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Pacers

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

Examining potential sign-and-trade destinations for Deandre Ayton

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

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

Pacers start long offseason looking to overhaul roster

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

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

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

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

Joel Embiid had 45 points and 13 rebounds, and the Philadelphia 76ers made a franchise-record 17 3-pointers in the first half of a 131-122 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday night that moved them into a tie with Boston atop the Atlantic Division.
Embiid banked in a 3-pointer at the halftime buzzer and shot 18 for 30 overall while moving into the NBA scoring lead with 30.4 points per game. He had 27 points and seven rebounds in the first half, helping Philadelphia take control with a 49-point second quarter that led to an 82-59 halftime lead.
Buddy Hield scored 25 points and Tyrese Haliburton had 21 points, eight rebounds and five assists for Indiana, which has lost a season-worst eight in a row.
The 76ers, meanwhile, continued to build momentum for a playoff push that begins next week &mdash; and perhaps Embiid's pitch as league MVP.
And they did nothing to disappoint Tuesday.
Tyrese Maxey made a career-high eight 3s, seven in the first half, and had 30 points for the 76ers. James Harden had 11 points and 14 assists.
The Pacers never fully recovered from the Sixers' blistering start, though they did cut the deficit to 111-106 with 9:19 left to play. But Philadelphia answered with a 10-3 run to put it away.
TIP-INS
76ers: Embiid posted his 12th game this season with 40 or more points and at least 10 rebounds, the most in one season since Russell Westbrook did it 12 times in 2016-17. ... DeAndre Jordan was ejected for a flagrant foul with 9:19 left in the game. ... Philadelphia lost its only previous meeting this season against Indiana. The two teams meet for the third and final time this season Saturday.
Pacers: Indiana finished this season with a 16-25 record at home, its second straight sub-.500 mark after 31 straight seasons of posting winning records at home. ... Fan favorite Lance Stephenson had 10 points in what could be his final home game in Indy. ...
HE&rsquo;S BACK
Pacers guard T.J. McConnell returned to action Tuesday, marking his first appearance in a game since Dec. 1. McConnell missed 54 games with ligament damage in his right wrist and made it back against his former team.
&ldquo;He wants to play, he wants to come back, he wants to get that feel and what it&rsquo;s like playing with his teammates before the summer,&rdquo; Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s worked really hard and I think it took him longer than expected.&rdquo;
UP NEXT
76ers: Visit Toronto on Thursday before closing out the regular season with two home games.
Pacers: Head to Philadelphia on Saturday.
___
More AP NBA: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/NBA">https://apnews.com/hub/NBA</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/AP_Sports">https://twitter.com/AP_Sports</a>

Joel Embiid had 45 points and 13 rebounds, and the Sixers moved into a tie with the Celtics atop the Atlantic Division.

Embiid scores 45, 76ers beat Pacers to pull even in Atlantic

After missing 55 straight games due to a right wrist injury, the Pacers' backup point guard will return and face his former team, the 76ers, on Tuesday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, according to <a href="https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/nba/pacers/2022/04/05/pacers-guard-t-j-mcconnell-finally-returns-wrist-injury/9474853002/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">James Boyd of the Indianapolis Star</a>.
McConnell hasn't played since December 1st, and has only played 24 games on the season in which he's averaged 8.4 points, 4.8 assists, and 3.3 rebounds while shooting 50.3 percent from the field.

TJ McConnell has been cleared to return for the Pacers tonight when they face the 76ers.

T.J. McConnell cleared to return tonight vs. Philadelphia

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

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

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

Since the dawn of modern draft philosophy, NBA front offices have generally prioritized the untapped potential of younger prospects over the more apparent ceiling of an upperclassmen.
However, for every theory, there exists exceptions, and the league has fielded its fair share of outliers since the rise of the one-and-done era. Guys like Draymond Green, CJ McCollum, Jimmy Butler and &mdash; most recently, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/desmond-bane-cementing-himself-as-essential-part-of-nextgen-grizzlies" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Desmond Bane</a> &mdash; have massively outperformed their respective expectations and helped shed the stigma that comes with being an &ldquo;older&rdquo; draftee.
Enter Chris Duarte. The 24-year-old rookie has had an <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/ncaa-basketball-chris-duarte-oregon-ducks-dominican-republic-continues-climb-nba-draft-2021-prospects" target="_blank" rel="noopener">unconventional journey into the NBA</a>, but now that he has arrived, he has proven to be one of the better players in a stacked 2021 class.
So is he the next link in the chain of draft anomalies?
To find out, let&rsquo;s take a deep dive into the film to see what gives the Former Pac-12 Player of the Year a chance to be a high-level pro for a very long time.
Offense
Upon being selected with the No. 13 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, Duarte was dubbed by ESPN's <a href="https://fieldhousefiles.substack.com/p/chris-duarte-then-isaiah-jackson" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jay Bilas</a> as &ldquo;a poor man&rsquo;s Klay Thompson.&rdquo; And while he&rsquo;s right to some degree &mdash; Duarte&rsquo;s 35.5% from beyond the arc is mincemeat to one of the greatest shooters that ever lived &mdash; he's mostly missing the mark on offense because Duarte's versatility as a scorer is an entirely different tax bracket.
This season, Duarte has been unassisted on 51.7% of his twos and 22.1% of his threes, a healthy margin above Thompon&rsquo;s highest marks (44.4% and 9.2% respectively, per Basketball-Reference). Duarte&rsquo;s volume on unassisted shots is in part due to the injuries of lead guards like Malcolm Brogdon and T.J. McConnell, but it also speaks volumes about his juice as an on-ball scorer.
Not a supreme athlete or ball-handling maestro, much of Duarte&rsquo;s chops off-the-dribble can be attributed to his advanced footwork, which Indy Cornrows writer Caitlin Cooper (great <a href="https://twitter.com/C2_Cooper" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Twitter</a> follow) raved about during her December appearance on <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/podcasts/the-dunker-spot" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Dunker Spot</a>:
<blockquote>
&ldquo;I love his footwork. It&rsquo;s so good. Like, the Pacers don&rsquo;t have other guys that can shoot off of a hedge or off of a switch [to] that type of degree.&rdquo;
</blockquote>
And she&rsquo;s one-hundred percent on the money. Duarte&rsquo;s gracefulness adds another dimension to his game and the Indiana offense. Just look at this clip from a film thread Cooper did on a Duarte game in January, where he buries a nasty mid-range jumper with none other than Klay staring at him from under the basket:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
2) Reverse pivoting out of a probe dribble without losing any balance or control on his jump shot. <a href="https://t.co/h4tRTzYUFF">pic.twitter.com/h4tRTzYUFF</a>
&mdash; Caitlin Cooper (@C2_Cooper) <a href="https://twitter.com/C2_Cooper/status/1484606298322833412?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2022</a></blockquote>

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

Overall, his ability to act as an on-ball/off-ball hybrid offensively enables him to handle a relatively high scoring load (fourth in usage and sixth in points per possession among rookies) while also maintaining solid efficiency (No. 6 in <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_2022_advanced.html#advanced_stats::ts_pct" target="_blank" rel="noopener">efficiency</a> among rookies).
One development many of us didn&rsquo;t see coming (myself included) is Duarte&rsquo;s effectiveness as a part-time playmaker. He&rsquo;s in the 55th percentile among pick and roll ball-handlers primarily because of his ability to navigate the floor and pinpoint the optimal play available.
In the next trio of clips, Duarte identifies two weak-side corner skips and one laydown dump-off at the rim (passes even <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/making-the-allstar-case-for-dejounte-murray" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dejounte Murray</a> himself struggles consistently making):
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/yboova" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
Now granted, he still has plenty of hiccups when saddled into the head creator role (evidenced by his 31st percentile turnover percentage). But the flashes he shows are exciting, particularly when factored in with his promising profile as a scorer.
Defense
When scouting perimeter players on defense, you normally want to ask yourself three questions:
1) Are they staunch at the point of attack?
2) Can they guard multiple positions?
3) Do they create <a href="https://premiumhoops.org/2021/04/06/evaluating-nba-perimeter-defense-establishing-and-using-a-rubric/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">events</a> on defense?
For the first two questions, I&rsquo;d probably lean towards "No." Duarte is solid at the point of attack, but he can&rsquo;t really keep up with intense speed or overwhelming strength. And his versatility on that end of the floor grades second-last out of the 43 &ldquo;wing stoppers&rdquo; with at least 600 minutes (per BBall Index).&nbsp;
Where he does shine, though, is in his penchant for taking the ball away from the opposition. So far this year, his nearly 2% steal rate places him in the 72nd percentile at his position (per Cleaning the Glass).&nbsp;
His playmaking as a defender also exemplifies arguably the most important part of his long-term defensive value: team defense.
This is highly anecdotal, but when I went back and dove into the tape on Duarte, it seemed like every game, there was at least one instance where he&rsquo;d make a play that compelled the opposing team&rsquo;s broadcast to say something like &ldquo;right place, right time, Chris Duarte.&rdquo;&nbsp;
(Side note: Always watch the opposing team&rsquo;s broadcast of the player you&rsquo;re studying, unless you&rsquo;re scouting a Charlotte Hornets player.)
What these commentators are trying to convey when they use that overworked sports cliche is Duarte&rsquo;s knack for providing help at the nail, executing the one-pass closeout, zoning up two defenders on the weak side and intercepting passes for an electrifying pick-six.
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/dq0hi0" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
The Pacers' defense is abysmal, but it improves by 4.5 points per 100 possessions when Duarte&rsquo;s on the court (81st percentile) because of his <a href="https://www.indycornrows.com/2022/1/26/22900955/on-the-instinctual-play-of-chris-duarte">instinctual</a> play on that end of the floor. (Seriously, follow Caitlin!)&nbsp;
Conclusion
I realize that, up to this point, I haven&rsquo;t focused too heavily on Duarte&rsquo;s shortcomings as a player, and it&rsquo;s not due to a lack thereof. His playmaking is fun, but spotty. He lacks the necessary burst/verticality to be an elite rim finisher (34th percentile), and his defense will always be solid &mdash; just never mega-impactful for the reasons highlighted earlier.
With that said, I&rsquo;ve strayed away from harping on his limitations because those aren&rsquo;t the reasons you draft a player like Duarte in the first place. In fact, a lower-potential ceiling comes with the territory. You select prospects like him for the certainty they provide. The certainty of having someone who can enhance high-usage offensive stars by effectively playing off them while also never compromising the defense thanks to a propensity for schematic punctuality.&nbsp;
Players like that start meaningful games on championship teams. And if Duarte can manage that, he makes one hell of an argument for why you should draft older players.
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Mat Issa believes that Pacers rookie Chris Duarte is making a strong argument for NBA front offices to rethink potential vs. certainty.

Chris Duarte and the case for drafting older players

Indiana Pacers rookie Isaiah Jackson celebrated his best game of the season with an unexpected bath.
He savored every precious second of the ice cold water.
Jackson scored 26 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and posted his first double-double in his first career start, leading the Pacers past the Los Angeles Clippers 122-116 on Monday night.
&ldquo;It surprised me because I didn&rsquo;t know the guys were going to do that and I'm not going to lie, it was very cold," he said. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s the first time it's happened to me and it&rsquo;s something I&rsquo;m going to remember forever."
The first-round draft pick out of Kentucky spent most of Indiana&rsquo;s first 51 games scrapping for minutes and avoiding fouls. But with Indiana&rsquo;s top three centers out of action, the Pacers challenged Jackson and he impressed everyone.
Jackson was 12 of 19 from the field, posted season highs in points and rebounds, blocked two shots and even made a 3-pointer all without being called for a single foul. Duane Washington Jr. added 16 points, including four 3s in the fourth quarter, to help the short-handed Pacers earn their second win in six games.
Rick Carlisle became the second coach in the franchise&rsquo;s NBA history to win 200 career games. Frank Vogel had 250 wins in five seasons with the team and this one looked awfully good to Carlisle.
&ldquo;He did such a great job in every area tonight,&rdquo; Carlisle said, referring to Jackson. &ldquo;When we talked about him in the draft, this is what we were talking about and this is a dimension this team hasn&rsquo;t had.&rdquo;
The worn-out Clippers also were caught off guard. Amir Coffey finished with 27 points and Reggie Jackson had 21 as their five-game winning streak against Indiana came to an end.
&ldquo;To go 4-4 on this tough trip was pretty good for us. It is what it is and now we have to go back and try to regroup," coach Tyronn Lue said. &ldquo;They played well and Isaiah Jackson did a hell of a job."
Neither team was near full strength.
Injured All-Stars Paul George and Kawhi Leonard were out again for the Clippers, and the Pacers played without two-time All-Star Domantas Sabonis, who entered the COVID-19 health and safety protocols earlier Monday.
Not surprisingly, it turned this game into a grind-it-out contest.
Indiana took a 30-27 lead after one quarter and a 60-55 halftime advantage. Even when it appeared the Clippers had taken control with a 14-5 run late in the third period, they couldn't put it away. Instead, the Pacers answered with 10 straight points to retake an 84-82 lead &mdash; only to give it back on Nicolas Batum's 3 to end the third.
Batum opened the fourth with another 3 to make it 88-84 and this time Indiana answered with 12 points in a row, including three consecutive 3s by Washington, to make it 99-89. Los Angeles never led again.
TIP-INS
Clippers: Lost at Indiana for the first time since 2018. ... Batum scored 13 points despite playing with a sore lower back. ... Serge Ibaka had 14 points and 11 rebounds. ... Jackson added five assists. ... Eric Bledsoe also scored 13 points. ... Jason Preston (right foot) and Ivica Zubac (sore right calf) sat out with injuries.
Pacers: Caris LeVert had 17 points, seven rebounds and nine assists. ... Terry Taylor had 15 points and eight rebounds. ... Justin Holiday finished with 13 points, including a 3 to seal the win in the waning minutes. He also had five rebounds and six assists. ... Lance Stephenson had 10 points, three rebounds and four assists.
INJURY UPDATE
Carlisle provided a lengthy pregame medical report. Sabonis is expected to miss at least six additional days. Oshae Brissett (right ankle) was a late scratch and Goga Bitadze will return from his sore right foot when he feels comfortable.
Meanwhile, Malcolm Brogdon (right Achilles tendon) and T.J. Warren (left foot) squared off Monday in a 1-on-1 competition, T.J. McConnell had a pin removed from his surgically repaired right wrist and center Myles Turner (left foot) is shooting again. But Carlisle provided no timetable for the return of any players.
UP NEXT
Clippers: Play their first home game since Jan. 17 on Thursday against the crosstown Lakers.
Pacers: Host the Orlando Magic on Wednesday in the second game of a three-game homestand.
___
More AP NBA: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/NBA">https://apnews.com/hub/NBA</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/AP_Sports">https://twitter.com/AP_Sports</a>

Isaiah Jackson scored 26 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and posted his first double-double in his first career start

Jackson's breakout game sends Pacers past Clippers 122-116

NEW YORK (AP) — RJ Barrett scored 24 of his 32 points in the first half, Julius Randle had 30 points and 16 rebounds in his first game after coming off the COVID-19 health and safety protocols list, and the New York Knicks beat the Indiana Pacers 104-94 on Tuesday night.
Alec Burks added 14 points for New York (18-20), which snapped a two-game losing streak. Immanuel Quickley chipped in with 11.
“With both guys the most important thing is them attacking the rim,” New York coach Tom Thibodeau said about Barrett and Randle. “The aggressiveness of RJ attacking the rim, and for Julius to do what he did today is just remarkable. 
“We had no idea what he was going to be like. So, unbelievable effort. Unbelievable game. Sixteen rebounds. Just all the things that he did.”
Kiefer Skyes scored 22 points in the Pacers' fifth straight loss. Duane Washington Jr. added 17. Domantas Sabonis and Torrey Craig each contributed 15.
“I'm not just here to survive,” said Sykes, who signed with the Pacers as a free agent on Dec. 27. “I'm here to thrive. I want to be in the NBA for a long time. So I'm going to continue to work and have that mindset and outwork everybody.” 
The New York-Indiana rivalry in the mid-to-late 1990s was among the NBA’s must-see matchups. This game was far from it, with a decimated Pacers squad taking on a Knicks team nearly back at full strength. 
Malcolm Brogdon, Chris Duarte, Isaiah Jackson, Jeremy Lamb, Caris LeVert, Goga Bitadze, Kelan Martin and T.J. Warren all missed the game for Indiana as they were in health and safety protocols. T.J. McConnell did not play as he is recovering from right wrist ligament surgery. By comparison, New York was aided by the returns of Randle, Mitchell Robinson and Jericho Sims from protocols. 
It was tied at 55 at halftime, even with Barrett's huge first half. The Pacers, who trailed by 12 early in the second quarter, finished the final seven minutes of the period with an 18-8 run.
“Just trying to be aggressive,” Barrett said of his approach early in the game. “That's really it. When you get into the paint, you make reads: You (have) to finish or kick out. It puts pressure on the defense.” 
Randle took over in the third, scoring 14 points on 5-for-7 shooting, including 2 for 2 from 3. New York led 84-77 after three and Barrett, Randle and Burks took turns knocking down big shots in the fourth. 
“He makes us different. That's his gift. He can play with speed. He can play with power. He can make decisions," Thibodeau said of Randle. “It does make us different, yeah.”
TIP-INS
Pacers: Rick Carlisle will be coaching Indiana at home on Wednesday while his one-time team, the Dallas Mavericks, will retire Dirk Nowitzki's number before their nationally televised game against the Golden State Warriors. “I’m really disappointed that I’m unable to attend that (ceremony),” Carlisle said. Carlisle coached the Mavericks from 2009-21. “It’s (going) to be so special. … Dirk just means so much to so many of us and he proved to be a great champion as well. It’ll be very emotional.“
Knicks: Thibodeau disagreed that an upcoming stretch of eight games out of 10 at Madison Square Garden could benefit his squad. “We can’t look ahead,” Thibodeau said before the game. “We’re not going to win just because we’re home. That’s not how you win. We’ve got to come in and put the work into it.”
UP NEXT:
Pacers: Host Brooklyn on Wednesday night.
Knicks: Begin a home-and-home series against Boston on Thursday night at Madison Square Garden.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

RJ Barrett and Julius Randle led the New York Knicks to a win over the Indiana Pacers.

Barrett has 32, Randle has big return as Knicks beat Pacers

Every December, hundreds of fringe NBA players flock to Las Vegas for the G League Showcase in hopes of impressing NBA decision-makers and earning a roster spot.
More than 60 players have earned a call-up during or immediately after the last 16 G League Showcases, and the event has featured NBA veterans like Clint Capela, Seth Curry, Robert Covington, Patrick Beverley and Hassan Whiteside among others.&nbsp;
This year, due to COVID-19 ravaging NBA rosters, many players who would&rsquo;ve normally relied on the G League Showcase are instead getting a chance to prove their worth in actual NBA games &mdash; and get paid way more in the process.&nbsp;
That&rsquo;s because over 145 players are currently in the NBA's health and safety protocols, meaning one-third of the league is sidelined at the moment. This month, 187 players have entered the NBA&rsquo;s COVID protocols at some point. As a result, 541 players have appeared in at least one NBA game this season, which is a new record just two months into the 2021-22 campaign.
While this has certainly hurt the NBA&rsquo;s on-court product, caused all trade talks to pause and created a headache for all 30 teams, it has also presented a golden opportunity for G Leaguers &mdash; who have a chance to perform on basketball&rsquo;s biggest stage and leverage their play into a longer-term contract and lucrative payday.&nbsp;
Nearly 70 G League players have already received call-ups &mdash; that number will doubtlessly only continue to rise in the coming weeks.
Typically, 10-day players and G League call-ups are trying to show what they can do in limited minutes. However, these players are now sometimes stepping into significant minutes right off the bat. Some team may find a diamond in the rough during this stretch; it&rsquo;s possible that the next Fred VanVleet, Jeremy Lin, Robert Covington or T.J. McConnell is on the verge of being discovered.
This is also huge for older players who had largely been written off by NBA teams. From Isaiah Thomas to Lance Stephenson to C.J. Miles, many once-notable players <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-four-10day-veterans-who-can-revitalize-their-nba-careers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">have resurfaced</a> as a result of the COVID absences. Will one of them shine and earn a multi-year deal (a la Carmelo Anthony in 2019-20)?&nbsp;
For the fringe NBA players who haven&rsquo;t received a call, this period must be difficult. They likely thought that making an NBA roster was a realistic possibility, but the fact that they couldn't get signed even when 30% of the league was sidelined has to be a humbling reality check.
This will surely go down as one of the strangest NBA seasons in memory, but for some of the replacement players, this could end up being their big break.

With COVID-19 ravaging NBA rosters, many G Leaguers are getting a chance to prove their worth with big minutes at the NBA level.

Fringe NBA players have golden opportunity with 30% of the league out

Pacers guard TJ McConnell had surgery to repair torn ligaments in his right hand and is expected to miss several months, sources tell ESPN. McConnell could be lost for the rest of the season.
Source: <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1468289269580111872" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Adrian Wojnarowski/ESPN</a>
ANALYSIS:&nbsp;This is a brutal blow on a big news day for the Pacers. With reports already circulating about the team potentially undergoing a rebuild, McConnell becomes another player on the roster facing an extended injury absence. He is averaging 8.4 points and 4.8 assists per game this season.

McConnell is averaging 8.4 points and 4.8 assists per game this season.

TJ McConnell undergoes hand surgery, could be out for season

The NBA uses player-tracking technology to find out interesting info like a player's total distance traveled, average speed and more.

Fred VanVleet leads NBA in miles run per game for second-straight year

How much should poor play be discounted by injuries?
It's one of the core philosophical questions of these Sour Rankings, and a layered thought that produces different answers in different viewers. Obviously, fans should feel distraught when a player gets hurt, especially when it results in a long-term injury. But if a team starts losing in the absence of key contributors, how much does that matter?
My answer is: It depends. This week (spoiler alert), the 5-5 Los Angeles Lakers make their Sour Rankings season debut in part due to LeBron James being sidelined. The Milwaukee Bucks, however, do not, with Brook Lopez, Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton out.
Milwaukee knows what it has in about 85% of its roster, and things should click when those players return. But the Lakers are still figuring things out, and when the centerpiece of all centerpieces goes down for an extended period, that severely impacts team development. You'll hear more about the Lakers below.
If you're new to the Sour Rankings, here's a refresher. Unlike the typical "power rankings" that repeat themselves throughout sports media, Sour Rankings are a bizarro-world counter. These rankings highlight the top-10 most frustrating NBA franchises throughout the season, and they will be updated every week to match the twists and turns of the league.&nbsp;
This is not merely a bottom-10 of your typical best-to-worst power rankings. You will see championship contenders and playoff hopefuls mixed in with struggling squads. Teams well-under .500 may never touch the Sour Rankings because they are on track with their respective processes. Injuries, drama, transactions and general underwhelming play will all be considered.
The central question is ultimately this: How good should you feel about the direction of each franchise? Some teams value wins this season and paths to a title, while others are looking down the road at long-term pieces. Let's get going:
Escaping the Sour Rankings:&nbsp;The Brooklyn Nets are cruising as winners of four straight, and have potentially outlived their place in these rankings for good. Portland continues to split weeks, but at 5-5, has room to grow once Damian Lillard rounds into form.
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Clippers used a 4-0 week to complete turn their early-season outlook around. And though I still loathe much about the Dallas Mavericks, they are 6-3, and Luka Doncic's buzzer-beater was perhaps the highlight of the past week,
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10. Charlotte Hornets (5-6)
Miles Bridges and LaMelo Ball may be lighting things up, but the Hornets have lost four games in a row thanks to some eye-sore defense. Charlotte ranks 29th in half-court points allowed per play, according to Cleaning the Glass, and has given up an average of 121.8 points during its four-game skid.
Opponents have been shooting a 56.1% Effective Field Goal percentage (second-highest) and taking 19.3 free throws per 100 shots (fifth-most). Charlotte has to clean things up with some high-powered offenses coming down the pipe.
(Last week: Unranked)
9. Houston Rockets (1-9)
The Rockets have the longest losing streak in the NBA at eight games. That's not necessarily a huge issue given the team's rebuilding focus. But Houston has been difficult to watch at times as the backcourt of the future undergoes some serious growing pains.
Kevin Porter Jr. and Jalen Green are averaging a combined 8.2 assists against 7.4 turnovers per game, while neither holds a True Shooting percentage over 48% (very bad). Houston turns the ball over more than any other team, and fans just kind of have to ride the wave at this point.
(Last week: 9)
8. Detroit Pistons (1-8)
Detroit's offense has been blindingly bad for most of the season. The Pistons sport a league-worst 45.2 eFG%, which is over three percentage points lower than the No. 29 Oklahoma City Thunder; for context, three percentage points separate OKC from the 19th-ranked Clippers. Cade Cunningham cannot buy a perimeter bucket to save his life (though he's still shown positive flashes early), and neither can most other Pistons players.
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Cade Cunningham isn't super bursty, isn't an elite vertical athlete. He'll win with craft and power. Enjoying the way he's using his shoulder to create space -- no real need to push off and leave yourself susceptible to offensive fouls. <a href="https://t.co/pRg0Z2V0Lr">pic.twitter.com/pRg0Z2V0Lr</a>
&mdash; Nekias (Nuh-KY-us) Duncan (@NekiasNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NekiasNBA/status/1456767554718941185?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2021</a></blockquote>

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However, I'll concede a small positive: Killian Hayes has made 38.1% of his threes, albeit on just 21 total attempts. He's found some touch from the corners with a 40% clip. I'd feel a lot better if the rest of his scoring efficiency wasn't so abysmal.
(Last week: 8)
7. Indiana Pacers (4-7)
Even without Malcolm Brogdon, the Pacers found a nice little groove this week, going 3-1 with wins over the Spurs, Knicks and Kings. They're still middle-of-the-road for most basic metrics in classic Pacers fashion, but things were really getting scary, and maybe some positive momentum can get them out of the Sour Rankings next week.
I'm intrigued by this four-man group of Chris Duarte, Caris LeVert, Domantas Sabonis and Myles Turner. That's a lot of scoring and playmaking versatility in my mind, and it could flourish with Brogdon or TJ McConnell at point guard. The aforementioned group has outscored teams by 26 points per 100 possessions in 64 minutes together (smal sample size alert).
(Last week: 2)
6. Atlanta Hawks (4-6)
What's going on in Atlanta? The Hawks went 1-3 this week &mdash; though they were tough losses against Brooklyn, Utah and Phoenix &mdash; and are 1-5 in their last six games. Surprisingly, this group ranks 28th in three-point frequency, per Cleaning the Glass. That's despite John Collins, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Danilo Gallinari and De'Andre Hunter all shooting over 40% from downtown. Atlanta is also 23rd in rim-attempt frequency, but second in mid-range frequency. Weird.
(Last week: Unranked)
5. Los Angeles Lakers (5-5)
In a 1-2 week, L.A. lost and struggled to score against two pretty terrible Thunder and Blazer defenses. In fairness, the Lakers were without Anthony Davis against Portland, and Carmelo Anthony has really shined as a spark plug off the bench.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Russell Westbrook to a reporter asking about the final possessions: "You saw it. Don't ask me questions you know the answer to. You seen it. I lost the ball. I missed a three. There's nothing to it." <a href="https://t.co/7aeYFlwxFH">pic.twitter.com/7aeYFlwxFH</a>
&mdash; Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) <a href="https://twitter.com/Ballislife/status/1456603115403321353?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2021</a></blockquote>

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But this is all about LeBron James, who the Lakers said will miss at least a week with an abdominal strain. Los Angeles' former trainer thinks it <a href="https://theathletic.com/2940950/2021/11/07/lebron-james-could-be-out-much-longer-than-the-lakers-are-saying-can-they-survive-without-him/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">could be more like 4-8 weeks</a>. It's extremely ominous that the 36-year-old James is missing extended periods in multiple seasons after multiple shortened offseasons... and that the Lakers are struggling to win without him.
(Last week: Unranked)
4. Minnesota Timberwolves (3-5)
This rapid downhill spiral feels all too familiar for Minnesota, who lost all three matchups this week by double digits. The Timberwolves take the most threes in the entire NBA, but make just 32.1% of their attempts. They're also making a mind-numbing 22.8% of their corner three attempts, nearly eight percentage points worse than any other team.
Quite honestly, I don't see how the latter rate improves looking at this roster. D'Angelo Russell and Anthony Edwards, who are streaky in their own right, won't be chilling in the corner often. Outside of Malik Beasley, the rest of the team doesn't possess much perimeter upside, meaning it's on Beasley and Karl-Anthony Towns to carry the load.
(Last week: Unranked)
3. Boston Celtics (4-6)
What an absolutely wacky week for the Celtics. They were outscored in that 39-11 fourth quarter in the loss to Chicago (prompting a <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/report-celtics-host-playersonly-meeting-prior-to-win-over-magic" target="_blank" rel="noopener">players-only meeting</a>), and then stomped the Orlando Magic and Miami Heat on a back-to-back before losing in heartbreaking fashion to the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday. Now Boston will be without Jaylen Brown for 1-2 weeks due to a hamstring strain.
It feels like everyone, including myself, has been shouting at the team to attack the basket. The Celtics are 27th in the league in rim-attempt frequency despite being ninth in field goal percentage at the basket. The problem is they lack the consistent downhill players to apply more pressure outside of Dennis Schr&ouml;der.
(Last week: 4)
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2. Phoenix Suns (5-3)
Sure, the Suns are on a four-game winning streak. But that pales in comparison to the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/unpacking-espns-damning-allegations-against-suns-owner-robert-sarver" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bombshell ESPN report on Robert Sarver's alleged racism and sexism</a> that was finally released this past Friday.&nbsp;
Obviously, due process exists, and the NBA will have to finish its full investigation before final judgement is passed. But this report didn't just contain one-off instances; there was a clear alleged pattern of discrimination and disrespect that began with Sarver and spread throughout Suns management. It's yet another reminder of how easily owners and teams can cover up toxicity in the workplace.
(Last week: 6)
1. New Orleans Pelicans (1-9)
Yeesh, the Pelicans are awful. They've lost six in a row, and the margin of defeat has increased with each subsequent contest. New Orleans isn't doing anything particularly well right now outside of rebounding, and that's essentially attributed to Jonas Valanciunas and his 14.1 boards per game. Pick a non-rebounding team stat, and you'll likely find the Pelicans near the bottom. I feel for Brandon Ingram right now.
(Last week: 1)

Ethan Fuller questions the impact of short-term injuries in this week's Sour Rankings.

NBA Sour Rankings: Championship contenders challenged

After rolling out my<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/ranking-the-top-150-nba-players-for-fantasy-basketball-in-2021-22" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Top-150 NBA Fantasy overall rankings</a> last week, I have broken down each position into tiers.
It is important to state that these rankings are based on a nine-category roto format (points, assists, rebounds, steals, blocks, three-pointers, field goal percentage, free-throw percentage and turnovers). Also, please note position eligibility is based on Yahoo&rsquo;s fantasy settings and, as a result, many players qualify at multiple positions.
Guards
The two biggest question marks among all guards reside in Philadelphia and Brooklyn. Ben Simmons has (awkwardly) returned to Sixers, but it is still unclear whether Big Ben plans to "merely report to the team or truly rejoin the team," <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/ben-simmons-arrives-in-philly-takes-covid19-test" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN</a>. Thus, Simmons is arguably the biggest boom-or-bust fantasy pick in the NBA this season.
Irving, on the other hand, is <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/itll-be-difficult-for-kyrie-and-the-nets-to-come-back-from-this" target="_blank" rel="noopener">persona non grata in the borough of Brooklyn</a>. Although Kyrie is eligible to participate in the Nets' away games, Brooklyn general manager Sean Marks said Tuesday that Irving will not be allowed to play or practice with the team at all until he gets vaccinated. &ldquo;He has a choice to make, and he made his choice,&rdquo; Marks <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nets-say-kyrie-irving-cant-play-or-practice-with-team-while-unvaccinated" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told reporters Tuesday</a>. &ldquo;And my job here is to make what we deem is the best choices for the organization moving ahead and as a whole.&rdquo; There is certainly still a chance Irving gets his jab and is cleared to play, but it&rsquo;s too much of a risk to roll the dice until late in the draft, in my opinion.
Tier 1: James Harden PG, SG (BKN)&nbsp; Luka Doncic PG, SG (DAL) Stephen Curry PG, SG (GSW) Damian Lillard PG (POR)
Tier 2: Bradley Beal SG, SF (WAS) Trae Young PG (ATL) Jimmy Butler SF, PF, SG (MIA) LeBron James PG, SG, SF, PF (LAL)
Tier 3: Fred VanVleet PG, SG (TOR) Shai Gilgeous-Alexander PG, SG (OKC)
Tier 4: Jrue Holiday PG, SG (MIL) Chris Paul PG (PHO) &nbsp; Zach LaVine SG, SF (CHI) Donovan Mitchell PG, SG (UTAH)
Tier 5: Khris Middleton SF, PF, SG (MIL) Jaylen Brown SG, SF (BOS) De'Aaron Fox PG (SAC)&nbsp; Devin Booker SG, SF, PG (PHO)
Tier 6: LaMelo Ball PG, SG (CHA) CJ McCollum PG, SG (POR) Russell Westbrook PG (LAL) Kevin Porter Jr. SG, SF, PG (HOU)&nbsp; Dejounte Murray PG, SG (SAS) Malcolm Brogdon PG, SG (IND)&nbsp; Terry Rozier PG, SG (CHA)
Tier 7: Mikal Bridges SG, SF (PHO) Lonzo Ball PG, SG (CHI) Gordon Hayward SG, SF (CHA) Ja Morant PG (MEM) Bogdan Bogdanovic SF, PF, SG (ATL) Darius Garland PG, SG (CLE) Anthony Edwards SG, SF (MIN) DeMar DeRozan SF, PF, SG (CHI) Kyle Lowry PG (MIA) Tyrese Haliburton PG, SG (SAC) Derrick White PG, SG (SAS)
Tier 8: Mike Conley PG (UTAH) Jalen Suggs PG, SG (ORL) Spencer Dinwiddie PG, SG (WAS) Cade Cunningham PG, SG (DET) Ben Simmons PG (PHI) Caris LeVert SG, SF (IND) D&rsquo;Angelo Russell PG, SG (MIN) Collin Sexton PG, SG (CLE) Marcus Smart PG, SG (BOS) Jordan Poole PG, SG (GSW)&nbsp;
Tier 9: Andrew Wiggins SG, SF (GSW)&nbsp; Nickeil Alexander-Walker SG, SF, PG (NOP) Devonte&rsquo; Graham PG, SG (NOP) Evan Fournier SG, SF (NYK) Buddy Hield SG, SF (SAC) Norman Powell SG, SF (POR) Kemba Walker PG (NYK) RJ Barrett SG, SF (NYK) Reggie Jackson PG, SG (LAC) Dennis Schroder PG (BOS) Jordan Clarkson PG, SG (UTAH) Joe Ingles SG, SF, PF (UTAH) Joe Harris SG, SF (BKN)&nbsp; Malik Beasley PG, SG, SF (MIN) Kyrie Irving PG, SG (BKN)&nbsp;
Tier 10:&nbsp; De&rsquo;Anthony Melton PG, SG (MEM) Jalen Green SG (HOU) Klay Thompson SG, SF (GSW) Dillon Brooks SG, SF (MEM) Matisse Thybulle SG, SF (PHI) T.J. McConnell PG, SG (IND) Derrick Rose PG, SG (NYK) Tim Hardaway Jr. SG, SF (DAL) Kelly Oubre Jr. SG, SF, PF (CHA) Eric Bledsoe PG, SG (LAC) Kevin Huerter SG, SF (ATL) Josh Giddey PG, SG, SF (OKC) Tyrese Maxey PG, SG (PHI)
Forwards
Looking for a potential sleeper at forward? I&rsquo;d suggest highlighting Pascal Siakam or Evan Mobley on your cheat sheet.&nbsp;
After a phenomenal 2019-20 campaign, in which he was named to the All-NBA Second Team, Siakam failed to live up to expectations last season; his scoring average, three-point makes and effective field goal percentage all decreased. In addition, Pascal is still working his way back from surgery on a torn labrum, which has forced his ADP (Average Draft Position) to plummet. However, earlier this week, Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse said his star forward has been &ldquo;going 100%&rdquo; without contact for about 4-6 weeks, and could return later this month.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Evan Mobley is going to be a special defender in the NBA. GMs believe that Mobley will be the best player from his draft class in five years 👀 (🎥 <a href="https://twitter.com/Mike_Schmitz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Mike_Schmitz</a>) <a href="https://t.co/iPiaabn2Gu">pic.twitter.com/iPiaabn2Gu</a>
&mdash; NBA Central (@TheNBACentral) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheNBACentral/status/1446161049753882629?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 7, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Mobley&rsquo;s stock is soaring after impressive performances and extended usage for the Cleveland Cavaliers in the preseason (he&rsquo;s leading his team in playing time, logging 28.4 minutes per game). Mr. Mobley is probably worth the gamble, as his upside is emarkably enticing.&nbsp;
Tier 1: Nikola Jokic PF, C (DEN)
Tier 2: Jayson Tatum SF, PF (BOS) Giannis Antetokounmpo PF, C (MIL) Kevin Durant SF, PF (BKN) Joel Embiid PF, C (PHI) Anthony Davis PF, C (LAL)&nbsp; Bradley Beal SG, SF (WAS) Paul George SF, PF, SG (LAC)
Tier 3: Jimmy Butler SF, PF, SG (MIA) LeBron James PG, SG, SF, PF (LAL) Domantas Sabonis PF, C (IND) Bam Adebayo PF, C (MIA) Michael Porter Jr. SF, PF (DEN Zach LaVine SG, SF (CHI)
Tier 4: Khris Middleton SF, PF, SG (MIL) Jaylen Brown SG, SF (BOS) Julius Randle PF, C (NYK) Devin Booker SG, SF, PG (PHO) Myles Turner PF, C (IND) OG Anunoby SF, PF (TOR)&nbsp; Tobias Harris SF, PF (PHI)
Tier 5: Richaun Holmes PF, C (SAC) Brandon Ingram SF, PF (NOP) Christian Wood PF, C (HOU) Kristaps Porzingis PF, C (DAL) John Collins PF, C (ATL) Kevin Porter Jr. SG, SF, PG (HOU)&nbsp; Zion Williamson PF (NOP)
Tier 6: Pascal Siakam PF, C (TOR) Mikal Bridges SG, SF (PHO) Jaren Jackson Jr. PF, C (MEM) Chris Boucher PF, C (TOR) Gordon Hayward SG, SF (CHA) Bogdan Bogdanovic SF, PF, SG (ATL) Anthony Edwards SG, SF (MIN) DeMar DeRozan SF, PF, SG (CHI) Robert Williams III C, PF (BOS)
Tier 7: Draymond Green PF, C (GSW) Jerami Grant SF, PF (DET) Caris LeVert SG, SF (IND) Robert Covington PF, C, SF (POR) Miles Bridges SF, PF (CHA) Kelly Olynyk PF, C (DET) Buddy Hield SG, SF (SAC)&nbsp; Isaiah Stewart PF, C (DET) Andrew Wiggins SG, SF (GSW)&nbsp;
Tier 8: Nickeil Alexander-Walker SG, SF, PG (NOP) Evan Fournier SG, SF (NYK) P.J. Washington PF, C (CHA) Norman Powell SG, SF (POR) Kyle Anderson SF, PF (MEM) Jonathan Isaac SF, PF (ORL) Evan Mobley C, PF (CLE) Larry Nance Jr. PF, C (POR) Harrison Barnes SF, PF (SAC) Mason Plumlee PF, C (CHA) Bobby Portis Jr. PF, C (MIL) De&rsquo;Andre Hunter SF, PF (ATL) Daniel Gafford C, PF (WAS)
Tier 9: Thaddeus Young PF, C, SF (SAS) Joe Ingles SG, SF, PF (UTAH) Lauri Markkanen PF, C (CLE) Joe Harris SG, SF (BKN)&nbsp; Keldon Johnson SF, PF (SAS) Malik Beasley PG, SG, SF (MIN) T.J. Warren SF, PF (IND) Jae'Sean Tate SF, PF (HOU) Daniel Theis PF, C (HOU) Brandon Clarke PF, C (MEM) Saddiq Bey SF (DET)\ Klay Thompson SG, SF (GSW) Derrick Favors C, PF (OKC) Al Horford PF, C (BOS)
Tier 10: Kyle Kuzma SF, PF (WAS) Matisse Thybulle SG, SF (PHI) Nicolas Batum SF, PF, SG (LAC) Derrick Rose PG, SG (NYK) Marcus Morris Sr. PF, C, SF (LAC) Dillon Brooks SG, SF (MEM) Alperen Sengun PF, C (HOU) Tim Hardaway Jr. SG, SF (DAL) Montrezl Harrell PF, C (WAS) Kelly Oubre Jr. SG, SF, PF (CHA) Nerlens Noel PF, C (NYK)&nbsp; Isaiah Roby C, PF (OKC) Kevin Huerter SG, SF (ATL) Khem Birch PF, C (TOR) Aaron Gordon SF, PF (DEN)
Centers
Centers take on added importance in fantasy hoops due to the scarcity. That&rsquo;s part of the reason why Jokic is viewed as the near-unanimous top overall selection in drafts this year.&nbsp;
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Last season, Jokic authored a season for the ages. Not only did he score a career-high 26.4 points and rip down 10.8 rebounds per game, but he also dished out an average of 8.3 dimes each night, joining Russell Westbrook and Oscar Robertson as the only players in NBA history to average at least 25 points, 10 boards and 8 assists over a season. Incredibly, Jokic tallied a total of 599 assists in 2020-21, which was the third-most in the entire league. Wilt Chamberlain, who led the NBA with 8.6 APG in 1967-68, is the only center to post a higher assist-average over a full season. As a fantasy cherry on top, the Joker proved incredibly durable, appearing in every game last season.
Tier 1: Nikola Jokic PF, C (DEN)
Tier 2: Karl-Anthony Towns C (MIN)
Tier 3: Giannis Antetokounmpo PF, C&nbsp; Joel Embiid PF, C (PHI) Anthony Davis PF, C (LAL)
Tier 4: Nikola Vucevic C (CHI) Domantas Sabonis PF, C (IND) Bam Adebayo PF, C (MIA) Rudy Gobert C (UTAH)
Tier 5: Myles Turner PF, C (IND) Clint Capela C (ATL) Julius Randle PF, C (NYK) Richaun Holmes PF, C (SAC) Deandre Ayton C (PHO) Christian Wood PF, C (HOU)&nbsp; Kristaps Porzingis PF, C (DAL) John Collins PF, C (ATL)
Tier 6: Jaren Jackson Jr. PF, C (MEM) Jusuf Nurkic C (POR) Pascal Siakam PF, C (TOR) Chris Boucher PF, C (TOR)&nbsp; Robert Williams III C, PF (BOS) Jonas Valanciunas C (NOP) Draymond Green PF, C (GSW) Robert Covington PF, C, SF (POR) Jarrett Allen C (CLE) Kelly Olynyk PF, C (DET) Isaiah Stewart PF, C (DET)
Tier 7: P.J. Washington PF, C (CHA) Evan Mobley C, PF (CLE) Mitchell Robinson C (NYK) Larry Nance Jr. PF, C (POR) Jakob Poeltl C (SAS) Wendell Carter Jr. C (ORL) Brook Lopez C (MIL) Mason Plumlee PF, C (CHA) Bobby Portis Jr. PF, C (MIL)
Tier 8: Daniel Gafford C, PF (WAS) Thaddeus Young PF, C, SF (SAS) Lauri Markkanen PF, C (CLE) Daniel Theis PF, C (HOU) Brandon Clarke PF, C (MEM) Ivica Zubac C (LAC) Derrick Favors C, PF (OKC) Al Horford PF, C (BOS)
Tier 9: Marcus Morris Sr. PF, C, SF (LAC) Mo Bamba C (ORL) Montrezl Harrell PF, C (WAS) Thomas Bryant C (WAS) Nerlens Noel PF, C (NYK)&nbsp; Alperen Sengun PF, C (HOU)&nbsp;
Tier 10: Khem Birch PF, C (TOR) Isaiah Roby C, PF (OKC) Andre Drummond C (PHI)&nbsp; Steven Adams C (MEM) Serge Ibaka PF, C (LAC)&nbsp; James Wiseman C (GSW) Naz Reid C (MIN) Marvin Bagley III PF, C (SAC) LaMarcus Aldridge PF, C (BKN) Nicolas Claxton PF, C (BKN) Kevin Love PF, C (CLE) Hassan Whiteside PF, C (UTAH)

Tommy Beer divides the top NBA fantasy guards, forwards and centers into 10 tiers each based on their value.

2021-22 NBA Fantasy Basketball Rankings: 10 tiers for each position

With the start of the season just three weeks away, here is my ranking of the top 150 players for the 2021-22 campaign.
It is imperative to note that this list is based on nine-category roto scoring formats (points, assists, rebounds, steals, blocks, three-pointers, field goal percentage, free-throw percentage and turnovers) .&nbsp;
I've added comments to a handful of players to help explain the rationale behind some of their rankings.&nbsp;
So without further ado, let's get to it.
1. Nikola Jokic PF, C (DEN) 2. James Harden PG, SG (BKN): The Beard was the top-ranked fantasy player in back-to-back seasons in 2018-19 and 2019-20. He's healthy and ready to rock in Brooklyn. 3. Luka Doncic PG, SG (DAL) 4. Stephen Curry PG, SG (GSW) 5. Karl-Anthony Towns C (MIN) 6. Damian Lillard PG (POR): Dame is one of only two players in NBA history to record at least 1,500 points and 400 assists in each of their first nine seasons; Oscar Robertson is the other. 7. Jayson Tatum SF, PF (BOS) 8. Giannis Antetokounmpo PF, C (MIL): There have been some mildly concerning signs regarding Giannis' left knee since the start of training camp. (The reigning NBA Finals MVP <a href="https://twitter.com/Bucks/status/1445846786657112074?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">assures us he's alright</a>.) He should be ready for opening night, but I fully expect the Bucks to rest their franchise cornerstone early and often to reduce wear-and-tear on the knee.&nbsp; 9. Kevin Durant SF, PF (BKN) 10. Joel Embiid PF, C (PHI) 11. Bradley Beal SG, SF (WAS) 12. Paul George SF, PF, SG (LAC) 13. Anthony Davis PF, C (LAL): AD finished both the 2018-19 and 2019-20 season ranked second overall in nine-category fantasy formats. Yes, the injury issues are certainly a concern, but he's a steal in the second round due to his unmatched ceiling.&nbsp; 14. Nikola Vucevic C (CHI) 15. Trae Young PG (ATL) 16. Jimmy Butler SF, PF, SG (MIA) 17. LeBron James PG, SG, SF, PF (LAL) 18. Fred VanVleet PG, SG (TOR): Last season, VanVleet joined Harden and Curry as just the third player in NBA history to average more than 6 assists, 4 rebounds, 3 made triples and 1.5 steals per game. 19. Domantas Sabonis PF, C (IND) 20. Bam Adebayo PF, C (MIA) 21. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander PG, SG (OKC): The Oklahoma City Thunder's max-man is primed for a breakout campaign. 22. Rudy Gobert C (UTAH) 23. Michael Porter Jr. SF, PF (DEN): MPJ shot over 40% from downtown in each of his first two seasons (42.2% and 44.5%). The only other active players to do that in each of their first two NBA campaigns (min. 100 three-point attempts) are the Splash Brothers: Curry and Klay Thompson. 24. Jrue Holiday PG, SG (MIL) 25. Chris Paul PG (PHO) &nbsp; 26. Zach LaVine SG, SF (CHI) 27. Donovan Mitchell PG, SG (UTAH): In the 19 games he appeared in after the All-Star Break, Mitchell averaged 29.6 points per contest. The only player with a higher post-ASB scoring average was Curry. 28. Tobias Harris SF, PF (PHI) 29. Khris Middleton SF, PF, SG (MIL) 30. Jaylen Brown SG, SF (BOS) 31. Myles Turner PF, C (IND) 32. De'Aaron Fox PG (SAC): Over a <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-can-deaaron-fox-save-the-sacramento-kings-postseason-play-in-tournament-playoff-hopes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">12-game stretch late last season</a>, Fox averaged 30.6 points (on 53.4% shooting), 6.7 dimes and 4.2 boards. If he can improve his offensive efficiency and cut down on his turnovers, Fox has a chance to establish himself as a fantasy stud. 33. Clint Capela C (ATL) 34. Julius Randle PF, C (NYK) 35. Devin Booker SG, SF, PG (PHO) 36. OG Anunoby SF, PF (TOR): In 2020-21, OG finished the year ranked 35th overall in nine-category leagues (one spot behind LeBron James). 37. Richaun Holmes PF, C (SAC) 38. Brandon Ingram SF, PF (NOP) 39. Deandre Ayton C (PHO) 40. Christian Wood PF, C (HOU)&nbsp; 41. LaMelo Ball PG, SG (CHA): I'm not nearly as high on LaMelo as the rest of the industry seems to be. He exceeded expectations as a rookie, but I'm worried about his effective field goal percentage (eFG%) dropping and his turnover rate increasing. 42. CJ McCollum PG, SG (POR) 43. Zion Williamson PF (NOP): Zion underwent surgery to repair a fracture in his right foot early in the offseason. The team "hopes" he'll return by the start of the regular season, but this is a problematic injury for the high-flying big man. ​​44. Russell Westbrook PG (LAL) 45. Kristaps Porzingis PF, C (DAL): If KP plays even 65+ games, he's a steal in the fifth round. 46. Dejounte Murray PG, SG (SAS) 47. Malcolm Brogdon PG, SG (IND)&nbsp; 48. Terry Rozier PG, SG (CHA) 49. John Collins PF, C (ATL) 50. Kevin Porter Jr. SG, SF, PG (HOU): KPJ is gonna get buckets and dimes (he averaged 17.2 PPG and 6.3 APG over the final two months of the 2020-21 season); my only concerns are his high turnover rate and poor percentages.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
25 PTS for <a href="https://twitter.com/Kevinporterjr?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Kevinporterjr</a> power the <a href="https://twitter.com/HoustonRockets?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HoustonRockets</a>! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAPreseason?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAPreseason</a> <a href="https://t.co/iDXezFBiBi">pic.twitter.com/iDXezFBiBi</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1445590596987482121?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 6, 2021</a></blockquote>

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51. Mikal Bridges SG, SF (PHO) 52. Jaren Jackson Jr. PF, C (MEM): Jackson is one of two active players averaging at least 1.5 blocks and 1.5 three-pointers per game for his career. The issue has been <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-gms-believe-jaren-jackson-jr-is-poised-for-a-breakout-year" target="_blank" rel="noopener">staying on the floor</a>, as injuries have limited JJJ to a total of just 126 games in three seasons. 53. Lonzo Ball PG, SG (CHI) 54. Gordon Hayward SG, SF (CHA) 55. Ja Morant PG (MEM): The upside is tantalizing, but Morant was the only player in the NBA last season to attempt more than 15 shots per game and shoot below 45% from the floor, below 75% from the FT and below 31% from downtown. 56. Jusuf Nurkic C (POR) 57. Bogdan Bogdanovic SF, PF, SG (ATL) 58. Darius Garland PG, SG (CLE) 59. Chris Boucher PF, C (TOR): Boucher finished last season ranked 40th overall in nine-category formats despite logging just 24.2 minutes a night. However, he just had surgery on his dislocated left middle finger and is expected to miss a "minimum" of 3-to-4 weeks.&nbsp; 60. Anthony Edwards SG, SF (MIN) 61. DeMar DeRozan SF, PF, SG (CHI) 62. Kyle Lowry PG (MIA) 63. Pascal Siakam PF, C (TOR): Once fully healthy, I think Siakam will bounce back in a big way and inherit plenty of scoring opportunities with Kyle Lowry no longer in the picture. Still, Siakam had shoulder surgery in June and will likely miss at least the start of the season. 64. Robert Williams III C, PF (BOS) 65. Tyrese Haliburton PG, SG (SAC): He finished last season ranked 65th overall in nine-category fantasy formats, and I think he has a chance to crack the top-50 this year.&nbsp; 66. Derrick White PG, SG (SAS) 67. Jonas Valanciunas C (NOP) 68. Kyrie Irving PG, SG (BKN): Kyrie could end up missing every Nets home game <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/kevin-durant-im-envisioning-kyrie-being-a-part-of-our-team" target="_blank" rel="noopener">if he refuses to get vaccinated</a>. So many unknowns are swirling around him right now. I'll pass.&nbsp; 69. Draymond Green PF, C (GSW) 70. Mike Conley PG (UTAH) 71. Jalen Suggs PG, SG (ORL): My pick for Rookie of the Year. Suggs can do it all and should see all the minutes he can handle for a rebuilding Orlando Magic squad.&nbsp; 72. Spencer Dinwiddie PG, SG (WAS) 73. Cade Cunningham PG, SG (DET) 74. Caris LeVert SG, SF (IND) 75. Jerami Grant SF, PF (DET) 76. D&rsquo;Angelo Russell PG, SG (MIN) 77. Collin Sexton PG, SG (CLE): Last season, Sexton became the second-youngest player in NBA history (behind only KD) to average more than 24 points per game while shooting above 47% from the floor and 37% from downtown. 78. Robert Covington PF, C, SF (POR) 79. Jarrett Allen C (CLE) 80. Miles Bridges SF, PF (CHA): Over his final 15 games last season, Bridges averaged 21.0 points, 6.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.1 blocks and 3.1 made three-pointers. He did so while shooting over 50% from the floor, 42% from downtown and 84% from the charity stripe. 81. Marcus Smart PG, SG (BOS) 82. Kelly Olynyk PF, C (DET): Kelly-O averaged a whopping 19.0, 8.4 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.8 treys and 1.4 steals in the 27 games he played in Houston last season. The Pistons signed him to a big contract in August, hoping he can come close to replicating those numbers. 83. Isaiah Stewart PF, C (DET) 84. Kemba Walker PG (NYK) 85. Andrew Wiggins SG, SF (GSW): Now that he's vaccinated, we know he'll be <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/andrew-wiggins-has-been-vaccinated-will-be-eligible-for-all-games" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cleared to play</a> in all Golden State Warriors home games this season.&nbsp; 86. Devonte&rsquo; Graham PG, SG (NOP) 87. Evan Fournier SG, SF (NYK) 88. P.J. Washington PF, C (CHA) 89. Buddy Hield SG, SF (SAC): Dating back to the start of the 2018-19 campaign, Buddy has knocked down more triples (831) than any other player in the NBA (Harden, Lillard and Curry rank second, third and fourth, respectively). 90. Nickeil Alexander-Walker SG, SF, PG (NOP) 91. NOPman Powell SG, SF (POR) 92. Kyle Anderson SF, PF (MEM) 93. Mitchell Robinson C (NYK): In 2018-19, Mitch Rob led all rookies in blocks (2.4) and field goal percentage (69.4%). As a sophomore in 2019-20, he made 74.2% of all field goals he attempted, setting the all-time NBA record for the highest single-season field goal percentage ever, passing Wilt Chamberlain. <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/its-been-three-years-and-mitchell-robinson-still-has-a-lot-to-prove" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Can he stay healthy</a> in 2020-21? 94. Larry Nance Jr. PF, C (POR) 95. RJ Barrett SG, SF (NYK) 96. Jakob Poeltl C (SAS) 97. Ben Simmons PG (PHI): Impossible to try and figure out this Simmons situation going forward. I'm not willing to roll the dice until the value starts getting ridiculous. 98. Jonathan Isaac SF, PF (ORL) 99. Wendell Carter Jr. C (ORL) 100. Reggie Jackson PG, SG (LAC) 101. Brook Lopez C (MIL) 102. Harrison Barnes SF, PF (SAC) 103. Mason Plumlee PF, C (CHA) 104. Bobby Portis Jr. PF, C (MIL) 105. De&rsquo;Andre Hunter SF, PF (ATL) 106. Dennis Schroder PG (BOS) 107. Malik Beasley PG, SG, SF (MIN): Beasley has appeared in just 51 games for the Wolves since being acquired at the trade deadline in 2020, but has averaged 19.9 points, 4.6 boards, 2.4 dimes and a whopping 3.5 made treys. A great late-round value pick if he can stay on the court.
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Malik Beasley 29 points in 32 minutes last night... averaging 20/5 on the season... time to starting giving him his flowers as a top young talent in the NBA <a href="https://t.co/wz7XnezAzf">pic.twitter.com/wz7XnezAzf</a>
&mdash; Ben Stinar (@BenStinar) <a href="https://twitter.com/BenStinar/status/1357329089997209602?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2021</a></blockquote>

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108. Thaddeus Young PF, C, SF (SAS) 109. Jordan Clarkson PG, SG (UTAH) 110. Joe Ingles SG, SF, PF (UTAH): He's not the sexiest pick, but Ingles will help in nearly every fantasy category and doesn't hurt you in any way. 111. Lauri Markkanen PF, C (CLE): The Cleveland Cavaliers have excess depth up front, but coach J.B. Bickerstaff has been raving about Markkanen during camp. He was a forgotten man in Chicago last season, but the dude is a 7-footer who can stretch the floor, is still just 24 years of age and averaged 18.7 points and 9.0 rebounds during his age-21 season. 112. Daniel Gafford C, PF (WAS) 113. Joe Harris SG, SF (BKN)&nbsp; 114. Keldon Johnson SF, PF (SAS) 115. T.J. Warren SF, PF (IND): Yes, Warren's injury history is undoubtedly concerning &mdash;&nbsp; and he is currently still recovering from a stress fracture in his foot &mdash; but this is a guy who <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/a-100-million-payday-awaits-tj-warren-if-he-continues-to-silence-the-critics" target="_blank" rel="noopener">finished inside the top-50</a> overall back in 2019-20.&nbsp; 116. Jae'Sean Tate SF, PF (HOU) 117. De&rsquo;Anthony Melton PG, SG (MEM) 118. Daniel Theis PF, C (HOU): Theis ranked inside the top-100 overall when he logged starter minutes for the Boston Celtics in 2019-20. He could see 25 or more minutes a night for a Houston team that has little depth up front. Don't sleep. 119. Jalen Green SG (HOU) 120. Brandon Clarke PF, C (MEM) 121. Jordan Poole PG, SG (GSW): In the seven games Poole started last season, he averaged 21.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2.8 made treys. With Klay still sidelined, Poole is expected to start early on this season. (And he's already off to a fast start, having <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/breakingnews/raptors-finally-return-to-toronto-as-lowry-begins-in-miami" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dropped 30 points</a> in Golden State's preseason opener.) 122. Saddiq Bey SF (DET) 123. Klay Thompson SG, SF (GSW): I'm concerned that the Warriors will limit Klay's minutes and rest him often, even after he is cleared to return to game action (whenever that is). The Dubs have to think long-term, as Thompson still has three years and $120-plus million left in his contract. 124. Ivica Zubac C (LAC) 125. Derrick Favors C, PF (OKC) 126. Al Horford PF, C (BOS) 127. Kyle Kuzma SF, PF (WAS) 128. Dillon Brooks SG, SF (MEM) 129. Matisse Thybulle SG, SF (PHI) 130. T.J. McConnell PG, SG (IND): McConnell led the NBA in steal percentage last season at 3.4% and shot 55.9% from the floor. He was one of just eight players to record an assist rate above 34% and a True Shooting percentage above 58% (the other seven members of this elite club were Lillard, Chris Paul, Jimmy Butler, LeBron James, Luka Doncic, Trae Young and Jokic.) 131. Evan Mobley C, PF (CLE) 132. Nicolas Batum SF, PF, SG (LAC) 133. &nbsp;Derrick Rose PG, SG (NYK) 134. Marcus Morris Sr. PF, C, SF (LAC): Mook will see an increased share of the offensive pie with Kawhi Leonard sidelined for the first half of the season (and possibly more). 135. Mo Bamba C (ORL): This is a make-or-break season for Bamba. The Magic will give their former lottery pick every opportunity to earn playing time. If he plays significant minutes, he'll supply blocks and treys. (Bamba has looked sharp early on in the preseason.) 136. Tim Hardaway Jr. SG, SF (DAL) 137. Montrezl Harrell PF, C (WAS) 138. Kelly Oubre Jr. SG, SF, PF (CHA) 139. Thomas Bryant C (WAS) 140. Nerlens Noel PF, C (NYK)&nbsp; 141. Alperen Sengun PF, C (HOU): Sengun looked fantastic in Vegas, averaging 14.5 points, 10.8 rebounds, 2.8 dimes, 1.3 steals and 3.0 blocks in 25 minutes a night during summer league action. He'll have a chance to stuff the stat sheet for a Rockets team looking to play its youngsters.&nbsp; 142. Eric Bledsoe PG, SG (LAC) 143. Khem Birch PF, C (TOR) 144. Isaiah Roby C, PF (OKC) 145. Kevin Huerter SG, SF (ATL) 146. Tyrese Maxey PG, SG (PHI): Maxey will be one of the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/tyrese-maxey-centered-on-getting-1-better-every-day-for-76ers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">primary beneficiaries</a> of Simmons' eventual departure from Philly. 147. Aaron Gordon SF, PF (DEN) 148. Andre Drummond C (PHI): If you draft Embiid early, you probably want to handcuff him with Drummond later on. 149. Steven Adams C (MEM) 150. Josh Giddey PG, SG, SF (OKC): Giddey started the Thunder's preseason opener and looked good, tallying 18 points (8-of-12 FGs), 7 rebounds, 3 assists and two triples. Considering his talent, the No. 6 overall pick is worth a late-round dart throw.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
⭐ 18 points (8-12 in the field inc. 2-4 from range) ⭐ 7 rebounds ⭐ 3 assists Josh Giddey looked at 🏠 at NBA level! FULL HIGHLIGHTS ⬇️ <a href="https://t.co/Sw7U4nEjdT">pic.twitter.com/Sw7U4nEjdT</a>
&mdash; ESPN Australia &amp; NZ (@ESPNAusNZ) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNAusNZ/status/1445211953421557767?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 5, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Tommy Beer lists his best 150 fantasy basketball players available for the 2021-22 NBA season.

Ranking the top-150 NBA players for fantasy basketball in 2021-22

Lonzo Ball looks good in Chicago. Kemba Walker has always looked good at Madison Square Garden.
One game into their preseasons, the Bulls and New York Knicks have to like what they see from their new backcourts.
Ball made a 3-pointer for Chicago's first basket and the Bulls kept rolling from there to a 131-95 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday night.
Walker also had the first basket for the Knicks in their 125-104 victory over Indiana, making it a happy homecoming for the point guard who grew up in the Bronx.
&ldquo;Just to see that New York across my chest, being from here, it&rsquo;s like a dream come true,&rdquo; Walker said in his postgame interview on the court.
Walker signed with the Knicks over the summer for a chance to play 41 games in the arena where he memorably led Connecticut to the Big East tournament title in 2011.
Evan Fournier, his teammate last season in Boston, is also a new Knick and they started together in the backcourt. Both finished with 12 points, delivering the improved scoring they hope to get after riding their defense to a surprising playoff berth last season.
The Bulls are hoping to get there this season after bringing in Ball from New Orleans, DeMar DeRozan from San Antonio and Alex Caruso from the Los Angeles Lakers.
With Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic already in place, the Bulls have the potential to make a leap up the Eastern Conference standings.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Forget the coffee... watch this video! Every single dunk from last night's W: <a href="https://t.co/88uxB3Ix9H">pic.twitter.com/88uxB3Ix9H</a>
&mdash; Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) <a href="https://twitter.com/chicagobulls/status/1445735602842972165?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 6, 2021</a></blockquote>

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LaVine scored 25 points, Vucevic had 10 points and nine rebounds, and the Bulls outscored the Cavaliers by 45 points while they were on the floor. DeRozan added 13 points, Caruso had 10 points and 10 assists, and Ball finished with eight points, five rebounds and five assists.
KNICKS 125, PACERS 104
Julius Randle had 20 points and nine rebounds for the Knicks, while RJ Barrett scored 17 points.
Taj Gibson scored 14 and Immanuel Quickley and Obi Toppin each came off the bench for 10 as the Knicks surpassed 100 points in three quarters.
Rookie Chris Duarte scored 15 points for the Pacers in their first game under new coach Rick Carlisle. Justin Holiday added 13, while Myles Turner and T.J. McConnell each had 10.
BULLS 131, CAVALIERS 95
Troy Brown Jr. and Javonte Green also scored 13 points in Chicago. Matt Thomas had 11 and Alize Johnson finished with eight points and 11 rebounds.
Collin Sexton scored 14 points and former Bulls forward Lauri Markkanen had 13 for the Cavaliers.
Evan Mobley, the No. 3 pick in the draft, had 10 points and eight rebounds. Ricky Rubio, acquired by the Cavs in the offseason, had 10 points, six assists and five rebounds.
ROCKETS 125, WIZARDS 119
Kevin Porter Jr. had 25 points, including five 3-pointers, and five assists in Houston.
Jalen Green, the No. 2 overall pick in July&rsquo;s draft, finished with 12 points and six rebounds but shot just 4 of 14 from the field and 0 for 6 from behind the arc.
Bradley Beal had 18 points to lead six Washington players in double figures. Aaron Holiday had 15 points, Spencer Dinwiddie &mdash; acquired from the Brooklyn Nets in a five-team trade on Aug. 6 &mdash; finished with 14 points and five assists and Corey Kispert added 12 points. Kyle Kuzma scored 11 points and Daniel Gafford 10.
GRIZZLIES 87, BUCKS 77 (3 quarters)
Ja Morant had 27 points, six rebounds and four assists through three quarters to lead Memphis.
Morant was 11-of-18 shooting and threw down high-flying dunks in the first and third quarters before a fire alarm went off in his home arena at the end of the third quarter. Fans were evacuated and the teams were sent to their locker rooms. The game would eventually be called.
De&rsquo;Anthony Melton scored 14 points and Steven Adams had 11 points and 10 rebounds for the Grizzlies.
Jordan Nwora led Milwaukee with 16 points and Grayson Allen scored 13.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, Bobby Portis and Jrue Holiday &mdash; all major contributors to Milwaukee&rsquo;s NBA title run this summer &mdash; did not play for the Bucks.

One game into their preseasons, the Bulls and Knicks have to like what they see from their new backcourts.

NBA Preseason: Strong debuts for new backcourts in New York & Chicago

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

2021-22 NBA Season Preview: Central Division

No baseline roaming today, folks, but I did want to take a page from that particular book. I recently wrote a piece on my <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/opening-weekend-thoughts-on-nba-2k22" target="_blank" rel="noopener">initial thoughts on NBA 2K22</a>. It was a mostly positive experience at the time, and I'm proud to announce that I still feel that way after more time with the game.
This is the most fun I've had with a 2K since probably 2K19. There's a lot of depth to this year's edition, and the gameplay tweaks to defense have appealed to my nerdy side. We're on the up-and-up.
While I'm having fun and generally believe the game to be good, that doesn't mean there aren't flaws to poke at. In what feels like a yearly tradition on my end, I must dig into the ratings.
This is a "duh" thing to say, but the most important part of a basketball game are, well, the basketball players. The appeal of 2K is supposed to be it's realism at the end of the day: from the player models, to their signature moves and styles, and ultimately, how closely they perform to their real-life counterparts.
The good folks at 2K nail most of this stuff. You can honestly get lost in the amount of animations available to make players shoot, dribble, and even dunk like they do in the real world. The actual player models are tremendous. As much as the "added sweat" meme is a thing, you have to tip your cap at how realistic the players look.
(Well, the NBA players at least. I'd love to see more done on the WNBA side. Seriously, <a href="https://twitter.com/NekiasNBA/status/1436189173522878464?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">look at Atlanta Dream guard Chennedy Carter</a>. I get the Dream want to pretend like she doesn't exist, but she does, and that should be apparent in the game.)
Where the game falls a bit short for me is how the players are rated. I don't necessarily mean the overall ratings; that's arbitrary enough to where it genuinely doesn't mean much. It's a yearly tradition to get upset about the early rating releases before the game officially dropped.
Here's a thought exercise, though: give a detailed explanation of the difference between an 87 overall and an 88 overall. I'll give you some time.
Go on.
Uh huh.&nbsp;
I rest my case.
When I say player ratings in this context, I mean the nitty gritty stuff. The individual stuff like "perimeter defense." Not the just badge layout, but the badge level given -- or not given. I mean player tendencies most of all. Having the James Harden (double) stepback in the game means nothing if he actually doesn't do it when you face him, for example.
I found myself getting so frustrated with botched tendencies and higher-than-it-should-be ratings that I started making my own rosters. I'm in the midst of doing so now, but I wanted to peel the curtain back into some of the things that have to be altered. I starteed a <a href="https://twitter.com/NekiasNBA/status/1440043942427299840?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Twitter thread</a> detailing some of the mishaps, but here are a few more that have stood out as I've begun the roster editing process.
KINGS CENTER RICHAUN HOLMES: NO "TEAR DROPPER" BADGE
I'll start here because this is the one I can be swayed to leniency on. Holmes does have a 95 "Close Shot" rating, with the stat being defined as the "ability to shoot when standing still out to 10 feet from the basket."&nbsp;
Within that context, I could see why they went that route versus giving him the badge. How exactly do you define Holmes' push shot in the game? Is that just a close shot animation, or is it an actual floater that gamers should be looking to trigger?&nbsp;
Considering you can't choose specific floaters like you could in past games -- why can't you do this anymore, by the way? -- it would appear 2K played it safe. It's just a bit odd that a guy who, per Synergy, converted over 61% of his runners on the fifth-highest volume in the league (184 attempts) doesn't have a badge to show for it.
PISTONS GUARD CADE CUNNINGHAM: "DISH TO OPEN MAN" TENDENCY IS A 35
Cade Cunningham has yet to play in an official NBA game to this point, but he's one of the most heralded prospects in recent memory. Arguably his most prolific trait as a player is his passing ability. At 6-foot-7, he has the luxury of seeing over the top of defenses and flinging darts across the lot. There isn't a pass that he doesn't have in his bag, so it's a bit baffling that the 2K read on him is that he just ... won't hit open guys.
This feels like a case of inputing his assist numbers from his lone year at Oklahoma State without even a hint of context.
I'm going to go out on a limb and say that there aren't ten Pistons more willing to hit open teammates than Cade.
LAKERS GUARD RUSSELL WESTBROOK: HIGH LEVEL DEFENDER
I feel like we do this every 2K with Russell Westbrook. I honestly feel for the ratings guys because it's not an easy needle to thread.
On the right night, or even in the right quarter, Westbrook can be an absolute menace on the defensive end. He moves incredibly well laterally, has quick hands, is strong, and can flat-out bully opposing guards.&nbsp;
In that same game, he can die on a screen and flat-out give up on it. He can offer weak contests. Teams can exploit him off the ball due to his tendency to ball-watch.
The "best" solution here would be to give him a solid on-ball rating, a relatively low one in the "help defense IQ" one, and a middling rating in "defensive consistency" since the possession-by-possession variance is pretty high with him.
Instead, Westbrook has an 83, an 80, and an 80 in the three ratings, respectively. I can't say I get that. The 83 in perimeter defense is even wilder when you consider he outpaces guys like Mikal Bridges (82), De'Anthony Melton (81), TJ McConnell (82), and Pascal Siakam (79); he also shares that 83 with Lu Dort, Draymond Green, and Fred VanVleet.
STRAY THOUGHTS
<ul>
<li>Jimmy Butler had the worst shooting season of his career and was rewarded with an 84 mid-range rating and a 75 3-ball. Sure.</li>
<li>On top of Bridges' defensive rating being too low, having that while giving his teammate Chris Paul a 90 is ... I'll be respectful, but come on. We know what we watched.</li>
<li>Karl-Anthony Towns having a 60 in pass accuracy, which puts him 11th on his own team, is pretty freaking wild.</li>
<li>Based on his tendencies, Trae Young is more likely to receive an alley-oop (25) than he is to throw one (10). I don't think I need to say more than that.</li>
<li>Bouncing off the Cade point, 2K cover boy Luka Doncic (60) is not the most willing passer on his own team. That honor belongs to Tyrell Terry (65). Sure.</li>
<li>Keldon Johnson's "attack strong on drive" tendency being a 50 seems woefully low based on the way he plays. He only passed on 21.2% of his drives last season, per <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/drives/?Season=2020-21&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season&amp;TeamID=1610612759&amp;sort=DRIVE_PASSES_PCT&amp;dir=-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Second Spectrum tracking data</a>.</li>
<li>I am amused by Dwight Howard not having the highest "hard foul" tendency (41). With a 76, that honor belongs to [checks notes] Wolves rookie Leandro Bolmaro???</li>
</ul>

Nekias Duncan gives his thoughts on some controversial ratings in NBA 2K22.

Things That Make You Go 'Hmmm': 2K Edition

The SportsCenter clips vs. the spreadsheet. The eye test vs. the analytics. "Seeing is Believing" vs. "Numbers Never Lie."
Sports fans have created this "rivalry" between film geeks and analytics nerds when, in reality, those two libraries of knowledge complement each other seamlessly. No human can watch every single moment of every single contest, and likewise, no data point can capture every literal aspect of a basketball game. The best writers and experts I know can slide willingly between both schools, using them to understand the nuances of the sport while covering for blind spots and bias.
Stats are cool. They're easy to visualize, they make for convenient comparing, and they can boil a lot of basketball down to a single number. But there's a reason people don't have computers running professional franchises. Metrics are often misunderstood, misused and overemphasized, leading to some crazy conclusions simply because a random set of numbers points in that direction. There is no such thing as a bad stat, but it can quickly be invalidated if the user doesn't understand it.
I'm not a statistician &mdash; I actually dropped my Statistics minor in college because I was struggling to stay on top of a computer programming class. But I love basketball, I love reading about basketball, and I love trying to learn how some of the world's greatest athletes do what they do. So I'm putting together my philosophies on using stats to better understand the game, and hopefully it'll at least give you a way to approach debates with the giant asteroid field of numbers out there.
To me, almost all basketball stats fall under one of three umbrella groups:
<ul>
<li>Events</li>
<li>Explainers</li>
<li>Impact Estimators</li>
</ul>
No one category is better than another, but they each colorize a player or team's impact in different ways. Let's get into each, and I'll give you one of my favorite (free!) "advanced" stats from each category:
<h2>Events</h2>
Event stats are pretty straight-up: What happened? Most of your box-score stats are here; points, rebounds, assists, steals, fouls, etc. all total up what went down in a single game or season. They're often attached to a scoring play, a missed shot or a turnover &mdash; something you can easily point to and say, "Oh, something just happened there."
The problem with event stats are that they usually get attributed to a single player, when in reality, all five players on the team could have contributed. Did LeBron James receive a bad pass that he had to hoist up late in the shot clock? Welp, that's a missed field goal. Did Giannis Antetokounmpo have a wide-open dunk because Khris Middleton drew two defenders away with a nice cut? Middleton gets no credit. It's one of the many reasons people watch film &mdash; to see what the stats don't capture.&nbsp;
However, event stats can be useful for collecting major plays, and many more exist that don't get covered in your typical box score. I've always been a fan of deflections, <a href="which%20you%20can%20find%20on%20the%20NBA's%20official%20stats%20site." target="_blank" rel="noopener">which you can find on the NBA's official stats site.</a> Deflections are, as written in the NBA's glossary, "The number of times a defensive player or team gets their hand on the ball on a non-shot attempt."
Most would agree that, even if a defender doesn't generate a steal, getting an active hand on the ball disrupts the offense and takes time off the shot clock. Here were the NBA's deflections per-game leaders from last season:
1. Fred VanVleet, Toronto Raptors &mdash; 3.8 per game
2. Robert Covington, Portland Trail Blazers &mdash; 3.6 per game
3. T.J. McConnell, Indiana Pacers &mdash; 3.5 per game
4. Jimmy Butler, Miami Heat &mdash; 3.5 per game
5. Ben Simmons, Philadelphia 76ers &mdash; 3.5 per game
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<h2>Explainers</h2>
How did Russell Westbrook average a triple-double? How did Stephen Curry lead the league in threes made? Explainer stats dive into how a player or team made the plays that they made and add some context to the event stats.
These categories can range from the very general, such as field goal percentage (that stat is a whole different conversation), to the extremely detailed, i.e. three-point percentage after taking seven or more dribbles. I love a good explainer because it allows me to get specific as far as what I like about a player. Instead of saying, "Nikola Jokic is a bucket because he scores a lot," I can say, "Nikola Jokic is a bucket because he shoots threes off-the-catch well, drives well, and is one of the best post-up players in the league based on these stats." Which sounds more convincing to you?
What's wrong with explainers? The nitty-gritty ones often rely on player tracking data, which can range from iffy to downright wrong at times. If you're tracking shooting defense, for example, how does the tracking system know what the player's goals are and who they should match up against? Maybe a play breaks down and a defender has to sprint out to contest a shooter they weren't even supposed to be guarding, but they might be labeled as the primary defender anyway.
So while these stats would ideally be extremely helpful, the data should always be taken with a grain of salt. Watch the film too.
At-rim finishing is one of my favorite explainer stats. It's easy to track and NBA teams are always looking for players who can get easy points near the basket. Here were the leaders in restricted area field goal percentage last year (<a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/shooting/?Season=2020-21&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season&amp;DistanceRange=By%20Zone&amp;sort=Restricted%20Area%20FG%20PCT&amp;dir=1&amp;PerMode=Totals&amp;CF=Restricted%20Area%20FGA*GE*100" target="_blank" rel="noopener">per NBA Stats, min. 100 shot attempts</a>):
1. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks &mdash; 80.7%
2. DeAndre Jordan, Brooklyn Nets (now Los Angeles Lakers) &mdash; 79.9%
3. Robert Williams III, Boston Celtics &mdash; 78.0%
4. Michael Porter Jr., Denver Nuggets &mdash; 77.5%
5. Daniel Gafford, Chicago Bulls/Washington Wizards &mdash; 76.7%
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<h2>Impact Estimators</h2>
With any stat, the ultimate question you're trying to answer is: How good is Player X? But impact estimators are pretty explicitly trying to assess a player's impact, whether it be in a specific skill or their overall on-court value. Some of the most basic estimators out there include offensive and defensive rating, as well as plus/minus.
But impact estimators can get complicated and daunting. Companies, front offices and branches hire folks whose sole responsibility is to come up with a metric that can accurately protray basketball impact. Formulas are tested and re-tested by professional analytics minds who work extremely hard to create the gold standard of a hoops quantifier. It's an admirable, albeit scary, pursuit.
To effectively wield impact estimators, you have to fully understand how they are built and what they are trying to say. A classic misstep is when people use defensive rating to say Player X is a good defender. Defensive rating is a misleading name; it's a team-based stat that shows how many points per 100 possessions the team gave up while Player X was on the court. There's only so much a player can do for their defensive rating if they're on a terrible defensive team.&nbsp;
So don't be fooled because someone slapped a cool name on a stat. Understand what other stats go into the formula and what it's ultimately saying.&nbsp;
Here's a popular impact estimator: True Shooting percentage. The formula is relatively simple and it provides a summary of a player's efficiency for all shot values (<a href="https://www.thespax.com/nba/explaining-true-shooting-percentage-ts/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here's a good article about it</a>). While most efficiency stats skew heavily toward bigs because they take closer shots, True Shooting percentage has a slightly better balance while still making sense. Here were <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_2021_leaders.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the leaders from 2020-21</a>:
1. Ivica Zubac, Los Angeles Clippers&nbsp;&mdash; 69.3 TS%
2. Rudy Gobert, Utah Jazz &mdash; 68.2 TS%
3. Joe Ingles, Utah Jazz &mdash; 67.2 TS%
4. Richaun Holmes, Sacramento Kings &mdash; 66.9 TS%
5. Mikal Bridges, Phoenix Suns &mdash; 66.7 TS%
Is Ivica Zubac the best shooter on the planet? Probably not. But he was extremely efficient with the shots he got last season. Stephen Curry is ranked 11th (65.5 TS%), and with him taking so many threes, that's quite impressive.
So in my overall approach to using NBA numbers, I sort an interesting stat into its larger category, I remember the pitfalls of using that type of metric and I understand that a single number will never provide the full flavor of seeing what the player did on the court. And like I said, I am no expert; the goal should always be to keep a growth mindset.
Stats, just like highlights, should never end a basketball discussion &mdash; only make it more insightful.

Ethan Fuller explains his process for understanding various stats used in the NBA.

A beginner's guide to NBA stats: The three types of statistics

The Indiana Pacers are at a crossroads, with the 2021-22 season looking like their final opportunity to make significant noise with this current core. On paper, Indiana&rsquo;s roster is strong, especially with their projected rotation of Domantas Sabonis, Caris LeVert, T.J. Warren, Myles Turner, Malcolm Brogdon, T.J. McConnell, Justin Holiday, Chris Duarte and Torrey Craig.
But it&rsquo;s led to little success in recent years. The Pacers created one of the Association&rsquo;s best rivalries with the Miami Heat, with Paul George, Roy Hibbert, David West and Lance Stephenson leading the charge versus LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Ever since those days, Indiana has struggled to be competitive in a playoff series.
As long as the Simon family owns the Pacers, Indiana will never hit the reset button completely. It&rsquo;s why they traded George to Oklahoma City for Victor Oladipo and Sabonis instead of accepting a draft-pick-heavy package from another team. Indiana later shipped off Oladipo for Caris LeVert in the massive James Harden trade early last season.
Although Indiana is a smaller market, and tanking would probably be their best bet to ensure long-term success, the franchise has made a living off of finding these win-now deals and making playoff appearances. For small-market teams, playoff revenue matters. The Pacers are the perfect example of this, especially since they&rsquo;re so against selling off any of their core players for picks.
The Nate Bjorkgren experience was disastrous for the Pacers, as the first-time head coach not only failed to connect with the locker room, but his style of play also did not fit Indiana&rsquo;s personnel. It was like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole. Enter one of the league's best head coaches in Rick Carlisle, who used to coach Indiana before his decade-plus stint with the Dallas Mavericks. The Pacers coughed up a pretty penny to land Carlisle (over $7 million) in hopes that he can help this roster jell together and climb the Eastern Conference standings.
Carlisle was the Pacers' big offseason addition. He's viewed as their saving grace &ndash; someone who can potentially turn the team around without drastic changes (health-permitting). If Carlisle isn't able to deliver, it may be time for Kevin Pritchard and Chad Buchanan to seriously assess what happens next in the Hoosier State.&nbsp;
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Warren is entering the final year of his $50 million extension and if he's anywhere close to the player we saw in the Bubble, he could be headed for <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/a-100-million-payday-awaits-tj-warren-if-he-continues-to-silence-the-critics" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a potential $100 million deal next offseason</a> since he projects to be one of the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/after-years-of-star-movement-2022-offseason-is-shaping-up-to-be-the-opposite" target="_blank" rel="noopener">best scorers available</a>. Meanwhile, LeVert, Turner and Brogdon each have two years remaining on their deals. Sabonis is the only core piece whose contract extends past the 2022-23 season. The window for this Pacers group is right now, and it may only be open for another year or two.
Since 2015, the Pacers&rsquo; draft history has been gruesome. Outside of Turner, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/can-rick-carlisle-make-a-domantas-sabonis-myles-turner-pairing-work-for-the-pacers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">who very well could be entering his final season in Indiana</a>, the front office has failed to find long-term answers. After Turner, Indiana&rsquo;s first-round draft picks have been T.J. Leaf (18th), Aaron Holiday (23rd), Goga Bitadze (18th) and, most recently, Chris Duarte (13th) and Isaiah Jackson (22nd). The 24-year-old Duarte certainly showed flashes during NBA Summer League in Las Vegas and he may be able to make an immediate impact since he's widely regarded as one of the most NBA-ready prospects in this class.
It remains to be seen what Duarte and Jackson will do, but Leaf and Holiday are already off the roster. Bitadze has failed to develop past a 10-to-15-minute-per-game role, and his playing time could stagnate even further with Jackson&rsquo;s arrival. Also, the Pacers have continuously missed on second-round picks in recent years. (In 2010, Lance Stephenson was a solid find at No. 40, but that was the previous regime.)
With missed opportunities in the draft and ownership that's completely against losing revenue, Indiana is constantly a fringe playoff team &ndash; stuck in the middle of the pack. It helps the bottom dollar, sure, but where does it get the organization in the end?
The 2021-22 season is a fork-in-the-road moment for Indiana. If the Pacers miss the playoffs or just barely squeak in with everyone healthy and Carlisle running the show, massive changes should ensue. Breaking up <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/can-rick-carlisle-make-a-domantas-sabonis-myles-turner-pairing-work-for-the-pacers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the jumbo-big duo of Sabonis and Turner</a> should be in the cards. Warren could leave for nothing as an unrestricted free agent in <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/after-years-of-star-movement-2022-offseason-is-shaping-up-to-be-the-opposite" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a barren 2022 free-agent market</a>. Brogdon and LeVert would enter contract years of thier own the following season.
Is it realistic to expect the Pacers to make a serious leap up the East standings? The defending champion Milwaukee Bucks and Brooklyn Nets are not vacating the top spots. The Miami Heat, Philadelphia 76ers, Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics and Chicago Bulls have all potentially leapfrogged them in the hierarchy. Unless we see a magical season in which everything falls perfectly into place, Indiana&rsquo;s ceiling looks to be around the No. 6 seed. It's possible they'll make another appearance in the play-in tournament.
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Although Indiana's collection of talent keeps them around the playoff picture each year, is it really worth it if they keep getting bounced in the first round every single season? Bringing Carlisle onboard signals that the Pacers know the time is now to show how competitive they truly are. However, the hourglass may have already run out, as the expiration date with their current core seems to be fast approaching. Outside of Sabonis, LeVert and rookies Duarte and Jackson, everyone else could potentially be available come February&rsquo;s trade deadline or next offseason.
It takes such a delicate balancing act for small-market teams to compete nowadays. You have to luck into drafting a superstar or consistently hit home runs with signings and trades. When Indiana was at the peak of its powers and giving Miami's Big Three a run for their money, the franchise had an ascending superstar in George. However, as we all know, that relationship soured over time and they shipped him off to Oklahoma City. Now, it seems like the Pacers are betting on Sabonis to become a Nikola Jokic-type player or for LeVert to take a massive all-around leap that puts him the Most Improved Player discussion.
However you want to slice it, it&rsquo;ll be tough sledding for the Pacers moving forward. If everything coalesces under Carlisle, he could help make them a sleeper contender in the East. If the pieces fail to come together, Indiana could potentially blow it all up within the next calendar year. The stakes are raised, and it&rsquo;s time to either double-down or fold the hand with this current roster.

The Indiana Pacers will either take the much-needed leap forward in 2021-22 or major changes could be coming for the organization.