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Every year, there&rsquo;s a huge debate surrounding the NBA&rsquo;s Most Valuable Player race. There&rsquo;s no clear-cut criteria for MVP, which begs the question:&nbsp;
How do you define Most Valuable Player?
We asked our BasketballNews.com staff to share their thoughts.
Ethan Fuller: The MVP award should recognize the best regular-season performance. That means the best statistical season, with some extra weight put on winning -- not necessarily the best player on the best team. The MVP award doesn't have to go to the best player in basketball. If that were the case, LeBron James would have swept the decade -- and that's not really an award to savor. If a player is putting up monster numbers on a playoff team that clearly needs them, they're an MVP candidate.
Nekias Duncan: For me, MVP is the most impactful player on the floor for a great team. There is a statistical baseline that should also be reached &mdash; this is what knocks a guy like, say, Rudy Gobert down a peg or two for me &mdash; but it&rsquo;s a blend of impact, traditional stats, and wins.
Moke Hamilton: Ahhh, the age-old debate about the MVP award. I think, over the years, it&rsquo;s changed. When Steve Nash won his two MVP awards, that&rsquo;s around the time that we began hearing people use &ldquo;team success&rdquo; as the major barometer for value. Personally, I&rsquo;d define the MVP as a two-way matrix that measures an individual&rsquo;s productivity with the success of their team. In other words, the more incredible the player&rsquo;s statistical production is, the less I&rsquo;d be concerned about their team's success. I&rsquo;d have no problem voting for Bradley Beal if he averaged 42 points per game, so long as the Wizards made the playoffs. On the other hand, I&rsquo;d be hard-pressed to not vote for Chris Paul if he led the Suns to, say, 68 wins and the West&rsquo;s top record -- even if his statistical contributions weren&rsquo;t &ldquo;incredible.&rdquo; (For what it&rsquo;s worth, if I had a vote this year, my top three would be Nikola Jokic, Chris Paul and Joel Embiid, and I think I&rsquo;d be inclined to give it to Paul, though I wouldn&rsquo;t make my final decision until the regular season ends). Again, for me, it&rsquo;s an equation that takes both the team&rsquo;s success and the player&rsquo;s statistical contributions into account.
Alex Kennedy: The NBA will never provide a clear definition for MVP because they love the fact that we spend so much time debating who deserves the award every year. Since everyone is grading from their own rubric, there are typically a handful of candidates that have a compelling case for the award each season. For me, I define MVP as a combination of individual production, team success, and availability.&nbsp;
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Chris Sheridan: I have always made "value" the operative word when voting for NBA postseason awards. "Value" is quantified in different ways in different years, but the default is something along the lines of: The player whose team was much, much better than everyone expected, and he was the main reason why.
Spencer Davies: Defining MVP should be simple: what does the team look like when that player is not on the floor? Forget the statistics and the record; if you&rsquo;re an MVP talent, those two things should come along with it. The key word here is &ldquo;valuable,&rdquo; meaning the player that has the most value to his particular team. Think of it like this -- if you took away that individual&rsquo;s contributions and production, would the squad be in the same position? Another note I&rsquo;d like to make on the MVP debates: it should not matter who the player&rsquo;s teammates are, whether they are stars or not. It is wrong to disqualify a player who&rsquo;s on a super-team if they&rsquo;re performing at the highest level. (No, I&rsquo;m not suggesting James Harden should win the award. But should he be considered? Sure.)
Jonathan Concool: In today&rsquo;s NBA, I think numbers play a big role in determining the league&rsquo;s MVP. If you look at recent MVPs, each had absurd per-game averages, so I think statistics have a lot of say in today&rsquo;s MVP races. The Thunder were the West's sixth seed in 2016-17, but Russell Westbrook still won MVP because of his stats (31.6 PPG, 10.7 RPG, 10.4 APG). I think MVP used to be awarded to the most impactful player in the league, like when Steve Nash beat out Kobe Bryant for the 2006 MVP award. Bryant clearly had better numbers, but it was hard to overlook Nash&rsquo;s impact that year. To me, the team&rsquo;s record, the number of games played, and the individual performance all factor into the MVP decision.
Mark Gunnels: For me, a MVP is someone who elevates his team past expectations. For example, a guy like Chris Paul should get more MVP consideration because the Suns are top-two in the West when most people had them barely making the playoffs before the season
This article was originally published on April 24, 2021. Check out our other roundtables including:
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/which-active-nba-player-head-coach-someday-retire-roundtable" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Which active NBA player would make a great coach someday?</a>
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-biggest-draft-steal-of-last-10-years-roundtable" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Who's the biggest draft steal of the last 10 years?</a>

Every year, there’s a debate surrounding the NBA’s MVP race. Since there’s no clear-cut criteria, how do you define Most Valuable Player?

NBA Roundtable: How do you define Most Valuable Player?

Since Halloween is just two-and-a-half weeks away, BasketballNews compiled a list of the best costumes worn by NBA players.

Which NBA players have rocked the best Halloween costumes?

It's been nearly one month since the NBA's free-agency period got underway, and most of the notable players have already been signed. However, there are still a handful of available players.
Here's a look at the remaining free agents:&nbsp;
COLLIN SEXTON, RESTRICTED FREE AGENT
Collin Sexton injured his left knee last November, and an MRI revealed a torn meniscus that required season-ending surgery. The market has dried up for Sexton, and his best bet may be re-signing with the Cleveland Cavaliers on the qualifying offer (worth $7.2 million) and then hitting unrestricted free agency next summer. During the 2020-21 season, Sexton averaged 24.3 points and 4.4 assists while shooting 47.5% from the floor, 37.5% from downtown and 81.5% from the free-throw line. However, he struggled defensively, and the Cavs registered a league-worst 60-159 record over the first three years of his career. With Sexton out of action last season, Darius Garland emerged as an All-Star and the 44-38 Cavs made the Play-In Tournament.
MILES BRIDGES, RESTRICTED FREE AGENT
Miles Bridges is coming off a breakout season, averaging a career-high 20.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.9 threes and 0.9 steals. It seemed like the forward was due for a massive pay raise and Charlotte Hornets general manager Mitch Kupchak even said that the team was going to re-sign him. However, that was before Bridges was arrested for domestic violence on the eve of free agency. Bridges' wife, Mychelle Johnson, <a href="https://twitter.com/TheNBACentral/status/1542723880619581440/photo/4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recently spoke out</a> about Bridges' alleged abuse and documented her serious injuries. Not only has this situation understandably scared teams away, it's also very possible that the NBA will suspend Bridges.
MONTREZL HARRELL, UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT
Montrezl Harrell just delivered another productive and efficient season as a reserve, averaging 13.1 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 23.1 minutes, while shooting 64.5% from the field. Harrell started the season with the Washington Wizards and then got traded to the Charlotte Hornets prior to the deadline. However, it's worth noting that the 28-year-old is facing felony drug charges after officers claimed to find three pounds of marijuana in his car during a traffic stop back in May. That's likely why the former Sixth Man of the Year is still available.
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DENNIS SCHRODER, UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT
Last offseason, Dennis Schroder signed with the Boston Celtics at a significant discount. After struggling during the first half of the season, he was traded to the Houston Rockets in exchange for Daniel Theis. He finished last season averaging 13.5 points, 4.6 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 1.3 threes per game, while shooting 43.1% from the field, 34.4% from three-point range and 85.3% from the free-throw line.
HASSAN WHITESIDE, UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT
Hassan Whiteside is a solid backup center who protects the rim. Last season, while backing up Rudy Gobert on the Utah Jazz, he averaged 8.2 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.6 blocks in 17.9 minutes per game. In eight starts, the 33-year-old averaged 11.5 points, 11.3 rebounds and 1.9 blocks while shooting 63.5% from the field.
CARMELO ANTHONY, UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT
Last season, 37-year-old put up 13.3 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.2 threes, 0.8 blocks and 0.7 steals in 26.0 minutes per game with the Los Angeles Lakers. In recent years, he has shot the ball much better from three-point range, knocking down 37.5% of his three-point attempts last year and 40.9% from deep the year before. Anthony has been working out with his son, Kiyan, at Impact Basketball in Las Vegas as he prepares for next season.
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Carmelo Anthony (<a href="https://twitter.com/carmeloanthony?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@carmeloanthony</a>) working out at <a href="https://twitter.com/impactbball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@impactbball</a> in Las Vegas: <a href="https://t.co/Rnz8Bam7EO">pic.twitter.com/Rnz8Bam7EO</a>
&mdash; Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlexKennedyNBA/status/1547693404414365702?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2022</a></blockquote>

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DEMARCUS COUSINS, UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT
Cousins became a key contributor after joining the Denver Nuggets in February, averaging 8.9 points and 5.5 rebounds in 13.9 minutes per contest. He looked great at times during the playoffs too, scoring an efficient 19 points in 15 minutes during Game 5 against the Golden State Warriors. The 31-year-old can still help a team.
&ldquo;I belong in this league,&rdquo; Cousins said after Denver was eliminated. &ldquo;I was given the opportunity; I'm thankful for Mike Malone. I spoke with him before. A lot of doors closed for me. Mike looked out, gave me an opportunity. I just tried to take the best advantage of it as I could. That's what I did.&rdquo;
JEREMY LAMB, UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT
Last season, the Indiana Pacers traded Lamb to the Sacramento Kings as part of the Domantas Sabonis deal. In 56 games, Lamb averaged 7.3 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.0 three in 16.7 minutes a night. The 30-year-old struggled with his shot, knocking down just 38.3% of his attempts from the field and 32.4% of his threes (after shooting 45.1% from the field and 40.6% from three the previous year).&nbsp;
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TRISTAN THOMPSON, UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT
Last season, Thompson suited up for the Sacramento Kings, Indiana Pacers and Chicago Bulls, averaging 6.0 points and 5.1 rebounds in 15.7 minutes per game. At this stage of his career, the 31-year-old is a solid backup big man who can provide frontcourt depth.
ANDRE IGUODALA, UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT
Last season, Iguodala rejoined the Golden State Warriors, averaging 4.0 points, 3.7 assists, 3.2 rebounds, 0.9 steals and 0.7 blocks in 19.5 minutes across 31 games. At this stage of his career, the 38-year-old is mainly a veteran leader and strong locker-room presence, but he can still produce in limited reserve minutes. Don't be surprised if he re-signs with Golden State.
HONORABLE MENTION: LaMarcus Aldridge (UFA), Wayne Ellington (UFA), Blake Griffin (UFA), Markieff Morris (UFA), Isaiah Thomas (UFA), DJ Augustin (UFA), Sharife Cooper (UFA), Dwight Howard (UFA), Rajon Rondo (UFA), Jordan Nwora (RFA), Lou Williams (UFA), Eric Bledsoe (UFA), Juan Hernangomez (UFA), Josh Jackson (UFA), Duane Washington Jr. (UFA), Paul Millsap (UFA), Eric Paschall (UFA), Moses Brown (UFA), Jarrett Culver (UFA), Rodney Hood (UFA), Avery Bradley (UFA), Kent Bazemore (UFA), Michael Carter-Williams (UFA), Brandon Goodwin (UFA), Tony Snell (UFA), Ben McLemore (UFA), Langston Galloway (UFA), Elfrid Payton (UFA)

Nearly one month into the NBA's free-agency period, which players are still available?

2022 NBA Free Agency: Which players are still available?

JD Davison had 28 points and 10 assists, Juhann Begarin added 19 points and the Boston Celtics beat the Memphis Grizzlies 108-91 on Thursday for their third straight victory in the NBA Summer League.
Davison, the 53rd pick in the draft, made 5 of 6 field goals in the first half and scored 19 points to help Boston (3-1) take a 51-39 lead. Davison finished 9 of 14 overall, including 4 of 6 from 3-point range.
Justin Jackson added 16 points, Brodric Thomas had 13, and Trevion Williams finished with 11 points and 11 rebounds.
Ziaire Williams scored 21 points for Memphis (2-2). David Roddy and Kenny Lofton Jr. each had 16 points. The Grizzlies were just 3 of 20 from distance.
HAWKS 87, SPURS 86
Tyson Etienne scored 18 of his 21 points in the second half, including a <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1547700565617938437">go-ahead layup with 14.3 seconds left</a>, and Atlanta handed San Antonio its fourth straight loss.
Atlanta (2-2) scored 14 straight points to make it 85-81 with two minutes remaining.
Sharife Cooper added 15 points and Tyrese Martin scored 13 for Atlanta.
Blake Wesley scored 20 points for San Antonio (0-4).
CAVALIERS 82, PISTONS 79
Cameron Young scored 15 points, RJ Nembhard Jr. added 14 and Cleveland beat Detroit.
Stanley Umude made a layup with 58 seconds left to give Detroit its first lead, 77-76, since 7-5. Ochai Agbaji made two free throws at the other end as Cleveland retook the lead with 45.3 left. The Cavaliers made 6 of 6 free throws in the final minute and Young blocked a 3-point attempt in the final seconds.
Agbaji had 12 points and seven rebounds for Cleveland (2-2).
Jules Bernard scored 14 points for Detroit (2-2).
The Pistons missed their first 12 3-pointers until Braxton Key beat the halftime buzzer to cut Cleveland's lead to 45-26. The Pistons had 13 turnovers and just 10 field goals in the first half.
BULLS 89, HORNETS 73
Dalen Terry scored 20 points, Marko Simonovic had 17 points, 13 rebounds and four assists and Chicago eased past Charlotte.
Malcolm Hill and Makur Maker each scored 11 points for Chicago (3-1).
Bryce McGowens led Charlotte (2-2) with 15 points. Jalen Crutcher and JT Thor had 10 points apiece.
KNICKS 102, MAGIC 89
Miles McBride had 23 points and five assists, Quentin Grimes scored 22 with six rebounds and New York breezed past Orlando.
Jericho Sims, the only pick the Knicks (3-1) haven't traded away in the last two drafts, added 12 points and 10 rebounds. New York, which will have three protected first-round picks in next year's draft, chose Sims with the 58th selection (out of 60) in the 2021 draft.
Tommy Kuhse had 25 points and five steals to pace the Magic (2-2). Justin James scored 16 and Zavier Simpson added 10 points and nine assists.
Paolo Banchero, the top pick in this year's draft, was among eight Orlando players who did not play.
BUCKS 100, MAVERICKS 89
Lindell Wigginton scored 25 points, Sandro Mamukelashvili added 19 and Milwaukee eased past Dallas.
Milwaukee (3-1) first-rounder MarJon Beauchamp &mdash; 24th overall and the Bucks' only pick &mdash; finished with 11 points, four rebounds and four assists.
Moses Wright led Dallas (0-4) with 26 points and 11 rebounds. Jerrick Harding added 16 points and five assists.
TRAIL BLAZERS 85, ROCKETS 77
Keon Johnson hit four 3-pointers and scored 25 to lead Portland over Houston.
Second-round pick Jabari Walker had nine points and nine rebounds for Blazers (3-1).
No. 3 overall pick Jabari Smith Jr. had 19 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Rockets. Tari Eason &mdash; the 17th pick &mdash; added 17 points and seven boards. Daishen Nix scored 15.
NETS 102, TIMBERWOLVES 83
Cam Thomas scored 26 points, Day'Ron Sharpe added 20 points and 10 rebounds and Brooklyn rolled to a win over Minnesota.
Thomas made four 3-pointers for the Nets (2-2). Sharpe sank 8 of 10 shots and grabbed four offensive boards. David Duke Jr. totaled 16 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Kessler Edwards scored 15 with nine rebounds.
Wendell Moore Jr. led the Timberwolves (1-3) with 16 points. Josh Minott had 14 points and 12 rebounds. Kevon Harris and Terrell Brown Jr. each scored 10.

JD Davison had 28 points and 10 assists in Boston's third straight win in Summer League.

JD Davison leads Celtics past Grizzlies in Summer League play

Those who follow NBA Summer League embrace it for two reasons. Number one, it's a chance to revel in the next generation of basketball talent and establish a baseline for players as they develop. Secondly, it's just a wacky event.
We got sudden-death double overtime in Saturday's matchup between the Sacramento Kings and Orlando Magic, complete with a timeout call to run a set, an extended replay review and a chaotic final basket. The Thomas &amp; Mack Center turned into a playoff environment for a result roughly 2% of the attendees will remember a year from now.&nbsp;
But hey, le's enjoy the weird! Here are some of my standout picks from Day 3 action, including three players from the aformentioned Magic-Kings battle.
STUDS
Isaiah Joe, Philadelphia 76ers
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Isaiah Joe just went on a 9-0 run by himself. 🔥 (🎥: <a href="https://twitter.com/sixers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@sixers</a>)<a href="https://t.co/e9UZJ8PAh4">pic.twitter.com/e9UZJ8PAh4</a>
&mdash; theScore (@theScore) <a href="https://twitter.com/theScore/status/1545874009996288000?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 9, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Box score stats: 24 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, 8/14 FG, 7/9 3PT
Joe unleashed an electric shot-making performance. He was constantly moving with and without the ball, flying around screens for three-pointers and slashing to the bucket as a cutter. But Joe also dazzled as a lead playmaker. He took Ron Harper Jr. off the dribble on one play and stopped on a dime for a pull-up from the left elbow.
We knew Joe was a scorer though. He further wowed me with how he defended, even forcing a jump ball when Toronto Raptors rookie center Christian Koloko tried to back him down on the low block. Joe entered the league at 165 pounds, and there's absolutely no way he's close to that now. The 2020 second-round pick looks and plays stronger than he did two years ago, and that might help him crack the 76ers' rotation.
Dalano Banton, Toronto Raptors
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Delano Banton beats the buzzer from 3 🎯 Watch Live on <a href="https://twitter.com/NBATV?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NBATV</a> <a href="https://t.co/q77xfegBFc">pic.twitter.com/q77xfegBFc</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1545875403176296450?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 9, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Box score stats: 21 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 6/11 FG, 2/3 3PT, 7/9 FT
Armoni Brooks led the Raptors in scoring and surged late in the game, but Banton impressed me most Saturday. Banton scored 14 points in the third quarter alone, as Toronto pulled away in a great game against the 76ers. The 6-foot-9 point guard had a couple of impressive takes to the basket and appeared more comfortable shooting beyond the arc after making just 25.5% of his threes in the regular season.
Banton also impressed me with his passing, and consistently applied pressure as the lead guard. On one possession, he drove into the paint, stopped, pivoted and hit Koloko on a wraparound bounce pass for an easy layup. He did have 7 turnovers, but Banton committed a few just because he was a bit too ambitious with his reads, which doesn't have to be a bad thing at Summer League.
Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic
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My favorite play from Paolo Banchero today. Cross court laser beam right on target <a href="https://t.co/cUkYpWUtX0">pic.twitter.com/cUkYpWUtX0</a>
&mdash; Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/KevinOConnorNBA/status/1545901796719075328?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 9, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Box score stats: 23 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 steals, 2 blocks, 6/15 FG
The No. 1 overall pick continues to turn heads. Banchero's passes, including the above video, were off the charts against the Kings. He kicked the ball out to the corners, made weak-side reads and threw a no-look dime to a backdoor-cutting Devin Cannady.&nbsp;
Banchero was also notably active defensively for a player with question-marks on that end during the pre-draft process. He picked up two monster help-defense blocks, one of which saved Orlando from a Kings dunk to end sudden-death overtime. It feels like Banchero gives Magic fans an element to get excited about every game.
Neemias Queta, Sacramento Kings
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Neemias Queta quick rotation to provide help and blocks the shot! <a href="https://t.co/LbP6NFWPR1">pic.twitter.com/LbP6NFWPR1</a>
&mdash; Aram Cannuscio (@AC__Hoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/AC__Hoops/status/1545865098476109831?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 9, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Box score stats: 23 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 8/12 FG, 1/1 3PT
The No. 39 pick from the 2021 NBA Draft made his case for a full contract after playing on a two-way deal as a rookie. At 7 feet tall and 245 pounds, Queta feasted against the smaller Magic frontcourt. He found success as a roll man and lob threat, and threw in a couple of putbacks. Queta attempted two threes all last season across the NBA and G League, so I understand the surprise when he canned a huge shot as part of Sacramento's miraculous comeback.&nbsp;
Keegan Murray, Sacramento Kings
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Mark Jones calling a Keegan Murray game-tying 3 like it&rsquo;s Game 7 of the finals: <a href="https://t.co/SajPPrL4OO">pic.twitter.com/SajPPrL4OO</a>
&mdash; Eli Hershkovich (@EliHershkovich) <a href="https://twitter.com/EliHershkovich/status/1545894844756856837?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 9, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Box score stats: 20 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 5/11 FG, 4/8 3PT
Murray is&nbsp;here as a shooter. His perimeter game looks so effortless, and he hit shots from a standstill and off movement over the contests of players like Banchero. Murray can square up to the basket so easily as he turns into a jump shot, and everything about his release is clean and consistent.
His other make came when he attacked a closeout and hit a pull-up from the free-throw line. I'd like to see if Murray can get to the rim more, but the Kings have used him mostly as a movement weapon, so he hasn't received many on-ball opportunities. Hopefully he gets some more reps as Summer League continues. Murray also had a pretty tough individual matchup against a bigger, stronger Banchero.
Tari Eason, Houston Rockets
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From defense to offense, Jabari rips the ball from Chet which leads to a Tari Eason dunk 😮&zwj;💨 [F] <a href="https://t.co/xZo05Fnpsp">pic.twitter.com/xZo05Fnpsp</a>
&mdash; Courtside Fracas (@courtsidefracas) <a href="https://twitter.com/courtsidefracas/status/1545951348012769280?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 10, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Box score stats: 14 points, 11 rebounds, 2 steals, 5/10 FG, 1/3 3PT
You could pick several Rockets players to highlight, including Josh Christopher and Daishen Nix. I want to spotlight Eason because he's been relentless on the glass, with double-digit boards in his last two games. The two steals and one block also understate how special of a defender he has been so far, both on the ball and in help.&nbsp;
On offense, we saw Eason thrive as a cutter and roller. He also knocked down a three-pointer, which is a major swing skill for his overall offensive impact. If Eason can hit threes at a manageable clip, he'll become an even more dangerous off-ball weapon.
Other notable performers: Armoni Brooks (Raptors), Jeff Dowtin Jr. (Raptors), Trendon Watford (Trail Blazers), Mychal Mulder (Heat), Marcus Garrett (Heat), Kenny Lofton Jr. (Grizzlies), Josh Christopher (Rockets), Daishen Nix (Rockets), Brandon Boston Jr. (Clippers), Isaiah Livers (Pistons), Jared Butler (Jazz), Jordan Schakel (Wizards), Trey Murphy III (Hornets)
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DUDS
Sam Hauser, Boston Celtics
Box score stats: 7 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 2/12 FG, 1/9 3PT
Hauser signed a three-year deal with the Celtics after joining them on a two-way contract as an undrafted free agent last season. This wasn't an inspiring first effort under his new contract, as the second-year forward struggled against a Miami Heat defense that was prepared for his usage. Hauser couldn't consistently generate separation, and battled several strong contests.
I would chalk this up to successful Miami stoppage more than Hauser's own failures, but it's worth monitoring the looks he receives (and how he shoots them) moving forward.
Sharife Cooper, Atlanta Hawks
Box score stats: 3 points, 2 assists, 1/6 FG, 0/4 3PT
Cooper was a game-time decision for Saturday's contest and only played 18 minutes, so it's possible he was dealing with rust from an ailment. The 2021 second-round pick missed all of his three-point attempts. He showed improvement with a 35.9% clip in the G League last season, but Cooper isn't out of the woods on that shot being a valid concern.&nbsp;
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The point guard was also a non-threat at the rim, missing one shot badly and barely getting into the paint against a tough Utah Jazz defense. If there's an positive takeaway, Cooper put together some stronger defensive moments himself. But it was an underwhelming day for a young player with a real shot at claiming backup guard minutes this season.
Johnny Davis, Washington Wizards
Box score stats: 6 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals, 1/11 FG, 0/2 3PT
The No. 10 overall pick made his first shot, a tough fadeaway jumper through contact, and proceeded to miss his next 10. Most of them were just difficult, low-quality looks. Davis wasn't really a threat to pass, and settled for tough fadeaway jumpers, contested pull-ups and far-fetched rim attempts. I admired the physicality, but he just couldn't create anything easy for himself against a Detroit Pistons defense that guarded him tightly.&nbsp;
Santi Aldama, Memphis Grizzlies
Box score stats: 4 points, 8 rebounds, 2/7 FG, 0/2 3PT
Memphis summer head coach David McClure had this to say about Aldama's performance on Saturday:
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David McClure on Santi Aldama: &ldquo;I think he&rsquo;s in his head a little bit right now. He&rsquo;s at his best when he&rsquo;s just playing basketball. Maybe he&rsquo;s putting too much pressure on doing one thing or another. When he lets the game come to himself, that&rsquo;s when he&rsquo;s at his best.&rdquo;
&mdash; Damichael Cole (@DamichaelC) <a href="https://twitter.com/DamichaelC/status/1545983746158891008?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 10, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Aldama just looks like he's trying to fit too many roles on offense. His perimeter jumper was kind of a mess against the Los Angeles Clippers. Aldama seems best right now when he can cut and work as a connective passer instead of spacing the floor or running actions. It's just very difficult to envision what that role looks like with him, or how he can get those kinds of extended opportunities with Memphis. I'm still a believer in Aldama, but it's been a rocky road for one of the 2021 draft's most polarizing picks.&nbsp;

Isaiah Joe and Paolo Banchero highlighted the third day of NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.

10 studs and duds from Day 3 of NBA Summer League in Las Vegas

With NBA training camps open for business, teams are getting back in the swing of things. Since Sunday afternoon, the preseason has been in full swing, meaning the 2021-22 campaign is right around the corner.
Building a team is not an easy task without a dash of draft luck and a pinch of good chemistry. Once you find the combination that sticks, there's no telling how high your squad's ceiling can get. While we've seen a handful of organizations struggle with their inexperience year-after-year, we've also seen others soar and show that they'll be around for quite some time.
In our latest Roundtable, we asked our BasketballNews.com writers the following question:
Which NBA team has the best young core?
Alex Kennedy: This is tough. The New Orleans Pelicans&rsquo; young core has the most upside, with two potential superstars in Zion Williamson (21) and Brandon Ingram (24), plus talented prospects like Nickeil Alexander-Walker (23), Trey Murphy III (21), Kira Lewis Jr. (20) and Jaxson Hayes (21) among others. However, if we&rsquo;re talking about the &ldquo;best young core,&rdquo; I have to go with the Atlanta Hawks after what they showed during their Eastern Conference Finals run. Trae Young (23), John Collins (24), De'Andre Hunter (23), Kevin Huerter (23), Cam Reddish (22) and Onyeka Okongwu (20) is a very talented young nucleus that&rsquo;s already succeeding in the postseason. In a few years, this team could be a juggernaut.
Nekias Duncan: Trae Young, John Collins, De&rsquo;Andre Hunter, Onyeka Okongwu, Cam Reddish, Kevin Huerter and Jalen Johnson are all 24 or younger. All but Johnson were contributors on a team that made the conference finals last season. I don&rsquo;t think I need to say much else.
Spencer Davies: There are a number of teams that intrigue me around the NBA as far as a youth movement is concerned. If we're talking about a young core that contends for a championship &mdash; let's call 26-and-under the cutoff &mdash; I like the Denver Nuggets a lot. Nikola Jokic has already won the league MVP and continues to only get better. Jamal Murray, when healthy, is as electrifying as any guard in the NBA. Michael Porter Jr. just earned himself a maximum rookie contract extension due to his outstanding scoring capabilities and potential to expand his game. Aaron Gordon's athleticism and defensive abilities make him the ideal complement to all three. That's a fantastic four to build around for a number of years to come, and ultimately, compete for a title in the process. Throw Monte Morris and P.J. Dozier in there with rookie Bones Hyland and mystery-box Bol Bol, and that's just about the perfect mixture of youth and experience.
Ethan Fuller: It's the Oklahoma City Thunder for me by a significant margin. Oklahoma City has the youngest roster in the NBA per RealGM, and those players are a mix of high-upside swings and crystal-clear NBA fits. The team has guys like Lu Dort, Tre Mann, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, Darius Bazley and Theo Maledon, who are safe bets to be solid rotation players or elite specialists. Then, they have the potential game-changers like 7-foot wing Aleksej Pokusevksi and 2021 No. 6 pick Josh Giddey. Of course, OKC already has a rising star as well in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. There's just so much to like across the board.
Drew Maresca: Easily the Hawks. Atlanta advanced to Game 6 in the East Finals last season, way before anyone expected them to be competitive. And they did so without two key youngsters (Cam Reddish and Onyeka Okongwu). They&rsquo;ll only go as far as Trae Young takes them, but Young proved that putting him in any kind of a box is a fool&rsquo;s errand. The Hawks are going to struggle with expectations in 2021-22, but that doesn&rsquo;t change the fact that they&rsquo;ve arrived way ahead of schedule, and they&rsquo;ve done so with three starters who are 23 or younger.
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&mdash; Overtime (@overtime) <a href="https://twitter.com/overtime/status/1445547212516192259?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 6, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Moke Hamilton: If I had to choose one, I&rsquo;d probably say Memphis. For a 22-year-old, Ja Morant is damn good, and the Grizzlies seem to be further along in their development than other contenders for this label such as New Orleans. Ditto for Minnesota. Now that I think about it... Who else is even a credible contender for this title?
Jesse Blancarte: The Phoenix Suns. Devin Booker rose to a new level last season and led his talented team to the NBA Finals. With Deandre Ayton, Mikal Bridges, Cameron Johnson, Landry Shamet and other young, talented players on the roster, the Suns are well-positioned to compete at the highest levels &mdash; this season and beyond.
Jackson Frank: Young core is such an ambiguous term to define because everyone cuts off the &ldquo;young&rdquo; moniker at different thresholds. But I&rsquo;ll make 25 the high-end here and go with the Atlanta Hawks. Trae Young is a superstar. John Collins is a marvelous pick-and-roll/pop big, and tenable defender. When healthy last season, De&rsquo;Andre Hunter looked the part of a mighty fine two-way wing. Kevin Huerter took a leap last season as a 2-point scorer and defender. Onyeka Okongwu dazzled at times in the playoffs with his defense and finishing. Cam Reddish continues to hint at enticing on-ball defense and pull-up shooting; consistency and health are the vital pillars. Jalen Johnson and Sharife Cooper probably won&rsquo;t play much next season, but you saw their allure at NBA Summer League. Skylar Mays is even a useful combo guard. I hope I didn&rsquo;t miss any member of the Hawks&rsquo; young core, which is both deep and very good. There's a bright present and future for this team.
Alexander Cohen: Best young core is always a tricky question unless it&rsquo;s quantified. Based on sheer young talent, it&rsquo;s the Dallas Mavericks alone for simply having Luka Doncic. But if we&rsquo;re focusing on true young core of players that have a chance to grow together, I&rsquo;ll take the San Antonio Spurs for Devin Vassell, Dejounte Murray, Lonnie Walker IV, Keldon Johnson and even Tre Jones. There&rsquo;s not one player there that I would anticipate becoming an All-Star, but I&rsquo;d be shocked if any didn&rsquo;t turn into at least high-level role players.

Which NBA team has the best young core? BasketballNews.com's writers shared their thoughts.

NBA Roundtable: Which team has the best young core?

With NBA training camps open for business, teams are getting back in the swing of things. Sunday will mark the first preseason game of the 2021-22 campaign between the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Lakers (3:30 p.m. ET), meaning the regular season is right around the corner.
There are many players in the league whose talents go beyond the court. That's quite important, as nobody can play the game forever. A popular route we see these players go following their respective careers is transitioning into the media. Who better to analyze the game than people with firsthand experience playing it?
In our latest Roundtable, we asked our BasketballNews.com writers the following question:
Which active NBA player will make the best broadcaster someday?
Alex Kennedy: The first players who popped into my head were Draymond Green and CJ McCollum since they already have broadcasting and podcasting experience. They are terrific analysts and capable interviewers who are already comfortable on camera. However, rather than going with the obvious choices, I&rsquo;ll name someone who could become a media star in the near future: Isaiah Thomas. For years, Thomas has been a quote machine and one of my favorite players to interview. He is charismatic and brutally honest, and his quotes always feature amazing anecdotes and tremendous insight. He has an incredible story, he&rsquo;s a fan favorite and he&rsquo;ll provide a unique perspective on broadcasts since he&rsquo;s seen just about everything that this league can throw at a player. No other player in NBA history has gone from fighting for a roster spot as Mr. Irrelevant to becoming an All-NBA selection who finishes top-five in MVP voting. As Thomas told me last year: &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t think anybody has been through the things that I&rsquo;ve gone through in this league.&rdquo; Once IT decides to retire, he&rsquo;ll make an outstanding broadcaster or podcaster, if that&rsquo;s what he decides to pursue.
Nekias Duncan: I&rsquo;m down for more Draymond Green on the mic. He&rsquo;s funny, has a limited filter, and can break down Xs &amp; Os concepts in a way that more casual viewers can understand easily.
Spencer Davies: There's quite a few that come to mind. We know everybody's going to name Draymond Green because of his in-depth work on TNT over the past few years &mdash; and he's very good at it &mdash; but let's go with CJ McCollum. He was a journalism major in college at Lehigh and he already has a successful podcast where he's gotten plenty of reps. McCollum just seems to have the timing and cues down pat, and you saw his true skills in action as an interviewer when he <a href="https://youtu.be/VN_o2CwnGCA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sat down with Commissioner Adam Silver for The Players' Tribune</a> a few years ago. Dissecting film and going in-depth is one thing for an analyst, but delivery is a whole 'nother ballgame &mdash; McCollum can give you both.
Ethan Fuller: Draymond Green is already fast-tracked toward a role, so I would like to toss in Boston Celtics forward Grant Williams. Williams exudes positive energy and would be a fun and insightful addition as a color commentator. I think he would do a fantastic job at breaking down the game while also staying spirited throughout. Who knows if Williams has aspirations to broadcast post-career, but I'd at least endorse him if he gave it a shot.
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Drew Maresca: Draymond Green. He&rsquo;s already shown an unusual ability to articulate his perspective on the game, and he&rsquo;s also demonstrated a good on-air personality. Green can seamlessly transition from player to analyst &mdash; if he wants to. But Green will probably weigh all of his options, and his time might end up being too valuable to devote to an on-site studio show.
Jackson Frank: Given his experience with NBA on TNT, Draymond Green is a choice I suspect to see as a recurring answer. I&rsquo;ll deviate away from that selection and say Blake Griffin, who&rsquo;s always struck me as charismatic and witty. I&rsquo;d enjoy listening to that on broadcasts, and feel as though his varying roles &mdash; from high-flying superstar to uber-skilled, ground-bound superstar to rotation player on a title contender &mdash; could introduce a perspective not every NBAer-turned-mainstream analyst brings, and allow him to offer insights on a host of different players.
Moke Hamilton: Draymond Green, and we don&rsquo;t even have to go with the &ldquo;someday&rdquo; part of the question. Draymond knows the game, has some great opinions and isn&rsquo;t afraid to share them. I think that makes for a good combination. Whenever I see him on TNT, I watch, because I genuinely am interested in what he has to say. There aren&rsquo;t many other players in the NBA I feel that way about, so there isn&rsquo;t anyone else I&rsquo;d consider for this answer.
Jesse Blancarte: Chris Paul, assuming he chooses to be a broadcaster someday. Paul is smart, articulate and knows the game better than arguably anyone else currently playing in the NBA. If he becomes a broadcaster and focuses on breaking down game action (think of Tony Romo with the NFL), he could become an instant favorite.
Chris Sheridan: Draymond Green has already shown himself to be quite capable, but I will toss in a vote for James Harden. He is a lot more loquacious than people might realize, and he is a future Hall-of-Famer who would bring a unique perspective because of his ability to dominate the ball while also thriving off the ball depending on who he is paired with. But Harden needs a championship to have something to brag about during studio time.
Alexander Cohen: I&rsquo;ll go with Robin Lopez, though he&rsquo;ll serve as more of a comedic, good vibes, Bill Walton role rather than breaking down X's and O's or any part of the game he&rsquo;s watching.

Which active NBA player will make the best broadcaster someday? BasketballNews.com's writers shared their thoughts.

Roundtable: Which active NBA player will make the best broadcaster?

With NBA training camps open for business, teams are getting back in the swing of things. We are just one day away from the first preseason game between the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Lakers (Sunday at 3:30 p.m. ET), meaning the 2021-22 campaign is right around the corner.
Currently, there are 30 teams preparing to tip-off their respective seasons, but what if the NBA shook the league up a little by adding a pair of new franchises?
In our latest Roundtable, we asked our BasketballNews.com writers the following question:
Should the NBA add two expansion teams? If so, where? 
Alex Kennedy: In December, Adam Silver <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/adam-silver-opens-door-again-for-possibility-of-nba-expansion-its-a-decision-well-continue-to-study/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">admitted</a> that the pandemic &ldquo;caused [the NBA] to maybe dust off some of the analyses on the economic and competitive impacts of expansion,&rdquo; adding that the league office is &ldquo;spending a little bit more time on it than we were pre-pandemic." This makes sense since the pandemic cost the NBA a lot of money. There was a report that the NBA would charge a $2.5 billion fee to any expansion team, but Silver actually said that this number seems &ldquo;very low.&rdquo; Adding two expansion teams would help the NBA make up for lost revenue, while continuing to grow the league. One argument against expansion is that there isn&rsquo;t enough talent and that the NBA would be diluting its on-court product; however, I completely disagree. There are plenty of talented players, and increasing the number of roster spots from 450 to 480 (excluding two-way contracts) isn&rsquo;t going to ruin the league. I think the NBA should seriously consider adding expansion teams in Seattle and Las Vegas. It seems inevitable that Seattle will get the SuperSonics back at some point, and there&rsquo;s no question that the NBA has been watching the success of the Golden Knights and Raiders closely. I'd love to see a team in my hometown of Tampa, but it&rsquo;s hard to imagine the NBA passing on Seattle and Las Vegas if they do ultimately decide to expand.
Nekias Duncan: It&rsquo;s probably rude of me, but I&rsquo;d rather see relocation than expansion in the NBA right now. As far as the markets go, it&rsquo;d be nice to see Seattle and Las Vegas get teams. Maybe we could get New Orleans and Memphis in the East to even things up.
Spencer Davies: Sure, why not? It's not as if there isn't enough talent to spread around! As an unabashed Seattle SuperSonics fan growing up (thanks to Shawn Kemp, who ended up playing for my hometown Cleveland Cavaliers), I would love to see their return to the Pacific Northwest. They have such a great fanbase and a plethora of upcoming talent in grassroots programs, and the excitement would be palpable throughout the entire NBA. As for a second place that could field a team, Las Vegas makes the most sense, doesn't it? There's an annual summer league already there and a community that is incredibly supportive of basketball with the WNBA's Aces and the NHL's Golden Knights. Plus, Vegas is absolutely a destination city that could attract potential free agents in the future even if things don't get off to a great start. It wouldn't be enviable to be in charge of the conference/division shifting and upsetting that balance, but if it were to happen, that'd be the next step.
Ethan Fuller: The talent is overflowing in today's NBA; there should absolutely be two expansion teams. Of course, Seattle is an obvious choice for one city given its rich history and thriving hoops community today. And honestly, you don't have to go too far to find the other best choice: Vancouver. Canada deserves a second NBA franchise given its rising place in the basketball world. Vancouver is the third-largest metropolitan area in the country with over 2.7 million people. Montreal (second-largest) and Calgary (fourth-largest) would also make sense, but it should definitely be a Canadian city.
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Moke Hamilton: No, I don&rsquo;t think so. I think 30 teams is perfect, and I like the symmetry that the league has with six divisions and five teams in each of them. That said, if the league did decide to expand, Las Vegas and Seattle would seem to be the obvious choices. Vegas presents a bit of an issue considering the fact that NBA games are still on the books out there, but considering Adam Silver&rsquo;s attitudes towards gambling (and the state of legalized sports gambling across the country), that may now be a moot point. If the league did expand, I would hope that we&rsquo;d also get some conference realignment. New Orleans and Memphis, geographically speaking, should be in the Eastern Conference. They, along with Portland, are probably at a bit of a disadvantage considering they have to deal with the traveling. Memphis is much closer to Atlanta than Dallas, for what it&rsquo;s worth. And New Orleans is actually a smidge further East than Memphis... That&rsquo;s something that should be taken into account.
Jackson Frank: I think it makes sense. There&rsquo;s an abundance of NBA-level talent without the requisite opportunities to parallel that talent. Of course, Seattle should be atop the list of expansion markets, given its history and the rich tradition of hoops in the Emerald City. I also like the idea of St. Louis or Louisville getting a team, particularly the latter, which already has a vocal fan base of support for the University of Louisville Cardinals men&rsquo;s and women&rsquo;s basketball programs.
Drew Maresca: Ultimately, the NBA is a business. So, it comes down to the question of sustainability &mdash; can profitability be sustained (or increased) through expansion? But from a competition standpoint, probably not. There is an ungodly amount of talent in the NBA, and it&rsquo;s technically enough to support more teams. The problem is that it happens to be centralized on a select few teams. The league should look to address that before expanding because, as currently constructed, expansion would just lead to more non-competitive teams. Disclaimer: I do feel like Seattle needs an NBA franchise. I just don&rsquo;t know if expansion is the best path to doing so.
Jesse Blancarte: I am not sure if the NBA should add two new teams in the near future, but I think adding two new teams at some point down the road is a good idea. The NBA is always looking to refine and improve its product, and I think adding two new teams would be an exciting move. If the NBA added two new teams, I would want them to be in Seattle and Las Vegas.
Chris Sheridan: Easy. Las Vegas and Seattle. Vegas has the facilities and has become a major-league town. Seattle is missed (as is Vancouver), and an expansion team there would get to keep the Sonics' records (that was part of the deal when the franchise moved to Oklahoma City).
Alexander Cohen: I think with the always-increasing talent pool in the NBA, it would not be the worst idea to add teams. I want Isaiah Thomas, Joe Johnson, and Anthony Bennett back in the NBA! I&rsquo;m no expert on which cities should get the teams, but I think you have to at least give Seattle another team, which is a proven sports location. Kansas City would probably make the most sense to put the other one.

Should the NBA add two expansion teams to the league? If so, where? BasketballNews.com's writers shared their thoughts.

Roundtable: Should the NBA add two expansion teams? If so, where?

With NBA training camps open for business, teams are getting back in the swing of things. We are just two days away from the first preseason game between the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Lakers (Sunday at 3:30 p.m. ET), meaning the 2021-22 campaign is right around the corner.
While these two teams are commanding the spotlight more than any other squads around the league, there are plenty of franchises that would love to knock them right off their pedestal, or at least have some of that light shone on them.
In our latest Roundtable, we asked our BasketballNews.com writers the following question:
Who is your favorite dark-horse team entering the 2021-22 season? 
Alex Kennedy: The Washington Wizards are my dark-horse team because I really liked their offseason moves. They acquired Spencer Dinwiddie, Kyle Kuzma, Montrezl Harrell, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Corey Kispert, Aaron Holiday and Isaiah Todd among others. Dinwiddie and Bradley Beal should form a terrific one-two punch in the backcourt, and it&rsquo;s very possible that Deni Avdija (20 years old), Rui Hachimura (23), Daniel Gafford (23) and Thomas Bryant (24) will make significant strides as they take the next step in their development. Suddenly, Washington has some nice depth and a very solid supporting cast around Beal. Don&rsquo;t be surprised if they exceed expectations.
Nekias Duncan: Do the Milwaukee Bucks count here? It&rsquo;s hard to think of a title-winning team that&rsquo;s been disregarded quite like this one. I get the Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets&rsquo; optimism, I do, but the Bucks feel pretty slept on at large.&nbsp;
Ethan Fuller: The Toronto Raptors are going to massively exceed expectations after they faced arguably the most challenging circumstances of any team in 2020-21. They're back in Toronto with a team that screams positive regression. Pascal Siakam is <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/roundtable-which-nba-player-will-have-a-major-bounceback-season" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a prime bounce-back candidate</a>, Fred VanVleet continues to fly under the radar and the young core might be one of the more underrated groups in the NBA. I'm excited to see guys like OG Anunoby, Scottie Barnes, Precious Achiuwa and Malachi Flynn take their next steps.
Spencer Davies: I can't just land on one in particular. There's so much love (and rightfully so) for the Lakers and Nets that the possibility of any other teams making it to the NBA Finals would be a shock to many. In the Eastern Conference, watch out for the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics. It seems that the Heat like to sneak up on people when they least expect it, and uh, that shouldn't be the case considering they were in the Finals at this time one year ago in the NBA Bubble. Kyle Lowry's going to prove to be a tremendous pickup if he can stay healthy, and Jimmy Butler seems to perform at his best when he's not being paid attention to. There's also that Bam Adebayo guy, who's somehow a Swiss Army knife with room for growth. As for the Celtics, a new head coach has the potential to inject a sense of freshness into the air. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have already been unleashed, but Ime Udoka may just be the one to kick the door open further. Plus, those contract worries over the last couple of seasons have been put to rest with Marcus Smart. Oh, and Al Horford's back with gang green, too &mdash; never a bad thing to see a familiar face.
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Moke Hamilton: I&rsquo;d probably have to go with the Denver Nuggets. It&rsquo;s tough to pick a dark horse from the Western Conference because there are a ton of teams out there that are worthy of the respect of being called a credible contender... But I think most people are looking at the Lakers, Clippers, Golden State Warriors and Phoenix Suns as the teams to beat. Denver often gets left out of the conversation, especially since Jamal Murray is still on the shelf. Nonetheless, I like them. If Murray can return to form and Michael Porter Jr. continues to grow, they&rsquo;ll be formidable.
Jackson Frank: Before the injury bug caught them in recent weeks, I would&rsquo;ve loved to slot the Indiana Pacers here, but my pick is the New Orleans Pelicans. I&rsquo;m not sure this means much more than competing for a low playoff seed &mdash; still an improvement, comparatively &mdash; but they seem a bit discounted among preseason projections. The acquisitions of Devonte&rsquo; Graham and Jonas Valanciunas should really help this team approach elite offense territory. Garrett Temple and Tomas Satoransky are steady veterans who can contribute in the rotation. The Pelicans house a bevy of young dudes, and while it&rsquo;s unlikely all of them will experience substantial strides, banking on a few of them to do so is prudent. Jaxson Hayes had an encouraging second half of 2020-21. Nickeil Alexander-Walker fared quite well as a shooter and complementary handler in his 19 starts. Naji Marshall brings versatile defense, playmaking and slashing. Zion Williamson&rsquo;s exploits speak for themselves. Brandon Ingram is a very good second scorer. To cap it off, new head coach Willie Green is an excellent offensive mind, and should serve as a general upgrade over Stan Van Gundy&rsquo;s struggles on the sidelines. I like the Pelicans to take a notable step forward and compete for a playoff spot &mdash; or a little better.
Drew Maresca: What exactly constitutes a dark-horse team? Technically, everyone is a dark-horse team except for the Lakers and Nets. As it relates to the question though, I really like the Nuggets. Nikola Jokic is going to pick up right where he left off, Michael Porter Jr. should immediately begin earning the five-year, $207 million extension he just signed and Aaron Gordon is the same cat he&rsquo;s been for the past few seasons. If Jamal Murray can return at nearly full strength at any point this season, the Nuggets are going to be scary.
Jesse Blancarte: The Los Angeles Clippers. With Kawhi Leonard out indefinitely after undergoing surgery to repair a torn ACL, the Clippers are no longer considered a championship contender for the upcoming season. However, the Clippers are bringing back their core players and have plenty of wing depth to keep the ship level during the season. With Leonard sidelined, I predict Paul George will have a big season, while other players like Marcus Morris, Terance Mann and Justise Winslow could help fill the void. If Leonard can return in time for the postseason, the Clippers may have a shot at advancing deep into the postseason. &nbsp;
Chris Sheridan: The Charlotte Hornets. If they can get a full healthy season from Gordon Hayward, that will be the key. I love the pickup of Mason Plumlee at center, and we all learned last season what LaMelo Ball can do. They play way under the radar because of their market size.
Alexander Cohen: My favorite dark-horse (and also NBA League Pass) team is easily the Pelicans. David Griffin has received a great deal of mostly-warranted slack for his offseason due to asset management, but I think New Orleans has a good team here. While I&rsquo;m not a fan of letting Lonzo Ball walk, moving on from Steven Adams and Eric Bledsoe should both be additions by subtraction. Bringing on Jonas Valanciunas and Devonte&rsquo; Graham &mdash; two dark horses in their own right as top players on their former teams despite LaMelo Ball and Ja Morant being understandably more publicized &mdash; should also be instrumental additions. They provide scoring presences the Pelicans lacked last season, with Graham and Valanciunas being worlds more aggressive than Ball and Adams. The two-man combo of Willy Hernangomez &mdash; who has a similar skill set to Valanciunas &mdash; and Zion Williamson had a staggering net rating of plus-11.9 last season. Factor in those changes with the anticipated improvement of Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Jaxson Hayes and Kira Lewis, and the Pelicans should be a thrilling team this year with a healthy Williamson.

Who is your dark-horse team to watch entering the 2021-22 NBA season? BasketballNews.com's writers shared their thoughts.

NBA Roundtable: Who is your dark-horse team for the 2021-22 season?

Sportswriters pride themselves on being objective. That doesn't mean they can't be stubborn.
Fans and analysts often have specific beliefs they're absolutely convinced are true, even if a cacophony of critics stand on the other side. It's the hill they will die on &mdash; a core philosophy, or "scorching-hot take" that they'll shout from the rooftops with passion.
We've already had roundtable discussions about&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/roundtable-what-is-your-bold-prediction-for-the-202122-nba-season" target="_blank" rel="noopener">our bold predictions</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-roundtable-which-player-is-poised-to-break-out-next-season" target="_blank" rel="noopener">which players we expect to break out</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-roundtable-who-is-your-mustwatch-league-pass-team-in-202122" target="_blank" rel="noopener">who will be our favorite League-Pass team</a>&nbsp;and more. Today, we asked our writers:
What is an NBA-related hill that you will die on?
Alex Kennedy: That the current iteration of the NBA Draft Lottery is not rigged. This is one of the biggest conspiracy theories in all of sports, but there&rsquo;s no way that the league could actually rig the current process. I recently explained why <a href="https://youtu.be/4D90nm9i_PU" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in this video</a>.
Spencer Davies: I don&rsquo;t know for the life of me why specialists are looked down upon by fans. Not everybody can be a do-it-all player on the court. This applies to executives&rsquo; judgments too. Cameron Thomas just lit up summer league with incredible scoring performances and won MVP in Las Vegas &mdash; yet he was taken No. 27 in the NBA Draft and fell to the Brooklyn Nets. If you made me choose between somebody who&rsquo;s elite at one particular skill vs. somebody who&rsquo;s alright at three things, I&rsquo;d take the former every time. There&rsquo;s always a chance that a player develops those other areas. But a lockdown defender? A three-point assassin? A quintessential playmaker? Sign me up and we&rsquo;ll worry about the other areas later &mdash; especially if it fits a team need right away.
Ethan Fuller: <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-roundtable-which-player-are-you-higher-on-than-the-consensus" target="_blank" rel="noopener">I did the Andrew Wiggins thing already</a>, so I'll go off the beaten path and say that Anthony Bennett would have made it back to an NBA roster if not for an untimely knee surgery while with the Houston Rockets for 2019 training camp. Yes, the former No. 1 overall pick did not have the career many had hoped, but he was quietly producing in the NBA G League before the injury. Bennett had developed into a lethal stretch forward and knocked down over 43% of his threes in a two-year period with the Maine Red Claws, Northern Arizona Suns and Agua Caliente Clippers. Unfortunately, it seems like the knee injury derailed what was a promising opportunity with Houston.
Moke Hamilton: During NBA All-Star Weekend in 2016, before the game in Toronto, I asked Commissioner Adam Silver whether the league would consider removing the center position for the All-NBA teams, as it had done in 2012 for the All-Star game. He responded that they were not planning to do so, and I thought that it was interesting considering the fact that the center position was removed from the All-Star ballots. I was never a fan of that move. I understand that the league has a significant number of talented &ldquo;frontcourt&rdquo; players, however, removing centers was essentially the league taking a stance that said, loudly and clearly, that centers were less important than the other position players. I don&rsquo;t understand the inconsistency. If centers are removed from the All-Star ballot, then they should also be removed from the All-NBA ballot, and vice versa. Just my opinion.
Chris Sheridan: Defense wins championships. Give me one Patrick Beverley or Alex Caruso or Robert Covington and I will give you one contender that is a heck of a lot better than if it didn't have a terrific on-the-ball defender. With NBA rules favoring offensive players so much, these guys are hard to come by and are worth their weight in gold because they always show up in the postseason.
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Drew Maresca: The Bulls overplayed their hand. They made a hard run at building a playoff team, and they&rsquo;ll probably succeed at that, but they invested a lot of money and traded away some good, young players (e.g., Wendell Carter Jr.) to build a better-than-average roster&hellip;that won&rsquo;t advance past the first-round of the playoffs. And it&rsquo;s not like Chicago will be get better in the next few seasons. There&rsquo;s some good young talent &mdash; like Zach LaVine, Lonzo Ball and Coby White &mdash; but their core pieces, Nikola Vucevic (30) and DeMar DeRozan (32), are in their primes now. And unfortunately, there is simply too much talent around the league for this to end well for Chicago.
Evan Sidery: After the Suns&rsquo; run to the 2021 NBA Finals, this may not seem bold anymore, but Devin Booker&rsquo;s star status is my topic. I don&rsquo;t blame you if you haven&rsquo;t watched Phoenix Suns basketball over the years, but Booker has been a star-caliber player since 2017-18. Booker is finally receiving national accolades that he&rsquo;s deserved for years. Now, with a competent organization revolving around Booker, he should continue to take the leap forward to superstardom &mdash; potentially a top 15 player &mdash; by the end of this season. Over the last three years though, Booker has already been a top 20 player.
Sharon &ldquo;Shy&rdquo; Brown: I wish we could ban &ldquo;who's-the-greatest-NBA-player&rdquo; arguments. I'm tired of the MJ and LeBron comparisons. Can we just elevate one without tearing the other one down? Can we just focus on how some of us had a chance to watch greatness from both? They are different players from different eras.

What is an NBA-related hill you will die on? Our staff answered.

Roundtable: What is an NBA-related hill that you'll die on?

As the 2021-22 NBA season approaches, our writers are sharing some takes about the upcoming campaign. We've already had roundtable discussions about <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/roundtable-what-is-your-bold-prediction-for-the-202122-nba-season" target="_blank" rel="noopener">our bold predictions</a>, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-roundtable-which-player-is-poised-to-break-out-next-season" target="_blank" rel="noopener">which players we expect to break out</a>, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-roundtable-who-is-your-mustwatch-league-pass-team-in-202122" target="_blank" rel="noopener">who will be our favorite League-Pass team</a> and more. Today, we asked our writers:
Which NBA player is poised for a major bounce-back season?
Alex Kennedy: Pascal Siakam should absolutely bounce back. Our Nekias Duncan and Jackson Frank recently <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-curious-case-of-pascal-siakam-what-he-is-and-where-he-fits" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote a terrific piece</a> examining Siakam's game and how he&rsquo;s currently perceived. After playing in the NBA bubble and then in Tampa last season (since the Raptors couldn&rsquo;t play in Canada), Siakam and the whole team will benefit from returning to normalcy in Toronto. He went from earning an All-NBA-Second-Team selection in 2019-20 to being the butt of jokes on social media and reportedly surfacing in trade talks. Last season, Siakam continued to fill the stat sheet (21.4 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 4.5 APG. 1.1 SPG), but he shot just 29.7% from three-point range (after hitting 35.9% from deep in 2019-20 and 36.9% in 2018-19). He&rsquo;ll miss the first month or so of the season after offseason surgery to repair a torn labrum, but once he returns, I believe his three-point percentage will get back to 35% or higher and he&rsquo;ll remind everyone why he was being discussed as one of the best two-way stars in the league not too long ago.
Chris Sheridan: Markelle Fultz was coming around with the Orlando Magic and was finally starting to show some of the promise that made him the No. 1 overall pick before an injury derailed him last season. Orlando may be the worst team in the entire NBA, but that will alleviate some of the pressure and allow Fultz to have a season worthy of consideration for the Most Improved Player award.
Evan Sidery: After having to sit out most of last season due to injury, Jaren Jackson Jr. stands out as a massive bounce-back candidate. Established as the No. 2 option behind Ja Morant in Memphis, JJJ&rsquo;s modern style should allow him to have a big Year 4. Also, entering a contract season, a more motivated JJJ could really <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/something-to-prove-jaren-jackson-jr-at-center" target="_blank" rel="noopener">make a huge two-way impact</a>.
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Spencer Davies: The entire Toronto Raptors squad, really. But specifically, I&rsquo;ve got to go with Pascal Siakam. Being back home and having a fresh start will help him return to the player he was before the league shut down in March 2020. It&rsquo;s not like he even had that bad of a season last year; it was more bad luck toward the end of games if you look at the tape (shots rattling in and out, bad bounces, etc.). Spicy P is so capable with the ball in his hands to get others involved. He doesn&rsquo;t need to work with his back to the basket. Get Siakam the rock with forward motion going toward the cup, and he&rsquo;ll have the dribble moves to find his way to the bucket. As for his outside jumper, it&rsquo;s highly doubtful that he&rsquo;ll shoot sub-30% in back-to-back seasons. Defensively, he&rsquo;s still got incredible length and can disrupt spaces next to a lockdown teammate in OG Anunoby. Truthfully, it&rsquo;ll just be exciting to see Siakam break out in transition for an open-floor slam for the first time in over a year at Scotiabank Arena.
Drew Maresca: I&rsquo;ll name two: Klay Thompson and Spencer Dinwiddie. Thompson is easy to predict. The guy hasn&rsquo;t shot below 40.1% in any of his eight seasons of NBA action. Like fine wine, shooting only gets better with age. So long as his knee and Achilles hold up, Klay is due for one hell of a season. Dinwiddie is also returning from injury, only he&rsquo;s returning to a new team in an entirely new role. Dinwiddie projects to be the Wizards&rsquo; starting point guard on opening night &mdash; a role he hasn&rsquo;t owned consistently in his entire career. At his best, Dinwiddie has been good for 20 points and six-plus assists per game. Playing alongside Bradley Beal will probably enable at least those same kinds of stats, if not better. So long as his repaired ACL can sustain the workload, and workout videos from earlier this spring seem to indicate it will, Dinwiddie should return better than ever.
Sharon &ldquo;Shy&rdquo; Brown: I'd say Jaren Jackson Jr. He's such a gifted player. Before his knee injury in the NBA bubble, Jackson was a man on a mission. It seems as if he's putting in the work to be stronger. If he can defend without fouling and grab a few more rebounds, he will be a player to watch. Bold prediction: He may even be in the running for Most Improved Player.
Ethan Fuller: Pascal Siakam did regress last season, but he also demonstrated considerable growth in areas you'd like to see out of a No. 1 option. Siakam increased his assist total to a career-high 4.5 per game and maintained a high usage rate while actually decreasing his turnovers. There's enough evidence to suggest that his 29.7% three-point clip was an outlier, as Siakam has historically shot the ball well and made 82.7% of his free throws in 2020-21. He's an above-average defender with plenty of shooters around him, and I fully expect Siakam to take advantage.
&nbsp;

Our Basketball News writers predict which NBA players are due to bounce back in a big way during the 2021-22 campaign.

Roundtable: Which NBA player will have a major bounce-back season?

If you're reading this article, chances are you're a diehard NBA fan.
Most fans can recall the player or team that made them fall in love with this sport. For some, it was a specific player; for others, a certain team won them over. We asked our BasketballNews staff:
Which player or team made you fall in love with the NBA?
Alex Kennedy: I fell in love with basketball because of Tracy McGrady and the early-2000s Orlando Magic. They were my local team, and McGrady made the game look so easy. He scored at will (winning back-to-back scoring titles and, at one point, averaging 32.1 points per game). I had T-Mac shoes, shirts, bracelets, etc. My first NBA game was the Christmas Day showdown between McGrady and LeBron James in 2003. In Orlando&rsquo;s overtime win, T-Mac had 41 points, 11 assists and 8 rebounds while LeBron had 34 points and 6 assists. From that point on, I was hooked.
Spencer Davies: The first memory of basketball I have is watching my old Superstars VHS Tape, along with NBA Jam Session from the early and mid-90s. I absolutely felt the energy that Shawn Kemp and Larry Johnson radiated with their thunderous dunks and blocks. When they screamed after a big play, I jumped up with them wanting to be a part of the moment. There were always video games that made me appreciate the sport, but my first hometown memories were of the playoff Cleveland Cavaliers with Kemp, Derek Anderson, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Wesley Person and Brevin Knight. If we want to talk about favorite players as I started to love the game in the late &lsquo;90s, it goes Ray Allen, Kobe Bryant and Tracy McGrady in that order. Of course, when LeBron came along, my attachment to the league grew even further. I was also a sucker to watch Josh Smith jump all over the building wherever he played (and I even met him in 2009 in Atlanta). There&rsquo;s so much more I could get into, but I&rsquo;d take up the whole page!
Ethan Fuller: How could you not get fired up when Kevin Garnett stepped on the court? I grew up watching him talk at the basketball hoop in front of roaring crowds before every Boston Celtics game. Garnett never took a night off from his unrelenting, fierce energy. He was a unique type of leader in the way he consistently channeled his voice into a positive impact -- and he was a pretty legendary individual player too.
Moke Hamilton: Easily Patrick Ewing. I am the son of Jamaican immigrants, and I grew up in the New York City metropolitan area during Ewing&rsquo;s prime. Some of my fondest memories as a child involve watching basketball with my dad and my brothers, so this one, for me, is easy. As much as Ewing, and those Knicks made me love basketball, Michael Jordan made me hate it (laughs). Man, even though it was a long time ago, 1994 is still fresh in the minds of Knicks fans everywhere. I can relate.
Chris Sheridan: Julius Erving and the red, white and blue basketball-playing New York Nets, who were on tape-delay after the Knicks when I was a kid growing up and were always worth waiting until 10:30 p.m. to watch.
Drew Maresca: The New York Knicks of the 1990s. The swag was on an entirely different level &mdash; fresh haircuts, scrappy (to say the least) play and a relentless home crowd. I know Jordan owned the '90s, but the Knicks&rsquo; us-versus-the-world mentality was all consuming for mostly everyone in the tri-state area.
Evan Sidery: It has to be my hometown Indiana Pacers during the Reggie Miller era. In Indiana, basketball is king. Reggie Miller ruled the entire state. It&rsquo;s still shocking that there&rsquo;s not a Miller statue outside Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

Which player or team made you fall in love with basketball? We asked our writers to share their thoughts.

NBA Roundtable: Which player/team made you love basketball?

Many diehard NBA fans have a League-Pass darling &ndash; a team that you end up watching a ton, even if you don't have a rooting interest.
Each year, ESPN's Zach Lowe <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_/id/30587463/2020-21-nba-league-pass-rankings-most-fun-teams-watch" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ranks</a> all 30 teams based on who will be the most fun to watch on NBA League Pass, creating a watchability score that factors in the team's style of play, highlight potential, star power, announcers, unintentional-comedy moments and more.
With the 2021-22 season rapidly approaching, we asked our Basketball News writers:
Who will be your must-watch League Pass team in 2021-22?
Alex Kennedy: Last season, I watched the Charlotte Hornets more than any other team, and I'll definitely be checking them out again in 2021-22. LaMelo Ball is so much fun to watch, and it'll be interesting to track his development. Also, the Hornets had a strong offseason, adding Kelly Oubre, James Bouknight, Kai Jones, Mason Plumlee, etc. The Detroit Pistons stand out too. They only have one game on national television. and I want to watch No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham as he adjusts to the NBA. Also, I'm intrigued by the rest of their young core, including Isaiah Stewart (20), Saddiq Bey (22), Killian Hayes (20), Hamidou Diallo (23), Saben Lee (22) and Luka Garza (22). Even if they finish near the bottom of the East again, they'll be fascinating from a developmental standpoint.
Spencer Davies: Young teams are always tantalizing to me. They&rsquo;re usually not going to register many wins, but watching the development of individual players is always a treat in flashes. Yeah, the Houston Rockets finished with the worst record in the NBA last year. They also have a backcourt worth paying attention to with Jalen Green joining a locked-in Kevin Porter Jr. It seems that after his injury, nobody remembers how dominant Christian Wood was looking. Jae&rsquo;Sean Tate&rsquo;s second season could be fun; the same might go for KJ Martin. Add in some more intriguing rookies like Josh Christopher, Alperen Sengun and Usman Garuba, and H-Town&rsquo;s got my eyes.
Ethan Fuller: Even with the LaMelo Ball factor, Charlotte only got eight nationally-televised games for the upcoming season. That pens the Hornets in as my must-watch League Pass team. They combine all the elements I want in a squad I'm paying hundreds of dollars to watch: an entertaining, prospect-laden and (if things break the right way) sleeper-playoff team. People should leap from their couches every time Ball hooks up with Kai Jones for an alley-oop. Charlotte brings together a chaotic mix of offensive firepower and youthful energy.
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Sharon &ldquo;Shy&rdquo; Brown: That's a hard one, I can't decide between Charlotte or Chicago. I think both teams made improvements that will make them enjoyable to watch. I'm not going to lie: LaMelo Ball intrigues me and I don't want to miss anything with him. On the other hand, I believe the Bulls have the better roster, and they only have five nationally televised games on their schedule. It's a toss-up.
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Drew Maresca: The Golden State Warriors. Seeing whether Steph Curry can maintain his play from last season is reason enough. Add in Draymond Green, James Wiseman&rsquo;s sophomore season, two lottery picks (Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody) and the return of Klay Thompson, and we&rsquo;re talking about must-see TV. It&rsquo;ll be a weird fit, but it&rsquo;ll be fast and fun.
Evan Sidery: I&rsquo;m going with the Charlotte Hornets. LaMelo Ball and all of the athletes who excel in transition are going to be must-watch television. And with the Hornets having one of the best offseasons, they&rsquo;re <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/hornets-ready-to-fly-up-standings-following-strong-offseason" target="_blank" rel="noopener">poised for a playoff push</a> in 2021-22.
Chris Sheridan: This falls under the trainwreck category, but what Sam Presti is doing in Oklahoma City is mesmerizing because it is so Hinkie 2.0, and tuning in to see a G-League-level NBA team get bounced night after night has a certain rubbernecking appeal.

Which NBA team will you end up watching a ton on League Pass, even if you don't have a rooting interest? We asked our writers.

NBA Roundtable: Who is your must-watch League Pass team in 2021-22?

Now that the NBA offseason is winding down and the start of the 2021-22 regular season is right around the corner, it's time to make some predictions. But rather than playing it safe, we asked our writers:
What is your bold prediction for the 2021-22 NBA season?&nbsp;
Alex Kennedy: In October of 2019, Bradley Beal signed a two-year, $72 million extension with the Washington Wizards &mdash; much to the chagrin of many executives and fans around the NBA. While people seem to be anxiously awaiting the day that Beal requests a trade from the Wizards, I believe Beal is going to extend in Washington once again. He is <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/wizards-retooling-led-to-a-competent-roster-surrounding-bradley-beal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">eligible to sign an extension</a> this offseason (worth roughly $181.5 million over four years), or he can opt to wait until next summer to re-sign for roughly $235 million over five years. During a recent appearance on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nba-offseason-preview-jake-fischer-alex-kennedy-on/id1528900732?i=1000530625591" target="_blank" rel="noopener">my podcast</a>, Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report predicted that Beal will stay in Washington long-term. Beal is close with Spencer Dinwiddie, whom he recruited to Washington, and the Wizards have a solid roster that could exceed expectations this year. This will be Beal&rsquo;s 10th season in Washington, and don&rsquo;t be surprised if he sticks around for more.
Ethan Fuller: I think there's a very real possibility Michael Porter Jr. eclipses 25 points per game and leads the Denver Nuggets in scoring. He seriously ratcheted up the volume last season while maintaining elite shooting efficiency. Per Basketball Reference, Porter Jr. made 83.1% of his at-rim attempts last season and 44.5% of his threes. Those are unreal rates, especially for a second-year forward. With Nikola Jokic warping defenses with his passing and a healthy Jamal Murray returning, the Nuggets will have plenty to throw at defenses, potentially creating even easier looks for Porter Jr.
Spencer Davies: It might not be considered &ldquo;bold,&rdquo; but with so much love being shown to the Chicago Bulls&rsquo; offseason, I&rsquo;ll be that guy to throw a wet blanket on things by saying the team won&rsquo;t get out of the first round of the playoffs. Arturas Karnisovas and Marc Eversley certainly did a number both at last year&rsquo;s trade deadline and in this summer&rsquo;s free-agency period to prove to Zach LaVine how serious they are about winning... but will the pieces fit together? Chicago shelled out a lot of dough for DeMar DeRozan, an aggressive scorer and one of the most underrated improved playmakers in the league; however, how will he play when LaVine is commanding the basketball more often than not? Lonzo Ball is essentially going to be the point-man in transition and a spot-up marksman in the corners. More importantly, though, he&rsquo;s likely to be the team&rsquo;s best perimeter defender (next to Patrick Williams, who will have all eyes on him). But who else is going to step up guarding the opposition? Will Alex Caruso get more minutes than Coby White? On paper, the Bulls&rsquo; rim protection isn&rsquo;t great, nor is the defense on the outside. It&rsquo;ll be interesting to see how that all balances out.
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Drew Maresca: One or both of these will happen: Dame Lillard gets moved or Zion Williamson trade chatter heats up. Why? Because both the Trail Blazers and Pelicans will not make the playoffs, and both franchises can&rsquo;t wait much longer to show their stars significant improvement. The Western Conference is deep and, if we&rsquo;re being honest with ourselves, there is only one available playoff spot between the Trail Blazers, Grizzlies and Pelicans. The team(s) that misses the postseason will see rumors fly, and maybe more.
Jesse Blancarte: My bold prediction is that Russell Westbrook will adapt his game significantly in an effort to help the Los Angeles Lakers win the 2022 NBA championship. Westbrook always gives his best effort and, of course, has always worked hard. But now that he&rsquo;s at this stage of his career and surrounded by generational talent, I believe he will lower his usage rate, shoot less frequently and focus on playmaking and creating easy scoring opportunities for his teammates. There will be nights when teammates are injured or struggling where we will see vintage Westbrook, but I think that he will make a true effort to plug himself into this roster.
Evan Sidery: We&rsquo;ll have league-wide parody for every single playoff spot. Sure, that may not seem bold, but when was the last time potentially 25-30 teams in the NBA felt like they had a realistic shot at the playoffs? It&rsquo;s a great time to follow the NBA with so many teams making a run for it.
Moke Hamilton: I think Lonzo Ball makes the All-Star team. It&rsquo;s hard to imagine him not thriving in Chicago. He is surrounded by plenty of talented players, his specific skill set is needed, he has something to prove and Chicago is probably going to be one of the better teams in the Eastern Conference. To this point in his career, Lonzo has not really lived up to the expectations that followed him from UCLA to the NBA. He&rsquo;s still a really good player though, and I wouldn&rsquo;t be surprised to see him make the leap to All-Star-caliber player. He will be facing some stiff competition &mdash; Kyle Lowry will probably find himself back in the conversation for one of the reserve spots, as could Kemba Walker &mdash; but I guess that&rsquo;s why we call it a bold prediction.&nbsp;
Chris Sheridan: The Miami Heat are going to do what they did two seasons ago and be sneaky good, primarily because they have added a hungry Kyle Lowry but also because they shouldn&rsquo;t have to deal with the same types of interruptions that robbed them of the chance to build chemistry over the course of the 2020-21 regular season. The <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-roundtable-breaking-down-this-offseasons-most-underrated-moves" target="_blank" rel="noopener">signing of P.J. Tucker</a> gives them another lockdown defender alongside Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler, so they should be a strong defensive unit. Erik Spoelstra's team will not make waves early, but they will be a steady contender.&nbsp;

Since the 2021-22 NBA season is right around the corner, we asked our writers to share a bold prediction about the upcoming campaign.

Roundtable: 8 bold predictions for the 2021-22 NBA season

Believe it or not, NBA training camps are right around the corner, which means a blank slate for everybody. 
Recently, our staff discussed which organizations <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/roundtable-which-nba-team-had-the-best-offseason" target="_blank" rel="noopener">had the best offseason</a>, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/roundtable-which-nba-team-had-the-worst-offseason" target="_blank" rel="noopener">which teams did the worst</a>, plus <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-roundtable-breaking-down-this-offseasons-most-underrated-moves" target="_blank" rel="noopener">this summer's most underrated moves</a>. Now, we're going to turn our attention to individual improvement. Today, we asked our staff: 
Which player is poised to break out next season?
Nekias Duncan: No Kyle Lowry, Pascal Siakam missing the first month or so of the season, plus a strong second half of last season leads me to believe that OG Anunoby could be in line for a production bump &mdash; <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/something-to-prove-og-anunoby-shot-creation-toronto-raptors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">as I wrote over the weekend</a>.
Alex Kennedy: It feels like De'Andre Hunter is on the verge of breaking out... if he can stay healthy. Last year, as a sophomore, he was outstanding in the first half of the season, averaging 17.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.7 threes and a steal on 51.4/36.6/87.7 shooting splits prior to the All-Star break. Then, he hurt his lateral meniscus in his right knee and needed surgery. After a brief return, he tore that same meniscus, which also required surgery. Despite losing Hunter early in the second round, the Atlanta Hawks advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals. Now, Hunter is expected to be healthy in time for training camp, so this could be the year he takes a major leap forward and shows why he was drafted No. 4 overall in 2019. The 23-year-old has all of the tools to be a difference-maker on both ends of the court.
Jackson Frank: OG Anunoby made considerable strides offensively last season with his handle, driving craft and general self-creation. Yet he was beset by various ailments and only played 43 games, despite averaging a tidy 16-5.5-2-1.5 on 60.5% True Shooting. I&rsquo;m betting he&rsquo;ll get some All-Star buzz and continue his development on a fun, funky Raptors squad.
Imman Adan: OG Anunoby is poised to have a breakout year. With Kyle Lowry gone, the Raptors enter their next phase. Siakam is expected to miss some time rehabbing from shoulder surgery, so the Raptors should see a lot of offensive possessions go to Anunoby.
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Spencer Davies: You know, Darius Garland had one hell of a summer. He grew an inch or two, added some muscle and just really seems ready to take that leap following a successful run with Team USA&rsquo;s Select Team. Before he went down with an injury that ended his season prematurely for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Garland was on a post-All-Star-break tear, averaging 19.5 points and 6.5 assists per game on over 40% from long distance. He and Collin Sexton began to develop a solid relationship on the floor, and based on what <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/isaac-okoro-sharpening-shot-pivoting-to-playmaking-for-cavs-in-vegas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Isaac Okoro did at summer league</a>, we can probably expect those cutting abilities to help Garland&rsquo;s case as a passer as well; plus, the third-year point guard is a confident knockdown shooter coming off dribble hand-offs and in transition, and can throw up lobs with the best of them. Defensively, his efforts are there, and now that he has Evan Mobley along with Jarrett Allen behind him, there&rsquo;s enough protection to cover those angles. Year 3 is typically the time when prospects put what they&rsquo;ve learned into action, and Garland just seems to have the right personnel surrounding him for success.
Evan Sidery: I&rsquo;m going to cheat here, listing two names that are poised for breakout campaign: Anthony Edwards and OG Anunoby. <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/basketball-news-will-anthony-edwards-surge-lead-to-nba-rookie-of-the-year-award-minnesota-timberwolves" target="_blank" rel="noopener">After the All-Star break</a>, Minnesota&rsquo;s No. 1 pick averaged almost 25 points per game. With another year of seasoning, it's very possible that Edwards could be a top contender for Most Improved Player in 2021-22. Another name to keep an eye on is Anunoby. With Kyle Lowry&rsquo;s departure from Toronto, more opportunity opens up for Anunoby to become a primary scoring option. Anunoby&rsquo;s continued shooting development gives me strong indications he&rsquo;s poised for a massive breakout with an increased workload.
Ethan Fuller: OG Anunoby was already on the verge of a breakout last season after posting career-highs in points (15.9), rebounds, (5.5) assists (2.2), steals (1.5), three-point percentage (39.8%) and True Shooting percentage (60.5%). That doesn't account for him being one of the best defenders on the Toronto Raptors. Anunoby is only 24 years old, and as the Raptors look to get back in the playoff hunt, expect him to be a key contributor.
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Jesse Blancarte: If you watched Game 6 between the Utah Jazz and Los Angeles Clippers, then you have a good idea why Terance Mann is poised to have a breakout season. In that crucial game, Mann posted 39 points, 2 rebounds, 2 steals and an assist. Mann shot 15-of-21 from the field, 7-of-10 from beyond the arc and was instrumental in the Clippers&rsquo; come-from-behind victory. Mann is athletic, a good defender and hustles on both ends of the court. He's also improving as a playmaker and shooter. With Kawhi Leonard possibly out for the entire season, Mann will play a large role in filling the void left behind by Leonard.
Drew Maresca: Obi Toppin. At summer league, Toppin averaged 21 points and 8.3 rebounds per game and slashed 44.5 / 34.4 /88.9. Once again, he wowed with his athleticism, had a significantly better-looking jumper and made quicker decisions with and without the ball. Toppin&rsquo;s biggest hurdle in breaking out continues to be his inability to crack an NBA rotation. He plays behind Julius Randle, and Randle will probably be a leader in minutes played again next season. But when he's given an opportunity, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/new-york-knicks-youngsters-exceed-expectations-in-nba-summer-league-las-vegas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Toppin will be ready to prove the doubters wrong</a>.
Chris Sheridan: Keldon Johnson of the San Antonio Spurs.

What NBA player is likely to take a huge leap next season? Our writers share their thoughts.

NBA Roundtable: Which player is poised to break out next season?

This summer, there were a handful of teams that got better through the NBA Draft and free-agency period. Recently, our staff discussed the organizations that <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/roundtable-which-nba-team-had-the-best-offseason" target="_blank" rel="noopener">had the best offseason</a> as well as the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-roundtable-breaking-down-this-offseasons-most-underrated-moves" target="_blank" rel="noopener">most underrated moves of this summer</a>. But who didn't take advantage of this window to add to their roster?
Today, we asked our writers:
Which NBA team had the worst offseason?
Nekias Duncan: I&rsquo;m just not a fan of what the Portland Trail Blazers did. Their coaching hire of Chauncey Billups was mired in controversy. There&rsquo;s been no major swing on the roster, with their best free agent acquisition being Cody Zeller. They got virtually nothing from the draft, then followed that up by building a summer league roster that frankly <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/news/authors/nekias-duncan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">didn&rsquo;t make much sense</a>. I can&rsquo;t say I&rsquo;m a fan of how things have been handled.
Jackson Frank: It&rsquo;s the Dallas Mavericks for me. They didn&rsquo;t get substantially better in an offseason when they touted lots of cap space and resemble a very similar team to last year. They still need a secondary creator to aid Luka Doncic. The wing defense is lackluster. The center rotation is worrisome. This just felt like a considerable misstep, given Luka&rsquo;s superstardom and the financial flexibility drying up moving forward.
Alex Kennedy: In one of the most important offseasons in the Portland Trail Blazers' history (given what's at stake with Damian Lillard's future), Neil Olshey and Co. dropped the ball. The team lost Carmelo Anthony, Enes Kanter and Zach Collins, and their only notable moves were re-signing Norm Powell and adding Cody Zeller, Tony Snell and Ben McLemore. Entering this offseason, Lillard said: "I think if you look at our team as it is going into next season, I don&rsquo;t see how you can say, &lsquo;This is a championship team. You just need a new coach.&rsquo;" He's 100% right, and now the roster is arguably worse than when he made that comment. When asked about Portland's free-agency moves, Lillard <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/damian-lillard-not-unhappy-with-blazers-despite-losses-in-free-agency" target="_blank" rel="noopener">was honest</a> and said, "We weren&rsquo;t able to go out there and get some of the guys that we would have liked."&nbsp;
Spencer Davies: Surprisingly, I am asking myself what the San Antonio Spurs are doing with their money. Bringing in veterans like Thaddeus Young, Doug McDermott, Zach Collins, Bryn Forbes and Al-Farouq Aminu would make more sense if they were contending for a postseason spot... but that almost certainly won&rsquo;t be the case. From a developmental standpoint, it should be good to have these guys around to mentor Dejounte Murray, Derrick White and Keldon Johnson. Still, it kind of takes time away from Lonnie Walker Jr. and Devin Vassell, and that&rsquo;s the last thing you want for a team that&rsquo;s going to reset after losing DeMar DeRozan and a slew of vets who had been around for years. That said, taking Josh Primo as a take-your-time project is intriguing... just maybe not so much for the other young players who play that position. Oh, and Jakob Poeltl signed an extension not too long ago too, yet R.C. Buford decided to invest in Collins. This summer just seemed like an interesting, maybe not-so-smart way to use cap space for one of the best-run organizations in sports.
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Imman Adan: The New Orleans Pelicans. They went all in, giving up two future first-round picks in the Memphis Grizzlies deal for Jonas Valanciunas, and a pick swap. They also didn&rsquo;t re-sign Lonzo Ball, moved off of Eric Bledsoe and Steven Adams' money and gave up Wes Iwundu with very little to show for it. I&rsquo;m all for big swings, but this didn&rsquo;t feel all that calculated. It's hard to understand what they&rsquo;re trying to accomplish, and they certainly took a step back.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Evan Sidery: I have no idea what the Spurs are doing. Why sign Doug McDermott to a big contract, while also signing Bryn Forbes? Zach Collins on a multi-year deal was another head-scratching move. The Spurs <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/with-veterans-moving-on-san-antonio-spurs-would-be-wise-to-hit-the-reset-button" target="_blank" rel="noopener">should be trying to tank this year</a>, but that might not be their plan internally. Give those minutes opened by veteran departures to your young core, not new free agents. Now, players like Devin Vassell and Lonnie Walker are still stuck to the bench.
Ethan Fuller: Portland could win this off of the Chauncey Billups hiring (and subsequent fallout) alone, and I'm sure some of our fellow writers picked the Trail Blazers. So I'll add another team in the Dallas Mavericks, whose offseason <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/mavericks-gm-donnie-nelson-agree-to-mutually-part-ways-" target="_blank" rel="noopener">consisted of a front-office blowup</a>, three minor roster additions <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/reggie-bullock-mavs-agree-to-threeyear-deal-worth-305m">headlined by Reggie Bullock</a> and the hiring of Jason Kidd as head coach. Kidd not only was convicted of domestic abuse in 2001 &mdash; and has done little publicly to atone for it &mdash; but he also has a 183-190 record as the head coach of talented teams. And there is <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/book-jason-kidd-held-christmas-163516649.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">anecdotal evidence of a problematic past</a> in Milwaukee. It's hard for a team to regress with a rising star, but that seems to be what the Mavs are doing despite Luka Doncic's ascension.
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Jesse Blancarte: In an offseason where the Portland Trail Blazers are at risk of superstar Damian Lillard demanding to be traded, the franchise failed to make any moves that would quell the situation. Re-signing Norman Powell was a good move. However, Portland lost notable players like Enes Kanter, Carmelo Anthony and Zach Collins. The only other additions so far include Cody Zeller on a minimum contract, Tony Snell and Ben McLemore. Unless Portland has a few tricks up its sleeves, it seems likely Lillard and C.J. McCollum are going to lack the support they need on the court to take Portland on a deep playoff run next season.
Drew Maresca: I was on the fence between the Dallas Mavericks and Portland Trail Blazers, but Doncic&rsquo;s re-signing made the difference for me. Ultimately, Dallas is now where Portland was two years ago. The Blazers needed to do something to impress Damian Lillard, and they failed. Lillard is insanely loyal, but even the most loyal among us has limits. Lillard will end up giving Portland an ultimatum at some point in the near future, and the Blazers might find themselves stonewalled into trading Lillard instead of building around him. Who knows, it might already be too late.
Chris Sheridan: That is a tough one because the summer is a time of hope for all 30 teams. But the Orlando Magic are the winners of this category. They added Robin Lopez and head coach Jamahl Mosley, but little else outside of their draft picks. I hated the Nikola Vucevic trade when they made it. I hated it even more when Khem Birch was waived and outplayed his replacement Wendell Carter Jr. with the Toronto Raptors late last season. I do not see much hope here for an Orlando win total north of the teens.

Which team did the worst job during the 2021 NBA offseason? Our writers share their thoughts.

Roundtable: Which NBA team had the worst offseason?

There have been plenty of fireworks during the 2021 offseason. From blockbuster trades to notable free agents changing teams, the 30 teams around the Association have given us plenty to talk about.
Recently, our staff discussed <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-roundtable-breaking-down-this-offseasons-most-underrated-moves" target="_blank" rel="noopener">this summer's most underrated moves</a>. Today, we asked our writers:
Which NBA team had the best offseason?
Nekias Duncan: They&rsquo;re another minor move away from rounding out the roster, but I think the Heat were pretty big winners. Being able to snag Kyle Lowry without giving up a pick or their best prospect is a win. Adding frontcourt depth, young (Omer Yurtseven) and old (P.J. Tucker, Markieff Morris) was smart. Bringing back Victor Oladipo on the minimum is the kind of <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-roundtable-breaking-down-this-offseasons-most-underrated-moves" target="_blank" rel="noopener">low-risk, moderately-high-reward move</a> that could swing some games in the second half of the season.
Alex Kennedy: After being super aggressive at last year's trade deadline, Nikola Vucevic <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/bulls-nikola-vucevic-qa-were-built-to-be-successful-for-years-to-come" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told me</a> that the Chicago Bulls "sent a strong message to the rest of the league that they really want to win now." This offseason, they doubled down and were even more active &mdash; adding <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/lonzo-ball-chicago-bulls-form-a-perfect-marriage" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lonzo Ball</a>, DeMar DeRozan, Alex Caruso and <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/ayo-dosunmu-ready-to-seize-the-moment-as-he-becomes-complete-player-nba-draft-prospects-2021" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ayo Dosunmu</a> to their core of Vucevic, Zach LaVine, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/chicago-bulls-evolved-patrick-williams-offensive-game-at-nba-summer-league" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Patrick Williams</a>, Coby White and <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/examining-potential-freeagency-destinations-for-lauri-markkanen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lauri Markkanen (RFA)</a>. Prior to the Vucevic trade, there was a month-long stretch where LaVine was averaging nearly 33.0 points. While it was incredible to watch LaVine put the team on his back, it was clear that he needed help. Now, just five months later, the roster looks completely different and the supporting cast is significantly better. This is the most talent that LaVine and Vucevic have ever had around them, and Chicago seems like a lock to make the playoffs for the first time since 2016-17 (and perhaps win a series for the first time since 2014-15). Last year, LaVine <a href="https://hoopshype.com/2020/04/28/nba-zach-lavine-chicago-bulls-michael-jordan-the-last-dance-season-workout-staying-shape-paul-seattle-arturas-karnisovas-marc-eversley/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told me</a> that he's "extremely hungry" to make his postseason debut and now it's absolutely within reach. (Also, getting Derrick Jones Jr., a lottery protected first-rounder and a future second-rounder back in the Lauri Markkanen sign-and-trade is a win.)
Jackson Frank: The Heat acquiring Kyle Lowry and P.J. Tucker, while retaining Victor Oladipo, give them the nod in my eyes. They went from a first-round out to a team that could make a deep playoff run. Lowry is a fringe All-Star and <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/what-kyle-lowry-brings-to-the-miami-heat" target="_blank" rel="noopener">offers significant offensive versatility</a> that should help reignite a stagnant attack. Tucker, although circumstantial defensively and rather limited offensively, remains a useful rotational big who helps maintain Miami&rsquo;s defensive ethos. Oladipo&rsquo;s offense is highly dependent on his jumper these days, but the defense was quite good last season and he clearly seems to want to be in Miami. Health is a looming question mark, but he can help them when out there.
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Jesse Blancarte: The Los Angeles Lakers entered the offseason with Dennis Schroder hoping to leverage the team&rsquo;s limited cap flexibility into a $100 million contract. The Lakers passed on Schroder, opting to trade for Russell Westbrook, re-sign Talen Horton-Tucker and fill out the roster with solid veterans on minimum deals (including Dwight Howard, Carmelo Anthony, Trevor Ariza, Kent Bazemore and Wayne Ellington). The Lakers even snagged a few talented, younger players with upside in Malik Monk and Kendrick Nunn. L.A. loses some points for reportedly not doing much to re-sign Alex Caruso, but the team added significant depth. Age will be an issue for this roster, but the talent and depth are there for another championship run.
Spencer Davies: This may be an unpopular opinion since all of their additions came via trades, but the Washington Wizards intrigue me as a playoff contender in the Eastern Conference. Spearheaded by the acquisition of Spencer Dinwiddie &mdash; who should fit like a glove next to Bradley Beal and take some of the playmaking load off the three-time All-Star &mdash; <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/wizards-retooling-led-to-a-competent-roster-surrounding-bradley-beal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the team has retooled well</a>. Something tells me that Kyle Kuzma will be able to breathe a little easier in D.C., and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is easily the best sniper with defensive upside that Washington has thrown out there in years. Montrezl Harrell is going to be highly motivated after being dealt away, and perhaps he can develop a rapport with Aaron Holiday as a part of an energetic second unit. Let&rsquo;s not forget that Deni Avdija and Thomas Bryant will return at some point from their injuries too. Throw in a growing Rui Hachimura and Daniel Gafford &mdash; plus a new head coach in Wes Unseld Jr. &mdash; and the Wizards have some real firepower and could make a solid push.
Imman Adan: It&rsquo;s definitely the Nets; they managed to get better despite already being the favorites. However, I&rsquo;m going with the Miami Heat because they got their guy &mdash; Kyle Lowry &mdash; and didn&rsquo;t have to give up very much to get him. They also managed to pick up P.J. Tucker and, if he has anything left in the tank, he can help fill the void Jae Crowder left.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Evan Sidery: Although it remains to be seen how exactly all the new parts fit together, credit to the Chicago Bulls for finally going for it. Lonzo Ball is a <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/lonzo-ball-chicago-bulls-form-a-perfect-marriage" target="_blank" rel="noopener">perfect backcourt complement</a> for Zach LaVine, while DeMar DeRozan provides a legit scoring punch as well. If 2020 No. 4 overall pick Patrick Williams takes a leap &mdash; and Summer League is showing that&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/chicago-bulls-evolved-patrick-williams-offensive-game-at-nba-summer-league" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a strong possibility</a> &mdash; Chicago looks the part of a top-six team in the Eastern Conference. Ever since Derrick Rose&rsquo;s prime, Chicago has been yearning for a competitive team. In 2021-22, they have an opportunity to make noise.
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Ethan Fuller: The Miami Heat reeled in the biggest available free-agent name in Kyle Lowry without giving up a treasure trove of talent. Sure, Precious Achiuwa is a tough loss for an aging team, but Lowry is a clear upgrade over Goran Dragic in the short-term. The Heat also signed two underrated additions in P.J. Tucker and Markieff Morris without losing rotation players of consequence. Miami is older, more expensive and potentially injury-prone, but the squad is also more talented and more potent as a defensive unit.
Drew Maresca: Shockingly, the Washington Wizards. Most importantly, they got out from under Russell Westbrook&rsquo;s contract, swapping Westbrook for Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Montrezl Harrell. They also added Spencer Dinwiddie, who better complements Bradley Beal than Westbrook did &mdash; a hugely important aspect of his addition. If Dinwiddie bounces back to his old self, the Wizards will compete for a playoff spot in a newly competitive Eastern Conference &mdash; and that might enough to convince Beal to extend.
Chris Sheridan: It is a close call between the Nets, Heat and Lakers... so close that I am going to make it a three-way- tie. I absolutely love Brooklyn's acquisition of Patty Mills. He is a fourth star, if you ask any Australian. They needed a second perimeter defender aside from Bruce Brown, whom they were lucky to keep, and they needed someone off the bench to replace Jeff Green. Miami got Kyle Lowry, which is HUGE, along with Markieff Morris on a one-year deal, which should incentivize him to play to his full potential. Also, they got P.J. Tucker, which I feel is <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-roundtable-breaking-down-this-offseasons-most-underrated-moves" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the offseason's most underrated move</a>. For the Lakers, acquiring Russell Westbrook may go down in history as the biggest and best move they could have ever made to facilitate another championship run with LeBron James. He is a vast upgrade over Dennis Schroder, who ended up being too greedy for his wallet's own good. The other role players the Lakers added seem to fit nicely, especially Carmelo Anthony, Kent Bazemore and Wayne Ellington for perimeter shooting and Dwight Howard for messing with the minds of opposing centers. They will miss Alex Caruso's defense (and it remains to be seen who can provide that), but they had an impressive offseason.
Jannelle Moore: The Lakers had the best offseason because they knew they didn&rsquo;t have much salary-cap space, but they got creative and still managed to land a star in Russell Westbrook. Many people doubted whether the Lakers could make a splashy move, but they managed to pull off a blockbuster trade with the Wizards. Carmelo Anthony and the role players they brought in were great additions as well.

Which team is the big winner of the 2021 NBA offseason? Our writers share their thoughts.

Roundtable: Which NBA team had the best offseason?

The 2021 NBA offseason featured blockbuster trades, draft-day surprises and some big-name players changing teams. Those are typically the transactions that garner the most attention, but what were some of the under-the-radar moves that deserve to be highlighted?
Now that most of the free agents have signed and the dust has settled, we asked our writers:
What was your favorite "underrated move" of this offseason?
Jackson Frank: I really liked the Pistons nabbing Kelly Olynyk. A versatile offensive big man to pair with their young guards in Cade Cunningham and Killian Hayes is so important. He&rsquo;s going to help facilitate their development and ease some of their creation burden with his pick-and-pops, dribble handoffs and mismatch-hunting in the post. Good, complementary players for young dudes is critical and Olynyk is exactly the former.
Alex Kennedy: Victor Oladipo went from being regarded as one of the top free agents in this class to a complete afterthought. After signing a one-year, minimum deal with the Heat, he's the ultimate low-risk, high-reward addition. If it doesn't work out, Miami can cut him or let him walk. If he gets healthy and has a strong bounce-back season, he'll be a steal. The 29-year-old will need to make an impact in order to ink a more lucrative deal next offseason. Oladipo's days as an All-NBA player are likely over, but he doesn't even need to play at that level in order to drastically outperform this contract. Despite his struggles last year, he averaged 20.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 2.6 threes and 1.3 steals in 29 games with the Rockets and Pacers. After Oladipo's season-ending quad surgery in May, his surgeon <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/31489484/miami-heat-victor-oladipo-cleared-full-contact-basketball-november-doctor-says" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told ESPN</a>, "I was amazed he was playing with what he had. I'm very optimistic that I could clear him in six months, by November." If he was able to put up those numbers on a badly-injured quad that he had no business playing on, he should be able to help the Heat. Miami had an exciting offseason &mdash; from acquiring Kyle Lowry to signing P.J. Tucker to extending Jimmy Butler and Duncan Robinson &mdash; but re-signing Oladipo at the minimum was another impressive move that could look really smart come playoff time.
Nekias Duncan: I like Isaac Bonga heading to Toronto. There&rsquo;s been a clear emphasis in adding rangy defenders, and Bonga fits the bill while adding a hint of ball skills. I felt like he was a bit buried in Washington, so I&rsquo;m interested to see if he gets more burn.
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Spencer Davies: Patty Mills to the Brooklyn Nets on a two-year, $12 million deal. With Spencer Dinwiddie leaving and no regularly-dependable backup in the backcourt, Mills will bring an edge and depth to Steve Nash&rsquo;s second unit in this go-round. While he may not be the FIBA Patty that everybody loves, Mills will not hesitate to take shots and bury triples when one of James Harden or Kyrie Irving is getting a rest. That&rsquo;s going to make Brooklyn a tough customer from a pace standpoint, as well.
Imman Adan: It&rsquo;s not that the move itself was underrated, but I'm surprised that people are more focused on what the Wizards-Lakers trade means for Los Angeles and for Bradley Beal rather than focusing on how much of a win it is for Washington. John Wall&rsquo;s massive contract was widely considered one of the worst deals in the league, yet they turned him into Russell Westbrook and then turned Westbrook into multiple talented rotation pieces and no behemoth contract. Just a massive win for the Wizards' books.&nbsp;
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Chris Sheridan: That would be Miami signing P.J. Tucker away from Milwaukee. I am a huge fan of guys who kill it on defense, and we saw P.J. do a great job against the Brooklyn Nets in their second-round series when the Bucks came back from being down 3-2. Milwaukee is going to miss that guy. The reason they got him in the first place was to have someone who could guard opposing forwards in the postseason, and there will come a time when the Bucks realize how much they miss him. Both Tucker and Jimmy Butler really get after it on the defensive end, so kudos to Pat Riley and Erik Spoelstra and Andy Elisburg for snatching Tucker away from the Bucks in free agency.
Ethan Fuller: I'm a big fan of the Los Angeles Clippers' draft class as a whole. The Clippers went after their favorite prospects, trading up to get uber-athletic Keon Johnson at No. 21 and cerebral playmaker Jason Preston at No. 33. Then, they took a flier on a former five-star player in Brandon Boston Jr. with the No. 51 pick. All three possess immense upside, and the Clippers are deep enough where they don't need any rookie to step into the rotation right away.
Evan Sidery: In terms of overall value, the Phoenix Suns hit a home run re-signing backup point guard Cameron Payne to a three-year, $19 million deal. Compared to other backup facilitators, Payne&rsquo;s annual value fell well below what others have been paid over the last few offseasons. After Phoenix gave Payne a chance to revive his NBA career, the 27-year-old point guard returned the favor by giving the Suns a discount. Payne, who has become a wonderful fit within their system, will continue to play a vital role for the Suns as a key cog to their improved second unit. Payne, Landry Shamet, Cameron Johnson and JaVale McGee will give Phoenix such a strong bench.
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Jesse Blancarte: The Los Angeles Clippers&rsquo; trade for Eric Bledsoe. There may be some pushback on this selection, but hear me out. Yes, Eric Bledsoe has struggled over the last few seasons. Yes, Patrick Beverley is a high-level defender (when healthy) and was an emotional leader for the Clippers. Yes, Rajon Rondo has championship experience and is capable of elevating his game in the postseason. But with this deal, the Clippers lowered this season's luxury-tax payment significantly, opened a needed roster spot and took a reasonable chance on Bledsoe having a bounce-back season. With Kawhi Leonard sidelined for possibly the entire season, Bledsoe offers another playmaker who can attack the basket and defend multiple positions.
Drew Maresca: This one&rsquo;s easy &mdash; Kemba Walker to New York. It flew under the radar given the timing of the move relative to the other major signings, but adding a legitimate point guard who is just <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/an-indepth-breakdown-on-how-and-why-kemba-walker-will-help-the-knicks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">two years removed from an All-Star selection</a> is a big deal for a team that&rsquo;s been looking for a reliable point guard for (literally) decades. Just two years ago, Walker signed a four-year max contract worth $141 million, so the fact that New York was able to sign him to a two-year, $18 million deal makes the move even more impactful.
Jonathan Concool: P.J. Tucker to the Heat. 100%. I think this also wins because absolutely no one saw this move coming. Tucker, who is coming off his first championship with the Milwaukee Bucks, was expected to remain with the team considering how much he contributed during their postseason run. However, Pat Riley had other plans. The Heat nailed their offseason &mdash; re-signing Duncan Robinson and Jimmy Butler, acquiring Kyle Lowry, and then bringing in more veteran, championship experience in Tucker. Tucker does so many things that don&rsquo;t show up on a box score and he'll be a key contributor for the Heat, who are clearly serious about making another deep playoff run.
Jannelle Moore: My pick for the best underrated move is JaVale McGee joining the Phoenix Suns. The Milwaukee Bucks exposed Phoenix&rsquo;s lack of depth at center. By signing McGee &mdash; a serviceable big with playoff experience and three championships on his resume &mdash; the Suns addressed that need.

Now that most of the free agents have signed and the dust has settled, what were some of the most underrated offseason moves?

NBA Roundtable: Breaking down this offseason's most underrated moves

The 2021 NBA Summer League has concluded, with the Sacramento Kings winning the Summer League championship over the Boston Celtics. While the Kings and New Orleans Pelicans are the only teams who left Las Vegas with an undefeated record, plenty of players made the most of their opportunity during the tournament.
There were rookies who made a strong first impression at the NBA level, second-year players who were determined to showcase more of their game and prove they're ready for a bigger role, and veterans who hoped to earn a roster spot or training-camp invite. We asked our staff the following question:
Which player impressed you the most during Summer League?
Nekias Duncan: Not enough nice things can be said about the three-game stretch that Jalen Green put together. He popped as a shot creator, and showed real life as a passer in pick-and-roll situations. The on-ball defense looked much better than it did during his G-League stretch, though we&rsquo;ll see how that translates.
Alex Kennedy: Tre Jones of the San Antonio Spurs really stood out to me. The sophomore point guard only appeared in 37 contests as a rookie and played just 7.3 minutes per game, but he dominated the competition in Las Vegas. In four games, the 21-year-old averaged 22.8 points, 6.3 assists, 4.8 rebounds and 0.8 steals on 50.7/36.4/90.5 shooting splits. Against the Charlotte Hornets, he hit <a href="https://youtu.be/cP5X8QT4U6k" target="_blank" rel="noopener">an impressive game-winning shot</a> and finished with 34 points, 9 assists and 8 rebounds. Jones looked too good for Summer-League action, which has to make the rebuilding Spurs happy. Like Jones, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/tyrese-maxey-centered-on-getting-1-better-every-day-for-76ers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tyrese Maxey (Philadelphia 76ers)</a>, Desmond Bane (Memphis Grizzlies) and <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/chicago-bulls-evolved-patrick-williams-offensive-game-at-nba-summer-league" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Patrick Williams (Chicago Bulls)</a> also deserve credit for shining and showcasing their continued development.
Jackson Frank: My sample is more narrow than usual because I didn&rsquo;t catch my full allotment of games, but I dug what I saw from Aaron Nesmith. He flashed some off-the-dribble verve as a pull-up shooter and driver, and even executed some passing reads I wasn&rsquo;t aware were in his bag. The Celtics need wing shooting and if he&rsquo;s a legit rotation guy with some ability to attack closeouts, that&rsquo;d help buoy them a good bit.
Spencer Davies: Though there were a number of young players who looked ready for the big stage, it&rsquo;s hard not to salivate over what Jonathan Kuminga can become. With the right development and a perfect situation among champions in Golden State, it&rsquo;s looking like he&rsquo;ll be a force to be reckoned with down the line. The jump shot is inconsistent and he comes off as a little overaggressive and reckless right now &mdash; particularly when running the floor &mdash; but the dribble moves he put on in isolation situations were eye-popping, as were his speed and strength when he finished at the rim. The 18-year-old forward has plenty of upside to be excited about. It just may take a little time before he puts it all together, and that&rsquo;s okay.
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Chris Sheridan: The Nets have a very confident rookie in Cam Thomas, who killed it at Summer League and led all players with 27.0 points per game. In fact, this scoring average is second-best in Summer-League history behind only Donovan Mitchell (28.0). Thomas has a confidence and a hunger that the Nets recognized, which is why they selected him at No. 27. Whether he can crack that loaded guard rotation in Brooklyn remains to be seen, but he could be making noise in the BK for the next decade long after Kyrie Irving, James Harden and Kevin Durant have hung up their sneakers.
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<div class="c-message_actions__group" role="group" aria-label="Message shortcuts" data-qa="message-actions">Evan Sidery: Jalen Green was so impressive to me throughout Summer League. We knew how gifted of a three-level scorer he was, but Green made it look so easy. For a rebuilding Rockets squad, there&rsquo;s no reason Green can&rsquo;t average 20-25 points per game during his rookie campaign. Green&rsquo;s potential is immense; eventually, he could potentially become a multi-time scoring champion.</div>
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<div class="c-message_actions__group" role="group" aria-label="Message shortcuts" data-qa="message-actions">Ethan Fuller: I've always thought the "older-equals-more-NBA-ready" philosophy is a myth. But Chris Duarte might be proving me wrong. The 24-year-old first-round rookie shined for Indiana, who used him in so many creative ways. Duarte made plays on and off the ball, got to his shots in rhythm and played heads-up team defense. He could absolutely be a day-one positive in the Pacers' rotation.</div>
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Jalen Green summer league scoring highlights <a href="https://t.co/VioXalqqwn">pic.twitter.com/VioXalqqwn</a>
&mdash; Rob Kimbell (@RobKSports) <a href="https://twitter.com/RobKSports/status/1426558476373921799?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 14, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<div class="c-message_actions__group" role="group" aria-label="Message shortcuts" data-qa="message-actions">Jesse Blancarte: Jalen Green only played a few Summer-League games before being sidelined with a hamstring injury, but he displayed his dynamic offensive talent and showed why he was chosen second overall in this year&rsquo;s draft. Step-back jumpers, catch-and-shoot three-pointers, drives to the basket, finishes in traffic, operating out of the pick-and-roll... Green did a little bit of everything and proved he has the talent to become a superstar player in the NBA.</div>
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<div class="c-message_actions__group" role="group" aria-label="Message shortcuts" data-qa="message-actions">Drew Maresca: Dare I say&hellip; LiAngelo Ball? Listen, a lot of guys looked great like Davion Mitchell, Payton Pritchard and Immanuel Quickley. But Ball looked surprisingly serviceable in Summer League, scoring 9.6 points per game while connecting on 34.5% of his three-point attempts, and that includes a poor final outing against the Chicago Bulls (6 points, 0-for-5 on three-point attempts). If Ball <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/did-liangelo-ball-earn-a-roster-spot-with-the-hornets-during-summer-league" target="_blank" rel="noopener">makes the Hornets' roster</a>, and I think he will, he&rsquo;ll be in a comfortable spot alongside younger brother LaMelo Ball. Sure, his long-term impact is limited, but Ball was arguably the feel-good story of the Summer League.</div>
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<div class="c-message_actions__group" role="group" aria-label="Message shortcuts" data-qa="message-actions">Jonathan Concool: Jalen Green looked every bit as advertised in his short time playing for the Houston Rockets' Summer League team. Not only did Green average 20.3 points in just 24.1 minutes, he looked extremely comfortable on the court and that might&rsquo;ve been what impressed me the most. Green&rsquo;s decision to play with the G League Ignite last season certainly seemed to give him an advantage, as he showed no jitters or nerves playing in front of NBA personnel. (After his first Summer-League game, he said that it was similar to the G League.) Green outdueled No. 1 pick Cade Cunningham in a showdown between the top-two selections, scoring a game-high 25 points and leading the Rockets to the 111-91 victory over Cunningham (20 points) and the Detroit Pistons. Green&rsquo;s Summer League was cut short due to hamstring soreness, but the Rockets emphasized they were just being overly cautious in their decision to keep him out of the lineup. Things are looking up in H-Town, as this team may be able to turn things around with their young core of Kevin Porter Jr., Jalen Green and Christian Wood leading the way.</div>
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Which players stood out the most during the NBA-Summer-League action? We asked our BasketballNews writers to weigh in.

Roundtable: Which NBA Summer League player impressed you the most?

Welcome to a special NBA-Summer-League-Edition of Roaming The Baseline. This will serve more like a notebook, with observations around the league from this year's summer-league experience. Players that stood out, players that disappointed, randomness from the stands -- you'll get it all here.
With that, let's roam the baseline.
HOUSTON, WE HAVE PROBLEMS
I mean this in a positive sense. You don't want to make sweeping conclusions before, during or after summer league ball. I mean, it's summer league ball, duh. But I do feel a little bit better about the Houston Rockets' draft after watching them in Vegas.
The morning after the draft, I <a href="https://twitter.com/NekiasNBA/status/1421129799716769794?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shared my concerns</a> on Twitter. To sum it up: I liked the picks individually, but wasn't quite sure how or if the developmental reps would be spread around in an effective manner.&nbsp;
Some of those questions still persist, but I'm more comfortable because of how everyone looked.
Jalen Green (20-4-2 with a 51/53/93 slash line) flourished, blessing a masked audience with shot/space creation flashes and pick-and-roll poise beyond his years. I'm still losing my mind over this pass.
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Alperen Sengun (15-11-3-1-3, 43/38/61) was Houston's most productive rookie, showcasing real scoring and passing chops out of the post, as well as holding his own as a positional defender. I'm curious to see how his skill set translates against actual NBAers, but his feel was apparent even on this stage.
Watching Josh Christopher (17-4-4, 39/18/78) was an experience and a half, man. You were just as likely to see him clamp up a primary initiator (he had some reps&nbsp;against Cade Cunningham) as you were to see him take an ill-advised, early clock pull-up triple for... no real reason, to be frank with you.&nbsp;
But the energy was infectious. He got to the rim almost whenever he wanted and generated free throws at a solid clip. And speaking of infectious energy &mdash; watching Rockets-Pistons live was even more fun because I was seated near either friends or family of Christopher. And they were loud and proud,&nbsp;let me tell ya.
Usman Garuba (4-8-3-2-1, 33/0/40) came to Vegas late due to Olympic obligations, but immediately gave his fans and critics plenty of ammo.
On the high end, he absolutely wrecked the Portland Trail Blazers on defense. He did the "boring" stuff, rotating and boxing out and ending possessions with defensive rebounds. But the event creation was there: five steals and a block is nothing to sneeze at.
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Offensively, well, there wasn't much offensively. There was the occasional instance of quick processing as a passer, but you'd be hard-pressed to find really high-level reads. The finishing wasn't there; Garuba converted well-under 50% of his looks at the rim, per InStat tracking. He missed both of his three-point attempts, and the free-throw percentage wasn't great with a limited sample.
THE KINGS MAY HAVE SOMETHING IN DAVION MITCHELL
It's not too often that the Sacramento Kings win things, so it's only fair to highlight them when they do.
On a serious note: What a <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/breakingnews/kings-offense-mitchells-defense-leads-sacramento-to-title" target="_blank" rel="noopener">summer league run for them</a>. 5-0 with a title to boot, all behind a devastating defense. The points allowed: 70 (Charlotte), 75 (Washington), 75 (Memphis), 70 (Dallas), 67 (Boston).
It started with No. 9 overall pick Davion Mitchell (11-1-6-1, 42/47/29), whose on-ball defense was on full display across multiple positions. This isn't the time to have "point of attack defense vs. rim protection" discourse, but Mitchell showcased the value of strong point of attack defense. The stretches he had against fellow lottery pick James Bouknight were downright filthy.
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He provided value offensively as well, shooting the leather off the ball, puncturing the paint consistently and making timely reads in pick-and-roll. To nearly rack up a 4:1 assist-to-turnover ratio in summer league is not an easy thing to do, considering the, uh...[waves arms wildly]... nature of summer league basketball.
Mitchell seems ready &mdash; well, as comfortably as you can make that proclamation after Vegas games. Finding playing time for him should be interesting. I would imagine we'll see plenty of three-guard looks from the Kings this year. If Mitchell is genuinely able to defend up a position, that alignment should be fine.
CADE CUNNINGHAM'S ROLE
After watching him operate in a phone booth in college, with teammates that didn't consistently generate open looks for him, I was excited to watch Cade Cunningham (19-6-2, 43/50/50) in a summer league setting.
He wouldn't be surrounded with Team USA or anything, but just about anything would be better than the context he had worked with in college. So it was a bit surprising to see Cade work off the ball as much as he did.
It makes sense, zooming out. You don't want to overwhelm your number one, even one as poised and as talented as Cade. Though he's mature beyond his years, you don't want to give complete control and run the risk of bad habits being established.
Also: Cade isn't the only guy the Pistons wanted to give reps to. Killian Hayes entered the summer coming off an underwhelming, and later injury-shortened, rookie campaign. It was worth exploring what Saddiq Bey could do with the rock. Heck, Saben Lee intrigued during the second half of the season with his adventurous forays to the basket.
So the Pistons did spread the wealth, often sliding Cade off the ball. Luckily for Detroit, Cade is 1) very smart, and 2) a darn good shooter, a development that should scare folks.&nbsp;
He got busy off movement, relocated well and cashed home spot-up shots to the tune of a 50% clip on nearly nine attempts per game. Oh, and he was able to do it like this, too.
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There were some warts to Cade's stint in Vegas. The passing was good, not great. There were some wayward skips and forced dimes, though nothing to be super concerned about long-term.
Something to watch: Cade took two free throws in three games. Him not having elite burst has been on the scouting report for a while, but someone with his size and skill level should be able to get to the line more than that on accident.
THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GO "HMMMM"
<ul>
<li>With the obvious caveat of not being, like, <a href="https://twitter.com/abovethebreak3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PD Web</a>-level draft person, I did not understand the Spurs taking Josh Primo in the lottery. He did raise my brow some with his ball-screen savvy and the ease in which he flowed into pull-ups in Vegas. His 31.3% clip on threes (8.0 attempts) doesn't tell the full story, but there were some ugly misses in there too. I gotta see more.</li>
<li>Know who I don't need to see more of? Payton Pritchard (17-6-9), Tyrese Maxey (26-6-5), Immanuel Quickley (20-4-8) and Obi Toppin (21 &amp; 8), for starters. Desmond Bane (24-4-4) also fits the bill. It's always a good sign when Year 2 guys look like they have no business being there, and they all looked thoroughly out of place.</li>
<li>Y'all really let Jalen Johnson (19-10-2) fall out of the lottery, and Sharife Cooper (14 &amp; 7) fall to the middle of the second round, huh?</li>
<li>Following the Kyle Lowry sign-and-trade, the Heat have to hit on the margins to fill out the roster. Omer Yurtseven (20-10-2-1-3) seems to have real potential as a rotational big, and I have my eye on ball-hawking guard Marcus Garrett to potentially land a two-way deal.</li>
<li>The Portland Trail Blazers. That's the thing that makes me go "hmmmm." Because what was the direction &mdash; what was the point, really &mdash; of their roster? It was a who's-who of former lottery flameouts (Michael Beasley, Emmanuel Mudiay), Kenneth Faried for some reason and then... Greg Brown III, who gave us this when we truly didn't deserve it.</li>
</ul>
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STRAY THOUGHTS
<ul>
<li>It felt weird being in Vegas, to be completely honest with you. It wasn't as hot as it was when I went in 2019, and it was nice to see some of my (media) pals that I either hadn't seen in a while or hadn't met yet. But man, it would've been nice to have more access, more freedom, a little more fun. Not sure if things will be "normal" for quite some time, but summer league didn't truly feel like summer league this year.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Back to actual basketball &mdash; I came away impressed with Scottie Barnes (16-7-3-1-2). It's simple, it's cliche, but the dude knows how to play basketball. He's always moving, flowing from the dunker spot to the corner, then lifting to the wing if necessary. He's unselfish, sometimes to a fault. Though shooting concerns persist, it's encouraging that he wasn't gun-shy. The defense is pretty much there already, and he was tasked with multiple positional assignments, as well as different schemes. Fun dude to track.</li>
<li>Won't go deep into Evan Mobley since I wrote about <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/early-returns-thoughts-on-evan-mobleys-summer-league-debut" target="_blank" rel="noopener">his debut</a>, but I'll just say that young man is gonna be&nbsp;good.</li>
<li>I wasn't a fan of how the Charlotte Hornets put their team together at all. Bouknight and Grant Riller can't be your only trusted ball-handlers, especially with neither of them being natural playmakers. Expecting your offense to flow, or for your more raw talents (Kai Jones, JT Thor) to flourish within this context was a fool's errand.</li>
<li>Shout out LiAngelo Ball!</li>
<li>The Pacers have something in Chris Duarte, who both shot and defended well. That man was&nbsp;everywhere&nbsp;the few times I watched him.</li>
<li>The shooting splits may not show it, but Jonathan Kuminga looks further along than I expected him to be. There were plenty of on-ball flashes to be excited about. Also... don't call him that.</li>
<li>Nets rookie Cam Thomas was regarded as arguably the best shot creator in this year's class. Leading summer leaguers in scoring (27.0 points, 42/36/85) is an <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/did-the-nets-get-a-steal-in-no-27-overall-pick-cam-thomas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">easy way to back up that claim</a>. I'm even more impressed with Brooklyn's offseason now.</li>
</ul>

Nekias Duncan gives his closing thoughts and observations on this year's Summer League.

Sherif