Otters

The Los Angeles Lakers have pulled the plug and are dismissing head coach Darvin Ham, the team announced Saturday morning.
Amid all the rumors and speculations surrounding the development, the Lakers have parted ways with the coach who has been with them for over two years.
There were early reports over the past week after the Lakers&rsquo; loss to the Denver Nuggets in Round 1 of the 2024 NBA Playoffs. The Athletic&rsquo;s Jovan Buha was quoted saying, "The latest I've heard is the plan is still to move on from Darvin [Ham] at some point, likely by the end of the week, potentially as early as tomorrow, then the head coaching search will start. I've already started to hear some names from different people."
And today, the team finally made it official in a team statement.
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Lakers Part Ways With Head Coach Darvin Ham <a href="https://t.co/or3Bx2mZ5w">pic.twitter.com/or3Bx2mZ5w</a>
&mdash; Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) <a href="https://twitter.com/Lakers/status/1786459157002121295?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 3, 2024</a>
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Ham and the Lakers have had a good run, going 90-74 over the past two seasons. Ham led LA to the Western Conference Finals in 2023 but got swept by the Denver Nuggets. The Lakers got back stronger this year, finishing with a 47-35 record, but got ousted again by the Nuggets in 5 games.
Along with Ham, the Lakers&rsquo; entire coaching staff including Phil Handy and the others was also dismissed by LA&rsquo;s front office.
An extensive coaching search is set to commence as the Lakers continue their pursuit of that elusive 18th championship banner. This development will add to an already busy offseason of roster moves and the impending decision of superstar LeBron James about his future with the team.

Amid all the rumors and speculations surrounding the development, the Lakers have parted ways with head coach Darvin Ham.

Lakers dismiss head coach Darvin Ham

Former NBA GM Pete Babcock opens up to Etan Thomas about how the media's false narratives can greatly influence NBA front offices.

Former NBA GM on how media coverage, false narratives impact players

This article was initially published by Basketball News on Nov. 4, 2020.
Every NBA team approaches their search for a head coach differently, and no two searches are the same. Here are a few things to consider or put into perspective when it comes to NBA teams&rsquo; coaching searches.
Some teams ask you to draw up plays you&rsquo;d run for their team on a chalkboard in the room before you even sit down. In some interviews, they just want to talk about your philosophies (as far as basketball and life in general). They might ask you what changes can be made to the roster. It all just depends on that team&rsquo;s way of doing things.
My interview with the Chicago Bulls was much different than my interview with the Los Angeles Clippers. They were totally different situations, and other interviews I&rsquo;ve been in were completely different than those. You&rsquo;re never sure what&rsquo;s going to happen until you walk into the interview. Sometimes, you don&rsquo;t even know who&rsquo;s going to be interviewing you.
Sometimes, it&rsquo;s just the front-office staff. Other times, the owner will be very involved. Some teams bring in their team psychologist, and they have a whole list of questions to ask you. They&rsquo;re going to want to know what kind of leader you are, and they&rsquo;re going to want examples -- not just of your successes, but of your failures as well. How did you adapt to change in these particular situations? How do you drown out the media noise? How will you work with the players and management? What is your overall level of commitment?
But it&rsquo;s not just the decision-makers that you have to sell yourself to, it&rsquo;s the players too. And you have to do that 24/7. You have to sell them on what you believe in if you want that give and take and if you want them to buy in. Also, you have to make them understand the standards that you&rsquo;ve set for the team.&nbsp;
Not every job is for every coach. Every coach has different standards, beliefs and teaching styles, and the team you&rsquo;re interviewing with might not share the same philosophy. You really have to know what you&rsquo;re getting into.&nbsp;
When you&rsquo;re interviewing for a head-coaching job, you talk about the roster and you have your own questions that you want answered too. Are they trying to build around a certain player? Are they willing to go into the luxury tax? How much will they involve their head coach in draft and free-agency decisions? For example, some teams want their coach to be very involved and present for every draft workout; others don&rsquo;t want them to focus on that at all.&nbsp;&nbsp;
There&rsquo;s way more research that goes into preparing for an interview than most people can even begin to imagine. You have to know as much as possible about the team. The more details you have, the better. Not only are you doing your homework about the roster, you&rsquo;re looking at how the team is situated going forward too. How many draft picks do they have in the years ahead? What does the team&rsquo;s cap situation look like? You have to research all pertinent information about the roster and the team&rsquo;s flexibility moving forward.
Also, it&rsquo;s important to understand the team&rsquo;s expectations (in the short-term and long-term). Continued team improvement is paramount. Does the team believe they can realistically contend for a playoff position that season? Is there a certain future championship window (depending on all of the talent assembled)?
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Once a coach does get the job, that&rsquo;s when the real work starts. It&rsquo;s very difficult to win at a high level, and it&rsquo;s extremely difficult to win at a high level consistently.&nbsp; You have to lead, and not all personalities are the same or mesh well with certain leadership styles.&nbsp;
Everyone throws around the word &lsquo;culture&rsquo; like it&rsquo;s easy to create. The teams that have been able to create a consistent culture do so from the ownership to the front office, all the way down to the end of the bench.&nbsp;
The biggest keys to success in winning are talent and consistency. When you look at all of these winning organizations, what do they all have in common? They were all consistent with their decision-making. They may have been fortunate with draft picks that turned out much better than they expected or free agents that just needed a fresh start, but that&rsquo;s only part of the equation. 
You need to have a vision for how all of these players are going to fit together. Each player is a piece to the puzzle, and you&rsquo;re trying to emphasize the player&rsquo;s strengths and work with them on their weaknesses. The staff is always working on player development and focusing on the fundamentals, while also learning each player&rsquo;s personality and skill sets to put them in the best position for success. Building relationships with players is always the goal, which allows you to improve players&rsquo; skill sets and ensure that the work they&rsquo;re putting in is not only helping the team but also their individual career.
You can&rsquo;t let rumors about your team, your job security or yourself cloud your vision. You walked into that interview room with a plan and a goal, and you can&rsquo;t let anything or anyone distract you from it. However, it&rsquo;s also vitally important to be flexible and open to making adjustments as you move forward and receive new information.
You have your standards. You have your vision. And you have to be yourself.&nbsp;
Finally, here&rsquo;s something that I&rsquo;ve learned after being around the NBA for many years (as a player, executive and head coach): The most important thing for a coach is time. The more time a coach has, the more they can learn about their team - from knowing everyone&rsquo;s strengths and weaknesses to figuring out people&rsquo;s tendencies to seeing how certain guys play well together. Over time, a coach will build strong relationships with the players as well as others throughout the organization. Trust and loyalty is earned and, if earned, must be reciprocated. And everyone has to be pulling in the same direction in order to exceed expectations and align with the standards set forth.&nbsp;
Time is a coach&rsquo;s best friend.&nbsp;

Former NBA head coach Vinny Del Negro provides a behind-the-scenes look at the interview process for NBA head-coaching jobs.

An inside look at the interview process for NBA head coaches

The following is a press release from the NBA:
NEW YORK &ndash; The NBA announced today that Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant has been suspended eight games without pay for conduct detrimental to the league. The discipline is in response to Morant&rsquo;s live streaming of a video on March 4 in which he is holding a firearm in an intoxicated state while visiting a Denver area nightclub. Morant will be eligible to return for the team&rsquo;s game against the Dallas Mavericks on Monday, March 20.
A meeting took place today in the NBA&rsquo;s New York offices between NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and Morant to discuss Morant&rsquo;s conduct. NBA Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars and NBPA Executive Director Tamika Tremaglio, among others, attended the meeting.
The league office conducted an investigation of the March 4 incident. Based on the information obtained during the investigation, the league did not conclude that the gun at issue belonged to Morant, was brought by him into the nightclub or was displayed by him beyond a brief period. The investigation also did not find that Morant possessed the gun while traveling with the team or in any NBA facility, and the Colorado authorities did not find sufficient cause to charge Morant with a crime.
&ldquo;Ja&rsquo;s conduct was irresponsible, reckless and potentially very dangerous,&rdquo; said Silver. &ldquo;It also has serious consequences given his enormous following and influence, particularly among young fans who look up to him. He has expressed sincere contrition and remorse for his behavior. Ja has also made it clear to me that he has learned from this incident and that he understands his obligations and responsibility to the Memphis Grizzlies and the broader NBA community extend well beyond his play on the court.&rdquo;

“Ja’s conduct was irresponsible, reckless and potentially very dangerous,” said NBA commissioner Adam Silver.

NBA suspends Ja Morant eight games for conduct detrimental to league

This year's NBA trade deadline challenged the glut of Western Conference contenders to test how far they would go to separate themselves from the pack.
Some teams, like the Phoenix Suns in their Kevin Durant blockbuster or the Dallas Mavericks in their Kyrie Irving acquisition, swung for the fences. Others &mdash; such as the Denver Nuggets, Memphis Grizzlies and New Orleans Pelicans &mdash; only nabbed a rotation player or two, opting to bet on their current core.
The Los Angeles Clippers appear to fall in the latter group, but we should not overlook their trade-deadline moves. With three separate trades, all in the final hours of dealmaking on Thursday, the Clippers added Bones Hyland, Eric Gordon and Mason Plumlee. They took calculated risks and changed three important spots in their rotation, hoping the current stalwart defense insulates a boost of offensive juice.
Hyland was one of the hottest names in the rumor mill last week after his <a href="https://www.denverpost.com/2023/02/09/nuggets-trade-deadline-bones-hyland-thomas-bryant-analysis/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">falling out with the Nuggets</a>. Los Angeles pounced and dealt two second-round picks for the former No. 26 overall selection in the 2021 NBA Draft.
Hyland quickly becomes the most promising developmental talent on the roster at 22 years old. But more immediately, he brings a high-charged dose of long-range shotmaking to the Clippers' bottom-10 offense.
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Bones Hyland hit a career-high 7 three-pointers to lead the <a href="https://twitter.com/nuggets?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nuggets</a> to the win! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MileHighBasketball?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MileHighBasketball</a><a href="https://twitter.com/BizzyBones11?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BizzyBones11</a>: 26 PTS, 7 3PM <a href="https://t.co/IkJU5Ajf0U">pic.twitter.com/IkJU5Ajf0U</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1586207446678138883?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 29, 2022</a></blockquote>

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The combo guard profiles as one of the most extreme perimeter creators in the entire league. Some evidence: Hyland has attempted 118 self-created threes this season, according to PBP Stats, which would rank second on his new team behind Paul George (164) and far above the third-place guard he's replacing (Reggie Jackson, 66), in only 820 minutes this season. His 39.8% clip on those attempts ranks 13th among 81 players who have attempted at least 50 such shots.
To this point of his career, however, Hyland's primary impact has come from distance. He can attack the basket, but he's no more than a mediocre rim-pressure threat, and he's a very limited playmaker. Microwave shooting is an important skill that can swing a playoff series if active; it's unclear if Hyland can consistently impact the game this way.
That's why the Eric Gordon trade adds another level of intrigue. Gordon, a 34-year-old shooting guard, finally leaves a rebuilding Houston Rockets situation after years in and out of reported trade talks. He rejoins the franchise that drafted him seventh overall way back in 2008.&nbsp;
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Ty Lue on the <a href="https://twitter.com/LAClippers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LAClippers</a> new editions of Bones Hyland, Eric Gordon &amp; Mason Plumlee. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LAClippers?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LAClippers</a> <a href="https://t.co/yxsD8SyutK">pic.twitter.com/yxsD8SyutK</a>
&mdash; Hoops &amp; Brews (@HoopsNBrews) <a href="https://twitter.com/HoopsNBrews/status/1624289182775656448?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 11, 2023</a></blockquote>

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Gordon has a 15-year history of solid, albeit streaky, pull-up shooting, and he can still slice his way to the rim with ease. Gordon has converted 67% or more of his shots within three feet of the hoop in each of the last three seasons, per Basketball Reference &mdash; and that's in a Houston offense that has looked pretty wonky at times.&nbsp;
The Clippers acquired Gordon in a three-team deal with the Rockets and Grizzlies that ultimately sent John Wall to Houston and Luke Kennard to Memphis. They now have a reshaped guard rotation that includes Hyland, Gordon, Terance Mann and Norman Powell &mdash; four complementary scoring threats next to Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.&nbsp;
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Entering Saturday, L.A. took just 30.2% of its shots at the rim, a 23rd-ranked rate, per Cleaning the Glass. Gordon's talents should directly help, and Hyland's perimeter prowess ideally opens up lanes for others to attack.
The four-man crew allows for some interesting lineup flexibility. Does head coach Ty Lue opt to keep Mann in the starting lineup and let Hyland bombard off the bench, knowing Gordon can also keep teams honest? Or can Hyland eventually work his way up to start and provide a more powerful perimeter impact than Reggie Jackson ever could &mdash; also leaving Mann to keep the heat on with the second unit?
With just those two, we already see that the Clippers want to apply more pressure from more angles, versus the stagnation that can arise with just Kawhi plus PG plus floor-spacers. Mason Plumlee continues the theme in his own way as a passing hub.
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Pretty easy to see how Mason Plumlee's playmaking would fit seamlessly into Sacramento's offense. Lots of CHA's sets are similar to SAC's. Plumlee is averaging 4.6 assists per 36 mins and would probably be fairly cheap considering his expiring $9M deal. Davis + Len + two 2nds? <a href="https://t.co/U52qzH2vnd">pic.twitter.com/U52qzH2vnd</a>
&mdash; Brenden Nunes (@BrendenNunesNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/BrendenNunesNBA/status/1617660314237145088?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 23, 2023</a></blockquote>

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Los Angeles added the veteran center in a trade with the Charlotte Hornets that sent Jackson and a 2028 second-rounder to Charlotte. During our <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/watch-basketball-news-2023-nba-trade-deadline-show" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2023 NBA Trade Deadline Show</a>, Nekias Duncan and I both commented on the parallels between Plumlee and the team's 2021-22 backup center, Isaiah Hartenstein.&nbsp;
Last year, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-stats-notebook-isaiah-hartenstein-is-the-clippers-secret-weapon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hartenstein showed off his facilitation chops</a> by hitting cutters from the arc and operating out of some roll actions. He's in the sub-Nikola-Jokic tier of best big man passers in the NBA, and so is Plumlee.
For several seasons, the 32-year-old has consistently posted some of the best passing numbers in the league; his 18.0% assist rate is in the 92nd percentile among bigs this season, per Cleaning the Glass. Plumlee is assisting on 12.6% of his total passes, per Second Spectrum, which is the third-highest rate among centers.
Add in his stellar presence around the rim (73% shooting in that zone) and solid track record on the glass, and Plumlee seems about as ideal a fit at backup center as feasible. The healthy Clippers are looking at a Hyland-Gordon-Powell-Robert Covington-Plumlee second unit, with Nic Batum and Amir Coffey as additonal options. That is deep.
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The overarching worry: L.A. is tweaking the components of its top-10 defense &mdash; the backbone of its current fifth-place standing in the Western Conference. Hyland has serious defensive question-marks, Gordon is strong but undersized and Plumlee, while fundamentally sound, is by no means a rim-protector. Can the system and the prowess of the remaining players provide a stable floor? And if not, do the new pieces just fall out of the rotation, or do they unearth a new problem?
We likely won't know the final answer until the postseason. But the Clippers pointedly targeted several needs on Thursday, and the moves have more reward and more risk than they appear to at first. Even without adding a star, the Clippers have become another must-track team in the reshuffled West playoff race.

Ethan Fuller breaks down the Los Angeles Clippers adding Bones Hyland, Eric Gordon and Mason Plumlee prior to the trade deadline.

Evaluating the Clippers' three NBA trade deadline moves

We have an MVP on the move, folks!
There's been a ton of smoke surrounding the New York Liberty landing a superstar this offseason. To the surprise of many, Breanna Stewart isn't&nbsp;the player heading to the northeast.
That honor goes to Jonquel Jones.
<a href="https://twitter.com/RachGall/status/1614741260493000704?s=20&amp;t=OsIqYHBdRYlwRpzsvN8M3g" target="_blank" rel="noopener">First reported</a> by Rachel Galligan of Winsidr, the Sun are trading the 2021 MVP to the Liberty as part of a three-team deal. Howard Megdal of The Next came through shortly after with the <a href="https://twitter.com/howardmegdal/status/1614753296064942082?s=20&amp;t=OsIqYHBdRYlwRpzsvN8M3g" target="_blank" rel="noopener">outline for the deal</a>.
Liberty receive: Jonquel Jones (CON), Kayla Thornton (DAL)
Wings receive: Natasha Howard (NYL), rights to Crystal Dangerfield (NYL)
Sun receive: No. 6 overall pick, Rebecca Allen (NYL), Ty Harris (DAL)
And before you could quizzically ask, "Wait, that's it?" about the Jones return for Connecticut, we got the she-asked-for-this nugget from ESPN's Alexa Philippou:
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BREAKING: Jonquel Jones is being traded to the New York Liberty, sources confirm to ESPN. The 2021 WNBA MVP with the Connecticut Sun requested the trade specifically to NY.<a href="https://twitter.com/RachGall?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RachGall</a> had it first
&mdash; Alexa Philippou (@alexaphilippou) <a href="https://twitter.com/alexaphilippou/status/1614753043949535235?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 15, 2023</a></blockquote>

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So, wow. Superstar trades are fun. Superstar trades before free agency begins are even more fun, and help set up a good deal of (potential) fireworks.
On the Sun's side, Jones' departure actually helps them retain their top free agent. Brionna Jones, two-time All-Star and reigning Sixth Woman of the Year, was set to hit unrestricted free agency this offseason. With Jones heading to the Liberty, the Sun plan to use the core designation on Bri Jones, giving them exclusive negotiation rights &mdash; and locking in a one-year max offer for Jones, unless her and the Sun agree to a long-term deal.
Beyond that, I like the pieces the Sun added, even if the return still falls short of Jones' status in the league.
Harris should give the Sun another steady hand at point guard, something they lacked with Jasmine Thomas missing most of last season due to injury. That placed a heavier creation burden on All-World forward Alyssa Thomas, who practically served as the de facto point guard. With Harris providing depth, the Sun should have an easier time building cohesion in the half-court.&nbsp;
For a team that didn't take many threes &mdash; the Sun ranked 11th in three-point rate (26.1% of shot attempts) but third in percentage (35.4%) &mdash; Rebecca Allen could be a godsend. She's drained 37.2% of his threes over the past three seasons, an impressive mark considering a dip in efficiency last season (31.3% on 3.3 attempts per game). She cares very little about shot contests, and has a knack for finding space off the ball. It's easy to envision her presence taking pressure off of others, particularly in the half-court.
(Are you sensing a theme here?)
The Wings being included as the third team was interesting. There have been rumblings <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/wnba-trade-rumors-news-dallas-wings-forward-allisha-gray-expected-to-be-traded-connecticut-sun-chicago-sky-washington-mystics-atlanta-dream" target="_blank" rel="noopener">about their own star talent</a> (Allisha Gray) potentially being moved over the offseason. For the Wings to land an actual All-Star in Natasha Howard was a pleasant surprise.&nbsp;
Howard's a versatile talent, able to pop or roll as the ball screener, put the ball on the deck against larger opponents, and bully her way to the basket against smaller ones. Her activity on the defensive end, notably her quick hands, allows her to play in &mdash; or quarterback the back end of &mdash; more aggressive coverages. That could become important depending on who her frontcourt partner will be this season.
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Former Rookie of the Year Crystal Dangerfield is a walking (running?) paint touch that could serve as a nice replacement to Ty Harris. She was able to find life as a complementary piece to Sabrina Ionescu last season, with her ability to pressure the rim helping to unlock Ionescu as an off-ball threat. She could provide similar value playing alongside Arike Ogunbowale or Marina Mabrey whenever the other is on the bench.
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Of course, the true winners of the deal are the Liberty.&nbsp;
Jones is, at worst, one of the six best players in The W. Even in a down year statistically &mdash; one that says more about the re-emergence of Alyssa Thomas, and a little bit about the inconsistent usage of Jones &mdash; Jones still earned All-WNBA and All-Defensive Second Team honors.
Players the size of Jones aren't supposed to be able to move the way she does, shoot the way she does or handle the way she does. That she can blend all of that together makes her one of the most difficult covers in the league.
On one possession, you can find Jones bullying some poor defender on the block. On another, you can find her spaced on the perimeter, one pass away from another post-up or a ball screen. A kick to her can lead to a three (that defenders have no chancd of contesting, thanks to her release point), or a catch-and-drive that most bigs in the league aren't equipped to deal with.&nbsp;
If you want to get fancy, you can run Jones off of screens. I don't mean simple cross screens to clear a side for a post-up or isolation &mdash; though you can obviously do that. You can run Jones off pindowns, off staggers, use her as the third&nbsp;screener in Spain pick-and-roll actions or anything else you can think of because of her footwork and ability to shoot off movement.
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And on other possessions, you don't even have to draw up anything. Because of her defensive prowess, she can kickstart her own offense by grabbing a board and pushing the ball in the open floor.
In short, Jones is an absolute monster.
Pairing her with Ionescu &mdash; one of the best pick-and-roll ball-handlers in the league to put it lightly &mdash; is patently unfair. Jones hasn't played with a ball-handler this dynamic; Ionescu hasn't a screening partner like this, and certainly hasn't played with a big who can clean up messes on the other end like (an engaged) Jones can.
But not only did the Liberty land Jones, but they were also able to snag Kayla Thornton from Dallas as well. The Liberty were a middling defense last season (No. 7 in defensive rating), but struggled on the perimeter. Adding Thornton, a multi-positional defender who can disrupt things on and off the ball, should help shore things up. Having Jones, Thornton and a healthy Betnijah Laney should give the Liberty a solid foundation.
There will be questions up and down the board. The Sun will need to nail the sixth overall pick if they keep it &mdash; much like they did with Jones in 2016 &mdash; to make the fan base feel better. You don't really replace an MVP, but it's hard to overstate just how much scoring gravity (and versatility) is walking out the door. Bri Jones can capture a good bit of the interior force, but shooting will still be a question mark overall.
Howard is certainly a talent upgrade, but it's worth wondering just how fluidly the offense will operate. Thornton is a lesser offensive talent, but her ability to fill gaps complemented the Ogunbowale-Mabrey backcourt. Howard will require more touches &mdash; obviously fine, but it's worth noting she isn't, say, Candace Parker as a high post passing hub. There will likely be some growing pains.
There's less to question on the Liberty front, but implementing Jones may not be an early slam dunk. Even with Ionescu shifting more off the ball in the second half of the year, she still finished in the top 10 in usage rate &mdash; and, if the tracking were available, I'd bet she ranked just as highly in touches per game. Jones wasn't always utilized as frequently as an MVP should be &mdash; something I imagine factored at least somewhat into her desire to be traded.
Still, it's hard not to be excited about &mdash; or terrified of &mdash; what the Liberty can become. Per Myles Ehrlich of Winsidr, the Liberty actually&nbsp;<a href="https://winsidr.com/2023/01/trade-report-jonquel-jones-to-liberty-in-a-three-team-deal-between-ny-connecticut-and-dallas/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">created&nbsp;more cap space</a> with this trade. The rumors of Stewart in New York aren't dead.
And if the Liberty are able to land Jones and Stewart in the same offseason... whew, buddy, I don't know what you do with that kind of star power.&nbsp;

Nekias Duncan looks Sunday's three-team mega trade involving Jonquel Jones from all angles.

WNBA trade: Connecticut Sun star Jonquel Jones heads to New York Liberty

This isn't how things were supposed to go in Detroit.&nbsp;
It was hard not to be excited for the Pistons heading into the year. Strong draft class, headlined by Jaden Ivey and the traded-for Jalen Duren. A Jerami Grant trade not only netted them a future first-rounder and other draft capital, it was a move made in part to clear some of the runway for Cade Cunningham and Saddiq Bey, the latter of which was expected to fill more of Grant's time at forward.
The shooting woes that hampered Detroit last season were somewhat accounted for; adding Alec Burks into the mix was supposed to help, and an offseason trade for sniper Bojan Bogdanovic was expected to be a big add to their offense.
Fast forward to now, and the Pistons are without Cunningham for the year, dealing with an uneven campaign from Bey, and ultimately find themselves percentage points away from the worst record in the NBA.
So much for the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/2022-23-nba-season-preview-central-division-chicago-bulls-cleveland-cavaliers-detroit-pistons-indiana-pacers-milwaukee-bucks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">play-in ceiling</a>.&nbsp;
There have been bright spots though. Ivey and Duren have been as advertised; Ivey's going to make the All-Rookie first team, and Duren could make a push for it by the end of the season. Loyal listeners of <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-dunker-spot/id1547857052" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Dunker Spot</a> know how pleased I've been with Killian Hayes' growth this season.
On the veteran side, Bogdanovic has somehow been better than expected.&nbsp;
The initial plan was to spread the floor at a high level, and act as a security blanket so Cunningham (and Bey) wouldn't have to work as hard as creators. Instead, Bogdanovic has become the defacto top option.
Since November 11, kicking off the stretch without Cunningham for good, Bogdanovic is averaging a team-high in front-court touches (33.8), points (22.3), shot attempts (14.8), three-point attempts (5.6) and free throw attempts (5.8).&nbsp;
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The efficiency has been off the charts, with Bogdanovic converting a ridiculous 56.6% of his twos and nearly 41% of his threes.&nbsp;
League-wide, Bogdanovic is <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/shots-general?CF=FG3A*GE*5:FG3_PCT*GE*40:FG2_PCT*GE*55&amp;TeamID=0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one of five* players</a> converting at least 55% of their twos and 40% of their threes with high volume during this month-plus stretch, joining Stephen Curry, Donovan Mitchell, Andrew Wiggins and Lauri Markkanen. (*Wendell Carter Jr. is also on this list, but only has three games under his belt during this stretch. Please come back soon, Wendell. We miss you, and the Magic surely do.)
What makes Bogdanovic fun is the myriad ways he can be used. He's running nearly 15 ball screens per 100 possessions since November 11, and the Pistons are scoring roughly 1.04 points per possession (PPP) on those trips &mdash; a mark that ranks in the 72nd percentile, per Second Spectrum.
He's shooting most of the time (50.8%), with his scoring prowess popping against drop coverage or switches (1.08 PPP). Bogdanovic slow-probes his way to his spots, whether that's keeping his defender at bay when faced with drop, or picking out a matchup agains a (late) switch and posting up.
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There are still limitations. Mainly, Bogdanovic's handle isn't tight enough to access&nbsp;every&nbsp;area of the court on a whim. When faced with more aggressive coverages &mdash; hedges or flat-out traps &mdash; he's prone to retreating without taking full advantage of the numbers game ahead of him. Even when he isn't, navigating close quarters can be an adventure. He's up to 27 "lost ball" turnovers in 30 games this season (0.9), after racking up 48 of them in 69 games last season (0.7).
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Even with that uptick, it's hard to ignore the overall efficiency here. And it's especially impressive considering he's carrying a much larger offensive load than originally expected.
This isn't the first time Bogdanovic has had to scale up. He saw his shot volume increase by nearly three attempts between his first and second year in Indiana. In year two (2018-19), Bogdanovic averaged 18 points with shooting splits similar to what he's doing now &mdash; 53.8% on twos, 42.5% from three. That was a year where Victor Oladipo appeared in just 36 games.
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But this is different. Bogdanovic's 64.9% True Shooting clip is easily the higheest of his career, and a whopping 7.4 points above league average. It would behoove other teams to take notice.
The Los Angeles Lakers reportedly have, according to <a href="https://theathletic.com/3992371/2022/12/12/bojan-bogdanovic-jae-crowder-shams-charania-inside-pass/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Athletic's Shams Charania</a>. The Phoenix Suns were linked to Bogdanovic before he was dealt to the Pistons, and could probably use another shot creator in light of Chris Paul's decline in that area.
There are others, like the Atlanta Hawks, that could use the forward's blend of creation and outside shooting. Is there a conversation to be had around a package headlined by John Collins? It's certainly worth asking. <a href="https://hoopshype.com/lists/nba-rumors-lakers-knicks-john-collins-bojan-bogdanovic-free-agency-stock-watch/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mike Scotto of HoopsHype</a> reported that the Miami Heat and Dallas Mavericks have also expressed interest.
That would track. The Mavs desperately need more creation to take pressure off of Luka Doncic. The Heat need more shooting &mdash; they rank 21st in three-point percentage despite ranking seventh in three-point rate &mdash; and could stand to upgrade at the 4, though Caleb Martin has played pretty well this season.
Of course, the Pistons don't have to cooperate. They recently extended Bogdanovic, and per James Edwards of The Athletic, the Pistons <a href="https://theathletic.com/3995150/2022/12/13/pistons-trade-scenariors-noel-bogdanovic/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">aren't eager to move him</a>. It would (rightfully) take a big offer to pry him out of there. But with the way he's playing, it's probably worth the swing.

Nekias Duncan breaks down the recent offensive explosion of Bojan Bogdanovic.

Good teams should be looking to trade for Bojan Bogdanovic

NBA Media Day is typically a wellspring of optimism and excitement for teams across the Association. But in Boston, Celtics players have simply been trying to collect their bearings.
Ime Udoka's sudden one-year suspension as the team's head coach has rocked the organization and sent unprecedented questions toward a roster trying to rebound from falling two wins short of an NBA title. While Monday's press conference still included on-court questions, most of the dialogue revolved around Udoka, interim head coach Joe Mazzulla and the players' ability to even process this past week.&nbsp;
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Here's what we did learn about the Celtics' muddled circumstances, plus some unanswered questions that will hopefully be answered before the season:
WHAT DO THE PLAYERS KNOW ABOUT IME UDOKA'S MISCONDUCT?
Based on their answers, very little.
Jayson Tatum said he found out about Udoka's suspension on Twitter. Grant Williams said he learned "same as everyone else." <a href="https://theathletic.com/3617945/2022/09/22/celtics-ime-udoka-discipline/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shams Charania of&nbsp;The Athletic</a>&nbsp;reported that members of the Celtics franchise first learned of Ime Udoka's relationship with another woman in the organization in July.
Marcus Smart said that Udoka visited him and other players in Los Angeles over the summer, and he noticed nothing unusual about the suspended head coach.
"I think that's why (the news is) so off-guard for us, because everything just seemed so normal," Smart said.
Since the announcement, the players have obviously met and had conversations. But several indicated that, as of Monday, the players don't know much more information than the public. Tatum has not spoken with Udoka since the suspension.
"It's been hell for us, caught by surprise. Nobody really knows anything. So we're just in the wind just like everybody else. So the last couple of days, as far as this, have been confusing," Smart said.
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"It's been hell for us... these last couple days for us have been confusing." Marcus Smart reacts to Ime Udoka's suspension, and Joe Mazzulla stepping in as interim head coach <a href="https://t.co/IwD4YJCDco">pic.twitter.com/IwD4YJCDco</a>
&mdash; Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBCSCeltics/status/1574455058460282880?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 26, 2022</a></blockquote>

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"I wish we had more details," Jaylen Brown said. "From what we know, it's hard to make a decision based upon whether it's consensual or not in the workplace or whatever is going on &mdash; which we've known has happened before in the workplace &mdash; but I guess there's more to it possibly, which we don't know. I don't know. I don't have all the details; [they're] not being shared with me. So it's hard to really comment on something that you're not filled in with all the details. So I don't really have a feeling or comment on my emotions about it because I don't have the details."
Celtics players generally seemed to understand that legal and privacy reasons have slowed the information process. That doesn't mean it's easy being left in the dark on the full story.
"If you read the statement, and if you watched the press conference [Friday], obviously, apparently there's a lot of things that they can't, can't speak about," Tatum said. "So I think I'm kind of in the same boat, as &mdash; I don't know. So it's hard for me to answer if things were handled the right way [or] if they weren't because I guess for a lot of reasons, I don't know all the details."
Added Smart: "We don't know what the organization knows. So it's kind of hard to say that &mdash; we don't know what they know, so we don't know what they are supposed to tell us or what we're supposed to know. And I think this is where this is at and why it is what it is, because literally, no one knows anything. We're still waiting just like everybody else. As a player, you would like it to be known, but at the same time, that's none of our business. It's their lives. It's the people involved, it's between them, you know, and we should respect their privacy and we understand, just like we want our privacy respected. So, although, as a player, you would like to know, like I said, it's it's not an obligation."
DOES JOE MAZZULLA HAVE THE BACKING OF THE PLAYERS?
Like <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/breakingnews/celtics-udoka-suspended-for-multiple-policy-violations" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Brad Stevens and Wyc Grousbeck did on Friday,</a> the players gave positive reviews of Mazzulla. The 34-year-old was hired as an assistant on the C's staff in 2019, and is a holdover from the Stevens coaching era.
"He knows and understands us as players. He's built relationships with us. So we love Joe; we're excited to be able to work with him in this opportunity that he has," Smart said.
Payton Pritchard and Sam Hauser have both played under Mazzulla when he was at the helm of the Summer League Celtics.
"I think he's gonna be an unbelievable coach," Pritchard said. "He's intelligent, he knows the game and I think he is the right amount of, like, pushing players, but also understanding [them]."
"I think he is a hard-nosed type of coach," Hauser added. "He kind of says it how it is, but he also really cares about you as a person &mdash; not only a basketball player, but he really cares about the off-the-floor stuff. I'm excited for Joe, and I can't wait to see how he takes advantage of this opportunity."
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Malcolm Brogdon certainly didn't expect this past week to happen when he <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-malcolm-brogdon-qa-fit-boston-celtics-basketball-without-borders-africa-camp-egypt-jayson-tatum-jaylen-brown-danilo-gallinari-ime-udoka" target="_blank" rel="noopener">joined Boston as a high-profile trade acquisition</a>. Brogdon said the Indiana Pacers gave him a few options for trade destinations, and he picked Boston because, "I want to win."
In his short time knowing Mazzulla, Brogdon has admired his discipline. Mazzulla often lifts weights with Brogdon early in the morning. One time he approached Brogdon, who was doing a breathing exercise, and started explaining the theories behind different techniques. Brogdon has also heard of Mazzulla's reputation for putting together quality opponent scouts.
"He's a guy that is so detail-oriented; I am like-minded with people that are detail-oriented, that care about the small things, the little things that get you through the day," Brogdon said.
WHAT WILL MAZZULLA CHANGE FROM UDOKA'S SYSTEM?
Of course, the Celtics have all the on-court pieces to replicate and even improve upon last season. Mazzulla does not want to drastically change course from Boston's success under Udoka.&nbsp;
"It's about carrying on the identity of our players," Mazzulla said. "We had our struggles early last season, but at our best, we knew what our identity was. It was our defense, it was our buy-in from a defensive standpoint, and then it was sharing the ball and moving quickly on the offensive end. So as much as we can stick to the things that we were great at last year, and then find small areas to improve in, is the right way to go."
The Celtics' coaching staff now has two openings with Udoka's suspension and Will Hardy's departure for the Utah Jazz head coaching gig. Mazzulla has not thought about replacements yet and would work with Stevens on filling out the bench. He believes the foundation of existing relationships should help the Celtics build solid chemistry early in the season.
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Joe Mazzulla talks about the strong endorsement he received from Brad Stevens for interim head coach <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Celtics?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Celtics</a> <a href="https://t.co/hCuynuUdoR">pic.twitter.com/hCuynuUdoR</a>
&mdash; Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBCSCeltics/status/1574435350465990657?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 26, 2022</a></blockquote>

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WHAT HAPPENS TO THE CENTER ROTATION WITH ROBERT WILLIAMS III OUT?
Amidst the off-court bombshell, the Celtics also announced that Robert Williams III will miss 8-to-12 weeks as he recovers from arthroscopic knee surgery. This puts additional strain on an already-thin big rotation for a Boston team that sent Daniel Theis out in the trade for Brogdon this summer.
Luke Kornet could step into major minutes. The 7-foot-2 center spent most of last season with the Maine Celtics in the NBA G League, but has four seasons of experience at the top level. Kornet said that with the door for minutes certainly open, his mindset naturally changes, but not his approach to the game.
"There definitely is a bit of a switch in that, but in terms of still being a basketball player and conditioning and [wondering] how am I going to help this team do the best they can &mdash; a lot of those things stay the same. But there's some change," Kornet said.
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A larger burden falls on Al Horford, now age-36 and older than his head coach, to shoulder some of the two-way responsibilities Rob Williams wields.
"For me, I have to step up a little more, Grant's gonna have to step up a little more, Luke, whichever one of our bigs, we just have to step up and do a little more," Horford said. "Even some of our guys, whether it's you know, [Tatum] playing more at the 4 or whatever it may be, I'm not sure about all that. But we all just have to do more until he gets back."
Williams, meanwhile, will start a road to recovery that began as he battled knee injuries throughout last spring's playoffs. Despite eventually needing surgery, he doesn't regret playing through the injury to compete in the NBA Finals.
"I'm playing the Finals, you know what I'm saying?" Williams said. "You win some you lose some, but I don't regret my decision at all. I was 24 years old, my dream was to play in the Finals, dawg. I can't regret that sh**."
UNANSWERED QUESTIONS
What is the extent of Udoka's misconduct? &mdash; Ultimately, the players and public need more details as to the forces behind a year-long suspension and potential firing. Grousbeck said Friday that Udoka committed multiple violations of multiple team policies, suggesting the punishment came down for much more than the singular act of being in a workplace relationship. While the woman's privacy must be respected, there must be some level of clarity on the wrongdoing.
What has Mazzulla done to atone for his past arrests?&nbsp;&mdash; Mazzulla answered two questions relating to <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/celtics/2022/09/22/joe-mazzulla-boston-celtics-new-coach-ime-udoka-suspension/8087114001/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">multiple arrests between 2008 and 2009</a>, including a domestic violence charge in '09. Here were his quotes:&nbsp;&nbsp;
"Listen, I've made mistakes. I'm not perfect. I've hurt people, and I've had to use the situations I put myself in as a younger man, I've had to use to learn from and to become a better person," Mazzulla said. "And that's what I've tried to focus on is: 'How can I recreate my identity as a person? How can I rely on my faith? And how can I just have a positive impact on the people around me?' And I've always had good people around me...
"...I can't talk about specifics of [the incidents]. But what I can talk about is: I'm not the same person that I was, and I think as you grow as a person, you're constantly having to build an identity, and you know, I didn't have an identity at a certain point in my life for whatever reason. And I think it's [about]: 'How can I develop an identity? How can I find a foundation which for me, is my faith, and then, how can I impact people positively around me? And that's something that I really learned throughout my life.'"
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&ldquo;That made him who he is today&hellip; I&rsquo;ll be the first to tell you, I believe in him.&rdquo; Brad Stevens on Joe Mazzulla after being asked about Mazzulla&rsquo;s domestic battery charges from his college days. <a href="https://twitter.com/ABC6?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@abc6</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/bleedgreen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#bleedgreen</a> <a href="https://t.co/s5ia1rYvnY">pic.twitter.com/s5ia1rYvnY</a>
&mdash; Ian Steele (@IanSteeleABC6) <a href="https://twitter.com/IanSteeleABC6/status/1573338669007704064?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 23, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Mazzulla did not dodge any questions and he did acknowledge his past wrongdoing. But he also did not explain what led to his behavior, what in his faith prompted the change and how he has shown other people he has progressed.
Player and front-office endorsements are not enough in an NBA that has hired at least two other coaches with domestic-violence and sexual-assault histories in the last year-and-change &mdash; not to mention the recent reminders of troubling workplace environments in Boston and Phoenix. We need more assurance that this behavior does not have a tolerable place in the league.
How will Mazzulla manage his starters in the early goings of the regular season? &mdash; Among the many, many questions Mazzulla will face as he acclimates to the head-coaching gig is the impending usage for Tatum, Brown and others. Tatum played through a fractured wrist down the stretch of the postseason (he said he feels good on Monday).
Can Mazzulla give the high-usage players more rest to hopefully prepare them for another deep playoff run? Or will the Celtics have to go all-out just to stay on top of a stacked Eastern Conference?
ADDITIONAL NOTES
<ul>
<li>Brown's name popped up in trade rumors surrounding Kevin Durant this offseason, and the 25-year-old said he discussed those rumors with members of the Celtics, but did not elaborate.</li>
</ul>
"I've talked to my teammates, I talked to ownership, the organization, etc. I'll keep those conversations between us," Brown said. "All I can say is now that I'm here, I'm ready to play basketball. I'm in great shape, probably the best shape of my life. So I'm excited to start the journey."
<ul>
<li>With Brogdon bolstering a stellar guard rotation, his addition leaves room to wonder about Pritchard's playing time. Pritchard is embracing the competition for minutes in training camp.</li>
</ul>
"Obviously, we have a lot of tremendous players. But I don't go through all summer and all year working on my game to just ride the bench," Pritchard said. "So for me, I'm just looking forward to the opportunity to go out there and compete, and earn minutes and see where that lies. Ultimately, we just want the team success though."
<ul>
<li>Grant Williams will soon be eligible for a contract extension, but said he hasn't let that distract him. &nbsp;</li>
</ul>
"When it comes to that, I just let my agents and everybody handle it, because if you become too overwhelmed or concerned with it, that's when you start focusing on your play or you start doing things that aren't necessarily characteristic of yourself," Williams said. "For me, my number one focus and goal is allowing and helping this team to win a championship. Everything else takes care of itself."

Celtics players addressed the upcoming season and head coaching change on Monday at Media Day.

2022 Boston Celtics Media Day Notebook: What did we learn?

The Indiana Pacers have entered new, uncharted waters recently. Embracing a full-scale rebuild attempt for the first time in 30-plus years, the fresh energy surrounding the organization is palpable. An infusion of young talent headlined by Tyrese Haliburton and No. 6 overall pick Bennedict Mathurin suggests that a brand new vision is beginning to take shape in Indianapolis.
Stuck in neutral for a long period, the Pacers realized what had to be done and pressed the rebuild button. This decision is already showing immense promise, as they have a long-term outline that was simply nonexistent beforehand. Tearing down a veteran-heavy core that once featured Victor Oladipo, Domantas Sabonis and Malcolm Brogdon was a step-by-step process, and now, Indiana has ultimate amounts of optionality after moving on from all three veterans.
The Memphis Grizzlies' blueprint has stood out to the Pacers&rsquo; brain trust. It's a model that the organization hopes to follow, according to Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard.
&ldquo;We looked at some of the teams that have really drafted well, and now that they&rsquo;re a pretty good team... You look at the Memphis&rsquo;s and the teams like that that have built and now they&rsquo;re going to be powerhouses for the next couple of years. So, I think what we came away from our studies [with] is there&rsquo;s no quick fix," Pritchard told Basketball News in a small scrum setting on Thursday. "We can&rsquo;t make a trade or two trades or three trades or use our draft picks and become what we want to become, which is great. So, how do you do it? You&rsquo;ve got to pay your dues, and you&rsquo;ve got to get everybody on board. And that takes multiple meetings and conviction from your head coach (Rick Carlisle), your president, your GM (Chad Buchanan) and your owner. Mr. [Herb] Simon is 100% on this. It can&rsquo;t be easy.
"Nobody wants to walk in and think rebuild, and I hate that word because we have some players that we really like that we can build around. It&rsquo;s going to take some time. We&rsquo;re going to enjoy the heck out of it. And we&rsquo;re going to build this team back up to make it a really special team, guys that have true character that want to have deep roots in this community. I think that is something we&rsquo;ve talked about. How do you do that? At the end of the day, you draft well, develop relationships. [It] is your best recipe for high-level talent, high-level characters and the ability to keep players for a long time. I don&rsquo;t think that&rsquo;s a secret to this.&rdquo;
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It&rsquo;s hard to avoid the "rebuild" phrase for the Pacers, but the upside is flowing into the facility with former lottery picks integrating. With one of the league&rsquo;s youngest rosters heading into the season, Haliburton quickly acclimated himself and is being labeled as the new face of the franchise. (Our Alex Kennedy <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-interview-tyrese-haliburton-indiana-pacers-chad-buchanan-bennedict-mathurin-myles-turner-sacramento-kings-domantas-sabonis-trade-drew-hanlen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">spoke with Haliburton about this and his hopes for the upcoming season last month</a>.)
With Haliburton acclimating himself with a full offseason in Indianapolis, the Pacers are having fun building a roster around their point guard&rsquo;s unique traits.
&ldquo;It starts with Tyrese, don&rsquo;t get me wrong, his ability to make plays for others,&rdquo; Pritchard told Basketball News in the scrum. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ll say this: By having Tyrese and having players say, &lsquo;You know, I really like playing with that,&rsquo; I think that was a big decision in Jalen [Smith] (re-signing). I think Myles [Turner] is really looking forward to playing with Tyrese. The league has changed in that the point guard position has turned into like score first, then maybe I pass. Well, Tyrese is unique; he&rsquo;d rather pass. It&rsquo;s like a quarterback. If you&rsquo;ve got a great quarterback that&rsquo;s hitting you in the chest every time, he is that.
"We&rsquo;ve got to build around that and he&rsquo;s gotta build us. There&rsquo;s going to be games where he looks amazing and he&rsquo;s going to get 15 assists. And we&rsquo;re going to need him to do a lot of things, we&rsquo;re going to ask a lot, but we&rsquo;re not going to put too much [on him]. I&rsquo;ve seen where teams put too much on players. It&rsquo;s going to be collective with our young players and our vets. The good thing is a lot of of players are going to play this year. You&rsquo;re going to see more athletic plays, and we&rsquo;re going to play harder than we&rsquo;ve ever played. From what I&rsquo;ve seen so far, it&rsquo;s easy to stand up here and say it. I want to be about actions. I think we&rsquo;re going to be a super-hard-playing team. I think you&rsquo;ll see a lot of growth.&rdquo;
There's plenty of internal optimism for Haliburton to take a massive jump within the Pacers&rsquo; organization. (A stat line flirting near 20 points and 10 assists wouldn&rsquo;t come as any sort of a surprise in Indiana.) Outside of Haliburton and the aforementioned rookie in Mathurin, their highest draft pick selected since 1988, many new-core players are taking notable steps forward in their development.
Chris Duarte, who was sidelined to end his rookie campaign with a nagging toe injury, is mentally processing the game at a different speed. Isaiah Jackson, who Pritchard said has gained 15 to 18 pounds, is poised for a massive breakout as well. Smith, who re-signed with Indiana, continues to flash his former top-10 pick upside following his exit from the Phoenix Suns.
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A gym full of athletes and prospects looking to improve provides a breath of fresh air compared to the all-too-familiar unknown of whether or not the team would make it past the first round of the playoffs.
&ldquo;We are giddy,&rdquo; Pritchard told Basketball News of their young core they&rsquo;re building together. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s interesting, when watching (scrimmages) and you throw them out there and let them play, what you find out is Tyrese, TJ McConnell, [Andrew] Nembhard are really fast players, and everyone kinda fills in. There have been times where I have been in awe about how fast our team is, which, that&rsquo;s young legs right? That&rsquo;s young, exciting legs. We&rsquo;ve seen more plays at the rim where it&rsquo;s a blocked dunk, sprint down, dunk on someone. We&rsquo;ve had more alley-oops &mdash; I think Chad Buchanan was joking with me the other day about three or four years ago we had two lob dunks in the whole year. We had 10 [on Thursday].
"The league is getting more athletic. A couple years ago we decided, 'We&rsquo;re going to look at this draft and trades, and let&rsquo;s get some of these athletes because they&rsquo;re fun to watch.' Balancing that... Coach Carlisle loves shooting. So, if you can find a great athlete that is a great shooter, I&rsquo;m all-in.&rdquo;
Not only are the Pacers all-in on their new long-term vision, one where patience is the most important part, but they&rsquo;re also in a new position as an organization &mdash; optimizing future flexibility via multiple avenues. Indiana still has oodles of cap space ($29.6 million per Cleaning The Glass), which allows for new opportunities to fall into their lap. The Pacers are open about their desire to continue bringing in more assets, either young players or future draft picks, to accelerate their plan.
&ldquo;That&rsquo;s what we&rsquo;ve gotta do right now. We&rsquo;ve gotta capitalize on cap space, on picks,&rdquo; Pritchard said. &ldquo;In any way we can, we got to be gritty as a staff, if can we acquire more of those to have a chance to be part of our big core. And we&rsquo;re developing the core. People ask me all the time, do you have that core? Maybe, maybe not, but we&rsquo;re getting closer and next year we&rsquo;ll be closer.
"That&rsquo;s the fun part of our business is being creative and generating ideas. Look, we have three first-round picks it looks like next year. We have close to $30 million in cap space. And we&rsquo;ll be active to use that cap space to acquire more assets. That&rsquo;s just natural, but I think it gives us the ability to pivot in a lot of different ways. We have optionality out the butt. At the end of the day, I want to be able to sit in the room with Herb and management and coach and say, 'Alright, here&rsquo;s our possibilities. Where do we want to go?&rsquo; In the past it&rsquo;s been, 'We&rsquo;ve got to go down this path. This is the path we&rsquo;ve got to go down. It&rsquo;s only going to get us so far, we know there&rsquo;s only so far, we&rsquo;ve got a freaking ceiling.' What I want to do is remove a ceiling and that takes time. It&rsquo;s going to take time.&rdquo;
Outside of that excitement for the new-look youth taking over the roster, an uncertain future remains for veteran mainstay Myles Turner. A subject of trade rumors for the last few years, which picked up immense steam once the Pacers hit the reset button, Turner saw the organization openly flirt with replacing him by chasing Deandre Ayton in restricted free agency.
Entering a contract year, Turner&rsquo;s future feels murkier than ever in Indianapolis. And with the way the subject was broached on Thursday, it wouldn&rsquo;t be a stunner to see Turner play in another uniform before February&rsquo;s trade deadline passes. Pritchard admitted his recent conversation with Turner was one filled with emotions, and the ever-changing nature of the business leaves the door open for anything to happen there.
&ldquo;I sat down and talked with Myles for an hour, hour-and-a-half the other day. It was a heart-to-heart,&rdquo; Pritchard said. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t want to tell you exactly what was said, but I&rsquo;ll give you the crux, and that is I think he&rsquo;s super excited about playing with Tyrese. I think he wants to play the 5 exclusively. I think he wants to be a defensive monster. And I think that he&rsquo;s okay planting deep roots here. But, you know, he&rsquo;s going to be a free agent next year. There&rsquo;s a lot of things that can happen. What we think today isn&rsquo;t something that we know is going to happen tomorrow. This is the most dynamic business in the world.&rdquo;
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Turner is eligible for a contract extension, but Pritchard didn&rsquo;t want to publicly say whether or not that route remains on the table with their starting center.
&ldquo;Respectfully, I&rsquo;d like to keep that between me and him,&rdquo; Pritchard said.
Based on the Pacers&rsquo; turn into a fresh era, one where internal development takes priority over the win-loss column in the meantime, veterans like Turner and Buddy Hield will be names to watch from a leaguewide lens throughout the season from a potential trade market perspective. Nowadays, optionality, flexibility and patience will be the key buzzwords heard out of Indiana. And it&rsquo;s for the best with how its roster was running into a brick wall over and over again before the light finally turned on to rebuild from the ground up.
With the Pacers armed with draft capital and cap space, on top of a roster filled to the brim with potential &mdash; including their tantalizing backcourt combination of Haliburton and Mathurin &mdash; the vision is as clear as day. It&rsquo;s a new era in Indiana, and a route that everyone internally acknowledges should have been explored even earlier. If all goes to plan for the Pacers, these tough times could soon turn into a sustained success that hasn&rsquo;t been witnessed for the organization since nearly a decade ago.
&ldquo;We were an aircraft carrier and it was really hard to turn. And right now, we&rsquo;re a little speedboat and we&rsquo;ve got all of these ways to maneuver,&rdquo; Pritchard said. "That&rsquo;s exciting. That&rsquo;s really exciting for us, because it&rsquo;s hard to turn the big boats. For better, we&rsquo;re all-in.&rdquo;

Pacers president Kevin Pritchard discussed the franchise's new era and focus on the long-term vision, Evan Sidery writes.

Pacers enter uncharted waters searching for long-term sustainability

Howard Beck is a senior writer for Sports Illustrated who was front and center during NBA Commissioner Adam Silver&rsquo;s press conference on Wednesday. His direct question to Silver about the difference in behavioral standards and accountability for Robert Sarver vs. any other employee in the NBA went viral, as many were shocked by the Commissioner&rsquo;s answer.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
"There are particular rights here to someone who owns an NBA team as opposed to somebody who is an employee." Adam Silver answered <a href="https://twitter.com/HowardBeck?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HowardBeck</a>'s question as to why there is a different standard held for Robert Sarver as an owner in the NBA (via <a href="https://twitter.com/NBATV?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NBATV</a>) <a href="https://t.co/ndmwDr7rkN">pic.twitter.com/ndmwDr7rkN</a>
&mdash; Sports Illustrated (@SInow) <a href="https://twitter.com/SInow/status/1570142214042288136?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 14, 2022</a></blockquote>
On Thursday morning, Beck <a href="http://archive.wpfwfm.org/mp3/wpfw_220915_100000collision.mp3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">joined my show with Dave Zirin</a> ("The Collision, Where Sports And Politics Collide&rdquo;) to discuss how the Sarver situation differs from the Donald Sterling investigation.
Dave Zirin: What was the mood at that presser? Did you feel like you were alone in having this concern, this question of the hypocrisy at play?&nbsp;
Howard Beck: "Yeah, I mean, just to set the scene a little bit... This is at a Midtown hotel that the NBA uses often, and so this is a very ornate ballroom that is always set up for Adam Silver's press conferences following a Board of Governors' meeting. It feels pretty formal in those rooms. It's interesting to think about Donald Sterling, which we'll get to, I'm sure, but eight years ago that had to be moved to a massive hotel ballroom at a different hotel because of obviously the international interest. I mean, CNN was there and I think Inside Edition or one of those [shows] and all the TV entertainment shows, like TMZ, everybody. There were hundreds of people in the room for the Sterling thing because of the nature of that and because of how public it was in the wake of the tape. This was a much more scaled down, kind of sedate, very formal news conference.
"It was a smaller group, maybe a dozen of us, and we're there to ask Adam, I think, just questions about the process, how they reached it. Clearly by my question and some others', we're also bringing to the table, 'These are the concerns, if not our own necessarily, but the things we know are out there. This is how the public is reacting.' People would like to know why this is different to Donald Sterling. To the point of my question to him, why a team owner can do things and still hold his position that the average employee would be fired for within seconds. It's not an emotional back and forth. It's a fairly standard press conference where you're just looking to see where Adam Silver's rationale is... trying to get the best explanation for the public and to inform whatever pieces we may be writing about it. There's not a tone in there. It's just a back-and-forth standard press conference in the way I felt it."
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Etan Thomas: I want to ask you specifically about his explanation of how it's so different than the situation with Donald Sterling.
Howard Beck: "If you want to drill down, and listen, we should remember this throughout our discussion today and anybody's discussion of any of this: Adam Silver's a lawyer by trade. He's been the Commissioner for eight or so years now. He's worked in the NBA for a couple decades, 20 maybe closer to 30 years. He's a lawyer by training, and the people who wrote this report on Robert Sarver are lawyers. It was a law firm that was hired to do it.
"Keep that in mind when we talk about the differences between Sarver and Sterling, because I think the facts that are on the table and viewing it through the prism of, if you're a lawyer processing this and you're thinking about what you can prove versus what is clear, what you can accomplish versus what you would like to accomplish, which may be different things... Look at it through the lens of a lawyer. I think sometimes that's helpful to understand how the league got to where it did.
"Donald Sterling, when it happened, there was a tape. There's that. Smoking gun right out the gate. No smoking gun when Baxter Holmes' story for ESPN first comes out last November. There was this wait and see. We got to have an investigation. We got to hire this law firm. They're going to interview hundreds of people. The law firm has finished its work. We now have that in hand. There's still no smoking gun that is comparable to Donald Sterling being taped by his mistress surreptitiously saying a bunch of horrendously offensive things, racist things that the whole world then got to listen to together repeatedly. That's the first piece. The second piece is that when the Sterling..."
Etan Thomas: Wait, wait, wait. Before we go to the second piece, let me just follow that up. Was it more about the court of public opinion or is it more of the legal court? Because if they interviewed all the people, they never said &mdash; and you correct me if I'm wrong &mdash; that the interviewees didn't coincide with the allegations.
Howard Beck: "Right."
Etan Thomas: They didn't have any of that, so there was no dispute on if he actually said what he was accused of saying, correct?
Howard Beck: "Yeah, for the most part. When Sarver responded to the report and to the suspension the other day, his quotes for his statement that he put out basically were like, 'I accept this and I'm sorry, but I don't agree with all of the chapter in verse.' There was a little bit of quibbling still even as he was accepting the results. We don't know which of those things there were. But yes, you're right, largely everything that had been alleged has now been corroborated through hundreds and hundreds of interviews by the law firm. Yes, but I'm saying... You asked the right question, of course, which is, 'Are we talking about court or court of public opinion?' I think it's both.
"To go back to Sterling for a minute... Here's the full scope of what happens with Sterling. There's a tape, so everybody can be appalled by hearing it themselves. It's not just reports of what somebody said or witnesses heard. We are all hearing it, so there's that shock value. Then on top of that, it happens during the playoffs. It happens involving Donald Sterling's team during the playoffs, and now they're going out to the court with their jerseys on inside-out as a form of quiet protest, but talking amongst themselves [about not playing] and surely the league, of course, was aware that. You've got a threat of a player strike. You've got sponsors fleeing. You've got the whole world saying, 'NBA, what are you going to do? How can you have this guy in your midst?'
"The pressure on the league at that moment was intense. Thus the hundreds and hundreds of media members in a ballroom for Adam Silver's press conference versus the dozen yesterday. The circumstances were so different that, I think, when you ask about the court of public opinion versus what you can prove in court or what the NBA can prove if they need to, to justify ousting an owner, it all kind of merges a little bit, because you need the groundswell of support. You need the public support. You need the players to be pushing in a certain direction. You need to get enough of the other NBA owners to support you as Commissioner, because Adam Silver cannot unilaterally oust anybody. He doesn't have that power.
"Because of the groundswell of outrage that happened with the Sterling case and how immediate it was and how intense it was, Adam Silver had all of the backing in the world, all the political capital, if you want to put it in those terms, to make the tough decision and say, 'He's done, he's out.' Plus, Donald Sterling had an estranged wife, Shelly Sterling, who was a part owner of the team and could wrest control from him, which helped the NBA immensely in that whole process. When you ask why it's different... Listen, racism is racism, sexism is sexism, misogyny is misogyny, and hostile workplace environment and everything else that's happened under Sarver is what it is. But the political reality of trying to remove an owner, that's why it's different than Sterling. It's the things I just laid out. Those things make, I think, the path to trying to resolve this in the same fashion much more difficult."
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Dave Zirin: I think the key element there, Howard, is the idea of a player revolt during the playoffs as opposed to an offseason where it's difficult to get comment. Chris Paul weighed in, LeBron James weighed in. But it's not the sort of thing where there are cameras in the faces of players after every game asking their opinion. Did you see that as a vital difference in terms of the court of public opinion?
Howard Beck: "This is one of the things that's interesting to me. If the NBA... Now listen, I'm not going to say the NBA had complete control over the timing of the investigation. That's always kind of a murky thing to try to assess, but all along we've been going, 'What's taking so long? What's taking so long?' I asked Adam that question multiple times at multiple press conferences over the last year. The NBA's best option in this case would've been to have this investigation, this report, come out like a month or a month-and-a-half ago in the dead of the offseason so that by the time Media Day comes along and training camps open, we've all kind of forgotten about it.
"This is now fresh in everybody's minds. It's mid-September. Everyone's reporting to training camp within the next two weeks, and Chris Paul and LeBron James, who came out very strongly on Twitter last night, are going to be asked about this on Media Day as will players on probably every team... Certainly all the veteran players who we usually go to for the big-picture type stuff or anybody who's been a very strong social-justice activist in the last few years... the Jaylen Browns of the world. We're going to be asking them all two weeks from now, 'What'd you think of the Sarver conclusion and the fact that he was not banned for life or do you think it was strong enough?' This is going to be front and center, I believe, when training camps open in a couple of weeks.
"There will be at least the possibility of more pressure on the league, more publicity around this story that maybe pushes this thing along. I can't predict that it's going to ever escalate to the level of the Sterling case. I want to caution on this note too: it's not fair for the players to have to bear the burden of adjudicating this or making the league do the right thing, but the players also have the most powerful collective voice on this by far. If Adam Silver can't act without the owners, if the owners don't want to act because they're the other owners and they just don't want to have to do this, because they're worried a bit somebody may be coming for them one day... who has more influence than anybody? It's the 450 players. It's LeBron and Chris Paul as the leaders of that Association.
"They cannot be ignored, and we cannot underestimate how big a deal it was. Dave, you said it, and I was alluding to it earlier... The threat of a player strike or any player action during the playoffs during the Donald Sterling saga was a huge leverage point or a pressure point for the league. I don't think we're going to get to that point in this case, but if the union keeps pushing on this and the players keep pushing on this, I don't think that the NBA can just say, 'Well, we've already resolved it. It's over. We've made our decision.' No. You can always tell a guy, 'You know what? We think it's time to sell.' If he doesn't want to sell, then you can use whatever leverage you've got. You can try to coerce, convince, whatever, and if he doesn't get there, then maybe you take the next step.
"Any given day, Robert Saver can just decide to step out. He doesn't have to own the team. He could also just reduce to minority-owner status, sell the majority share and not be the face of it anymore. Maybe that would be enough for a lot of us who think that this has fallen short to resolve it, but the idea of him still being in that seat courtside in about a year from now when the suspension's over seems like a bad look for the NBA."
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Etan Thomas: Let me ask you this, because you gave a path that could possibly happen with training camps opening and players being more vocal about the situation and the possibility that could apply more pressure, but I want to talk to you about the difference in the Adam Silver that we saw yesterday compared to the one we saw eight years ago with Donald Sterling and the language that he used. Now, correct me if I'm wrong at any time in this. When Donald Sterling happened, he pretty much said, "I'm going to urge all of the governors to get on board with this." Something to that effect. Whereas here, it was kind of like, "Well, I work for them, and this is kind of what they want. I feel remorse and I'm sorry to all the victims and people, employees and everything like that, but this is kind of what we have to go with." Totally different, right?
So if Adam Silver had a different tone and approach, could that have changed things a little bit? Because after he did that with Donald Sterling, then immediately you saw Mark Cuban come out in support. The same Mark Cuban who before that was saying that we should be cautious because of the possibility of opening up Pandora's box, but when he set the tone, then the tone changed. You saw Ted Leonsis right after that come out in support. So my question is, in theory, could Adam Silver have set the tone a lot more than he did yesterday?"
Howard Beck: "Yeah, I think that's a really fair point. It's a weird relationship. Adam Silver's the Commissioner, he is the face of the league in a lot of ways politically... the figurehead. He is the lead executive for policy matters and all kinds of just general public relations and business deals and all kinds of stuff, but he doesn't actually lead the NBA. He works for the 30 teams, for the Board of Governors, and so they employ him, not the other way around. That said, yes, in that position, you have the ability, because you've got the bully pulpit and you've got the public's attention... you can lead on the messaging. You can say that, 'I, Adam Silver, the Commissioner of the NBA, believe that this is the kind of conduct that should not exist in our league, and I am urging our Board of Governors to go down this road.'
"The problem is, if you don't think that support is there, you just put yourself out on an island, and the Board of Governors may not be real appreciative of it. They might say, 'We're not there. Sorry.' Now you've suffered a massive public loss where some majority of the 30 owners has voted not to go down this path that you wanted to go, that you have now staked a public claim on. You have to be... Again, I hate putting these things in political terms, but there's an aspect of it. Just like you don't go make some major policy proclamation before you think you've got the votes, you got to count the votes first.
"My guess would be, and then I'm only speculating, but that if Adam Silver doesn't believe he's got the votes and won't have the support to banish somebody for life, which is again a very drastic step that's only been done once... then he is not going to go there. We can criticize it as, 'Well, that's a failure of leadership. If you believe this, you should push it this direction and tell the board to follow you.' But if the board doesn't follow you, now you're out on an island, and you've just lost a lot of capital publicly and with the board. I don't know what that does for your effectiveness in the role. Maybe it's the end of your role."
Etan Thomas: But he did do that with Donald Sterling, and we saw it be effective.
Howard Beck: "Again, I've said this, and Etan, you and I may have even discussed this at some point along the way here. I think that on the one hand, Adam rightly got all the praise that he got for making the bold decision that he did on Sterling swiftly and decisively &mdash; within days after that tape became public, I think it was. That said, it was really the only decision he could make because of all the things we talked about earlier &mdash; because the possibility of a player revolt, because of sponsors fleeing, because of the intense public attention and backlash that just did not exist in this case.
"We can sit here and say, 'Well, if we put everything down on paper, here's all of Donald Sterling's offenses against society. Here's Robert Sarver's offenses against society.' We put them both on paper, and we go, 'Yeah, I think those things equal about the same punishment in our view.' We could do that, but that's not the reality. The reality is, how is the world responding to this and what does that provide the league in terms of the momentum or the support or the cover to try to do something that's really difficult?
"Again, never underestimate the fact that Donald Sterling's wife, Shelly Sterling, as a part owner of the team, played a really influential role in being able to wrest control of the Clippers away from him. There's just not that same element in this case. You can stand on conviction and say that we are going to hold the line. This is the principle. We're applying the same principle broadly, even if these cases are somewhat different. But if you can't follow through, because it's really hard to remove an owner and because you're now introducing a lawsuit that is not going to be a suit against Adam Silver. It's going to be against the whole league. Now all the other owners are having to deal with the legal battle, the financial strain, all the stuff that goes with that. That's a lot that you have to consider before you go down that path."

Howard Beck opens up about the NBA's one-year suspension of Robert Sarver and why he isn't banned for life like Donald Sterling.

Howard Beck explains differences in Donald Sterling, Robert Sarver cases

Recently, the John Wall Foundation hosted an event at The Salvation Army, where John Wall opened up about how difficult the last few years have been for him. The five-time All-Star described the last few years as &ldquo;the darkest place I&rsquo;ve ever been in.&rdquo;&nbsp;
&ldquo;At one point in time, I thought about committing suicide,&rdquo; Wall admitted. &ldquo;I mean, just tearing my Achilles, my mom being sick, my mom passing, my grandma passing a year later &mdash; all of this in the midst of COVID at the same time&hellip; me going to the chemotherapy and sitting there, seeing my mom take her last breath, wearing the same clothes for three days straight and laying on the couch beside her. My team, the mother of my kids has been great, my two boys, it's my motivation for me. Looking at all that, I'm like, 'If I can get through this, I can get through anything in life.'
"Everybody goes through something, we all went through tough times, nobody's got it easy. But I don't think a lot of people could get through what I went through. To me, to be back on top where I want to be and see that the fans still want me to play, having support from my hometown, their support means a lot in a time where I had to go find a therapist.
"A lot of people think, 'I don't need help, I can get through it,' but you gotta be true to yourself, find out what's best for you, and I did that. I'm just happy to have this opportunity to play basketball again. I think everything I have been through has all been a part of God's plan&hellip; Even though I was in a dark place the last couple of years, I'm super excited... to play the game that I love."
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This admission sent shock waves throughout the entire sports world.&nbsp;
I reached out to former Washington Wizards center Marcin Gortat, who played with Wall for five seasons, to have a discussion about his former teammate.
Etan Thomas: What were your thoughts when you heard John Wall&rsquo;s interview detailing everything he has been through?&nbsp;
Marcin Gortat: &ldquo;First of all, I was shocked. I didn&rsquo;t know that he was going through so many different issues. I was a witness a couple years ago while we were teammates and there was this little 6-year-old girl, Miyah Telemaque-Nelson, who <a href="https://twitter.com/johnwall/status/537085825767735296?s=21&amp;t=isslghfV3tQMWGH-SXWKbg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">he had really connected with</a> who passed away from cancer. He had been raising money for her and doing charity work for her, and I remember the big impact her death had on him. He literally broke down during a postgame interview where he dedicated the game to her.&rdquo;
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Thomas: Yeah, I remember seeing that video. He really took that hard.
Gortat: &ldquo;Even harder than most people know. He was really down for a couple of weeks after that. So when I heard that he lost his mom and then his grandmother, I thought back to how hard he took [it] when little Miyah passed away. After hearing this past interview, I felt bad. Like as a former teammate, I should&rsquo;ve been supporting [him] more. Yeah, I texted with him a couple of times while he was in Houston. I knew he was struggling with the situation as far as the team and them pushing him to the side, so I knew that alone was catastrophic for him because I know how much he loves basketball. But couple that with losing people as close to you as your mother and grandmother [and that] had to have been just devastating.&rdquo;
Thomas: He mentioned that he has a positive outlook now and feels optimistic with his new situation with the Los Angeles Clippers, so that was good to hear.&nbsp;
Gortat: &ldquo;Yeah, I&rsquo;m hoping that basketball will be something that can help him since he seems to be in a much better situation with the Clippers so that will occupy his mind and his emotions somewhat, but I really hope he heals and gets all of the support toward his healing.&rdquo;
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Thomas: I definitely agree. One of the things that bothers me is when I hear different fans or people on social media or in the sports media reporting on rumors that are just inaccurate. They cast a negative light on an athlete based on these rumors. Stephen A. Smith <a href="https://www.si.com/nba/clippers/news/stephen-a-smith-apologizes-to-john-wall" target="_blank" rel="noopener">publicly apologized</a> to John for his role in demonizing him last season in Houston. I was glad to see him do that because the media really went after John Wall and swayed public opinion on him in a very cruel and uninformed way.&nbsp;
Gortat: &ldquo;Yeah and that&rsquo;s very unfortunate that that happens a lot in the media nowadays, but this is how it is in this league. A lot of people owe John Wall an apology. I understand the media has to write something or say something on their shows that&rsquo;s controversial and that gets all of the people&rsquo;s attention because that&rsquo;s what they are paid to do. But people who know John know that they were unfairly demonizing him. Not that he&rsquo;s perfect, nobody is perfect. Did he make mistakes? Yes, but everybody makes mistakes. But he is not the person they were making him out to be, and it&rsquo;s terrible how much that happens.&rdquo;
Thomas: I had a debate with David Aldridge and Marc Spears about the power of the media. Marc came out publicly and said that he regretted doing the interview, but I was trying to explain to them the power that the media has to sway public opinion, and how the media should be held accountable when they talk recklessly. And they just weren&rsquo;t willing to accept that the media has that kind of power. But this is a prime example. It&rsquo;s good that Stephen A. publicly apologized, but hopefully that changes the way he and many others in the media target players and demonize them because it happens too often. Just here with the Wizards, I saw it happen with Kwame Brown and with Chris Webber after he got traded (back when they were the Bullets). It really happens way too much.&nbsp;
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Gortat: &ldquo;I definitely agree. So let me say, as someone who played with John Wall for many years: When he is healthy, he is one of the best point guards in the league &mdash; hands down. The guy is a beast. I don&rsquo;t know what Houston was doing with him. That was completely absurd. Here you have a guy of his caliber and you have him sitting at home? Not even on the bench, but at home? I can&rsquo;t imagine how he felt going through that for [an entire] season? And to have these prominent people in the media vilifying him while he is going through all of this, as he&rsquo;s dealing with injury after injury and losing his loved ones?&rdquo;&nbsp;
Thomas: Yeah, I don&rsquo;t care if anyone says there wasn&rsquo;t any cruel or malicious intent behind their reporting &mdash; that doesn&rsquo;t mean that it wasn&rsquo;t still cruel and malicious.&nbsp;
Gortat: &ldquo;Exactly! Many people think athletes are like robots &mdash; like video game characters who just perform, and that&rsquo;s not true. We are human beings with emotions and we go through tragedies and hardships in life, but are still expected to push all that to the side and perform at the highest level every night. I remember seven or eight years ago when DeMar DeRozan was in Toronto and he was going through depression and he said that he was going to the games, but he wasn&rsquo;t really thinking about the games because he was dealing with so much personally.&nbsp;
&ldquo;The NBA is getting better at helping players now when they are going through tragedies, but we still have a long way to go. I remember my fourth year and definitely my fifth year playing in Washington &mdash; specifically when things with me and John were not the best &mdash; there was a lot that I was dealing with and I didn&rsquo;t have too much help. But honestly, it wasn&rsquo;t a concern. Many people just wanted me to perform and push my personal life to the side, and sometimes that&rsquo;s hard to do.&rdquo;
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Thomas: &ldquo;I can definitely attest to that. I lost my grandmother, who I was really close with, while I was playing with the Wizards. And I remember our trainer, Eric Waters, trying to rush me back and I was like, &ldquo;Can you give me a minute please?&rdquo; When I came back, that&rsquo;s when I had the first issue with Brendan Haywood. Normally, I would&rsquo;ve ignored him throwing tantrums over not getting enough playing time, but that day just wasn&rsquo;t the day, so I flipped on him. The team actually formed a human barricade and escorted him out of the locker room. Then, everyone &mdash; Ernie Grunfeld, Eric Waters, Coach Eddie Jordan &mdash; was like, &ldquo;What&rsquo;s wrong? Why did you get so upset?&rdquo;&nbsp; And I was like, &ldquo;I told y&rsquo;all I needed a minute!&rdquo;
Gortat: &ldquo;Yeah, and my issues with John kind of formed in a similar way, to be honest &mdash; because I was holding so much in and suppressing what I was going through and reacting to different things on the court like not getting the ball as much as I wanted to or us losing games I felt we should&rsquo;ve won. Interesting, I didn&rsquo;t know that&rsquo;s what started y&rsquo;all&rsquo;s issues.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Let me tell you this quick story. I went to Cleveland and I was on this stupid streak of 250 or 280 or something games [in a row] without missing a game, so I was playing like three seasons straight. And all of a sudden in December, my mom had a stroke. I got the message while I was in Cleveland and I was shocked. I broke down crying. They had found my mom after like a day-and-a-half, laying at home unconscious; my friend found her. So when I came back to the locker room that morning, I was there physically but I wasn&rsquo;t really there. But John and Brad [Beal] were the first people who said, &lsquo;Give him some space, let him go deal with what&rsquo;s going on with his family because that&rsquo;s bigger than basketball and he has our support.&rsquo; So, Coach [Randy] Wittman came down and told me, &lsquo;Go to Poland, don&rsquo;t worry about the team for now.&rsquo;
&ldquo;That meant a lot to me. They knew what I was going through. And when you&rsquo;re so close to a teammate, you feel their pain. And in turn, I know how close John was with his mom. He talked about her all the time. When we finally sat down and squashed our issues, we had a real &lsquo;kumbaya moment.&rsquo; We talked about all of our personal struggles, all that we were dealing with and had been dealing with. We cleared the air and connected on a whole &lsquo;nother level as teammates, and it was exactly what we needed. So, hearing last week that my teammate contemplated suicide was devastating. Yeah, we had our issues in the past, but none of that matters now. I am cheering for John and want him to be successful both on and off the court.&rdquo;
Thomas: I&rsquo;m glad we did this interview, to have us &mdash; two former Wizards &mdash; encourage our brotha. You know, once a Wizard, always a Wizard. I really want to see him do well too. I was already rooting for him to really have a new beginning with the Clippers and shine like the old John Wall, but now I&rsquo;m rooting for him times 1,000.&nbsp;
Gortat: &ldquo;I couldn&rsquo;t agree with you more! I wanna see John demolish every other point guard in the league. Just go on a tear. I remember seeing him battle every game &mdash; Kyrie Irving, Derrick Rose, Chris Paul &mdash; and people forget how good he was, how fast he was end to end, how explosive he was. John was special, and I want to see him get back to that. But more importantly, I want him to heal because he has literally gone through hell over these last years.&rdquo;

John Wall recently opened up about his struggles. Former Wizards centers Etan Thomas and Marcin Gortat discuss his comments.

Marcin Gortat: 'A lot of people owe John Wall an apology'

The Cleveland Cavaliers have acquired All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell from the Utah Jazz for Collin Sexton, Lauri Markkanen and Ochai Agbaji in a sign-and-trade, multiple sources confirmed to Basketball News. Sexton and the Jazz agreed to terms on a four-year, $72 million contract agreement, per Yahoo's Chris Haynes.
The Cavs will also send three unprotected first-round picks (2025, 2027, 2029) and two future pick swaps (2026, 2028) in the deal. The news was first reported by Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. 
Sources told Basketball News that the deal "all came together in the last 24 hours." This is a swing-for-the-fences type of move by the Cavs, who clearly believe that they had to add another superstar to complement their up-and-coming star in Darius Garland, along with the team's promising two young bigs in Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. With a majority of the Eastern Conference improving with huge offseason moves &mdash; such as Dejounte Murray heading to the Atlanta Hawks and Malcolm Brogdon going to the Boston Celtics &mdash; Cleveland joined the party by bringing in a bona fide superstar in Mitchell.
Fit shouldn't be too much of an issue for "Spida," as he'll slide into the 2-guard role that Sexton occupied for the last two seasons (before getting hurt early last year). For a number of months now, the Cavs have discussed taking some of the playmaking burden off of Garland so he can get loose and work away from the ball. Mitchell's ability to create for others has improved year-by-year, and there's no worrying about him creating space to get his own shot off. We definitely know how well Garland and his new backcourt partner can score the ball, but watching them work in sync could be poetry in motion. And while delegating between the two might be shaky at first, once some cohesiveness is established, it'll be on.
If you're into simple counting numbers, Mitchell adds about 26 points per game to this roster that was missing. (Sexton's absence was very much felt last season.) Donovan's True Shooting percentage was the highest of his career to boot (57.2%), and he also contributed a career-high 27.7% assist rate.
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Defensively, we know Mitchell had his flaws last season; however, the personnel Cleveland has in place with Mobley and Allen should take some of that pressure off of him. They are both rim-protecting (and switching, in Evan's case) monsters in their own unique way, which should cover for both smaller guards if they get beat, as we've seen in the past.
It will be interesting to see what Cavs head coach J.B. Bickerstaff does with his rotation, as Cleveland lost its starting small forward in this deal as well. Will he elect to try Mobley at the 3 and possibly go back to Kevin Love at the 4 to keep "big ball" going? Will there be a three-guard lineup between Garland, Mitchell and Caris LeVert? Does the team trust Isaac Okoro enough offensively to give him his starting spot back?
Those are likely the most prominent questions on everybody's minds with Cleveland.
As for the Jazz, they have slammed the reset button. It started with the Rudy Gobert trade to Minnesota, and ended by sending Mitchell packing to Cleveland. Now, they've got some intriguing young pieces to work with.
Kudos to Utah general manager Justin Zanik and executive Danny Ainge for bringing in two solid starters and a lottery-pick rookie in this move. Sexton is a straight-up dog as a scorer, an intense competitor and one of the best culture pieces the Jazz could bring in. He's improved as a three-point shooter, has become a better passer over the years and will never shy away from crunch time. While he must improve defensively, the desire and ball pressure are there.
Markkanen is a stretch 4 who can spread the floor, attack off the dribble in an unorthodox manner and is long enough to be disruptive on defense. His biggest issue to overcome is his inconsistency. Agbaji hasn't even stepped foot on the floor yet, but at Summer League in Las Vegas, he had a pair of games where he was lights out from distance and was well balanced with his shooting form.
We'll see how the new-look Jazz operate under head coach Will Hardy. Utah also recently brought in Talen Horton-Tucker and Stanley Johnson, while also trading for Jarred Vanderbilt and Malik Beasley. One thing is for sure, Zanik and Ainge retooled this roster in a big way, and with all of those guards and veterans, they're probably not done. It'll be intriguing to see how this team comes together at the end.
Even with Cleveland growing organically, step-by-step, the team obviously felt this was an opportunity it couldn't pass up. This front office is quite meticulous when it comes to the importance of chemistry and not messing with a good thing, and that showed last season by how fun this locker room truly was.
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Cavs president Koby Altman and general manager Mike Gansey have shaken things up with a colossal blockbuster, and were successful in keeping their core three pieces together. For that, they should be commended. Mitchell and Sexton are similar in some aspects of their game and their stature; with that said, the former is further along into his career with plenty of memorable playoff moments and experiences, as well as three All-Star appearances.
On paper, Cleveland is boasting a deep, talented roster with some solid balance. Barring any health setbacks, the 26-year-old Mitchell should fit like a glove offensively. Yes, Garland's usage will take a bit of a hit; maybe that's a good thing. He was out of gas when the Play-In Tournament came around. Honestly, the whole team was.
But adding a talent like Mitchell to the fold means you can trust two incredible ball-handlers and stagger them, if need be, and let the chips fall where they may.
Mitchell is locked in for the next three years of his contract, with a player option in 2025-26. Garland just inked a rookie max extension. Allen is in it for the long haul. You'll have to imagine Evan Mobley will be in line to sign the dotted line. The Cavs are not messing around and have a loaded core going forward.
Maybe that'll finally quiet the LeBron James rumors, huh?

Spencer Davies offers his instant reaction to the shocking trade of Donovan Mitchell to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Instant reaction: Cavs swing for fences with Donovan Mitchell trade

Alex Kennedy goes 1-on-1 with Tyrese Haliburton, who opens up about getting traded, the Pacers' future, his offseason training, etc.

Tyrese Haliburton won’t let trade 'resentment' define new Pacers era

For years, the trade rumors have been nonstop between Myles Turner and the Indiana Pacers.
But in this latest chapter, things appear to be different.
After weeks of flirting with Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton, Indiana stunningly extended a four-year, $133 million max offer sheet to the Bahamian big man. And although the Suns matched and retained Ayton right away, Turner&rsquo;s long-term stance with the Pacers now feels crystal clear.
The 26-year-old center doesn&rsquo;t look to be in the Pacers&rsquo; plans, and it feels like it&rsquo;s in the best interest of both parties at this point to finally break off from one another.
Even if it didn&rsquo;t lead to an actual transaction, the Pacers&rsquo; aggressive pursuit of Ayton speaks volumes to the tune changing within Indianapolis recently. Extending max offer sheets, let alone to restricted free agents? That's unheard of throughout the ownership tenure of Herb Simon, but the tides seem to be turning towards a new era when the opportunity presents itself the Pacers are going to go for it no matter the price.
So, where do the Pacers and Turner go from here? It&rsquo;s going to be a rocky road to reconciliation, one that might actually pick up trade conversations around the league instead. How else should Turner view the latest chapter besides seeing the writing on the wall? Indiana did right by Malcolm Brogdon, cooperating with his agent to ship him off to the best win-now destination. We could soon see deja vu with Turner instead being moved by the rebuilding Pacers in short order.
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Since the midpoint of last season, Indiana has decided to finally embrace a long-overdue rebuild attempt. Trading away two-time All-Star center Domantas Sabonis to the Sacramento Kings for Tyrese Haliburton, the shift to becoming sellers and prioritizing a full-on youth movement was instant. Post-Haliburton, the Pacers brought aboard Jalen Smith and Aaron Nesmith via trade, and selected Arizona wing Bennedict Mathurin at No. 6 overall to pair alongside their star young point guard.
All of a sudden, Turner now feels like a clunky long-term fit within the Pacers&rsquo; new nucleus of talent all under age-25, sans Chris Duarte (25): Haliburton, Mathurin, Isaiah Jackson, Smith, Nesmith, Oshae Brissett, Andrew Nembhard, Kendall Brown, Goga Bitadze.
When Indiana instead chose to chase Ayton at max dollar figures, the franchise kind of already answered the question of whether or not to pay Turner. Smith was re-signed to a team-friendly contract &mdash; which included a promised starting spot at power forward &mdash; and the internal development of Isaiah Jackson begins to become a pivotal storyline to monitor with his immense two-way upside. With Smith and Jackson ready to absorb heavy minutes on a roster nowhere close to competing next season, it&rsquo;s a plausible reality to predict that a Turner trade will be the next notable NBA domino to drop.
The curious case of Turner&rsquo;s value now goes under the microscope because it&rsquo;s a complicated situation. There&rsquo;s no denying the game-changing impact Turner brings as one of the best shot-blockers in the league, but his availability has become a recent concern. It&rsquo;s especially dicey because Turner&rsquo;s last two seasons were cut short due to foot injuries, which is never something you want to see for a big man.
Also, with Turner now on an $18 million expiring contract, Indiana missed its window awhile ago to flip him at his potential peak value. Now, a potential return for Turner in a trade likely falls into the same category as Brogdon, which features a late first-round pick and maybe a prospect unable to crack a team&rsquo;s rotation yet.
Here's a hypothetical example of a framework regarding the Charlotte Hornets, an often-rumored Turner destination that could bring back realistic value to the Pacers.
Pacers receive: Mason Plumlee, Kai Jones, JT Thor, 2023 first-round pick (via Nuggets)
Hornets receive: Myles Turner
It's certainly not a package that would make Pacers fans giddy with enthusiasm, but it&rsquo;s the hand dealt for the team's current situation. If the Pacers were to add a fourth first-round pick for next year&rsquo;s draft, it could further shape their vision as a team fully plunging into the tank race for Victor Wembanyama, Scoot Henderson and other top prospects in the Class of 2023.
Although Turner may not fit the Pacers&rsquo; window anymore, his role would make him an easy fit for any win-now organization.
Over the last four years, Turner&rsquo;s statistics help display his impact while also playing alongside another big in Sabonis: 12.7 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game on 35.0% from three-point range. Being able to protect the rim as well as anyone, while also adequately spacing the floor for others, Turner&rsquo;s presence has the potential of elevating a team looking to be a Finals contender. (Teams like the Miami Heat, Los Angeles Lakers and Toronto Raptors immediately come to mind as potential Turner suitors.)
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Indiana&rsquo;s rebuild has started off strong, much in part to the presence of Haliburton making it easier for everyone else. If Mathurin becomes a hit, the Pacers' backcourt will be set for years to come, and other young pieces to the puzzle should continue to find their footing. And if they were to somehow get some lottery luck next year, this Indiana rebuild projected to take a long time might be much quicker than everyone expects.
Moving away from a stagnated core, Turner is the lone piece remaining for the time being still in Indiana. Caris LeVert is in Cleveland. Sabonis is alongside De&rsquo;Aaron Fox on the Kings. Brogdon recently joined a top title threat in Boston.
Where exactly will Turner end up soon enough? That&rsquo;s the biggest question looming out there, as the Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant sagas continue to lead nowhere.

After a failed aggressive pursuit for Deandre Ayton, the Pacers may have finally provided their answer to the Myles Turner question.

Have the Pacers already determined Myles Turner's future in Indiana?

Among this offseason's crop of free agents, some players are flying under the radar. Coming off a torn meniscus, Cleveland Cavaliers combo guard Collin Sexton enters restricted free agency with an uncertain long-term future with the organization.
With Darius Garland&rsquo;s massive jump last season, alongside the midseason addition of Caris LeVert (who is extension-eligible), does Sexton still fit into Cleveland&rsquo;s vision? At the moment, Sexton feels slotted into a sixth man role for the Cavaliers or as a secondary piece behind Garland, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen.
Throughout his career in Cleveland, Sexton has shown a true knack for scoring the basketball at an efficient clip, averaging 20.0 points, 3.3 assists and 3.0 rebounds per game on 55.0% True Shooting.
On Tuesday afternoon, the Cavaliers extended a qualifying offer to Sexton, which means they can match any offer sheet he receives the open market. However, how many teams will seriously pursue Sexton? After the draft, the landscape looks much clearer for potential destinations outside of Cleveland.
A return to the Cavaliers is certainly possible. But let&rsquo;s dive into the three best landing spots for Sexton around the league if he doesn't stick around in Northeast Ohio.
WASHINGTON WIZARDS 
It&rsquo;s no secret at this point that the Wizards covet a point-guard upgrade to pair alongside Bradley Beal. Whether it be Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Dejounte Murray, Malcolm Brogdon or Tyus Jones, Washington seems to be making calls everywhere at the moment.
Could we be underrating the Wizards as a potential fit for Sexton in the process? Next to Beal, Sexton would consistently see open looks, but his playmaking chops would have to improve to a more consistent level, as Washington needs a smooth operator to run head coach Wes Unseld Jr.&rsquo;s system.
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The offensive fit for Sexton with Beal is super fun, but the defense is also super questionable. However, there&rsquo;s no denying Sexton would be the best point guard Beal has played with in D.C. since John Wall. And that&rsquo;s not hyperbole either. The Wizards need to have something click for them in their backcourt, and the clock is now restarting once Beal inks his new lucrative deal.
It's highly unlikely that Sexton would come to D.C. with a mid-level exception offer &mdash; regardless of whether it's the $10.3 million non-taxpayer annually or the $6.3 million taxpayer annually &mdash; so the team would have to get creative to get him there, likely via a sign-and-trade. We know that Kyle Kuzma and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope could be available, but would that entice Cleveland? How about Deni Avdija or Rui Hachimura, both of whom have flashed upside albeit inconsistently?
Sexton would solve a lot of scoring woes for Washington, but is the price of admission worth it for a team seemingly trying to simultaneously retool and make win-now moves?
SAN ANTONIO SPURS
A week ago, this option would&rsquo;ve never seriously been considered. Now, it seems San Antonio is seriously considering a pivot to a full-scale rebuild, which would mean trading away their All-Star point guard Dejounte Murray. The Atlanta Hawks have been consistently rumored as a potential landing spot for Murray, and it makes a lot of sense <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/dejounte-murray-trade-rumors-nba-atlanta-hawks-san-antonio-spurs-john-collins-deal-atl" target="_blank" rel="noopener">as I covered earlier this week</a>.
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From the perspective of Sexton and the Spurs, it could become a realistic marriage that makes sense for both sides. The Spurs' hole at point guard would be serious, but trading Murray could easily signal their intentions to tank the season for generational prospect Victor Wembanyama. Would Sexton fit the Spurs&rsquo; new timeline around their young core? Absolutely. Remember, Sexton is only 23 years old, so he actually makes sense as a long-term piece to their puzzle alongside Keldon Johnson, Devin Vassell, Jeremy Sochan and others.
While the market for Sexton away from Cleveland is thinner than expected, San Antonio truly makes sense as a logical landing spot.
DALLAS MAVERICKS
With Dallas now expected to lose Jalen Brunson to the New York Knicks in free agency, could Sexton all of a sudden become a realistic fallback option? If the Mavericks are able to secure a large trade exception in a deal with New York for Brunson, they could become an interesting trade candidate for guards such as Malcolm Brogdon or Sexton. (However, it's looking like the Knicks will be able to sign Brunson outright.)
Alongside Luka Doncic, Sexton would excel in a score-first role. For the Mavericks, Sexton represents a player with upside on the same timeline as Doncic.
The big question becomes: What exactly would the Mavericks be willing to pay for his services if they create that aforementioned traded-player exception? If it&rsquo;s on a similar tier as Brunson, around $20 million, it actually could be a very plausible reality for Sexton to be a strong backcourt partner with Doncic in Dallas. (If Dallas doesn't get a traded-player exception, they would only have the mid-level exception, so sign-and-trade would be the only realistic route to land Sexton.)
However, thinking out loud, it should be noted that Tim Hardaway Jr. will be returning in basically the same role, and his contract is designed to descend year-by-year &mdash; an advantageous structure given that Doncic is starting his rookie max extension next season. (Dorian Finney-Smith also begins his new deal.) Spencer Dinwiddie joined the Mavs' fray at the trade deadline to boot, and proved to be a key contributor in multiple moments after he was acquired as well.
It will be very interesting to see where exactly Sexton lands within the next few weeks. If he ends up staying in Cleveland, will it be beyond the 2022-23 campaign?
These looming questions will soon be answered for Sexton, the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/nba-free-agency" target="_blank" rel="noopener">No. 9 ranked free agent on BasketballNews</a>, but he&rsquo;s one of the more interesting names to follow as we close in on the official start of the new league year.
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If Collin Sexton moves on from the Cavs, which teams make sense as a landing spot? Evan Sidery breaks down potential destinations.

Examining potential free-agency destinations for Collin Sexton

Less than three weeks until the NBA&rsquo;s free-agency period gets underway, how many teams project to have significant cap space this offseason?
As of now, there are just six NBA teams that are poised to have considerable spending power this summer: the Detroit Pistons, Orlando Magic, Portland Trail Blazers, Memphis Grizzlies, Indiana Pacers and San Antonio Spurs.
It's worth noting that these are just projections because front offices still need to make decisions on team options, non-guaranteed contracts, whether to renounce their own free agents, etc. These projections are courtesy of <a href="https://www.duckingthetax.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ducking The Tax</a>.
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Let&rsquo;s examine each team's cap situation:
Detroit Pistons: $27,673,195
The Pistons have some decisions to make this offseason. Jerami Grant has been mentioned in trade rumors over the last two seasons, and he might finally get moved. Marvin Bagley III is a restricted free agent and since he failed to start 41 games or play 2,000 minutes this season, his qualifying offer decreased from $14.8 million to $7.3 million. Cory Joseph has a player option worth $5,155,000. Also, the following players have a team option: Frank Jackson ($3,100,000), Hamidou Diallo ($5,200,000), Luka Garza ($1,563,518) and Carsen Edwards ($1,815,677).
Detroit has the No. 5 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft and could have the most cap space in the NBA, so this is a huge offseason for Troy Weaver and Co. Given the Pistons&rsquo; flexibility and desire to add talent around Cade Cunningham, Detroit has been mentioned as a possible suitor for Deandre Ayton, Jalen Brunson, Collin Sexton and Mitchell Robinson among others. It remains to be seen if the Pistons will use the bulk of their cap space this summer.
Orlando Magic: $25,516,309&nbsp;
All eyes are on the Magic entering this offseason, as they own the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft and they will have a ton of cap space. Some projections have Orlando with more cap space than Detroit, but it depends what the Magic do over the next few weeks.
Mo Bamba is a restricted free agent with a $10,096,703 qualifying offer, and <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/examining-potential-destinations-for-mo-bamba" target="_blank" rel="noopener">his days in Orlando may be numbered</a> since the Magic are expected to draft Jabari Smith or Chet Holmgren. Bol Bol ($2.7 million qualifying offer), Ignas Brazdeikis ($1.5 million qualifying offer) and Admiral Schofield ($1.5 million qualifying offer) are also restricted free agents. Orlando has a team option for Moe Wagner (($1,878,720) and Devin Cannady ($1,752,638). Also, Gary Harris and Robin Lopez are unrestricted free agents, and Orlando can free up additional space by renouncing their rights.&nbsp;
It&rsquo;s also worth noting that this projection includes the $10,907,160 salary that they'll have to pay their No. 1 pick next year. Orlando won just 22 games this season, and it doesn&rsquo;t seem like the team is in any rush to take the next step forward; the Magic may be comfortable dragging out this rebuild for a few more years and focusing on their young core&rsquo;s development in the meantime.
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Portland Trail Blazers: $24,063,805
Anfernee Simons is a restricted free agent with a $5,758,551 qualifying offer, and re-signing him is Portland&rsquo;s top priority this offseason. In his 30 games as a starter this season, he averaged 22.0 points, 5.5 assists, 4.1 threes and 2.8 rebounds on .452/.415/.871 shooting splits.
CJ Elleby, Elijah Hughes and Keljin Blevins are also poised to be restricted free agents. Only $3.9 million of Eric Bledsoe's $19.4 million salary is guaranteed, so waiving him would give Portland significantly more cap space. Also, Josh Hart's $12.9 million deal is non-guaranteed, giving the Blazers even more flexibility (although the team will likely want to keep Hart). Portland has several unrestricted free agents, including Jusuf Nurkic, Joe Ingles, Ben McLemore, Cody Zeller and Drew Eubanks.
The Blazers can create enough cap space to offer a max deal this offseason, but they'd have to waive the Bird rights of Nurkic, Ingles, McLemore, Zeller and Eubanks, as well as Bledsoe and Hart. A <a href="https://www.duckingthetax.com/blog/the-pivotal-offseason-in-portland" target="_blank" rel="noopener">more likely outcome</a> is Portland operating as an over-the-cap team, re-signing Nurkic, using its $21 million traded-player exception and then using the non-taxpayer mid-level exception worth $10,349,000. (In this scenario, they'd still be waiving Bledsoe.) The Blazers are a team to watch this offseason, as they have been linked to numerous players in trade rumors. Portland is being aggressive as they look to surround Damian Lillard and Simons with talent.
Memphis Grizzlies: $19,273,650
Seeing the Grizzlies on this list may surprise some people, but they can actually clear quite a bit of cap space this summer. The question is: Will they make the necessary moves to do so?
Memphis could remain over the cap and prioritize re-signing Kyle Anderson and Tyus Jones, who are both unrestricted free agents. Or, the Grizzlies could decide to renounce Anderson, Jones and Jarrett Culver, which would carve out $19.3 million in cap space that they could play with. Another option is they could try to pull off a sign-and-trade using some of their young players and draft picks (since they have eight first-rounders in the next five drafts). Memphis is already a contender, and the franchise enters this offseason as a bit of a wild card given all of its options.
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Indiana Pacers: $17,477,594
This projection factors in the $6,498,600 salary that Indiana will have to pay the No. 6 overall pick, assuming the team makes the selection. The Pacers could free up more cap space, but that would entail getting rid of certain players (or trading their pick). Oshae Brissett ($1,846,738) and Keifer Sykes ($1,563,518) have a team option. Only $625,000 of Terry Taylor's $1,563,518 salary is guaranteed, and Duane Washington Jr.&rsquo;s $1,563,518 salary is non-guaranteed too. Indiana can free up additional cap space by renouncing the rights to unrestricted free agents TJ Warren, Ricky Rubio, Jalen Smith and Lance Stephenson.&nbsp;
The Pacers were a 25-win team this season after blowing up their roster, trading away Domantas Sabonis, Caris LeVert, Torrey Craig, Justin Holiday and Jeremy Lamb. It&rsquo;s possible that they aren&rsquo;t done making trades, as Malcolm Brogdon has been <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/examining-potential-trade-destinations-for-malcolm-brogdon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rumored to be available</a> and Myles Turner could be shopped once again. The Pacers are focused on building around their young core that includes Tyrese Haliburton, Isaiah Jackson and Chris Duarte among others.
San Antonio Spurs: $14,204,803&nbsp;
Some projections have the Spurs with significantly more cap space, and it&rsquo;s true that San Antonio's decision-makers could free up more cap room if they so choose. However, that would require them to renounce the rights to Lonnie Walker IV (who&rsquo;s a restricted free agent with a $6,319,683 qualifying offer and $13,343,688 cap hold) and release Zach Collins (who has a $7,350,000 salary, but only $3,675,000 is guaranteed). Tre Jones' $1,782,621 is also non-guaranteed, but it seems unlikely that San Antonio would move on from the 22-year-old. Also, this projection includes the salaries that San Antonio will have to pay its three first-round picks (No. 9, No. 20 and No. 25), assuming the organization keeps those selections.
While these six teams project to have the most cap space, other teams could still get under the cap via trades. And even if a team doesn&rsquo;t have cap room, it could still make a significant free-agent addition using the mid-level exception.
Who are the top players available in this summer&rsquo;s free-agent class? <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/nba-free-agency" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Check out our NBA free-agent rankings and scouting reports here</a>. And for more information about the salary cap and relevant terms to know between now and the start of free agency, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-freeagency-glossary-relevant-terms-to-know-before-july-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">check out our free-agency glossary</a>.
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With less than three weeks until NBA free agency gets underway, there are only six teams that project to have significant cap space.

Which NBA teams have the most cap space entering free agency?

LeBron James, one of the most celebrated and accomplished basketball players in the history of the sport, has never been shy about revealing his off-court ambitions.&nbsp;&nbsp;
In 2016, during an episode of UNINTERRUPTED's "Open Run" podcast, <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/lebron-james-says-his-dream-is-to-own-an-nba-team/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">James declared</a>: "My dream is to actually own a team." While it may have seemed somewhat fantastical at the time, that dream is far closer to reality nowadays.&nbsp;
In the six years since making that statement, James has continued to grow his financial empire. Last week, <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/chasewithorn/2022/06/02/lebron-james-is-officially-a-billionaire/?sh=45be91f0453e" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Forbes reported</a> that James' net worth has reached $1 billion, making him the first active NBA player to hit this milestone.&nbsp;
James has pocketed nearly $350 million in on-court earnings throughout his career, making him the second-highest-paid athlete in the world behind only soccer superstar Lionel Messi. However, LeBron has also made massive sums of money via his investments in companies such as Lyft, Tonal, Blaze Pizza and SpringHill Entertainment as well as his endorsement deals with Nike, AT&amp;T, PepsiCo and Walmart among others. Forbes estimates that James has netted $500 million from his investments.
Speaking with reporters after a game last season, <a href="https://www.nba.com/lakers/video/teams/lakers/2021/03/16/178126/1615963311578-webpostlbj-178126">James reaffirmed his desire to own an NBA franchise someday</a>. 
"I've always said that my goal was to own a team, own an NBA team," James said. "I've got so much to give to the game. I know what it takes to win at this level. I know talent. I also know how to run a business as well, and so that is my goal. My goal is to own an NBA franchise, and it'll be sooner than later."
At around the same time that James made those comments, it was announced that he had become a partner in Fenway Sports Group, which owns the Boston Red Sox and Liverpool Football Club of the English Premier League among other properties. Earlier this week, James shared interesting specifics related to his future ownership objectives.&nbsp;
"Yeah, I wanna buy a team, for sure. I want a team in Vegas," James said in a clip from the latest episode of his show, "The Shop," which will debut Friday.
On Thursday, James <a href="https://twitter.com/KingJames/status/1534940135967510533?s=20&amp;t=i-pFnJOA7Au_G32vhfkPHQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tweeted the clip</a> alongside the caption, "Speaking it into existence!"
The first major obstacle in the way is the fact that the NBA does not currently have a team in Las Vegas. However, many league insiders firmly believe that the NBA will announce plans to expand in the near future and that Vegas is all but a lock to land one of the coveted slots.&nbsp;
In a press conference before Game 1 of the NBA Finals last week, commissioner Adam Silver confirmed that "at some point, this league invariably will expand," before adding, "it's not at this moment that we are discussing it."
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When the NBA officially expands, it is assumed that they will add two franchises simultaneously to keep the league balanced with an even number of teams. Along with Vegas, Seattle is the other city considered a heavy favorite to secure the rights to a new franchise. Seattle served as the home of the SuperSonics from 1968 through 2008 before the franchise relocated to Oklahoma City, leaving basketball fans in the Pacific Northwest heartbroken. In the years since, there has been a concerted effort from fans, players and coaches to bring a team back.&nbsp;
When asked about Las Vegas specifically, Silver noted that the city is the home to the NBA Summer League and that Vegas "has shown itself to be a great sports market." Last October, in an interview with Sports Business Journal, <a href="https://www.si.com/fannation/nba/fastbreak/rumors/nba-rumor-could-a-team-be-coming-to-las-vegas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Silver acknowledged</a> that when the league starts seriously exploring expansion, there is "no doubt Vegas will be on the list."
With sports betting becoming legal in more and more states, propelled by the windfall of profits mobile wagering has generated, pro sports teams are no longer afraid to lay down roots in Sin City. Las Vegas is currently home to the NFL's Raiders and NHL's Golden Knights. In 2017, the NBA and WNBA approved the sale of the San Antonio Silver Stars to MGM Resorts in Las Vegas.
Earlier this year, the Oak View Group <a href="https://www.si.com/nba/2022/03/30/las-vegas-nba-arena-rumors-sports-entertainment-district-oak-view-group" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> that it had purchased 25 acres of land in Vegas to build a $3 billion sports and entertainment district that will include a 20,000-seat arena.
"The arena will be world-class," <a href="https://www.si.com/nba/2022/03/30/las-vegas-nba-arena-rumors-sports-entertainment-district-oak-view-group" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said CEO Tim Leiweke</a>. "It will be for music, it'll be for sports, it'll be for cultural activities, and should the NBA decide to come &mdash; and by the way, there's no certainty or no guarantees that the NBA is ever coming to Vegas but should they come &mdash; we certainly will be NBA-ready and make sure that we hit all of their standards."
The arena will be located 10 minutes from the strip and it's expected to break ground sometime in 2023.
When attempting to speculate how much a new franchise might be worth, it should be noted that the most recent NBA team to go on the market was the Minnesota Timberwolves. In April, former MLB star Alex Rodriguez and former Walmart e-commerce CEO Marc Lore agreed to purchase the Timberwolves for $1.5 billion. Like Rodriguez, James would need to recruit a partner or form an ownership group to make a competitive bid. Last week, Nike founder Phil Knight<a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/34026351/sources-nike-phil-knight-dodgers-alan-smolinisky-make-offer-buy-portland-trail-blazers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a>offered to pay more than $2 billion to purchase the Portland Trail Blazers.
It's also important to note that, per the league's collective bargaining agreement, James would be unable to purchase any stake in an NBA franchise while he is an active NBA player. And although he turns 38 years old later this year, James is still playing at an incredibly high level. This past season, James averaged 30.3 points, 8.2 rebounds, 6.2 assists and a career-high 2.9 made three-pointers per game.
In an <a href="https://theathletic.com/3138844/2022/02/19/could-lebron-james-return-to-cleveland-again-the-doors-not-closed-on-that-he-says" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interview with The Athletic</a> published in February, James stated definitively that he plans to play long enough to share the floor with his oldest son, Bronny.
"My last year will be played with my son," James said. "Wherever Bronny is at, that's where I'll be. I would do whatever it takes to play with my son for one year. It's not about the money at that point."
Bronny won't be draft-eligible for another two years under the NBA's current CBA.&nbsp;
Regarding the league's potential timeline, it has been rumored that Silver and Co. plan to hold off on formally announcing serious steps toward expansion until after the NBA's current media rights deal expires in 2024. It's possible that the NBA's timeline and James' long-term plan could perfectly align.
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LeBron James says he wants to own an NBA team in Las Vegas. Tommy Beer breaks down James' goal and whether it's feasible.

Examining LeBron James' goal of owning an NBA team in Las Vegas

Nekias Duncan breaks down the 2022 NBA Finals between the Celtics and Warriors from a multitude of angles.

2022 NBA Finals Scouting Report: How the Celtics and Warriors match up

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

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

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

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

Admit it, you still want the series.
Hell, you probably want it even more now.
You still want a No. 2 vs. No. 7 matchup of the Philadelphia 76ers and Brooklyn Nets in Round 1, even though the potential prelude to it was as underwhelming as "Battlefield 2042."
We all come to basketball for different reasons.
Some of you just want straight hoops &mdash; buckets, athleticism, dunks, tough shot-making, etc. Some of you want in-depth, coach-like film breakdowns of the game. Then, there are those of you who want a balance with a little of both, but not too much of either. Others enjoy narratives, stories that transcend numbers and what may really fuel certain things leaving us in awe.
And then, there are the particulars who just want the drama &mdash; transactions, rumors, business, who hates who &mdash; and that&rsquo;s really what Thursday night was about for a ton of viewers who experienced primetime Sixers vs. Nets on TNT.
The first video some of us saw featured Ben Simmons getting heckled after leaving his hotel and boarding what presumably was the Nets&rsquo; team bus. It sounded like... he was back in Philadelphia.
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Ben Simmons sneaking out of hotel trying to avoid heckling fans. <a href="https://twitter.com/FOX29philly?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FOX29philly</a> <a href="https://t.co/VjnQipa6n2">pic.twitter.com/VjnQipa6n2</a>
&mdash; Chris O'Connell (@CoconnellFox29) <a href="https://twitter.com/CoconnellFox29/status/1502043428728844290?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Simmons remains out with a reported back issue and needs to ramp up his conditioning. He still might not be mentally ready to return ⁠&mdash; perhaps it&rsquo;s all the above ⁠&mdash; but the All-Star did join the Nets in warmups, and was serenaded by the Philadelphia boo-birds both before and after the game.
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Ben Simmons was welcomed with boos in his return to Philly. <a href="https://t.co/5ZSktchthL">pic.twitter.com/5ZSktchthL</a>
&mdash; Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) <a href="https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/1502071069611479040?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Ben Simmons went over and hugged the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/76ers?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#76ers</a> team security, then departed the court, showered with more boos. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/nets?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#nets</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/nba?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#nba</a> <a href="https://t.co/4YBLuHWFZn">pic.twitter.com/4YBLuHWFZn</a>
&mdash; Brian Lewis (@NYPost_Lewis) <a href="https://twitter.com/NYPost_Lewis/status/1502074075673505794?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 11, 2022</a></blockquote>

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This is the city that booed and hurled snowballs at Santa Claus in the 1960s, back when it was cool to think a jumbo-sized, red-pajama wearing, high-flying, sleigh-riding, chimney-climbing, cookie-eating, milk-drinking, white-bearded Caucasian dude existed.
So Simmons, justified or not, wasn&rsquo;t going to be off-limits at all.
In the actual game, Kyrie Irving hit the first memorable jumper &mdash; a&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/NBAdoPovo/status/1502088416023957523" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stepback in Harden&rsquo;s face</a>. Harden retaliated with&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/brasilcoast2/status/1502087391007363104" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one of his own just minutes later</a>, his most memorable moment of the night, if we&rsquo;re keeping it a buck.&nbsp;
The keystone moment of the contest, while it was still competitive, featured Kevin Durant and Joel Embiid jawing at one another after Embiid shouldered into Durant and knocked him on his ass.
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KD and Embiid going at it 🍿 <a href="https://t.co/kicLbz1Ubw">pic.twitter.com/kicLbz1Ubw</a>
&mdash; NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBAonTNT/status/1502092540756910081?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 11, 2022</a></blockquote>

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And then, from there, it didn&rsquo;t matter. The Nets outscored the Sixers 96-79 en route to a 129-100 victory, their biggest blowout win since Nov. 10 &mdash; a 123-90 Brooklyn road triumph over the Orlando Magic.&nbsp;
Quietly, Seth Curry&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/TheHoopCentral/status/1502107719154606087" target="_blank" rel="noopener">might&rsquo;ve talked more sh*t than anyone</a>, and <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1502140164738633729" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lit up his former team</a> (his father-in-law's!) with 24 points and 5 steals while shooting 10 of 14 from the field and 4 of 8 from three. Embiid ended the night with an unimpressive 27 points and 12 rebounds on 5 of 17 shooting, though he made 15 of 19 free throw attempts. With 4 points in 29 minutes, Tyrese Maxey had his lowest scoring output of the season.&nbsp;
Now, let&rsquo;s get to the others...
Sixers fans may have chastised Simmons early on and ridiculed the Nets throughout, but the night ended with them booing their own team, who is now 40-25 and third in the Eastern Conference (which will be a brawl until the finish). The Nets are back above .500 at 34-33, but are still just in eighth place and sit five games behind the Cleveland Cavaliers for the No. 6 seed, so Brooklyn is running out of time to avoid a Play-In Tournament scenario.
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If you missed the quotes, there were some interesting ones.&nbsp;
Durant did initially downplay the significance of the win, indicating that the Nets&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/SNYNets/status/1502126038184349697" target="_blank" rel="noopener">didn&rsquo;t win a championship or clinch a playoff spot</a>, but admitted that the team did have some extra motivation given the hostile reaction to Simmons.&nbsp;
&ldquo;We look at Ben [Simmons] as our brother,&rdquo; <a href="https://twitter.com/SNYNets/status/1502127223658233860">said Durant</a>, who the team with 25 points, 14 rebounds and 7 assists. &ldquo;We knew that this was a hostile environment, and we knew that he didn&rsquo;t have an opportunity to play, so we wanted to come out there and have them (the fans) focus on the court more so than just always focusing on him. They focused on the court tonight, and it&rsquo;s hard for you to chant at Ben Simmons when you&rsquo;re losing by that much.&rdquo;
Harden, who finished with 11 points on 3 of 17 shooting &mdash; and missed all 8 of his two-pointers &mdash; admitted to getting his ass whooped while wearing an overly-puffy (and likely, absurdly expensive) jacket in his postgame presser.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Tonight was good for us,&rdquo; said a straight-faced Harden, who was <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2022/03/11/james-harden-hangs-with-travis-scott-lil-baby-after-blowout-loss-nets/?adid=social-twa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">spotted out on the town with Lil Baby and Travis Scott following the blowout</a>. &ldquo;We got our ass kicked. Since I&rsquo;ve been here, everything&rsquo;s been sweet, we&rsquo;ve been winning games. And so, tonight was good for us, and we get an opportunity to come down to reality, watch film and just continue to get better.&rdquo;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
"Tonight was good for us. We got our ass kicked." <a href="https://t.co/WWnq7fEqgY">pic.twitter.com/WWnq7fEqgY</a>
&mdash; NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBCSPhilly/status/1502127744221655050?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 11, 2022</a></blockquote>

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

Irving, who added 22 points, 5 threes, and 5 assists, also spoke after the contest.
&ldquo;I think playing for Ben and this night meaning something to Ben &mdash; not only Ben, but Dre (Andre Drummond), Seth [Curry] &mdash; when you get traded in this league, it&rsquo;s not easy to deal with,&rdquo; Irving pointed out.&nbsp;
&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve tried to welcome them in with open arms. So, when we played tonight, we definitely felt like Ben was on our heart; you could see it, he was wearing it, and we just wanted to go out there and play for him and play well. Again, it&rsquo;s not an individual thing for us. We all felt it; we&rsquo;re all there. If you come at Ben, you come at us.&rdquo;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
"It's not an individual thing for us. We all felt it. We're all there. If you come at Ben, you come at us" - Kyrie Irving <a href="https://t.co/xWvpdIah3U">pic.twitter.com/xWvpdIah3U</a>
&mdash; Nets Videos (@SNYNets) <a href="https://twitter.com/SNYNets/status/1502131158166867969?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 11, 2022</a></blockquote>

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

Well, if we see these two clash in the postseason ⁠&mdash; and the first-round possibility is there &mdash; it&rsquo;d be nice if the Sixers came for somebody.&nbsp;
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Bryan Fonseca recaps Thursday's highly-anticipated superstar clash between the Philadelphia 76ers and Brooklyn Nets.

Nets-76ers kinda sucked, but we still want more, don’t we?

Once more, the Sacramento Kings are toiling in the NBA&rsquo;s version of no man&rsquo;s land. On the verge of missing the playoffs for the 15th straight season, when will a light finally shine at the end of this franchise's depressing tunnel?
After the Kings traded away very promising second-year guard Tyrese Haliburton to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for All-Star center Domantas Sabonis at last month&rsquo;s trade deadline &mdash; a blockbuster deal for both sides &mdash; they decided the time was now to push some chips into the middle of the table. With the long-standing postseason drought still in full effect, the Kings are trying to capitalize on the new Play-In era of the Association. Although Sacramento is 20 games below .500 at 24-44, the team is within shouting distance of the final Play-In slot at No. 10 in the Western Conference.
The biggest beneficiary of jettisoning Haliburton and bringing aboard Sabonis has been the cemented face of the franchise, De&rsquo;Aaron Fox. Involved in trade rumors himself all season long before acquiring Sabonis, Sacramento&rsquo;s commitment to Fox has paid off in spades over the last month.
Since Feb. 9, the day Sabonis first put on a Kings uniform, Fox has put up some incredible numbers, averaging 28.2 points, 6.5 assists and 4.1 rebounds on an outstanding 59.2% True Shooting percentage. Functioning alongside a big man who can be the hub of an offense, plus creating for others around him, Fox is finally blossoming into an All-Star type of lead guard in Sacramento.
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When comparing Fox&rsquo;s stats before Sabonis, there&rsquo;s no wonder why the Kings decided to pull the trigger and take a real risk committing to Fox over Haliburton long-term as the No. 1 option.
Pre-Sabonis: 21.2 points, 5.2 assists, 3.8 rebounds, 1.2 steals, 53.4 TS%, 27.7 USG%
Post-Sabonis: 28.2 points, 6.5 assists, 4.1 rebounds, 0.8 steals, 59.2 TS%, 28.7 USG%
As you can see, the difference for Fox is massive now playing next to a legitimate running mate who can take the pressure off him. Sabonis has allowed Fox to be fully weaponized within the Kings&rsquo; fast-paced offense, getting downhill to the basket with ease thanks to the new gravity now provided to do his damage.
Now becoming a real legitimate sample size spanning over a month, Fox is showing the goods as to why Sacramento committed a rookie-scale max extension when he was first eligible. Fox was the only hope for Kings fans, as the team otherwise operated within a discombobulated environment. Now, with Sabonis forming a lethal 1-2 offensive punch with Fox, there&rsquo;s at least a foundational idea in place to build further around them.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Fox ➡️ Ox Sabonis is up to 15 points after sinking his first seven shots 🔥 <a href="https://t.co/qA12UGhFgK">pic.twitter.com/qA12UGhFgK</a>
&mdash; Sacramento Kings (@SacramentoKings) <a href="https://twitter.com/SacramentoKings/status/1500255932294434817?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 5, 2022</a></blockquote>

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What still remains an issue, though, with this tandem is the lack of defensive integrity. Sure, the offense has real potential to produce firepower on a consistent basis now, but it won&rsquo;t matter without getting stops on the other end.
Sabonis is the polar opposite of a defensive anchor, consistently worked by strong and aggressive bigs down low. Fox has also lagged behind in this department, really taking a step back the past couple of seasons with his effort as an on-ball defender. In the 299 total minutes Fox and Sabonis have shared the floor together, the Kings are still getting outscored by 2.4 points per 100 possessions. The sole reason for that is because of their horrific job of attempting to contain opposing offenses from doing whatever they want; it checks in at a 118.7 Defensive Rating. If you compare that to team-centric numbers on defense, Sacramento would rank last in the NBA for points allowed per 100 possessions.
Even if the Kings miss the play-in tournament, they are set up well in 2022-23 to finally make a real playoff push. Fox and Sabonis are already locked in, but so is versatile veteran forward Harrison Barnes. Davion Mitchell has flashed some promising potential in his rookie campaign playing on or off-ball alongside Fox. The cupboard is not completely barren in Sacramento, and one more swing of good lottery luck fortune could put them in position to add the much-needed third pillar to vault them into serious postseason discussions.
Just imagine how much better off the Kings would be long-term building a winning program around Fox and Sabonis if they brought in a tantalizing draft prospect like Chet Holmgren from Gonzaga. He&rsquo;s the ideal piece to the puzzle to place next to Sabonis, offsetting serious defensive concerns with a legitimate rim-protector. Very similar to the blueprint Sabonis already experienced with the Pacers, it seems necessary for this whole process to reach its max output down the road.
The Kings are not a laughingstock anymore, but trying to shed that label for over a decade has taken a toll on the organization. If the pendulum swings in the team's favor, Sacramento can finally escape proverbial basketball hell.
Fox&rsquo;s ascension since the arrival of Sabonis has brought clarity to how the Kings&rsquo; lead guard can operate next to a really talented secondary option. Some would argue Sabonis is a better player than Fox, but these flashes we&rsquo;re seeing on a more consistent basis from the former Kentucky Wildcat as of late are super promising for what&rsquo;s next regarding his career arc.
Although it seems far-fetched, the Kings are positioning themselves within their win-now window. The commitment has already taken place by shipping off arguably their most consistent player in Haliburton last month.
Sacramento&rsquo;s vision of building a dynamite offense with Fox and Sabonis is already showing positive results. Now, it&rsquo;s time to see whether it maintains for a last-chance play-in push or a full-on surge in 2022-23.
Fox is already benefiting from this new look in Sacramento, but what other pieces will soon fall into place for what will be a massive offseason once more for the playoff-starved organization?
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
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Since acquiring All-Star big man Domantas Sabonis, De'Aaron Fox is taking serious steps forward for the Kings as their No. 1 option.

De'Aaron Fox is blossoming alongside Domantas Sabonis, but what's next?

NBA players have become some of the most marketable celebrities in the world. These days, it&rsquo;s not uncommon for players to earn significantly more from their off-court opportunities than they do from their NBA contract.&nbsp;
While many companies are lining up to work with NBA players, not all of these stars have the same reach, engagement or consumer appeal. Some are far more influential than others, and <a href="https://www.actionnetwork.com/nba/most-marketable-popular-nba-players" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a new study from The Action Network</a> wanted to find out which NBA stars give companies the best bang for their buck.
To determine each player's "influence score," they analyzed 20 different metrics (each weighted as one point) that fell into three categories: Social performance (which measured their followers, engagement rate, yearly social growth, audience quality score, etc.), audience ratings (which factored in certain demographic and economic factors) and overall likeability (which measured monthly Google searches, online buzz and positive vs. negative sentiment). When everything was added up, 20 was the highest possible score that a player could receive.
LeBron James led all players with an overall score of 14.18, in large part because he ranked first in both social performance and likability. While James <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-most-trolls-trolled-negative-tweets-study-rumors-twitter-positive-mentions-stephen-curry-lebron-james-carmelo-anthony-joel-embiid-russell-westbrook-kevin-durant-kyrie-irving-klay-thompson-kevin-love" target="_blank" rel="noopener">has some haters</a>, he also has a ton of supporters. LeBron has plenty of endorsements and <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-lebron-james-the-businessman-fenway-sports-group-springhill-entertainment-uninterrupted-blaze-pizza-ladder-athletes-companies" target="_blank" rel="noopener">off-court endeavors</a>, which is why his 2021 off-court earnings ($65 million) more than doubled his NBA salary ($31.5 million).
At No. 2 was Stephen Curry with a score of 10.67. He has lucrative endorsement deals with Under Armour, Callaway and CarMax, and his $40 million in off-court earnings ranked eighth-highest among all athletes in 2021.&nbsp;
This is where things get interesting, as Derrick Rose rounds out the top-three with a score of 9.29. The 33-year-old beat out Devin Booker (8.96), Luka Doncic (8.83), Giannis Antetokounmpo (8.59) and Kevin Durant (8.55) among others. Even though Rose isn't the MVP-caliber player he once was and mostly comes off the bench these days, he has one of the most passionate fan bases in all of professional sports.
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After Durant, Kyrie Irving (8.17), LaMelo Ball (8.04) and Russell Westbrook (7.78) round out the top-10.
The Los Angeles Lakers (3), Brooklyn Nets (3), Golden State Warriors (2) and Phoenix Suns (2) were the only teams to have multiple players crack the top-20. Notable omissions from the top-20 include Joel Embiid, Nikola Jokic and Donovan Mitchell.
Here&rsquo;s a look at the complete top-20 list from <a href="https://www.actionnetwork.com/nba/most-marketable-popular-nba-players" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Action Network</a>:
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>
Rank
</td>
<td>
Full Name
</td>
<td>
Team
</td>
<td>
Influence Score
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
1
</td>
<td>
LeBron James
</td>
<td>
Lakers
</td>
<td>
14.18
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
2
</td>
<td>
Steph Curry
</td>
<td>
Warriors
</td>
<td>
10.67
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
3
</td>
<td>
Derrick Rose
</td>
<td>
Knicks
</td>
<td>
9.29
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
4
</td>
<td>
Devin Booker
</td>
<td>
Suns
</td>
<td>
8.96
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
5
</td>
<td>
Luka Doncic
</td>
<td>
Mavericks
</td>
<td>
8.83
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
6
</td>
<td>
Giannis Antetokounmpo
</td>
<td>
Bucks
</td>
<td>
8.59
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
7
</td>
<td>
Kevin Durant
</td>
<td>
Nets
</td>
<td>
8.55
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
8
</td>
<td>
Kyrie Irving
</td>
<td>
Nets
</td>
<td>
8.17
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
9
</td>
<td>
LaMelo Ball
</td>
<td>
Hornets
</td>
<td>
8.04
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
10
</td>
<td>
Russell Westbrook
</td>
<td>
Lakers
</td>
<td>
7.78
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
11
</td>
<td>
Ja Morant
</td>
<td>
Grizzlies
</td>
<td>
7.67
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
12
</td>
<td>
James Harden
</td>
<td>
Sixers
</td>
<td>
7.56
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
13
</td>
<td>
Anthony Davis
</td>
<td>
Lakers
</td>
<td>
7.52
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
14
</td>
<td>
Damian Lillard
</td>
<td>
Blazers
</td>
<td>
7.52
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
15
</td>
<td>
Chris Paul
</td>
<td>
Suns
</td>
<td>
7.51
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
16
</td>
<td>
Klay Thompson
</td>
<td>
Warriors
</td>
<td>
7.47
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
17
</td>
<td>
Jayson Tatum
</td>
<td>
Celtics
</td>
<td>
7.40
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
18
</td>
<td>
Ben Simmons
</td>
<td>
Nets
</td>
<td>
7.32
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
19
</td>
<td>
Zach LaVine
</td>
<td>
Bulls
</td>
<td>
7.31
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
20
</td>
<td>
Zion Williamson
</td>
<td>
Pelicans
</td>
<td>
7.18
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Which players get trolled the most on Twitter? <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-most-trolls-trolled-negative-tweets-study-rumors-twitter-positive-mentions-stephen-curry-lebron-james-carmelo-anthony-joel-embiid-russell-westbrook-kevin-durant-kyrie-irving-klay-thompson-kevin-love" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Check out this other study</a> that determined which players receive the most negative tweets each day (and who has the most positive mentions).
&nbsp;
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Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!

A new study from The Action Network analyzed 20 different metrics to find out which NBA stars are the most marketable.

New study ranks the top-20 most marketable NBA players

Before the national media cared about the other basketball team in New York City, the 2018-19 Brooklyn Nets were one of the dopest stories in the NBA.
They were a hard-working, culture-changing, overachieving, likable group who surprised many outside of (and within, if we&rsquo;re being honest) the New York Metropolitan Area by hustling their asses to a 2019 playoff berth. It was their first in four years, and marked the beginning of three consecutive postseason runs.
At the core of this period, there was an ongoing D&rsquo;Angelo Russell-Spencer Dinwiddie Twitter war that emotionally consumed much of the fan base, a more insulated type than the one that rages on today. In the 2017-18 season, Russell was the starting point guard, and Dinwiddie entered the season in the third string on the depth chart.
But after Jeremy Lin tore his Achilles on opening night &mdash; and with Russell needing arthroscopic knee surgery one month in &mdash; Dinwiddie stepped into a role that nearly landed him the league&rsquo;s Most Improved Player award.
The occasional Russell-Dinwiddie minutes shared? Notably not great, a trend that continued in 2018-19. Then-Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson would <a href="https://www.netsdaily.com/2018/11/3/18058490/inside-dangelo-russells-fourth-quarter-benching" target="_blank" rel="noopener">semi-regularly bench Russell for Dinwiddie</a> &mdash; the team&rsquo;s sixth man &mdash; to close games. <a href="https://www.netsdaily.com/2018/11/5/18063566/dangelo-russell-bounces-back-kenny-atkinson-offers-road-trip-challenge" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Atkinson would be pressed, as a result</a>, especially on those occasions where it didn&rsquo;t work.
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The "Russell or Dinwiddie" talk extended to who should represent the Nets if they had an All-Star, and then, Dinwiddie tore his the UCL in his hand &mdash; <a href="https://twitter.com/realtuffjuice/status/1088550514432794624" target="_blank" rel="noopener">first reported by Caron freakin' Butler</a> (!!) &mdash; clearing the runway for Russell. He then became the replacement All-Star for Victor Oladipo, who tore his quad one day before Dinwiddie tore his thumb &mdash; but honestly, Russell was probably the most deserving of the three anyway.
(Go look back at Oladipo&rsquo;s season. He was good, but less so than you remember, primarily when held against his extraordinary 2017-18 campaign.)
You can draw a straight line from Russell&rsquo;s breakout near MIP-winning season in 2018-19 to watching Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving join the Nets later that summer. If not for Russell&rsquo;s emergence that helped put Brooklyn in position to <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-rumors-kevin-durant-kyrie-irving-brooklyn-nets-los-angeles-clippers-kawhi-leonard-paul-george-learn-mistakes-culture-kenny-atkinson-doc-rivers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">abandon their process to chase stars</a> &mdash; which landed him in Golden State in exchange for Durant &mdash; who knows if the Nets would've become what they have over the last three years?
Since then, in a crowded talent pool of All-Star level NBA point guards, Russell&rsquo;s kinda become&hellip; underrated.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Congratulations to D'Angelo Russell for this amazing achievement 💯 <a href="https://t.co/vbvxkhzqsv">pic.twitter.com/vbvxkhzqsv</a>
&mdash; Timberwolves Nation (@TWolvesNationCP) <a href="https://twitter.com/TWolvesNationCP/status/1493966873427603459?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 16, 2022</a></blockquote>

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

Now, this isn&rsquo;t to say Russell is slept on like the way y&rsquo;all are sleeping on Top Boy, bison meat, Splinter Cell, Nas and Hit-Boy&rsquo;s Magic EP &mdash; or dipping your quesadilla in barbecue sauce &mdash; but D'Lo's impact is a tad underdiscussed. Russell, 26, is mainly overlooked in the way that a once-rising star who we believe to have plateaued could be easily forgotten despite remaining near his previous peak at arguably the NBA&rsquo;s deepest position. &nbsp;
To this point, Russell&rsquo;s been pretty durable, which is major since he&rsquo;s about to play his 46th regular-season game on Thursday, his most since that '18-19 run in Brooklyn. The 31-28 Minnesota Timberwolves are currently seventh in the Western Conference and are 15-8 since Jan. 3.
In their now 33-season history, the Wolves have secured only nine playoff berths, and just one since Kevin Garnett left (Jimmy Butler&rsquo;s only full season with the team). Even then, in 2017-18, Minnesota only finished eighth in the West &mdash; fourth at the time of Butler&rsquo;s late-season meniscus injury &mdash; so the team hasn&rsquo;t finished seventh or higher since the 2003-04 season. That was the only time the Wolves have ever gotten past the first round as a franchise.
It&rsquo;s fair to say that they&rsquo;re at least pretty, pretty, pretty good by NBA standards. There are still reasons to be skeptical regarding their legitimacy, but we&rsquo;re usually penciling them in for yet another lottery draft pick &lsquo;round this time of year. And look, they may still get one, but we&rsquo;re approaching March, and they&rsquo;re in games that matter. Russell deserves some credit for that, as he does for still producing since '18-19 and proving his breakout wasn&rsquo;t a fluke. 
The Timberwolves' &ldquo;quiet ass&rdquo; fans are apparently so stunned at their relative success that they&rsquo;re <a href="https://twitter.com/Dloading/status/1491095748934455304?s=20&amp;t=sv7cJecuhNpOmS0ql-nTUQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">not cheering enough</a>. This is sh*t they ain&rsquo;t used to!
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gl7saWAVoMQ"><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gl7saWAVoMQ" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></a>
(To be fair, D&rsquo;Angelo, on the night you called out your quiet-ass fans, y&rsquo;all were playing the Detroit Pistons and beat them by 13. My ass would be quiet if I saw my team semi-spank a Cade Cunningham-less skeleton crew led by 24 non-threatening Saddiq Bey points!)
To his credit, those quiet asses answered though!
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_rDFS6KF2AY" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
This season, Russell&rsquo;s averaging 18.8 points and 7.0 assists on .408/.351/.802 shooting splits. It doesn&rsquo;t wow you on the surface &mdash; not even when I tell you he&rsquo;s tied for 12th in assists per game this season (7.0) ahead of guys like LeBron James, Ja Morant, Jrue Holiday and his old teammate Dinwiddie.
Minnesota is third in pace, fifth in scoring, 10th in Offensive Rating and 14th in Net Rating as a result.
However, it's the Timberwolves' defense that has been, as local reporting out of Minnesota has put it this season, <a href="https://www.twincities.com/2021/11/30/quarterbacking-the-timberwolves-improved-defense-is-dangelo-russell/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">"quarterbacked" by Russell</a> &mdash; an area that has been one of the foremost knocks on him individually since entering the league. And D-Lo&rsquo;s grown into a leader in a locker room that includes Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards (and Patrick Beverley matters). &nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Can't tell what I liked more here the nail help from D'Angelo Russell or the rotation from Jaden McDaniels. <a href="https://t.co/SkH6hP7lHX">pic.twitter.com/SkH6hP7lHX</a>
&mdash; Steve Jones Jr. (@stevejones20) <a href="https://twitter.com/stevejones20/status/1493763756580425731?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 16, 2022</a></blockquote>

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You watch Russell, and without question, save for his deserved All-Star season, he&rsquo;s playing his most impactful basketball to date. Currently, he has a career-high .105 win shares per 48 minutes and has been productive despite a 25.9% usage rating; it isn&rsquo;t low by any means, but it&rsquo;s the lowest since his rookie season. We&rsquo;re also seeing Russell at optimal usage, even if he isn&rsquo;t an All-Star anymore, and will have a hard time getting back there due to the depth at guard in #thisleague. (It&rsquo;s not completely impossible though.)
Russell is leading on both ends and ranks third in shot attempts behind Towns and Edwards, where he should be, and will have a $31 million expiring contract next season. So, yes, he&rsquo;s extension-eligible this summer. No, he shouldn&rsquo;t get a max, but why not ride this out if you&rsquo;re Minnesota? You clearly have something functioning at, for you, a high level &mdash; the highest you&rsquo;ve seen in five seasons and the second-highest since 2005. (Edwards turned four that year, fam.)
So, yes, Russell has earned his extension so far and is ideally the third option on a good team (as he is there), but is a primary playmaker (as he&rsquo;s been). Keeping a core together and continuing to progress is the Wolves' best bet, which is incredibly important in markets like Minnesota.
And, overall, we should commend Russell's sheer resiliency. Others may have gone in the tank while trying to reclaim All-Star status by now. He's out here helping a winner for a franchise that's seen so few.&nbsp;
Oh, and while we're here, happy 26th birthday, D&rsquo;Angelo.
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Bryan Fonseca credits D'Angelo Russell for his role in the Wolves' success this season and feels he's been underrated.

Commending D’Angelo Russell for playing his most impactful basketball

Players like Andrew Wiggins make being a coach worth it.
The NBA&rsquo;s 2022 All-Star Weekend is in my hometown of Cleveland and even though I won&rsquo;t be there in person, I&rsquo;ll be paying close attention to the All-Star Game. I can&rsquo;t wait to see Wiggins take that court.
Being a coach can be a thankless job &mdash; long days, short nights and countless hours. Most of the time, coaches spend more time with their teams than they do with their families, and when things don&rsquo;t work out, we&rsquo;re usually the first to get blamed &mdash; whether fair or not. That&rsquo;s part of what makes it tough.
What also makes it tough is when you have players who don&rsquo;t want to be held to standards or don&rsquo;t want to work.&nbsp;
A good coach is supposed to push you and challenge you. A good coach is supposed to hold you accountable. And truth is, some players just aren&rsquo;t receptive to that&hellip;&nbsp;
But others? They&rsquo;re like Wiggins.&nbsp;
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I got to know him pretty well during our brief time together during the NBA Summer League in 2014, and I became a believer in him almost immediately.
Eight years later, I&rsquo;m going to be so proud to see him take the court as not only an All-Star from the Western Conference, but as a starter.
I first heard about Andrew when he was at Kansas, and I never imagined I&rsquo;d be one of his first NBA coaches &mdash; but that&rsquo;s how things worked out for us.&nbsp;
I was just coming off of my first season as an assistant with the Canton Charge, the Cavaliers&rsquo; G League affiliate. In May of that year, Cleveland won the draft lottery for the second year in a row (and third time in four years).&nbsp;
They had Kyrie Irving, who they picked first in 2011, and Anthony Bennett (selected first in 2012). Now, they had won the draft lottery again and were expected to select Wiggins first overall.&nbsp;
Me? I was fortunate to get the call to be an assistant coach for the Cavs in the Summer League. I was looking forward to it, especially to have the opportunity to help develop that young talent. I was still getting my feet wet as a coach, and when they did ended up picking Wiggins with the first pick, we were joined.&nbsp;
Andrew, believe it or not, made it easy for us.&nbsp;
With the hype surrounding him, it would have been easy for him to have an attitude or to have a big head or to not be receptive to being coached and pushed, but he was the total opposite. He was kind, patient and absorbed everything like a sponge. It was refreshing.
Even though I was an assistant coach, I worked with him a lot. I was constantly in his ear.
What I respected most about Andrew, and I&rsquo;m not sure I ever told him directly, was how he handled himself after LeBron announced that he was coming back to Cleveland. We had conversations about it, and I advised him &mdash; but he just handled himself like such an adult.
The main thing I tried to get him to understand was that there was going to be an adjustment period for him going from college to the pros and to not put too much pressure on himself. Focus on having fun and take your craft seriously. He did just that.
He was a rare combination of someone who was talented, gifted and confident &mdash; yet also calm, quiet and focused. That&rsquo;s not always the case with young players with promise.
Especially for those who have accolades and notoriety, those players can give off an impression that makes you wonder if they feel like playing in summer leagues or pickup games is almost beneath them. They don&rsquo;t give it 100% and don&rsquo;t seem like they&rsquo;re taking the lower levels of play seriously.
That wasn&rsquo;t Andrew.&nbsp;
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As a coach, you want the best for all your players, but there are some who you actually root for &mdash;&nbsp;whether it be because of their work ethic, their character or your personal relationship. And yeah, Andrew immediately became one of those players I rooted for.
In Vegas, after LeBron announced he was going back to Cleveland, Andrew immediately became the topic of discussion and rumors because everyone assumed that he would be traded for someone who could help LeBron win immediately.&nbsp;
During Summer League, he couldn&rsquo;t go anywhere without people asking him about the rumors, asking him if he was actually going to play for the Cavs and stuff like that &mdash; despite it all, he was so positive and upbeat. He remained focused on our common goal.
We had a few conversations about the situation and about his future in the NBA. I&rsquo;ll never forget Andrew&rsquo;s perspective. He considered himself blessed to be fulfilling his dream, and his sole focus was to become the best player he could be. He was looking forward to being LeBron&rsquo;s understudy and learning from him, but knew that it was possible that he wouldn&rsquo;t get that opportunity.&nbsp;
And if he got traded? He simply knew he was going to give it his all to become the best player he could be for that team that did acquire him.&nbsp;
Either way, he always wanted to be with his coaches in the gym. And he wanted us to push him. No wasted days.
I knew, even back then, that he was going to make it.&nbsp;
Attitude and humility &mdash; knowing that you&rsquo;ve got a lot to learn and taking what your coaches have to say seriously &mdash; that&rsquo;s a big factor when it comes to young guys becoming the best players they can be. And it often makes the difference between someone having a five-year career, and someone having a 15-year career.
Things didn&rsquo;t work out in Cleveland for obvious reasons, but Andrew developed nicely in Minnesota. There were a lot of questions about his drive and about his ability to fulfill his potential, and that probably contributed to Minnesota trading him to Golden State for D&rsquo;Angelo Russell.
At the end of the day, though, everyone lands where they&rsquo;re supposed to.&nbsp;
D&rsquo;Angelo is doing well in Minnesota with Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew looks like he just might be the piece that the Warriors need to get back on top.
The young Canadian kid, obviously &mdash; he&rsquo;s figured things out in San Francisco.
And you know what? I can&rsquo;t say I&rsquo;m surprised.&nbsp;
I&rsquo;ve believed in him since fate brought us together in Las Vegas back in 2014.
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James Posey discusses the experience he had coaching Andrew Wiggins back in 2014, and how the young man made him a believer.

Coaching Andrew Wiggins in 2014 NBA Summer League made me a believer

We had a whopping <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/grading-every-move-from-the-2022-nba-trade-deadline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">15 NBA trades</a> go down in an eight-day span.
The league buckled down for one of the biggest fireworks shows in recent deadline memory. Front offices dealt All-NBA superstars and hammered out four-team mazes. By the time the clock struck 3 p.m. on Thursday, we saw some teams go all-in on a playoff push, others cash out and move towards rebuilding, and many surprisingly pass on the spectacle entirely. It's a perfect time to set the table ahead of the stretch run with a fresh Sour Rankings.
If you're new to the Sour Rankings, here's a refresher: Unlike the typical "power rankings" that repeat themselves throughout sports media, Sour Rankings are a bizarro-world counter. These rankings highlight the top-10 most frustrating NBA franchises throughout the season, and they will be updated every week to match the twists and turns of the league.
This is not merely a bottom-10 of your typical best-to-worst outlooks. You will see championship contenders and playoff hopefuls mixed in with struggling squads. Teams well under .500 may never touch the Sour Rankings because they are on track with their respective processes. Injuries, drama, transactions and generally underwhelming play will earn you a spot on this list.
The central question is ultimately this: How good should you feel about the direction of each franchise? Let's get going.
Escaping the Sour Rankings:&nbsp;By most accounts, the Indiana Pacers crushed it with their trade deadline moves. Tyrese Haliburton instantly becomes the bedrock of the franchise's next era, and he's looked pretty good in limited time so far. Indiana also snuck in a solid flier by acquiring Jalen Smith and didn't trade away any of its veteran players just for the sake of making a move. The Detroit Pistons were also briefly in the Sour Rankings, but escape after acquiring former No. 2 overall pick Marvin Bagley III without giving up long-term pieces.
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10. Oklahoma City Thunder (17-39)
Of all the teams to hold their chips at this year's deadline, OKC might be the most surprising. The Thunder had several players worth trading for &mdash; including Kenrich Williams and Mike Muscala &mdash; and had oodles of salary cap room to take on guys with undesirable contracts. Instead, they only clocked-in one deal, trading a second-round pick to the Miami Heat for KZ Okpala, who was subsequently waived. Though it's not a colossal general-managing blunder, the Thunder may have missed some good opportunities to add to the stockpile.
(Last week: Unranked)
9. Charlotte Hornets (29-29)
The Hornets added Montrezl Harrell to fill the backup center spot on paper, and he should help as a play-finisher. However, Harrell does little to address the returning defensive woes for a Charlotte team that is 3-7 in its last 10 games. The squad has also hit an offensive shooting slump while also ranking 22nd in turnover rate since the start of February. A seven-point loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday overshadowed a horrendous two-way performance in the first half that had me concerned.
(Last week: 10)
8. Utah Jazz (35-21)
The Jazz got involved in one minor three-team deal at the trade deadline, and it didn't do much to squelch the raised voices about their title pretender status. Mark Schindler <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/roundtable-who-are-your-biggest-2022-nba-trade-deadline-losers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">labeled them a loser of the week</a> despite acquiring a <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/can-nickeil-alexanderwalker-fill-the-gaps-for-the-utah-jazz" target="_blank" rel="noopener">prospect he liked in Nickeil Alexander-Walker</a>:
"There's an intriguing foundation with him that Utah could unearth more of and help him build upon, but the issue is where the Jazz are right now. They needed immediate help defensively at the point of attack and the wing, yet NAW is not really that guy right now."
Utah is on a five-game winning streak, however, which deserves some credit. The team stays where it is in these rankings for now.
(Last week: 8)
7. Houston Rockets (15-40)
Here's another rebuilding franchise that balked at the chance to capitalize on the rush of apparent buyers. Houston didn't need to trade Eric Gordon in my opinion, but he certainly could have returned value. I was more surprised that Christian Wood not only remains on the team, but also was barely brought up in public trade rumors. He has not been nearly the player he can or should be with the Rockets, and I don't know if anything he does in the next two months changes that outlook. Of course, John Wall is still on the roster too.
(Last week: Unranked)
6. Portland Trail Blazers (23-34)
The Blazers are a confusing team to nail down for me. They traded CJ McCollum to New Orleans in a move many expected, but didn't get a whole lot back (aside from a very solid rotation player in Josh Hart and a protected first-rounder). A couple days go by, and then, the aforementioned Alexander-Walker &mdash; the best young player in the first trade &mdash; heads to Utah for a second-round pick, an expiring and injured Joe Ingles and a more obscure flier in Elijah Hughes.
Nekias Duncan gave those two moves a <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/grading-every-move-from-the-2022-nba-trade-deadline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">C-minus and D in his trade deadline grades</a>. I think I'd agree, because at the end of it all, I still don't know what Portland is doing other than clearing some cap room.
(Last week: 6)
5. Sacramento Kings (22-36)
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Sabonis and Fox will be a natural fit 👉🏽 That P&amp;R with a guard who can slash, pass and play in between with pace paired with a highly skilled big man who is great around the rim and can shoot comfortably from 15 feet. This is the co-star both guys needed. 🎥 <a href="https://twitter.com/kings?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@kings</a> <a href="https://t.co/ngj5TdjPp0">pic.twitter.com/ngj5TdjPp0</a>
&mdash; Ball Don't Stop (@balldontstop) <a href="https://twitter.com/balldontstop/status/1491657233897119746?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 10, 2022</a></blockquote>

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I'll give the Kings a little credit for the auspicious stretch they've had with Domantas Sabonis and De'Aaron Fox together since that big blockbuster move. A lot of people, myself included, probably overreacted to the deal and didn't give enough thought to what Sabonis can unlock for the players around him in Sacramento. They also did a sneaky-great job turning Marvin Bagley III into three players who can help the team win now at various levels.
I still have a hard time getting over the Kings trading Tyrese Haliburton, their most promising young player and a public advocate for turning a losing culture around.&nbsp;
(Last week: 4)
4. Washington Wizards (25-30)
Kristaps Porzingis was perhaps the most shocking name to be dealt this season; his name hadn't really popped up at all until Thursday morning. While it's fair that the Wizards needed to end the Spencer Dinwiddie-Bradley Beal experiment and Porzingis makes them better purely on paper, I don't love the fit. Will he <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/so-how-does-this-kristaps-porzingis-spencer-dinwiddie-davis-bertans-thing-work" target="_blank" rel="noopener">make a meaningful difference for a Washington team</a> that is one of two NBA squads with bottom-five Offensive and Defensive Ratings over the past two weeks? I'm doubtful.
The Montrezl Harrell trade was also super weird because it brought back two players who probably should not be in the rotation. Washington's big mix is still backed up now with Porzingis, Daniel Gafford, Thomas Bryant and Vernon Carey Jr., plus larger forwards in Kyle Kuzma and Rui Hachimura.&nbsp;
(Last week: 2)
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3. New York Knicks (26-31)
Whew, Saturday's blown lead to the Trail Blazers was a stinger. The Knicks led by 23 at one point before coughing up the game to a Portland team that just went through a widespread, trade-deadline fire sale. New York, meanwhile, didn't make any moves despite the glaring underperformance in recent weeks. The Knicks have two extremely winnable games against the Thunder and Brooklyn Nets before the All-Star break. If they can't find something, I'll have serious doubts about them even being close to a Play-In team.
(Last week: 5)
2. Brooklyn Nets (29-27)
In a vacuum, the Nets moved on from a disgruntled star in James Harden and returned three players who can instantly (once healthy) slot into a thin rotation. Ben Simmons makes a ton of sense as a defensive boost, Seth Curry can replace the shooting lost by Joe Harris' injury, and Andre Drummond at least gives Brooklyn a presence on the glass and center depth.
But they still gave up James Harden. Brooklyn's Big Three played 16 games together in total, and the Nets are still neck-deep in an 11-game losing streak. Things are most definitely bad.
(Last week: 1)
1. Los Angeles Lakers (26-31)
If a franchise arrives at a point in the season where <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/33250361/los-angeles-lakers-feel-urgency-make-changes-trade-deadline-nears" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the locker room itself wants trades to happen</a>, then the front office should listen. But Rob Pelinka had to go all Bumi from "Avatar: The Last Airbender" and embrace neutral jing &mdash; a.k.a. doing nothing. The Lakers made zero trades this season. They are the most underwhelming team in the NBA and they made zero trades.&nbsp;
(Last week: 3)
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Ethan Fuller lines up the league's biggest underperformers, including teams who failed to maximize the NBA trade deadline.

NBA Sour Rankings: Reshuffling the deck post-trade deadline

Shortly after the Sacramento Kings traded Tyrese Haliburton, Buddy Hield and Tristan Thompson to the Indiana Pacers for Domantas Sabonis, Justin Holiday, Jeremy Lamb and a 2023 second-round pick, fans and media (and even some <a href="https://twitter.com/HGiiizzle/status/1491118262570336257" target="_blank" rel="noopener">players</a>) rushed to social media to criticize the Kings&rsquo; decision and express confusion over the move.
Meanwhile, people in NBA circles were doing the exact same thing.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t get it at all,&rdquo; said a Western Conference scout. &ldquo;How Tyrese was made available is beyond me. It&rsquo;s puzzling.&rdquo;
&ldquo;The Kings are the worst,&rdquo; texted a league source.
&ldquo;What are the Kings doing?&rdquo; asked an NBA trainer. &ldquo;There has to be another trade.&rdquo;
It&rsquo;s rare for a trade to warrant such a one-sided response among people around the league, but every individual who spoke to BasketballNews.com questioned the move for Sacramento.
It&rsquo;s not a huge surprise that Sabonis landed with the Kings; after all, Sacramento and Washington were the two teams that had been linked to the big man the most, and it had become increasingly clear that the Wizards lacked the assets to complete a deal.
The shocking part was the inclusion of Haliburton. In the weeks leading up to the trade deadline, the Kings were shopping De&rsquo;Aaron Fox, Buddy Hield, Harrison Barnes, Richaun Holmes and Marvin Bagley III among others, but Haliburton wasn&rsquo;t mentioned as a possible trade chip.&nbsp;
In fact, in an effort to silence some of the Fox trade rumors, Sacramento had <a href="https://theathletic.com/news/kings-have-no-plans-currently-to-trade-deaaron-fox-will-center-team-around-him-sources/k4SfP584UQrs/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">leaked to The Athletic</a> that they had every intention of building around their backcourt of Fox and Haliburton going forward. Clearly, that was a lie in order to gain leverage in trade talks.
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The strong reaction has less to do with Sabonis and more to do with the fact that the Kings seemingly lack a long-term plan. After all, Sabonis is a two-time All-Star and he&rsquo;s clearly a very talented player; he&rsquo;s averaging 18.9 points, 12.1 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.0 steals this season. But what is the Kings&rsquo; ceiling with Sabonis? The eighth seed and a first-round exit?&nbsp;
Multiple executives said that it feels like Sacramento is mortgaging their future for minimal improvement, especially since they&rsquo;ll still likely miss the playoffs this year (they have the third-worst record in the Western Conference) and potentially next season too.
Also, many NBA executives expect the Kings to make another trade prior to Thursday's deadline.
Haliburton is a 21-year-old with seemingly unlimited upside, and he has a lot of fans around the NBA, so it&rsquo;s not a surprise that many league sources view this trade as a mistake. This season, he's averaging 14.3 points, 7.4 assists, 3.9 rebounds, 2.0 threes and 1.7 steals on .457/.413/.837 shooting splits.
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Kings Reddit is in shock (h/t <a href="https://twitter.com/ActionNetworkHQ?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ActionNetworkHQ</a>) <a href="https://t.co/KvGfbqyCpK">pic.twitter.com/KvGfbqyCpK</a>
&mdash; Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheHoopCentral/status/1491123100603551744?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 8, 2022</a></blockquote>

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While it seems unlikely, it&rsquo;s possible that this move will work out and the Kings will silence their critics. After all, the last time Sabonis was traded back in 2017, the Pacers were initially ridiculed for that move too.
When Indiana dealt Paul George to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Sabonis and Victor Oladipo, the Pacers were mocked for this return. However, the deal ended up working out since Oladipo and Sabonis emerged as All-Stars and George requested a trade from Oklahoma City after just two seasons.&nbsp;
Two years ago, I <a href="https://hoopshype.com/2020/01/24/nba-rumors-indiana-pacers-front-office-pritchard-buchanan-oladipo-brogdon-behind-the-scenes/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">spoke to</a> Pacers general manager Chad Buchanan and president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard about the backlash they received following their blockbuster trade.
&ldquo;I remember going back to my room probably around midnight and I was just exhausted. I turned on the TV before trying to fall asleep and we were just getting crushed for the trade,&rdquo; Buchanan recalled. &ldquo;I remember feeling like, &lsquo;Oh gosh.&rsquo; My wife called me and she was like, &lsquo;Uh, you guys really aren&rsquo;t getting much good press for your trade&hellip;&rsquo;"
&ldquo;After we did the trade, we were thinking, &lsquo;Okay, you ready for this avalanche?&rsquo;&rdquo; Pritchard added. &ldquo;I knew that there was going to be some harsh criticisms: &lsquo;Why didn&rsquo;t you get another pick? Why didn&rsquo;t you leverage longer? Why didn&rsquo;t you go [talk] to Boston? Why didn&rsquo;t you go to all these other teams?&rsquo; I knew it was going to come, but I didn&rsquo;t know it was going to come that hard. It came hard from the community, it came hard nationally.&rdquo;
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Pacers owner Herb Simon was very supportive of Pritchard and Buchanan during that time, which made them feel a lot better. Simon told Pritchard that they made the right move and stressed, &ldquo;You&rsquo;re not on an island.&rdquo;
&ldquo;When he said that, I could breathe,&rdquo; Pritchard recalled.
Two years later, the general consensus completely flipped, with the Pacers viewed as the clearcut winners of the trade. Perhaps the same thing will happen this time around, with Kings general manager Monte McNair and his staff getting the last laugh down the road.

As fans and media criticized the Kings' decision to trade Tyrese Haliburton, many NBA decision-makers were doing the same thing.

NBA decision-makers criticize Kings' trade: 'I don't get it at all'

Damian Lillard&rsquo;s defiance has made him a social-media punching bag, as his Portland Trail Blazers are dissolving around him and looking like a completely different team.
Lillard hasn&rsquo;t played since New Year&rsquo;s Eve, and as he recovers from abdominal surgery, he watched his team <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/breaking-down-why-the-blazersclippers-deal-works-for-both-sides" target="_blank" rel="noopener">deal Norman Powell and Robert Covington</a> to the Los Angeles Clippers while the best player coming back is Eric Bledsoe. Keon Johnsn was also included in the trade and while Portland hopes he pops off, he's only 19 years old, so who knows how soon he can make an impact? The Blazers also received a 2025 second-round pick &ndash; the year Lillard turns 35.
Then, on Tuesday, Lillard watched his Blazers acquire Josh Hart, Didi Louzada, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Tom&aacute;&scaron; Satoransky and draft picks in exchange for Larry Nance Jr., Tony Snell, and the reason we&rsquo;re gathered here today: CJ McCollum.
#Narratives are already in motion. The jokes have been flying on social media about how people are, in hindsight, underwhelmed by the run that Lillard and McCollum had. But before we stomp on their Basketball-Reference pages and laugh in their comments about &ldquo;not having won anything,&rdquo; we should offer a massive amount of respect for what they accomplished in Portland.
You&rsquo;ve probably seen the photo of a 5-foot-2 McCollum as a freshman in high school, but even that symbolizes so much here.
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CJ McCollum was really 5&rsquo;2&rdquo; playing Varsity basketball as a freshman lol <a href="https://t.co/ukPiVyOUYC">pic.twitter.com/ukPiVyOUYC</a>
&mdash; Nothing Matter3D (@HiDefDee) <a href="https://twitter.com/HiDefDee/status/1376562700440965131?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 29, 2021</a></blockquote>

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The parallels Lillard and McCollum maintained were astounding; they were the reason the backcourt became divisive among NBA consumers &mdash; with some loving them and thinking that the Blazers could build a contender around them, while others refused to believe that a pair of 6-foot-3 scoring machines could lead a team to a title, even in this guard-friendly era.
These things need to be delivered out loud and thoroughly processed.
Lillard went to Weber State, and McCollum went to Lehigh. Both played in mid-major conferences, and they are two of the better mid-major players we&rsquo;ve seen this century. But really, the Big Sky and Patriot League are closer to the bottom of the NCAA&rsquo;s Division I conference rankings; take it from a Northeast Conference alum.
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Lillard was drafted No. 6 overall in 2012; the only Weber State player drafted in the first round, period. McCollum was taken No. 10 overall the following year and is <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/friv/draft.fcgi?college=lehigh" target="_blank" rel="noopener">still the only Lehigh player to be selected in an NBA Draft</a>. One of the first things that people noted when Lillard got drafted was that <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXXXDlzv0-U" target="_blank" rel="noopener">he never played against a top-25 team while in college</a>. And Bill Simmons <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJBwqmwfQbg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">couldn&rsquo;t believe a Patriot Leaguer was selected</a> in the top-10 in 2013.
Suddenly, we looked up and Lillard was the NBA's Rookie of the Year, <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/awards/awards_2013.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">receiving every single first-place vote</a> over perennial favorite Anthony Davis, who won a gold medal with Team USA during the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.&nbsp;And then, in 2013-14, Portland was in the playoffs, where they&rsquo;ve been every year since Lillard and McCollum became teammates &ndash; the longest active streak in the NBA. Even then, McCollum didn&rsquo;t have his coming out party until 2015-16, when he immediately filled an All-Star sized scoring role vacated by LaMarcus Aldridge (who left for San Antonio) and won the NBA's Most Improved Player award.
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They played similarly and complemented each other exceptionally. Lillard and McCollum would each produce 20 points a night, occasionally going off for 30 each, and in a brutal Western Conference, return to playoffs no matter what was around them. And then they&rsquo;d lose, which led some to dismiss them.
In 2015, it was a five-game gentlemen&rsquo;s sweep as a No. 4 seed against the Grit N&rsquo; Grind Memphis Grizzlies, who went up 2-1 on the Golden State Warriors in the semifinals before losing to the eventual champions. In 2018, as a No. 3 seed, it was that memorable sweep against the same Pelicans that McCollum now joins, who were the sixth seed.
Then, in 2019, we finally saw a breakthrough: a run to the Western Conference Finals. Thanks to a legendary 37-point performance from McCollum in Game 7 of the semifinals, the Blazers beat the Denver Nuggets on the road &ndash; still CJ's paramount performance to date. Portland met up with the Warriors in the Conference Finals, and Golden State ultimately swept them (even though they were missing Kevin Durant, who was out due to a calf strain).
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The Blazers followed up that Conference-Finals appearance with consecutive first-round exits. With that said, Portland's failures can't be blamed on Lillard and McCollum alone.
Their fellow starters and key teammates include Al-Farouq Aminu, Mason Plumlee, Meyers Leonard, Noah Vonleh, Jusuf Nurkić, Evan Turner, Mo Harkless, Jake Layman, Zach Collins, Trevor Ariza, Carmelo Anthony, Hassan Whiteside and Norman Powell. Despite having one of the best backcourts we&rsquo;ve seen in generations, the Blazers could never figure out how to properly surround them with talent. (And honestly, doing is probably harder in the real world than we realize).
But in spite of their nitpickable shortcomings, their rigorous conference, their identical 6-foot-3 statures, their style of play and the lack of an ideal supporting cast, Lillard and McCollum co-engineered (along with Aldridge the first two years) the NBA&rsquo;s longest playoff streak. And they did so defiantly, as underrecruited long-time college players who stunned scouts by becoming top-10 picks and high-end NBA talents.
They led five 50-plus-win teams and two No. 3 seeds out West. Lillard is a <a href="https://www.nba.com/news/nba-75th-anniversary-team-announced" target="_blank" rel="noopener">top-76 NBA player ever</a>, and McCollum is one of the best active NBA players to never make an All-Star team (and he probably would've made multiple appearances had he been in the Eastern Conference instead).
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People have been trying to separate this duo for years via trade machines, NBA 2K, forums, social-media posts, comments under those posts, text threads, direct messages, barbershop debates, radio call-ins, post-sex conversations, you name it. Finally, that day is here, and the circumstances suck.
Lillard <a href="https://www.theplayerstribune.com/articles/damian-lillard-loyalty-over-everything" target="_blank" rel="noopener">continually preached loyalty and wanting to win the hard way</a>. McCollum <a href="https://www.theringer.com/the-bill-simmons-podcast/2021/2/3/22263991/brooklyn-bliss-draymonds-dip-and-cj-mccollum-stops-by" target="_blank" rel="noopener">asked us to stop putting him in trade rumors</a>.
The parallels between the two are why many loved them, and the parallels proved to be their demise. But dammit, they accomplished a lot. We could say that they were ultimately underwhelmed by their surroundings, but let&rsquo;s also acknowledge how hard this damn thing is. You can&rsquo;t take playoff streaks for granted &ndash; look at what the Pelicans, Cleveland Cavaliers and Sacramento Kings are doing this week in hopes of ending their postseason droughts.
This could&rsquo;ve had a happy ending, and it still might, but it doesn&rsquo;t appear that it&rsquo;ll be with Lillard and McCollum together. They didn&rsquo;t fail, and they probably didn&rsquo;t live up to your (or their own) expectations, but that&rsquo;s usually how our experiences on Earth go. Regularly, even if we don&rsquo;t want to admit it, that&rsquo;s OK, because more often than we acknowledge, that&rsquo;s life.

Bryan Fonseca looks back on what Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum accomplished together with the Portland Trail Blazers.

End of an era: Saluting the defiance of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum

It's #DeadlineSZN in the NBA, which opens up the possibility of a host of players -- ranging in role and status -- could be on the move.&nbsp;
The big names are well known: Ben Simmons* and James Harden*, CJ McCollum, Jerami Grant, Domantas Sabonis and others have seen their name tossed around the rumor mill. As fun as those guys are to track, it's generally the under-the-radar names that swing things in terms of mid-season deals.
A prime candidate for this distinction is Magic guard Gary Harris. Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer dropped this nugget in his latest intel piece:
<blockquote>
League personnel expect Orlando will find a new home for Terrence Ross in a similar deal structure that saw the Magic part with Evan Fournier for two second-round picks last season. Meanwhile, Gary Harris has been painted as a potential buyout candidate if he is not moved.
</blockquote>
Harris originally made hay as an off-ball merchant in Denver -- flying down the court in transition, knocking down triples, and back-cutting unsuspecting defenders for buckets -- while doubling as a sturdy on-ball defender. His 2017-18 campaign -- 17.5 points (55/40/83 splits), 1.8 steals -- firmly cemented him as one of the best young two-way guards in the sport.
Injuries and a sputtering shot -- he converted 33.7% of his threes on 3.9 attempts over the next three seasons -- led to a decline in prominence in Denver and the eventual trade to Orlando (as part of the Aaron Gordon trade).
Harris has bounced back a bit this season, averaging 11.6 points (51/38/84 splits) in a shade under 30 minutes. He can still get loose off the ball, and has shown some springiness when attacking closeouts.
He isn't the same guy defensively. Once a sticky point-of-attack guy, physical decline has made screen navigation more of a chore for him. His pick-and-roll film is littered with late/peel switches after losing contact with the ball-handler.
That isn't necessarily a bad thing; it just means expectations need to be realistic.
He remains active as a help defender, makes solid off-ball reads, and has experience punching above his weight class on switches. Even at the point-of-attack, he's fine against non-elite ball-handlers and can still flow between pressing the handle and dropping back to give a cushion.
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There's utility for Harris in a scheme that doesn't make his screen navigation the end-all, be-all -- think a two-to-the-ball scheme like Minnesota or Milwaukee, or a heavy switching style like the Celtics or Clippers employ.
BUYOUT CANDIDATES
You know who's a hand-in-glove fit for what Harris provides on both ends? The Denver Nuggets.
He established great handoff and random-nonsense chemistry with Nikola Jokic earlier in his career; the Harris-Jokic handoff generated over 1.08 points per possession during the 2017-18 campaign, per Second Spectrum. His shooting and cutting would be welcomed to that injured guard room.
The Celtics have been trying to get consistent production from their backup guards/wings all season long. Peyton Pritchard, Romeo Langford, and Aaron Nesmith have all taken turns showing flashes; a vet like Harris could help solidify that spot.&nbsp;
The Lakers could use ... just about all the help they can get in the backcourt. With their half-court attack being built around the interior (or mid-post) play of LeBron James and Anthony Davis, having Harris as a spacer or cutter in some of their more intricate sets could be a solid fit.
STRAY THOUGHTS
<ul>
<li>The Raptors need a ball-handler more than anything, but Gary Trent Jr. is their only (movement) shooter. There's room for Harris, if for no other reason than the Raptors' 6.5-man rotation.</li>
<li>The Cavs just made a swing with the Caris LeVert deal, but it'd be fun to watch Harris play off of Evan Mobley in the high post.</li>
<li>The Nets desperately need shooters, especially in light of Joe Harris potentially needing a second surgery. If Paul Millsap ends up getting bought out, Harris could take that roster spot pretty easily.</li>
</ul>

Nekias Duncan breaks down potential landing spots for Magic guard Gary Harris.

Examining possible landing spots for Gary Harris

With the emergence of Anfernee Simons and the selling off of veterans like Powell and Covington, rival executives around the league believe the Trail Blazers will move CJ McCollum by the trade deadline or this offseason as Portland continues to reshape its roster around franchise star Damian Lillard. Several teams, including the New Orleans Pelicans, Dallas Mavericks, and others, are expected to have interest in trading for McCollum, who is owed $69.13 million over the next two seasons.
Source: <a href="https://hoopshype.com/lists/nba-rumors-cj-mccollum-anfernee-simons-robert-covington-dorian-finney-smith-danilo-gallinari-jakob-poeltl/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mike Scotto of HoopsHype</a>
ANALYSIS: Trail Blazers interim general manager Joe Cronin has called Anfernee Simons a &ldquo;core piece,&rdquo; and said that they dealt Norman Powell and Robert Covington in part "to create a runway here for him."&nbsp;
It would not be surprising to see this same reasoning used for dealing C.J. McCollum before the deadline, as Portland looks to be focused on the future rather than winning now.

According to reports, league execs believe CJ McCollum will be dealt before the trade deadline.

Pelicans, Mavericks among teams showing interest in C.J. McCollum

When&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/kings-making-buddy-hield-richaun-holmes-harrison-barnes-available" target="_blank" rel="noopener">seeing the report late last week</a>&nbsp;of the Sacramento Kings making Richaun Holmes available for trade, there should&rsquo;ve been several NBA teams channeling a 1980 Muhammad Ali saying, &ldquo;I want Holmes! I want Holmes!&rdquo;&nbsp;
(Couldn&rsquo;t find the clip, but I remember watching it long ago.)
Of course, Ali was talking about former World Heavyweight Champion Larry Holmes, whom he lost to later that year &mdash; 42 years later, we&rsquo;re talking about an underrated Kings center, but the point stands. Nothing, not even 50-year-old <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFK9zh2yHO4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Johnny Knoxville being in this week&rsquo;s Royal Rumble</a>, is less surprising than the Kings looking to revamp their roster in some form. That basketball team in Sacramento rebuilds more often than Griselda releases music.&nbsp;
But, again,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.spotrac.com/nba/sacramento-kings/richaun-holmes-17865/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">less than five months after signing a four-year, $46 million extension</a>, including a $12.9 million player option for 2024-25, Holmes is possibly available. At just $10.3 million this season, he&rsquo;s very affordable by NBA standards. Having turned 28 years old in October and playing in year seven, he&rsquo;s in the prime of his career. Given where he currently is, he might indeed be better off elsewhere.&nbsp;
Holmes has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/kings/richaun-holmes-commits-goggles-recounts-scary-eye-injury" target="_blank" rel="noopener">battled an eye injury</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sacbee.com/sports/nba/sacramento-kings/article256988807.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">COVID</a> this season, but has been productive despite a drop in playing time, logging 25.8 minutes through his 32 games (all starts) compared to last year, where he was at 29.2 minutes. He&rsquo;s posting 12.3 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game this season while shooting a career-best 70% from the floor. Per 36-minutes, he&rsquo;s at 17.1 points, 1.5 blocks and a career-best 11.3 boards. Holmes is a distant first in win shares per 48 minutes at .179 (second is .111). He&rsquo;s also second in team box plus-minus (1.3) behind Tyrese Haliburton&rsquo;s 2.5 and ahead of Harrison Barnes&rsquo; 0.5; everyone else is in the negative. (Yes, that means De&rsquo;Aaron Fox, for whatever that&rsquo;s worth.)&nbsp;
Ideally, if you&rsquo;re the team making this move, you&rsquo;d look to solidify your center position while prepping for your playoff push. The good news is that all of the following teams are in the playoff hunt &mdash; so don't worry, my fellow rec spec-wearing friend, let's get you outta there.&nbsp;
Charlotte Hornets
The Hornets are (quietly?) 27-22 as of this writing, and are seventh in the Eastern Conference. At least they're quiet for a team run by a rising star in LaMelo Ball, his underappreciated backcourt mate Terry Rozier, Most Improved Player candidate Miles Bridges and steady swingman Gordon Hayward&nbsp; That&rsquo;s four-fifths of their starting five, with the center spot being occupied by Mason Plumlee. Kelly Oubre Jr. and PJ Washington play significant minutes off the bench, meaning the Hornets &mdash; who are 21st in rebounding and allow the third-most rebounds per game &mdash; are often playing small.&nbsp;
PJ Washington, in particular, is a&nbsp;<a href="https://hoopshype.com/storyline/pj-washington-trade/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">trade piece that&rsquo;s been rumored to be available</a> and likely has to be included in the deal, since his minutes and production have declined since last season, where he was an everyday starter. It should be added that, entering the last of his rookie-scale contract next season, it&rsquo;s likely the Hornets won&rsquo;t extend him by 2023.&nbsp;
The trade logistically couldn&rsquo;t be PJ for Holmes straight up since Washington only makes $4.2 million this season. The Kings also are rumored to be shopping others on their team, so there&rsquo;s a potential for this to extend beyond Holmes arriving from Sacramento by himself in this hypothetical &mdash; your simplest route is to pair Washington with Plumlee&rsquo;s $8.1 million, which mathematically makes this work straight up. Plumlee has a partially guaranteed $8.5 million coming to him next season, and the Kings should also receive a couple of second-rounders or a first coming back to them, both of which the Hornets <a href="https://www.prosportstransactions.com/basketball/DraftTrades/Future/Hornets.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">have enough to entice with</a>.&nbsp;
A Ball-Rozier-Hayward-Bridges-Holmes lineup sounds fun as hell.
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Richaun Holmes is dunking all over the Lakers 😤 <a href="https://t.co/y9fO2OprSI">pic.twitter.com/y9fO2OprSI</a>
&mdash; NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNNBA/status/1465891771489996805?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 1, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Dallas Mavericks
Between Dwight Powell, Moses Brown, Maxi Kleber, Willie Cauley-Stein, Marquese Chriss and Boban Marjanović, the Dallas Mavericks have had what&rsquo;s felt like a 💩 ton of bigs this season. Even so, as our Nekias Duncan wrote last week, without a true anchor, the Mavs have recently <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/how-do-the-mavericks-have-an-elite-defense" target="_blank" rel="noopener">become one of the league&rsquo;s best defenses</a>.&nbsp;
Still, on the roster, there isn&rsquo;t a clear long-term answer there as you continue to build this around the already extended Luka Dončić and, for now, the seemingly bought-in Kristaps Porziņģis. Enter Holmes, who is signed through at least the 2023-24 season. Powell and Kleber, who generally eat the lion&rsquo;s share of minutes next to KP, are both signed through 2022-23 before they&rsquo;d each become unrestricted free agents. Though Kleber makes $8.9 million this season and Powell is at $11 million, both work for Holmes mathematically straight up. Obviously, Dallas would attach at least one or two second-round draft picks, if not a protected first, to either guy (Powell more likely) and make it nearly a straight-up trade.&nbsp;
There&rsquo;s room to open this up further. Buddy Hield makes $22.5 million this season, and his contract descends to $20 and $18 million until it expires in the summer of 2024. Tim Hardaway Jr., who Dallas extended this past summer and <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/33148625/dallas-mavericks-tim-hardaway-jr-ruled-game-left-foot-injury" target="_blank" rel="noopener">is now out with a fractured left foot</a>, makes $21 million this year but is also on a descending deal that drops to $19.6, $17.9, and $16.1 million through the 2024-25 season. Both struggling shooting guards probably aren&rsquo;t long for their organizations, even as they were both recently extended. Hardaway Jr. was also moved to the bench for Jalen Brunson, who&rsquo;s facing a contract situation of his own given his pending free agency (keep him, Dallas).&nbsp;
So there&rsquo;s a path to this becoming a Powell and Hardaway plus draft picks for Holmes and Hield exchange. Holmes is the type of hustling, dirty-work, efficient and quality center that the Mavericks could use. Unlike in 2K, you can trade injured players in real life &mdash; sorry Tim. Just imagine the push shots off Luka feeds.&nbsp;
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death, taxes, and richaun holmes hitting 62.5% of his push shots (20-of-32) <a href="https://t.co/iGH0xuA7Gn">pic.twitter.com/iGH0xuA7Gn</a>
&mdash; Dan Favale (@danfavale) <a href="https://twitter.com/danfavale/status/1465715242952900614?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 30, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Toronto Raptors
I mean, could you think of a more Raptor-ass center than Holmes? Who better be run with Fred VanVleet, Scottie Barnes, OG Anunoby, Pascal Siakam and Gary Trent Jr.?&nbsp;
Now, how do you make this happen? First, with that being the Raptors&rsquo; starting five, where does Holmes fit? Well, it&rsquo;s really their starting five out of necessity because Precious Achiuwa hasn&rsquo;t had the second NBA season they&rsquo;d been hoping for. Ideally, you&rsquo;d still want an actual center in that mix as one of your top six minutes getters so that you have a bit more reliable size. The Raptors don&rsquo;t currently have a true center you could trust for extended periods, and Holmes fills that void.&nbsp;
Now, regarding trade pieces, Chris Boucher is on a $7 million expiring contract, and Khem Birch is on the first of a three-year, $19 million contract, which lands him at $6.3 million this season. Combining those two does work, and it would obviously have to come with considerable draft capital, but even the Kings would probably ask wtf are they going to do with that and have a point.&nbsp;
Remove Birch and insert Achiuwa? That works &ndash; would the Raptors already want to move off the centerpiece of their Kyle Lowry trade, who is just due $2.8 million next year with a $4.3 million team option the season after? I mean, maybe? It would certainly help preserve some draft capital in a hypothetical Holmes trade and, you figure, if you&rsquo;re acquiring a center Achiuwa would have a tougher time seeing minutes anyway. But that&rsquo;s generally what you&rsquo;d be looking at moving if you&rsquo;re Toronto: Boucher and Birch, Boucher and Achuiwa; Boucher, Achiuwa and Malachi Flynn, along with some combination of picks or a first-rounder, for Holmes.&nbsp;
And if I&rsquo;m Holmes, I&rsquo;m down for whatever, as long as I could leave Sacramento.&nbsp;
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Bonus: Golden State Warriors
Okay &hellip; here we go.
There&rsquo;s really only one way to do this, and it&rsquo;s using James Wiseman&rsquo;s $9.1 million salary this season straight up. Y&rsquo;all could determine what picks may or may not go where, but these are the two names because the Golden State Warriors don&rsquo;t have much middle-class salary to use, nor do they probably want to shake up their roster a ton, including even this. But if they determine that Wiseman, who hasn&rsquo;t played since Apr. 10 of last year due to a torn meniscus that <a href="https://theathletic.com/news/warriors-james-wiseman-needed-additional-knee-surgery-in-december-sources/DyEHJgzTblrO/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">required additional arthroscopic surgery in December</a>, isn&rsquo;t worth waiting for, then there you have it.&nbsp;
Wiseman showed flashes, but struggled defensively as a rookie while only logging 39 games (though he posted 11.5 points and 5.8 rebounds on 52% percent shooting in 21.4 minutes per contest). He&rsquo;ll turn 21 in March, and because of NCAA nonsense, we were only able to see him three times in college. Wiseman&rsquo;s due $9.6 million next year and will likely bank another $12.1 million, assuming his option gets accepted.
I&rsquo;m still a Wiseman stockholder, but I&rsquo;m also pro going for a championship now in this seemingly wide-open NBA season &mdash; an immediate upgrade at center might be what Golden State sees as a necessary step. It makes something like a possible Holmes deal reasonable to think twice about. Just sayin&rsquo;.
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Bryan Fonseca ponders a handful of teams who could be a good fit for Kings big man Richaun Holmes.

Examining potential trade destinations for Richaun Holmes

Even though they fleeced the Brooklyn Nets in 2013, for, among other things, first-round draft picks that subsequently turned into Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, the Boston Celtics still haven&rsquo;t figured out how to adequately build around the two All-Star swingmen for a sustainable period. In Part I of our joint series, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/reshaping-the-celtics-for-a-playoff-push-part-1-the-backcourt" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Justin Lewis talked about solutions to the point guard predicament</a>.
Now, for Part II of this collab, I'll get into the situation with the bigs.
For the Celtics&rsquo; entire run as fringe or actual contenders &mdash; the 2016-17 season through now &mdash; think of all the times you could ever name a meaningful big man they&rsquo;ve had on their roster. The list goes as follows: Al Horford, Robert Williams and... that&rsquo;s it. Aside from that, it&rsquo;s a lot of Daniel Theis, Kelly Olynyk, Jonas Jerebko, one of the Zellers, Aron Baynes and multiple runs (and name changes) with rebounding-specialist-turned-FOX-5-pundit Enes Kan... *sigh* &hellip; Freedom.
(Somehow, not one Plumlee made the list.)
Despite entering the later 2010s with a video game-like draft asset advantage over most of the NBA, the C's still haven&rsquo;t gotten to an NBA Finals, which highlights two things. One, it&rsquo;s very (emphatically insert expletive of choice here) hard to get to a Finals, never mind winning the championship. And two, just because you accumulate all those draft picks doesn&rsquo;t mean you&rsquo;re going to build a dynasty as some project. Why? Because this isn&rsquo;t a simulation... <a href="https://www.vulture.com/2019/02/15-irrefutable-reasons-we-might-be-living-in-a-simulation.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">even though it may feel like it sometimes.</a>
Amid <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/celtics-have-been-extremely-active-in-trade-talks-ahead-of-deadline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">trade rumors involving Horford and Josh Richardson</a>, it&rsquo;s clear that the currently 25-24 Celtics are trying to execute something with an eye toward winning now and not rebuilding by splitting up the two Jays. Now, regardless of what they do, they'll probably "win now" anyway, given that the Eastern Conference is as strenuous as it is imperfect.
Sure, maybe a team other than the Nets, Chicago Bulls, Milwaukee Bucks or Miami Heat break through. Maybe the Philadelphia 76ers finally make a Ben Simmons deal and push themselves into that upper-echelon group, or maybe the Cleveland Cavaliers make moves to remain afloat amid their surprising successes. Pointing all of that out is a reminder that the East is deep, and all of those teams are just better than the Celtics right now &mdash; regardless of the fact that their top two players are more talented than the top two players on at least half of those other teams.
Having <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-case-against-and-for-separating-jayson-tatum-and-jaylen-brown" target="_blank" rel="noopener">just written about Tatum and Brown</a> and whether or not they should even remain together, the most important thing is building this differently. Assuming the 24-year-old Williams &mdash; who is averaging 9.8 points, 9.2 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game this season &mdash; is your center of the present and future alongside the Jays, think about the 4-man who&rsquo;d best complement all three parties and their <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/reshaping-the-celtics-for-a-playoff-push-part-1-the-backcourt" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hypothetical point guard change</a>. (Williams begins a four-year, $54 million extension next season.)
Thaddeus Young, San Antonio Spurs
Young&rsquo;s been in trade rumors all season and is <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/spurs-thad-young-frustrated-about-role-this-situation-is-not-ideal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">currently not a regular part of the San Antonio Spurs' rotation</a>. But he&rsquo;d be just about perfect for so many teams, including the Celtics. In 2020-21, we saw Thad play meaningful minutes with regularity, averaging 12.1 points, 6.2 rebounds and 4.3 assists; he posted a team-high 2.2 defensive win shares for the Bulls (tied with Patrick Williams).
He&rsquo;s 6-foot-8, 235 pounds, a career 50.2% finisher from the field, and 33.0% from three on 1.4 attempts per contest. Young shot 35.6% beyond the arc on a 3.5 attempts in 2019-20, but last season, he shot just 0.7 attempts per contest (26.7%) to provide more slashing ability for the Bulls. If Young &mdash; who is on a $14.1 million expiring contract &mdash; could be respectable from the perimeter, you&rsquo;d take that regardless of how little he took. (Not everyone needs to shoot mad threes to space adequately, guys.)
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The Hypothetical Trade: 
Celtics receive: Thaddeus Young ($14.1 million), Doug McDermott ($13.7 million) 
Spurs receive: Al Horford ($27 million), one or two second-round draft picks
In attaching a second-rounder or two to Horford, there&rsquo;s incentive for the Spurs to do this, even as Horford has $26.5 million coming next season, <a href="https://www.spotrac.com/nba/boston-celtics/al-horford-2199/">though only $14.5 million is guaranteed</a>. McDermott is due $13.7 million the following two seasons, and by acquiring him, it makes the numbers work; plus this gives the C&rsquo;s an additional floor-spacer who&rsquo;d likely become a crowd favorite&hellip;.. Ya know?
Jerami Grant, Detroit Pistons&nbsp;
A better and younger Thad Young? The 2020 Olympic Gold Medalist is apparently demanding, <a href="https://www.yahoo.com/now/report-contract-extension-leverage-pistons-213513259.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">but you gotta respect it</a>. Grant&rsquo;s due over $20 million this season, and closer to $21 million next, the last of a three-year deal he signed just over a year ago. Grant&rsquo;s been out since Dec. 12, but over the last two seasons &mdash; in which he's played 78 games &mdash; Grant has averaged 21.6 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.1 blocks since seeing an expanded role with the Pistons.
Chances are he winds up on a better team and doesn&rsquo;t have the same offensive workload, but on a good team, he&rsquo;s probably best suited as a third option (next to Tatum and Brown in Boston's case). And, if one of those two absolutely wants to leave for whatever reason down the road, you can tie yourself to whichever player you keep plus Grant, as well as whatever comes back. Grant wants an extension after all.
It&rsquo;s worth mentioning that Grant&rsquo;s shooting splits have been .425/.344/.847 with the Pistons on around six three-point and free throw attempts both per contest, but again, on that team, it&rsquo;s hard to be efficient &mdash; especially since he has more of the scoring load than he should. In Boston, you&rsquo;d expect him to be somewhere between where he was with the Denver Nuggets and where he is in Detroit now, in regards to scoring. Thus, his defense should also revert back to where it was in Denver and even in Oklahoma City, or something close to that.
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The Hypothetical Trade
Celtics receive: Jerami Grant ($20 million), Cory Joseph ($4.9 million) 
Pistons receive: Al Horford ($27 million), two first-round picks, and possible a second-rounder
You figure that multiple moves are coming, and Joseph is a very good backup point guard option who has a $5.1 million option for next season. This indicates that the Celtics would subsequently move off of others, like Dennis Schr&ouml;der and Richardson in separate deals for example. The Pistons will clearly want draft capital for Grant, more so if they&rsquo;re taking back Horford&rsquo;s contract. It feels like a win-win since the Pistons aren&rsquo;t going anywhere yet, and could try building around Cade Cunningham with a player who fit his timeline closer (i.e. Saddiq Bey and whoever you select in the 2022 NBA Draft).
Christian Wood, Houston Rockets
Wood is due $13.7 million this season and brings in another $14.3 million next season. Like Young, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/report-miami-heat-pursuing-christian-wood-in-trade-talks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">he may be dealt this season</a>. Unlike Young, he isn&rsquo;t a dirty work, defensive-minded type of 4 as outlined earlier. But if you&rsquo;re hypothetically getting him, John Wall, Wood or Eric Gordon would likely come with. And Wood&rsquo;s the better fit if you&rsquo;re moving Horford, more so if it&rsquo;s Horford and Smart.
Since leaving the Detroit Pistons for the Rockets, Wood&rsquo;s averaged 19.1 points, 9.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists and a block per game on .499/.370/.623 shooting splits across 86 games. He&rsquo;d be the third or fourth option in Boston, but a damn interesting one next to Wall, Tatum, Brown and Time Lord if you could somehow make the numbers work.
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The Hypothetical Trade
Celtics receive: Christian Wood ($13.6 million), John Wall ($44.3 million) 
Rockets receive: Al Horford ($27 million), Josh Richardson ($11.6 million), Dennis Schr&ouml;der ($5.8 million), Romeo Langford ($3.8 million), at least one first-round pick, and or multiple second-round picks. &nbsp;
I&rsquo;m not even sure that I like this move much, but if you&rsquo;re going to do this both ways &mdash; and with a need to include Wall and Horford &mdash; well, there you have it.
Grant Williams could also be included and the deal would still go through since he&rsquo;s only at $2.6 million. The Rockets should want multiple first-rounders, especially since nothing they&rsquo;d be getting back would excite them long-term otherwise. But, this is more of an &ldquo;I mean, I guess.&rdquo;
Read <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/reshaping-the-celtics-for-a-playoff-push-part-1-the-backcourt" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Part I of this series</a>, where Justin Lewis addressed fixing the Celtics' point guard situation. 
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Bryan Fonseca looks at Boston's options in the trade market to bolster the frontcourt in Part II of his series with Justin Lewis.

Broken in Boston: Retooling the spiraling Celtics — Part II

Kevin Love bolted from his seat, a spot on the bench that has revived his career and helped fuel the Cavaliers' stunning rise, and streaked past coach J.B. Bickerstaff standing near the scorer's table.
Stopping near midcourt, Love screamed and pointed toward teammate Dean Wade, another of Cleveland's reserves, who nailed a 3-pointer to push the Cavs back in front of the New York Knicks.
Once an All-Star, Love's now a $30 million-per-year role player relishing his new niche.
The 33-year-old, slowed by injuries and self-inflicted drama the past few seasons, is having the time of his basketball life with the young Cavs, a 22-win team last season and now a legitimate threat to win the Eastern Conference.
Trade rumors about Love have gone silent. The on-court temper tantrum in Toronto last year has been forgiven, if not forgotten. Cleveland fans don't grumble as much about his massive contract.
Love's in a positive place emotionally after being so open about his struggles with mental health.
&ldquo;The world that we live in now people tend to have quick memories," Love said with a smile after scoring 20 points in 24 minutes as Cleveland beat New York and moved 10 games over .500. "I&rsquo;m thankful for that. ... Winning changes a lot.&rdquo;
However, it's deeper than that.
Love's willingness to accept coming off the bench this season so rookie forward Evan Mobley could develop has had a trickle-down effect.
The selfless move, perhaps partially rooted in him wanting to make himself appealing for a trade, has helped galvanize the Cavs.
&ldquo;He made the ultimate sacrifice of basketball, probably a first-ballot Hall of Famer, to basically pass the torch to a rookie,&rdquo; Bickerstaff said before Monday&rsquo;s win over the Knicks. "&ldquo;That&rsquo;s not easy to do. Not only did he do it, he did it without hangover.
"He didn&rsquo;t hold onto it the next day or the next weeks and walk around pouting and be an energy vampire. He accepted the role and then tried to be the best at it, tried to help the team as best he possibly could. To me, those are the guys that deserve all of our respect because it&rsquo;s not easy.
"We see guys go out fighting all the way. For him to do that and contribute to the team and try to help the young guys, that&rsquo;s giving back to the game and that&rsquo;s what this game is about.&rdquo;
Mobley said Love's acceptance changed the Cavs.
&ldquo;It's had a huge impact, just him being bought in,&rdquo; said the 20-year-old and Rookie of the Year frontrunner. "Everyone's all on the same page. We all know what we're supposed to do, so I feel like him doing that helped the team a lot."
Love's got his game back on track as well.
He's averaging 13.9 points and 7.2 rebounds in a career-low 21.4 minutes. The Cavs' preseason plan was to reduce Love's workload to try to keep him healthier, and to this point it has gone perfectly.
Because of Love's ability as an outside shooter, Bickerstaff uses him to spread defenses and create more driving opportunities for others. And, if the Cavs need points, Love can deliver those too.
With the Cavs in a third-quarter funk against the Knicks, Love knocked down four 3-pointers in the third quarter &mdash; three in 67 seconds &mdash; to help Cleveland open an 11-point lead.
The flurry forced New York to call a timeout, and Cleveland's crowd erupted to salute the rejuvenated Love, who later said the moment reminded him of the Cavs' four-year run to the Finals from 2015-18.
&ldquo;It was huge for us,&rdquo; Wade said of Love's lift. &ldquo;Everyone loves Kevin Love. It feels like once a game he goes on those little runs by himself. It just gives us so much energy."
Cleveland fans are falling for these Cavs, whose embrace of a team-first attitude and obvious chemistry on and off the floor has driven their rise in the standings.
And even though his young teammates playfully call him &lsquo;Old Man&rsquo; or &lsquo;Uncle Kevin,&rsquo; Love's enjoying the ride.
&ldquo;We may be the ultimate share-the-wealth team,&rdquo; Love said. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s beautiful. We really pay it forward for the next guy. We trust the extra pass. We trust guys to make the right plays out there and understand that they have great intention in everything that they do and we do.
"That allows guys to play free."
It's easy to see Love's renewed joy, whether he's hugging guard Darius Garland or delivering a flying chest bump after a big basket.
&ldquo;For him to be back and feel like he&rsquo;s a part of something greater than himself, that&rsquo;s why we do what we do,&rdquo; said Bickerstaff, who has known Love since his rookie season with Minnesota 13 years ago. "For him to be able to showcase that with all the things that he&rsquo;s been through recently, you love and respect that.&rdquo;
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Once an All-Star, Kevin Love's now a $30 million-per-year role player relishing his new niche with the Cavs.

'Old Man' Love relishing reserve role with rising Cavaliers

The NBA trade deadline is just 17 days away. Around the league, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/after-a-slow-december-trade-talks-are-heating-up-around-the-nba" target="_blank" rel="noopener">trade talks are heating up</a> and some of the same names continue to surface.
One such name is Jerami Grant of the Detroit Pistons.
As Feb. 10 rapidly approaches, plenty of teams have <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/lakers-knicks-wizards-blazers-interested-in-jerami-grant-trade" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> been linked to the 27-year-old, including the Washington Wizards, New York Knicks, Portland Trail Blazers, Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks among others.
Washington definitely seems like a team to watch in the Grant sweepstakes. Bleacher Report&rsquo;s Eric Pincus <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2952711-latest-nba-trade-intel-would-a-john-wall-westbrook-trade-really-help-lakers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reports</a> that rival executives &ldquo;believe the Wizards are leading the chase&rdquo; for Grant.
&ldquo;Some also say the Wizards are open to dealing veteran point guard Spencer Dinwiddie, who hasn't quite meshed with [Bradley] Beal,&rdquo; Pincus <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2952711-latest-nba-trade-intel-would-a-john-wall-westbrook-trade-really-help-lakers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">writes</a>.
Deni Avdija, Montrezl Harrell and Rui Hachimura were mentioned by Pincus as pieces that might interest Detroit. Also, he notes that the Pistons may be looking to move Kelly Olynyk (either as part of a Grant trade or in a separate deal).
Pincus also <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2952711-latest-nba-trade-intel-would-a-john-wall-westbrook-trade-really-help-lakers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">names</a> the Mavericks as a &ldquo;dark-horse team&rdquo; for Grant. Jalen Brunson, Dorian Finney-Smith and Dwight Powell have been mentioned as Dallas&rsquo; best trade chips (although it would likely take quite a bit for them to move Brunson, who&rsquo;s in the midst of a career-year).
The Mavs have been very active in recent weeks, as they have now been linked to Grant, Atlanta&rsquo;s John Collins, Indiana&rsquo;s Myles Turner and Boston&rsquo;s Marcus Smart among others.
Interestingly, "the offers aren't pouring in right now" for Grant, according to <a href="https://theathletic.com/3087762/2022/01/24/pistons-mailbag-what-im-hearing-about-detroit-as-nba-trade-deadline-nears/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Athletic's James Edwards III</a>. There have been plenty of conversations and talks will likely pick up steam over the next two weeks, but "not many formal offers have been placed in front of Detroit" as of yet, per Edwards.
Edwards listed Chicago's Patrick Williams and Atlanta's John Collins as potential returns that would intrigue the Pistons, but he also stressed that Detroit could very well keep Grant past the deadline.
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Remember, Grant was also popping up in trade rumors around this time last year, but the Pistons ultimately decided to hold onto him. If Detroit isn't thrilled with the offers it ultimately receives, the team could do the same thing this time around.
"Furthermore, don&rsquo;t be surprised if Grant doesn&rsquo;t get traded by the Feb. 10 deadline," Edwards <a href="https://theathletic.com/3087762/2022/01/24/pistons-mailbag-what-im-hearing-about-detroit-as-nba-trade-deadline-nears/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">writes</a>. "The Pistons don&rsquo;t have to trade Grant right now, especially if a deal that doesn&rsquo;t clearly benefit their future doesn&rsquo;t come along. Detroit could just elect to wait until the offseason to make a move, which I think is a real possibility."
It remains to be seen what the Pistons will do with Grant, who has been sidelined due to a thumb injury that required surgery in late December. He just spent a week practicing with Detroit's G League affiliate, the Motor City Cruise, which suggests he may be able to return prior to the trade deadline.
What makes Grant such an interesting trade candidate is the fact that he can fit with a variety of teams &mdash; from contenders to up-and-coming squads. After emerging as a key contributor on the third-seeded Denver Nuggets in 2019-20, he proved that he can take on increased responsibilities in Detroit. Over the last year-and-a-half with the Pistons, Grant has averaged 21.6 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 2.0 threes and 1.1 blocks on .425/.344/847 shooting splits.
Grant is earning $20,002,500 this season, and then he&rsquo;ll make $20,955,000 next season in the final year of his contract. The Pistons are currently 11-35, which is the second-worst record in the Eastern Conference.&nbsp;

Rival executives believe that the Washington Wizards are "leading the chase" for Jerami Grant ahead of the Feb. 10 trade deadline.

Report: Wizards are front-runner for Jerami Grant, may deal Dinwiddie

In the weeks leading up to the NBA trade deadline on Feb. 10, there aren&rsquo;t many teams that have emerged as sellers, as a Western Conference executive pointed out last week.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I think it will be a run-of-the-mill deadline as far as activity,&rdquo; the West executive <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/after-a-slow-december-trade-talks-are-heating-up-around-the-nba" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told BasketballNews.com</a>. &ldquo;On one hand, it&rsquo;s wide open this year, so more teams might be willing to make a move and really go for it. On the other hand, there are so few sellers and there&rsquo;s not much of interest on those teams, so there may not be many impact players available.&rdquo;
However, it&rsquo;s safe to add one more team to the list of sellers: the Sacramento Kings.
If it wasn&rsquo;t already obvious that general manager Monte McNair would look to shake things up, the Kings just lost back-to-back home games against the Houston Rockets and Detroit Pistons, meaning the team has dropped 7 of their last 9. At 18-29, the Kings currently sit as the West&rsquo;s 11th seed; they have the NBA's 10th-ranked offense (scoring 107.0 points per 100 possessions) and 27th-ranked defense (allowing 111.1 points per 100 possessions).
Changes are likely coming in Sacramento.
De&rsquo;Aaron Fox has been <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/examining-potential-trade-destinations-for-deaaron-fox" target="_blank" rel="noopener">popping up in plenty of trade rumors recently</a>, with Ben Simmons and Domantas Sabonis mentioned as possible incoming pieces. However, it sounds like the Kings will hold onto Fox and Tyrese Haliburton and continue to build around them going forward. It&rsquo;s possible that could change between now and the deadline, but it would take a &ldquo;wild, over-the-top deal in order to change their current stance,&rdquo; according to <a href="https://kings-beat.beehiiv.com/p/sources-kings-hope-build-around-deaaron-fox-tyrese-haliburton" target="_blank" rel="noopener">James Ham of The Kings Beat</a>.
While the backcourt duo is safe, it sounds like anyone else on the roster could be moved over the next three weeks.
&ldquo;Everyone not named De&rsquo;Aaron Fox or Tyrese Haliburton can be had, for the right price,&rdquo; Ham <a href="https://kings-beat.beehiiv.com/p/sources-kings-hope-build-around-deaaron-fox-tyrese-haliburton" target="_blank" rel="noopener">writes at The Kings Beat</a>. &ldquo;Core players like Buddy Hield, Harrison Barnes and Richaun Holmes are available, according to a source with knowledge of the situation. The hope is that there are different combinations of players that somehow fit better with Fox and Haliburton.&rdquo;
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Hield is no stranger to trade rumors, as he&rsquo;s been involved in talks for some time. He was nearly traded last offseason, with the Los Angeles Lakers among the teams showing significant interest. The 29-year-old hasn&rsquo;t exactly hidden the fact that he&rsquo;s disgruntled, liking <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-rumors-buddy-hield-shot-sacramento-kings-tweet-twitter-trade" target="_blank" rel="noopener">several</a> <a href="https://larrybrownsports.com/basketball/buddy-hield-fueling-trade-rumors-social-media-kings/564306" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tweets</a> that indicated he wants out of Sacramento. In his sixth NBA season, Hield is averaging 15.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.5 threes and 2.0 assists on .395/.383/.867 shooting splits. For his career, he&rsquo;s a 40.3% three-point shooter. Hield is earning $23,073,234 this season and he's under contract for two more years (at $21,177,750 and $19,279,841).
Holmes has developed into an <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-richaun-holmes-qa-interview-free-agency-all-defensive-team" target="_blank" rel="noopener">excellent two-way center in recent years</a>. Last offseason, he re-signed with Sacramento on a four-year, $46.5 million deal. Considering his production, his contract is one of the NBA&rsquo;s best bargains, making him a great trade asset for the Kings. Holmes&rsquo; deal does have a 15% trade kicker (so he&rsquo;ll be earning slightly more if he gets dealt,&nbsp; as well as a player option in 2024-25. This season, the 28-year-old big man is averaging 12.2 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.1 blocks on .698/.500/.788 shooting splits. The Dallas Mavericks, Charlotte Hornets, Chicago Bulls and Toronto Raptors were reportedly among the teams that expressed interest in Holmes over the offseason.
Barnes has been linked to a number of teams, with the Los Angeles Lakers <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2952581-fire-vogel-what-the-la-lakers-really-need-is-close-to-impossible" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> among the squads expressing interest in him. According to <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2952421-latest-nba-trade-intel-how-will-dame-lillard-surgery-impact-ben-simmons-market" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report</a>, &ldquo;Sacramento fielded strong offers for Barnes at last season&rsquo;s deadline, but there&rsquo;s optimism among rival front offices the Kings will move him this go around.&rdquo; The 29-year-old is averaging 16.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 2.0 threes, 0.7 steals and just 1.7 turnovers on .451/.415/.833 shooting splits. He&rsquo;s currently earning $20,284,091, and he has one more year left on his contract after this season (at $18,352,273).&nbsp;
It&rsquo;s also possible that the Kings could look to move some of their other pieces such as Davion Mitchell and Marvin Bagley III among others. Keep an eye on Sacramento in the coming weeks.
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The Sacramento Kings are certainly a team to keep an eye on ahead of the NBA trade deadline on Feb. 10.

Kings making Buddy Hield, Richaun Holmes, Harrison Barnes available

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joel Embiid tied his career high with 50 points in just 27 minutes, leading a dominant third quarter that carried the Philadelphia 76ers to a 123-110 victory over the Orlando Magic on Wednesday night.
Embiid also had 12 rebounds and three blocks while making 17 of 23 field goals and 15 of 17 free throws. The four-time All-Star and MVP candidate played just 58 seconds of the fourth quarter.
Tobias Harris added 21 points for the 76ers, who have won nine of 11. Philadelphia began play sixth in the East but just 2 ½ games out of the top spot.
Mo Bamba set career highs with 32 points and seven 3-pointers for Orlando. The rebuilding Magic dropped to an NBA-worst 8-38 with their third straight loss and 13th defeat in the last 14 games.
Philadelphia was booed off the court at halftime, trailing 57-47. But the 76ers came out determined after the break, using a 17-6 run over the first 5:05 to jump in front, 64-63. Embiid finally got some help from his teammates during the spurt, as Tyrese Maxey drained a pair of 3-pointers.
Embiid, who entered averaging 27.3 points, took over from there, scoring in a variety of ways in a breathtaking third quarter that matched his similarly stellar first quarter. He was serenaded with “MVP! MVP!” chants on two trips to the free throw line in the period, and brought the fans roaring to their feet when he made a 3-pointer with 25 seconds left in the quarter that gave Philadelphia its largest lead to that point, 92-80.
It gave Embiid 47 points for the game and 23 in the third quarter alone in which he shot 8 of 10. The star center opened the contest by draining 8 of 10 shots in a 20-point first quarter that helped the 76ers to a 25-21 advantage.
Embiid re-entered with 7:23 left in the fourth and quickly got to 49 points with a pair of free throws 15 seconds later. Then, Embiid was fouled by Mamba, who fouled out on the play, with 6:26 left. With the crowd standing and recording the moment on cell phones, he made the first to reach 50 points before misfiring on the second free throw. Coach Doc Rivers quickly subbed him out to loud cheers.
Embiid was dominant in the first quarter but the rest of the 76ers combined for just five points on 2-for-11 shooting. And it caught up to them in the second quarter. The Magic closed within 38-37 while Embiid rested for the first 5:20 of the period, then scored 11 of the final 14 points to open a 10-point advantage after he went to the bench with three fouls with 3:07 remaining. 
Bamba finished with 28 points and made 7 of 8 3-pointers in the opening half, easily bettering his previous career highs in scoring (22 points) and made 3-pointers (5).
TRAINER’S ROOM
Magic: Assistant coach Jesse Mermuys filled in for head coach Jamahl Mosley (health and safety protocols), who missed his second straight game. Assistant coach Nate Tibbetts also was absent due to health and safety protocols. … Wendell Carter Jr. (sore left hamstring) was out of the lineup for the seventh consecutive contest. Mermuys believes Carter’s return is imminent. … R.J. Hampton went down hard with 4:52 left in the fourth, went to the locker room and didn’t return.
76ers: Danny Green (right hip) missed his fourth in a row, Matisse Thybulle (right shoulder) his third straight and Shake Milton (back) his eighth. Rivers said he expects Thybulle to miss at least one more game, while he didn’t have a timetable for Milton.
TIP-INS
Magic: Fell to 6-22 on the road. Orlando is 2-16 at home. … Trail the four-game season series 3-0. The teams will play once more, March 13 in Orlando.
76ers: Improved to 10-9 at home and 9-6 with Embiid in the lineup in Philadelphia. … As trade rumors continue to circulate around Ben Simmons, who has been out all season due to personal reasons, Rivers said rebounding and playmaking would be areas for addition at the trade deadline when pressed. “You need playmakers in the playoffs, you just do,” he said. “You need guys who are going to make plays for themselves and others. And the more you have, the better team you have, the better chance you have.”
UP NEXT
Magic: Open five-game homestand against the Lakers on Friday.
76ers: Host the Clippers on Friday.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Joel Embiid scored 50 points and the 76ers beat the Orlando Magic.

Embiid ties career high with 50 points, 76ers beat Magic

Myles Turner is no stranger to seeing his name in trade rumors.&nbsp;
Throughout his seven-year NBA career, Turner has repeatedly surfaced as a trade candidate. In fact, he&rsquo;s so used to seeing this that he&rsquo;s no longer fazed by the rumor mill.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Now that I see myself in these rumors all the time, it&rsquo;s just like another day for me. It&rsquo;s like, &lsquo;Oh, what else is new?&rsquo;&rdquo; Turner <a href="https://hoopshype.com/lists/myles-turner-i-want-to-be-an-all-star-defensive-player-of-the-year/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told Michael Scotto of HoopsHype</a> in November. &ldquo;Three years ago was the first time it really kind of got to me because I&rsquo;d see it all the time, and people were saying it was a sure thing. It was like every time I opened up my phone, I saw my name there. At one point, I loved the attention. The second time, it can be overwhelming for a younger player because you think you have some comfortability in a city and you could get moved at any time, and you see situations like that across the league all the time.&rdquo;
In the past, there would be a ton of talk about a potential Turner trade, and then he'd ultimately stay put with the Indiana Pacers. However, this time around feels a bit different since the Pacers are reportedly &ldquo;moving toward a substantial rebuild&rdquo; and listening to offers for Turner, Domantas Sabonis and Caris LeVert among others. Also, Turner recently spoke out about how Indiana isn't valuing him properly.
"It's clear that I'm not valued as anything more than a glorified role player here, and I want something more, more opportunity," Turner told <a href="https://theathletic.com/3005965/2021/12/09/as-pacers-consider-shake-up-myles-turner-seeks-bigger-role-with-more-opportunity/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Athletic&rsquo;s Jared Weiss</a> last month. "I'm trying really hard to make the role that I'm given here work and find a way to maximize it. I've been trying to the past two, three seasons. But it's clear to me that, just numbers-wise, I'm not valued as more than a rotational role player, and I hold myself in a higher regard than that."
Basically, the 25-year-old wants to be utilized like a featured player and valued like a star. If that isn&rsquo;t in the Pacers&rsquo; plans, he wants a change of scenery.
A few weeks from the Feb. 10 trade deadline, the Pacers&rsquo; asking price for Turner is two first-round picks or a promising young player and a first-rounder, according to <a href="https://hoopshype.com/lists/nba-rumors-myles-turner-caris-levert-eric-gordon-bryn-forbes/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HoopsHype&rsquo;s Michael Scotto</a>.&nbsp;
The Dallas Mavericks, Portland Trail Blazers, Minnesota Timberwolves, New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers and Charlotte Hornets are among the teams that have targeted Turner, <a href="https://hoopshype.com/lists/nba-rumors-myles-turner-caris-levert-eric-gordon-bryn-forbes/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">per Scotto</a>. NBA insider Marc Stein <a href="https://marcstein.substack.com/p/the-latest-trade-winds-?token=eyJ1c2VyX2lkIjoxNjkxNTY4LCJwb3N0X2lkIjo0NzA4NTUwNCwiXyI6Im1ldEtUIiwiaWF0IjoxNjQyMTk2OTA5LCJleHAiOjE2NDIyMDA1MDksImlzcyI6InB1Yi0zOTIyMDUiLCJzdWIiOiJwb3N0LXJlYWN0aW9uIn0.gjj6nyd488sFyvWVv7Hc5_b0FAVkctbQSRo8ApHBpJc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">confirmed</a> that the Mavs are interested in Turner (as well as Atlanta Hawks big man John Collins).
Turner is a young, talented big man who is a perfect fit for today&rsquo;s NBA, so it&rsquo;s no surprise that he has a long list of suitors. He is currently averaging 12.9 points, 7.1 rebounds, 2.8 blocks and 1.5 threes while shooting 50.9% from the field, 33.3% from three-point range and 75.2% from the free-throw line. He's on pace to lead the NBA in blocks per game for the second-straight season (and the third time in four years).
Whether he remains in Indiana or gets dealt to a new situation, Turner is prepared for whatever the future holds.
&ldquo;You&rsquo;ve got to go out there and take control of your own destiny. If you get traded, so be it. Go out there and kill it. If you stay with your organization, come out and show them why they paid you,&rdquo; Turner <a href="https://hoopshype.com/lists/myles-turner-i-want-to-be-an-all-star-defensive-player-of-the-year/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told HoopsHype</a> in November. &ldquo;You can make it an ego thing, but this is a business at the end of the day. The organization is going to do what&rsquo;s best for the organization. They&rsquo;re not inclined to care about your feelings in a sense.&rdquo;

The Pacers' asking price for Myles Turner is reportedly two first-round picks or a promising young player and a first-rounder.

Mavs, Blazers, Wolves, Knicks, Lakers, Hornets targeting Myles Turner

In case you missed it, Markieff Morris had this to say last night.
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Ain&rsquo;t shit wild about it! It&rsquo;s a real injury! Imagine having a 300 pound sloppy fat boy run full speed and make direct contact with your spine! I&rsquo;ll be back soon like I said. <a href="https://t.co/jMdySrLxuw">https://t.co/jMdySrLxuw</a>
&mdash; Keef Morris (@Keefmorris) <a href="https://twitter.com/Keefmorris/status/1479276725292830723?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2022</a>
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Yeah, so, about that.
It&rsquo;s been 60 days since Markieff Morris last played an NBA game. The reason... we all know by now, don&rsquo;t we?
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It was common to hear reactions from NBA Twitter, "Inside The NBA" and others&nbsp;that suggested Jokić was in the right and/or Morris deserved it. While Morris can&rsquo;t entirely be absolved because of the needless take foul beforehand, the entire ordeal and aftermath are worth revisiting precisely two months later.&nbsp;
Let&rsquo;s preface the rest by saying, coming from someone who also covers combat sports and asks for&nbsp;your favorite kerfuffles on his profile for this website, I think fighting in non-combat sports isn&rsquo;t as bad as the pearl-clutchers think. It honestly shouldn&rsquo;t even always warrant a suspension &mdash; depending on the context &mdash; but I understand why it often does. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOAEz9uK6GY">Some sh*t goes too far</a>, but more than often,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmAMCFAugKc&amp;t=27s">guys don&rsquo;t even want to fight to begin with</a>. (Kenyon Martin even <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-rumors-kenyon-martin-enforcer-toughness-physicality-league-kevin-garnett-fight-fighting-defense" target="_blank" rel="noopener">addressed that here on BasketballNews.com in an article</a>.) 
And there&rsquo;s shared blame here, which we&rsquo;ll navigate through as one, big, happy-ass family.
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First of all, the video of the fight itself: Bleacher Report having as their headline, &ldquo;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L06009FEQRs&amp;t=27s">Nikola Jokic INJURED Markieff Morris &amp; ALMOST ENDED HIS CAREER 👀</a>&rdquo; is pretty wack. Eyeball emojis shouldn&rsquo;t come after ALMOST ENDED HIS CAREER in all caps &ndash; that&rsquo;s mad insensitive to still have up there after two months.
Secondly, the comments embody what we&rsquo;re talking about. People saying a variation of Morris getting what he deserved, applauding Shaquille O&rsquo;Neal and Charles Barkley for defending Jokić&rsquo;s right to obliterate Morris from behind &mdash; we&rsquo;ll get to that momentarily.
Not too many combinations of jokes were directed at Morris, who apparently was faking his injury, right? So much so that he still hasn&rsquo;t played since.&nbsp;
Now, the "Inside" guys.&nbsp;
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The first thing Charles Barkley said was, &ldquo;I love this.&rdquo;
Less than a minute later, O&rsquo;Neal added, &ldquo;I like what The Joker did.&rdquo;
Asked by Ernie Johnson to expand, Barkley emphatically interjected, rhetorically asking, &ldquo;What did Joker do?&rdquo;&nbsp;
Johnson replied, &ldquo;Gave him (Morris) a shot in the back and whiplashed him.&rdquo;
And Shaq contributed, &ldquo;First of all, Ernie, it&rsquo;s called retaliation. When you hit me, don&rsquo;t turn around. Don&rsquo;t turnaround, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qM1V1D1r_PU">Brad Miller, because I&rsquo;m swinging</a>,&rdquo; with a laugh.
Kenny Smith attempted to provide a more levelheaded take, saying, &ldquo;We would hope that Joker could have some self-restraint.&rdquo; He was then immediately shot down by O&rsquo;Neal and Barkley, and the segment continued.
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There&rsquo;s absolutely something to what O&rsquo;Neal and Barkley said regarding retaliation, self-defense and sending a message. Additionally, there&rsquo;s some arrogance in leveling someone and immediately turning around, thinking you&rsquo;re untouchable as a result. Not great from Keef, there.
And as bad as the neck injury has been for Morris, it could&rsquo;ve been worse &mdash; a stretcher was even brought out as a precaution. Luckily, he was able to walk off.
And, look, we&rsquo;ve all been to an emotional point where the subsequent actions we took were regrettable, so this ain&rsquo;t finger-wagging more than an observation and reevaluation.
Jokić, at 6-foot-11, 284 pounds, has a distinct size advantage over Morris' listed <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/morrima02.html">6-foot-9, 245-pound frame</a>, so throwing his entire body weight into an unsuspecting Morris from behind is especially threatening. You&rsquo;d probably say Morris put himself in that danger, but even Jokić &mdash; clearly not being in his right mind at the time &mdash; has to know that he can&rsquo;t charge into Morris from behind like that, which he admitted after. It isn&rsquo;t like the foul was from behind, either.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s a stupid play,&rdquo; Jokic said, seemingly with regret. &ldquo;I feel bad. I&rsquo;m not supposed to react that way, but it&rsquo;s in the middle of the game. I got hit, I saw him, but I just thought it was gonna be like a take foul... I thought [what Morris did] was a dirty play, and I just needed to protect myself. I fouled him bad, and I&rsquo;m not supposed to react that way.&rdquo;
He later added, insisting his feelings were genuine, &ldquo;No, I felt bad, for real... his head snapped back, so I feel really bad.&rdquo; &nbsp;
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In regards to the unusually physical Morris take foul, that was mad unnecessary at that point of the game, and when NBA games are out of reach, that&rsquo;s typically when things like this happen. As many people have indicated, Keef has a history of NBA dust-ups &mdash; including <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBZ4Al-zAQU" target="_blank" rel="noopener">with DeMarcus Cousins</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZ-azSxV-oE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">OG Anunoby</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlWOv0HEYlk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">James Ennis</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9WUBR3e7H8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">whatever this was with Buddy Hield</a> among others.&nbsp;
But if his reputation preceded him, Jokic&rsquo;s should too.
Just four months earlier, Jokić was ejected for a reckless-ass frustration foul against 6-foot-1, 180-pound Cameron Payne, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bHAc-BU8oE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">then going head-to-head and exchanging words with Devin Booker</a>. Two months before that,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bQgHLt59NM" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jokić punched Terrence Ross in his arm</a>&nbsp;out of anger for not getting a call he felt he deserved. Ross gave him a receipt later in the half, but not an overly rough one.
In the Orlando Bubble, and in similar fashion, Jokić was upset about a non-call against 6-foot Patrick Beverley, and frustration fouled him on a break by... <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmftuUeYLHk">trying to Rick Flair chop him</a>? In the Nuggets-Blazers 2019 playoff series,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhndn_k-6G0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">he elbowed the sh*t out of Enes Kanter</a>. (Depending on who you ask, he might&rsquo;ve been ahead of his time. Lots of people would, and I.... I understand.)
Jokić also had a bumping/shoving match with Marcus, Keef&rsquo;s twin, two years ago.&nbsp;&nbsp;
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This isn&rsquo;t to say Jokić is a bad dude or an a**hole. Things happen, and different athletes have different ways of expressing themselves. But if people are going to hold up Morris&rsquo; past, this should go both ways. And all of these things can co-exist &mdash; this doesn&rsquo;t have to be some tribal, side-taking nonsense.&nbsp;
Revisiting all this is not to say we should retroactively ban Jokić for an extended period, but we should reevaluate how we process these things both in the moment and afterward. Morris still hasn&rsquo;t played. I don&rsquo;t care how much you don&rsquo;t like the dude and the misguided, non-productive nature of his foul &mdash; he didn&rsquo;t deserve to get hurt and obviously hasn&rsquo;t been faking an injury. (In the moment, I thought Jokić would get suspended 3-to-5 games, so one game appeared light at the time, for what it&rsquo;s worth.)
A question lingers in my mind: How would people have reacted if this were reversed? I&rsquo;m not even going to Black and white, but more specifically: What if Morris did this to Jokić? Clearly, people would&rsquo;ve been coming for Morris&rsquo; head since he&rsquo;s a role player, Jokić is a superstar, and plenty of y&rsquo;all don&rsquo;t like the Morris twins to begin with.
On Christmas Eve,&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/Keefmorris/status/1474434182575185922" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Morris said he was "coming soon."</a> He said it again last night.
Well, it&rsquo;s been eight weeks since the encounter with The Joker. At 32 years old, hopefully, he&rsquo;ll be able to reclaim what he established earlier, <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/morrima02.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">which has turned out to be his best season in three years</a>. And ideally, Jokić could, as he himself indicated, collect himself a tad better before endangering someone else in this fashion.

Two months later, Bryan Fonseca analyzes the aftermath of the Nikola Jokic-Markieff Morris incident, with the latter still injured.

60 days later: Revisiting the Nikola Jokić-Markieff Morris incident

Though he agreed to a five-year, $172 million max rookie extension with the Oklahoma City Thunder in August, there&rsquo;s enough general buzz and recent NBA history to suggest that Shai-Gilgeous Alexander might not finish that contract in OKC.&nbsp;
In fact, will he even start it? SGA&rsquo;s extension begins in the 2022-23 season, as he is currently banking about $5.5 million in his last year with a rookie-wage scale. He also has a 15% trade kicker for what it&rsquo;s worth.
Following Chris Paul&rsquo;s 2019-20 OKC season, which ended in a seven-game playoff loss to the Houston Rockets in Round 1 in the Orlando Bubble, the Thunder have compiled a 35-73 record since. Currently, at 13-23, they&rsquo;re one of about five or six teams you&rsquo;d consider done, even though they&rsquo;re a five-ish game winning streak from being in the mix. They&rsquo;re definitely among the few not necessarily trying to win in the immediate future, which we&rsquo;ll get to later. As a result, SGA&rsquo;s name has been in trade rumors again, and it's not the first time. Today, we&rsquo;ll lay out the paths for OKC.&nbsp;
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The Case To Keep
This one&rsquo;s obvious &mdash; SGA is indisputably really damn good. Now,&nbsp;how good&nbsp;is up for debate, and honestly, we don&rsquo;t need to litigate that right this second. If he&rsquo;s not someone you build around, he&rsquo;s someone worth building with; we could keep it at that and move on with our day here.&nbsp;
Despite the Thunder being 13th in the Western Conference, the 6-foot-6, 180-pound has a legit All-Star case again; this time, he has an outside shot at actually getting in this time. Sure, only 12 players get in per conference &mdash; it should be 15 &mdash; but this year of all years might have several replacements due to COVID and injuries.&nbsp;
Through 31 starts, he&rsquo;s averaging 22.7 points, 5.2 assists and 4.8 rebounds per game. He&rsquo;s only shooting 41.8% from the field and 28.4% from three, which are cases against him, but he&rsquo;s really the primary offensive generator of the club, so it&rsquo;s even understandable to a degree.&nbsp;
In theory, you&rsquo;d expect a lot back for SGA, but the greedy-ass Thunder <a href="https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nba/news/thunder-future-draft-picks-sam-presti/16zsblvhgaoav1fdrt06p1hq3z" target="_blank" rel="noopener">already have 19 first-round and 17 second-round draft picks</a>&nbsp;over the next five years. How many more draft picks do you need?&nbsp;
(What&rsquo;s that? They just <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/thunder-jazz-trade-okc-adds-another-future-draft-pick-to-war-chest-utah-saves-2-4m-and-opens-roster-spot/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">got&nbsp;another pick yesterday???</a>&nbsp;Man, whatever. At some point, you need players.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbqfzhMOlGg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">This is no video game, Fisher</a>.)
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The Thunder duo powered OKC to a win on the road. SGA: 23 PTS, 4 AST, 5 REB Giddey: 19 PTS, 11 AST, 5 REB <a href="https://t.co/8lQXAjejGz">pic.twitter.com/8lQXAjejGz</a>
&mdash; NBA Fantasy (@NBAFantasy) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBAFantasy/status/1473322374401605643?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 21, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Plus, why not build around a backcourt of him and Josh Giddey, who can&rsquo;t really shoot yet but can do a lot of other things worth keeping an eye on. Giddey was drafted No. 6 overall this past summer, so his contract is team-friendly through 2025.&nbsp;
There&rsquo;s no need to trade SGA if you&rsquo;re trying to build a good team at some point, and no reason to keep losing for higher draft picks when you have more than enough to trade up for who you want. You even have numerous&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/contracts/OKC.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">young players under contractual control through next season</a>, so you can use them to move up in the draft as well. You ain&rsquo;t keeping all 19 of those first-rounders; that sh*t doesn&rsquo;t even work in 2K. Trust me, I&rsquo;ve tried.&nbsp;
The Case to Trade
If, for whatever reason, the Thunder don&rsquo;t want to build around (or with) him or don't want his pending massive contract number to fall on them when it kicks in &mdash; or want the ball in Giddey&rsquo;s hands more &mdash; then that&rsquo;s how we get here. Maybe you want a different stylistic running mate instead, or a potential offer for SGA is too grand to pass on.&nbsp;
You'd imagine to get a package back highlighted by multiple first rounders, which you could then use to acquire another complement to Giddey, who would be running the show, if you're already sold in that being the long-term plan. You'd also still have enough left over draft capital to trade up for a top pick in the 2022 or 2023 NBA Draft, or even both. There's a quick pathway to build a team and be competitive by the middle of the decade, and maybe SGA's contract kicks in sooner than you'd like.&nbsp;
Or, SGA&rsquo;s name was <a href="https://okcthunderwire.usatoday.com/2021/12/12/marc-stein-76ers-interested-in-shai-gilgeous-alexander-type-player-in-potential-ben-simmons-trade/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly on the growing Philadelphia 76ers shortlist</a> of desirable trade pieces in exchange for Ben Simmons. Giddey and Simmons are both Australian, so people will immediately draw that connection too. For OKC, it has enough draft picks where a gamble of this sort wouldn&rsquo;t kill the team if it didn&rsquo;t work, and the Thunder are in a market size where rebuilding would often be commonplace &mdash; even though they&rsquo;ve been spoiled before this recent era of Thunder basketball. Furthermore, looking from Philadelphia's perspective, an SGA-Joel Embiid tandem would be hella fun.&nbsp;
Otherwise, SGA would make sense on teams like Dallas next to Luka Dončić, or maybe the Indiana Pacers if that&rsquo;s the Domantas Sabonis move, though you&rsquo;d still have to figure out where Caris LeVert (and possible others) go.
There&rsquo;s also a fun SGA landing spot &mdash; his hometown Toronto Raptors &mdash; if OKC waits until the extension kicks in. You&rsquo;d think the Raptors would have to deal Pascal Siakam to make the money work, but maybe there&rsquo;s an OG Anunoby, Gary Trent Jr. and draft capital return instead? That would give the Raptors a core of SGA, Fred VanVleet, Scottie Barnes and Siakam. Again, all hypothetical, but that&rsquo;s why we&rsquo;re here, ain&rsquo;t it?
The Verdict
That said, right now, I&rsquo;d keep SGA and try building around him and Giddey among others.
Brandon Ingram, James Harden, Victor Oladipo, and D'Angelo Russell are cautionary enough as reasons OKC should keep SGA around to be an All-Star in its own organization instead of someone else's.&nbsp;
In that same breath, if I were the Raptors, I&rsquo;d be kicking the tires harder than <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzSBRQV1T40" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shawn Michaels kicked Stan</a> &mdash; especially after the season. If I were Dallas, I&rsquo;d be calling right now just to inquire. You&rsquo;d need more in return than Kristaps Porziņģis, but there&rsquo;s no doubt that the Mavericks have to do something.&nbsp;
But before all that, rest up, SGA. You, too, KP.

Bryan Fonseca wrestles with the idea of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's future with the Thunder: To trade, or not to trade?

The case against, and for, OKC trading Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 

Following a non-contact injury in Tuesday night&rsquo;s loss at New Orleans, the Cleveland Cavaliers received devastating news on Wednesday afternoon. Ricky Rubio, the anchor of the team&rsquo;s second unit and mentor of many, has suffered a torn ACL in his left knee and will miss the remainder of the 2021-22 season.&nbsp;
Perhaps playing the best basketball of his career and coming off a tremendous run with the Spanish national team in this past summer&rsquo;s Tokyo OIympics, Rubio had averaged 13.3 points and 6.6 assists per game over 34 contests. Even more difficult to swallow, the veteran point guard suffered the ACL tear at the tail-end of a defeat where he nearly registered a triple-double and came close to leading the shorthanded Cavs to a road victory.
Game-in and game-out, Rubio provided Cleveland with an element it didn&rsquo;t have in previous years. Notwithstanding how he shifted the team environment with his selflessness and words of wisdom, he was a playmaker and consistently set guys up with passes inside and out, which set the tone for the wine-and-gold to move the ball at will. He was also aggressive with his own shot-making, averaging a career-high 12.1 attempts a night.
The impact of this injury will be felt with each passing game, especially considering that rising star Darius Garland entered health and safety protocols Tuesday afternoon. You can&rsquo;t overstate how crucial Rubio was to this group, which is why the Cavs must be proactive to fill the void.
No, making a panic trade is not the answer. While rumors of Ben Simmons are enticing to think about in practice, making the money work is too difficult. (Plus, it would require moving Kevin Love, who now is one of two seasoned vets left on the roster; not a good idea.) Not that you can predict these setbacks, but the timing couldn&rsquo;t be worse, as the NBA is currently in the midst of a COVID outbreak that&rsquo;s led to roster shortages. In turn, much of the player pool is limited because all kinds of players are being signed to 10-day hardship exceptions to temporarily combat it.
As it stands, the Cavs have Kevin Pangos and Denzel Valentine as their next-man up ball-handlers. Isaac Okoro got reps in that role at NBA Summer League as well. That said, there&rsquo;s no way they stand pat with what they have, particularly looking at the success they&rsquo;ve had to this point. You&rsquo;re not going to replace Rubio; that doesn&rsquo;t mean you say, "Oh well."
So who can Cleveland go after to soften the blow and keep the momentum going? There&rsquo;s a few names that come to mind.
Jeff Teague, Free Agent 
This might be the easiest route to take. Teague is a free agent and was a part of the Milwaukee Bucks championship run last postseason. He is only 33 years old still, and is capable of making plays for others. He can make the occasional three, yet more importantly, is able to orchestrate, organize an offense and work in the pick-and-roll.
Teague carries plenty of playoff experience, which is an added bonus, and won&rsquo;t be asked to do much defensively due to Cleveland&rsquo;s towering frontcourt. Since Garland is taking off, you&rsquo;re not going to ask Teague to take on starter&rsquo;s minutes. Having an experienced maestro like Teague come in to handle those responsibilities seems pretty logical &mdash; even if he can&rsquo;t replicate Rubio&rsquo;s production.
D.J. Augustin, Houston Rockets 
Option No. 2 for the Cavs could be to scour the market for teams who might be willing to part ways with vets in lieu of their developing talent. Sure, the Houston Rockets are putting D.J. Augustin out there to accelerate the maturation of their young guys too, but maybe Cleveland could muster together a small deal and include a future second-rounder.
Dylan Windler hasn&rsquo;t been in J.B. Bickerstaff&rsquo;s rotation this season as once expected. Could a package of the former first-round pick, Valentine and Pangos <a href="http://www.espn.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=y2l9644o" target="_blank" rel="noopener">do the trick</a>? Augustin is drilling 41.3% of his triples, and would be a welcome addition to the Cavs&rsquo; bench.
Kemba Walker, New York Knicks 
Out of necessity, Kemba Walker is back in the New York Knicks&rsquo; rotation. Hell, he just won Eastern Conference Player of the Week. Considering he just built his trade value back up in the span of 10 days, Cleveland would have to offer up something more significant. There&rsquo;s been plenty of reported interest from the Knicks on Collin Sexton, who&rsquo;s sidelined with a torn meniscus and is a restricted free agent this summer.&nbsp;
Would a one-on-one swap with some draft capital coming back to the Cavs be something to think about in regards to making a long-term move from New York&rsquo;s position? Or could the suddenly sharpshooting Cedi Osman and a future pick be intriguing for the Knicks at the wing position in the short-term? Who knows if Cleveland would be willing to do either for the veteran Walker, who&rsquo;s dealt with injuries recently; or if the Knicks would send him out following this hot stretch. What we do know is Walker can still play the game on the offensive end of the floor, and has plenty left in the tank for this specific role.
Goran Dragic, Toronto Raptors 
Currently dealing with a personal matter, Goran Dragic has appeared in just five games for the Toronto Raptors. His reputation as a lead guard precedes itself, and he&rsquo;s been productive in the past as a more aggressive type of player who draws attention with his rim pressure and outside shooting. However, he probably won&rsquo;t be attainable, as Dragic has a $19.4 million expiring salary. Outside of moving Lauri Markkanen and another player with a small contract, or the injured Rubio, you can&rsquo;t cobble together the right pieces to make a deal work.
Shane Larkin, Anadolu Efes 
The Cavs have already zagged while everybody else has zigged, as Nekias Duncan so eloquently put. Why not reach out to the EuroLeague? Shane Larkin is playing well with Anadolu Efes, averaging 12.8 points and 4.9 assists over 27 games. He&rsquo;s shooting the three at a 35.8% clip too. Larkin has four seasons of NBA experience and is only 29 years old, though he hasn&rsquo;t appeared in an NBA game since May 2018. Per TalkBasket.net, he has <a href="https://www.talkbasket.net/81151-shane-larkin-reportedly-agrees-to-a-contract-extension-with-anadolu-efes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">an out-clause in his current contract</a> should the Association come calling...
Until the Cavs address the loss of Ricky Rubio, they&rsquo;re going to have to play the DHO game with Evan Mobley and, when he returns, Jarrett Allen. Mobley is an exceptional passer and reader of the game, so putting the ball in his hands to run the offense is likely Cleveland&rsquo;s best possibility with not-so-great playmakers in the backcourt.
They&rsquo;re going to depend on their defense to get them through this grueling period, and then what&rsquo;s to come after. Nonetheless, the Cavs can&rsquo;t rest on their laurels with this kind of loss.
Considering these options would be a better idea than doing nothing, and knowing Koby Altman&rsquo;s sense of urgency, he&rsquo;ll have something up his sleeves sooner than later.

Who can Cleveland go after to soften the blow of the Ricky Rubio injury and keep the momentum going? Spencer Davies writes.

Mulling over 5 options for the Cavs with Ricky Rubio out for the year

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/shams-clears-rumors-about-lebron-james-leaving-the-lakers/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
With each Los Angeles Lakers&rsquo; mediocre performance this season, their playoff dreams are fading away slowly as they slip further in the standings. As a result, rumors have begun to circulate about a possible LeBron James exit in the near future. However, Shams Charania shut down all of that chatter as a guest on <a href="https://twitter.com/PatMcAfeeShow/status/1473715564958961671?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Pat McAfee Show</a>.
LeBron is not leaving
On the show, Charania shared a message from James&rsquo; agent, Rich Paul.
&ldquo;I spoke to LeBron&rsquo;s agent, Rich Paul, and he said that talk [of James leaving] in itself is ridiculous and it&rsquo;s totally false," Charania <a href="https://twitter.com/PatMcAfeeShow/status/1473715564958961671?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told McAfee</a>. "LeBron James isn&rsquo;t leaving the Lakers, he&rsquo;s going to be on the Lakers. The question is: how can the Lakers get better? That&rsquo;s why I&rsquo;ve heard they have been active in the trade market.&rdquo;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
"I heard directly from Rich Paul that LeBron James isn't leaving the Lakers.. this team just doesn't look it has the young legs that they need to have &amp; they have been very active in the trade market" ~<a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ShamsCharania</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PatMcAfeeShowLIVE?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PatMcAfeeShowLIVE</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LakeShow?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LakeShow</a> <a href="https://t.co/BZEAMM6Zkb">pic.twitter.com/BZEAMM6Zkb</a>
&mdash; Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) <a href="https://twitter.com/PatMcAfeeShow/status/1473715564958961671?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2021</a></blockquote>

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James is no stranger to switching jerseys. He has been lauded and ridiculed for jumping teams in the past. To some, it was a power move where he had control over his future, while others feel it was a weak move to win a title. But as Shams has now clarified, Laker fans can breathe a sigh of relief knowing their superstar will remain in Los Angeles &mdash; at least until his contract ends in 2023. More stories will surface in the following months if the Lakers continue to struggle.
What the Lakers need to do in the trade market
The trade market opened on Dec. 15, when recently-signed players in the league became eligible to be moved. Now, teams looking to improve their roster can start looking for available assets. L.A. could find some short-term answers there, but in reality, they have little assets to offer to other teams.
Aside from James and Anthony Davis, only Talen Horton-Tucker or Austin Reaves are arguably the only exciting "prospects" L.A. has on its roster. Unless the Lakers do a massive overhaul and offer their veterans to other teams, it&rsquo;s a difficult path for the purple-and-gold moving forward.
Is anyone interested in bringing in Russell Westbrook, Rajon Rondo, Carmelo Anthony, DeAndre Jordan or Dwight Howard?
Whether they stick with what they have or flip some underperforming players for others is up to the front office to decide.
The clock is ticking though. LeBron James staying in L.A. won&rsquo;t solve all of their problems.&nbsp;
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

According to Shams Charania, Rich Paul spoke out against the chatter around LeBron bolting on the Lakers.

Rich Paul: Talk of LeBron leaving Lakers 'ridiculous, totally false'

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/iman-shumpert-explains-how-lebron-ruined-basketball/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m gonna take my talents to South Beach and join the Miami Heat.&rdquo;
The infamous sentence by LeBron James that completely changed the NBA landscape back in 2010 had a greater effect on the league than you might think. Sure, it shifted the landscape of the league at that time, but the long-term impact was felt in the fact that players started to team up other more, forming super-teams and disbanding loyalty in the pursuit of a championship. LeBron&rsquo;s former teammate, Iman Shumpert, blames James for this shift in thinking. In fact, he believes James ruined the NBA.
&ldquo;'Bron ruined basketball. He thought he was making it better; I get him," Shumpert said. "Me personally, I loved the NBA for the loyalty that I thought was there. He basically knocked the fourth wall down like, 'The organization, they bullsh*tting, we doing what we want.' Great business move for sure, but when you think about it, outside looking in, like, I got people tweeting me right now [and] they're literally talking about owners and trades. It&rsquo;s like, bro, y&rsquo;all aren&rsquo;t supposed to be talking about none of this actually!"
It&rsquo;s ridiculous to say LeBron started super-teams with the 2010 Miami Heat because we have seen many teams with multiple All-Stars going all the way through history. But the Heat's Big Three was formed differently. Players didn&rsquo;t have the kind of power or leverage to go wherever they wanted and team up with their friends. Ownership groups and front offices had all the power, but LeBron broke the wall and showed that the players actually had the control.&nbsp;
Ever since then, players have been getting more and more power in the NBA, getting larger contracts, requesting trades, signing wherever they want, recruiting each other and simply sitting out if they don&rsquo;t want to play. All of this was unheard of in the NBA 15 years ago. But LeBron&rsquo;s push for player empowerment changed the complete hierarchy of the league and gave the steering wheel to the players. Some would argue that this was good for the league, while others would say it&rsquo;s destroying it. One thing&rsquo;s for sure: it has its perks and flaws.
While it&rsquo;s entertaining to see super-teams due to the abundance of transcendent talent playing together, some feel it kills the nature of the NBA. The league gets too centralized with only a few select elite teams, while the rest get the short end of the stick and no attention. That mainly happens to the small-market teams that don&rsquo;t have the appeal of the big cities to lure stars.&nbsp;
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It also killed loyalty and the romanticism that once graced the NBA, with every team having its star or two that were heroes of the city for their whole careers. Instead, nowadays, it&rsquo;s normal to see star players switch teams numerous times and look for their best situation, rather than sticking it out with their original team. Of course, there are exceptions; Damian Lillard is the obvious one.
Shumpert believes that fans look at the game differently and focus on the wrong things ever since James joined the Heat. Fans have always been interested in rumors and transactions, but there's no question that it reached a new level during the player-empowerment era. These days, some fans are more interested in what happens off the court than the actual games.
James' free-agency choice in 2010 will undoubtedly continue to be viewed as one of the most polarizing moves in NBA history.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

Iman Shumpert discussed the effects of LeBron James' decision to join the Miami Heat.

Iman Shumpert lets loose on how LeBron 'ruined basketball'

We&rsquo;re still two months away from the NBA trade deadline in February, but expect rumors to pick up once the moratorium on recently signed players lifts on Dec. 15. Once that occur, it&rsquo;s open season on anything and everything, wherever the trade winds blow in the league.
In the meantime, which teams seem poised to buy or sell? Are there any players who could be better off elsewhere? Here are five trade ideas that have already piqued my interest. Think of it as a hypothetical early Christmas gift for these teams mentioned. Without further ado, let&rsquo;s dive into the scenarios below.
Christian Wood &mdash; Golden State Warriors
According to The Ringer&rsquo;s Kevin O&rsquo;Connor, the Houston Rockets will be <a href="https://www.theringer.com/nba/2021/11/29/22807223/seven-observations-stephen-curry-kristap-porzingis-julius-randle" target="_blank" rel="noopener">willing to listen to trade offers on Christian Wood</a> leading up to February&rsquo;s deadline. O&rsquo;Connor also notes that the market is expected to be robust for the versatile 26-year-old big man.
So far this season in Houston, Wood is averaging 16.2 points, 11.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.0 blocks per game. With Houston in a full-fledged rebuild centered around No. 2 overall pick, Wood simply doesn&rsquo;t fit the team's timeline. Whatever the Rockets would be able to gather for Wood would be a win at this point, and he could swing the fortunes of a championship contender.
Although the Warriors likely won&rsquo;t mess with their team chemistry, why not kick the tires on Wood? Not only would he fit the short-term goal of chasing another Larry O&rsquo;Brien trophy, but he&rsquo;s young enough where you can continue building around him. Wood in Kevon Looney&rsquo;s starting spot alongside Stephen Curry would be completely unfair. Wood would feast with the gobs of spacing available to him, plus he could take pressure off others in the Warriors&rsquo; system.
The question is: What&rsquo;s a win-win hypothetical trade that makes sense for both Houston and Golden State revolving around Wood? Although Houston just selected two bigs in the 2021 NBA Draft &mdash; Alperen Sengun and Usman Garuba &mdash; why not have as many bites of the apple for elite talent as possible? 2020 No. 2 overall pick James Wiseman plus Looney&rsquo;s salary to match contract value actually makes a lot of sense here. Wiseman would be able to play an extensive role alongside Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr., plus the rotation at center would sort itself out eventually.
Maybe Golden State tosses in a protected future first-round pick to sweeten the offer further, but I love this for both sides. Wood raises the already immense ceiling for Golden State, while Wiseman could be another lottery ticket to develop for Houston&rsquo;s new era.
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Myles Turner &mdash; Charlotte Hornets
Indiana needs to come to the realization of where its roster stands. It&rsquo;s time to sell to the highest bidder with some of their core players. One of those who could attract a serious slew of offers is Turner, who has proven himself to be a valuable defensive anchor and floor-spacer.
Charlotte is exceeding expectations this season thanks to LaMelo Ball&rsquo;s superstar rise, plus Miles Bridges becoming the No. 2 option. Imagine how much better the Hornets would be if they acquired Turner to stabilize their inconsistent defense. Mason Plumlee isn&rsquo;t going to cut it. Throwing Turner into the mix in Charlotte would be a perfect scenario for both the team and the player. Turner would thrive alongside LaMelo in an up-tempo offense and take away a lot of easy looks that have caused serious problems this season for Charlotte.
Would Indiana be enticed by Kelly Oubre Jr. and PJ Washington as a trade package? Maybe swap out Washington for James Bouknight, who hasn&rsquo;t been able to crack the rotation due to Terry Rozier?
Either way, this type of return feels reasonable for Turner. If Indiana decides to finally pull the trigger and embrace a roster overhaul, Charlotte should be blowing them up to acquire an elite rim protector.
Domantas Sabonis &mdash; Portland Trail Blazers
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If the Pacers decide to go in the aforementioned direction with their team and ship off Sabonis to the highest bidder in February, we already have a realistic baseline in place for a package thanks to Nikola Vucevic last season. Orlando traded Vucevic, a similar player archetype as Sabonis, to Chicago for Wendell Carter Jr. and two future first-round picks. With Sabonis being five years younger and a better overall player, that&rsquo;s the floor for what should come back in any deal for Indiana's two-time All-Star center.
Portland is already dealing with roster imbalance on top of organizational issues, which now has led to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/trail-blazers-fire-neil-olshey-following-independent-review" target="_blank" rel="noopener">general manager Neil Olshey&rsquo;s firing</a>. As a last-ditch effort to appease Damian Lillard, how about pushing the chips in for Sabonis? It would be awesome to see another Sabonis suit up for the Blazers, and him being a secondary hub to the offense alongside Lillard and CJ McCollum would create an explosive offense. Lillard finally seeing the Blazers making an aggressive move could delay/off his eventual trade request at some point as well.
With Sabonis only being 25 years old and having three years remaining on his bargain of a contract, the price would be steep. Would Portland be willing to trade Anfernee Simons and Nassir Little for Sabonis?
Pascal Siakam &mdash; Sacramento Kings
The quick emergence of No. 4 overall pick Scottie Barnes is leading to the inevitable conversations revolving around Siakam&rsquo;s long-term future in Toronto. With OG Anunoby and Barnes, is Siakam (and his hefty contract) a necessity to stay around? Personally, I don&rsquo;t think so. If the Raptors are able to find a big-time offer to offload Siakam, it makes a ton of sense to explore that possibility.
Who around the league would be interested in Siakam, though? There would be a bidding war ensuing for a near-star who can lift the ceiling of a team on both ends of the court. One team that actually makes a lot of sense for Siakam, potentially out of sheer desperation, would be Sacramento.
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After firing head coach Luke Walton, there are really no more excuses for the Kings to not figure it out sometime soon. It might simply just be time to reshuffle the roster a little bit to see what happens. Adding Siakam would be a brilliant move to help out De&rsquo;Aaron Fox. Imagine how much fun this would be in Sacramento: Fox, Tyrese Haliburton, Harrison Barnes, Siakam, Richaun Holmes. That right there is starting lineup that can push the pace and score efficiently while also holding up on the defensive end.
With Toronto on the outside looking in for the playoff picture, acquiring Buddy Hield, Marvin Bagley III and two future first-round picks may not be enough to say goodbye to Siakam. Maybe I&rsquo;m underselling Siakam&rsquo;s value here, but I absolutely love the on-court fit for him with the Kings, so let&rsquo;s roll with it.
Ben Simmons for CJ McCollum blockbuster
Nothing has changed when it comes to Ben Simmons and the Philadelphia 76ers&rsquo; standoff. If anything, Simmons&rsquo; trade value is plummeting. At some point, will Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey lower his asking price and circle back around to discussions with Portland around a Simmons for McCollum swap? Ever since Simmons passed up a wide-open dunk in a pivotal moment in the Eastern Conference Finals, this trade has felt inevitable.
Simmons would be Lillard&rsquo;s own version of Draymond Green, helping stabilize the Blazers&rsquo; defense while also being a potent forward driving to the rim. Meanwhile, McCollum would help the Sixers&rsquo; short-term hopes of forming a title contender. Philadelphia certainly loses juice on defense swapping out Simmons for McCollum, but he&rsquo;s an experienced All-Star-level player who can score 20 points per game with ease. Imagining McCollum and Tyrese Maxey is a fun exercise for a potential Sixers backcourt combination post-Simmons.
What even is the value for Simmons right now around the Association? It&rsquo;s tough to gauge, but this trade construction still feels like the easiest to navigate. As I wrote once news broke a few months ago about Simmons wanting out of Philadelphia, it could lead to <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/ben-simmons-sixers-destined-for-a-rare-winwin-breakup" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a true win-win for both parties in the end</a>.

With certain free-agent trade restrictions lifting on Dec. 15, it's time to start hypothesizing which teams could be buyers or sellers.

5 potential moves that make sense leading up to NBA trade deadline

After operating as the Staples Center for all 22-years since its opening in 1999, Crypto.com is reportedly paying around $700 million over 20 years to rename the iconic Los Angeles venue &ldquo;Crypto.com Arena&rdquo; starting in December. That&rsquo;s $35 million per year, or nearly $100,000 per day for the next 20 years, and makes it the largest naming rights deal in U.S. sports history.
Even crazier, that&rsquo;s nearly 2x the entire $375 million that it cost to build the arena.&nbsp;
Some people will say Crypto.com overpaid at $35 million per year, while others will say the naming rights are priceless and that AEG should have never sold it in the first place. Regardless, there are rumors that AEG will use a substantial amount of the money to fund a renovation on the 22-year-old arena.
SOURCE: <a href="https://huddleup.substack.com/p/the-largest-naming-rights-deal-in" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Joe Pompliano of Huddle Up (Substack)</a>

According to reports, Staples Center will become 'Crypto.com Arena' after a massive naming rights deal closes.

Staples Center to become Crypto.com Arena after $700 million deal

The Phoenix Suns surprised the NBA when they drafted former Maryland big man Jalen Smith with the No. 10 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. Less than a year later (348 days to be exact), Phoenix is already pulling the plug on further developing potentially their last lottery pick for the extended future.&nbsp;
Coming to the conclusion that they swung-and-missed on Smith, Phoenix is already committed to wiping their hands of the mistake as soon as possible. The team declined to pick up Smith's third-year option, which means he'll be an unrestricted free agent after this season.
In 2019, the Suns uncovered a gem when they traded back from No. 6 overall (which became Jarrett Culver) to nab Dario Saric and North Carolina sharpshooter Cam Johnson&rsquo;s rights from the Minnesota Timberwolves. However, the following year, Suns GM James Jones over-calculated and tried to be the smartest one in the room in terms of his evaluation of Smith. The big man was projected as a mid-to-late first-round pick by most credible draft experts, which is why jaws dropped when the Suns reached for Smith with a top-10 selection.
Smith's season in the Valley was somewhat tumultuous. He was outside of Phoenix's rotation, so he saw some time in the G-League with the Agua Caliente Clippers and didn&rsquo;t stand out. That was the first real sign of concern. Then, in his first-ever Summer League action, Smith continued to be just a guy rather than showing some real promise against many players on the NBA bubble.
Smith was soon involved in trade rumors, with the Suns reportedly trying to package him for a win-now veteran piece to bolster their second unit. Nobody bit on a former lottery pick less than a year after he donned a Suns hat on draft night. Thaddeus Young was the Suns' top target, and now you have to wonder if those talks will intensify with Smith&rsquo;s option declined and Young barely logging minutes in San Antonio.
Once <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/suns-decline-thirdyear-option-on-2020-lottery-pick-jalen-smith" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news leaked</a> from The Athletic&rsquo;s Shams Charania on Monday morning, Suns head coach Monty Williams spoke of Smith&rsquo;s situation after practice. In short, Williams summarized that Phoenix&rsquo;s plans for Smith changed after Chris Paul and Jae Crowder arrived that same offseason. If that&rsquo;s the case, yikes. What a waste of a potential long-term asset and investment.
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&ldquo;He hasn&rsquo;t been dealt the best hand, as far as just not being a rookie but being a rookie [and] all of a sudden everything changed when we got Chris and Jae. All of a sudden, our trajectory changed,&rdquo; Williams said. &ldquo;So, instead of being a young guy who could just come out and play with Mikal (Bridges) and all the young guys we had, he got COVID. Got drafted, two weeks later he&rsquo;s in training camp. He&rsquo;s had a whirlwind, so it&rsquo;s hard to grade him because he hasn&rsquo;t had the chance to play. And I feel somewhat responsible for that, but it&rsquo;s just been the cards we&rsquo;ve been dealt."
Smith was short and to the point when asked about it on Monday.
&ldquo;You just control what you can control," Smith said. "Just come here and hoop. That&rsquo;s my job, just coming in here and hooping. All that outside stuff handles itself.&rdquo;
As you can tell, Smith didn&rsquo;t really dive into his thoughts on the situation. But from a historical perspective, Smith joins Earl Clark (2009) and Kendall Marshall (2013) as the Suns' only lottery picks in recent memory to have their third-year options declined. It&rsquo;s a damning indictment when you realize that Suns busts from 2016, Dragan Bender and Marquese Chriss, didn&rsquo;t suffer the same fate.
Smith was supposed to develop for a few years behind Saric (and now JaVale McGee), then assume the long-term role of unique two-way connector for the Suns&rsquo; second unit (backing up Deandre Ayton). Less than a year later, the Suns are ready to completely move on. If this was just about limited opportunities for playing time on a win-now contender, it seems unlikely that Phoenix would decline his third-year option. It seems that the Suns' decision-makers haven't been impressed by Smith behind the scenes.
Imagine the possibilities for Phoenix&rsquo;s long-term future if they would&rsquo;ve hit on their last lottery pick for potentially the rest of the 2020s. They passed on all of the following prospects for Smith: Tyrese Haliburton, Devin Vassell, Saddiq Bey, Tyrese Maxey and Desmond Bane among others. After losing Torrey Craig in free agency, Vassell, Bey or Bane would&rsquo;ve been ideal replacements. Haliburton or Maxey being tutored by Paul before eventually taking the reins at point guard would've been incredible for all involved (although Haliburton seemd intent on landing in Sacramento).
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Now, the Suns will let Smith enter unrestricted free agency after his second NBA season. Look for Phoenix to soon try to package Smith with salary filler in an effort to make a move that improves their 2021-22 title chances. It&rsquo;s a sudden fall from grace for Smith, but one that&rsquo;s necessary with player and organization being on opposite ends of the spectrum with prioritized development.
&ldquo;If he just plays with energy, defends and rebounds, he could find himself a box. It&rsquo;s just hard to get him on the floor where we really can see what he can do, because when you&rsquo;re playing two, three, four minutes, it&rsquo;s hard to get a rhythm,&rdquo; Williams said. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s the part where you just feel bad for him, because he just works his tail off. He&rsquo;s in the gym every single day. He doesn&rsquo;t miss days. He just hasn&rsquo;t had the chance to carry it over to the floor... When he&rsquo;s out there, we saw it the other day, like the blocked shot he had. Not many guys can do that on the move."
Smith's days in Phoenix are numbered, and it'll be interesting to see whether the 21-year-old is able to realize his full potential elsewhere in the Association.

The Suns shocked everyone when they drafted Jalen Smith at No. 10 in the 2020 NBA Draft. Now, they're admitting it was a mistake.

Suns admit drafting Jalen Smith was mistake, decline third-year option

It's a new NBA season, which means the Sour Rankings are back!&nbsp;
Unlike the typical "power rankings" that repeat themselves throughout sports media, Sour Rankings are a bizarro-world counter. These rankings highlight the top-10 most frustrating NBA franchises throughout the season, and they will be updated every week to match the twists and turns of the league.&nbsp;
This is not merely a bottom-10 of your typical best-to-worst power rankings. You will see championship contenders and playoff hopefuls mixed in with struggling squads. Teams well-under .500 may never touch the Sour Rankings because they are on track with their respective processes. Injuries, drama, transactions and general underwhelming play will all be considered.
The central question is ultimately this: How good should you feel about the direction of each franchise? Some teams value wins this season and paths to a title, while others are looking down the road at long-term pieces.&nbsp;
This week is not a "preview" installment; it is rather a barometer of the general vibe around a franchise as things get underway. The NBA preseason is generally filled with optimism; 10 teams make the Sour Rankings, but that doesn't mean they're all in dire straits, as I'll note.
So without further ado, let's get to it!
10. Washington Wizards
Given the circumstances, the Wizards had a satisfactory 2021 offseason. They returned three rotation-caliber players from the Russell Westbrook trade with the Los Angeles Lakers, and then went out and found a strong backcourt partner for Bradley Beal in Spencer Dinwiddie.&nbsp;
Washington could be a very solid team on paper with improved depth &mdash; but is that enough to make considerable playoff noise in the Eastern Conference? Beal's looming 2022 free-agent status shines a harsh spotlight on the current Wizards. Their star has stuck it out through multiple years of mediocrity. Maybe he'll re-up with the team that drafted him, but Beal would undoubtedly appreciate some serious postseason contention before having to decide.
9. Indiana Pacers
The injury bug simply will not let go of the Pacers. T.J. Warren still appears to be a ways off from recovering from a foot injury that held him to just four games last season. Caris LeVert will <a href="https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/nba/pacers/2021/10/16/pacers-caris-levert-getting-closer-but-miss-first-four-games/8489876002/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly miss at least the first four games</a> of the regular season as he works to return from a stress fracture in his back. These are two top-scoring options out of the short-term picture.
Indiana largely opted to stay the course in a suddenly crowded East. The Pacers can't afford to fall behind early, and these absences certainly won't help.
8. New Orleans Pelicans
Another team hampered by health, this ranking is entirely due to Zion Williamson's injury status. The superstar forward has suffered a sprained knee, torn meniscus and foot fracture in the past years, and is now without a return timetable as he recovers from that foot surgery. Without Williamson, the Pelicans are nowhere near the playoff sleeper they could be &mdash; even with a new head coach and some positive roster moves. They need their centerpiece, and his <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/we-should-be-worried-about-zion-williamson-ability-to-stay-healthy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">developing pattern of injuries is concerning</a>.
7. Phoenix Suns
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Mikal Bridges on being there for Deandre Ayton after not signing a new contract: &ldquo;He&rsquo;s way more mature with everything. He has great people around him. I try to do the best I can to clear his mind, but it&rsquo;s tough. .. Being around him every single day, I don&rsquo;t want to lose that.&rdquo;
&mdash; Evan Sidery (@esidery) <a href="https://twitter.com/esidery/status/1450186692871135232?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 18, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Three hours before writing this, I would not have remotely considered the Suns to be in the Sour Rankings. But the rookie extension deadline has passed without Deandre Ayton securing a long-term deal, the first No. 1 pick since Anthony Bennett not to do so.
Suns general manager James Jones did not negotiate a maximum contract extension with the Bahamian big man, perhaps at the direction of team owner Robert Sarver &mdash; but the team did agree to a 4-year, $43 million extension with draft classmate Landry Shamet. As Evan Sidery <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/news/authors/evan-sidery" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote in regards to Ayton</a>, that's blasphemous, and it could fragment an extremely fun, likable Phoenix squad.
6. Sacramento Kings
Your 2021 Las Vegas Summer League champs are back to fight the longest postseason drought in the league. The Kings are making strides with their young talent, highlighted by the preseason success of No. 9 overall pick Davion Mitchell, and retained a core piece in Richaun Holmes.&nbsp;
But does it feel like Sacramento is any closer to the playoffs? Buddy Hield was all-but-traded to the Lakers, and his future is now uncertain as the Kings see if a De'Aaron Fox-Tyrese-Haliburton-Mitchell lineup has potential. What about 2018 No. 2 overall pick Marvin Bagley III, who was not extended at Monday's deadline? He's as big of a question mark as one can exist among young prospects league-wide.&nbsp;
5. Minnesota Timberwolves
There's definitely reason for optimism with the Timberwolves. Anthony Edwards had a phenomenal second half to the 2020-21 season and an overall stellar rookie year. Karl-Anthony Towns can be rid of the awful, awful year-plus he has endured personally. D'Angelo Russell and Malik Beasley can get buckets, Jaden McDaniels and Jarred Vanderbilt are intriguing defensive pieces and Chris Finch had a summer to prep for all of this as head coach.&nbsp;
But the Gersson Rosas firing and fallout feels all too Timberwolves-y. It's yet another reset for Towns, who was vocally frustrated at training camp. Is the front office in position to guide the team with the season about to start?&nbsp;
4. Portland Trail Blazers
Larry Nance Jr.'s acquisition partially salvaged what was a wildly terrible offseason in Portland between the Chauncey Billups hiring and the Damian Lillard trade rumors. It appears Lillard is content to stick with the Blazers this season and see how the team operates under its first-year head coach. That's admirable, but it also means the entire season will be laced with tension.
Portland should run back a fun, high-scoring offense. Will the defense improve with Nance in the frontcourt? That's the big question. If not, the Blazers will return to playoff mediocrity and potentially push Lillard closer to the exit door.&nbsp;
3. Dallas Mavericks
The Mavericks were one of my picks for the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/roundtable-which-nba-team-had-the-worst-offseason" target="_blank" rel="noopener">worst NBA offseason</a> (Jackson Frank also picked them), and nothing in recent weeks has made me feel any better. Mark me down as adamantly opposed to the Jason Kidd hiring. Reggie Bullock is a fine individual player; he is not going to dramatically alter things on the offensive end. Plus, Dallas recently released 2020 draft pick Tyrell Terry, and we haven't seen much of 2020 first-rounder Josh Green. Where does the optimism come from outside of Luka Doncic?
2. Brooklyn Nets
I'm not going to get deep into the Kyrie Irving situation from a public health perspective, celebrity responsibility perspective or general common sense perspective. I don't have anything major to add to those discussions, other than to reinforce that Irving is carelessly and dangerously misusing his power as a public figure.&nbsp;
This section is about the Nets, who are paying the price for Irving's choices. The NBA title should have traveled through Brooklyn and its Big Three, and the Nets are still an elite basketball team with improved depth. But, remove an All-NBA-caliber player and the ceiling significantly lowers. Instead of being the overwhelming favorite, the Nets have become just another contender.
1. Philadelphia 76ers
Ben Simmons has given us the Hollywood trade drama we had missed since, well, last winter. Simmons was <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/ben-simmons-thrown-out-of-practice-suspended-philadelphia-76ers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tossed out of practice and suspended Tuesday</a>, so the months-long firestorm appears to still be getting hotter. But while that's a win for NBA/TMZ crossover fans, it's a serious loss for the 76ers, who now have to take this show into the regular season.
Joel Embiid has never played more than 64 games in a season, and is coming off of two shortened offseasons sandwiching an East Finals run. That should cause concern. The backcourt is fun, but nowhere near close to replicating Simmons' impact. Maybe Simmons actually does suit up in games &mdash; will he bring a positive on-court presence to a team that has publicly denounced his game?
Until Philly finally makes a trade &mdash; and who knows when it could happen &mdash; the Sixers' season could range from awkward to disastrous.

Ethan Fuller ranks the top-10 most frustrating NBA franchises ahead of the season.

NBA Sour Rankings: Chaos among the contenders?

The <a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/spencer-dinwiddie-proposes-interesting-rule-changes-optional-ejections-and-4-vs-5-basketball/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
Even though he is retired now, Manu Ginobili keeps close ties with the NBA and is a special adviser for his former team, San Antonio Spurs. In the recent shooting of a video to celebrate the NBA&rsquo;s 75th anniversary, he shared some of his views about the game today and why he thinks he would be an excellent fit for the style of basketball that is played right now in the league.
Throughout his Hall-of-Fame career, Ginobili built a reputation of being an incredible competitor and teammate, and a true winner that helped form an NBA powerhouse that lasted for almost two decades. Manu was a fantastic shooter, slasher,and often a floor general that created plays when the Spurs needed them the most. He believes today&rsquo;s NBA would suit his game the best if he were in his prime.
&ldquo;If I could choose which era, I&rsquo;d like to play now," Ginobili <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/oct/13/jonathan-isaac-vaccine-covid-nba-orlando-magic-basketball-fox-newsv" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said, as reported by KENS5.com</a>. &ldquo;Fast paced. A lot of threes. A lot of possessions. I would have loved to have played in this time and be 28 (years old) now."
Interestingly enough, Manu also talked about the best offensive players he had the opportunity to go up against in his career. There are a few familiar former and current NBA players who he considers the most talented and, as he also described them, are basically unstoppable.
&ldquo;Well, I would think offensively, there are three guys, four, that are basically unstoppable one-on-one,&rdquo; Ginobili <a href="https://www.kens5.com/article/sports/nba/spurs/ginobili-playing-in-todays-nba-era-gives-his-top-1-one-1-players-and-more-spurs-nba-san-antonio/273-7da7af39-9486-43a6-94d6-77fdeb1ab0d8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. &ldquo;Michael Jordan is the first one. Kobe [Bryant], KD [Kevin Durant] and Steph [Curry].&rdquo;
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KLniNhc-kWk" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Manu is still a big fan of the game and watches them regularly, and obviously has a few favorite players who he observes more carefully than the others. As a true competitor, Manu shares he would love to face-off with Zach LaVine or Donovan Mitchell because he admires their game and loves their flashiness on the court.
&ldquo;I would like to play in my prime when I was fast enough," Ginobili <a href="https://www.kens5.com/article/sports/nba/spurs/ginobili-playing-in-todays-nba-era-gives-his-top-1-one-1-players-and-more-spurs-nba-san-antonio/273-7da7af39-9486-43a6-94d6-77fdeb1ab0d8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. "For example Zach [LaVine], even though I played against him, would be a great player to match up against. Donovan Mitchell, he&rsquo;s impressive and [has an] impressive set of skills.&rdquo;
Rumors are circulating that Manu will be back on the NBA sidelines sooner than later because of a <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_/id/32299872/lowe-where-gregg-popovich-san-antonio-spurs-go-here" target="_blank" rel="noopener">potential coaching job with the Spurs next season</a>. Apparently, after Pop retires, Manu could be assigned to the coaching staff (even though the exact details of this arrangement are still unclear). Nevertheless, it would be great to have him back in the NBA and on the sideline. There is no question the Spurs' players could use his experience and knowledge to get back on the winning track.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net <a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

Manu Ginobili talked about the best offensive players in the NBA, and the ones he had the opportunity to go up against in his career.

Manu Ginobili names his most unstoppable NBA players, past and present

One week into preseason, NBA teams are getting back in the swing of things. We've already had a handful of impressive debuts, and it's been fun to see fresh faces in new places.
With rookie-max extensions being signed (and negotiated) and plenty of lucrative contract offers accepted this past summer, some deals may age more well than others. Certainly, only time will tell with those particular agreements, but what about the ones that have already been in place?
In our latest Roundtable, we asked our BasketballNews.com writers the following question:
What is currently the worst contract in the NBA?
Alex Kennedy: Some people may say John Wall since he will earn $44,310,840 this season, and then he has a $47,366,760 player option for next season. However, at least Wall produced last season with the Houston Rockets, averaging 20.6 points, 6.9 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 1.1 steals. Sure, it'll be tough for the Rockets to move Wall&rsquo;s contract, but there is a worse deal out there. Kevin Love will make $31,258,256 this season and $28,942,830 next season. And unlike Wall, Love hasn't been a significant contributor for the Cleveland Cavaliers. At this point, he can barely get on the court due to injuries. And when has played, he's been extremely ineffective.
Nekias Duncan: I think it&rsquo;s Kevin Love by a pretty solid margin right now. John Wall is the other logical answer, but there&rsquo;s always room for a guard that can pressure the rim, pass and at least hold his own in space against two positions like he can.
Spencer Davies: To be in the top-30 in salary and to have played in barely over 100 games over the last three years, even if it's through no fault of his own, it has to be Kevin Love. However, it might not be the most hampering contract in the league anymore because there are only two years left on the deal now. Both the Cavs and the veteran former All-Star have stuck it out since the summer of 2018, despite the droves of trade rumors that have surrounded each since the marriage began. As for who might fit the bill from the long-term perspective, right below Love in total guaranteed money is Davis Bertans, who is set to make $60 million over the next four years. The Washington Wizards now have Kyle Kuzma in the fold to cut into his minutes, in addition to possibly Deni Avdija when he returns from injury. So even with his shooting prowess, the "Latvian Laser" is going to command a top-three salary on the cap sheet.
Ethan Fuller: I think this is a bit more complicated than simply comparing a player's perceived talent level to the dollar amount. Role, availability and trade value also matter, which is why Kevin Love has the worst contract in the league. Love really has no place on the Cavs' young roster. On top of that, his injury history, age and production have cratered trade interest. Love is making $31.3 million this season and $28.9 million next season, and no one knows what his role on an NBA team is right now.
Moke Hamilton: There are plenty to choose from, but I think the answer here is the most popular &mdash; John Wall. Wall was already a pretty flawed player who wasn&rsquo;t universally believed to be capable of leading a team to true contender status. The injuries and the $90 million left on his deal (for this season and the following) will be tough to move. The only thing I&rsquo;d say to that is that one season can make a huge difference. Remember, it wasn&rsquo;t all that long ago that Chris Paul was thought to have the league&rsquo;s worst contract... And look at him now.
Jesse Blancarte: Kevin Love. Love is set to make roughly $31.3 million this season and $28.9 million next season. Thankfully, the contract isn&rsquo;t a long-term problem, but that is a lot of money for a player who is always injured, well past his prime, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-news-something-has-got-to-give-with-kevin-love-cleveland-cavaliers-koby-altman-discipline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stopped competing mid-game last season</a> and doesn&rsquo;t seem poised for any sort of major bounce-back.
Drew Maresca: Prior to the last few days I would&rsquo;ve said Kristaps Porzingis; considering local mandates, I think Kyrie Irving might have surpassed the unicorn. Nevermind what you think about the COVID vaccine, Irving appears set to make the Nets play without him for all home games in 2021-22. While Brooklyn will be fine without him for half of the regular season, winning a championship seems like a very tall task without one of your three most important players (and nevermind what it might do to the team&rsquo;s chemistry.)
Alexander Cohen: I&rsquo;ll go with Kevin Love. While he doesn&rsquo;t make as much as John Wall, the veteran point guard is at least seemingly on the same page as the Rockets, who are at least pretending like a trade is possible. Love can&rsquo;t even disguise his apathy on the court, and the debacle in the Olympics this year certainly doesn&rsquo;t make his contract any less untradeable. The Cavaliers already have a young big-man logjam without him in Jarrett Allen, Evan Mobley and Lauri Markkanen, so it seems unlikely there will be much of a role for him on the court &mdash; even if he can stay healthy.

What is currently the worst contract in the NBA? BasketballNews.com's writers shared their thoughts.

Roundtable: What is currently the worst contract in the NBA?

These days, nearly every NBA star has an Instagram account &mdash; aside from a few exceptions such as Kawhi Leonard and Nikola Jokic. Monitoring each player&rsquo;s following (and whether it&rsquo;s increasing or decreasing) is an interesting way to track their popularity and relevance.&nbsp;
<a href="https://manyspins.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ManySpins.com</a> did a recent study to find out which professional athletes have added the most followers this year. They plugged hundreds of athlete accounts into <a href="https://socialblade.com/instagram" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Social Blade&rsquo;s</a> gained-followers tool and tracked how their following has changed since Jan. 1, 2021.&nbsp;
Some players gained a ton of followers, while others have fewer followers than when 2021 began. After filtering out the non-NBA athletes in the study, here&rsquo;s a look at which NBA players have gained the most Instagram followers so far this year and who had the biggest percentage increase in folllowers:
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 96.39%; height: 418px;" border="1">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 36.7277%; text-align: center; height: 22px;">PLAYER</td>
<td style="width: 27.5573%; text-align: center; height: 22px;">FOLLOWER INCREASE</td>
<td style="width: 30.2545%; text-align: center; height: 22px;">PERCENTAGE INCREASE</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 36.7277%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">LeBron James</td>
<td style="width: 27.5573%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">25,376,750</td>
<td style="width: 30.2545%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">25%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 36.7277%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">Stephen Curry</td>
<td style="width: 27.5573%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">4,104,774</td>
<td style="width: 30.2545%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">13%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 36.7277%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">Giannis Antetokounmpo</td>
<td style="width: 27.5573%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">2,039,709</td>
<td style="width: 30.2545%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">23%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 36.7277%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">Russell Westbrook</td>
<td style="width: 27.5573%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">2,000,831</td>
<td style="width: 30.2545%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">13%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 36.7277%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">Klay Thompson</td>
<td style="width: 27.5573%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">1,564,736</td>
<td style="width: 30.2545%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">19%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 36.7277%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">Kyrie Irving</td>
<td style="width: 27.5573%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">1,047,997</td>
<td style="width: 30.2545%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">7%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 36.7277%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">LaMelo Ball&nbsp;</td>
<td style="width: 27.5573%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">1,030,957</td>
<td style="width: 30.2545%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">17%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 36.7277%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">Damian Lillard</td>
<td style="width: 27.5573%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">807,452</td>
<td style="width: 30.2545%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">9%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 36.7277%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">Luka Doncic</td>
<td style="width: 27.5573%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">690,347</td>
<td style="width: 30.2545%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">13%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 36.7277%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">Chris Paul</td>
<td style="width: 27.5573%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">630,340</td>
<td style="width: 30.2545%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">6%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 36.7277%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">Kevin Durant</td>
<td style="width: 27.5573%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">549,216</td>
<td style="width: 30.2545%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">5%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 36.7277%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">Joel Embiid</td>
<td style="width: 27.5573%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">530,947</td>
<td style="width: 30.2545%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">12%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 36.7277%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">James Harden</td>
<td style="width: 27.5573%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">501,406</td>
<td style="width: 30.2545%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">5%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 36.7277%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">Ben Simmons</td>
<td style="width: 27.5573%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">364,480</td>
<td style="width: 30.2545%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">7%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 36.7277%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">Jimmy Butler</td>
<td style="width: 27.5573%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">287,076</td>
<td style="width: 30.2545%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">5%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 36.7277%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">Anthony Davis</td>
<td style="width: 27.5573%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">206,762</td>
<td style="width: 30.2545%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">3%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 36.7277%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">Bradley Beal</td>
<td style="width: 27.5573%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">196,320</td>
<td style="width: 30.2545%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">16%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 36.7277%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">Paul George</td>
<td style="width: 27.5573%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">124,962</td>
<td style="width: 30.2545%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">1%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
- This year, LeBron James' account has grown the most based on followers added (25,376,750) and percentage increase (25%) &mdash; even though he was already the most-followed NBA player by a wide margin. James started the year with 74,632,713 followers and now he's at 100,009,463. LeBron has the 31st-largest IG following; he's ahead of celebrities such as Drake, Billie Eilish and Chris Brown. James has more followers than the NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL and MLS combined (as noted by <a href="https://twitter.com/FOS/status/1445856639807074308" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FOS</a>).
- Stephen Curry has the second-largest account among NBA players with 36,731,331 followers. (That is 63,278,132 fewer than James). Since Jan. 1, 2021, Curry has added the second-most followers (4,104,774), which is a 13% increase.
- Giannis Antetokounmpo gained the third-most followers (2,039,709) and saw the second-largest percentage increase (23%), which is a nice boost after winning his first NBA championship.
- Several players who gained a lot of followers experienced a change of scenery over the last year, which likely isn't a coincidence. When Russell Westbrook joined the Los Angeles Lakers, he absolutely gained a ton of new followers. Westbrook (+2,000,831), LaMelo Ball (+1,030,957), Chris Paul (+630,340) and James Harden (+501,406) all cracked the top-15 after joining a new team.
- Considering Klay Thompson has missed back-to-back seasons due to injuries (a torn ACL and Achilles) and hasn&rsquo;t played an NBA game since June 13, 2019, it&rsquo;s pretty surprising that he added the fifth-most followers (1,564,736) and had the third-largest percentage increase (19%). However, he&rsquo;s beloved among NBA fans in large part due to his laid-back personality, so it does make sense.
- Interestingly, Zion Williamson has actually lost 110,720 followers so far this year. He had 5,082,675 followers as of Jan. 1, 2021, but he&rsquo;s currently at just 4,971,955. It&rsquo;s unclear why he's lost so many followers over the last nine months; it's possible that a lot of bots were following his account and they've since been deleted.&nbsp;
- Bradley Beal earned some new fans after averaging a career-high 31.3 points last season, as his following grew by 16% (from 1,221,167 to 1,417,487). The fact that Beal consistently surfaced in trade rumors over the last year probably helped his numbers since many different fan bases likely followed as they hoped for a trade and analyzed every caption. Damian Lillard (+807,452), James Harden (+501,406) and Ben Simmons (+364,480) likely got a boost from their trade rumors too.
- It&rsquo;s impressive that LaMelo Ball cracked this list as a 20-year-old rookie, adding 1,030,957 followers for a 17% increase. Prior to entering the NBA, he already had many followers since he&rsquo;s been in the spotlight for a while, but he solidified himself as a household name in 2021.
- Among all professional athletes tracked in this study, Cristiano Ronaldo saw his Instagram following increase the most, adding 103,308,517 followers this year. He now has a whopping 353,403,553 followers, which is the second-largest IG following (behind only Instagram's own account). Ronaldo gained more followers over the last nine months (103,308,517) than LeBron has accumulated in nearly a decade.
- The only teams with multiple players on this list are the Los Angeles Lakers (LeBron James, Russell Westbrook and Anthony Davis), Brooklyn Nets (Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant and James Harden), Golden State Warriors (Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson) and Philadelphia 76ers (Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons).&nbsp;
Whether it&rsquo;s with their outstanding play, lovable personality, change of scenery or something else entirely, it&rsquo;ll be interesting to see which players are able to win over fans and gain followers throughout the 2021-22 NBA season.
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-most-trolls-trolled-negative-tweets-study-rumors-twitter-positive-mentions-stephen-curry-lebron-james-carmelo-anthony-joel-embiid-russell-westbrook-kevin-durant-kyrie-irving-klay-thompson-kevin-love" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Which players receive the most negative tweets? Who gets the most positive tweets? Check out this other study that tracked NBA players&rsquo; mentions over the course of four months.</a>

These days, nearly every NBA star is on Instagram. A new study tracked which players added the most followers since Jan. 1, 2021.

Which NBA players have gained the most Instagram followers this year?

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

2021-22 NBA Season Preview: Central Division

Every season, a few teams undershoot expectations. Whether due to injuries, poor planning or an influx of talent in their division or conference, it&rsquo;s always inevitable.
This season will be no different.
Team building is hard work. After countless hours of scouting, reviewing film, practice and deal-making, health and circumstance play just as much of a role as anything &mdash; and have negatively impacted all three teams of the teams cited below.&nbsp;
In some cases, the 2021-22 season will be a minor hiccup. But for others, it could mark the end of an era, and could derail an otherwise successful rebuilding &ldquo;process&rdquo; (wink, wink). Considering that these situations usually blindside us, let&rsquo;s try to get out ahead of them this season. With that in mind, let&rsquo;s identity three teams who I think will regress from 2020-21.
Los Angeles Clippers (47-25) 
Previous Season: Pacific Division, 2nd; Western Conference, 4th; Eliminated in the Western Conference Finals
Of all three teams mentioned here, the Clippers are the most obvious. Why? Because Kawhi Leonard suffered a partially torn ACL last postseason. He had surgery on July 12, and he&rsquo;ll miss a good portion of the 2021-22 season, if not all of it. Leonard, who is always in contention for MVP (when healthy), averaged 24.8 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game last year. That&rsquo;s a lot of production to make up for... and frankly, the Clippers are unlikely to make up for all of it.
The Clippers' offseason didn&rsquo;t really help matters either. Signing Justise Winslow was a low-risk, high-reward move, but he won&rsquo;t come close to replacing Leonard&rsquo;s output. They brought in Eric Bledsoe via trade. The deal cost them Patrick Beverley, Rajon Rondo and Daniel Oturu. In total, that transaction was about cutting costs, not adding talent. And yes, the Clippers cut down their luxury tax payment and secured an $8 million trade exception, but they&rsquo;re still looking down the barrel of the luxury tax this season, and next. So how much did they really accomplish?
More importantly, Beverly and Leonard were instrumental it terms of establishing an identity. But maybe this is more strategic than is seems. The Clippers may have just punted on 2021-22 in hopes of a better season in 2022-23. But regardless as to what their desires are, the Clippers will not be overly successful this season, at least relative to recent outcomes.&nbsp;
2021-22 Prediction: Pacific Division, 4th; Western Conference, 8th; First-round elimination.
Philadelphia 76ers (49-23) 
Previous Season: Atlantic Division, 1st; Eastern Conference, 1st; eliminated in the Eastern Conference Semifinals
The <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/philadelphia-76ers-trade-seems-certain-but-we-havent-heard-last-of-ben-simmons" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ben Simmons saga</a> will hurt Philadelphia. And it will hurt badly. Simmons was easily the 76ers' second-most important player. He was a DPOY candidate last season who averaged 14.3 points, 7.2 rebound and 6.9 assists per game. He might not be an ideal fit alongside Joel Embiid, but he&rsquo;s an uber-talented player who&rsquo;s been receiving seriously unfair treatment since the 2021 postseason.&nbsp;
But partially as a result of <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/ben-simmons-deserves-criticism-but-not-to-be-thrown-under-the-bus-by-philadelphia-76ers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">comments from head coach Doc Rivers and Embiid</a> following their Game 7 loss to the Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference semifinals, Simmons <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/ben-simmons-intends-to-never-play-another-game-for-76ers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">refuses to take part in any activities with the 76ers</a> moving forward. And given the drama surrounding Simmons and the team, Philadelphia is unlikely to receive fair value in return; rumors have already begun to circulate about Minnesota&rsquo;s desire to wait out the Sixers on their trade demands, which currently include four future first-round picks and an All-Star.
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/usatsi_16266055_lg.jpg" alt="" width="650" height="433" />
So, Philadelphia will have only one of its stars to start the season, and it&rsquo;s a bad season to be down a star. The Milwaukee Bucks are the defending champions, the Brooklyn Nets will be healthier than they were last season, the Miami Heat will be significantly better than they were last season and the Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Charlotte Hornets, Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks are all still formidable.&nbsp;
To summarize, the Eastern Conference hasn&rsquo;t been this good in some time. Despite all the talented teams around them, this season could have been among the Sixers' best seasons ever. Now, they&rsquo;re far more likely to struggle to separate themselves from the pack and incredibly unlikely to remain among the East's elites.&nbsp;
2021-22 Prediction: Atlantic Division, 3rd; Eastern Conference, 5th; First-round elimination.
New York Knicks (41-31) 
Previous Season: Atlantic Division, 3rd; Eastern Conference, 4th; Eliminated in the first-round of the Eastern Conference Playoffs
The Knicks exceeded expectations in 2020-21. Actually, they crushed expectations. And after a slow start in free agency, the Knicks ended up improving. The thing is, the Eastern Conference is going to be brutal for teams in the middle. As mentioned above, there is considerably more talent out East than there was last year, and the Knicks didn&rsquo;t keep pace.
The Knicks won 57% of their games last season. They&rsquo;ll bring a more talented roster into the 2021-22 season, and they&rsquo;ll win a lesser percentage of games. So is this pure regression? No. But it&rsquo;s going to look a lot like it.
But the thing about 2021-22 is that it was never the end game for New York. The Knicks were always taking on a longer rebuild. They re-signed Julius Randle, Alec Burks, Nerlens Noel and Derrick Rose, in addition to <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/for-a-change-a-successful-free-agency-period-propels-knicks-forward-" target="_blank" rel="noopener">signing Evan Fournier and Kemba Walker</a>. And that&rsquo;s all supporting a young core of RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, Mitchell Robinson and Obi Toppin. It&rsquo;s actually shocking that we&rsquo;re having this discussion about the Knicks this soon.
Big picture: New York is still well-positioned to strike if a star becomes disenchanted with his current situation, but the team is also fairly well-equipped to make a go of it with its current roster. This year could be good, but next season could be even better. And while fans might get a little impatient, the front office understands the long-term vision. So, while the Knicks are likely to falter this season, that&rsquo;s okay.
2021-22 Prediction: Atlantic Division, 4th; Eastern Conference, 8th; First-round elimination.&nbsp;
Regardless as to where teams are in their development, no one likes regression. All clubs will put a positive spin on their respective struggles, but only some of the narratives will be accurate.
But if you really want to know what teams think of their futures, look closely at how they respond to their respective challenges instead of the words they say in public.

Drew Maresca evaluates three teams in the league that are bound to take a step back after successful seasons last year.

3 contending teams that will regress in the 2021-22 NBA season

The Boston Celtics raised their championship banner #18 with jubilation as they took down the New York Knicks on Tuesday night at the Boston Garden.
Members of the 2023-2024 title squad were each handed out their respective championship rings pregame. It is Boston&rsquo;s 18th NBA championship, making them the winningest franchise in league history.
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The 18th championship banner rises for the Boston Celtics ☘️👏🏽 (🎥 <a href="https://twitter.com/danield1214?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@danield1214</a>) <a href="https://t.co/QQh7BguwJe">pic.twitter.com/QQh7BguwJe</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1848868309644808670?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 22, 2024</a></blockquote>

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CHAMPS. ☘️💍 <a href="https://t.co/KNSqvK2gyR">pic.twitter.com/KNSqvK2gyR</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1848869435718914206?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 22, 2024</a></blockquote>

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To celebrate their first title, Jayson Tatum and the rest of the Celtics ran the visiting Knicks down the court all game, earning a resounding 132-109 win. Tatum had a monster game in just 30 minutes, finishing with 37 points on 14-18 FG and 8-11 from three with 10 assists and 4 rebounds.
The Celtics as a team tied an NBA record for three pointers made in a game with 29, along with the Milwaukee Bucks who did it in 2020. Boston fully embraced coach Joe Mazzulla&rsquo;s philosophies with 61 three-point attempts, and this same formula won them a title a year ago.
Boston got everybody to contribute with Derrick White&rsquo;s 24, Jaylen Brown&rsquo;s 23, and Jrue Holiday&rsquo;s 18 proved to be too much for the new-look New York team with Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges playing their first official regular season games with the team.
The night was such a cool moment for Boston&rsquo;s sports fans as former Celtic legends Bob Cousy (who came out in a wheelchair), Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen all graced the game to see the 2024 championship banner go up next to the 17 others already in the rafters.
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FINAL SCORE: Knicks 109 - 132 Celtics Player of the Game: JAYSON TATUM 📊 37 PTS | 14-18 FG | 8-11 3PT | 10 AST | 4 REB The defending champs opened the season with a dominant home win, tying the franchise record for most threes in a game with 29 🔥 <a href="https://t.co/YVoypHD6HH">pic.twitter.com/YVoypHD6HH</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1848903456893112367?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 23, 2024</a></blockquote>

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The Boston Celtics raised their championship banner #18 with jubilation as they took down the New York Knicks on Tuesday.

Jayson Tatum, Celtics celebrate Ring Night 2024 with resounding win over Knicks

In the NBA, every season tells a new story. While some players soar, others face setbacks&mdash;whether it's injuries, poor performance, or unfortunate circumstances that leave them struggling to make an impact. But basketball is also a game of redemption, and with every new season comes a chance for a comeback. This year, several NBA players who faced adversity last season or from the past few years are determined to remind the league of their talent and value. As the stage is set for the 2024 season, these players are primed for a revenge season as they are eager to bounce back and prove they still belong among the NBA's elite. Let&rsquo;s break down who these players are and why they&rsquo;re poised for a resurgence.
Lonzo Ball, Guard, Chicago Bulls
Out for the entirety of two and a half seasons or about three years worth of basketball with a knee injury, Ball&rsquo;s absence was sorely felt by the Bulls. The two-way playmaker had been evolving into an elite perimeter defender and three-point shooter before the setback. If healthy, he has the skills to transform the Bulls' fortunes as they try to contend again. They recently acquired young guard Josh Giddey and now the Bulls will have Ball&rsquo;s services back again. His ability to initiate the fast break and command the offense could be vital for a Bulls team hungry for playoff success.
Ben Simmons, Guard/Forward, Brooklyn Nets
Ben Simmons&rsquo; struggles have been highly publicized. Once regarded as an All-Star, his decline, marred by back injuries and confidence issues, has been drastic. But with a new season comes a chance for redemption. In Brooklyn, without the weight of high expectations and with a roster that&rsquo;s more role-player-centric, Simmons could thrive by doing what he does best: defense, playmaking, and transition offense. A rejuvenated Simmons can be a critical asset to the Nets&rsquo; success. It remains to be seen if Simmons can come back from the level he used to play at Philadelphia &ndash; using his uncanny combination of size and speed to terrorize opponents in transition &ndash; but being healthy is the first step of Simmons to show the world again what he is capable of.
Jordan Poole, Guard, Washington Wizards
After a breakout season in Golden State that culminated in a championship, Poole's form dipped over the last two years due to locker room tensions and inconsistency. Now with entering his second full season with the Wizards, Poole will have more freedom to dominate the ball and score now that Tyus Jones signed with the Suns. Poole will now be the Wizards&rsquo; lead guard and main playmaker and he&rsquo;s in a prime position to elevate his game as Washington&rsquo;s primary scoring option. This could lead to career-best numbers and renewed confidence for Poole as he aims to remind everyone of his career resurgence.
Gabe Vincent, Guard, Los Angeles Lakers
After coming off basically an off year last year with the Lakers following a lingering injury on his leg/knee, Gabe Vincent&rsquo;s journey is one of perseverance. Now in his second season with Los Angeles after signing that free agent contract last year, Vincent has an opportunity to shine on a larger stage and be a role player that could help LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Vincent is known for his shooting and tough defense and he can provide valuable backcourt depth alongside established stars. If he continues to grow and adapt to his new role, he could be a pivotal piece for the Lakers in their title aspirations.
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Which player do you think will bounce back and have a revenge season? 🤔 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBA</a> <a href="https://t.co/HHA92LNyJ0">pic.twitter.com/HHA92LNyJ0</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1845849068238745680?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 14, 2024</a></blockquote>

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These players are primed for a revenge season as they are eager to bounce back and prove they still belong among the NBA's elite.

NBA Players Poised for a Comeback: Who Will Shine in 2024?

The NBA is back.&nbsp;
With the league&rsquo;s annual &lsquo;Day&rsquo; 1 getting underway, all 30 teams have resumed their daily basketball activities. Starting from the Media Day to each of their training camps, players are slowly ramping up as they work to get back in game shape.
For some of these familiar faces, however, a new season awaits them as they&rsquo;re looking for a fresh start in new environments and places. Let&rsquo;s take a look at these players and their potential fits next to their new teams and teammates.&nbsp;
Russell Westbrook rocks new threads with Denver&nbsp;
Russell Westbrook starts a new season with the 2023 champions after his stint with the Clippers. Westbrook aims to bring the energy to a Nuggets squad losing another championship piece in Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. He slots in immediately as Denver&rsquo;s backup PG with the loss of Reggie Jackson, and the team could also use him to play with the starters and let Jamal Murray slide into the 2 spot. Westbrook will also be teaming up with fellow triple-double savant Nikola Jokic and it will be interesting to see two high-IQ players together on the court.
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New beginnings for <a href="https://twitter.com/russwest44?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@russwest44</a> 😈<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/nuggets?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nuggets</a> <a href="https://t.co/Wew6JRNNXm">pic.twitter.com/Wew6JRNNXm</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1839352986826387752?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 26, 2024</a></blockquote>

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PG13 creates a big three with Embiid and Maxey
Perhaps the biggest signing in the offseason, George immediately slides in with the Sixers to form a big three with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. At 34 years old, PG probably has a good 3 years left in his prime, but he could be in a perfect situation with Embiid and Maxey at their absolute peaks. George is in a position where he&rsquo;s not asked to shoulder much of the offensive load like he did most of the time in his career, and he can play to his strengths &mdash; a two-play wing player with some playmaking chops and be a secondary creator and scorer to Maxey and Embiid. George is also a very good three-point shooter on spot-up and catch-and-shoot attempts and should bode well for both Sixers superstars by spacing the floor for them. Overall an A+ signing by Sixers GM Daryl Morey, and now it all hinges on health as Philly tries to pull it up all together to finally make a Conference Finals in the Embiid era.
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PG in Philly! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/jmSInGKf5L">pic.twitter.com/jmSInGKf5L</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1840916610644582775?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 1, 2024</a></blockquote>

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A new Philadelphia trio... 🔥 Maxey. Embiid. George.<a href="https://twitter.com/sixers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@sixers</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/wjlclZdnhx">pic.twitter.com/wjlclZdnhx</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1840803293473230955?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2024</a></blockquote>

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CP3 in San Antonio as Wemby&rsquo;s PG; Harrison Barnes being a veteran piece in a young Spurs team
Victor Wembanyama finally gets his premier PG in Chris Paul. After playing most of last year not having a legitimate table setter, Wemby, and the Spurs add one of the greatest to ever do it at the position. Even approaching 40 years old, Paul should have a lot left in his tank to try and develop as much as possible the young yet hungry Spurs. On the other hand, Barnes adds another veteran piece as San Antonio looks to improve and at least make the play-in this season.
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WEMBY x CP3 🔥 BIG smiles in San Antonio at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> 😇 <a href="https://t.co/PbV71PCH0c">pic.twitter.com/PbV71PCH0c</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1840815076485259469?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2024</a></blockquote>

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Wemby &amp; CP3 enjoying <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> 🤩 <a href="https://t.co/rSdwmMIx1m">pic.twitter.com/rSdwmMIx1m</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1840801831577895224?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2024</a></blockquote>

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Caruso, Hartenstein add more defensive toughness to an already elite OKC squad
Imagine having to add two role players that star in their role to a team that just finished atop the conference a season ago, all without losing someone significant from that core. That&rsquo;s exactly what the Oklahoma City Thunder did by adding Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein into their fold. The move stamped their status even further atop the West with rising stars Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren getting better over the year and still having MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander just starting his prime. Caruso adds yet another defensive bull on the perimeter that already features fellow All-Defensive player Lu Dort, while Hartenstein brings versatility in the frontcourt to possibly play together with Holmgren. The Thunder are poised yet again to make a deep playoff run and it all starts with their offseason acquisitions and their fit into the team.&nbsp;
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Alex Caruso very complimentary of his new backcourt mate, SGA! 🤞<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/Rdxt7r5dQu">pic.twitter.com/Rdxt7r5dQu</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1840867849797022103?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2024</a></blockquote>

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Klay splashing and spacing the floor for Luka, Mavs
The other Splash brother brings his act to Dallas after spending his first 13 years with the franchise. Thompson immediately fills a need in Dallas to help space the floor and be a decoy for Luka Doncic as he makes plays on the court. At his age, Thompson won&rsquo;t be asked too much like he did in Golden State and this could be a rejuvenation for his career as he finds a new environment with the Mavericks.&nbsp;
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No. 31 from the Dallas Mavericks... Klay Thompson 🔥🔥🔥 <a href="https://t.co/e4M8lNtvQL">pic.twitter.com/e4M8lNtvQL</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1840858008794120481?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2024</a></blockquote>

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Klay Thompson... NEW BEGINNINGS 🫵<a href="https://twitter.com/dallasmavs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@dallasmavs</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/YX9CX1preR">pic.twitter.com/YX9CX1preR</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1840806814956265762?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2024</a></blockquote>

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DeMar DeRozan as the final piece to Sacramento&rsquo;s playoff success
DeRozan comes into the Kings&rsquo; lair as one of the most clutch players in the league, and he will play alongside a player of the same caliber in DeAaron Fox. It will be interesting to see how DeRozan&rsquo;s playstyle fits into the Kings&rsquo; offense with their motion offense built on three-point shooting with Domantas Sabonis as the hub, and it will be a good problem how coach Mike Brown integrates him to play a certain kind of way. The Kings are one of the up-and-coming teams in the West and adding a player like DeRozan gives them a different dimension to their offense.&nbsp;
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DeMar DeRozan looking good in his new threads 😎<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/uPYTeKvUBE">pic.twitter.com/uPYTeKvUBE</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1841107569399480506?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 1, 2024</a></blockquote>

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New trio in Sacramento 👑<a href="https://twitter.com/SacramentoKings?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SacramentoKings</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/HfnZMmz317">pic.twitter.com/HfnZMmz317</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1841108008769630523?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 1, 2024</a></blockquote>

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Dejounte Murray, Tyus Jones to solve PG issues in NOLA, PHX
Two teams that have had PG issues last season have finally addressed it by signing two of the quality PGs in the league today: Murray to the Pelicans and Jones to the Suns. Murray slots in as the Pelicans&rsquo; main shot creator, playmaker, and closer. This has been a significant hole for the Pelicans last season, especially in the playoffs when no one other than CJ McCollum (who&rsquo;s getting old) and Brandon Ingram create shots and make plays. Murray immediately comes in and fills this gap and with a returning Zion Williamson, the Pelicans are coming into the season very optimistic about their playoff chances.
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Fresh start heading into Year 8 🤲<a href="https://twitter.com/DejounteMurray?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DejounteMurray</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/j3W5D0GFoM">pic.twitter.com/j3W5D0GFoM</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1840852492168675766?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2024</a></blockquote>

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New threads for <a href="https://twitter.com/PelicansNBA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PelicansNBA</a> new PG 🔥<a href="https://twitter.com/DejounteMurray?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DejounteMurray</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/kgIxpGqxkG">pic.twitter.com/kgIxpGqxkG</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1840807569150837091?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2024</a></blockquote>

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Jones on the other hand also fills the immediate need of a PG, someone who can make plays for others without turning the ball over. Jones has been one of the best if not the best assist-to-turnover ratio guys in the league, and with how Phoenix&rsquo;s roster is constructed, this allows their super scoring big three Bradley Beal, Devin Booker, and Kevin Durant to do their thing and focus on what they do best. Jones comes in to settle these guys down and put them in the best positions to succeed.&nbsp;
Buddy Hield, Kyle Anderson bring veteran savvy and immediate positional needs to Golden State
Some key veteran additions to the Warriors are Hield and Anderson as they continue to beef up their roster around superstar Stephen Curry. Hield will try to replace the production of Klay Thompson after his departure with his deadeye shooting and spacing the floor for Curry. Hield has also been a good off-ball mover and that should bode well for Golden State&rsquo;s offense. Anderson meanwhile, brings his big forward, almost a center playing style to the Warriors and should fit instantly like a Draymond Green clone. Anderson has the playmaking chops and the basketball IQ to seamlessly play in Kerr&rsquo;s system and is a player who seems to understand how to play with and off of the skillset of a player like Curry.&nbsp;
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Welcome to The Bay, Buddy! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/ruEDkg7ayU">pic.twitter.com/ruEDkg7ayU</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1840924339090100682?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 1, 2024</a></blockquote>

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Prince-Trent-Wright trio come to Milwaukee to win
Taurean Prince, Gary Trent Jr., and Delon Wright have all signed up for a little under than what they were supposed to make and signed with the Bucks for a chance to contribute to a championship contender. All three are exactly what the Bucks need in their scheme of things as they&rsquo;re expected to bring shooting, spacing, and tough perimeter defenders. It&rsquo;s expected that Milwaukee&rsquo;s offense will revolve around superstars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard so there will be little expectations on these guys to do more and they can just focus on what they do best as role players in the league.

A new season awaits familiar faces in new places. Let’s take a look at them and their potential fits next to their new teams and teammates.

Familiar faces in new places: NBA players’ new home to start the season

The Atlanta Hawks will have a big decision to make in the offseason after winning the jackpot in the 2024 NBA Draft Lottery on Sunday afternoon.
The Hawks were big winners by landing the No.1 pick despite having only the 10th best odds coming into the lottery. The Detroit Pistons, who had the league&rsquo;s worst record and a share of the best odds, got unlucky and just landed the 5th overall pick.
The Washington Wizards struck gold as well by landing the 2nd overall pick while the Houston Rockets and the San Antonio Spurs rounded out the top 4 with the 3rd and 4th overall picks respectively.
Despite a relatively weak draft this year as regarded by most scouts, teams will have options to choose from and make their team better in Alex Sarr, Zaccharie Rissacher, Ron Holland, Matas Buzelis, and others.
Here&rsquo;s a look at the full results below:
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The 2024 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBADraftLottery?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBADraftLottery</a> presented by State Farm Results. Watch the 2024 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBADraft?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBADraft</a> presented by State Farm on June 26-27 at 8:00 PM ET on ABC/ESPN! <a href="https://t.co/tYARdeUDqA">pic.twitter.com/tYARdeUDqA</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1789745047035883919?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2024</a></blockquote>

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The Atlanta Hawks will have a big decision to make in the offseason after winning the jackpot in the 2024 NBA Draft Lottery on Sunday.

2024 NBA Draft Lottery: Hawks get no.1; Wizards, Rockets, Spurs round out top 4

Denver Nuggets superstar center Nikola Jokic has won the 2023-2024 Kia NBA Most Valuable Player, the league announced Wednesday night.
Jokic, 29, won the award over co-finalists Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks. He had 79 1st place votes (equivalent to 10 points), 18 2nd place points (equivalent to 7 points), and 2 3rd place points (equivalent to 5 points) to finish with a total of 926 points. Gilgeous-Alexander secured 2nd place with a total of 640 points while Doncic finished third with 566 points.&nbsp;
Jokic wins the award for the third time, having previously earned the honor in the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons. He averaged 26.4 PPG, 12.4 RPG, and 9.0 APG on 58.3% FG, 35.9% 3P, and 81.7% FT.&nbsp;
Jokic is the ninth player to win three or more MVP awards, joining the exclusive list of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Jordan, and LeBron James among others.
This adds to Jokic&rsquo;s already legendary legacy to his career, which also includes an NBA championship and a Finals MVP from last season.
Jokic led Denver to a West-best tying 57-25 record this season, finishing second seed in the Western Conference just behind the Thunder. The Nuggets aim to repeat as champions this year, and they are in a tight series against the Minnesota Timberwolves to reclaim that feat. They have already ousted the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round in just five games.
Jokic and the Nuggets hope to continue this partnership for years to come as he is in the peak of his prime now with a capable team surrounding him to contend and win as many championships as they can.

Denver Nuggets superstar center Nikola Jokic has won the 2023-2024 Kia NBA Most Valuable Player, the league announced Wednesday night.

Nikola Jokic wins 2023-2024 Kia NBA Most Valuable Player Award

On Sunday night, Charlotte Hornets rookie Brandon Miller had the best performance of his young NBA career, scoring a career-high 35 points on 10-of-25 shooting from the field and 5-of-12 from three while grabbing 6 rebounds and blocking 2 shots.
Miller did it in a variety of ways, including stepbacks, floaters and drives to the rim. He hit 5 threes and showcased the three-level-scoring potential that helped him go No. 2 overall in the 2023 NBA Draft.
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No. 2 Pick Brandon Miller dropped a career-high 35 PTS in Charlotte against the Pacers! <a href="https://t.co/WWhBGqHFf1">pic.twitter.com/WWhBGqHFf1</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1754346021788713293?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 5, 2024</a></blockquote>

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This outing served as a statement game for Miller, who has mostly been an afterthought in the Rookie-of-the-Year race since his fellow freshmen Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren are having all-time rookie seasons. Miller has faced a lot of doubters, as people have been skeptical since the pick was made, with many citing No. 3 overall pick Scoot Henderson as the better overall prospect.
Over his last 10 games, the 6-foot-9 forward has been averaging 22.7 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.7 assists, on 48% shooting from the field, 40% from three and 85% from the free-throw line. Miller is starting to figure it out and proving he belongs in the league.
The 21-year-old&rsquo;s career-night made him the first Hornets rookie since 1993 to have a 35+ point game, joining Alonzo Mourning and Rex Chapman as the only rookies to do so in Charlotte&rsquo;s franchise history.
With Miller averaging 28 points over his last four games, the No. 2 overall pick did something that turned heads. With nine minutes in the second quarter, Miller tallied his first field goal of the game with a driving layup over Indiana Pacers big man Myles Turner. After scoring, Miller sprinted down the floor on the other end as TJ McConnell found Obi Toppin leaking out on a fastbreak. However, Toppin was not able to catch the ball, leading to the turnover. Despite that, Miller was clearly distraught at his teammates' lack of effort and was heard saying &ldquo;get the f*** back!&rdquo;
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Brandon Miller: "Get the fuck back!" 🗣️ <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LetsFly35?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LetsFly35</a> <a href="https://t.co/2QVlojAkpX">pic.twitter.com/2QVlojAkpX</a>
&mdash; /r/CharlotteHornets (@HornetsReddit) <a href="https://twitter.com/HornetsReddit/status/1754292522816290932?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2024</a></blockquote>

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Even after scoring and making the layup, Miller was the first one back on defense ahead of the other Hornets players, who were jogging nonchalantly with just three minutes elapsed in the second quarter.
It sent a message to his teammates, coaching staff, organization and the whole city of Charlotte raring to see a competitive basketball team in their lifetimes: they now have a someone who cares and is willing to give everything night in and night out to win. And it came from their prized 21-year-old rookie.
This type of winning mentality separates the good players from the great players &mdash; the willingness to work hard, the ability to motivate himself and others to win, and being a leader who holds teammates accountable on their mistakes.
As Charlotte looks to build a winning team after being stuck in mediocrity, perhaps Miller is the cornerstone they've been looking for in recent years.

Charlotte Hornets No. 2 overall pick Brandon Miller is turning heads with his recent play and attitude.

Brandon Miller looks like a franchise cornerstone for the Hornets

With the Western Conference All-Star starters set, let&rsquo;s look at the players who deserve a reserve slot for the West All-Star team this season. <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/picking-the-nbas-eastern-conference-allstar-reserves" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Check out our Eastern Conference All-Star reserve picks here</a>.
Guard: Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
Curry is a lock to make the team and the only question is: why isn&rsquo;t he starting? It took historic individual seasons from Dallas&rsquo; Luka Doncic and OKC&rsquo;s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to dislodge Curry from his usual starter spot at the All-Star game (the first time that's happened since 2014). As one of the legends of this generation and a face of the league for years running, Curry is still playing at a high level this season, averaging 27.5 points, 5 assists and 4.3 rebounds in 41 games played.&nbsp;
Guard: Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves
Like Jayson Tatum out East, Edwards is the best player on the best team in the West, which absolutely strengthens his All-Star case. Blossoming into a full-blown superstar this season, Edwards is averaging 26 points, 5.3 assists and 5.2 rebounds. Even at only 22 years of age, Edwards has been leading his team to wins and the top seed in the Western Conference, earning a ton of respect from fans and the media. Those efforts won't go unnoticed as he earns his second All-Star nod.
Forward: Kawhi Leonard, Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers have had the league&rsquo;s best record over the last 10 weeks and the reason is pretty simple: Kawhi Leonard is performing like his usual self. Leonard has played 41 of the Clippers' 45 games, which is huge considering the 6-foot-7 forward&rsquo;s injury history and past load management. In the past, Leonard has missed a lot of games in the regular season and playoffs, but that hasn't been the case this season. Leonard has been the Clippers' best player, averaging 23.8 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.7 steals a night. Whenever Leonard is playing well, the Clippers look like an elite squad.&nbsp;
Forward: Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers
Arguably the Lakers&rsquo; best player this year, Anthony Davis has taken it upon himself to lead Los Angeles both on offense and defense. Despite playing out of his normal position, Davis is averaging 25 points, 12.1 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 2.3 blocks and 1.2 steals as a center. There is a direct correlation between Davis&rsquo; play and the Lakers' success this year. The Lakers would probably be even deeper down the standings if not for Davis and he's likely done enough to join Lakers teammate and All-Star captain LeBron James on the team.
Center: Rudy Gobert, Minnesota Timberwolves
Perhaps a controversial pick, Rudy Gobert is a worthy All-Star due to his production and the fact that he's helped lead the Wolves to the No. 1 seed in the West. Gobert is the anchor of the best defense in the entire league and is the main reason why Minnesota can effectively deploy a two-center lineup. Even though his 13.3 points per game don't jump off the page, Gobert is also averaging 12.5 rebounds and 2.1 blocks. The 7-foot-1 center is once again a Defensive Player of the Year candidate and leading his team to a ton of wins, which he has been doing since his Utah Jazz days. That is a testament to his value.
Wildcard: De&rsquo;Aaron Fox, Sacramento Kings
Last year, Fox made his first All-Star appearance. This year, he&rsquo;s been even better, upping his averages to 27.5 points, 5.6 assists and 4.1 rebounds for the fifth-place Sacramento Kings. This is Fox&rsquo;s best scoring campaign of his career, just a season removed from winning the NBA&rsquo;s inaugural Clutch Player of the Year award. A lot of the 6-foot-3 guard&rsquo;s success this season can be attributed to him shooting better from three (increasing his three-point percentage from 32.4% to 38.6%), which has allowed him to become a true three-level scoring threat. Using a lethal arsenal of mid-range jumpers and floaters, he has raised his game to the next level.
Wildcard: Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns
Devin Booker takes the West's last slot after some recent explosive performances. Booker has been on a stunning scoring tear as of late, which might help him secure a place on the team. Over the past week, the 6-foot-6 guard is averaging mind-boggling numbers of 42 points on 64% shooting from the field, including a 62-point outing and 52-point performance. This season, Booker has taken on more on-ball duties than ever before since Chris Paul is out of the picture and he's trying to fit alongside All-Star starter Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal. This recent explosion reminded everyone that he can light up teams when he gets hot and look the part of an All-Star.
Snubs: Domantas Sabonis (Center, Sacramento Kings); Paul George (Forward, Los Angeles Clippers); Brandon Ingram (Forward, New Orleans Pelicans); Zion Williamson (Forward, New Orleans Pelicans); Alperen Sengun (Center, Houston Rockets); Lauri Markkanen&nbsp;(Forward, Utah Jazz)
The West is too deep. Even with Sabonis and George having stellar seasons and their teams in the upper half of the standings (the Clippers are fourth and the Kings are fifth), both still fail to crack the West&rsquo;s top 12. One can argue Sabonis and/or George over Gobert, but it's hard to give just one All-Star spot to the best team in the conference and two slots to teams below them. Both Sabonis and George could also get in through the wildcards, but Booker has been on another level recently and Fox and Sabonis are likely competing over the same spot.
The Pelicans&rsquo; Ingram and Williamson didn't get in as they don't have the stats compared to others on this list, with the Pelicans being one of the deepest teams in the league.&nbsp;
Sengun and Markkanen each have a case as a leading mnn on the next tier of West playoff teams, but the conference is filled with so much talent that even a career-best season may not warrant a spot.
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/picking-the-nbas-eastern-conference-allstar-reserves" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Check out our Eastern Conference All-Star reserve picks here</a>.

With the Western Conference All-Star starters set, let’s look at the players who deserve a reserve slot for the West All-Star team.

Picking the NBA's Western Conference All-Star reserves

In a game featuring two of the best No.1 overall picks in recent memory, the Minnesota Timberwolves blasted the Orlando Magic, 113-92, at the Kia Center in Orlando on Tuesday night.
Anthony Edwards, the No.1 pick in 2020, and Paolo Banchero, the No. 1 pick in 2022, failed to get any kind of momentum going throughout the game. Edwards only mustered 6 points due to foul trouble, while Banchero struggled shooting against a big Wolves frontline, finishing 8-of-22 from the floor for 18 points.&nbsp;
Lucky for Edwards, his teammates picked up the slack as the Wolves ran the Magic off the floor right from the get-go. They led from start to finish and never let Orlando develop a rhythm or make a run.
Karl-Anthony Towns led the Wolves with 28 points on a perfect 5-of-5 shooting from three-point range, while frontcourt mate Rudy Gobert was dominant in the paint, finishing with 21 points and 12 boards. Towns also made history as one of three active players to have 25+ points, 5+ rebounds, 5+ assists, 5+ threes and 3+ steals, joining Stephen Curry and Jalen Brunson.
Orlando, who's still without Franz Wagner, Wendell Carter Jr., Joe Ingles and Jonathan Isaac among others, only shot 36% from the floor against a stifling Minnesota defense that is ranked No. 1 in the NBA.
After this blowout victory, the Wolves will travel to Boston to face the Celtics tomorrow in a battle of the top-seeded teams in each conference.
As for the Magic, they will face their division-rival Miami Heat in their next game; they are currently tied for the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference.

The Minnesota Timberwolves blasted the Orlando Magic, 113-92, at the Kia Center in Orlando on Tuesday night.

Timberwolves blow out Magic as Anthony Edwards, Paolo Banchero struggle

The NBA announced Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma as the NBA Cares Bob Lanier Community Assist Award winner for November for giving back to his hometown of Flint, Michigan and hosting a special event through his foundation (Kyle Kuzma Family Foundation).&nbsp;
Each month, the NBA Cares Bob Lanier Community Assist Award recognizes a player monthly for their outstanding work in the community.
On November 26, Kuzma surprised mothers at the Genesee County Jail in Flint with clothing and gifts for them and their children for the holidays.&nbsp; Kuzma also unveiled Kuz&rsquo;s corner &ndash; two newly renovated jail cells as a part of a larger effort to upgrade the facility&rsquo;s conditions.
In conjunction with the event, Kuzma announced the launch of a special partnership through his foundation with I.G.N.I.T.E. and R.I.S.E. to support residents of the facility for a successful future when they re-enter society.&nbsp; I.G.N.I.T.E&rsquo;s mission is to reverse the cycle of generational incarceration through education by providing residents with valuable job training and skills that they can use upon release to gain employment and reduce the likelihood of reoffending.&nbsp; Since inception in 2020, I.G.N.I.T.E. has provided more than 250,000 hours of educational training to over 2,500 residents leading to a reduction of assaults and violent offenses in the jail by 97%.&nbsp; R.I.S.E.&rsquo;s mission is to ensure that residents in the Genesee County Jail have access to behavioral and social health support services and complements the work of I.G.N.I.T.E.
Also in November, Kuzma and others from Monumental Basketball (Washington Wizards, Washington Mystics, Capital City Go-Go and Wizards District Gaming) partnered to host Thankful Meals presented by CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, a community outreach event to serve Washington D.C.&rsquo;s Ward 7 and Ward 8 residents.&nbsp; Kuzma distributed over 1,500 hot meals from Black-owned restaurant Henry&rsquo;s Soul Caf&eacute;.&nbsp; Those in attendance also went home with a GIANT food store gift card.
&ldquo;Helping to uplift the communities that are special to me is a privilege, so being recognized for that work is a humbling experience, particularly when it takes place during the season of giving,&rdquo; said Kuzma.&nbsp; &ldquo;I&rsquo;m proud to share this honor with my family and support system as well as my teammates and the entire Wizards organization, as all of us are committed to continuing to make a difference in the lives of others.&rdquo;
Kuzma will be recognized in-arena as the NBA Cares Bob Lanier Community Assist Award winner during pre-game of the Dec. 29 Nets-Wizards game.&nbsp; Washington Wizards General Manager Will Dawkins will present him with the award.

The NBA announced Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma as the NBA Cares Bob Lanier Community Assist Award winner for November.

Wizards' Kyle Kuzma wins NBA Cares Bob Lanier Community Assist Award

After finishing second in the NBA's Most-Valuable-Player voting in back-to-back years, Joel Embiid finally earned his MVP award last season. 
Embiid had one of the best scoring seasons in NBA history, particularly by a big man, as he averaged the most points by a center since the 1980s. He made a significant leap forward, which wasn't necessarily expected given that he was already one of the most dominant players in the NBA.
Embiid led the Philadelphia 76ers to 54 wins and the third seed in the Eastern Conference, averaging 33.1 points, 10.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.7 blocks, 1.0 steal and 1.0 three, while shooting 54.8% from the field, 33.0% from three-point range and 85.7% from the free-throw line.&nbsp;
Now, more than a month into the 2023-24 NBA season, he is taking the next step in his development: becoming a terrific playmaker.
Embiid&rsquo;s scoring is obviously his strong suit and what garners the most attention. He has won back-to-back scoring titles over the last two seasons, and he's on pace for a third this year. However, this season, perhaps the most impressive aspect of Embiid's game has been his playmaking abilities. 
The big man recorded his first triple-double of the season in just three quarters against the Los Angeles Lakers. A 30-point triple-double is impressive in itself, but accomplishing this feat in three quarters is just ridiculous. Embiid is currently averaging a whopping 6.6 assists to go along with his 33.4 points, 11.7 rebounds and 1.9 blocks. Prior to this year, he had never averaged more than 4.2 assists per game.
While there has been a lot of talk about how James Harden's departure has impacted Tyrese Maxey, it has also done wonders for Embiid&rsquo;s playmaking ability. Both Embiid and Maxey are currently top-13 in the NBA in assists per game, and both are averaging more assists than Harden. Embiid is once again leading the league in scoring (32.0), while Maxey is averaging the 12th-most points per game in the NBA (27.0). This duo has just clicked this season, complementing each other perfectly while creating for themselves and others.
Even during Harden's stint in Philadelphia, Embiid would regularly record six or more assists and flex his playmaking abilities whenever Harden was out of the lineup. While many believed that these performances were just flukes, he&rsquo;s proved himself once more this season. 
Embiid's dominant all-around offensive game paired with his elite defense could make him a favorite for the MVP award once again. Embiid <a href="https://sportsbook.fanduel.com/navigation/nba?tab=awards" target="_blank" rel="noopener">currently has</a> the third-best MVP odds (+750) behind Nikola Jokic (+150) and Luka Doncic (+500).
The biggest knock on Embiid was his playmaking; now, he&rsquo;s got that in his bag too.

Joel Embiid is taking the next step in his development by becoming a terrific playmaker, writes Hunter Simpson.

How reigning MVP Joel Embiid managed to make another leap

This article was originally published on BasketballNews on May 9, 2021.
The player-empowerment era in the NBA has allowed athletes to do so much more than just change teams when they feel it&rsquo;s time to move on from a situation. It has also led to athletes having more opportunities and control off the court as well.&nbsp;
One of the best examples (in both areas) is Kevin Durant.&nbsp;&nbsp;
While LeBron James may be credited with starting the player-empowerment era with his move to Miami back in the summer of 2010, Durant put an exclamation point on it when he left Oklahoma City for the Bay Area and joined the Golden State Warriors in the summer of 2016. Durant has also followed suit on the business side of things. While James&rsquo; business ventures may be more well-known to date, Durant isn&rsquo;t far behind in that regard.&nbsp;
Durant&rsquo;s most notable endorsement deal is with Nike, with whom he reportedly signed a 10-year contract <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/thunder/2014/08/31/kevin-durant-nike-under-armour-shoe-deal/14898743/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">worth up to $300 million back in 2014</a>. He also has endorsement deals with Google and Alaska Airlines, but things certainly don&rsquo;t stop there for Durant. In fact, you could argue that his endorsements aren&rsquo;t moving the needle much in comparison to his other business endeavors.&nbsp;
Durant and his business partner, Rich Kleiman, own a venture capital firm named Thirty Five Ventures, and that&rsquo;s where Durant has done incredibly well from the business standpoint.&nbsp;
Thirty Five Ventures has its hands in many different businesses, some of which you may use on a regular basis. Durant and Kleiman have invested in Lime Scooters, The Players&rsquo; Tribune, Robinhood, Postmates, and most recently, Coinbase. According to its website, Thirty Five Ventures has an investment portfolio spanning over 60 different companies.&nbsp;
Coinbase recently made waves as the company went public, and made Durant and Kleiman&rsquo;s investment worth over 53-times what they originally put into the company back in 2017. Another one of their victories on the same front came via a $1 million investment in Postmates prior to its sale to Uber back in 2020.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I know I&rsquo;m just a basketball player, so I was smart enough to hire people who are really good in that field,&rdquo; Durant <a href="https://hoopshype.com/2018/03/04/kevin-durants-successful-business-ventures-are-inspiring-nba-peers/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told our Alex Kennedy (via HoopsHype) in 2018</a>. &ldquo;I can&rsquo;t take all of the credit for that. I have such a great team of people around me who have pushed me to explore that field and learn more about it because, like I said, I&rsquo;m just a basketball player. That&rsquo;s what I do and I usually don&rsquo;t want to do anything else. I&rsquo;m happy when I&rsquo;m playing basketball. But I have to give a ton of credit to the people who forced me to think outside of the box a bit because it&rsquo;s changed my life and made my life more interesting. It&rsquo;s not for every basketball player and it doesn&rsquo;t always turn out this way, but for me, it was a natural progression and things really worked out.&rdquo;
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KD14 on film. ⏭🎥 More pairs dropping tomorrow, 5/8. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TakeYourGameFurther?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TakeYourGameFurther</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KD14?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KD14</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BTS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BTS</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/nikebasketball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nikebasketball</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/KDTrey5?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KDTrey5</a> <a href="https://t.co/TejR3ArZ58">pic.twitter.com/TejR3ArZ58</a>
&mdash; Thirty Five Ventures (@35Ventures) <a href="https://twitter.com/35Ventures/status/1390675654484627460?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 7, 2021</a></blockquote>

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But Thirty Five Ventures isn&rsquo;t just about investing in things like the aforementioned Coinbase and Postmates; it&rsquo;s also a company that creates and produces content -- and award-winning content, at that. Durant isn&rsquo;t the first star athlete to enter this space, but it&rsquo;s something he and Kleiman have done incredibly well and it&rsquo;s paid off.&nbsp;
&ldquo;All of the amazing athletes who succeeded in business &ndash; from&nbsp;Magic Johnson&nbsp;to&nbsp;Michael Jordan&nbsp;to LeBron James &ndash; brought something different to the table and they continued to evolve and learn from those before them,&rdquo; Kleiman told <a href="https://hoopshype.com/2018/03/04/kevin-durants-successful-business-ventures-are-inspiring-nba-peers/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HoopsHype back in 2018</a>. &ldquo;LeBron laid out such a great blueprint: He looked at brand deals differently, he valued quality over quantity and he realized that athletes of this caliber are global brands so they should have equity in these businesses. Kevin learned so much from LeBron. Now, Kevin is building his own business in his way, and he will evolve, bring something new to the table and inspire the people after him.&rdquo;
Durant and Kleiman have been able to learn from James in some aspects, as <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-lebron-james-the-businessman-fenway-sports-group-springhill-entertainment-uninterrupted-blaze-pizza-ladder-athletes-companies" target="_blank" rel="noopener">James has a production company of his own</a> and regularly helps out with content, not to mention starring in the upcoming &ldquo;Space Jam 2.&rdquo; As for Durant and Kleiman, the pair recently won an Academy Award for their work on the short film &ldquo;Two Distant Strangers&rdquo; in the &lsquo;Best Live Action Short&rsquo; category. Thirty Five Ventures also sold a show to Apple TV plus called "Swagger,&rdquo; which is a drama series that&rsquo;s based on Durant's youth basketball experience.
Beyond that, Durant and Kleiman have created &ldquo;Boardroom,&rdquo; which is somewhat similar to LeBron&rsquo;s &ldquo;The Shop&rdquo; on HBO, but it focuses more on the business side of things. The show has featured the likes of Malcolm Jenkins, David Shaw, Justin Tuck, Brandon Marshall, Nick DePaula and many others. They talk about everything from how coaches game plan, to how sneaker deals work, to how athletes are able to build their own brands and more. This might be where Durant&rsquo;s future in business looks the brightest, at least in terms of creativity. Recently, Durant and Kleiman have also expanded the Boardroom brand by creating new shows, launching their website and collaborating with Sports Business Journal on a print product.
Another thing Durant and Kleiman have been involved with is Overtime, a media outlet with a huge social media presence. The two have been backing the company for several years, and reportedly invested over $10 million. They&rsquo;ve also created content for Overtime and have been helping behind the scenes as well. Now, the company is launching <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/high-school-basketball-former-nba-execs-aaron-ryan-brandon-williams-kevin-ollie-overtime-elite-seek-to-revolutionize-amateur-to-pro-preparation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Overtime Elite, which will serve as an alternative to high school for elite basketball prospects with NBA futures</a>.&nbsp;
When it comes to Durant&rsquo;s business endeavors, he&rsquo;s taken a behind-the-scenes approach to certain companies and a hands-on approach with others. While his basketball career continues to be one of the best out there, his post-NBA career is shaping up to be just as fascinating.&nbsp;

Kevin Durant and Rich Kleiman have invested in Lime Scooters, The Players’ Tribune, Robinhood, Postmates, Coinbase and 55+ others.

Easy Money: How Kevin Durant is dominating the business world

This article was originally published on BasketballNews on July 20, 2022.
Impact Basketball's facility sits inside an unassuming section of an unassuming plaza on Dean Martin Drive in Las Vegas.
The gym contains two light-colored hardwood basketball courts with a small scoreboard, a weightlifting area, a makeshift stretching room, a kitchenette for meals and snacks and a small office. It's no place for vanities. The only flexes are the dozens of white banners hanging on the right wall, listing names upon names of distinguished players who have come through during the gym's 25 years of existence.
Among those players: Kevin Garnett, Kawhi Leonard, Chauncey Billups, Kyle Lowry, Kelsey Plum, Tayshaun Prince, Jaylen Brown, Tyrese Haliburton, DeMarcus Cousins, John Wall, Al Harrington, Kristaps Porzingis, Nassir Little, Saddiq Bey and Ziaire Williams.&nbsp;
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Kevin Garnett stopped by <a href="https://twitter.com/impactbball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@impactbball</a> and offered some advice to Blazers guard Keon Johnson, Mavericks wing Josh Green and 16-year-old prospect Dayan Nessah.<a href="https://twitter.com/Joe_Abunassar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Joe_Abunassar</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/KevinGarnett5KG?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KevinGarnett5KG</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/iamkeonjohnson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@iamkeonjohnson</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/JoshBGreen?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JoshBGreen</a> <a href="https://t.co/fwRjAM2WHJ">pic.twitter.com/fwRjAM2WHJ</a>
&mdash; Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlexKennedyNBA/status/1548046089877524482?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 15, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Impact Basketball, founded by trainer Joe Abunassar in 1997, has a reputation for its star-studded, closed-door pickup games that take place during the NBA offseason. In the spring, it's also where some of the top NBA Draft hopefuls join Abunassar's pre-draft "boot camp" and commit themselves to an intricate world of sports training and nutrition.
The timeline is simple: arrive by April, revamp your training lifestyle and find your professional pathway &mdash; either via the NBA Draft, an undrafted free-agent deal or another contract &mdash; afterwards. The work is not flashy, isn't always fun and, if you want to stick as a pro, never ends.
But the results can change lives.
"It's not about W's or L's, it's about M's &mdash; M's being millions of dollars," said Isaac Mourier, Impact's Director of Performance Nutrition and Sport Science. "Once you say that to a guy like that, that's all they need in terms of motivation."
Mourier is a key cog in Impact's program. He's from the United Kingdom and played professional basketball in England and Germany before starting his own sports nutrition consulting business. Mourier has worked for the University of Georgia and Sacramento Kings as a nutritionist and consultant, and joined Impact in 2020 during the spring.
During his two-and-a-half years and three draft cycles with the company, Mourier has filled his laptop with infographics and progress charts for Impact athletes. They include individualized goals for each player; an example involves raising one prospect's weight by 20 pounds, lowering his body fat by 2%, increasing his bench press weight by 50 pounds and adding two inches to his vertical.
Mourier feels privileged to work with athletes at this stage of their careers. To him, the noise of team ecosystems and outside expectations all fade away. He can clearly define goals, and players know exactly what success will look like.
"This is the first time, maybe ever in their life, where they have a team of people that are only worried about them," he said. "Now, I'm just trying to get you to the NBA and keep you there. I don't care whether you win or lose games right now. This is you. All the focus is on you."
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Boot camp begins as soon as players are done with their respective prior seasons. They arrive at Impact and take part in comprehensive body testing to establish a full physical profile. The technology includes a bioelectrical impedence analysis that uses electrical currents to scan body composition. Sweat patches can read how much sodium athletes need in their system.
Variables such as blood work, stress hormone levels, nutrient deficienies, pre-workout hydration levels and post-workout hydration levels, body composition and body fat percentages all help establish a baseline of strengths and needs.
From there, each prospect receives an individualized growth roadmap. Skill development makes up one component. Players often train together in small groups, but they receive specific plans that prepare them for team pre-draft workouts and the NBA level.
"We're looking and analyzing and making assessments on the court; if guys are getting bumped off their cuts, if guys don't have enough lower-body power in their jump shot and guys seem like they need to get stronger, if guys aren't fast enough, [we'll consider], 'Okay, what do we need to do in the weight room or from a nutrition standpoint to correct that?'" Abunassar told Basketball News. "So, that's why every guy has his own program, because every guy has different goals."
Hydration and dieting are also central pieces. Mourier oversees the implementation of dietary plans through Impact's local chef connections, and says he outlines each meal, snack and supplement. Along the way are regular check-ins on body metrics, sleep schedules, mood and motivation among other factors. Mourier estimated that about 20-to-25 Impact staffers are involved with a player's development.&nbsp;
But Mourier repeatedly emphasized that the technology, food and workouts aren't what takes players to the Association. One of his most important jobs is reframing their habits and instilling discipline toward health.
"When an athlete gets to the elite level with bad habits, it's, 'Well, I'm already one of the best in the world at what I do, so why would I change?' So it's changing that mindset, and then when we've done that, it's about understanding that doing small things consistently is what gets us the results, as opposed to trying to do extreme things," Mourier said.
"The way that the structure of basketball [is] from AAU to college to the pros, a lot of the power is in the athlete's hands, where it's almost like, 'Who are you to tell me what to do?' So I think one of the main things that we have to do is cut through that barrier. And again, when our goals are the same as theirs, it becomes a little bit easier. But again, it's, 'Well, you've gotten to this level despite your bad habits. How good could you be if we instill some good habits?'"
Good habits, however, can be inconvenient and awkward. For NBA players to maintain their places in the league, they have to stick with those routines well past a pre-draft boot camp.
Dallas Mavericks wing Josh Green joined Impact's program ahead of the 2020 NBA Draft cycle. He's still entrenched with Impact today, and has been working out in Las Vegas this offseason. Part of his nutrition plan includes avoiding butter, which can be a particular hurdle when eating out at restaurants.
"I have to be the guy who requests light virgin oil, whatever it is," Green told Basketball News. "I think that's the hardest part about it. I'm about to go to Australia for three weeks, and all I'm gonna want to do is eat all the food, but I'm gonna have to stay disciplined. I want to have a big year, so my goal is focusing right now, but just taking it one day at a time."
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👀 <a href="https://twitter.com/JoshBGreen?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JoshBGreen</a> <a href="https://t.co/pX0fkZzCBZ">pic.twitter.com/pX0fkZzCBZ</a>
&mdash; Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlexKennedyNBA/status/1547655829431525383?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Green said he started prioritizing nutrition after his second shoulder surgery in April 2019. Since joining Impact, Green has been floored by how much nourishment the human body loses during workouts. He has an app that lays out meal calories and hydration plans, and his goal this offseason is to skip carbohydrates, even from snacks like a simple bag of chips.
"When you're young, whatever you see in front of you is what you want," Green said. "I [was] able to start here early and realize, if I want to play ball for a while, it's important to put the right things in my body and stay healthy. It's the same thing as seeing your physical therapist and getting treatment, if not more important for your body."
Abunassar has a plethora of stories about players who embraced the importance of nutrition at the pro level. Garnett has talked about taping his meal-plan menus on the cabinets of his Minnesota home.&nbsp; Lowry, Haliburton and Serge Ibaka are examples of guys who transformed their bodies under Impact's guidance too.
Gym time and workouts are obviously valuable, but to Abunassar, nutrition is what sparks physical development.
"The nutrition is really the basis of body change &mdash; for anybody, not even just for a basketball player," Abunassar said. "You can go to the gym every day, but if you're eating cheeseburgers and fries, you're just not going to lose weight."
Mourier has his own trail of success stories. He's worked with dozens of players, including Haliburton and Green. Zeke Nnaji, another 2020 draftee, was an especially interesting case as the only plant-based-dieting prospect Mourier has guided at Impact.
Mourier does not advise athletes to follow a plant-based diet solely for performance. However, Nnaji had chosen to be a vegan for ethical reasons, which Mourier respected, and the two worked together to create a nutrition plan despite the constraints. One of Nnaji's pre-draft goals was to add muscle, and he succeeded with rigorous attention to detail.
"He gained 20 pounds and everyone was like, 'Who the hell is this?'" Mourier said. "So that was really good, just being tactful with the timing and quantities of that stuff. And [Nnaji] was really diligent with it. He nailed every single aspect of it down to the gram... He was a really easy one. I really can't take credit for all that stuff. I just put the blueprint down and he just rolled with it."
This year, Impact has worked with several 2022 draft prospects, including MarJon Beauchamp, Blake Wesley and Michael Foster Jr. among others.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
San Antonio Spurs rookie Blake Wesley (<a href="https://twitter.com/blakewesley0?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@blakewesley0</a>) working out at <a href="https://twitter.com/impactbball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@impactbball</a>: <a href="https://t.co/9lfkFikWsP">pic.twitter.com/9lfkFikWsP</a>
&mdash; Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlexKennedyNBA/status/1547643918904217604?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Wesley has been an Impact athlete since he was 17, meeting Abunassar for the first time as a junior in high school. Wesley would come in occasionally for workouts, staying on the far court and watching as NBA players like Leonard and Paul George would get their reps in. He returned in offseasons and locked in for his own pre-draft boot camp.
Mourier praised the Spurs rookie for his attention to detail regarding nutrition. Wesley frequently FaceTimed Mourier while at restaurants and stores, and asked questions about what he should eat. He's also a staunch advocate of Herbalife's CR7 Drive sports drink mix, and even has an endorsement deal with Herbalife.
As part of his pre-draft plan to put on weight, Welsey would cook three eggs, plus have oatmeal, milk and orange juice for breakfast.
"[Changing my nutrition] helped my body a lot," Wesley told Basketball News over the phone. "I kept doing this, so I kept getting better on the court and did everything good on the court. So yeah, my nutrition helped me a lot."
The result: Wesley turned himself from a relatively unheralded four-star recruit into Notre Dame's first one-and-done player &mdash; then bulked up to 190 pounds in the spring and became a first-round NBA draft pick.
"I met [Wesley] a year ago, before he went to Notre Dame, and his transformation from then to the start of the pre-draft [process] to now &mdash; it's phenomenal," Mourier said.
The next challenge is to maintain discipline once that contract gets signed.&nbsp;
"You gotta stay focused; the NBA is totally different from college," Wesley said. "I mean, you're getting paid, you got a high profile [and] a lot of people are watching you &mdash; &nbsp;watching how you move, who you hang out with, stuff like that. So it's a whole different lifestyle."
Abunassar, Mourier and the Impact staff are hands-on with their players during the offseason and pre-draft process. But what happens when those players head back to their respective NBA franchises?
"For the most part, from a strength-and-conditioning standpoint [and] from a player development standpoint, the NBA teams have stuff really dialed in," Mourier said. "From a nutrition standpoint, for the most part, they do not."
Mourier estimated that there are only six full-time nutritionists and dietitians in the entire NBA. The Collegiate and Professional Sports Dietitians Association (CPSDA) lists <a href="https://sportsrd.org/career-development/full-time-sports-rds-working-with-usas-top-institutions/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">nine full-time registered dietitians.</a> Mourier said that teams often have physicians and trainers covering several responsibilites, including nutrition, due to budget restrictions and front-office priorities. This means some athletes, specifically reserve players, receive less health guidance.
"We're kind of the ones who are the last for the front office to see the value in it, so a lot of times we're really just a check-box," Mourier said. "So especially for those lower-order guys that are maybe No. 7, 8, 9, 10, all the way through to 15 on the roster, they're not really receiving any support at all. They're receiving provision. They're receiving meals and supplements. But in terms of education and behavior change, they're really not receiving it."
Over the last 25 years, Abunassar has seen sports nutrition dramatically change, with data and technology more interwoven into practice than ever. He thinks there are positives and pitfalls to the advancements.
"From a nutrition standpoint and strength-and-conditioning standpoint, it's clearly useful information to help prevent injury, to increase lean body mass, etc.," he said. "All of the technology that has come out has been very helpful for us, but you do have to watch that you don't get too reliant on it. Sometimes, you gotta watch the games and see how guys move and that kind of thing. But a combination of the two is very effective."
Impact Basketball is one progressive frontrunner in the field of sports science, but Mourier emphasized that, at this point, all basketball pros should be setting themselves up for success with some sort of offseason developmental map. Pre-draft prospects especially cannot afford to lose that critical period before team workouts to maximize their appeal.
"It's like doing the SAT without looking at the study guide," Mourier said "...I think it's definitely a standard. There's people doing this all over the country, really. Nobody does it like us, and nobody's been doing it for as long as us, but people are seeing the value."

A behind-the-scenes look at how Impact Basketball helps players realize their full potential by focusing on their training and nutrition.

How sports nutrition and biometrics are evolving NBA training

For some NBA players, things don&rsquo;t click right away. But a rookie struggling is no reason to fret; most rookies in the NBA are, to put it bluntly, kind of bad. Adjusting to the size, speed and strength of NBA veterans is a tall task, but franchises understand that and will usually show patience regarding rookies.&nbsp;
Sometimes things don&rsquo;t click in year two either. Of course, teams want to see improvement in a player&rsquo;s counting statistics and feel for the game, but growing pains are expected for sophomores too. If things haven&rsquo;t clicked by year three though, alarms start to go off. When a player still looks lost on the floor &ndash; or is already on his second or third team &ndash; his future prospects start to look a little bleak.&nbsp;
That&rsquo;s why the stories of Dennis Smith Jr. and Kris Dunn are massively impressive. Both are former top-10 picks who lasted less than two years with the teams that drafted them (the New York Knicks and Minnesota Timberwolves, respectively). They have each been waived, overlooked and altogether neglected. But now, Smith and Dunn have found homes with teams that expect legitimate production from them this season &ndash; and maybe beyond.&nbsp;
Smith signed a one-year, $2.5-million deal with the Brooklyn Nets this summer and he will serve as the team&rsquo;s backup point guard, leading a second unit that will also include Dorian Finney-Smith and Royce O&rsquo;Neale &ndash; and has some serious potential for excitement on the defensive end. Dunn, meanwhile, just had his 2023-24 contract guaranteed by the Jazz and will almost certainly get regular minutes in Utah&rsquo;s backcourt.&nbsp;
For DSJ, this is all happening about 18 months after he was cut from an actively tanking Portland Trail Blazers team when an elbow injury sidelined him for a few weeks. A midseason waiving by one of the league&rsquo;s worst teams certainly feels like the metaphorical closing of a curtain that could signal the end of a player&rsquo;s career.
Less than a month before the 2022-23 season, though, the Charlotte Hornets signed Smith to a one-year deal. The signing was mostly out of necessity, as the Hornets didn&rsquo;t have a point guard to back up LaMelo Ball &ndash; but it was a deal nonetheless. If there was ever an example of &ldquo;last, last chance,&rdquo; this was it.&nbsp;
Back in his home state, Smith showed from day one that he wasn&rsquo;t going to let this be the end of the line, becoming one of the best guard defenders in the entire league last season. He was in the 95th percentile for deflections per 36 minutes (via CraftedNBA), fifth in the entire league in steal rate (2.6%) and opposing teams averaged 10.7 fewer points per 100 possessions when&nbsp;
Smith was on the floor. That can&rsquo;t all be attributed to him, of course, but that number in conjunction with other defensive stats show just how important Smith was to Charlotte&rsquo;s (surprisingly) stout defense.&nbsp;
Smith showed flashes of defensive brilliance long before last season; here he is in 2018 locking up Paul George on a crucial crunch time possession.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
HOLY DEFENSE DENNIS SMITH JR. <a href="https://t.co/KEwMsLiQmT">pic.twitter.com/KEwMsLiQmT</a>
&mdash; Nick Angstadt (@NickVanExit) <a href="https://twitter.com/NickVanExit/status/1079563179171201024?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 31, 2018</a></blockquote>
But his complete buy-in on that side of the ball in 2022-23 is what solidified Smith as someone who will more than likely stick around for years to come. Stops like this one against Stephen Curry became the norm for DSJ.&nbsp;
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HORNETS beat the WARRIORS! Dennis Smith Jr had 13/9/8 &amp; forced OT with this bucket &amp; defense on Steph Curry <a href="https://t.co/2pCMn4eltC">pic.twitter.com/2pCMn4eltC</a>
&mdash; Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) <a href="https://twitter.com/Ballislife/status/1586532732380753920?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2022</a></blockquote>
Stifling defense wasn&rsquo;t the only reason Smith earned another contract though; he posted the lowest turnover rate of his career and the best assist-to-turnover ratio of his career too. His own shooting splits weren&rsquo;t pretty (47.5% true shooting), but Smith protected the ball and made enough things happen for his teammates that calling him a defensive specialist feels like a disservice.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
The man with a vision🤞 <a href="https://twitter.com/Dennis1SmithJr?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Dennis1SmithJr</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/PJWashington?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PJWashington</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/HornetsOnBally?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HornetsOnBally</a> <a href="https://t.co/XPbrrP6J8Y">pic.twitter.com/XPbrrP6J8Y</a>
&mdash; Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) <a href="https://twitter.com/hornets/status/1594493295799173120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 21, 2022</a></blockquote>
Dunn&rsquo;s career has been just as big of a roller coaster as Smith&rsquo;s. After just one season in Minnesota, he was essentially a throw-in piece of the Zach LaVine-to-Chicago-Bulls trade on draft night in 2017.&nbsp;
He spent three years with Chicago, showing some promise in his first season there. But his production declined over the next two seasons, and the Bulls let him walk after the 2020 season. Short stints in Memphis, Atlanta and Portland were discouraging too, and Dunn was teamless throughout most of the 2022-23 season. It looked like the end.&nbsp;
Shortly after an opportunity presented itself for Smith, Dunn was also given a chance to redeem himself. Dunn was playing in the G League when he got the call from the Jazz, who were basically just looking for a healthy body to provide backcourt depth after Collin Sexton went down with an injury. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Former No. 5 overall pick Kris Dunn is signing a 10-day contract with the Utah Jazz, sources tell me and <a href="https://twitter.com/Tjonesonthenba?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Tjonesonthenba</a>. Dunn, a six-year NBA veteran, has played for Capital City Go-Go in G League this season.
&mdash; Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1628105973561974784?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 21, 2023</a></blockquote>
However, Dunn was much more than just a healthy body. He scored in double figures in his first seven games with Utah, while also averaging almost two steals per game. Overall, he posted counting stats of 13.2 points, 5.6 assists and 4.5 rebounds while shooting 53.7% from the floor. His turnover rate &ndash; a big problem in all of his stops &ndash; was at a career low 11.0% too.
These weren&rsquo;t just empty stats or &ldquo;gimme&rdquo; buckets either. Dunn was creating for both himself and others at a pretty high level in his 22 games with Utah. (A small sample size, but still impressive). Only 25% of his buckets were assisted, putting him in the 87th percentile among point guards &ndash; AKA Ja Morant, De&rsquo;Aaron Fox and James Harden territory.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
kris dunn is shooting 97.13% on really difficult-looking layups since joining the jazz. don't bother fact-checking this. it's incredibly accurate. you can tell because i went out two decimal places and everything. <a href="https://t.co/TtUptfzc01">pic.twitter.com/TtUptfzc01</a>
&mdash; Dan Favale (@danfavale) <a href="https://twitter.com/danfavale/status/1644803650236153863?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 8, 2023</a></blockquote>
That flare for creation carried over to the preseason as well:&nbsp;
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Well this is tough stuff from Kris Dunn <a href="https://t.co/ZsflOF2Jq6">pic.twitter.com/ZsflOF2Jq6</a>
&mdash; Nekias (Nuh-KY-us) Duncan (@NekiasNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NekiasNBA/status/1713579298282475566?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 15, 2023</a></blockquote>
Smith and Dunn&rsquo;s late-blooming nature brings a few things to mind.&nbsp;
Firstly, it exemplifies just how talented the NBA is right now. Smith was solid enough in his short tenure with Portland, and it was an injury that got him cut &ndash; a move that was pretty darn close to ending his NBA career.&nbsp;
The margins are so thin around the edges of the league that a ton of NBA-caliber players are left without teams &ndash; forced to battle for an incredibly small number of roster spots. Is this a good thing? Well, an excess of talent is a better problem to have than a dearth of talent, and the NBA does deserve some credit for investing in the G League and giving it the resources necessary to become a legitimate minor league system. So&hellip; kind of.&nbsp;
Secondly, it raises a question about how patient teams should be when trying to develop players. How patient should teams be? Because at first glance, paying players who haven&rsquo;t proven much of anything on the court seems a little reductive. But the NBA may have reached a point where there are enough examples of guys developing into good, productive players three-plus years into their career that extending guys based on upside might become as common as drafting them for upside.&nbsp;
If teams fully embrace the development of players rather than giving up when the development is actually an intensive process, it could pay dividends. But it&rsquo;s certainly a risk &ndash; doubling down on a player because of their perceived ceiling could look pretty bad if he never turns into that guy.
Regardless, we could be watching that shift happen already. In recent days, players like Zeke Nnaji (Denver Nuggets) and Deni Avdija (Washington Wizards) signed contract extensions with the teams that drafted them. Both are highly talented to be sure, but neither has blossomed into the player they were drafted to be &ndash; hence, they mostly got extended based on their untapped potential, not what they&rsquo;ve shown on the court thus far.&nbsp;
But no matter what Dennis Smith Jr. and Kris Dunn&rsquo;s success stories say about the NBA &ndash; if anything at all &ndash; these guards are two of the best stories in the NBA this season. Brooklyn and Utah are reaping the rewards of two journeymen who have finally started to become the players that teams wanted them to be from the start.

After being waived and nearly seeing their NBA careers come to an end, Dennis Smith Jr. and Kris Dunn bounced back in a major way.

Dennis Smith Jr. and Kris Dunn are NBA's paragons of persistence

James Harden is finally joining the Los Angeles Clippers.
After requesting a trade in July and making it clear that his preference was to join the Clippers, Harden is finally getting his wish.
Early Tuesday morning, the Philadelphia 76ers agreed to send Harden, P.J. Tucker and Filip Petrusev to the Clippers for Marcus Morris, Robert Covington, Nicolas Batum, K.J. Martin, a 2028 unprotected first-round pick, two second-round picks, a 2029 pick swap and a protected 2026 first-round pick from the Oklahoma City Thunder, <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/38784569/philadelphia-76ers-agree-trade-james-harden-la-clippers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported</a>. Also, the Clippers are sending a 2027 first-round pick swap to Oklahoma City. The Sixers will waive Danny Green as part of the deal.&nbsp;
This is a strong return for Daryl Morey and the 76ers, especially since the 34-year-old was disgruntled and no other team was showing significant interest in acquiring Harden.
Now, the Sixers project to have as much as $65 million in cap room next offseason. It's also possible that Philly will look to flip some of their assets to land a third star alongside Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.
The Clippers are pushing their chips to the middle of the table in hopes of competing for a championship with Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Russell Westbrook and Harden. Harden and Westbrook were previously teammates on the Thunder and Houston Rockets.
It's worth noting that Leonard, George and Harden could all hit unrestricted free agency after this season; Leonard and George each have a $48,787,676 player option, while Harden is on an expiring contract.
Harden is a former Most Valuable Player and 10-time All-Star. Last season, he averaged 21 points, 10.7 assists, 6.1 rebounds, 2.8 threes and 1.2 steals, while shooting 44.1% from the field, 38.5% from three-point range and 86.7% from the free-throw line.

On Monday night, the Philadelphia 76ers agreed to send James Harden to the Los Angeles Clippers as part of a blockbuster trade.

Clippers acquire James Harden from 76ers in blockbuster 3-team trade

Alex Kennedy chats with NBA trainer Tim Martin, who has been training Victor Wembanyama for three years. They discuss Wemby's game.

Tim Martin on training Victor Wembanyama, Wemby's NBA start, hype

ESPN had its most-watched NBA opening night in 11 years and its second-most watched opening night ever, according to Nielsen.
Viewership for the season-opening doubleheader was up 80% from last year. The first two games of the season on ESPN generated an average audience of 2,756,000 viewers, up from 1,532,000 viewers in 2022.
The Boston Celtics' victory over the New York Knicks averaged 2,552,000 viewers, peaking with 4,351,000 viewers at 9:45 p.m. ET. It was the most-watched ESPN season-opening early game since 2012 and up 76% from last year&rsquo;s early game (New York Knicks vs. Memphis Grizzlies).
The nightcap, which featured the debut of Victor Wembanyama, averaged nearly 3 million viewers (2,989,000) as the Dallas Mavericks defeated the San Antonio Spurs. It peaked with 3,903,000 viewers at 10 p.m. ET. It was up 83% vs last year&rsquo;s comparable game (Dallas Mavericks vs. Phoenix Suns) and is the most-watched season-opening ESPN late game since 2012. Excluding Christmas Day, it is the most-watched Spurs or Mavericks regular-season game ever on ESPN.
The NBA also announced that NBA League Pass viewership was up 220% vs. last year's regular-season average. Wembanyama is also driving a ton of views across social media. Since the start of the 2023-24 NBA preseason, Wemby has generated 214 million video views, the most of any player over that span.
The NBA on ESPN was the most-watched primetime programming across all of television &ndash; broadcast and cable &ndash; for October 25 amongst people under 50, adults 18-34, adults 25-54, males 18-34, males 18-49 and males 25-54.

ESPN had its most-watched NBA opening night in 11 years and its second-most watched opening night ever, according to Nielsen.

Wemby Mania: ESPN had most-watched NBA opening night in 11 years

Alex Kennedy is joined by Big Ticket Sports' CEO George Daniel, who discusses Kevin Garnett's new 3-on-3 basketball league Str33t.

Inside Kevin Garnett's new 3-on-3 basketball league Str33t

Giannis Antetokounmpo has agreed on a three-year, $186 million contract extension with the Milwaukee Bucks that includes a player option in the third season, according to <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/38728726/giannis-antetokounmpo-nets-3-year-186m-extension" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.</a>
Had Giannis waited until next offseason, he could have signed a four-year, $234 million extension.&nbsp;
Back in August, Antetokounmpo told <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/will-giannis-antetokounmpo-sign-extension-with-bucks-i-dont-know" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The New York Times</a> that "numbers-wise, it doesn't make sense" to sign an extension before next offseason. In that same interview, Giannis made it clear that he wasn't content on simply winning one championship and wanted to make sure that the Bucks were committed to contending going forward.
It certainly seems like the Bucks' decision to acquire Damian Lillard from the Portland Trail Blazers changed Giannis' mind on inking an extension now.
Antetokounmpo&nbsp;is coming off an impressive season in which he averaged a career-high 31.1 points along with 11.8 rebounds, 5.7 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.8 blocks while shooting 55.3% from the field, 27.5% from three-point range and 64.5% from the free-throw line.
The 28-year-old has emerged as one of the NBA's best players, and he has an incredible resume: a championship, two NBA MVPs, a Finals MVP, seven All-Star nods, seven All-NBA selections, a Defensive Player of the Year award, five All-Defensive Team selections and a Most Improved Player award.
Antetokounmpo led Milwaukee to an Eastern-Conference-best 58 wins last season. In 2021, Antetokounmpo led the Bucks to their first championship in 50 years.

Giannis Antetokounmpo has agreed on a three-year, $186 million contract extension with the Milwaukee Bucks.

Cal State Monterey Bay Otters