Cardinals

In recent years, Japan has started to solidify its place on the global basketball map. The steady ascent began with Rui Hachimura making waves as a lottery pick and has since been sustained by the lengthy presence of Yuta Watanabe in the NBA. But the next chapter in Japan's basketball story is being authored by two rising stars with very different paths in young stars Keisei Tominaga and Yuki Kawamura.
Each player represents a different style, personality, and journey, but their shared goal is clear: to make a name for themselves in the NBA while pushing Japanese basketball into its most promising era yet and a chance to dominate Asia for years to come. Together, they are leading the next wave of Japanese basketball, a movement that could define a golden era for the nation&rsquo;s hoops culture.
<h3>Keisei Tominaga: From Nebraska star to NBA dreamer</h3>
Nicknamed the &ldquo;Japanese Steph Curry,&rdquo; Keisei Tominaga became a sensation at the University of Nebraska with his deep range, fiery swagger, and clutch shooting. Whether it was a pull-up three in transition or a quick-trigger release from the corner, the crowd inside Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Nebraska always knew when the ball left his hands that it had a real chance of going in.
Though Tominaga went undrafted in the 2024 NBA Draft, he quickly landed a spot on a G-League roster and continued to work toward his NBA dream. His shooting alone makes him a prospect worth watching, but his personality and work ethic make him even more compelling.
That electricity was on full display at the 2024 FIBA Intercontinental Cup in Singapore. It was last September that I had the opportunity to interview Tominaga, where he drew thunderous applause every time he launched a three. His team had just wrapped up a game, and even though he wasn&rsquo;t entirely pleased with his performance, he still flashed that signature optimism and drive. There, I caught up with him to talk about the experience and his aspirations.
Q: Every time you shoot a three, fans are anticipating the ball coming in. You made a three and the arena went crazy. How was it like playing here in Singapore and with your fans in Asia and the love that they showed you out here? Tominaga: &ldquo;You know, it means a lot to me. You see, you hear the crowd when I make the shot. I&rsquo;m super happy for it but I gotta be better for everything. But you know it was a great, great experience for me.&rdquo;
Q: Obviously you&rsquo;ve struggled shooting the ball, but how would you rate your performance personally in this tournament? Tominaga: &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t think I did a good job, you know, the way enough the way I wanted it to be. But I think that&rsquo;s a great experience for me, I could get better from it. You know, I could learn from it a lot. So, I&rsquo;m excited to keep going.&rdquo;
Q: After this tournament, what&rsquo;s next for Keisei Tominaga? Where will we see you play, any future plans? Tominaga: &ldquo;You know, I&rsquo;m trying to get into the league (NBA) so, you know I&rsquo;ll keep showing what I can do out there on the court and hopefully I can make it to the NBA soon.&rdquo;
Even during a down shooting performance, Tominaga&rsquo;s energy was palpable. His confidence in the long-term goal didn&rsquo;t waver. And why should it? With every deep three, every off-ball relocation, every step-back jumper, he proves he's not just a novelty act&mdash;he&rsquo;s a legitimate offensive weapon.
<h3>Yuki Kawamura: The gritty playmaker with a huge heart and growing fanbase</h3>
While Tominaga&rsquo;s game is built around flash and finesse, Yuki Kawamura's path is defined by toughness, hustle, and high basketball IQ. At just 5-foot-9, Kawamura has never been the biggest player on the court, but that&rsquo;s never stopped him from standing out.
Currently suiting up for the Memphis Hustle, the G-League affiliate of the Memphis Grizzlies, Kawamura has carved out a role as an impactful guard who plays with heart on both ends. As of this writing, Kawamura is averaging 12.4 points, 4.8 assists, and 1.7 steals per game, while shooting an efficient 46.5% from the field and 38.2% from deep.
What makes Kawamura special isn&rsquo;t just the stats, it&rsquo;s about the impact. On multiple occasions, the Grizzlies have featured him in NBA games, and every time, the fan reaction has been electric. A behind-the-back dime in transition. A fearless drive into the paint against players a foot taller. A clutch corner three that sends social media into a frenzy. Kawamura is a fan favorite, not just in Japan, but globally.
The NBA itself has embraced Kawamura as part of its broader international movement. His highlights often get featured on NBA social media channels, and with every appearance, more fans begin to root for the undersized guard with a never-say-die mentality.
Now, Kawamura and the Grizzlies have qualified into the 2025 NBA Playoffs and will face the Oklahoma City Thunder in round one, a feat that Kawamura is definitely proud to be a part of.
<h3>A shared dream and legacy in the making</h3>
Tominaga and Kawamura couldn&rsquo;t be more different on the court. One is a gunner who thrives on spacing and movement. The other is a floor general who thrives on angles and decision-making. But their journeys intertwine in a bigger narrative, one that could shape the next decade of Japanese basketball.
What Rui Hachimura and Yuta Watanabe helped begin, Tominaga and Kawamura are set to continue. The duo&rsquo;s growth also coincides with the rise of Japan&rsquo;s national team, which made waves at the 2023 FIBA World Cup and the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Having multiple Japanese players active in the G-League and flirting with NBA rosters is no longer an anomaly. It&rsquo;s becoming part of a trend, and that trend points to a possible golden era of hoops in Japan. The country is now poised to be one of the top contenders for the upcoming FIBA Asia Cup 2025, and Tominaga and Kawamura are leading the charge for the Akatsuki.
The significance of this moment can&rsquo;t be overstated. For decades, Japanese basketball lagged behind Asian neighbors like China and the Philippines in terms of global impact. Now, the script is changing, and these two young stars are helping flip the page.
<h3>&ndash; &ndash; &ndash;</h3>
Keisei Tominaga continues to chase his dream with a shooter&rsquo;s tunnel vision - focused, steady, and fueled by every made shot and every miss. His love for the game and his country is clear every time he hits the floor.
Yuki Kawamura, meanwhile, has proven that height may be a limitation on paper, but not in heart. He&rsquo;s already winning over teammates, coaches, and fans alike with his skill and spark.
While the road to becoming a full-time NBA player is steep for both, what they represent is already larger than the game. They are not only athletes but symbols of Japan&rsquo;s potential on the world basketball stage.
In the end, whether or not they make a permanent home in the NBA isn&rsquo;t the only story. The real victory lies in how they inspire a nation, empower a new generation, and redefine what&rsquo;s possible for Japanese basketball.

From Tominaga's three-point flair to Kawamura's fearless playmaking, both are knocking on the NBA and inspiring Japan.

Keisei Tominaga, Yuki Kawamura lead golden era of Japanese Basketball

The New York Knicks have high hopes for the 2024-25 season after a series of offseason moves to bolster their roster. Boasting a revamped starting lineup of Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, and Karl-Anthony Towns, Coach Tom Thibodeau has leaned heavily on this five-man unit by relying on their defensive versatility and scoring prowess to carry the team night after night. Yet this dependency raises questions about sustainability, with risks of fatigue, injuries, and late-game breakdowns looming over a long NBA season.&nbsp;
The Knicks&rsquo; starting five are logging heavy minutes early in the season. Jalen Brunson, in particular, is averaging over 35 minutes per game as the team&rsquo;s primary playmaker and scorer. Meanwhile, Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby are also averaging significant playing time, tasked with balancing offensive responsibilities while handling tough defensive assignments on opposing wings. Towns, who is crucial on both ends by providing floor spacing on offense and size on defense, is also averaging close to 35 minutes per game. These players are giving their all each night, but the mileage can add up as the season moves along.
NBA history shows that overextending starters early in the season can lead to burnout, and Thibodeau is no stranger to this trend. In his previous coaching stints, especially with the Chicago Bulls and Minnesota Timberwolves, Thibodeau&rsquo;s teams experienced both early success and, ultimately, the cost of fatigue and injuries. During those stints, key players who logged high minutes often missed time later due to injuries or wore down in critical playoff moments.
The Knicks&rsquo; reliance on their starters has led to noticeable fatigue in the fourth quarter. The high-minute load impacts shooting accuracy, defensive effectiveness, and overall energy levels down the stretch. In recent games, the Knicks&rsquo; fourth-quarter stats reflect a slight decline in scoring efficiency, with players missing more shots and committing more fouls late in the game. This is particularly concerning in close matchups, where even minor drops in performance can shift the game&rsquo;s outcome. Opposing teams, with fresher players, often capitalize on the Knicks&rsquo; tired legs, exploiting gaps on defense and taking control in the final minutes.
If the Knicks are to reach their potential, Thibodeau may need to expand his rotation to preserve the health and effectiveness of his starters.
A balanced rotation could alleviate these issues. However, it doesn&rsquo;t help that starting center Mitchell Robinson is still yet to come back from an injury, as well as regular contributor Precious Achiuwa. The Knicks&rsquo; bench is shallow as of the moment with only Cameron Payne, Miles McBride, and at times Jericho Sims as players who can step in to relieve starters and bring fresh energy. Rookies Tyler Kolek, Pacome Dadiet, and Ariel Hukporti have had good summer league performances and showed something interesting in the preseason, but Coach Thibs has yet to commit to trusting rookies during the regular season. However, by giving a little bit more minutes on their reserves, the Knicks would have the flexibility to keep their starters fresh, reducing the risk of late-game lapses and helping maintain energy throughout the season.
High minutes also correlate with an increased risk of injury, a risk that only compounds as the season progresses. For players like Brunson and Anunoby, who play physically demanding roles, the toll of heavy minutes can lead to strains and nagging injuries. Towns and Bridges, though durable, have histories of minor injuries, and prolonged wear could increase their risk as well. If any starter were to miss time, it could disrupt the team&rsquo;s chemistry and potentially derail their season.
The Knicks have already invested heavily in this core, both financially and strategically, so ensuring their health and longevity is critical. Coach Thibodeau&rsquo;s emphasis on conditioning may help, but even the best-conditioned athletes can fall prey to injuries when overworked.
One solution lies staggering the starters with the bench guys. An expanded rotation would also provide versatility and unpredictability, as the Knicks could mix lineups to create favorable matchups and keep opponents off-balance.
Last season, teams with deep rotations generally fared better in the later months and into the playoffs. The Denver Nuggets, for example, leaned on a nine-man rotation that kept players fresh and ready for postseason intensity. The Knicks have the personnel to replicate this approach, but it requires a willingness to let the bench play through mistakes and grow into their roles.
The Knicks&rsquo; high-minute starters have impressive stats, but the numbers suggest potential pitfalls. Brunson and Towns lead the team in points, yet their fourth-quarter shooting percentage has dropped as games wear on. Hart, Bridges, and Anunoby rank among the league leaders in defensive metrics, but all three have seen dips in effectiveness late in games. These stats underline the wear on the Knicks&rsquo; starting five, and without adjustments, the team could face challenges maintaining performance over the long haul.
Thibodeau&rsquo;s strategy has yielded early success, but balance is the key to a sustainable season. By trusting his bench and managing his starters&rsquo; minutes, he can preserve the team&rsquo;s health and performance for the playoffs. The Knicks have the depth to make this adjustment, and doing so would likely pay dividends as they aim for a deep postseason run. In a grueling 82-game season, longevity and resilience are paramount, and a balanced rotation could be the key to the Knicks realizing their potential.

Heavy minutes for the Knicks’ starting five could lead to fatigue, injuries, and late-game struggles.

Knicks’ Overreliance on Starting 5 a Double-Edged Sword

Bam Adebayo and Anthony Davis are already one of the best big men in the league with the variety of skills they offer on the basketball court. Both bigs are considered top 5 in the position by being the best of the best defensively along with a deep offensive bag. However, if there was one hole in their games that both needed to fill up, it is their three-point shooting.&nbsp;
Both Adebayo and Davis have demonstrated their shooting forms and technical abilities, suggesting they could excel as 3-point shooters. However, neither has historically attempted threes as often as their talent might allow. Now, entering the 2024-25 season, both stars are increasing their 3-point volume as seen in the preseason, and this shift could be the key to elevating their teams to new heights.
Bam Adebayo&rsquo;s ability to impact a game is undeniable. He is one of the best defenders in the league, being known for his defensive versatility and ability to guard all five positions. Adebayo brings value to the Heat with his offensive playmaking from the center position, and over the years he has been the main engine of Miami&rsquo;s offense. But what he&rsquo;s rarely done is consistently shoot from deep. In the 2023-24 NBA season, Adebayo averaged just 0.6 3-point attempts per game, preferring to stick to his mid-range game and finish inside.
However, Adebayo&rsquo;s shooting took a noticeable step forward during the 2024 Olympics, where he averaged 1.5 attempts per game from beyond the arc for Team USA. His confidence seemed to soar after the tournament, and that momentum has carried into the 2024-25 preseason, where he&rsquo;s now taking 3.3 3-point attempts per game.
This increase in volume shows that Adebayo is ready to fully integrate the 3-point shot into his game, something he&rsquo;s always been capable of given his shooting form. With his smooth mechanics and growing confidence, Adebayo&rsquo;s expanded range could be the key to unlocking the Miami Heat&rsquo;s full offensive potential.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
BAM-ing it from downtown 🎯 Bam Adebayo has significantly upped his 3-point attempts from last season to this preseason 😲 2023-24 season ➡️ 0.6 2024 Paris Olympics ➡️ 1.5 2024-25 Preseason ➡️ 3.3 Stretch Bam incoming? 👀 (h/t <a href="https://twitter.com/statmuse?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@statmuse</a>) <a href="https://t.co/OxX6yP8v72">pic.twitter.com/OxX6yP8v72</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1846751205386780929?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 17, 2024</a>
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Similar to Adebayo, Anthony Davis has always had the ability to shoot from deep but hasn&rsquo;t consistently utilized it. Davis proved his 3-point prowess throughout the younger years of his career&mdash;but most notably during the 2019-20 season when he helped lead the Lakers to a championship by shooting 33% from beyond the arc. However, injuries and shifting roles have seen Davis shy away from shooting threes in recent seasons.
In the 2023-24 campaign, Davis averaged just 1.4 3-point attempts per game, a sharp drop from the 3.5 attempts he averaged during that 2020 title run. Like Adebayo, Davis has the form and touch to be a consistent 3-point threat but hasn&rsquo;t taken as many shots from deep as he&rsquo;s capable of.
For the Lakers, a healthy and confident Anthony Davis shooting more threes could be a game-changer. His ability to stretch the floor would open up the lane for LeBron James and the Lakers&rsquo; slashing guards, creating a more dynamic and less predictable offense. If Davis can regain his 3-point shooting form from his championship run, the Lakers will be far more difficult to defend.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
4 THREES FOR AD IN THE FIRST QUARTER 😱<a href="https://t.co/8PxKpnr4ZQ">pic.twitter.com/8PxKpnr4ZQ</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1847103115394535893?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 18, 2024</a>
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<h3>Why Does Adebayo and Davis Increasing Their 3-Point Attempts Matter?</h3>
<ol>
<li> Floor Spacing and Offensive Flexibility Both Adebayo and Davis shooting more threes could radically improve their respective teams' floor spacing. For Miami, Adebayo&rsquo;s ability to pull opposing big men out to the perimeter will open up driving lanes for Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro, giving the Heat more room to operate. For the Lakers, Davis stretching the defense would allow LeBron to work in a more open paint, while also freeing up shooters like Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura.</li>
<li> Deeper Pick-and-Pop Potential Adebayo and Davis could both become elite pick-and-pop players. Their ability to shoot from mid-range has already made them dangerous in these situations, but adding 3-point range would make them even more difficult to guard. Forcing defenders to decide between contesting their shot or stopping a drive could lead to easy points for their teams.</li>
<li> Defensive Dilemmas for Opponents With both big men capable of hitting threes, opposing defenses will be forced to make tough choices. Typically, teams like to sag off big men who are stationed at the perimeter, allowing them to pack the paint. However, if Adebayo and Davis can hit threes at a consistent rate, defenses will be stretched thin, making it harder to defend both the perimeter and the paint effectively.</li>
</ol>
It&rsquo;s important to note that neither Adebayo nor Davis are bad three point shooters. Both have had excellent shooting forms since early in their careers, but for various reasons&mdash;be it team strategy or personal preference&mdash;they haven&rsquo;t leaned heavily into their perimeter game and added it to their shot diets. Adebayo&rsquo;s shooting mechanics are smooth, and Davis has long been recognized for his soft touch from deep.
The difference now is volume and confidence. Both players have shown they can make threes, and now, with their respective teams needing more floor spacing and offensive versatility, the time is right for them to fully embrace their perimeter games.
While the increased 3-point attempts from Adebayo and Davis are promising, consistency here will be the major factor. Both players will need to prove that they can not only take more threes but also hit them at an efficient rate throughout the long NBA season. Shooting in the preseason or during international competition is one thing; doing so under the pressure of regular-season games and in the playoffs is another.
There&rsquo;s also the question of how this shift in offensive focus will affect their defensive roles. Both Adebayo and Davis are the anchors of their teams&rsquo; defenses, often patrolling the paint and protecting the rim. If they spend more time on the perimeter, it could pull them away from their defensive responsibilities, potentially impacting their teams on that end of the floor. They could also potentially exert more energy on offense when taking these types of shots, and could affect their games on the other end of the floor.
If Bam Adebayo and Anthony Davis can fully integrate the 3-point shot into their games, the Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers could be looking at major improvements in their offensive efficiency and flexibility. For Miami, Adebayo&rsquo;s ability to space the floor and create more room for Butler and Herro could make them a more dangerous and unpredictable team. For the Lakers, Davis hitting threes at a consistent rate would allow LeBron and the rest of the roster to play more freely and dynamically.
Both players have always had the skill to shoot from deep, but this season may finally be the year where they embrace it fully. And if they do, the Heat and Lakers could be poised for deep playoff runs, with their star big men leading the charge in this new era of positionless basketball.

Bam and AD are increasing their 3-point volume and this shift could be a key to elevating their teams to new heights.

Bam Adebayo and Anthony Davis shooting more threes should elevate Heat, Lakers

With the 2024-25 NBA season just days away, the Western Conference is locked, loaded, and ready for battle. The offseason drama has settled, rosters are finalized, and every team is gearing up for what promises to be a fierce and competitive race. From reigning contenders to rising underdogs, the West is stacked with talent and ambition. Let&rsquo;s break down the top 15 teams in the West as we head into this thrilling new season&mdash;no frills, just what you need to know.
<ol>
<li> Minnesota Timberwolves The Timberwolves are turning a new page after trading away longtime cornerstone Karl-Anthony Towns for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo and are now fully embracing Anthony Edwards as the franchise cornerstone. The T-Wolves&rsquo; mix of young talent and veteran leadership gives them a balanced roster around Edwards. Rudy Gobert remains a defensive anchor as a 4-time DPOY, Edwards is primed for a superstar leap, and if the supporting cast, including Jaden McDaniels and Naz Reid, steps up, the Wolves could be ready to take the top spot in the West.</li>
<li> Oklahoma City Thunder The Thunder&rsquo;s rebuild is no longer a long-term project; they&rsquo;re ready to compete now. However, due to Isaiah Hartenstein&rsquo;s injury to start the season, we&rsquo;re placing the Thunder at no.2 for now. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is already an All-NBA guard and arguably a top 5 player in the league. Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams figure out to be the dynamic inside-out duo around SGA. Add in Hartenstein and Alex Caruso, the two new acquisitions this offseason with their capable role players Lu Dort, Cason Wallace, Aaron Wiggins, and Isaiah Joe, this young core is as versatile as it is exciting. OKC&rsquo;s depth and versatility on both ends of the floor could propel them into serious title contention.</li>
<li> Phoenix Suns The Suns have loaded up for a title run, and with Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal leading the charge, Phoenix has one of the most dangerous offensive trios in the league. They have added their most significant hole which is the PG spot with a solid pick up in Tyus Jones, and they have one of the best offensive coaches in the league in Mike Budenholzer. The Suns&rsquo; questions lie in their depth and health, but if they can manage those concerns, they&rsquo;re built for a championship push. Their offensive firepower is unmatched, and if they click, the Suns will be a team no one wants to face.</li>
<li> Memphis Grizzlies Memphis has weathered their offseason storms and enters the season with a gritty identity intact. Ja Morant is back after his injury and suspension last year and he will now play with last season&rsquo;s addition Marcus Smart. Together with the continued growth of Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane, the Grizzlies are primed to be competitive and come back from their prime two seasons ago where they won 50+ games. Memphis&rsquo; defensive dominance paired with offensive firepower ensures they can be one of the top teams in the West with a deep bench with solid role players.</li>
<li> Denver Nuggets After falling short to Minnesota in 7 games last playoffs, the Nuggets will enter the season with their core mostly intact. Nikola Jokić remains the most dominant center and the best player in the game. With Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. healthy, the Nuggets are poised for another deep run. But perhaps their biggest loss this season was losing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to free agency and that might be a hit so they&rsquo;re currently ranked at no.5 to start the year. It could be a lot to ask for young players like Christian Braun or Julian Strawther to fill the void left by KCP, so it will be interesting to see how Denver handles his loss this season.</li>
<li> Dallas Mavericks Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving experiment is back after a successful season last year, where Dallas entered the NBA Finals for the first time since 2011 &ndash; when they won the title. The two stars can mesh to create one of the league&rsquo;s most potent offenses and with the continued internal development of young players like Dereck Lively, the Mavs can build on that Finals appearance. With newcomer Klay Thompson set to provide historic spacing for their dynamic duo, Dallas has the talent to climb the standings and challenge the top teams in the West.</li>
<li> New Orleans Pelicans The Pelicans&rsquo; fate will always hinge on Zion Williamson&rsquo;s health. When Zion plays, New Orleans is a force to be reckoned with. Now paired with newly-acquired point guard Dejounte Murray, they have a balanced attack capable of competing with any team in the conference with Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum still on the fold. If Zion stays on the floor, the Pelicans could find themselves rising up the ranks, but his availability remains the biggest X-factor.</li>
<li> Golden State Warriors The Warriors are clinging to their championship window with Stephen Curry still playing at an elite level. The addition of capable veterans in Kyle Anderson, Buddy Hield, and DeAnthony Melton gives them depth and personnel that can play in their offense to surround the core of Curry and Draymond Green for their foundation. Health and age are concerns, but if their veterans stay intact, Golden State can&rsquo;t be counted out.</li>
<li> Sacramento Kings The Kings struggled a bit last season after making their long-awaited playoff return two seasons ago, and they&rsquo;re looking to build on that momentum. They have signed DeMar DeRozan and he should bring a new wrinkle to their motion and three-hunting offense. DeRozan&rsquo;s mid range ability should be a welcome addition to Sacramento&rsquo;s offense. De&rsquo;Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis still lead an explosive offense, but defense remains a question mark. Sacramento&rsquo;s high-flying, fast-paced style makes them a regular-season juggernaut, but they&rsquo;ll need to tighten up defensively if they want to make a deep playoff run.</li>
<li> Los Angeles Lakers The Lakers are counting on LeBron James and Anthony Davis staying healthy for a full season. With the front office standing pat on making moves this offseason, the Lakers&rsquo; success will hinge on their superstar duo. If LeBron and AD can avoid injury, Los Angeles will be a formidable playoff team, but health is always a looming concern with this group.</li>
<li> Houston Rockets The Rockets added veterans Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks to guide their young core last season and this season could be the time for them to step up. They finished strong last year behind defensive minded coach Ime Udoka and the result could be a team that surprises many. Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun have star potential, and younger players Jabari Smith Jr. and Amen Thompson add even more excitement. The Rockets also drafted Reed Sheppard with the 3rd pick and Houston is hoping to lay the foundation for success and could push for a Play-In spot this season.</li>
<li> San Antonio Spurs Victor Wembanyama enters his second season, and the Spurs are fully embracing their rebuild around the budding star. While Wembanyama showed flashes of brilliance as a rookie, San Antonio is still in the development phase. But with the addition of Chris Paul, the Spurs now have a capable PG to feed Wemby and the other guys, possibly unlocking a new level to their games. With their young core, the Spurs may not be a playoff team yet, but their future looks incredibly bright with Wembanyama leading the way.</li>
<li> Los Angeles Clippers The Clippers&rsquo; fortunes rest on the health of Kawhi Leonard&mdash;again. After losing Paul George for nothing, Leonard is left to fend LA off by himself in their new arena at Intuit Dome. Gone are the days when LA has the talent to compete with anyone as they&rsquo;re just but a shell of themselves. Leading the way for the injured Leonard will be a 34-year-old James Harden and that might be too much to ask of the aging superstar. However, if Kawhi can return healthy and he can avoid the injury bug, the Clippers will be in the playoff mix, but that&rsquo;s a big &ldquo;if&rdquo; for this squad.</li>
<li> Portland Trail Blazers With Damian Lillard long gone, the Blazers will fully commit another season to their rebuild. Scoot Henderson, Anfernee Simons, and Shaedon Sharpe form a promising young core, but Portland will likely spend this season focusing on player development. While they won&rsquo;t be in playoff contention, the Blazers are positioning themselves well for the future, with an eye on growth and improvement.</li>
<li> Utah Jazz The Jazz are continuing their rebuild, with Lauri Markkanen emerging as a cornerstone player. While they have some intriguing young pieces like Taylor Hendricks and Keyonte George, Utah isn&rsquo;t ready to compete just yet. This season will be about development and finding which young players can be part of their long-term plans. The Jazz may not win many games this year, but they&rsquo;re building toward a brighter future.</li>
</ol>

Let’s break down the top 15 teams in the West as we head into this thrilling new season.

2024-2025 NBA Western Conference Power Rankings: A race at the top to start the year

ATLANTA (AP) &mdash; The Atlanta Hawks cleared significant salary cap space on Monday by agreeing to trade forward John Collins to the Utah Jazz for veteran forward Rudy Gay and a future second-round draft pick, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press.
Collins, who had been mentioned amid much trade speculation leading up to last week&rsquo;s NBA draft, finally was dealt to Utah, according to the person who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the trade cannot become official before July 6.
The trade was first reported by ESPN.
Collins, 25, was a first-round pick in 2017 and scored in double figures in each of his six seasons with Atlanta. He averaged 21.6 points and 10.1 rebounds, both career bests, in the 2019-20 season and 17.6 points per game for the 2021-21 team that advanced to the Eastern Conference finals.
Collins&rsquo; scoring declined as Trae Young and other players assumed lead scoring roles. He averaged 13.1 points and 6.5 rebounds this season, when the Hawks suffered their second consecutive first-round exit in the playoffs.
With the Hawks looking to clear salary-cap room, Collins, who is guaranteed $25.3 million in the 2023-24 season, became a much-discussed trade target.
Gay, 36, is due approximately $6.5 million next season, creating significant savings for Atlanta.
Collins (6-foot-9, 235) brings size and scoring potential to a Utah front line that also includes Lauri Markkanen, 2023 rookie Walker Kessler and last week&rsquo;s No. 9 overall pick, Taylor Hendricks, a power forward from Central Florida.
Collins&rsquo; exit could create more playing time for young forwards AJ Griffin and Jalen Johnson, as well as veteran Saddiq Bay.
Gay (6-8, 250) averaged 5.2 points in 56 games, all as a backup, for Utah in the 2022-23 season. He has averaged 15.8 points per game for his career, including a personal-best 21.1 for Sacramento in the 2014-15 season.

The Atlanta Hawks cleared significant salary cap space on Monday by agreeing to trade forward John Collins to the Utah Jazz.

Hawks clear cap room by trading Collins to Jazz for Gay, 2nd rounder

DENVER (AP) &mdash; The Miami Heat are searching for inspiration anywhere they can find it, including a tennis great&rsquo;s record-setting win at the French Open and even their&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/heat-mascot-conor-mcgregor-nba-finals-097557b5dd00685bb5cdc6d418f9bbe9">mascot&rsquo;s quick rebound</a>&nbsp;from a few punches to the face.
Jimmy Butler and the Heat might be down 3-1 in the NBA Finals against the Nuggets heading into Game 5 on Monday night in Denver, but they hardly consider themselves out.
&ldquo;(Our belief) is at an all-time high,&rdquo; said Butler, whose team is hoping to avoid watching the Nuggets celebrate their first NBA title. &ldquo;It always has been all year. It always will be.&rdquo;
From Day 1, the Heat have demonstrated their scrappiness. At first, it was in scrimmages against each other in training camp and later in earning the No. 8 seed into the postseason through a second chance in the play-in tournament. They knocked out Giannis Antetokounmpo and Milwaukee in the first round, then the New York Knicks, and rebounded in Game 7 in Boston after squandering 3-0 lead in the Eastern Conference finals.
Bottom line: They&rsquo;re used to doing things the hard way.
&ldquo;They love the ultimate challenges and the ultimate competition,&rdquo; Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. &ldquo;The narratives are not going to decide it. Whatever the analytics are about 3-1, that ain&rsquo;t going to decide it. It&rsquo;s going to be decided between those four lines, whose game can get to whose game and ultimately win at the end. That&rsquo;s what our guys love.&rdquo;
A little motivation goes a long way, too. They drew encouragement from Serbian great Novak Djokovic&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/djokovic-ruud-french-open-roland-garros-final-d7bda9f570b010ea48cf8a05b397291e">earning his men&rsquo;s-record 23rd Grand Slam singles championship</a>&nbsp;Sunday with a victory over Casper Ruud.
The Heat are trying to channel the inner belief Djokovic displayed as they face another&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/nba-finals-french-open-jokic-djokovic-serbia-3a0349ae24e0c113869ee4d6df70fe7f">Serbian standout in</a>&nbsp;Nuggets big man Nikola Jokic.
&ldquo;(Djokovic) has talked about that mental side of the game,&rdquo; said Spoelstra, who had no update on the availability of Tyler Herro, the sharpshooting guard sidelined by a hand injury. &ldquo;We have a very stubborn and defiant group, and I think it&rsquo;s good to have a little bit of defiance from time-to-time.&rdquo;
For tenacity, the Heat don&rsquo;t need to look any farther than their mascot, Burnie, who took two punches from former UFC champion Conor McGregor in a skit that led to the person in the costume seeking medical attention. Burnie could be back on the court, though, should the Heat force a Game 6 in Miami on Thursday.
&ldquo;That&rsquo;s the Miami Heat toughness that we&rsquo;re talking about,&rdquo; Spoesltra said of the mascot&rsquo;s return. &ldquo;He should have been allowed to take the first swing. We won&rsquo;t reveal who that is, but yeah, he can take a punch and get back up.&rdquo;
The Nuggets have the Heat down on the canvas, with no desire to let them back up. Still, they realize it won&rsquo;t be easy.
Closeout games rarely are.
&ldquo;Obviously, they&rsquo;ve been doubted the whole year and they made it this far for a reason,&rdquo; said Nuggets guard/forward Bruce Brown, whose team is 9-1 at home, with the lone blemish in Game 2 against Miami. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s going to be crazy. It&rsquo;s going to be loud. The fans are going to be here probably early. But I can&rsquo;t wait. I feed off their energy, so hopefully it&rsquo;s going to be a big night.&rdquo;
The Nuggets have history on their side. Of the 36 teams&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/nba-finals-2023-heat-nuggets-b0f83f7baccd425dbf8aba440e3e210c">that have fallen behind 3-1</a>&nbsp;in the NBA Finals, the lone one to come back to win the title was the 2016 Cleveland team led by LeBron James against Golden State.
On that Cavaliers squad was Kevin Love, the 34-year-old Heat forward who&rsquo;s been preaching that anything can happen.
&ldquo;You really just have to take it one possession at a time,&rdquo; Love said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s just one possession, one quarter, half-to-half. Just get it done by any means necessary and figure the rest out.&rdquo;
Butler couldn&rsquo;t agree more. Just don&rsquo;t mention moral victories and how much they&rsquo;ve accomplished.
It&rsquo;s ring or bust.
&ldquo;All the odds, 8-seed &mdash; nah, none of that matters,&rdquo; Butler said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s just two really good basketball teams. One has to get one win, and one has to get three. Let&rsquo;s just hope that the other that has to get three, gets three.&rdquo;

The Miami Heat are searching for inspiration anywhere they can find it, including a tennis great’s record-setting win at the French Open.

Down 3-1 in NBA Finals, Miami Heat looking for inspiration

Ja Morant was suspended by the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday after he appeared to be holding a gun in another social media video that was streamed live on Instagram.
It&rsquo;s the second time in less than three months that Morant was seen on Instagram holding what appeared to be a weapon. The first led to an&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/ja-morant-suspended-nba-gun-video-8cc82061f6465f96d6c5d0806d92d7d0">eight-game NBA suspension</a>&nbsp;that was handed down in March and cost Morant about $669,000 in salary.
It&rsquo;s unclear what sanctions Morant may be facing for the second video, which was widely shared online Sunday. An associate of Morant went live on Instagram while the All-Star was in the front seat of a vehicle with another person, briefly appearing to display a handgun. It is unclear where or when the latest video was filmed.
&ldquo;We are aware of the social media post involving Ja Morant and are in the process of gathering more information,&rdquo; NBA spokesman Mike Bass said.
The Grizzlies said Morant is suspended from all team activities, &ldquo;pending league review.&rdquo;
The gun video earlier this season happened when Morant went live on his own Instagram holding a gun at a club in the Denver suburbs in early March. After that went viral, Morant announced that he was taking time away to seek help, without specifying what sort of treatment he was getting. ESPN later reported that he was getting counseling in Florida, something the team eventually confirmed but did not share any other details.
&ldquo;Ja&rsquo;s conduct was irresponsible, reckless and potentially very dangerous,&rdquo; NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement in March after meeting with Morant and deciding on the suspension&rsquo;s length. &ldquo;It also has serious consequences given his enormous following and influence, particularly among young fans who look up to him.&rdquo;
Morant sat down for an interview with ESPN during his suspension, taking responsibility for the Colorado video.
&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t condone any type of violence,&rdquo; Morant told ESPN in March. &ldquo;But I take full responsibility for my actions. I made a bad mistake and I can see the image that I painted over myself with my recent mistakes. But in the future, I&rsquo;m going to show everybody who Ja really is, what I&rsquo;m about and change this narrative.&rdquo;
And when the season ended a couple weeks ago, Morant said again that he needed to work on his decision-making.
&ldquo;Being disciplined on both sides, off the court making better decisions and on the court being locked in even more,&rdquo; Morant said after a season-ending loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. &ldquo;Being a leader of this team, it pretty much starts with me. ... I&rsquo;ve got to be better in that area.&rdquo;
Morant&rsquo;s five-year, $194 million max contract is set to begin this coming season. It could have escalated to a supermax if he made All-NBA this season; he was not voted onto that team, which cost him about $39 million in future earnings.
His talent on the court is not a question. He averaged 27.4 points last season, 26.2 points this season and helped Memphis secure the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference playoffs.
But the Grizzlies&rsquo; season ended amid dysfunction. They were ousted in Round 1 by the Lakers, getting eliminated in a 40-point loss to close a series where trash-talking and antics became as much of a storyline as actual playing of basketball.
And the offseason is now off to a less-than-ideal start as well, especially after Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said following the playoffs that the team has to eliminate &ldquo;unnecessary drama, self-inflicted decisions that take away from the team.&rdquo;
&ldquo;It has to be completely different going into next year,&rdquo; Jenkins said.
This will be at least the third known NBA investigation surrounding Morant and the possible involvement of firearms so far in 2023.
Morant&rsquo;s actions were investigated after a Jan. 29 incident in Memphis that he said led to a friend of his being banned from home games for a year.
That incident followed a game against the Indiana Pacers; citing unnamed sources, The Indianapolis Star and USA Today reported that multiple members of the Pacers saw a red dot pointed at them, and The Athletic reported that a Pacers security guard believed the laser was attached to a gun.
The NBA confirmed that unnamed individuals were banned from the arena but said its investigation found no evidence that anyone was threatened with a weapon.
Then came the Denver-area incident in the early hours of March 4, after the Grizzlies played a road game against the Nuggets. At 5:19 a.m., Morant started a livestream from inside a strip club called Shotgun Willies in Glendale, Colorado.&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/ja-morant-police-colorado-memphis-grizzlies-gun-video-f6dc3708e6e48f7ecdbb09c6ff730462">No charges were filed</a>&nbsp;and police said there were no complaint calls stemming from Morant holding the gun were made.
Morant and a close friend also are involved in a civil lawsuit brought after an incident at Morant&rsquo;s home last summer, in which a then-17-year-old alleged that they assaulted him. Morant filed a countersuit on April 12, accusing the teen of slander, battery and assault.

Ja Morant was suspended by the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday after he appeared to be holding a gun in another social media video.

Grizzlies suspend Ja Morant after another gun video appears online

Some moments from the 2022-23 NBA regular season:
Oct. 18: Boston defeats Philadelphia and Golden State beats the Los Angeles Lakers on opening night. <a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/golden-state-warriors-nba-sports-stephen-curry-e246e86804a28295efea3e00d33dc510" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Warriors received their championship rings</a> from last season in a ceremony preceding their game.
Oct. 20: <a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/los-angeles-lakers-san-antonio-spurs-miami-heat-nba-sports-8e45a1092f25e28f0672a83d317a9a68" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NBA referee Tony Brown, 55, dies of pancreatic cancer.</a> He worked more than 1,100 games in a two-decade career.
Nov. 4: <a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/brooklyn-nets-nba-sports-kyrie-irving-racial-injustice-972e41eed3debbd9a548433c78227f05" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nike suspends its relationship with Kyrie Irving</a> and canceled plans to release his next signature shoe, part of the massive fallout caused by the Brooklyn Nets&rsquo; guard tweeting a link to a film containing antisemitic material. Nike and Irving eventually part ways; Irving eventually apologizes and returns to the Nets.
Nov. 5: <a class="paragraph-link" href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1589042762686795777?s=20&amp;t=nk9Tw0T3tQEq6Mw4vOqrsg" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Sacramento&rsquo;s De&rsquo;Aaron Fox</a> hits from just inside the midcourt stripe at the buzzer of overtime, giving the Kings a 126-123 win in Orlando.
Nov. 8: <a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/miami-heat-nba-sports-breonna-taylor-fc0f38a2c59da07f90833ae479e66cc0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">To commemorate Election Day,</a> the NBA plays no games. The league encourages its teams and fans to spend the day participating in civic engagement.
Nov. 11: The arena where the Miami Heat play starts the process of getting a new name, after the <a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/ftx-miami-heat-arena-name-change-b3f47e4fb5bb0f102560fa6956997bdb" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cryptocurrency exchange FTX collapses.</a> FTX was in the early stages of a 19-year, $135 million naming rights deal with Miami-Dade County.
Nov. 13: <a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/philadelphia-76ers-utah-jazz-nba-sports-joel-embiid-bef34587365fd8e8668f6024ab73d05a" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Philadelphia&rsquo;s Joel Embiid scores a career-best 59</a> points in a win over Utah. He adds 11 rebounds, eight assists and seven blocked shots.
Nov. 28: <a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/los-angeles-lakers-indiana-pacers-nba-sports-b6e1415dd4d8fa0fac2a10c8477da348" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Andrew Nembhard hits a 3-pointer at the buzzer</a> and Indiana stuns the Los Angeles Lakers 116-115. The Pacers trailed by 17 with 9:27 remaining; it was the biggest fourth-quarter comeback in the NBA this season.
Dec. 13: The NBA announces a rebranding of its MVP award, revealing a new trophy and a new name &mdash; <a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/chicago-bulls-charlotte-hornets-nba-sports-david-stern-de67e49f0255ef10f140365636110ae4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Michael Jordan Trophy.</a>
Dec. 17: In Mexico City, <a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/san-antonio-spurs-miami-heat-nba-sports-duncan-robinson-074cecb1060491994c22a42efa8670a6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Miami defeated San Antonio 111-101.</a> It was the NBA&rsquo;s first game in Mexico City since 2019.
Dec. 20: <a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/cleveland-cavaliers-phoenix-suns-college-football-nba-sports-f455a8e3b437a07aa4684c7dd3adb16b" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mortgage billionaire Mat Ishbia</a> strikes a deal to purchase embattled Robert Sarver&rsquo;s share of the Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury in a deal that values the franchise at $4 billion.
Dec. 25: Philadelphia tops New York, Dallas beats the Los Angeles Lakers, Boston beats Milwaukee, Golden State tops Memphis and Denver edges Phoenix in the NBA&rsquo;s Christmas quintupleheader.
Dec. 27: <a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/new-york-knicks-dallas-mavericks-sports-basketball-luka-doncic-ed7d9ce55160d04e2c206f6a8b742cdd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dallas&rsquo; Luka Doncic has a 60-point triple-double</a> in the Mavericks&rsquo; 126-121 win over New York. He added 21 rebounds and 10 assists in the first 60-20-10 game in NBA history.
Jan. 2: <a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/kobe-bryant-chicago-bulls-los-angeles-lakers-cleveland-cavaliers-utah-jazz-ef2ccddb44dd42fa14ebed5f8344c5a2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cleveland&rsquo;s Donovan Mitchell scores 71 points</a> in the Cavaliers&rsquo; 145-134 overtime win over Chicago. Mitchell was 22 of 34 from the field, 7 of 15 on 3-pointers and 20 for 25 from the foul line. He also had 11 assists, marking the first time anyone had more than 70 points and 10 assists in an NBA game.
Jan. 10: <a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/miami-heat-oklahoma-city-thunder-nba-sports-basketball-18113c7918466a8d6a41714b963403cb" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Miami goes 40 for 40 from the foul line</a> in a one-point win over Oklahoma City. The 40-for-40 breaks the previous NBA record of 39-for-39 by Utah in 1982.
Jan. 13: <a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/chicago-bulls-atlanta-hawks-san-antonio-spurs-nba-sports-e05988d6e1537c605aad5ea8a14d4887" target="_blank" rel="noopener">At the Alamodome in San Antonio,</a> the Spurs sell an NBA-record 68,323 tickets for a game against Golden State.
Jan. 19: With presumed 2023 No. 1 draft pick Victor Wembanyama sitting courtside, Zach LaVine scores 30 points and the <a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/chicago-bulls-nba-sports-jaden-ivey-hamidou-diallo-3770db44edb9a08e1ad116ecad45109f" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chicago Bulls ease past the Detroit Pistons 126-108</a> in Paris. France was the seventh different country to host an NBA practice or game this season.
Feb. 6: <a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/los-angeles-lakers-new-york-knicks-dallas-mavericks-clippers-nba-ea90e45174274a917654448db9554dfc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Brooklyn trades Kyrie Irving to Dallas,</a> ending his up-and-down stint with the Nets that was more memorable for off-the-court challenges than actual play.
Feb. 7: <a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/lebron-james-nba-scoring-record-cd0df2a355eaf80c6d534cbb16d44ca9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">LeBron James makes a 14-foot jumper late in the third quarter to break Kareem Abdul-Jabbar&rsquo;s career NBA scoring record.</a> Abdul-Jabbar held the mark since 1984 and was in Los Angeles to watch James&rsquo; record-breaker.
Feb. 9: <a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/brooklyn-nets-phoenix-suns-nba-sports-basketball-3932b34f477549895cce131490bec86d" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Brooklyn trades Kevin Durant to Phoenix,</a> a blockbuster on NBA trade-deadline day.
Feb. 16: <a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/boston-celtics-nba-sports-basketball-ime-udoka-151efe3c319c986b770437cd25794339" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Boston removes the interim title from 34-year-old coach Joe Mazzulla,</a> the former assistant who took over the Celtics in September after now-former coach Ime Udoka was suspended by the team for having an inappropriate relationship with a woman in the organization.
Feb. 18: <a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/milwaukee-bucks-sports-nba-all-star-game-walker-kessler-collin-sexton-6a2ea26147bafb0f80ea77620cacf2e9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Philadelphia&rsquo;s Mac McClung puts on a scintillating show</a> to win the dunk contest at All-Star weekend. Portland&rsquo;s Damian Lillard wins the 3-point contest and Utah players Jordan Clarkson, Walker Kessler and Collin Sexton combined to win the Skills Challenge.
Feb. 19: <a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/nba-sports-lebron-james-kyrie-irving-giannis-antetokounmpo-2cf83e2e57350687e68ba89a6deb2707" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Boston&rsquo;s Jayson Tatum scores a record 55 points</a> and Team Giannis tops Team LeBron 184-175 to win the All-Star Game in Salt Lake City.
Feb. 24: <a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/los-angeles-clippers-sacramento-kings-nba-sports-malik-monk-4047cea9a226d5fd135de97c65d0d054" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sacramento defeats the Los Angeles Clippers 176-175.</a> The 351 combined points are the second-most in NBA history, behind only Detroit&rsquo;s 186-184 win over Denver on Dec. 13, 1983.
Feb. 26: <a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/houston-rockets-portland-trail-blazers-nba-sports-damian-lillard-1e1a83642e942d51d91ee014b5b7947c" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Portland&rsquo;s Damian Lillard scores 71 points</a> in the Trail Blazers&rsquo; 131-114 win over Houston. Lillard made 22 of 38 shots from the field, 13 of 22 from 3-point range and all 14 of his free throws. He also led Portland in assists, with six.
Feb. 27: <a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/utah-jazz-atlanta-hawks-nba-sports-playoffs-264bcc009ce664a640b5c903e35f1656" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Atlanta introduces Quin Snyder</a> as its new coach, after firing Nate McMillan about a week earlier.
March 4: Memphis guard Ja Morant live-streams himself holding a gun while inside a Denver-area strip club. He quickly announces he was taking &ldquo;some time away to get help&rdquo; and ultimately was <a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/ja-morant-suspended-nba-gun-video-8cc82061f6465f96d6c5d0806d92d7d0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">suspended for eight games by the NBA</a> for his personal conduct.
March 17 and 19: A tale of two comebacks. San Antonio blew a 29-point lead on March 17 and lost to Memphis 126-120; two nights later, the Spurs rallied from a 24-point second-half deficit and beat Atlanta 126-118. It was the biggest second-half comeback for the Spurs under coach Gregg Popovich.
March 29: Jrue Holiday has 51 points, eight assists and eight rebounds, while Giannis Antetokounmpo adds 38 points, 17 rebounds and 12 assists, and Milwaukee tops Indiana 149-136. <a class="paragraph-link" href="https://twitter.com/Bucks/status/1641271779380559872?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">It&rsquo;s the first time in NBA history two teammates</a> have had at least 38 points, eight assists and eight rebounds in the same game.
April 1: In the early morning hours, <a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/nba-labor-players-0cf524b13e459eeb5853dad9a455e0e0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association strike a handshake deal</a> on what, if approved by owners and players, will be a seven-year Collective Bargaining Agreement that will take effect in July and ensure labor peace in the league until at least 2029.
April 7: Dallas sits several regulars, including Kyrie Irving, and plays Luka Doncic for only about a quarter in a loss to Chicago. The loss eliminated the Mavericks from postseason contention and the team&rsquo;s motivation for losing catches the eye of the NBA, <a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/mavericks-playoffs-nba-investigation-tanking-7ac5f76590adafd9df1c7c590a78d346" target="_blank" rel="noopener">which opens an investigation the next day.</a>
April 9: Udonis Haslem scores 24 points in his final regular season game, as his 20-year career with the Miami Heat draws to an end. <a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/magic-heat-haslem-finale-f8e560c77aa5c36a20dbb12ebb58fca5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">At 42, he&rsquo;s nearly two years older</a> than anyone else to have scored at least 24 points in an NBA game.

Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press revisits the notable moments from the 2022-23 NBA season.

Season of NBA moments: LeBron, Lillard, Mitchell and more

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2023 WNBA Draft: Full list of prospects who have entered

MIAMI (AP) &mdash; This story would never have been told if Udonis Haslem&rsquo;s mother hadn&rsquo;t moved from Miami to Jacksonville. Or if his stepbrother hadn&rsquo;t been so smart about an airball. Or if Atlanta signed him in 2002. Or if San Antonio did in 2003.
Any of those things happen differently, it all changes. He probably wouldn&rsquo;t be with the Miami Heat right now. Maybe never.
Haslem, the NBA&rsquo;s oldest active player at 42 and a three-time champion, is in the final days with his hometown team. He&rsquo;s the third player to spend a two-decade career with one franchise, joining Dallas&rsquo; Dirk Nowitzki and the Los Angeles Lakers&rsquo; Kobe Bryant.
&ldquo;All I&rsquo;ve ever tried to do is take care of my people, take care of my city,&rdquo; Haslem said. &ldquo;I think that&rsquo;s why I can sit down with the mayor and commissioners, or I can sit down with people in the &rsquo;hood, and be comfortable either way. It&rsquo;s because of the sacrifices that I&rsquo;ve made for this city.&rdquo;
Heat President Pat Riley is more succinct.
&ldquo;Udonis is Miami,&rdquo; Riley said.
Haslem was on the NBA&rsquo;s All-Rookie team in 2003-04. He never was an All-Star, never All-NBA, never even a player of the week out of 438 possible chances. The last time he averaged double figures for a season was 2009.
But ask anyone with the Heat, and they insist Haslem &mdash; the team captain who&rsquo;ll have his No. 40 jersey retired next season &mdash; has been vital for two decades.
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s the poster child of a guy who was average, supposedly, and yet he became great,&rdquo; said Chet Kammerer, who has spent 27 years in Miami&rsquo;s player personnel department. &ldquo;And how did he do that? Hard work. Great spirit. Great attitude. Never &lsquo;can&rsquo;t do this,&rsquo; never &lsquo;can&rsquo;t do that.&rsquo; And the success that we&rsquo;ve had, he&rsquo;s had more of a major contribution over the whole 20 years than people know.&rdquo;
Take the night Miami won its first NBA title in Dallas in 2006. Haslem played with a separated shoulder. He had to guard Nowitzki, the Mavericks&rsquo; best player. Nowitzki didn&rsquo;t have a field goal in the fourth quarter; Miami won 95-92, Haslem had 17 points, 10 rebounds and a good cry afterward.
&ldquo;The champagne got me,&rdquo; he said. Everyone knows otherwise; they were tears.
Other players got headlines that night; Dwyane Wade was Finals MVP, Shaquille O&rsquo;Neal won his fourth ring. But without Haslem, there would be no title.
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s always had tremendous courage,&rdquo; Riley said. &ldquo;Whatever endeavor, he rises to another level. And you need that. He was for real. He was that kind of man, someone who has tremendous pride being from Miami.&rdquo;
Many Miami kids grow up with football dreams. Haslem was one of them. But when his mother took a job in Jacksonville when he was 9, focus began shifting to basketball. (&ldquo;Football isn&rsquo;t as big there,&rdquo; Haslem said.) When he was around 12, Haslem was on the court with his older stepbrother, Sam Wooten. Haslem shot an airball. Wooten caught the ball and scored.
&ldquo;Nice pass,&rdquo; Wooten said, genuinely. He, and that moment, had tremendous impact on Haslem; Wooten died in 1999 from cancer and Haslem has a &ldquo;R.I.P. Sam&rdquo; tattoo on his neck to pay tribute to his mentor.
Haslem had backboard-breaking dunks as a high school freshman, starred at Miami High, then starred at Florida but struggled with weight and NBA teams passed on drafting him in 2002. Atlanta brought him in for a camp that summer, but signed Ira Newble to its last roster spot instead.
So Haslem played in France, dropping the extra weight by eating only turkey sandwiches. The next summer, he was offered a one-year contract by the Spurs.
&ldquo;We couldn&rsquo;t lose him,&rdquo; Kammerer said.
The Heat offered two years. Haslem signed. He never left. He had multiple chances, often for more money. But he stayed and will remain with the organization in a to-be-determined role; Haslem wants a chance to join the ownership group.
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s monumentally important for our organization and our locker room,&rdquo; Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. &ldquo;He embodies everything that we believe in. And he has a way, because of the respect level, that he&rsquo;s able to influence and mentor literally every player in the locker room.&rdquo;
There are many stories of Haslem&rsquo;s toughness. He&rsquo;d dislocate fingers in practice and pop them back in like nothing happened. People still talk about his hard foul on Indiana&rsquo;s Tyler Hansbrough in the 2012 playoffs, after the Pacers caused him to get eight stitches the game before and Hansbrough had just sent Wade flying. He often is the one giving impassioned locker-room speeches at halftime, even before Spoelstra gets a chance. The wall outside Miami&rsquo;s locker room is now a tribute to Haslem moments.
He&rsquo;s not Miami&rsquo;s best player. It could be argued nobody has meant more.
&ldquo;There&rsquo;s nobody else like him,&rdquo; Spoelstra said.

Udonis Haslem — the Heat's captain who’ll have his No. 40 jersey retired next season — has been vital for two decades.

Udonis Haslem, Miami Heat reflect on rare 20-year NBA career

BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) &mdash; Mark Madsen knows the situation he inherited when he was hired to take over a California men&rsquo;s basketball program coming off the worst season in school history.
Instead of focusing on the challenges, Madsen is jumping into the role with the same enthusiasm he had diving on the floor for loose balls as a player.
&ldquo;Having grown up here, I truly believe that Cal is a sleeping giant in terms of men&rsquo;s basketball,&rdquo; Madsen said at his introductory news conference on Monday. &ldquo;This is a sleeping giant. This is a program that can be a nationally ranked program year in and year out. That&rsquo;s what I&rsquo;m excited about.&rdquo;
Madsen is faced with a tough task, taking over a program that went 3-29 this season, which led to the decision to fire coach Mark Fox.
Cal went 38-87 during Fox&rsquo;s tenure, ending his final season on a 16-game losing streak. The Golden Bears haven&rsquo;t been to the NCAA Tournament since 2016 and haven&rsquo;t won a game in the tournament since 2013.
But Madsen doesn&rsquo;t see this as a long-term project thanks in part the the opportunities that come with the transfer portal.
&ldquo;If you can bring in three or four key pieces there, there&rsquo;s several really good players, really talented players,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;There&rsquo;s a group of really talented players already in the program. So now you add three or four key players from the portal. You add some players that are already in the program from an existing standpoint, and then you bring in a couple of young guys and you make some tweaks. Good things can happen quickly.&rdquo;&nbsp;
It&rsquo;s been a whirlwind few weeks for Madsen. He coached Utah Valley to the NIT semifinals last week, interviewed and was hired by Cal, and had his fourth child when his wife, Hannah, delivered Anastasia on Sunday.
Madsen downplayed the perception that a lack of institutional support &mdash; no dedicated practice facility and an apathetic fan base that led to an average attendance of 2,155 this season for the lowest mark among any team in the Power 5 or Big East &mdash; may hinder success at Cal.
He focused instead on the opportunities at coaching Cal, although those familiar with the program know it will be a challenge.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s going to be very hard. It&rsquo;s going to be difficult,&rdquo; said former Cal star forward Leon Powe. &ldquo;You come here and it&rsquo;s not an easy job, but somebody&rsquo;s got to do it. And if anybody is up to the task, it&rsquo;s Mark. He&rsquo;s really good at motivating people and bringing people together.&rdquo;
Madsen played at Stanford under Mike Montgomery, who later coached at Cal, from 1996 to 2000 and helped the Cardinal reach the Final Four in 1998.
After a nine-year playing career in the NBA that featured two titles as a backup on the Lakers in 2001-02, Madsen went into coaching.
He spent time in the NBA&rsquo;s developmental league and a year at Stanford before spending five seasons on the Lakers staff.
Madsen then was hired in 2019 to take over Utah Valley. He posted a 70-51 record in four years with a 28-9 mark this season and impressed California athletic director Jim Knowlton throughout the search.
&ldquo;He was on our radar weeks before the season ended,&rdquo; Knowlton said. &ldquo;As we continued to do our homework, he rose to the top faster and faster. ... When we finally got to the Zoom calls, we were absolutely blown away. Then when we got in person and spent three or four hours with him, we said, &lsquo;This is the next coach at Cal.&rsquo;&rdquo;
This is a homecoming for Madsen, who grew up a half-hour away in Danville and went to college across the bay at Stanford, where he had fierce battles with Cal against players such as Tony Gonzalez and Sean Lampley.
Madsen is the third prominent coach to flip sides in recent years in the Bay Area rivalry between Cal and Stanford. The Cardinal hired former Cal quarterback Troy Taylor to take over the football program last season and Bears women&rsquo;s basketball coach Charmin Smith played and coached as an assistant at Stanford.
While Madsen acknowledged that the first trip back to Maples Pavilion might be a bit awkward, he&rsquo;s all aboard at his new school as evidenced by the blue and gold tie he wore Monday.
&ldquo;I love my alma mater,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I love where I went to school. I love every experience that I had. But my excitement is for Cal. My excitement is for building this into a championship program.&rdquo;&nbsp;

Madsen is faced with a tough task, taking over a program that went 3-29 this season, which led to the decision to fire coach Mark Fox.

Mark Madsen hired to restore ‘sleeping giant’ at Cal

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) &mdash; Two-time All-Star guard Ja Morant was welcomed back Wednesday night with a standing ovation and cheers throughout the arena in his first action after missing nine games &mdash;&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/morant-apologizes-again-after-nba-suspension-for-mistakes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">eight because of an NBA suspension.</a>
Morant, who was not in the starting lineup against the Houston Rockets, entered the game after a timeout with 3:05 left in the first quarter, replacing starter Tyus Jones. The cheers began to build as Morant rose from the bench and made his way to the scorer&rsquo;s table, adjusting the specially fit mask from a previous nasal fracture.
The standing ovation and the cheers reached their peak even before Morant was announced as entering the game.
Morant ended up playing 24 minutes and finished with 17 points on 6-for-13 shooting overall and 5 for 6 from the line as the Grizzlies beat the Rockets 130-125. Morant added five assists and four rebounds.
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WELCOME BACK, JA MORANT! <a href="https://t.co/kugBKWOB1y">pic.twitter.com/kugBKWOB1y</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1638702621618733060?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 23, 2023</a></blockquote>

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The first cheers came when Morant emerged from the locker room for pregame warmups.
Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins said the decision for Morant to come off the bench was a collaborative one after discussions with Morant and the team&rsquo;s medical personnel. The Grizzlies are making sure Morant is building up to game shape. Memphis also went 6-3 during Morant&rsquo;s absence contributing to the decision.
&ldquo;This was something he brought to the table as well as it&rsquo;s been on my mind,&rdquo; Jenkins said before the game. &ldquo;So, we collectively thought this was the best strategy at least for the first one or two games. Then we will kind of reevaluate after that.&rdquo;
This is Morant&rsquo;s first action since the Grizzlies lost March 3 at Denver. Hours after the game, Morant live-streamed himself at a Denver-area strip club showing himself briefly brandishing a gun.
That earned Morant a sit-down with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and $669,000 in pay for the suspension in which the league ruled his conduct was &ldquo;detrimental to the league.&rdquo;
Morant&rsquo;s suspension ended with Saturday&rsquo;s game against Golden State. He did not play in Monday&rsquo;s game against Dallas, as the team allowed him to work on conditioning before returning to action.
That came Wednesday night. Jenkins said the star guard probably would play between 20 and 25 minutes.
&ldquo;We want to be really smart, not just over the first couple of game, but the first week to two.&rdquo; Jenkins said. &ldquo;We want to be smart with that layoff that we&rsquo;re not doing anything to jeopardize his health as well.&rdquo;
In&nbsp;his first comments since his suspension, Morant said Tuesday that he went to counseling at a Florida facility during his suspension to deal with the stress of becoming one of the NBA&rsquo;s most popular players.
His enthusiastic play, with high-scoring and jaw-dropping dunks, have led to endorsements and rising uniform sales. Asked about whether the short period in counseling was enough to resolve his issues, Morant said it&rsquo;s an ongoing process.
Jenkins emphasized that Morant being used in a reserve role is simply a focus on transition.
&ldquo;Eventually, Ja will be our starter,&rdquo; Jenkins said, drawing a laugh from reporters.

All-Star guard Ja Morant was welcomed back Wednesday night with a standing ovation in his first action after missing nine games.

Ja Morant returns, scores 17 coming off the bench for Grizzlies

Ja Morant received a standing ovation from the Memphis crowd when he arrived courtside just before tip-off Monday night in his return from an eight-game NBA suspension.
The two-time All-Star guard slapped hands with some of his teammates and was part of the line greeting starters as they prepared to begin the game. Morant then took a seat on the bench and watched the Grizzlies rally to be beat Dallas 112-108. It&rsquo;s unclear exactly when he&rsquo;ll play but he could return Wednesday.
&ldquo;He is going to be part of practice (Tuesday), and obviously we&rsquo;re hopeful for Wednesday so long as everything medically clears out,&rdquo; Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins said, adding the delay is part of the &ldquo;ramp-up process.&rdquo;
The Grizzlies host the Rockets on Wednesday in the first of two consecutive home games against Houston. The teams meet again in Memphis on Friday.
The Grizzlies know Morant has been working out, trying to be ready for this moment. Memphis was off Sunday after back-to-back wins, and Jenkins said he would like Morant to practice or at least participate in a shootaround before seeing game action.
Morant first stepped away from the team March 4, hours after he livestreamed himself on Instagram displaying a gun at strip club in Colorado following a game against the Denver Nuggets. The Grizzlies said on March 8 that Morant would be sidelined for four more games.
Morant met with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver in New York before the NBA announced his suspension last week, including six games he already had missed.
The league investigation found that Morant was &ldquo;holding a firearm in an intoxicated state&rdquo; &mdash; but did not prove the gun was owned by Morant &ldquo;or was displayed by him beyond a brief period.&rdquo; The NBA also did not find that Morant had the gun with him on Memphis&rsquo; flight to Denver, or that he possessed the gun in any NBA facility.
Police in Colorado conducted their own investigation and concluded there was no reason to charge Morant with a crime after looking into the circumstances surrounding the video.
Morant said in an ESPN interview that the gun was not his and that he takes full responsibility for his actions.
But the strip club incident wasn&rsquo;t Morant&rsquo;s first eyebrow-raising move. The Grizzlies had been talking with Morant about his off-court conduct even before the March 4 incident.
&ldquo;I can see the image that I painted over myself with my recent mistakes,&rdquo; Morant told ESPN. &ldquo;But in the future, I&rsquo;m going to show everybody who Ja really is, what I&rsquo;m about and change this narrative that everybody got.&rdquo;
Morant, whose suspension cost him $669,000 in salary and possibly a chance to max out the five-year contract he signed last July by making the All-NBA team, also has to keep working on himself away from basketball.
Morant said he underwent counseling during his suspension.
&ldquo;He&rsquo;d probably be the first one to tell you: &lsquo;Nothing is going to change immediately overnight. I&rsquo;m going to learn and grow, but I&rsquo;m going to get the skills and methods to do that both personally and professionally,&rsquo;&rdquo; Jenkins said.
On the court, the Grizzlies are pleased with the growth of the 23-year-old Morant. After Memphis selected him with the No. 2 draft pick in 2019, he was named the 2020 NBA Rookie of the Year and last year earned NBA Most Improved Player honors.
He is averaging 27.1 points and has six triple-doubles this season.
He rejoins a Memphis team in the middle of a competitive postseason race. The Grizzlies, who were second in the Western Conference before the March 4 incident, are tied with Sacramento &mdash; four games back of West-leading Denver with 12 games remaining.
Jenkins knows Morant will be &ldquo;chomping at the bit&rdquo; to rejoin his teammates, but the Grizzlies have a plan ready for his return.
Jenkins said that all starts with what&rsquo;s in Morant&rsquo;s head and in his heart.
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s doing a really good job recognizing the improvements he&rsquo;s making,&rdquo; the coach said, &ldquo;and that he has to continue to make.&rdquo;
In his pregame comments before the game with Dallas on Monday, Jenkins seemed ready to move on as the Grizzlies prepare for the stretch run.
&ldquo;Good first day back, and excited to have him back with the team,&rdquo; Jenkins said.
___
Associated Press freelance reporter Clay Bailey contributed.

Ja Morant received a standing ovation from the Memphis crowd when he arrived courtside just before tip-off Monday night.

Grizzlies’ Morant gets standing ovation after NBA suspension

Ja Morant&rsquo;s eight-game NBA suspension is over, and the two-time All-Star guard may rejoin the Memphis Grizzlies.
He is expected on the bench Monday night when Memphis hosts Dallas, though it&rsquo;s unclear exactly when he&rsquo;ll play, with the earliest being Wednesday. The Grizzlies announced Sunday that Morant would not play against the Mavericks because of a &ldquo;Return to Competition Reconditioning.&rdquo;
The Grizzlies know Morant has been working out, trying to be ready for this moment. Memphis was off Sunday after back-to-back wins, and coach Taylor Jenkins said he would like Morant to practice or at least participate in a shootaround before seeing game action.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;ll see when he gets back in the team environment,&rdquo; Jenkins said Saturday night before the Grizzlies beat Golden State 133-119. &ldquo;Our anticipation is he&rsquo;s at least out for Monday. We&rsquo;ll cross the bridge on Wednesday as we get a little bit closer.&rdquo;
The Grizzlies host Houston on Wednesday in the first of two consecutive games against the Rockets in Memphis.
Memphis went 5-3 without Morant, who first stepped away from the team March 4, hours after he livestreamed himself on Instagram displaying a gun at strip club in Colorado following a game against the Denver Nuggets. The Grizzlies said on March 8 that Morant would be sidelined for four more games.
Morant met with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver in New York before the NBA announced his suspension on March 15, including six games he already had missed.
The league investigation found that Morant was &ldquo;holding a firearm in an intoxicated state&rdquo; &mdash; but did not prove the gun was owned by Morant &ldquo;or was displayed by him beyond a brief period.&rdquo; The NBA also did not find that Morant had the gun with him on Memphis&rsquo; flight to Denver, or that he possessed the gun in any NBA facility.
Police in Colorado conducted their own investigation and concluded there was no reason to charge Morant with a crime after looking into the circumstances surrounding the video.
Morant said in an ESPN interview on March 15 that the gun was not his and that he takes full responsibility for his actions.
But the strip club incident wasn&rsquo;t Morant&rsquo;s first eyebrow-raising move. The Grizzlies had been talking with Morant about his off-court conduct even before the March 4 incident.
&ldquo;I can see the image that I painted over myself with my recent mistakes,&rdquo; Morant told ESPN. &ldquo;But in the future, I&rsquo;m going to show everybody who Ja really is, what I&rsquo;m about and change this narrative that everybody got.&rdquo;
Morant, whose suspension cost him $669,000 in salary and possibly a chance to max out the five-year contract he signed last July by making the All-NBA team, also has to keep working on himself away from basketball.
Morant said he underwent counseling during his suspension.
&ldquo;He&rsquo;d probably be the first one to tell you: &lsquo;Nothing is going to change immediately overnight. I&rsquo;m going to learn and grow, but I&rsquo;m going to get the skills and methods to do that both personally and professionally,&rsquo;&rdquo; Jenkins said.
On the court, the Grizzlies are pleased with the growth of the 23-year-old Morant. After Memphis selected him with the No. 2 draft pick in 2019, he was named the 2020 NBA Rookie of the Year and last year earned NBA Most Improved Player honors.
He still ranks ninth in the league averaging 27.1 points and has six triple-doubles this season.
He rejoins a Memphis team in the middle of a competitive postseason race. The Grizzlies, who were second in the Western Conference before the March 4 incident, are tied with Sacramento &mdash; four games back of West-leading Denver with 12 games remaining.
Jenkins said he and his staff need to talk with the medical team to see where Morant is physically. He said they must decide if they can get in a practice before returning the guard to game action.
The coach knows Morant will be &ldquo;chomping at the bit&rdquo; to rejoin his teammates, but the Grizzlies have a plan ready for his return.
Jenkins said that all starts with what&rsquo;s in Morant&rsquo;s head and in his heart.
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s doing a really good job recognizing the improvements he&rsquo;s making,&rdquo; the coach said, &ldquo;and that he has to continue to make.&rdquo;
___
Associated Press freelancer Clay Bailey contributed to this report.

Morant is expected on the bench Monday night when Memphis hosts Dallas, though it’s unclear exactly when he’ll play next.

Ja Morant ready to rejoin Grizzlies, NBA suspension over

On Monday night, Ja Morant missed his fifth-straight game since stepping away from the Memphis Grizzlies to seek help following some concerning off-court incidents.&nbsp;
Morant has checked himself into a counseling program in Florida and there's currently no timetable for him to return to the Grizzlies, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/35854000/morant-counseling-program-no-return-nba-date-set" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported on Monday evening</a>.
In a statement, Morant said that he's away from the team to "get help and work on learning better methods of dealing with stress and my overall well-being."
The NBA is investigating Morant's antics, which culminated in the All-Star flashing a gun on his Instagram live feed while partying in a Colorado strip club on March 4.
Prior to that incident, there was an offseason altercation between Morant and a 17-year-old, which led to a civil lawsuit. The teenager alleges that Morant and his friend, Davonte Pack, assaulted him.
Pack was recently banned from the Grizzlies' home games for one year after the NBA investigated claims that a laser was pointed at members of the Indiana Pacers following their game in Memphis on Jan. 29. A Pacers security guard believed the laser was attached to a gun, according to The Athletic. However, following the NBA's investigation, the league <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/grizzlies-ja-morant-steps-away-to-get-help-after-recent-incidents" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said they</a> "found no evidence that anyone was threatened with a weapon."
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Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins recently revealed that members of the organization tried getting through to Morant about his off-court antics prior to the gun incident.&nbsp;
&ldquo;We have had conversations in the past trying to guide him and help him continue to evolve as a person and a player,&rdquo; Jenkins said, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/grizzlies-tried-to-address-ja-morants-actions-before-gun-video" target="_blank" rel="noopener">per The Associated Press</a>. &ldquo;Obviously, this came to a head the other day, so we put this process into action.&rdquo;
Even with Morant away from the team, Memphis has won three-straight games. The Grizzlies&nbsp;are 3-2 overall since Morant stepped away. On the season, Memphis is 41-26, which is the second-best record in the Western Conference.
Morant is one of the most electrifying, popular players in the NBA, averaging 27.1 points, 8.2 assists, 6.0 rebounds and 1.1 steals, while shooting 46.3% from the field, 31.6% from three-point range and 74.4% from the free-throw line.

Ja Morant checked himself into a a counseling program in Florida and there's currently no timetable for him to return to the Grizzlies.

Ja Morant checks into counseling program, no timetable to rejoin team

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) &mdash; Memphis Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said Thursday that members of the organization had spoken to All-Star guard Ja Morant about his off-the-court conduct before he posted a video in which he appeared to be displaying a gun in a strip club.
The team had been hoping to avoid a situation like what happened this past weekend, which led to Morant being away from the team for at least six games, Jenkins said before Thursday night&rsquo;s game against the Golden State Warriors.
&ldquo;We have had conversations in the past trying to guide him and help him continue to evolve as a person and a player,&rdquo; Jenkins said of the discussions before the incident in Glendale, Colorado. &ldquo;Obviously, this came to a head the other day, so we put this process into action.&rdquo;
Morant, the team&rsquo;s leading scorer, livestreamed the video of himself with the apparent weapon on his Instagram account after the Nuggets beat the Grizzlies on Friday night.&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/ja-morant-to-miss-4-more-games-colorado-police-say-no-charges" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Glendale police said Wednesday there was not enough evidence</a>&nbsp;to pursue criminal charges against Morant.
The Grizzlies initially announced the 23-year-old would miss at least two games. Immediately after Glendale police said they would not pursue charges, the team said he would not play at least four more games.
That means the earliest Morant could return would be March 17 at San Antonio. The Grizzlies entered Thursday&rsquo;s game tied with Sacramento for second in the Western Conference.
&ldquo;There are definitely steps that are going to have to be met &mdash; personally and professionally,&rdquo; Jenkins said, &ldquo;as he deals with some stuff personally to get better.&rdquo;
Morant&rsquo;s absence comes with Memphis on a three-game losing streak. Reserve center Brandon Clarke tore his left Achilles tendon in Friday night&rsquo;s loss at Denver, ending his season. The team also announced Thursday that starting center Steven Adams, who was expected to return to action soon,&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/ja-morant-to-miss-4-more-games-colorado-police-say-no-charges" target="_blank" rel="noopener">would be re-evaluated in four weeks</a>&nbsp;due to a knee injury.
But Morant&rsquo;s situation has drawn the most attention because of concerns about the behavior of one of the NBA&rsquo;s most electrifying players.
&ldquo;Everyone wants to know what's this going to be,&rdquo; Jenkins said of Morant&rsquo;s absence. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s the hot topic for sure. But he&rsquo;s taking time. The responsibility to get better personally. That&rsquo;s a big factor in this.&rdquo;

Taylor Jenkins said that members of the organization had spoken to Ja Morant about his off-the-court conduct prior to this latest incident.

Grizzlies tried to address Ja Morant’s actions before gun video

LOS ANGELES (AP) &mdash; Fred VanVleet tried to take a double breath before addressing reporters. But the Toronto Raptors guard was unable to suppress his frustration with referee Ben Taylor and his crew.
VanVleet was extremely critical of Taylor after the Raptors&rsquo; 108-100 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night &mdash; not only for being called for a technical foul, but for the disparity in fouls and free throws.
&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t mind it. I&rsquo;ll take the fine. I don&rsquo;t really care. I thought Ben Taylor was terrible tonight,&rdquo; VanVleet said while using profanity. &ldquo;I think that most nights, you know out of the three, there&rsquo;s one or two that just (mess) the game up. It&rsquo;s been like that a couple of games in a row. Denver was tough, obviously.
&ldquo;You come out tonight, competing pretty hard and I get a (lousy) tech that changes the whole dynamic of the game, changed the whole flow of the game.&rdquo;
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Fred VanVleet went OFF on referee Ben Taylor and NBA reffing in general in his post-game after the Raptors loss. Haven't heard anything like this. <a href="https://t.co/VcMkGTh0k3">pic.twitter.com/VcMkGTh0k3</a>
&mdash; Faizal Khamisa (@SNFaizalKhamisa) <a href="https://twitter.com/SNFaizalKhamisa/status/1633715635988332544?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 9, 2023</a></blockquote>

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VanVleet, who is in his sixth year in the league, was called for his eighth technical of the season with 7:02 remaining in the third quarter. Paul George made the free throw to put the Clippers up 65-57.
VanVleet said the reason he picked up the technical was because he was imploring his team to play through what he thought were some questionable calls, albeit with more colorful language. He also said he understood there is a fine line on what he can say, but thought Taylor didn&rsquo;t give him enough leeway.
Toronto was called for 23 fouls to Los Angeles&rsquo; 18, but the Clippers were 24 of 31 from the line while the Raptors were 13 of 14.
&ldquo;We weren&rsquo;t getting our money&rsquo;s worth on a lot of those,&rdquo; Raptors coach Nick Nurse said of the fouls. &ldquo;Probably a little bit of contact. We didn&rsquo;t adjust (to the style of play) because we were back in the same situation.&rdquo;
VanVleet and the Raptors were already in a foul mood about officiating before Wednesday&rsquo;s game. They lost Monday night at Denver 118-113 after Scottie Barnes was ejected by Scott Foster with 28.3 seconds left and the Raptors trailing by one.
The technical came after Toronto&rsquo;s Jakob Poeltl was called for a foul. Denver made the three subsequent free throws to ice the game.
Of VanVleet&rsquo;s eight technicals, three have been assessed by Taylor with one other coming from another official on a game Taylor was working. Taylor is in his 10th season as an NBA official.
&ldquo;At a certain point as a player, you feel it&rsquo;s personal and it&rsquo;s never a good place to be,&rdquo; VanVleet said. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s not why we lost tonight, we got outplayed, but it definitely makes it tougher to overcome.&rdquo;
VanVleet was already facing a $3,000 fine for the technical. He will face a bigger one for going off on officiating.
&ldquo;I think the jurisdiction and the power trip that we&rsquo;ve been on this year with some of our officials in this league is getting out of hand and l&rsquo;ll take my fine for speaking on it,&rdquo; VanVleet said. &ldquo;Most of the refs are trying hard, I like a lot of the refs, they&rsquo;re trying hard, they&rsquo;re pretty fair, and communicate well. And then you got the other ones who just want to be (idiots) and just kind of (screw) up the game. And no one&rsquo;s coming to see that. They come to see the players.
&ldquo;And I think we&rsquo;re losing a little bit of the fabric of what the NBA is and was, and it&rsquo;s been disappointing this season.&rdquo;

"I thought Ben Taylor was terrible tonight,” Fred VanVleet said while using profanity following Toronto's loss to the LA Clippers.

Raptors’ VanVleet heavily criticizes officiating after loss

LOS ANGELES (AP) &mdash; There&rsquo;s no timetable for Ja Morant to return to the Memphis Grizzlies, and the All-Star guard knows he&rsquo;s made &ldquo;difficult decisions and poor choices&rdquo; that he has to be accountable for, coach Taylor Jenkins said Sunday night.
Morant was not with the team in Los Angeles for games against the Clippers on Sunday and the Lakers on Tuesday while the NBA investigates a social media post in which Morant appeared to be holding a gun.
&ldquo;Very tough moment, for sure,&rdquo; Jenkins said of the video.
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Morant streamed the video on his Instagram account early Saturday of himself holding what appeared to be a gun at a nightclub, hours after playing in Denver. He said in a statement through the agency that represents him that he takes &ldquo;full responsibility&rdquo; for his actions and that he was going to &ldquo;take some time away to get help.&rdquo;
&ldquo;He understands he&rsquo;s made some difficult decisions and poor choices in the past that he&rsquo;s got to account for,&rdquo; Jenkins said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s definitely embracing the mistakes that he&rsquo;s made but only time will tell. We&rsquo;re going to support him and we&rsquo;re going to hold him accountable to make those changes.&rdquo;
Jenkins declined to outline the steps Morant needs to take to rejoin the team, saying, &ldquo;We love him, we want what&rsquo;s best for him, we support him. It&rsquo;s going to be a difficult process but we&rsquo;ve got a great group to get through this.&rdquo;
He called it &ldquo;an ongoing healing process.&rdquo;
The league, if it finds wrongdoing, could fine or suspend Morant.
Morant also was the subject of a league investigation after a Jan. 29 incident in Memphis that he said led to a friend of his being banned from home games for a year. That incident occurred after a game against the Indiana Pacers. Multiple media outlets reported that members of the Pacers saw a red dot pointed at them, and a team security guard believed the laser was attached to a gun.
The NBA confirmed that unnamed individuals were banned from the arena but said its investigation found no evidence that anyone was threatened with a weapon.
&ldquo;This is a tough time for a young kid that&rsquo;s got to grow and get better,&rdquo; Jenkins said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s got huge responsibilities not just for the team, for the city, but I know how he&rsquo;s built with that care factor and what steps he&rsquo;s now taking. It&rsquo;s a step in the direction of really being the best version of himself.&rdquo;
Now in his fourth season with the Grizzlies, the 23-year-old two-time All-Star is the father of a young daughter. Jenkins described Morant as &ldquo;a generally amazing person, great family person, a father, brother, son, member of our community.&rdquo;
&ldquo;My hope is that he just gets better,&rdquo; Jenkins said. &ldquo;He knows he&rsquo;s got a lot of love and support.&rdquo;

There’s no timetable for Ja Morant to return to the Grizzlies, and the All-Star knows he’s made “difficult decisions and poor choices.”

No timetable for Ja Morant’s return during ‘healing process’

Reaching the top of the mountain is a difficult endeavor. Staying atop the mountain is even harder, and eventually, there will be a taller one to scale.
Such is life for Scottie Barnes, the reigning NBA Rookie of the Year who&rsquo;s in his second season with the Toronto Raptors and has found his rhythm over the last couple of months after a slow start to the campaign.
When teams in this league can pinpoint tendencies, it can be tough to adapt. Opponents figure out your spots, where you like the ball and how you process the game, and they try to exploit any weaknesses in your game that pop on film. That can be especially daunting for somebody who burst onto the scene the way Barnes did.
To his credit, Barnes has fought through it, and it's led to results for not only him, but also his team.
&ldquo;He is playing really well right now. He's on probably a good six-week stretch where he's looked like he was a year ago and improving from that,&rdquo; Raptors head coach Nick Nurse told Basketball News. &ldquo;He had probably a little bit of a rocky start; at times, some of those things you talked about probably weighed in. Who knows, man?&rdquo;
Barnes downplays the notion of teams figuring him out early, and that it&rsquo;s solely been on him to adjust.
&ldquo;It's all about me, for sure. I don't think it's nothing else. It's all about me,&rdquo; Barnes told Basketball News following Toronto&rsquo;s loss in Cleveland on Sunday. &ldquo;I feel like I can control the game in the way I want to control it. Every game is different, every team is different, every team is gonna scheme you a different way, play you a different way. It's just about how I attack the game.&rdquo;
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A lot has been asked of Barnes. There have been games where he&rsquo;s been the primary ball-handler when Fred VanVleet has missed time. In November, there was a stretch where All-Star forward Pascal Siakam went down and he had to step in as a go-to scorer. When both have been healthy, he&rsquo;s had to go right back into his Swiss-Army-knife role without a hiccup.
Barnes has suited up anywhere from shooting guard to small forward to power forward to center. The Raptors knew he had this versatility when they drafted him, and in many ways this year, it&rsquo;s been much-needed.
Comparing the first half of the season to the new year thus far, he has clearly been more aggressive and the breakthrough is evident.
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>
Scottie Barnes
</td>
<td>
Post-Jan. 1 (Per-Game Avg.)
</td>
<td>
Pre-Jan. 1 (Per-Game Avg.)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Games Played
</td>
<td>
27
</td>
<td>
32
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
No. of Possessions
</td>
<td>
81.11
</td>
<td>
74.22
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Points
</td>
<td>
16.59
</td>
<td>
14.44
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
True Shooting Percentage
</td>
<td>
54%
</td>
<td>
51%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Net Rating
</td>
<td>
+5
</td>
<td>
-1
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Fouls Drawn
</td>
<td>
3.70
</td>
<td>
2.25
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Free Throws Made/Att.
</td>
<td>
3.52/4.63
</td>
<td>
1.84/2.41
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Catch &amp; Drives Made/Att.
</td>
<td>
0.89/1.56
</td>
<td>
0.38/1.09
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
C&amp;D Percentage Made
</td>
<td>
55%
</td>
<td>
34%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Post-Ups Made/Att.
</td>
<td>
1.04/1.92
</td>
<td>
0.75/1.88
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Post-Up Percentage Made
</td>
<td>
57%
</td>
<td>
40%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Secondary Assists
</td>
<td>
1.37
</td>
<td>
0.59
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Screen Assists
</td>
<td>
2.04
</td>
<td>
1.34
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
(Scroll right to view full table on mobile)
In addition to the figures on this chart (courtesy of InStat), Barnes has cut his isolation possessions in half while boosting his efficiency by 10%. Asked where he&rsquo;s made the most strides offensively as a sophomore, Nurse pointed to his comfortability with letting it fly from three.
&ldquo;He's really shooting it &mdash; on the catch-and-shoots, anyway, he's really shooting it pretty good, pushing up towards over 36%, which is right there with about any decent shooter in the league; that's a pretty good number. I'm trying to get him to take more of 'em. I'm trying to get 'em to always take more of everything,&rdquo; Nurse said. &ldquo;That's a big thing. He's a good free-throw shooter, he's getting a little better there. Again, he still uses his size and physicality getting to the basket.&rdquo;
&ldquo;Definitely more in the pick-and-roll, trying to make those reads, trying to play out of the pick-and-roll,&rdquo; Barnes responded. &ldquo;I feel like that's something that in the future I'll probably be really good at. As long as I just keep getting more and more reps &mdash; I feel like I'm pretty solid at it now, but I feel like as time goes on, I'll be in that more. It'll be a part of my development, for sure.&rdquo;
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Once January hit, it felt like the 21-year-old made a forceful attempt to up the ante. During that month, Barnes averaged 18.1 points, 7.4 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 1.3 blocks and 1.2 steals across 16 games. In seven of those games, he scored 20-plus.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Probably my body felt a little bit better,&rdquo; Barnes explained. &ldquo;I feel like that was one thing that was really affecting me early, little tweaks that was going on. But my body felt better. Just playing well. We was probably playing better as a team as well, so that's probably why. Of course, if we play better as a team, everybody else individually will probably look better as well.&rdquo;
Barnes&rsquo; comment raises a good point, as the Raptors (31-32) have been on the rise for the last month-and-a-half and are now winners of eight out of their last 10 games. Tussling with a couple of other squads, they&rsquo;re nipping at the heels of the Atlanta Hawks for the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference.&nbsp;
Shaking off the rust of a heavy-legged loss in Cleveland, Toronto bounced back with a home win over the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday &mdash; and it can't be understated considering the standings battle and the fact that a five-game road trip is ahead of the team.
"Every game is a must-win," Barnes said postgame Tuesday.
Aptly nicknamed "Fourth Quarter B," Barnes came up huge once again in the final period on both ends. He had 8 points, 5 rebounds and 4 blocks, including an incredible sequence where he served up two swats on Coby White and Andre Drummond, rebounded it himself, drove the floor in transition and found a streaking Siakam for a slam.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
LET'S GOOOOOOOO 😤<a href="https://twitter.com/ScottBarnes561?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ScottBarnes561</a> ➡️ <a href="https://twitter.com/pskills43?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@pskills43</a> <a href="https://t.co/Ps5ME4zFeZ">pic.twitter.com/Ps5ME4zFeZ</a>
&mdash; Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) <a href="https://twitter.com/Raptors/status/1630756969941196801?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 1, 2023</a></blockquote>

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&ldquo;It&rsquo;s special, man," said VanVleet, who returned following a three-game hiatus due to personal reasons. &ldquo;He made a couple plays not many guys in this league can make &mdash; blocks to push the break, the and-one. He was talking. He was keyed in.&nbsp;
&ldquo;That&rsquo;s a big boost, especially (with) a lineup out there without me and Pascal for him to carry that in the fourth and get us some separation. That really won us the game ultimately was his defense and his playmaking and just putting pressure on the rim. We need him to keep making those strides. We know how special of a player he can be, and he shows us that at times.&rdquo;
In addition, Barnes took on the responsibility of guarding Nikola Vucevic. Nurse knows that he is big enough to body up centers and laterally savvy enough to stay with opponents on the perimeter. Nurse referred to Barnes' competition level and defensive effort as &ldquo;inspirational to the other guys.&rdquo;
&ldquo;I was just trying to come out and bring energy throughout the entire game,&rdquo; Barnes t<a href="https://twitter.com/theshift_sports/status/1630766246252691458?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">old TSN Sports reporter Kayla Grey after the victory vs. Chicago</a>. &ldquo;The fourth quarter, I was playing big man, so I was just trying to protect the rim, be that energy guy, just try to do everything right, and it worked out well."
&ldquo;He was amazing,&rdquo; O.G. Anunoby added. &ldquo;He was everywhere &mdash; making blocks, getting the rebound, pushing, passing, finishing. He was doing everything. He&rsquo;s a great player.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Add that performance to a gutsy 13-point frame in a Feb. 5 win over the Memphis Grizzlies and a number of switch-flips he&rsquo;s done seemingly out of thin air on the attack in critical moments, and it&rsquo;s clear that he has a knack for closing games out strong.
&ldquo;Just the really competitive side of him really starts emerging in the fourth,&rdquo; Nurse said following the team&rsquo;s latest win. &ldquo;He just starts playing really physical and really tough.&rdquo;
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Entering March, VanVleet, Siakam and Anunoby are finally healthy together, and Precious Achiuwa and Chris Boucher bring a jolt off the pine. Jakob Poeltl has given the team a rim-altering, protective presence it had been lacking for quite some time. Plus, the organization just signed veteran swingman Will Barton for the rest of the year for even more of a boost too.
This battle-tested and unique Raptors group filled with versatile players has a real chance to continue ascending the standings during this stretch run &mdash; and Scottie Barnes can play with any of them.
&ldquo;Just being able to come out there and play with super joy and enthusiasm every night like you did your rookie season, I think he's back to that,&rdquo; Nurse said.&nbsp;
&ldquo;He's really having fun playing right now.&rdquo;

Spencer Davies looks into the increased aggressiveness of Scottie Barnes since the turn of the new year with the Raptors.

Scottie Barnes rediscovering rookie-year joy as Raptors round into form

Russell Westbrook may be on the move, again.
Following Westbrook's inclusion in <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/woj-lakers-timberwolves-jazz-agree-to-threeway-deal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a three-team deal</a> between the Lakers, Timberwolves and Jazz, Westbrook and the Jazz are expected to reach agreement on a buyout.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
In three-team deal being discussed between Lakers, Wolves and Jazz, a buyout for Russell Westbrook in Utah would be the likely path, league sources tell <a href="https://twitter.com/NBAonTNT?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NBAonTNT</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/BleacherReport?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BleacherReport</a>.
&mdash; Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisBHaynes/status/1623425850543681540?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 8, 2023</a></blockquote>

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

While the trade value for Westbrook was on the lower side &mdash; his limitations, in addition to a gargantuan salary ($47 million) made trading for him a tough sell without pick compensation attached to him &mdash; Westbrook's market on the buyout market should be more robust.
He isn't the superstar he once was, operating in a primary bench role for the first time in his career. Westbrook remains a productive player, though: 15.9 points, 6.2 rebounds, 7.5 assists and 1.0 steals are marks matched by three other players in the NBA this season &mdash; Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic and James Harden.
More specifically, Westbrook still lives at the rim.
A whopping 44% of his shots come at the rim, a 94th-percentile mark among combo guards, per Cleaning The Glass. He ranks eighth in total drives (792), with the Lakers generating roughly 1.04 points per possession (PPP) on trips featuring a Westbrook drive, per Second Spectrum.
The Lakers have played at the <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/teams/advanced?dir=A&amp;sort=PACE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">second-highest pace</a> in the league this year. They've gotten in transition more often with Westbrook on the floor, a trend that has held in literally every season of Westbrook's career.
His ability to generate paint touches, with or without a screen, is still valuable to offenses. Once there, Westbrook has proven able to spray the ball out to the perimeter, or drop slick interior feeds. He's <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/passing?CF=PASSES_MADE*LE*50:POTENTIAL_AST*GE*12&amp;dir=D&amp;sort=POTENTIAL_AST" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one of four players</a> averaging at least 12 potential assists per game while averaging 50 or fewer passes. To the interior feed point, Westbrook ranks third in the league in at-rim assists.
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/ltp1uf" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
That he's been able to do it with this volume, within a Laker offense that doesn't feature ideal spacing for drivers, should spark intrigue around what he could do in a better context.&nbsp;
While Westbrook has generated paint touches at a high level, his efficiency as a scorer has declined from peak form. For the second season in a row, he's converted just 58% of his shots in the rim. He's made a career-low 29% of his shots from floater range. Some of that is due to the roster construction during his Laker tenure, but the interior touch has been shaky independent of that.
There's also the matter of the jumper. His 32% clip from mid-range ties a career-low (2018-19), while he's drained a paltry 29% of his threes. A year after knocking down 44% of his threes from the corner (on admittedly low volume), he's down to 27% this year.&nbsp;
Teams aggressively gap him when he's off the ball. He can make hay as a cutter from the wing, but that isn't something you can build the boat around. Slotting him in the dunker spot, or using him as a screener, have seemingly been brought up as ideas more than we've seen it in practice. That could change in a new spot, but I'd temper expectations there.&nbsp;
So, which teams make sense for Westbrook? Let's go down the list.
NAH, WE'RE GOOD &mdash; PLAYOFFS/IN EDITION (13)
Teams: Atlanta, Boston, Cleveland, Dallas, Denver, Golden State, Indiana, Memphis, New Orleans, New York, Oklahoma City, Philadelphia, Portland, Sacramento
This is pretty straightforward. All of these teams either have a star-caliber point guard, a deep point guard room or both.
NAH, WE'RE GOOD &mdash; DEVELOPMENT EDITION (5)
Teams: Charlotte, Detroit, Houston, Orlando, San Antonio
This is also straightforward. These teams are young and have more incentive to give their guards a runway rather than bringing Westbrook into the fold.
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CAN'T SAY I SEE IT (4)
Teams: Brooklyn, Minnesota, Toronto, Washington
The Nets didn't seem super interested in Westbrook before Kyrie Irving was ultimately moved; the picks were the real assets, and there were rumblings of Westbrook being rerouted in such a deal. In light of Durant being moved, I really don't see the point now.
The Wolves just made their own point-guard swap, bringing the veteran Mike Conley into the fold. You could make the argument for Westbrook bolstering their second unit, running ball screens with Naz Reid &mdash; or Karl Anthony-Towns, when he's back and if they're staggered together. Ultimately, trying to sort through touches with Westbrook and&nbsp;Rudy Gobert&nbsp;and&nbsp;Edwards&nbsp;and&nbsp;Towns is probably too much.
The Raptors with an actual point guard who could consistently generate paint touches and feed their talented forwards &mdash; all of which offer intrigue as screeners &mdash; would be nice. But I don't think Westbrook should be that option in light of the spacing issues the Raptors already face.&nbsp;
We've frankly done the Westbrook-in-Washington thing. He'd be an upgrade over the current point guards there, but I don't think that would be worth exploring.
HEAR ME OUT, THOUGH (2)
Teams: Milwaukee, Phoenix
This may be an unpopular opinion, but the Bucks could probably use another shot creator. Among perimeter players, Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton are kinda it.
Jevon Carter has taken a step as a pull-up shooter &mdash; did you know he's draining nearly 37% of his pull-up threes this year? &mdash; but he's not someone that can carry a unit. Grayson Allen and Pat Connaughton &mdash; whichever is replaced by Middleton when he returns to the starting lineup &mdash; are complementary pieces, not players who can handle significant on-ball usage.
All I'm saying is a second unit headlined by Westbrook and Sixth-Man-of-the-Year candidate* Bobby Portis (when he returns) could be good stuff. Joe Ingles could help balance things out with his blend of playmaking and shooting. Being able to have two of Holiday, Middleton, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Westbrook on the floor at all times would be quite the luxury.&nbsp;
If the Suns were interested in Irving &mdash; and were possibly, maybe, allegedly, reportedly willing to involve Chris Paul in a deal to get it done &mdash; it stands to reason that they'd be in the market for more shot creation.
At the very least, the Suns need to pressure the rim more than they do.
Shout out to their increased work on the offensive glass &mdash; fifth in offensive rebound rate after ranking 21st last season &mdash; as well as the on-ball aggression they got from Mikal Bridges before moving him in a deal for some Kevin Durant dude.
They still rank 25th in drives per 100 possessions, 27th in free throw rate and 29th in rim rate (percentage of field goal attempts coming at the rim).&nbsp;
Westbrook could help in all of those areas.
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THE FAVORITES (3)
Teams: Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami
Bleacher Report's Chris Haynes has reported that <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisBHaynes/status/1623503500088070146?s=20&amp;t=CvvJPgcuaCLuvtoLr_Nfbg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the Bulls</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisBHaynes/status/1623494584524505088?s=20&amp;t=CvvJPgcuaCLuvtoLr_Nfbg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Clippers</a> are expected to show interest in Westbrook, provided he's bought out.
I'll start here: without the Haynes report, I'd probably have Chicago in the "can't-see-it" section. I still want to put them there, but it's telling that we heard about their interest so early.
I get&nbsp;why there would be interest. Much like Phoenix, the Bulls have a mid-range heavy shot profile while ranking toward the bottom of the league in drives. Adding Westbrook to the fold could help that, while also taking some of the creation burden off of DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine.
Nikola Vucevic could be a versatile screening partner for Westbrook, or someone that could space the floor while giving him room to work. If the pick-and-roll partnership between Westbrook and Thomas Bryant can be fruitful &mdash; 1.06 PPP on direct plays, per Second Spectrum, a quality number &mdash; then surely he and Vucevic could make music together.&nbsp;
And ultimately, the Bulls' offense has underwhelmed this year. They're in the bottom third of the league in offensive rating; their 114.5 offensive rating with DeRozan, LaVine and Vucevic on the floor would only rank 15th league-wide. Constantly being flanked with a passive guard &mdash; either the budding Ayo Dosunmu or the versatile Alex Caruso &mdash; puts a bit of a cap on the offensive ceiling of this group.
I'm not convinced Westbrook would be a great answer in practice, but I understand the logic behind how he could be.&nbsp;
The Clippers seem to be the natural fit for Westbrook for a multitude of reasons. They could also use his rim pressure, and could especially use the juice he provides in transition. There are enough shooters on the roster, including their two best players, to create a favorable context for Westbrook. On a personal note, it'd be pretty convenient for Westbrook, who wouldn't have to move at all.&nbsp;
If there's such a thing as a darkhorse favorite, the Heat would be it. They're the worst offense of this group of teams &mdash; 25th in offensive rating (112.2) when removing garbage time. Both on and off the floor, the Heat feel like a team that could use an outside jolt.
The biggest drawback to the fit is the spacing. Erik Spoelstra is one of the most creative minds in NBA history, but constructing a workable offense around Westbrook, Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo would be quite the challenge.&nbsp;
A challenge doesn't mean it'd be impossible.
We've seen Westbrook and Anthony Davis generate good looks <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/explain-one-play-lakers-go-low-against-the-bucks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on low pick-and-rolls</a>; it's not hard to envision Westbrook and Adebayo doing the same. Westbrook could receive screens from, or be the screener for, Butler. In a vacuum, Westbrook's paint-heavy style could complement the pull-up chops of Tyler Herro in the backcourt.
All the Heat may need is a slight boost; even with their offense and the injuries they've had to sort through, they're a playoff team right now while playing in a league-leading 38 clutch games. Westbrook doesn't have to be a superstar; he simply needs to be an additive. There's enough in the tank to talk yourself into it.

Nekias Duncan explores the Russell Westbrook buyout market.

Tayler