field, 38.9% from three and 85.3% from the free-throw line.&nbsp;
LaVine will certainly expect a maximum contract from the Bulls, which would <a href="https://hoopshype.com/lists/bulls-offseason-preview-zach-lavines-free-agency-nikola-vucevic-extension-more/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pay him</a> $212.3 million over five years. The most he could receive from another team is $157.4 million over four years. This is a relatively weak free-agent class, so it seems very likely that LaVine will get a max deal from some team.&nbsp;
The Bulls would be wise to re-sign their star shooting guard, as replacing his production would be difficult, and the team would certainly take a step back if LaVine signed elsewhere.
"I plan to enjoy free agency," LaVine said recently. &ldquo;We're going to have to experience A through Z without making any fast decisions. I think that's something me and [Rich Paul] are going to go through and experience."
LaVine was asked if the Bulls are the front-runners to sign him, but he wouldn&rsquo;t say.
"You guys have been a really, really soft spot in my heart," LaVine said to the Chicago media. "I have to do this as a business decision, as a man, to not just be viewed one way and be like, 'I'm automatically coming back,' or, 'I'm automatically leaving.'"
In multiple interviews, LaVine has reiterated that he wants to be paid what he feels he deserves.
"I just want my respect. I think that's the main thing," LaVine <a href="https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/bulls/zach-lavine-prepares-olympic-quarterfinal-bulls-free-agency" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> last August. "I outplayed my contract; I've been very loyal to Chicago, I like Chicago. I just want my respect."
FREE AGENCY
Aside from LaVine, the bulk of Chicago's core is under contract for the foreseeable future.&nbsp;
The Bulls have $103,181,950 in guaranteed salaries on the books for next season, spread across nine players: DeRozan, Vucevic, Lopez, Caruso, White, Patrick Williams, Javonte Green, Ayo Dosunmu and Marko Simonovic. Projections set next year&rsquo;s salary cap at $122 million and the luxury tax at $149 million.
Derrick Jones Jr.,Tristan Thompson and Matt Thomas will be unrestricted free agents. Tony Bradley has a player option worth $2,036,318, so he could opt out and test the market as well.
The team will have three restricted free agents (assuming Chicago extends a qualifying offer to each): Troy Brown Jr. ($7,228,448 QO), Tyler Cook ($1,576,305) and Malcolm Hill ($1,576,305).
Last year, the Bulls were very aggressive in free agency, making splashy moves left and right. Given their cap situation, it seems unlikely that Chicago will be able to go star hunting, but they&rsquo;ll likely try to improve their depth and add certain specialists. For example, Chicago could use a rim protector, as they averaged just 4.0 blocks per game (which ranked 27th in the NBA). Can they afford Mitchell Robinson? Could they throw an offer sheet at or sign-and-trade for a restricted free agent like Nic Claxton or Mo Bamba? Can they add a veteran like JaVale McGee or Hassan Whiteside?&nbsp;
In addition to a rim protector, it would make sense to add other defensive reinforcements as well (especially if Jones signs elsewhere). Caruso and Ball give Chicago a strong defensive backcourt, but they need some help if the Bulls want to improve their 23rd-ranked defensive rating (113.2). Some of the top defensive role players who are hitting the market include Bruce Brown, Gary Payton II and PJ Tucker. Lu Dort and Jae'Sean Tate each have a team option, but it seems unlikely that either will be available given their bargain contracts.
The Bulls will look to add a contributor or two using the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, which is worth $10,349,000. Last offseason, that is how Chicago was able to sign Caruso to a four-year, $37 million deal, which ended up being a terrific addition. Other players who signed for the non-taxpayer MLE last offseason include McGee (Phoenix Suns), Tucker (Miami Heat), Reggie Bullock (Dallas Mavericks) and Khem Birch (Toronto Raptors).
It will be interesting to see what the Bulls do in free agency. However, keep in mind that some of Chicago&rsquo;s biggest additions in recent years were acquired through trades.
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/gobe_lg.jpg" alt="" width="685" height="400" />
TRADES
After watching the Bulls&rsquo; front office trade for Vucevic, DeRozan and Ball, fans are understandably thinking big when it comes to Chicago&rsquo;s trade targets entering the offseason.
Myles Turner has been mentioned as a possible target for the Bulls since he could solve their rim-protection issues, but the window on acquiring Turner may have slammed shut as a <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/despite-trade-talks-the-pacers-want-to-keep-myles-turner-longterm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recent report</a> suggested that the Indiana Pacers are now expected to keep the 26-year-old long-term.
Another dominant shot-blocker who may become available is Rudy Gobert. The Utah Jazz just had another season end in disappointing fashion, and there has already been a <a href="https://twitter.com/realOCsports/status/1521141215411941376" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> that the Jazz will be forced to choose between Gobert and Donovan Mitchell. If Utah opts to keep their young shooting guard, a three-time Defensive Player of the Year and five-time All-Defensive First-Team selection could suddenly be obtainable.
If that happens, the Bulls should at least reach out and start a conversation. Our Evan Sidery recently <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/examining-potential-trade-destinations-for-rudy-gobert" target="_blank" rel="noopener">broke down potential destinations for Gobert</a> and listed Chicago as the top landing spot. Here&rsquo;s what he wrote:
Imagine the possibilities for Chicago with Gobert patrolling the paint with Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso hawking the perimeter. It&rsquo;s the perfect complement to offensive dynamos Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan. Chicago&rsquo;s new starting lineup of Ball, Caruso, LaVine, DeRozan and Gobert would seemingly have no holes in it from a two-way perspective. I absolutely love this idea for Chicago, and they should be blowing up the Jazz&rsquo;s phone this summer if it seems plausible.
Jazz receive: Nikola Vucevic, Patrick Williams, Coby White, draft compensation Bulls receive: Rudy Gobert
It remains to be seen if either side would do this, but it&rsquo;s an intriguing idea.
With that said, if the Bulls are committed to Vucevic and don&rsquo;t want to trade for a new big man, HoopsHype&rsquo;s Yossi Gozlan <a href="https://hoopshype.com/lists/bulls-offseason-preview-zach-lavines-free-agency-nikola-vucevic-extension-more/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">points out</a> that an extension for Vooch could make sense this offseason.
If that happens, perhaps Chicago just looks for a complementary shot-blocker who can play behind Vucevic like one of the free agents we mentioned above or more of a minor trade target such as New York&rsquo;s Nerlens Noel or Minnesota&rsquo;s Jarred Vanderbilt.
It&rsquo;s also worth noting that the Bulls have a $5,000,000 trade exception that expires on July 7, 2022, from their Daniel Theis deal.
DRAFT
The Bulls have the No. 18 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. In BasketballNews.com's <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2022 NBA Mock Draft</a>, our senior NBA Draft analyst Matt Babcock has Chicago selecting Ohio State forward <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-nba-mock-draft/players/ej-liddell" target="_blank" rel="noopener">EJ Liddell</a>.&nbsp;
The 6-foot-7, 21-year-old junior is a well-rounded, NBA-ready player who makes sense for a Bulls team that wants to win now. Last season, Liddell averaged 19.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 2.6 blocks, 1.4 threes and 0.6 steals, while shooting 49.0% from the field, 37.4% from three and 76.5% from the free-throw line.
&ldquo;Although he is a bit undersized for the position, the Buckeyes often used Liddell as a 4 or 5 in their lineups,&rdquo; Babcock noted in his scouting breakdown. &ldquo;He is physical and versatile on both ends of the floor, scoring both inside and out. He appears more comfortable in the mid-range and paint, which works well for his college system but raises questions in regards to his translatability to the NBA. Liddell filled up the box score and played with great effort and toughness. He has certainly carved out a spot for himself in the 2022 NBA Draft.&rdquo;
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/37mLYAneg7M" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Other players who are projected to be available in that range are G League Ignite wing <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-nba-mock-draft/players/marjon-beauchamp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MarJon Beauchamp</a>, Baylor forward <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-nba-mock-draft/players/kendall-brown" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kendall Brown</a>, LSU forward <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-nba-mock-draft/players/tari-eason" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tari Eason</a>, Notre Dame guard <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-nba-mock-draft/players/blake-wesley" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Blake Wesley</a>, G League Ignite guard <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-nba-mock-draft/players/jaden-hardy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jaden Hardy</a>, Serbian forward <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-nba-mock-draft/players/nikola-jovic" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nikola Jovic</a> and Tennessee guard <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-nba-mock-draft/players/kennedy-chandler" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kennedy Chandler</a>.&nbsp;
If the Bulls aren&rsquo;t interested in any of these prospects, or if Karni&scaron;ovas and Eversley continue to be aggressive on the trade market, Chicago could look to deal the No. 18 pick as part of a win-now move.
It&rsquo;s worth noting that Chicago must forfeit their next-available second-round pick after an NBA investigation revealed that they contacted Ball prior to the start of the NBA&rsquo;s free-agency period. As it stands, the Bulls&rsquo; next-available pick is the team&rsquo;s 2026 second-rounder, but Chicago can&rsquo;t acquire a second-round pick before then because they&rsquo;d have to forfeit it.
***
After a few rough years, the Bulls seem to be back on the right trajectory, and there&rsquo;s no question that this team has the talent to be a perennial playoff squad in the East. Winning 46 games despite trying to get so many new players acclimated is impressive, especially when you factor in the injuries to Ball, Caruso, Williams, etc.
Even if the Bulls bring back largely the same roster, they will benefit from that continuity and improved chemistry. However, given what we&rsquo;ve seen from this front office in recent years, don&rsquo;t be surprised if they look to wheel-and-deal in order to take the roster to the next level.

After winning 46 games and losing in the first round, where will the Bulls go from here? Alex Kennedy previews Chicago's summer.

2022 NBA offseason preview: What's next for the Chicago Bulls?

The 2022 NBA Draft is still two months away, but that&rsquo;s when the dominoes around the Association begin to fall for player activity. In a shallow class of free agents, the trade market will be the best way for teams to make win-now moves. So many teams are in flux, stuck between pushing for the postseason or rebuilding. When scouring the potential trade marketplace, five names stand out from the rest.
Malcolm Brogdon
The Tyrese Haliburton era is in full swing for the Indiana Pacers, which showed immediate long-term promise for a star-starved organization. With Haliburton in place as the primary building block for the Pacers, it&rsquo;s time to say adios to the failed Malcolm Brogdon partnership.
Pacers GM Kevin Pritchard is on record as saying Haliburton is their point guard of the future, and he even compared acquiring him to former Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck. If that doesn&rsquo;t say they&rsquo;re all-in on Haliburton, then I don&rsquo;t know what to tell you.
Although Brogdon put together career-best scoring numbers during his time in Indiana, availability continued to be a serious problem for the veteran combo guard. During the 2021-22 campaign, Brogdon missed 46 games due to nagging injury issues.
Another interesting angle to monitor from the Pacers&rsquo; point of view is losing a first-round pick they expected to receive via the Caris LeVert trade back in February. After the Cavaliers&rsquo; collapse post-All-Star break, Indiana lost out on a top-20 pick they were planning on using for further draft ammunition.
Moving Brogdon would help recoup that asset, now deferred to next season. Brogdon&rsquo;s trade market could be robust thanks to his two-way versatility, despite his injury woes.
If there&rsquo;s any player in the Association who feels like a lock to be dealt, it&rsquo;s Brogdon, thanks to the Haliburton era beginning in Indianapolis.
Christian Wood
Christian Wood is seemingly on the way out in Houston. The Rockets&rsquo; rookie big man Alperen Sengun shined in a limited role, which increased later on as Wood&rsquo;s minutes diminished. Wood was shopped by the Rockets before the trade deadline, but they weren't able to move him. That may change this offseason.
As an expiring contract making only $14 million, Wood offers any contender a ready-made stretch four who provides intriguing upside. For Houston, there&rsquo;s no reason to keep Wood around. He simply doesn&rsquo;t fit their timeline with a young core spearheaded by Jalen Green, Kevin Porter Jr. and Sengun.
Wood originally signed with the Rockets to be a pick-and-roll partner with James Harden, but Harden is no longer with the team. With a potentially fresh opportunity on the horizon, Wood has the chance to cash in if he lands in the right situation.
One team who continues to make sense for Wood as a long-term fit is the Miami Heat. Miami reportedly offered the Rockets Duncan Robinson for Wood, which Houston rebuked. With the Heat&rsquo;s 2023 first-round pick now available, could that change the Rockets&rsquo; mind on this swap? If Houston can offload Wood while obtaining a sharpshooter and a future first, it makes way too much sense.
Whether it be Miami or elsewhere, Wood&rsquo;s market has the chance to catch fire in a few months. He feels like another shoo-in to be on the move.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
CHRISTIAN WOOD ARE YOU SERIOUS! 39 POINTS AND THIS RIDICULOUS SHOT 😱 <a href="https://t.co/rqWDA2NS4z">pic.twitter.com/rqWDA2NS4z</a>
&mdash; SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) <a href="https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/1506094094698774528?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 22, 2022</a></blockquote>

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

Jerami Grant
Another player who has been stuck in trade rumors for the past calendar year is Jerami Grant, who bet on himself and signed a long-term deal with the rebuilding Detroit Pistons. Grant sought out a role where he would be more of a focal point offensively, and he&rsquo;s shown now over a large sample size he can get it done in that area.
However, Grant&rsquo;s best fit for any contending team is how he was used with the Denver Nuggets. As a third or fourth option who also handles the best scorer on the defensive end, Grant would fit onto any team looking to take a significant leap forward next season.
Grant is another player who doesn&rsquo;t fit the timeline of his current team. With the Pistons projected to have another top pick in this year&rsquo;s draft, plus an enticing young core led by 2021 No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham, the youth movement is in full effect in the Motor City. The Pistons would be wise to shop off Grant to the highest bidder around the draft or in early July.
Grant&rsquo;s elite versatility provides him a strong role anywhere he lands. And don&rsquo;t be shocked by the price tag for a Grant trade this offseason. Contenders will get into a bidding war to secure the services of a strong plug-and-play wing who will raise their ceiling immediately.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
John Collins
What&rsquo;s next for the Atlanta Hawks? After a disappointing first-round exit in the postseason thanks to the Heat, Atlanta&rsquo;s roster has a few interesting decisions looming ahead. One of those revolves around dynamic power forward John Collins, who has continued to hear his name floated in trade rumors since signing a five-year extension last offseason.
Collins let it be known this season he was frustrated with his role on the offensive end, and soon after we once again heard trade winds blowing around the former Wake Forest Demon Deacon. If the Hawks begin fielding offers on Collins this offseason, expect Atlanta to net a significant asset (or assets) in return.
Trae Young is obviously the straw that stirs the drink in Atlanta&rsquo;s system, but take a look at all of the young pieces in place within their organization: Onyeka Okongwu, Kevin Huerter, DeAndre Hunter, Jalen Johnson, and you can even throw in the more experienced veteran in Bogdan Bogdanovic to the mix thanks to his strong fit with Young. Huerter already signed his rookie-scale extension, but Hunter and Okungwu will soon be due. The same goes for Bogdanovic, if he wants to stay in Atlanta past the 2022-23 season.
From a financial standpoint, Collins feels like the easiest piece to move in order to keep everyone else intact. Don&rsquo;t be surprised if the Hawks use Collins&rsquo; contract alongside Danilo Gallinari&rsquo;s expiring salary ($21.4 million) to go star hunting.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Trae Young finds John Collins in the corner for 3 🎯<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAPlayoffs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAPlayoffs</a> presented by Google Pixel on ESPN <a href="https://t.co/pGchqDhGyW">pic.twitter.com/pGchqDhGyW</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1517668614333210634?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 23, 2022</a></blockquote>

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

Julius Randle
What a disaster this season was for the New York Knicks. After a surprising surge in the 2020-21 campaign, the Knicks felt inclined to run it back with their veteran-heavy core. Looking back on it now, that decision has left egg on the face of New York&rsquo;s front office.
After winning Most Improved Player, Julius Randle may have been the winner of &ldquo;Most Disappointing Player,&rdquo; if such an award actually existed. Randle seemed out of it for most of the season, not utilizing his special motor to help the Knicks consistently. Whether Randle&rsquo;s incredible run was a flash in the pan or the fit has worn itself out, something has to give this offseason.
We should also note the emergence of former lottery pick Obi Toppin, who continued to flash when given more playing time for the Knicks. Toppin makes Randle more expendable, and that should be the primary plan for New York this offseason.
Randle&rsquo;s contract is very movable, too. Making $26.1 million next season, Randle would help present a strong trade market for New York to scour for the best offers. And who knows? Maybe Randle bounces back to his 2020-21 form in a different environment.
For Randle and the Knicks, it&rsquo;s in the best interest of both parties to split up.
While we're still a couple of months away from the trade market opening back up, there are plenty of big names who could be moved. These players should find themselves at the top of that list, as any of them would prove a huge boost for the organization acquiring them.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!

Looking ahead to the offseason, here are five names to monitor as potential trade targets.

Five NBA players who feel destined to be traded this offseason

It's not uncommon for high-profile athletes in New York to experience ups and downs throughout their careers. Yet, in just the three seasons Julius Randle has spent as a Knick, he's endured nearly unprecedented swings, from extreme lows to intense highs and everything in-between...
After making the difficult decision to trade away Kristaps Porzingis in February 2019, the Knicks inked Randle to a three-year, $63 million deal the following summer, hoping Randle could carry the team offensively and help them return to respectability.
However, Randle struggled to handle the bright lights of Broadway during his first year in NYC. After averaging over 21 points per game on 52.4% shooting during his sole season in New Orleans, Randle's scoring average dipped to 19.5 points per game on 46.0% shooting in 2019-20. And while his overall counting stats were solid (19/10/3), his inefficiency and defensive lapses contributed to the Knicks' putrid 21-45 record.
In an article he <a href="https://www.theplayerstribune.com/posts/reputation-julius-randle-new-york-knicks-basketball-nba" target="_blank" rel="noopener">penned for the Players Tribune</a>, Randle acknowledged that he wasn't quite prepared for the pressures that came along with being the top dog in the Big Apple.
"To be honest, I don't think I realized everything that goes into being a No. 1 option in the NBA," Randle <a href="https://www.theplayerstribune.com/posts/reputation-julius-randle-new-york-knicks-basketball-nba" target="_blank" rel="noopener">explained</a>. "Another problem, looking back, is that I think I was so focused on proving myself as a No. 1 option, that I lost sight of some of my other responsibilities to the team."
Randle added: "I know you only get one chance to make a first impression in a city &mdash; and I was so disappointed in myself for how that first season in New York had gone."
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Well, his second impression was incredible.&nbsp;
Randle wasn't just good during his second season in NYC; he authored one of the finest all-around seasons in Knicks franchise history.
The winner of the NBA's Most Improved Player, Randle finished the 2020-21 campaign averaging 24.1 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 6.0 assists per game, ranking in the top-20 in all three statistical categories. Prior that that, the only other players in NBA history to average at least 24 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists over an entire season were Wilt Chamberlain, Nikola Jokić, Larry Bird, Russell Westbrook and Oscar Robertson.
Randle also averaged 2.3 made three-pointers and 0.9 steals while shooting 45.6% from the floor, 41.1% from downtown and 81.1% from the free-throw line. According to Basketball-Reference, Randle was just the second player ever to average more than 10 rebounds and 5 assists while shooting over 40% from three-point territory and over 80% from the charity stripe. (The only other player in this exclusive club is Bird, who posted those numbers in 1984-85 en route to winning the Most Valuable Player award.)
Knicks fans inside MSG would serenade Randle with boisterous "MVP" chants nearly every time he stepped to the free-throw line over the last two months of the season.&nbsp;
Randle would finish eighth in MVP voting and be named to the All-NBA Second Team alongside Chris Paul, Damian Lillard, Joel Embiid and LeBron James.&nbsp;
Last summer, fresh off his career year, the Knicks inked Randle to a four-year contract extension worth up to $117 million.
Consequently, expectations were sky-high for Randle and his Knicks entering the 2021-22 campaign...
As we know, New York instead finished the year with a disappointing 37-45 record, failing to qualify for the playoffs for the ninth time in the last 10 years.
While Randle's counting stats were once again solid, his offensive inefficiency and porous defense were crippling. After shooting 41.5% on mid-range jumpers in 2020-21, he converted just 33.3% of his mid-rangers this past season. Of the 66 players who attempted more than 500 jump shots this past season, Randle was the least efficient. Every other player in the league who attempted more than three such shots per game converted over 35% &mdash; except for Randle.
Randle also struggled from long distance. After shooting over 41% from behind the three-point arc in 2020-21, that percentage tumbled all the way down to below 31% in 2021-22.
To put Randle's inefficiency in context, consider this: In 2021-22, Randle became the first and only player in NBA history to attempt more than 300 three-pointers and 300 free throws, yet shot below 42% from the floor, below 31% from downtown and below 76% from the charity stripe.
Oh, and his assist average decreased (from 6.0 to 5.1) while committing a career-high 245 turnovers.
Yet, if only his subpar production were an issue, the Knicks front office &mdash; led by team president Leon Rose &mdash; might be far more comfortable bringing Randle back in 2022-23 and hoping he can rebound from a rough year.
However, there are a number of concerns that complicate the situation.&nbsp;
The relationship between the burly power forward and Knicks fans turned toxic at various points over the past six months. During a home game against the Boston Celtics in early January, some New York fans inside Madison Square Garden booed Randle and his teammates after the Knicks fell behind by 25 points. Randle aimed a thumbs-down gesture at the crowd at one point in the fourth quarter. He acknowledged the gesture was directed at the fans after the game (which included a miraculous Knicks comeback, capped by RJ Barrett sinking a miraculous buzzer-beater).
When asked by reporters what it was for, Randle <a href="https://nypost.com/2022/01/06/julius-randle-gives-knicks-fans-thumbs-down-shut-the-f-k-up/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">replied</a>: "To shut the f&ndash;k up."
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WjTuTEQ4r-o" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Unsurprisingly, the relationship remained rocky the rest of the way. As New York piled up losses and Randle continued to miss shots he had made a year earlier, the crowd continued to get on the team's highest-paid player. Making matters worse, <a href="https://tommybeer.substack.com/p/thibs-needs-to-send-a-strong-message?s=w" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Randle's lack of effort</a>, especially on the <a href="https://tommybeer.substack.com/p/thibs-needs-to-send-a-strong-message?s=w" target="_blank" rel="noopener">defensive end</a>, drew the intense ire of the fan base.
Poor shooting or effort errors (such as giving up an easy bucket because you close out too hard) are frustrating but forgivable. However, New Yorkers won't tolerate consistently failing to box out or hustle back on defense. And, for long stretches this winter, Randle was guilty of such offenses.&nbsp;
Last month, <a href="https://nypost.com/2022/03/29/julius-randle-could-be-forcing-way-off-knicks-in-james-harden-type-of-way/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Marc Berman of the New York Post reported</a> that people around the league felt Randle was "acting in a 'James Harden type of way' that suggests he wants a new place of work next season."
Berman <a href="https://nypost.com/2022/03/29/julius-randle-could-be-forcing-way-off-knicks-in-james-harden-type-of-way/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">added</a> that "some NBA sources believe the Knicks will shop Randle for a package revolving around a center if they lose Mitchell Robinson."
Randle has said publicly he wants to remain in New York, but has also stated that his wife and young son were forced to leave their courtside seats at some home games this season due to unwelcome comments from the crowd. Being traded to a new franchise could allow Randle to start fresh and hopefully re-establish himself as an All-Star.
The best resolution for both the player and the team may be parting ways this summer.&nbsp;
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/usatsi_17643895-1_lg.jpg" alt="" width="585" height="390" />
From the Knicks' perspective, trading away an All-Star less than a year after you ink him to a max extension is never ideal. The front office hoped Randle would be a foundational cornerstone for the remainder of his prime. However, New York must acknowledge that this past season was a mess in more ways than one.&nbsp;
Interestingly, one bright spot over the second half of the season was the awe-inspiring play of Obi Toppin. When a sore quad sidelined Randle in late March, the No. 8 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft stepped in and most definitely stepped up. Fans who had been begging for Toppin to see more minutes finally got their wish.
Toppin started each of the Knicks' final five games and averaged 27.2 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.8 made three-pointers, 2.8 assists and 1.0 blocks. He shot over 55% from the floor, over 46% from downtown and over 86% from the charity stripe. He was one of just seven players to average more than 27 points and 6 boards per game in April. The other six were Jokic, Embiid, LeBron, Luka Doncic, Pascal Siakam and Kevin Durant. (And of this group, Toppin and Doncic were the only players to knock down more than three treys a night.)
While it's foolish to make too much out of relatively meaningless games late in any season, it's impossible to watch Toppin and not recognize he possesses tantalizing upside. And remember, this is the same dude who was named the NCAA National Player of the Year in 2020 due to his dominant play at Dayton, where he averaged 20.0 points to go along with 7.5 rebounds while shooting a scorching 63.3% percent from the field and 39.0% from behind the arc.&nbsp;
Toppin will be due for a contract extension of his own soon, and the Knicks need to determine if he is worth a hefty investment. Trading Randle would open a spot in the starting lineup for Toppin, who is closer in age to the Knicks' young core of Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, Quentin Grimes, etc.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
The issue for New York is that it would have to "sell low" on Randle relative to where his league-wide value was just six months ago. Would the Knicks be content to trade him away if they would only be able recoup around 70 cents on the dollar? On the other hand, would another team be willing to trade for the $100+ million remaining on Randle's contract?
My guess is that the all-around skill set Randle showcased in 2020-21 will be more than enough to entice a few general managers.
Keep in mind that even in a "down year" in 2021-22, Randle averaged 20.1 points, 9.9 boards and 5.1 dimes. The only players to exceed those numbers in each category this season were Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo. In addition, although Randle's contract is certainly not a bargain, it's not an albatross by any means &mdash; even with its 15% trade kicker.&nbsp;
More than 50 players in the league will earn more than Randle next season. A contract averaging around $26 million a year is reasonable for a player with Randle's immense talent and proven durability (he's appeared in 207 of a possible 222 games over the last four seasons).&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Also, the fact that Randle is under team control for at least three more years (he has a player option for 2025-26) would appeal to several teams, especially small-market clubs.&nbsp;
Furthermore, there are always other GMs looking to move their own high-priced players due to positional log jams or salary constraints.
For instance, <a href="https://theathletic.com/3243084/2022/04/11/whats-next-for-lakers-notes-on-nick-nurse-russell-westbrook-and-more/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">multiple</a> league insiders have <a href="https://marcstein.substack.com/p/indiana-intrigue?s=r" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that the Indiana Pacers are "open to trade conversations around Malcolm Brogdon and Buddy Hield this offseason." Brogdon, whose name has been bandied about in trade rumors since Indiana acquired Tyrese Haliburton in February, has three years left on his deal. He and Randle have nearly identical salaries for next season, meaning they could be swapped straight up for each other.&nbsp;
With the Knicks still in desperate need of a point guard, which side would say no to a potential Brogdon-Randle deal?
It's also worth noting that <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10032521-who-will-lead-lamelo-ball-and-promising-hornets-into-their-prime" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report</a> recently reported Charlotte Hornets forward Gordon Hayward is "interested in a change of scenery this offseason." A swap sending Kemba Walker, who is still beloved in Charlotte, and Randle to the Hornets in exchange for Hayward works under the cap. Would Charlotte be willing to include draft capital to get a deal done?
We know the Los Angeles Lakers would love to rid themselves of Russell Westbrook, who has just one year left on his current contract. And if we're thinking outside the box, would the Knicks be willing to consider a reunion with Kristaps Porzings?
The point is, if New York is genuinely willing to make Randle available, the franchise will have plenty of interested parties, which could make for a very interesting offseason.&nbsp;
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!&nbsp;

Tommy Beer analyzes what went awry for Julius Randle in his third season with the Knicks and ponders options for both parties.

Julius Randle and the Knicks should part ways this summer

The Indiana Pacers just wrapped up their worst season since 1989. Finishing with a 25-57 record, Indiana has decided upon a path it hasn't ventured down in decades.
On Christmas, the Pacers were in no man&rsquo;s land in the Eastern Conference sitting at 14-19. The frontcourt pairing between Domantas Sabonis and Myles Turner was still working on occasion, but it didn&rsquo;t make any dent as a true competitor. Malcolm Brogdon was supposed to be Indiana&rsquo;s long-term answer as its primary floor general, but he could barely stay on the court due to injury woes. Speaking of injuries, Orlando Bubble superstar T.J. Warren didn&rsquo;t play in a single game this season due to a nagging foot injury; four total games over two full seasons for the former Phoenix Suns wing.
Indiana&rsquo;s vision for a sustainable contender just simply wasn&rsquo;t working. Running stagnant with a roster that was just competitive enough to sneak into the postseason, the Pacers finally pressed the rebuild button during the holiday season. From Dec. 25 and on, Indiana went on to an 11-38 finish.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
After trading away Sabonis and Caris LeVert, Indiana is now in an advantageous long-term position, even in spite of not conveying the first-round pick acquired via the Cleveland Cavaliers. (Cleveland will keep its first-round pick due to the loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Friday night, as the team misses the NBA Playoffs.)
The cupboard is anything but bare. Sending out Sabonis to the Sacramento Kings brought back a potential face of the franchise in Tyrese Haliburton. The second-year point guard from Iowa State continued to blossom in a more featured role away from De&rsquo;Aaron Fox in Sacramento. Haliburton averaged 17.5 points, 9.6 assists and 1.8 steals for Indiana, immediately planting himself as a primary pillar for the next great Pacers team.
Chris Duarte also made noise during his rookie campaign for Indiana before a nagging toe issue hampered his availability post-All-Star break. Showing a true scorer&rsquo;s mindset, Duarte displayed why he&rsquo;s another key piece to the Pacers&rsquo; puzzle.
Outside of the Haliburton and Duarte pairing, plus the exciting unknown ahead, the Pacers have one more young prospect that is so intriguing to project.
Isaiah Jackson, the No. 22 overall pick from the 2020 NBA Draft, has all the potential to take a massive sophomore jump in 2022-23.
Still a raw prospect, Jackson flashed tantalizing two-way talent in different spurts throughout the Pacers&rsquo; midseason downturn. The sample size for Jackson was small &mdash; 36 total games and 15 starts &mdash; but it&rsquo;s hard to ignore what the ceiling could look like for the former Kentucky Wildcat big man.
Over Jackson&rsquo;s final 18 games of the season, Indiana saw a glimpse of true two-way success. In only 21.6 minutes per game, Jackson averaged 12.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.0 steals and 2.2 blocks on an impressive 62.6% True Shooting percentage. When stretching those minutes to per-36 thresholds, Indiana&rsquo;s rookie was outstanding: 20.3 points, 9.7 rebounds, 1.7 steals, 3.6 blocks.
The reason why Jackson is such a moldable piece of clay for Indiana is because of the uncertain future revolving around Myles Turner. Having been the subject of trade rumors for multiple years now, which again got red-hot back in February, Turner now enters the last year of his contract. If the Pacers were to decide to move off Turner this offseason, now would be the ideal time if it wasn&rsquo;t at the trade deadline, as it would allow Jackson to fully blossom.
Jackson showed already for the Pacers he can fill the Turner role seamlessly. Not only can Jackson rim-run and block shots at an above-average level, but the floor-spacing potential is certainly there as well. Also, unlike Sabonis and Turner, Jackson provides the Pacers an athletic lob threat that hasn&rsquo;t been present within the organization for years now.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Sheesh Isaiah Jackson 😳 <a href="https://t.co/MxOHikwsXL">pic.twitter.com/MxOHikwsXL</a>
&mdash; NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNNBA/status/1513267754370953220?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 10, 2022</a></blockquote>

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

Indiana is in an ideal spot to choose any direction for Jackson&rsquo;s immediate future. Whether it be moved up into a starting role replacing Turner or slow-playing his development behind Turner one more season, Jackson&rsquo;s early trajectory is so promising. Jackson checks the rim-protection box with emphasis, plus the perfect pick-and-roll partner near the rim for Haliburton to execute with.
Entering arguably the most important offseason in franchise history, Indiana can continue to blow it all up and reset around an exciting core of young players. Haliburton, Duarte and Jackson are locked in. The future top-seven draft pick is cemented as well. Outside of that, anything is possible for the Pacers&rsquo; roster construction avenues.
Running in place for years at this point, the Pacers&rsquo; fresh start was much-needed. Now, it&rsquo;s time to see how all the new parts work together over an extensive long-term period. As far as the most interesting topics for the Pacers, Jackson&rsquo;s potential Year 2 jump could eventually change everything in Indianapolis.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com. <a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!

As the Pacers begin an extensive rebuild, don't forget about the potential long-term possibilities for big man Isaiah Jackson.

Isaiah Jackson provides Pacers ready-made Myles Turner replacement

Indiana Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard sent a clear message at the trade deadline.
It's time for a shakeup.
After posting a second straight losing record at home, missing the playoffs for the first time in seven years and recording their fewest wins in a season since 1984-85, the Pacers are embarking on their biggest offseason overhaul in years.
A three-trade flurry in February culminated in sending two-time All-Star Domantas Sabonis to Sacramento and Caris LeVert, widely considered one of Pritchard&rsquo;s cornerstone pieces, to the Cavaliers.
&ldquo;This franchise, right now, is in one of the most exciting positions it could possibly be with the potential for a top-five pick and the potential to possibly have Cleveland&rsquo;s (first-round) pick," coach Rick Carlisle said, noting Indiana also holds Houston's early second-round pick. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re going to get it right in the draft, and we&rsquo;re going to have a great summer, and next year&rsquo;s going to be an exciting year.&rdquo;
Things certainly can't get much worse than they did this past season.
Injuries again derailed the Pacers' postseason plans as Carlisle won just 25 games in the first year of his second tenure with the team. Lengthy absences of guards Malcolm Brogdon and T.J. McConnell, forward T.J. Warren and center Myles Turner &mdash; all projected to be key rotational players &mdash; prompted Pritchard to pull the plug and start dealing.
The new plan is to build around point guard Tyrese Halburton. Indiana views the 22-year-old as a budding star, capable of ending its long quest to find a playmaking ball-handler.
Haliburton's new teammates embraced the move.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m especially excited about playing with Tyrese, just the way he came in here and made an impact on our organization, on our fans and on the guys around him," Turner said Monday. &ldquo;He makes everybody better."
What else did the Pacers learn from mixing, matching and experimenting with lineups over the final 26 games?
Buddy Hield, who came over from Sacramento with Haliburton, and Jalen Smith, who arrived in a trade with Phoenix, also were solid players. Rookie center Isaiah Jackson provides a different kind of post presence and rookie guard Chris Duarte became one of Indiana's most consistent players until an injured toe sidelined him.
Forward Oshae Brissett continued to develop, and Carlisle may have unearthed a couple more hidden gems with midseason pickups Duane Washington Jr. and Terry Taylor.
This summer could be equally busy as Pritchard tries to put the Pacers back in playoff position.
&ldquo;I think first we've got to get healthy, that's obvious and then it'll be up to the front office what pieces they add, what pieces they trade,&rdquo; Brogdon said. &ldquo;When you make a move like we did, a monumental move in the middle of the season, I think there are other moves that follow and I think we'll be seeing that this summer.&rdquo;
WHAT'S NEXT
Brogdon and Turner would be the most attractive trade candidates. Both are proven veterans, capable of helping a playoff team become a title contender and both are on expiring contracts. Brogdon counts $22.6 million against the salary cap while Turner, a two-time blocked shots champ, would be an $18 million cap hit. The Pacers could be looking to add more draft picks, free up cap space for free agency or add veterans.
WATCHING THE CAVS
The Pacers thought they'd definitely have two first-rounders when they got the Cavs' lottery-protected pick two months ago. But a late-season swoon has jeopardized that possibility. Cleveland finished eighth in the Eastern Conference and now needs to win one game to make the playoffs. Two losses would mean they'll keep the pick, preventing the Pacers from having three of the top 35 picks in June.
NOT FINISHED YET?
Fan favorite Lance Stephenson provided a second-half spark on and off the court for Indiana. While it seems unlikley Indiana would keep the soon-to-be 32-year-old on a young team building for the future, Stephenson isn't ready to end his career.
&ldquo;I'm just trying to keep my body strong and sharp," he said. "I'm just mad that the season is over because I feel great right now, I feel like I can keep going."

The Pacers are embarking on their biggest offseason overhaul in years.

Pacers start long offseason looking to overhaul roster

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

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

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

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

Draft assets: First-round pick (9.0% chance at No. 1), First-round pick via New Orleans (if 5-14), Second-round pick, Second-round pick via Memphis
Potential free agents: Joe Ingles, Jusuf Nurkic, Ben McLemore, Anfernee Simons (restricted), CJ Elleby (restricted), Elijah Hughes (restricted), Keljin Blevins (restricted)
Central question: Is Portland actually trying to win "now" or win soon?
Some really great development happened for the Blazers during the "wash" portion of the season in the form of players like Trendon Watford, Keon Johnson and Drew Eubanks. Add them to Anfernee Simons, Nassir Little and the incomng draft picks, and Portland suddenly has... kind of a sneaky-deep prospect pool? There's real potential to mold this group into a rotation cast that gives Portland one of its deepest rosters in years.
That's why these <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/jerami-grant-trade-rumors-portland-is-still-the-frontrunner" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jerami Grant trade rumors concern me</a>. Giving up a possible lottery pick to try and piece together a short-term playoff team risks too much and keeps the Trail Blazers in the limbo they have lounged in for several years. Understandably, the franchise wants to build a contender while Damian Lillard is invested and in his prime. With some patience, Portland can without sacrificing sustainibility.
SACRAMENTO KINGS
Draft assets: First-round pick (7.5% chance at No. 1), Second-round pick, Second-round pick (via Chicago)
Potential free agents: Jeremy Lamb, Josh Jackson, Damian Jones, Donte DiVincenzo (restricted), Neemias Queta (restricted), Trey Lyles (team option)
Central question: How does Sacramento turn into a competitive NBA defense?
The Kings have trotted out lackluster defenses for as long as I can remember. In fact, they haven't ranked above 20th in Defensive Rating since 2005-06 &mdash; notably, the last time they made the playoffs.
And that didn't change under interim head coach Alvin Gentry. (Gentry will not return as head coach next season, but is <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/shams-alvin-gentry-no-longer-interim-coach-of-the-kings" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in talks for a front-office role</a>, per ESPN.) However, the on-paper roster actually shines some hope. Davion Mitchell made highlight reels out of his "Off-Night" defense. Justin Holiday is a solid individual defender, as is Harrison Barnes, and even De'Aaron Fox has his sporadic moments.&nbsp;
Can Sacramento find a head coach who turns a group of intriguing players with defensive potential into even an average squad? What draft and free agency options exist? Of course, the Kings would like to end their NBA-leading playoff drought. That'll come with changing the culture on defense.
WASHINGTON WIZARDS
Draft assets: First-round pick (2.5% chance at No. 1, depends on Play-In results), Second-round pick (via Dallas)
Potential free agents: Bradley Beal (player option), Thomas Bryant, Raul Neto, Tomas Satoransky, Anthony Gill (restricted), Cassius Winston (restricted)
Central question: What style of guard play is a feasible best fit?
Okay, so obviously the biggest question mark surrounds Bradley Beal's free agency. But from a conceptual standpoint, Washington has tried and failed over the past few seasons to find Beal's best-fitting partner in crime. John Wall, Russell Westbrook and Spencer Dinwiddie were each supposed to provide the downhill juice Beal lacks. The Wizards either did this at serious expense of another skill area (Wall, Westbrook), or it just didn't translate their at-rim ability (Dinwiddie). All battled injuries as well.
"I think we need bigger guards," <a href="https://www.nbcsports.com/washington/wizards/bradley-beal-outlines-what-wizards-need-build-contender" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Beal said in March</a>. "We need more guys that can get in the paint for us, more ball-handlers, more guys that can really create and get two feet in the paint, but also who can knock down threes."
I mean, Beal's needs make total sense. The problem is that every other basketball team on Earth also wants this type of guard.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!

Ethan Fuller sets the offseason stage for each team that missed the NBA playoffs.

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

PHILADELPHIA (AP) &mdash; Joel Embiid made his closing argument for MVP votes and all but wrapped up the NBA scoring title, scoring 41 points while adding 20 rebounds and four assists to lead the Philadelphia 76ers to a 133-120 victory Saturday over the Indiana Pacers.
Embiid shot 14 for 17 from the floor, went 11 of 15 from the foul line and made both his 3-point attempts in a game that Philadelphia (50-31) needed to win to remain alive in the hunt for the third seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. It was the first time this season that an NBA player scored 40 or more points and had 20 or more rebounds in a game. It was the third time in Embiid's career it has happened &mdash; with all three times coming against the Pacers.
&ldquo;I've always said that every single night, I want to dominate,&rdquo; Embiid said. &ldquo;If you are dominating, things can show up in a lot of different ways &mdash; whether it is offensively or defensively. Sometimes, the numbers don't show it. But it's good, I guess.&rdquo;
Philadelphia coach Doc Rivers said: &ldquo;It's methodical and historical. Whatever the calls you want to put on it, it's what's he's been."
James Harden had 22 points and 14 assists for Philadelphia, who also got double-digit point performances from Tobias Harris (18), Tyrese Maxey (18) and Danny Green (15).
&ldquo;We're getting better,&rdquo; Rivers said.
Oshae Brissett scored 20 points and Tyrese Haliburton had 19 for Indiana (25-56), which lost its ninth straight game. The Pacers fell behind by 21 points in the first half, then cut the deficit to five late in the third quarter before Embiid and Harden began to take control of the game.
&ldquo;We haven&rsquo;t seen a guy like this in the history of the league who has this kind of power and skill,&rdquo; Indiana coach Rick Carlisle said of Embiid. &ldquo;He's able to score on all three levels effortlessly. He's an amazing player and it will be interesting to see what teams do in the playoffs to try to slow him down.&rdquo;
Embiid is now averaging 30.6 points for the season, which is just ahead of LeBron James&rsquo; 30.3-point-per-game clip for the Los Angeles Lakers and Kevin Durant&rsquo;s 30.1 average for the Brooklyn Nets.
But neither James nor Durant will play enough games to qualify for the statistical title; in an 82-game season, 58 games played is the minimum. That means the scoring race comes down to Embiid and Milwaukee&rsquo;s Giannis Antetokounmpo, who would need a miracle finish to grab the scoring crown. The last center to win a scoring title with a more than 30 ppg average was Bob McAdoo, who averaged 31.1 points in 1976-77.
Embiid also has been considered one of main contenders for league MVP, along with Antetokounmpo and Denver's Nikola Jokic. Saturday's game was Embiid's 13th scoring 40 or more points.
The Sixers can move up to the third seed in the East and a first-round matchup with Chicago with a victory over Detroit on Sunday and a Boston loss at Memphis. Otherwise, Philadelphia will face Toronto in the 4-5 matchup in the first round of the postseason tournament.
Embiid said no decision was made about his playing status for Sunday night's game, which takes place at the same time Boston faces Memphis.
&ldquo;I want to, but at the same time it's a back to back and we have to get ready for the playoffs,&rdquo; Embiid said. &ldquo;I want to play because we still need to work on my spacing and chemistry. Whatever we can get out of this last game, it will be good.&rdquo;
TIP-INS
Pacers: Indiana guard Malcolm Brogdon was ruled out with lower back soreness while Jalen Smith sat because of left groin soreness. Reserve forward Nate Hinton was ruled out for the final two games because of the NBA's health and safety protocols. &ldquo;He's in a van heading home,&rdquo; coach Rick Carlisle said.
76ers: For the second straight game, Philadelphia inserted veteran guard Danny Green into the starting lineup in the spot normally held by top defender Matisse Thybulle. Thybulle may not be able to play in a possible first-round series in Toronto because of his COVID-19 vaccination status. Canadian rules forbid cross-border travel to anyone not vaccinated; Thybulle has not said publicly whether he is vaccinated. He missed Thursday night's 119-114 road loss to the Raptors and was listed as &ldquo;ineligible to play." ... Guard Georges Niang missed Saturday's game with left knee soreness. Rivers said the move was precautionary. &ldquo;If this was a playoff game, he would be in there,&rdquo; the coach said in his pre-game meeting with the media.
UP NEXT
Pacers: Play at Brooklyn on Sunday to finish their season.
76ers: Host Detroit on Sunday night in regular-season finale.

Joel Embiid makes one last MVP push with 41 points and 20 rebounds in Philadelphia's season finale.

Embiid has 41 points, 20 rebounds as Sixers down Pacers

According to <a href="https://marcstein.substack.com/p/indiana-intrigue?s=r" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Marc Stein</a>, Indiana may be looking to sell the recently extended Malcolm Brogdon to the highest bidder this summer.
&ldquo;Sources say that the Pacers have also left numerous rival teams with the impression that they will be trying to move Malcolm Brogdon this offseason.&rdquo;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Rick Carlisle forcefully shot down suggestions he wants to move to the front office, but there is still much to be settled with the Pacers before next season. Haliburton, Brogdon, Turner ... we get into it all in the latest This Week In Basketball column: <a href="https://t.co/5N7oxIkIHe">https://t.co/5N7oxIkIHe</a>
&mdash; Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheSteinLine/status/1512829778809790468?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 9, 2022</a></blockquote>

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

ANALYSIS:&nbsp;The Pacers may not have had the season they hoped they would, but with the seismic changes they made mid-season, it's probably in their best interest to see what they have at full strength first before pulling the trigger on a potential Brogdon trade. Of course, it's very possible Brogdon has told them behind closed doors that he wants out, which, if that had gone public, would potentially hurt their leverage in trade talks.

Marc Stein says that teams believe the Pacers may look to move Malcolm Brogdon this upcoming offseason.

Stein: Pacers may move Malcolm Brogdon this summer

When Rick Carlisle was hired as head coach of the Indiana Pacers, the hope was that he could take the team to the next level. With veterans such as Domantas Sabonis, Myles Turner, Malcolm Brogdon and Caris LeVert, Indiana hoped to "become relevant in the East again," as Carlisle put it on media day.
This season didn't go as planned, as the Pacers are currently 25-55, which is the third-worst record in the Eastern Conference. Indiana has the NBA's 18th-ranked offense (109.1 points per 100 possessions) and 28th-ranked defense (113.5 points per 100 possessions). The team became sellers prior to the trade deadline, dealing away Sabonis, LeVert, Aaron Holiday and Jeremy Lamb.
Now, the Pacers' goals have changed. They are rebuilding around their young core, which features Tyrese Haliburton, Chris Duarte, Isaiah Jackson, Goga Bitadze and Oshae Brissett among others. Even though the team is now focused on the future, Carlisle stressed that he isn't going anywhere.
&ldquo;Let me be absolutely clear: I&rsquo;m here to coach this team and coach this team for the long-haul," Carlisle said, per <a href="https://twitter.com/preston76/status/1512118135658319877" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pacers' VP of Basketball Communications Michael Preston</a>. "I&rsquo;m not afraid of any aspect of a rebuild one bit. Not one single bit.&rdquo;
He also shot down speculation that he might move to a front-office role.
"I came here to coach&hellip; I want to put this to rest once and for all," Carlisle said, per <a href="https://twitter.com/preston76/status/1512116680742350858" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Preston</a>.
Since becoming a head coach, Carlisle's career record is 836-689. He led the Dallas Mavericks to a championship in 2011, and he won the NBA's Coach of the Year award in 2002. Prior to this stint with the Pacers, he worked in Indiana as an assistant coach (from 1997-2000) and a head coach (from 2003-2007).

Even though the Pacers are rebuilding, head coach Rick Carlisle stressed that he isn't going anywhere or moving to the front-office.

Rick Carlisle says he'll coach rebuilding Pacers 'for the long haul'

BOSTON (AP) &mdash; Jaylen Brown scored 32 points and Jayson Tatum had 31 to help the Boston Celtics stop a rare late-season stumble and beat the Indiana Pacers 128-123 on Friday night.
It was the eighth time this season that &ldquo;The Jays&rdquo; each scored at least 30 points.
&ldquo;We're not trying to take turns. Just playing the game the right way,&rdquo; Tatum said. &ldquo;If he takes six good shots in a row, that&rsquo;s fine with me.&rdquo;
The Pacers lost their sixth straight game despite getting 30 points from Tyrese Haliburton before he fouled out early in the fourth quarter with Indiana trailing 103-101. The Celtics led 124-120 with 40 seconds left when <a href="https://twitter.com/celtics/status/1510075050048688135">Al Horford found Tatum coming down the lane </a> for a dunk that all but sealed Boston's win.
Horford scored 17 points with 10 rebounds for the Celtics, who had won 24 of 28 games before losing to Toronto on Monday night without four of their starters. They followed it up with a loss to Miami on Wednesday &mdash; the first time they lost back-to-back games in two months as they climbed from below .500 to the top of the Eastern Conference standings.
But a loss to the Pacers, a non-playoff team with the fifth-most losses in the league, would have been more concerning.
&ldquo;Credit to them for making it tough on you,&rdquo; Celtics coach Ime Udoka said. &ldquo;They&rsquo;re playing loose and free with nothing to lose right now. You can tell. At the same time, we&rsquo;re aiding them.&rdquo;
Oshae Brissett and Jalen Smith scored 17 points apiece for the Pacers.
The Celtics scored 11 of the first 13 points in the game before giving up the next nine to tie it. Boston took a 37-28 at the end of the first quarter and led by as many as 10 points in the second.
FOULED OUT
Haliburton had 22 points at halftime and had 30 points on 10-for-11 shooting &mdash; including 6 for 6 from 3-point range &mdash; before picking up his fifth foul with 4:27 left in the third quarter on a collision with Boston&rsquo;s Derrick White while going for a loose ball.
Haliburton complained about the call, and got coach Rick Carlisle to challenge it, but it was upheld. Haliburton sat out the rest of the third and the first 3:33 of the fourth, then lasted just 14 seconds before fouling out, drawing jeers from the crowd.
INJURIES
The Celtics, who lost center Robert Williams III to a meniscus tear on Sunday, had a few injury scares against Indiana, but Udoka said everyone is OK.
Brown appeared wobbly after getting hit in the face by teammate Grant Williams but he returned. Williams is OK after stepping on someone's foot. Guard Marcus Smart limped off to the locker room at the end of the first half after a collision with Daniel Theis but returned for the third quarter.
&ldquo;I reaggravated an injury in my right ankle. It scared me for a moment as well,&rdquo; Smart said. &ldquo;Don&rsquo;t need to be going down at this time, getting close to the playoffs. But I&rsquo;m fine. Checked it out. I&rsquo;ll be all right.&rdquo;
TIP-INS
Before the game, the Celtics honored longtime Pacers director of media relations David Benner. Celtics vice president Jeff Twiss presented Benner, who has worked for the Pacers for 28 years, with a piece of the Boston Garden parquet floor. ... Celtics swingman Nik Stauskas missed the game with a right ankle sprain. ... Pacers guard Malcolm Brogdon missed his seventh straight game. ... For '90s night, the Celtics brought back 1991 slam dunk contest winner Dee Brown. ... Tatum had three 3-pointers, giving him 222 for the season, tying Antoine Walker's 2002 mark for the second-most in franchise history.
UP NEXT
Pacers: Host Detroit on Sunday.
Celtics: Host Washington in regular-season home finale on Sunday.
&nbsp;

Jaylen Brown scored 32 points and Jayson Tatum had 31 to help the Boston Celtics beat the Indiana Pacers 128-123.

Brown, Tatum pair up to lead Celtics past Pacers 128-123

TORONTO (AP) &mdash; Pascal Siakam scored 23 points and the Toronto Raptors routed the depleted Indiana Pacers 131-91 on Saturday night in a game delayed 70 minutes in the first half because of a speaker fire that forced the evacuation of fans.
Scottie Barnes added 19 points, Precious Achiuwa 18, OG Anunoby 16, Chris Boucher 15 and Thad Young 11 as the Raptors posted their biggest margin of victory this season.
Oshae Brissett led Indiana with 21 points. Justin Anderson had 18, Jalen Smith 15 and Buddy Hield 14. The Pacers have lost three straight and five of seven.
No one from the sellout crowd of 19,800 was around at end to see Toronto move past Cleveland into sole possession of sixth place in the Eastern Conference after the Cavaliers lost 98-94 in Chicago. The Raptors are one game behind the fifth-place Bulls with eight games remaining.
Sixth place is the last guaranteed postseason spot, with teams finishing in the Nos. 7-10 spots headed for the play-in tournament.
In the first quarter, two sections of fans behind the basket at the east end of the stadium were cleared and Toronto Fire Services personnel could be seen in the empty aisles, staring at the ceiling.
&ldquo;I was like, &lsquo;Jeez, I wonder why they didn&rsquo;t sell those seats tonight?&rsquo; That was my first thing,&rdquo; Raptors coach Nick Nurse said. &ldquo;Then I saw the firemen standing there.&rdquo;
Later, another section was cleared as play continued. Before long, video surfaced on social media of flames coming out from a speaker hanging above the stands.
Pacers acting head coach Lloyd Pierce said he spoke to lead official Zach Zarba about the acrid smell coming from the burning speaker.
&ldquo;You could definitely smell it,&rdquo; Pierce said. &ldquo;By the time (the game) stopped the smell was tough.
&ldquo;Fifteen years for me, probably the most bizarre situation that we&rsquo;ve been in for a game,&rdquo; Pierce added.
During a timeout, public address announcer Herbie Kuhn announced that the arena was being evacuated at the order of Toronto Fire Services, telling booing fans that the game had been suspended.
Players headed to their locker rooms with 4:05 left in the second quarter and the Raptors leading 66-38.
Brissett, who is from Toronto, had a large crowd of people on hand to watch him play at home but they all had to leave.
&ldquo;I got a whole bunch of texts from friends, family,&rdquo; Brissett said. &ldquo;They were really mad.&rdquo;
During the delay, two workers using ropes and harnesses hung from the ceiling and sprayed a fire extinguisher at the problematic speaker.
Remaining ushers and arena security staff cheered when the Raptors returned to warm up for the restart. The halftime break was cut from 15 minutes to 7 1/2 minutes, and players did not leave the court during the intermission.
&ldquo;It was crazy,&rdquo; Achiuwa said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve never been in a game like that.&rdquo;
Toronto guard Fred VanVleet, who missed two games earlier this month because of a sore right knee, did not return following the restart.
This was the latest instance of fan-free basketball for the Raptors, who played to no more than a few hundred fans at home games between Dec. 31 and Mar. 1 because of Ontario government restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Anunoby and Siakam combined for 22 points in the first, one more than the Pacers had as a team, and Toronto closed the quarter with a 23-5 spurt to lead 41-21.
&ldquo;We definitely came out really flat,&rdquo; Brissett said.
Ahead 66-38 when the game was suspended, Toronto led 74-46 at halftime.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
HURTING PACERS
Indiana guard Malcolm Brogdon (conditioning) sat for the fourth straight game, while guard Chris Duarte (left big toe) missed his fifth straight, and forward Isaiah Jackson (headache) missed his second straight. The Pacers were also without center Goga Bitadze, who sat because of a sore right foot.
CHECKING ON COACH
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle missed his second straight game for personal reasons. Pierce said he&rsquo;d checked in with Carlisle since a loss Thursday night at Memphis.
&ldquo;We just keep it professional, but he&rsquo;s doing well,&rdquo; Pierce said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s concerned about us but we&rsquo;re concerned about him as well.&rdquo;
SIX PACK
Toronto is 15-4 when six or more players score in double digits.
TIP-INS
Pacers: Smith returned after missing the past two games because of a non-COVID illness. &hellip; Indiana is 9-29 on the road. The Pacers went 3-5 away from home in March.
Raptors: G Gary Trent Jr. (left big toe) sat for the third straight game but is &ldquo;pretty close&rdquo; to a return, Nurse said. &hellip; Signed G Armoni Brooks to a multi-year contract. Brooks had previously signed two 10-day contracts with Toronto.
UP NEXT
Pacers: Host Atlanta on Monday night.
Raptors: Host Boston on Monday night.

Siakam scored 23 and the Raptors routed the Pacers 131-91 in a game delayed due to a speaker fire that forced fans to evacuate.

Raptors rout Pacers after fire causes delay, fan evacuation

Desmond Bane scored 30 points, hitting 12 of 15 shots, and the Memphis Grizzlies built a big lead early before coasting to a 133-103 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night to clinch a spot in the playoffs.
Jaren Jackson Jr. finished with 20 points, going 7 of 13 from the field, as the Grizzlies shot 54%. De&rsquo;Anthony Melton added 19 and John Konchar matched his career high with 18. Bane was 5 of 7 from outside the arc as Memphis made a season-high 21 3-pointers.
Before the game, Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins announced that leading scorer Ja Morant would miss the next two weeks with right knee soreness. Morant sat out the previous two games after tweaking the knee in Memphis&rsquo; loss to Atlanta last Friday.
But the Grizzlies were sharp again without their All-Star, just as they were in a 132-120 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday, and became the second team to lock up a spot in the postseason.
With Memphis leading 107-71 entering the fourth, the Grizzlies reserves finished up the game.
Lance Stephenson led the Pacers with 25 points, while Terry Taylor had 17. Goga Bitadze finished with 14.
Besides Morant, the Grizzles were also without Dillon Brooks, who rested his left ankle, and Brandon Clarke (left hip soreness.)
Indiana also was playing the second consecutive night after a last-second loss to Sacramento. Like Memphis, the Pacers had multiple players out. Additionally, Pacers coach Rick Carlisle missed the game for personal reasons.
As they did against Brooklyn on Wednesday night, the Grizzlies surpassed 70 points in the first half, taking a 74-48 lead into the locker room. Bane had 23 points, missing only one of his shots in the half, going 5 of 6 from outside the arc.
The Grizzlies opened the second half on a 10-0 run and Memphis had its seventh win in the last eight.
TIP-INS
Pacers: Lloyd Pierce served as acting coach with Carlisle absent. &hellip; G Malcolm Brogdon missed his third game with rest. &hellip; Bitadze has reached double figures in seven straight. &hellip; Duane Washington Jr., who turned 22 on Thursday, finished with four points. &hellip; Indiana is 9-28 on the road.
Grizzlies: Memphis outscored the Pacers 44-23 in the first quarter, matching its most points in a quarter this season. &hellip; The 10 3-pointers in the first quarter were a franchise record. &hellip; Memphis is 7-1 against the Central Division. Its only loss was to the Milwaukee Bucks, whom Memphis plays Saturday night. &hellip; C Steven Adams had 17 rebounds, nine of them off the offensive glass.
UP NEXT
Pacers: Travel to Toronto to face the Raptors on Saturday.
Grizzlies: Continue a four-game homestand Saturday against Milwaukee.

The Grizzlies built a big lead early before coasting to a 133-103 victory to clinch a spot in the NBA postseason.

Bane has 30, Jackson Jr. 20 as Grizzlies rout Pacers 133-103 for playoff spot

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) &mdash; Desmond Bane scored 21 points, Jaren Jackson Jr. had 19 and the Memphis Grizzlies rolled without All-Star Ja Morant, beating the Indiana Pacers 135-102 on Tuesday night.
De&rsquo;Anthony Melton added 18 points while Morant sat out with back soreness. The Grizzlies made the decision to hold him out after he went through pregame warmups.
It was the fourth consecutive victory for the Grizzlies. The Pacers have lost two in a row and five of their last six games.
&ldquo;We played great,&rdquo; Bane said. &ldquo;Everybody contributed. We had 38 assists, not a lot of teams do that."
Bane, who grew up about 75 miles away in Richmond, Indiana, said it was great to have so many family and friends at the game.
Steven Adams had 13 points and 13 rebounds for the Grizzlies.
Jalen Smith scored 15 points for Indiana. Buddy Hield and Terry Taylor each had 14.
Tyus Jones, who started in Morant&rsquo;s spot, had 10 assists.
&ldquo;We shared the ball,&rdquo; Jones said. &ldquo;We played fast. We played with pace. We played unselfish basketball. Instead taking a good shot, we created for someone else to have a great, wide-open shot. We had everything clicking on both ends of the floor.
&ldquo;Ja has been out before this year and I just try to step in and fill his shoes the best I can,&rdquo; Jones added. &ldquo;We just try to get the team to continue to play the right way, play as a team and execute the game plan.&rdquo;
Memphis shot 51% while holding Indiana to 42%. The Pacers were 6 of 30 from 3-point range while the Grizzlies were 15 of 40.
The 33-point loss was the Pacers&rsquo; largest of the season, topping the previous total of 32 points to Charlotte.
The Grizzlies dominated throughout, leading by as many as 37 in the third quarter before settling for a 104-70 lead after three quarters.
In the fourth quarter, the Pacers&rsquo; Isaiah Jackson fouled out when he was called for a flagrant foul on a moving screen. Jackson actually fell over Dillon Brooks.
The Pacers' largest deficit was 43 points in the fourth quarter.
Memphis shot 55.6% in the first half to take a 74-49 halftime lead.
&ldquo;I think looking at the stat sheet and remembering the game, I've got to give them a lot of credit for how they played,&rdquo; Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. &ldquo;(It was) very, very difficult night.&rdquo;
Pacers guard Malcolm Brogdon said the Pacers had no chemistry on either end.
&ldquo;There was no consistency,&rdquo; Brogdon said. &ldquo;Part of it is new team and attention to detail and coming out being ready to play. That's a real good team out there with or without Ja Morant.&rdquo;
Hield said he hates losing.
&ldquo;It's hard to forget about this,&rdquo; Hield said, &ldquo;We can try to flush it out of our minds, but it's human nature, especially as competitors. It'll be hard to sleep.&rdquo;
TIP-INS
Grizzlies: Coach Taylor Jenkins said before the game he doesn&rsquo;t see Morant&rsquo;s back soreness as anything that will linger for multiple games. &hellip; Jackson played three seasons for Park Tudor School in Indianapolis before transferring to La Lumiere in LaPorte, Indiana.
Pacers: Brogdon returned to action after missing the past two games with a concussion. He scored 12 points. &hellip; Goga Bitzadze was listed as active, but didn&rsquo;t play. He had missed Sunday&rsquo;s game at Atlanta with a lingering foot injury.
STAT OF THE DAY
The Grizzlies scored 24 fast-break points in the first half compared to zero for the Pacers. For the game, Memphis had a 33-9 edge.
UP NEXT
Grizzlies: At Atlanta on Friday
Pacers: At Houston on Friday

Desmond Bane scored 21 points, Jaren Jackson Jr. had 19 as the Memphis Grizzlies beat the Indiana Pacers 135-102.

Grizzlies roll without Morant, beat Pacers 135-102

ATLANTA (AP) &mdash; Trae Young scored 33 of his 47 points in the first half, and the Atlanta Hawks beat the Indiana Pacers 131-128 on Sunday night.
Atlanta, 10th in the Eastern Conference, had seven players score in double figures and shot 54.8% from the field. Danilo Gallinari and De'Andre Hunter had 15 points apiece, and Kevin Huerter finished with 14.
The Hawks have won 13 of 15 at home and two straight overall. They had a season-high 77 points in the first half.
Tyrese Haliburton and Buddy Hield each scored 25 points for Indiana, which has dropped four of five and 13 of 17. The Pacers, 13th in the East, fell to 8-27 on the road.
Young&rsquo;s 33 first-half points were a career high for either half. He was coming off his NBA-leading 23rd game of at least 25 points and 10 assists in Friday&rsquo;s win over the Los Angeles Clippers. That&rsquo;s 10 more than James Harden, the next closest player. He finished with five assists.
The Hawks&rsquo; biggest lead of the first half was 19 in the closing seconds on Young&rsquo;s two free throws. Atlanta shot 60% from the floor in the first half, 59.1% on 3s.
Young was 9 for 13 from the floor, including 7 for 9 on 3s, in the first two quarters. He did as he pleased most of the game, pulling up for long 3s, showing off his ballhandling ability and scoring with ease.
Indiana went on a 21-10 run to begin the third and pulled within seven at the 6:09 mark, but Young drove the lane for a runner and hit a layup on a fast break to make it 94-82 and cause the Pacers to call timeout.
Young went 14 for 14 on free throws.
The Pacers, down to eight players because of injuries, pulled within two on Duane Washington Jr.&rsquo;s free throws with 1:09 remaining in the game. Young knocked down a pair of free throws with 28.8 seconds to go and two more with nine seconds left to help close it out.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
TIP-INS
Pacers: C Goga Bitadze (right foot), G Chris Duarte (left big toe) and G Lance Stephenson (left ankle) were questionable before the game but were ruled out. ... G Malcolm Brogdon (concussion), G T.J. McConnell (right wrist), C Myles Turner (left foot), F T.J. Warren (left foot), and G Ricky Rubio (left knee) were out.
Hawks: F John Collins, the team&rsquo;s second-leading scorer and rebounder, was out with a right finger sprain and a right foot strain. Gallinari started in his spot and scored 11 points in the second quarter. ... Atlanta&rsquo;s previous first-half high was 76 points, coming against Indiana on Feb. 8. ... Young reached 40 points for the seventh time this season.
TOUGH TO STOP
Atlanta coach Nate McMillan has been impressed all season with Young&rsquo;s ability to run the pick-and-roll and create scoring opportunities for his teammates. The Hawks rank seventh in scoring and Young is fifth in scoring and third in assists.
&ldquo;I think we&rsquo;ve seen pretty much everything teams have tried to do,&rdquo; McMillan said. &ldquo;Trap, they deny, they try to play box-and-one. Normally he&rsquo;s going to get the best defender and normally they&rsquo;ve tried to (use) length. They switch one through five, so Trae has seen really all the defenses this year. Trae does a good job creating offense out of that set so we&rsquo;re going to continue.&rdquo;
UP NEXT
Pacers: Host Memphis on Tuesday.
Hawks: Host Portland on Monday.

Trae Young scored 33 of his 47 points in the first half, and the Atlanta Hawks beat the Indiana Pacers 131-128 on Sunday night.

Trae Young scores 47, Hawks hold off Pacers 131-128

Darius Garland had 41 points and 13 assists and hit a decisive pair of free throws with 14 seconds left to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers past the Indiana Pacers 127-124 on Tuesday night.
The Pacers went ahead 124-122 with 40 seconds remaining when Malcolm Brogdon was credited with a basket after Evan Mobley was called for goaltending. Mobley then tied the game on a putback before Garland put the Cavs ahead with his free throws.
Dean Wade intercepted a pass by Brogdon on the Pacers' next possession. Lamar Stevens hit a free throw, and Indiana's Tyrese Haliburton missed a desperation heave at the buzzer.
Mobley finished with 22 points and 12 rebounds and Lauri Markkanen added 21 points for Cleveland, which has won two straight after losing six of its previous seven.
Haliburton led the Pacers with 25 points, and Duane Washington Jr., Jalen Smith and Gogh Bitadze each scored 15.
Indiana led 98-90 after three quarters, but Cleveland scored the first nine points of the fourth to set up the back-and-forth finish.
The Cavaliers led by as many as 12 in the first quarter. The Pacers rallied in the second to tie it 63-all at halftime.
TIP-INS
Cavaliers: Coach J.B. Bickerstaff said he doesn&rsquo;t know if Jarrett Allen will return before the regular season ends. Allen, who averages 16.1 points and 10.8 rebounds, broke his left middle finger during Sunday's win over Toronto. He did not travel with the team, which started a three-game trip. ... Caris LeVert, who was traded from the Pacers to the Cavs last month, missed his seventh consecutive game with a sprained right foot.
Pacers: Lance Stephenson was a late scratch with an ankle sprain. ... Rookie Chris Duarte returned to action after missing the previous three games with a toe injury.
UP NEXT
Cavaliers: At Miami on Friday.
Pacers: At San Antonio on Saturday.

Darius Garland had 41 points and 13 assists and hit a decisive pair of free throws with 14 seconds left to lead the Cavs past the Pacers.