Bulldogs

After a long four-month offseason, the 2023-24 NBA season officially kicks off on October 24. Preseason action is currently underway, with teams evaluating their roster and getting ready for the start of the regular season.
There were a few roster rule changes of note this offseason that were introduced as part of the new CBA. Now, each team can sign up to three two-way players (up from two) who are able to play up to 50 games with their NBA team and spend the rest of their season in the G League. Also, offseason rosters were originally limited to 20 players but have since increased to 21.&nbsp;
Each team needs to be at 15 standard contracts prior to the start of the season, which means a few players on guaranteed deals will have to be cut prior to the season. While some teams have a pretty set roster, others (like the Oklahoma City Thunder) will be forced to part ways with talented players to reach their roster limit.&nbsp;
Looking at the Atlantic Division, let's see how each team&rsquo;s lineup is shaping up and what questions they may need to answer before the start of the season.
(This is part one of a six-part series, with more divisional previews coming soon).
<h1>BOSTON CELTICS</h1>
Outside of the top-six players, who will be the most reliable depth option?
After acquiring Jrue Holiday, the Boston Celtics may have the best top-six of any team in the league. While we can add the Holiday trade to their list of aggressive offseason transactions, their depth has taken somewhat of a step back.&nbsp;
They will have to replace four rotation players from last year&rsquo;s Conference Finals team with a few players who don&rsquo;t have much experience in playoff situations. Three players who should definitely see more minutes are Payton Pritchard, Sam Hauser and Luke Kornet. Pritchard has played well on both ends of the floor when given an opportunity, notably shooting 40% from three-point range over his first three seasons. The Celtics rewarded him with a team-friendly extension that should see him take up about 5% of the salary cap over the next four years. Hauser has also been a stellar three-point shooter, knocking down 42% since coming into the league.&nbsp;
The frontcourt is probably the most notable weakness on the team&rsquo;s depth chart. Joe Mazzulla has expressed confidence that <a href="https://www.celticsblog.com/2023/10/7/23907608/boston-celtics-depth-sam-hauser-luke-kornet-payton-pritchard-joe-mazzulla-blake-griffin-bus-one-boys" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kornet should be successful on both ends of the floor and will be their go-to backup center to start the season.</a> The preseason will be important in determining who else (i.e. Oshae Brissett, Jordan Walsh, Svi Mykhailiuk, etc.) may stand out for Mazzulla and get an opportunity for playing time behind Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis.&nbsp;
Roster Decisions
The Celtics have the least amount of players on guaranteed contracts in the league (10). However, their roster for opening night is likely set unless they want to open up flexibility to sign other veteran players or buyout candidates later this season. If they choose to cut someone, it would very likely be a player on a non-guaranteed deal. Mykhailiuk and Dalano Banton each have a partial $200,000 guarantee that increases to over $1,000,000 if they make the roster. Kornet, Wenyen Gabriel and Lamar Stevens all have non-guaranteed contracts.&nbsp;
Rotation
Current Roster Count: 19 players (10 guaranteed, 2 partially guaranteed, 3 non-guaranteed, 3 two-way, 1 Exhibit-10)
Projected Starters: G Jrue Holiday, G/F Jaylen Brown, F Jayson Tatum, F/C Al Horford, F/C Kristaps Porzingis
Projected Rotation Players: G Derrick White, G Payton Pritchard, C Luke Kornet (non-guaranteed), F Sam Hauser, F Oshae Brissett
Projected Reserves: F Jordan Walsh, G/F Svi Mykhailiuk ($200K guaranteed), F Wenyen Gabriel (non-guaranteed), G Dalano Banton ($200K guaranteed), F Lamar Stevens (non-guaranteed)
Projected Two-Way Players: C Neemias Queta, G JD Davison, G Jay Scrubb (Injured)
Projected Roster Cuts: G DJ Steward (Exhibit-10)
<h1>BROOKLYN NETS</h1>
What is Ben Simmons' role?
Ben Simmons has only played 42 games since being acquired by the Nets in February 2022, dealing with physical and psychological hurdles that have made him somewhat of an afterthought. Head coach Jacque Vaughn has expressed confidence that Simmons is now 100% healthy and ready to contribute again at a high level.&nbsp;
He seems to be penciled in as the team&rsquo;s starting point guard, starting in the Nets&rsquo; first preseason game. Though it was just a small 14-minute sample size, Simmons looked a lot like his former All-Star self. Having not played since February 15, he looked athletic, aggressive and confident before sitting out the second half.&nbsp;
&ldquo;He attacked the rim, I think he played with pace, looked pretty natural out there getting up and down the floor, communicating with guys into the flow of the game,&rdquo; Vaughn said, <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/10/10/ben-simmons-passes-eye-test-in-nets-preseason-opener/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">praising his $38-million man</a>. &ldquo;Really good to see.&rdquo;
Vaughn has some options when it comes to starting lineups where he could go smaller, with a backcourt of Simmons and Spencer Dinwiddie, or decide to start Dorian Finney-Smith and use Mikal Bridges as a big two-guard.&nbsp;
Roster Decisions
Darius Bazley, Harry Giles and Trendon Watford are all on non-guaranteed deals and are vying for the final two roster spots. The Nets also have an open two-way spot, which I believe they could potentially use on a player like <a href="https://www.si.com/college/tennessee/mens-basketball/kennedy-chandler-starring-in-nba-summer-league" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Summer League standout</a> and former Memphis Grizzlies second-rounder Kennedy Chandler.&nbsp;
Rotation
Current Roster Count: 18 players (13 guaranteed, 3 non-guaranteed, 2 two-way)
Projected Starters: G/F Ben Simmons, G Spencer Dinwiddie, F Mikal Bridges, F Cameron Johnson, C Nicolas Claxton
Projected Rotation Players: F Dorian Finney-Smith, F Royce O&rsquo;Neale, G Cameron Thomas, G Dennis Smith Jr., C Day&rsquo;Ron Sharpe
Projected Reserves: G/F Lonnie Walker IV, C Noah Clowney, F Dariq Whitehead, F Darius Bazley (Non-Guaranteed), C Harry Giles (Non-Guaranteed)
Projected Two-way Players: G Armoni Brooks, F Jalen Wilson, G Kennedy Chandler* (Projected Signing)
Projected Roster Cuts: F Trendon Watford (Non-Guaranteed)
<h1>NEW YORK KNICKS</h1>
Who will be the first option off the bench?
New York Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau has his fair share of options to headline his second unit. In his third year, Immanuel Quickley had his best season to date, finishing as the runner-up for the Sixth Man of the Year award behind Malcolm Brogdon. Quickley was the primary scorer for the second unit, but he shouldn&rsquo;t have to carry the entire load on offense with the addition of Donte DiVincenzo.&nbsp;
DiVincenzo impressed last season with the Golden State Warriors as a reliable bench shooter and should spot minutes for Quentin Grimes and R.J. Barrett when offensive pushes are needed. Josh Hart could also be the team&rsquo;s sixth man, just like he was during the Knicks&rsquo; playoff run. After being traded from Portland, Hart averaged 30 minutes per game despite coming off the bench most of the time. It is worth noting the Knicks-Villanova connection between Hart, DiVincenzo and Jalen Brunson, who should fit seamlessly together on the floor thanks to their pre-existing chemistry. While unlikely to be the first off the bench, Isaiah Hartenstein also deserves mention since he has been one of the league&rsquo;s better backup centers and could see more time if Mitchell Robinson gets in foul trouble. In terms of rotation issues, Thibodeau should see this as a good problem to have regardless of who he brings off the bench first.&nbsp;
Roster Decisions
The Knicks have three spots up for grabs between Ryan Arcidiacono, DaQuan Jeffries, Isaiah Roby and Duane Washington Jr. All are on non-guaranteed deals that won&rsquo;t be fully guaranteed until the league-wide guarantee date on January 10.&nbsp;
Rotation
Current Roster Count: 21 players (12 guaranteed, 4 non-guaranteed, 3 two-way, 2 Exhibit-10)
Projected Starters: G Jalen Brunson, G Quentin Grimes, G/F R.J. Barrett, F Julius Randle, C Mitchell Robinson
Projected Rotation Players: G Josh Hart, G Immanuel Quickley, G Donte DiVincenzo, C Isaiah Hartenstein, G Miles McBride
Projected Reserves: G Evan Fournier, C Jericho Sims, F Isaiah Roby (non-guaranteed), G Ryan Arcidiacono (non-guaranteed), G/F DaQuan Jeffries (non-guaranteed)
Projected Two-way Players: F/C Nathan Knight, G/F Dylan Windler, F Jaylen Martin
Projected Roster Cuts: G Duane Washington Jr. (non-guaranteed), G Charlie Brown Jr. (Exhibit-10), F Jacob Toppin (Exhibit-10)
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/embiid332.jpg" alt="" width="672" height="440" />
<h1>PHILADELPHIA 76ERS</h1>
Will Tyrese Maxey become more of a creator and how can that adjust the rotation?
The Sixers&rsquo; ceiling is contingent on how much Tyrese Maxey can improve this season. Maxey hasn&rsquo;t needed to be the team&rsquo;s primary distributor since James Harden joined the team, allowing him to blossom into a reliable 20-PPG scorer. Regardless of whether Harden&rsquo;s trade situation is resolved, Maxey will need to become a better creator and distributor if he wants to take his game to the next level. Prior to Harden&rsquo;s arrival, Maxey had an impressive 4:1 assist-to-turnover ratio despite his small frame and risk-averse tendencies.&nbsp;
Interestingly, team president Daryl Morey has held off on giving Maxey an extension this offseason, electing to wait until next summer to pay his budding young guard. Maxey will likely demand near max-level money that could harm Philly&rsquo;s flexibility to go after star players next offseason. If he can improve his ball-handling and distribution tendencies, the Sixers&rsquo; offense should benefit tremendously, helping the offensive output of players like P.J. Tucker and Paul Reed and easing the reliance on De&rsquo;Anthony Melton and Patrick Beverley.
Roster Decisions
Two players will likely be fighting for the Sixers&rsquo; final roster spot. The team re-signed veteran Danny Green, who played for the team from 2020 to 2022, to a non-guaranteed deal. They also brought over young big Filip Petrusev, who was drafted by Philadelphia in 2021. Petrusev signed a multi-year deal that was partially guaranteed for $559,782 this season and non-guaranteed next year. Although unlikely, the 76ers could also elect to waive Montrezl Harrell despite his deal being fully guaranteed, as he should miss this season with a torn ACL.
Rotation
Current Roster Count: 21 players (14 guaranteed, 1 partially Guaranteed, 1 non-guaranteed, 3 two-way, 2 Exhibit-10)
Projected Starters: G Tyrese Maxey, G James Harden, F P.J. Tucker, F Tobias Harris, C Joel Embiid
Projected Rotation Players: G De&rsquo;Anthony Melton, G Patrick Beverley, F/C Paul Reed, F/G Kelly Oubre Jr., F Danuel House
Projected Reserves: C Mo Bamba, F Furkan Korkmaz, G Jaden Springer, G/F Danny Green (non-guaranteed), C Montrezl Harrell (injured)
Projected Two-way Players: G Terquavion Smith, G Ricky Council IV, F Azuolas Tubelis
Projected Roster Cuts: F/C Filip Petrusev ($559,782 guaranteed), G David Duke Jr. (Exhibit-10), G Javonte Smart (Exhibit-10)
<h1>TORONTO RAPTORS</h1>
What style does Darko Rajakovic bring to Toronto and who will benefit the most?
New coach Darko Rajakovic inherits an interesting Raptors team with plenty of talent, but they may be facing a crossroads in terms of how successful they can be as a group. Rajakovic is in his first NBA head coaching gig after three seasons as an assistant with the Grizzlies and is known around the league as a pick-and-roll guru.&nbsp;
The idea of the Raptors being a primary pick-and-roll team became less appealing when they were unable to retain Fred VanVleet in free agency, replacing him with a less reliable shooter in Dennis Schr&ouml;der. Instead, Rajakovic will likely rely on Schr&ouml;der and his newly paid center Jakob Poeltl for more ball movement and playmaking. Rajakovic compared Poeltl to Domantas Sabonis before the Raptors&rsquo; preseason win over the Sacramento Kings on October 9 and could use him in a similar role. If Poeltl can be 70% of what Sabonis was last season, it can be a huge boost to an inconsistent offense.
Roster Decisions
The Raptors have 15 players on guaranteed deals going into the season, but also carry Jeff Dowtin Jr. on a non-guaranteed deal. Dowtin played on a two-way contract with Toronto last season, appearing in 25 games. With the roster full, Dowtin is unlikely to make the regular-season roster but he has still <a href="https://www.si.com/nba/raptors/news/toronto-raptors-praise-jeff-dowtin-jr-as-roster-decisions-await" target="_blank" rel="noopener">impressed the coaching staff this preseason</a>. If any player is in danger of losing their roster spot to Dowtin, it would likely be former first-round pick Malachi Flynn. Dowtin&rsquo;s deal becomes guaranteed for $900,000 on October 21, four days before the team&rsquo;s season opener against the Minnesota Timberwolves. I would expect the Raptors to make a decision on Dowtin before then.&nbsp;
Rotation
Current Roster Count: 21 players (15 guaranteed, 1 non-guaranteed, 3 two-way, 2 Exhibit-10)
Projected Starters: G Dennis Schr&ouml;der, F/G Scottie Barnes, F OG Anunoby, F Pascal Siakam, C Jakob Poeltl
Projected Rotation Players: G Gary Trent Jr., F Precious Achiuwa, F/C Chris Boucher, F Jalen McDaniels, G/F Gradey Dick
Projected Reserves: F Thaddeus Young, G Malachi Flynn, F Otto Porter Jr., C Christian Koloko, G/F Garrett Temple
Projected Two-way Players: G/F Ron Harper Jr., G Markquis Nowell, G Javon Freeman-Liberty
Projected Roster Cuts: G Jeff Dowtin (non-guaranteed), F Mouhamadou Gueye (Exhibit-10), C Makur Maker (Exhibit-10)
Other news from around the web: <a href="https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/dress-to-impress-why-barbie-and-ken-are-the-hottest-couples-costume-this-halloween/ar-AA1iaTEh" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Barbie and Ken are the hottest couples costume this Halloween</a>

Blake Stern previews the Atlantic Division, breaking down each team's projected lineup and a burning question entering the season.

NBA Atlantic Division Preview: Burning questions, rotation projections

Jim Boylen has not spent any time thinking about what the World Cup qualifying standings might look like after USA Basketball&rsquo;s game against Brazil on Friday.
He just keeps thinking how the Americans have four qualifying games left.
&ldquo;And in my brain, I&rsquo;m acting like we&rsquo;ve got to win four to get in,&rdquo; Boylen said.
He knows differently. The U.S. (7-1 in qualifying) can clinch a berth in next year&rsquo;s World Cup with a win Friday, when it hosts Brazil (5-3) in Washington. The national team will be wearing the nation&rsquo;s colors in the nation&rsquo;s capital on Veterans Day, with a chance to lock up one of the 32 spots for the tournament to be played next summer in the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia.
For the U.S., qualifying started nearly a full year ago in late November. For some teams in the FIBA Americas region, it started in April 2021.
It&rsquo;s been a long road, but Boylen and the Americans are finally in position to clinch.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s never easy,&rdquo; said Boylen, who has coached the eight previous U.S. qualifying games &mdash; all held in two-game windows, often with a different roster each time. &ldquo;Expect the unexpected. Expect to make adjustments. You just roll with it, keep it simple. I believe we have to be superior at the defensive end of the floor. You hope shots go in, but we have to defend and rebound. That&rsquo;s what we can control.&rdquo;
The World Cup provides the most direct path for teams to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics. The Americans have used primarily G League players in qualifying games; those players know top NBA players will take their roster spots in the World Cup and the Olympics.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s very humbling when we have repeat guys and they said, &lsquo;Yeah, Coach, I loved it and I want to be part of it,&rsquo;&rdquo; Boylen said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s really hard. It&rsquo;s almost a thankless job. If we win, nobody talks about it and if we lose, it&rsquo;s on the ticker. But I don&rsquo;t sell it like that. I sell it as, in the last 30 years, there are 293 guys who have worn the senior men&rsquo;s national jersey. They&rsquo;re part of the most elite group of guys in the history of the game. People don&rsquo;t realize that.&rdquo;
The Americans have used 37 different players so far in the qualifying cycle. That number will rise Friday; only five players on the roster for both the Brazil game and Monday&rsquo;s game against Colombia have appeared in 2023 qualifying.
Langston Galloway, DaQuan Jeffries, David Stockton, Will Davis II and Michael Frazier II all have played with the U.S. previously in this qualifying cycle; Galloway has the most appearances with six. The rest of the roster is Charlie Brown Jr., Chris Chiozza, Rodney Hood, Alize Johnson, Elijah Pemberton, Henry Sims and Craig Sword.
There are 12 teams remaining &mdash; two groups of six &mdash; from the Americas region, all vying for seven World Cup spots.
The U.S. leads its qualifying group (Group F) by two games with four remaining on the qualifying schedule; the last two-game window of qualifiers is in February. Brazil, Mexico and Uruguay are all 5-3; Puerto Rico is 4-4 and Colombia is 3-5.
Canada leads Group E at 8-0, followed by Venezuela (7-1), Argentina (6-2), the Dominican Republic (5-3), Panama (2-6) and the Bahamas (2-6).
The top three teams in each group, along with the best fourth-place team, will receive World Cup berths. The World Cup draw takes place in Manila in March and the tournament runs from late August through mid-September.

The U.S. (7-1 in qualifying) can clinch a berth in next year’s World Cup with a win Friday, when it hosts Brazil (5-3) in Washington.

USA on brink of clinching spot in 2023 Basketball World Cup

LAS VEGAS (AP) &mdash; James Wiseman returned and Jonathan Kuminga had a big night, but the San Antonio Spurs beat the Golden State Warriors 85-84 on Sunday night at the Las Vegas Summer League behind 23 points from Blake Wesley.
Recovering from April 2021 surgery to repair torn cartilage in his right knee, Wiseman didn&rsquo;t play in the NBA this season and appeared in just three G League games in March before being shut down. The 21-year-old Wiseman, a 7-foot center taken with the No. 2 pick in the 2020 draft, had 11 points on 5-of-7 shooting with two blocks in 19 minutes.
Darius Day had 17 points and 13 rebounds, Josh Carlton had 10 points and 11 rebounds &mdash; seven offensive &mdash; and Josh Primo had 10 points or San Antonio. Primo, taken 12th by the Spurs in the 2021 draft, shot just 2 of 15 from the field and 1 of 5 from 3-point range.
Kuminga had 28 points on 10-of-22 shooting with seven rebounds and four assists but made just 1 of 7 from 3-point range and shot 7 of 18 at the free throw line. Mac McClung added 22 points, six rebounds, six assists and three steals.
Moses Moody, who scored 34 points in a loss to the New York Knicks on Friday, did not play for Golden State (0-2).
KINGS 103, PACERS 96
Keegan Murray, picked No. 4 overall by Sacramento in June&rsquo;s draft, scored 23 points and hit four of the Kings&rsquo; 18 3-pointers in their win over Indiana.
Sacramento (1-1) took Murray over Purdue&rsquo;s Jaden Ivey and the 6-foot-8, 225-pound forward out of Iowa is averaging 21.5 points and hitting 40% of his 10 attempts per game from 3-point range in Las Vegas. The 21-year-old Murray averaged 19.7 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.3 steals while shooting 51.1% from the field and 43.8% from 3-point range in three games at the California Summer League earlier this month.
Terry Taylor had 16 points on 5-of-8 shooting and grabbed seven rebounds. Bennedict Mathurin, the No. 6 pick in last month&rsquo;s draft, had 15 points but made just 6 of 16 from the field for Indiana (1-1).
Sean McDermott hit three 3s and finished with 18 points on 7-of-9 shooting and Frankie Ferrari scored 16 and made 4 of 6 from behind the arc for the Kings.
NETS 91, 76ERS 84
Cam Thomas made 15-of-15 free throws and finished with 26 points and seven assists, David Duke Jr. scored 21 points and Day&rsquo;Ron Sharpe had a double-double to help Brooklyn beat Philadelphia.
Sharpe had 13 points &mdash; including&nbsp;<a class="" href="https://twitter.com/BrooklynNets/status/1546239575709732864" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">dunk</a>&nbsp;while being fouled to open the fourth quarter &mdash; with 11 rebounds, four assists, three steals and two blocks. Kessler Edwards added 10 points for the Nets (1-1).
There were 15 ties and 17 lead changes, the last of which came when Sharpe made a reverse layup with 6:23 to play.
Brooklyn made 28 of 32 (87.5%) from the free-throw line, including 6 of 6 in closing seconds. Duke finished 9 of 10 from the foul line.
Cassius Winston led the 76ers (0-2) with 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting and added five rebounds, seven assists and two steals. Charlie Brown Jr. scored 15 points and Charles Bassey had 11 points and nine rebounds.
KNICKS 101, BULLS 69
Quentin Grimes hit four 3-pointers and finished with 23 points, Jericho Sims scored 11 points on 5-of-6 shooting and grabbed 10 rebounds and New York never trailed against Chicago.
Sims, who played 41 games for the Knicks (2-0) on a two-way contract as a rookie last season, had his second consecutive double-double. The 6-foot-9 center out of Texas signed a three-year contract worth about $6 million.
New York opened the game with a 13-0 run, led by 16 points at the end of the first quarter and scored 32 in the second to make it 59-24 at halftime. The Knicks finished with 42 points in the paint, scored 35 points off 21 Chicago turnovers, and led by as many as 39 points.
Miles McBride added 14 points, six assists and three steals, and DaQuan Jeffries scored 13 points for New York.
Dalen Terry &mdash; picked No. 18 overall in June&rsquo;s draft &mdash; and Carlik Jones scored 13 points apiece for Chicago (1-1). Terry made 3 of 7 from the field, 1 of 6 from 3-point range and committed seven turnovers. Henri Dell added 11 points and three steals.
WIZARDS 97, SUNS 72
Vernon Carey Jr. had 15 points and 11 rebounds, Jaime Echenique scored 12 points and Washington led by double figures for nearly 30 minutes in its win over Phoenix.
Isaiah Todd hit a 3-pointer that gave the Wizards (1-1) a 23-13 lead with 9:31 left in the second quarter and the Suns trailed by at least 10 the rest of the way. Davion Mintz made a step-back 3 to give Washington its biggest lead at 89-56 with 3:55 to play.
Johnny Davis, the No. 10 pick in last month&rsquo;s draft, and Tyler Hall scored 11 points apiece. Davis, a 6-foot-5 guard out of Wisconsin, went 1 for 9 from the field and finished with six points, five rebounds and two assists in Washington&rsquo;s 105-99 loss to Detroit on Friday.
Tyson Carter led the Suns (1-1) with 12 points. Ish Wainright added 11 points and Louis King scored 10.
NUGGETS 84, CAVALIERS 76
Peyton Watson scored 19 points on 7-of-12 shooting and grabbed seven rebounds, and Collin Gillespie added 17 points, seven rebounds and six assists as Denver beat Cleveland.
Christian Braun had 10 points, five assists and three steals, Ismael Kamagate also scored 10 points to go with nine rebounds and Jack White had eight points, 15 rebounds and three blocks for Denver (1-1).
RJ Nembhard Jr. led the Cavaliers (1-1) with 19 points, Cam Young scored 16 and Amar Sylla 11. Ochai Agbaji, who Cleveland picked No. 14 overall in June&rsquo;s draft, had eight points on 3-of-11 shooting with six rebounds, three assists and a steal.
Cleveland Browns All-Pro defensive end Myles Garrett warmed up with the Cavaliers before the game,&nbsp;<a class="" href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1546273107631128579?s=20&amp;t=f2i3RbuemsDwOW2Pjb155Q" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">dunking in the layup line while wearing a No. 95 jersey</a>.

James Wiseman returned and Jonathan Kuminga had a big night, but the Spurs beat the Warriors 85-84 on Sunday night.

James Wiseman returns, but Warriors fall to Spurs in NBA Summer League

Naturally, the focus on the Brooklyn Nets in the upcoming season will be their superstar trio of Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving. But when it comes to achieving their ultimate goal, there are four new 30-something-year-old players who will give Brooklyn a level of experience greater than any team in the Eastern Conference.
Patty Mills, Paul Millsap, LaMarcus Aldridge and James Johnson have joined the Nets, who were ousted by the eventual-NBA-champion Milwaukee Bucks in the second round of the playoffs last season. (Brooklyn dropped Games 6 and 7 after holding a 3-2 lead.)
Aldridge and Millsap are both 36, Johnson is 34 and Mills is 33. Put them together along with Durant (32), Harden (32), Blake Griffin (32), Joe Harris (30) and Irving, who will turn 30 in March, and the Nets have one of the most experienced rosters ever to compete for an NBA title.
And make no mistake, a title is what the Nets are after &ndash; something they made clear in no uncertain terms Tuesday as coach Steve Nash and general manager Sean Marks met with the media in advance of the opening of training camp later this month.
&ldquo;Our goal is to be the last team standing,&rdquo; said Marks, adding that a couple of the Nets players &ndash; he would not name exactly which ones &ndash; are not yet in compliance with new NBA COVID protocols that will impact teams in New York and California.&nbsp;
The NBA reportedly informed teams in early September that new laws in both New York and San Francisco regarding vaccine requirements will be enforced for members of the Knicks, Nets and Golden State Warriors unless there is an approved medical or religious exemption. The NBPA has refused to budge on its demand that players not be required to take the vaccine, and any proposal that mandates vaccination remains a "non-starter,&rdquo; <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=&amp;cad=rja&amp;uact=8&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjN7MaD_5DzAhUmTt8KHTZsBosQFnoECAQQAQ&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.espn.com%2Fnba%2Fstory%2F_%2Fid%2F32208394%2Fsources-nba-players-required-get-covid-19-vaccination&amp;usg=AOvVaw0kBp4VdTVE-NthM8rFdAio" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to ESPN</a>.
Marks, without getting into specifics, says he expects to have all 19 players available when camp opens, and a decision will be made over the next week on whether to bring in a 20th player to compete for a roster spot or to sign a two-way contract.
Marks also said he is engaged with representatives for Irving and Harden on contract extensions, which would allow the Nets to have their superstar trio signed for the long-term after Durant <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/kevin-durant-signs-multiyear-contract-extension-with-nets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">signed a four-year, $198 million extension over the summer</a>.
What will make the Nets different this season &mdash; aside from health issues, which impacted the team considerably last regular season and postseason &mdash; is the veteran depth they have added through the signings of the four seasoned free agents; arguably the most notable is Aldridge, who joined the Nets last season before issues with an irregular heartbeat forced him to retire and miss the team's playoff run.
Aldridge has now been cleared by a cardiologist and is gung-ho to resume his career. &ldquo;I tried to talk him out of it,&rdquo; Marks said. &ldquo;He stated, like several of our guys, that there was unfinished business here. He was fighting to be back to be on the last team standing, and he wants to be a part of it.&rdquo;
As a practical matter, Nash will have to seek ways to find a rotation that both incorporates all of the new players (along with the returning players) and keeps everyone satisfied with their roles. The Nets already had three ball-dominant players in Harden, Irving and Durant. Mills has the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/patty-mills-ecstatic-to-be-competing-for-championship-in-brooklyn" target="_blank" rel="noopener">capability of being a microwave type</a> as well, as he showed with the Australian national team's bronze-medal run; he averaged 23.3 points and 6.3 assists per contest, and scored 42 points in the Aussies&rsquo; final game of the Tokyo Olympics.
Mills, a 12-year veteran, spent the past 10 seasons in San Antonio and has played in a total of 90 career playoff games. Aldridge, a 15-year veteran, played in five games for Brooklyn last season before his heart condition forced him to step aside; he has appeared in 72 career playoff games. Millsap, who was with Denver the past four seasons, is a 15-year veteran with 129 career playoff games. And Johnson, who was with Dallas and New Orleans last season, is a 12-year veteran who will be playing with his 10th NBA team; he has appeared in 24 career postseason games.
The presence of all of those veterans will make it difficult for Nash to find playing time for his rookies, which include first-round picks Cam Thomas and Day&rsquo;Ron Shape and second-round picks Kessler Edwards, RaiQuan Gray and Marcus Zegarowski.
It is the type of &ldquo;abundance of riches&rdquo; problem that other coaches would love to have. For Nash, it is a matter of managing those players&rsquo; expectations. To illustrate that, Nash explained when he was a first-round pick (15th overall by the Phoenix Suns in 1996), he played only 10-and-a-half minutes per game before going on to a Hall-of-Fame career.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve added a lot to our collective IQ and experience,&rdquo; Nash said.

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Nets hopeful that veterans help championship formula with Big Three

The career arc of John Wall has made yet another turn. After being traded to the Houston Rockets last offseason for Russell Westbrook, Wall is now set to join his third team in as many seasons. According to The Athletic&rsquo;s Shams Charania, Wall and the Rockets&rsquo; front office have <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/john-wall-houston-rockets-mutually-agree-to-work-out-trade" target="_blank" rel="noopener">agreed upon him being active in training camp, but sitting out games as they try to move him</a>. It's the logical next step in a massive tear-down rebuild, which was put into motion with the James Harden blockbuster eight months ago to this day.
Wall was the salary-filler needed to move Westbrook &mdash; who was a part of another star backcourt combination that didn&rsquo;t work out alongside Harden &mdash; but the former has also has served a pivotal role to the current version of Houston&rsquo;s roster. As the veteran on a tanking team, Wall embraced his leadership role to its full extent, being a guiding voice for young prospects. Wall averaged 20.6 points, 6.9 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 1.1 steals last season in Houston.
However, following unfortunate injury luck related to a torn Achilles tendon, Wall simply doesn&rsquo;t look the same as he did in his prime years being the face of the Washington Wizards franchise. For years, Wall was the most electric point guard in the Association thanks to his quickness and explosiveness towards the basket. At 31 years old, Wall's performances have taken a dip from an average efficiency mark to an abysmal one. Wall shot a career-low 40.4%, including a 50.3% True Shooting percentage clip &mdash; the worst since his rookie campaign in 2010-11.
Wall just doesn&rsquo;t fit the timeline for the Rockets, who are ready to embrace their youth movement head-on. No. 2 overall pick Jalen Green headlines an enticing core of prospects in Houston. Alongside Green, Kevin Porter Jr. will help <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/something-to-prove-kevin-porter-jr-at-point-guard-houston-rockets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">form an entertaining backcourt</a> filled to the brim with hot creation ability. Rookies Alperen Sengun and Usman Garuba will join Jae'Sean Tate to make up a promising trio of bigs. First-year swingman Josh Christopher and Kenyon Martin Jr. also add their fun mix to the wing rotation.&nbsp;
Wall will still be around the team until a deal happens (if that ever comes to pass with the negative value associated with his remaining $91.7 million through 2022-23). Being a valuable mentor for Green and Porter will only be a positive for Houston&rsquo;s long-term outcome, and learning from a dynamic point guard like Wall certainly helps the future outlook for not only Green, but also Porter.
This could become a new trend for players on good terms with their organizations, only when it&rsquo;s apparently obvious a deal is best for both sides. Kevin Love&rsquo;s situation in Cleveland could be the next Wall-like story to surface in the NBA rumor mill soon enough.
But who would be interested in taking on Wall&rsquo;s contract? Houston would have to surrender some draft capital, being the immediate &ldquo;losers&rdquo; of the trade. When canvassing the landscape, very few fits bubble to the surface. However, there&rsquo;s a small possibility for the following three organizations.
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OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER
Any time a player with a bad contract becomes available, Oklahoma City is No. 1 on any potential destination. The Thunder are not being shy about their intentions over the next few years &mdash; stockpile as many draft picks as possible to take swings on high upside prospects to build around Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Acquiring Wall would be an interesting move for a Thunder team who just invested heavy draft capital in the backcourt (Josh Giddey, Tre Mann), but we can never rule them out in a scenario like this. If Houston offers any future draft compensation to general manager Sam Presti, he would bite.
Wall would form a fun backcourt alongside SGA while also serving in the mentor role he just exited in Houston. If Wall were to rebuild his value for a year with the Thunder, Presti would be able to potentially receive some positive value in return next offseason.
Oklahoma City Thunder receive: John Wall, future draft compensation
Houston Rockets receive: Derrick Favors, Isaiah Roby or Gabriel Deck
DALLAS MAVERICKS
Dallas has been in the market for a point guard. Whether it be Kemba Walker, Kyle Lowry or Spencer Dinwiddie, the Mavs have sniffed around adding another ball-handler who could take pressure off Luka Doncic. Wall isn&rsquo;t the perfect fit next to Dallas&rsquo; young phenom &mdash; who&rsquo;s an <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-mvp-odds-analyzing-the-top-5-candidates-in-2021-22" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MVP favorite entering his fourth season</a> &mdash; but they could make it work. Wall allows Doncic to play more off-ball, and the veteran can cut to the basket and attack off signature Luka dimes.
In order to make the salaries work, Kristaps Porzingis would be heading to Houston or another team who gets involved. Porzingis hasn&rsquo;t been the No. 2 option Dallas had hoped for when they went all-in on him a few years ago. This would certainly be one way to shake things up entirely for the Mavs. A potential starting lineup of Doncic, Wall, Tim Hardaway Jr., Maxi Kleber and Dwight Powell with Reggie Bullock as the sixth man is a fun thought.
Dallas Mavericks receive: John Wall, Usman Garuba or Alperen Sengun, future draft compensation
Houston Rockets receive: Kristaps Porzingis, Moses Brown, Willie Cauley-Stein
SAN ANTONIO SPURS
This is where it gets super wacky in terms of hypothetical Wall trades. Currently, Wall&rsquo;s fit with the Spurs makes no sense. However, what about a convoluted four-team trade featuring the Philadelphia 76ers and Phoenix Suns as well?
Here&rsquo;s the entire framework of a crazy four-teamer I spitballed in my head:
Houston Rockets receive: Ben Simmons, Isaiah Joe, Daquan Jeffries
Philadelphia 76ers receive: Dejounte Murray, Lonnie Walker IV, Jakob Poetl, Al-Farouq Aminu, multiple future first-round picks
Phoenix Suns receive: Thaddeus Young, Drew Eubanks
San Antonio Spurs receive: John Wall, Dario Saric, Jalen Smith, Paul Reed
That&rsquo;s the only way I could ever fathom Wall entering San Antonio&rsquo;s odd attempt of trying to thread the needle with competing and tanking simultaneously. With a young combination of guards spearheading their core, the Spurs are on pace to be a top-five team in lottery odds at the end of next season. Also, Simmons landing in Houston to lead its young core is a somewhat unrealistic, insane thought to have as well.
As you can see, there will likely not be many takers on Wall. It will be very interesting to see how this all unfolds for Wall and the Rockets.
Are we looking at an imminent deal for Wall, or one that lasts all the way until the NBA trade deadline in February?

When canvassing the NBA landscape, does any team make sense for John Wall? Evan Sidery looks at possible landing spots.

Raquan