Monks

The Sacramento Kings have begun their offseason on a big note after getting Malik Monk&rsquo;s approval as he is set to re-sign with the team, according to ESPN&rsquo;s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Monk will reportedly resign with the Kings on a very friendly four-year, $78 million contract to remain with the franchise.
A 6th man of the year runner-up with Sacramento, Monk will remain with the team by being its microwave scorer off the bench and one of the most dynamic guards in the league and stay with longtime friend DeAaron Fox.
Rumors have been swirling about a lot of teams&rsquo; inquiries of Monk, and his market value was reportedly around the 90-100 million USD range, so this pay cut seems to be a little bit of a surprise.
The 26-year-old has resurrected his young career in Sacramento after tumultuous stints with Charlotte and the LA Lakers, and he has found a legit role and place within the team.

The Kings have begun their offseason on a big note after getting Malik Monk’s approval as he is set to re-sign with the team.

Malik Monk returns to the Kings on a 4-year, $78 million deal

What seemed to be a lost season for the Utah Jazz has suddenly turned around due to the team's recent success, winning 15 of their last 21 games.&nbsp;
After starting just 7-16, the Jazz have since gone 11-4 and are now in contention for one of the Western Conference's play-in spots. They&rsquo;ve had an incredible week thus far, with wins over the contending Philadelphia 76ers, Milwaukee Bucks and Denver Nuggets.
The win over the defending-champion Nuggets proved that the Jazz can hang with any team on any given night. Denver was 18-0 against sub-.500 teams entering the game, but Utah stained their erstwhile unblemished slate.
How did the Jazz do it? Let's take a look at some of the things they did to upend the Nuggets.
The Jazz stretched the floor&nbsp;
With John Collins starting at center instead of Walker Kessler, Utah's game plan was to pull Nikola Jokic from the paint. Jokic, who&rsquo;s usually a drop-big on defense, almost always stays near the shaded area in pick-and-roll actions. Utah tried to take advantage of this early by hunting out threes and exploiting the point-of-attack defenses of Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. Four of their first five attempts were three-pointers and they connected on two to jump out to an early lead.
Denver tried to counter by running zone, leaving Collins open a couple of times in the first quarter. However, Collins made them pay by hitting two threes, as Jokic was more than content to leave him open for threes. This allowed the Jazz to get rolling even more and gave them the freedom to attack the basket and get downhill.
Another possession in the zone found Reggie Jackson and Jokic in a miscommunication, leading to Jordan Clarkson drilling an easy 10-foot jumper. When the Nuggets tried to switch up their defense back to a man-to-man, the Jazz found the answer with some off-ball movement and timely cuts to the rim. Overall, it was an offensive clinic that caught the defending champs off guard.
The Jazz mixed their coverages on Jokic and gave him different looks on defense
You can't entirely stop an all-world talent like Nikola Jokic, you could only hope to contain him, which is still really tough considering how talented he is and his ability to get his teammates involved.
Although he still put up a monstrous stat line of 27 points, 11 rebounds and 6 assists on an absurd 8-of-9 shooting from the field, what the Jazz and Will Hardy did was mix-up coverages on him. They showed multiple defensive looks each time down, which partly confused Jokic as he committed 6 turnovers in the game.
Sometimes, it was single coverage; other times, they sent doubles at him. Three different players &mdash; Lauri Markannen, Collins and Kessler &mdash; each took turns guarding him and all three provided different looks on the Joker. Markannen used his strength, Collins had his quickness and quick hands, while Kessler provided verticality with his 7-foot-1 frame.
The Jazz also sent different doubles at Jokic, sometimes crowding him in the paint with early double-teams, breaking up his low-post attacks with guards doubling him, and sending late doubles with another big or using a help weakside defender to try to affect him as he attempted a shot.
All of these defensive coverages were designed to make Jokic feel uncomfortable with different styles thrown at him, and the Jazz were successful at that with this blowout win.&nbsp;
Will Hardy figured out the rotations and had the Jazz playing with confidence
Although their defense is still suspect, the Jazz&rsquo;s offense has been nothing but spectacular. This can be attributed to head coach Will Hardy figuring out his rotation and which players synergize well together. This impressive run over their last 20 games started when Hardy made Kris Dunn, Collin Sexton, Simone Fontecchio, Lauri Markannen and John Collins the starting five. Off the bench, Jordan Clarkson and Kelly Olynyk provide stability as veterans while second-year guys Walker Kessler and Ochai Agbaji help out on defense with their length and tenacity.
Utah&rsquo;s offense was on full display against Denver, picking them apart with set plays and off of read-and-react actions. Although the Nuggets were coming off two days of rest and just an hour flight, the Jazz capitalized on their momentum and pounced right from the start.
Markannen has picked up right where he left off in last season&rsquo;s All-Star campaign, maintaining his shooting and scoring while improving his ball-handling this season. He&rsquo;s much better off the dribble now, which makes him one of the most coveted (if not most coveted) trade targets as the Feb. 8 deadline approaches.
Clarkson has also learned to move the ball more since being back to his regular sixth man role while continuing to score the ball effectively, and it has produced good results.
Dunn and Sexton allow the Jazz to play with pace and energy on both sides of the floor and their efforts are infectious.
Despite all of the trade rumors swirling around this team and rival teams trying to pry their players away, GM Danny Ainge and coach Will Hardy deserve credit for helping the Jazz build good habits and play the right way, which has resulted in beautiful basketball all around.&nbsp;

What seemed to be a lost season for the Utah Jazz has suddenly turned around, as they have won 15 of their last 21 games.

How the Utah Jazz earned their statement win over the Denver Nuggets

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:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
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

Basketball News highlights the reporting, analysis and podcasts that defined a year of basketball in 2022.

Best of Basketball News: Spotlighting our top content from 2022

When Indiana Pacers trade rumors have popped up throughout recent seasons, Myles Turner's name has been a mainstay in those reports. Since 2018, when the awkward front court pairing between Turner and Domantas Sabonis began, the former lottery pick had been cast aside as the apparent odd man out. However, after years of surfacing in trade rumors, Turner is still on the Pacers' roster.
This past offseason, though, the feeling was completely different for Indiana&rsquo;s starting center.
Not only was Turner the subject of more rumors &mdash; including legitimate negotiations with the Los Angeles Lakers for a potential salary-dump deal for Russell Westbrook &mdash; he saw the organization openly flirt with the best free agent available at his position. Turner watched as the Pacers aggressively pursued restricted-free-agent Deandre Ayton, which ultimately led to a signed max offer sheet. Although the Phoenix Suns quickly matched Indiana&rsquo;s offer sheet (the largest contract negotiated in franchise history), Turner knew at that point they were actively trying to find an upgrade.
During Media Day on Monday, Turner addressed the consistent rumors and failed Ayton pursuit by Indiana.
&ldquo;This is the only time I will be addressing it this year; I want to make sure everyone knows that,&rdquo; Turner said. &ldquo;Yeah, elephant in the room. For me, this is my eighth season. I&rsquo;ve been in trade rumors the past four or five years. It&rsquo;s something that I know I&rsquo;m numb to. It&rsquo;s something that... it&rsquo;s just whatever comes with this business. There are no hard feelings in his business. You have to take the emotions out of everything, and I&rsquo;ve learned that at a young age, and I still hold true to that. My job is to come in here and help these young guys now, man.&rdquo;
Turner took the high road there &mdash; no surprise for someone tactful and professional like the former Texas Longhorn. When asked about a potential contract extension still being on the table, Turner didn&rsquo;t want to elaborate. Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard echoed a similar tune regarding Turner&rsquo;s murky future with the organization last Thursday.
&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 told Basketball News last week. &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 [Haliburton]. 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;
Turner enters the 2022-23 season in Indiana not only as a veteran voice for a young locker room, but with plenty of motivation to silence the critics. Playing with another high-usage big for years, Turner feels he&rsquo;s never really had the opportunity to showcase his entire two-way skillset. Even after the seismic Sabonis trade in February, which helped steer the Indiana's direction altogether by acquiring Tyrese Haliburton, Turner never logged a minute with the rising star due to a stress reaction in his left foot suffered a few weeks prior.
&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t think I&rsquo;ve scratched the surface of my potential,&rdquo; Turner said. &ldquo;I gotta let my play do the talking. I could sit here and promise y&rsquo;all things&hellip; but I&rsquo;m going to go out there and hoop, man. That&rsquo;s what it&rsquo;s all about.&rdquo;
Already known as one of the Association&rsquo;s best rim protectors, averaging an eye-opening 2.8 blocks per game over the past four seasons, Turner is enthused about the idea of finally having the system cater to what he hopes is a full-fledged breakout campaign. The 6-foot-11 big set a career-high in scoring in 2018-19, with 13.3 points in 28.6 minutes per game. With no Sabonis and a roster in dire need of his abilities on both ends of the court, however long it may last, Turner could see his numbers spike.
Entering a contract year doesn&rsquo;t bother him.&nbsp;As he put it on Monday, Turner thrives within those types of environments. Also, Turner openly acknowledged a thought that had crossed his mind ahead of another Media Day: Would he still be in Indiana or elsewhere?
&ldquo;That&rsquo;s a good question,&rdquo; Turner said. &ldquo;I think that the way the past offseason had played out, you can only go off your past experiences. And I&rsquo;ve been in a Pacers uniform, so I can clearly say yeah, I was.&rdquo;
When Turner went down for the remainder of the regular season, Indiana&rsquo;s defense fell off a cliff. Over the final 39 games without Turner, Indiana ranked last in defensive rating, allowing a ghastly 120.9 points per 100 possessions. Before Turner was sidelined, the Pacers checked in 10.5 points better at 110.4 points per 100 possessions (which ranked No. 21 in the NBA).
Turner will be an integral piece to the Pacers' overall identity early on this season. Haliburton is now the proverbial face of the franchise, taking on a leadership role alongside expectations of flirting with an All-Star berth. However, Turner&rsquo;s fit alongside Haliburton as pick-and-roll/pop option, to go with his anchoring ability on the defensive end, could help set the tone for the organization.
Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle returned to Indiana expecting to coach a team that would consistently be within the Eastern Conference&rsquo;s top eight teams. The strong pivot in the other direction hasn&rsquo;t fazed Carlisle, potentially even reinvigorating him with players seeking out his knowledge of the game. As it relates to Turner, Carlisle has put an emphasis on making the veteran feel welcomed after the failed pursuit of Ayton.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve been talking to Myles ever since July, ever since the stuff where we put the offer sheet on [Deandre] Ayton,&rdquo; Carlisle said. &ldquo;Got to spend time, a couple of days, with him at his basketball camp in Dallas in late July. Spent some time with him in August in the gym. Lloyd [Pierce] came down for a few days the following week. We spent a couple more days in the gym, had dinner at my house in Dallas.
"Myles is a pro. Myles has made it clear to me that he&rsquo;s excited about being here. He&rsquo;s excited about playing with a pass-first starting point guard like Tyrese [Haliburton]. That&rsquo;s where we are right now. That&rsquo;s where we are. I know he&rsquo;s in the last year of his contract. That&rsquo;s something that&rsquo;s on everybody&rsquo;s mind, but, hey, this is day one of Media Day. We&rsquo;re here. We&rsquo;re excited about basketball, and he&rsquo;ll be here in the gym tomorrow going hard.&rdquo;
Turner will be a member of the Pacers at least through the start of the regular season, but there are no assurances beyond that. Indiana will be put in a tough position with Turner during the final year of his contract. Jalen Smith and Isaiah Jackson, two key young frontcourt pieces who have long-term potential in Indiana, need to play as much as possible. And with Turner&rsquo;s nagging injury history, how much will the organization be willing to put on his motivated shoulders from now until February&rsquo;s trade deadline?
With the way Turner&rsquo;s tenure in Indiana has gone, one thing is for certain: Rumors will pick up steam once more as the calender inches closer to a final resolution.

For years, Myles Turner has remained the subject of trade rumors. Entering into a contract year, Turner is motivated to prove himself.

Despite uncertain future, Myles Turner motivated entering contract year

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

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

Is the NBA ready to add an expansion team? Evan Sidery explores what kind of team you could build in a present-day expansion draft.

NBA Expansion Mock Draft: What would a new expansion team look like?

As we officially put the finishing touches on &ldquo;Bet Week&rdquo; here on BasketballNews.com, NBA over/under win total projections have been released for every team.
Which numbers stand out most to hammer one way or another from a betting perspective? In this piece, I unveil my over/under predictions for every team in the Western Conference. All odds are provided by DraftKings Sportsbook.
Phoenix Suns: Over 52.5 (-110)
Even if the Suns don&rsquo;t acquire Kevin Durant, they remain in an advantageous position to finish near the top of the Western Conference standings. Phoenix still has a stacked rotation, with the biggest difference being Dario Saric&rsquo;s return to the backup big role in place of JaVale McGee. If Devin Booker and the Suns&rsquo; formidable young core continue taking steps forward, it&rsquo;s hard to envision much of a drop-off occurring in the win-loss column.
Phoenix&rsquo;s postseason exit was one of the ugliest we&rsquo;ve seen in recent memory, but a loss like that could rattle this group enough to come back similarly to the team's Finals experience in 2021. I&rsquo;m hammering the over here, as the Suns remain one of the most dangerous squads in the Association. If Durant comes, that&rsquo;ll be the ultimate cherry on top.
Los Angeles Clippers: Over 52.5 (-110)
A fully healthy Clippers squad with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George will always stay in the conversation among the league's elite tier. Last season, we were all robbed of seeing this dynamic duo in action together, but all the time off leads me to believe we should see them play more than usual. If so, the over/under of 52.5 wins is one I&rsquo;m comfortable placing the over wager upon.
Los Angeles not only has a loaded rotation similar to Phoenix, but it has a historically potent wing tandem ready to go on a revenge tour. As one of my favorite bets in the West, lock in the Clippers&rsquo; over with the utmost confidence.
Golden State Warriors: Over 51.5 (-115)
The defending champions check in third in the West, which feels like an undersell of what they just accomplished. Stephen Curry is still playing at an all-time level, and Klay Thompson began to find his footing throughout the Warriors&rsquo; run to a championship.
Feeling confident in the over also has to do with the development of the team's younger, up-and-coming players. Though dependent upon how much more Golden State will go into the luxury tax long-term, Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins look to be entrenched long-term pieces. Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody and James Wiseman are the ultimate wildcards for Golden State. Even if only one takes off from a development perspective in 2022-23, 51.5 wins is a number to hit the over on.
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Denver Nuggets: Over 49.5 (-140)
Nikola Jokic enters this season as a trendy dark-horse selection for MVP as the back-to-back award winner, which is incredible to even think about. The Nuggets have stayed competitive amidst their countless injury issues because of Jokic&rsquo;s greatness.
Now, with Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. eventually expected back at 100%, Denver is a team many bettors are hammering the over on with -140 moneyline odds on 49.5 wins. Frankly, I&rsquo;m in lockstep with the sportsbooks because Denver was a team that sneakily improved on the margins this offseason. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was an underrated acquisition from the Washington Wizards, and he&rsquo;s earned a new multi-year extension upon his arrival.
If Murray and Porter&rsquo;s health cooperate alongside the all-world talent that is Jokic, 50 wins for the Nuggets just feels right to say. Even above that mark is an appropriate projection, because Jokic elevates the floor that much on his own.
Memphis Grizzlies: Under 48.5 (+105)
Ja Morant qualified as our <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/best-bets-for-202223-nba-most-valuable-player" target="_blank" rel="noopener">under-the-radar MVP selection</a> during &ldquo;Bet Week,&rdquo; but the loss of Jaren Jackson Jr. early on looms large for the Grizzlies. Although he flies under the radar a little bit too often, JJJ is an anchor to a defense that&rsquo;s done a complete 180 over the last year.
A lot will be on the plate of Morant, which he won&rsquo;t have a problem with, but what about the rest of the West? The Clippers and Nuggets are healthy now, plus the Suns and Warriors will remain in the title race as well. If Morant can carry the Grizzlies in similar territory without JJJ, his MVP argument could become very valid.
I&rsquo;m going to tread lightly on Memphis and select the under here with plus-money value. Morant will put up spectacular numbers once more, and Desmond Bane should continue to emerge in the backcourt. For my current projection, the Grizzlies will slot in as a No. 5 or No. 6 seed.
Dallas Mavericks: Under 48.5 (-105)
The argument against the Mavericks is almost identical to the one I just presented for Memphis. Luka Doncic enters as the heavy betting favorite for MVP, but will he alone be enough to lift Dallas into truly elite territory? That&rsquo;s one of my biggest questions entering 2022-23, because players like Doncic and Morant fit the billing of talents who can lift teams all on their own.
Months away from it now, it&rsquo;s still stunning to think back to the Mavs&rsquo; Game 7 shellacking of the Suns in the West semifinals. Once Doncic figured out Phoenix&rsquo;s defense, it was game over. Could Doncic do this to the rest of the league? There&rsquo;s no doubt he will put up monster numbers, but the Mavericks fit into the same tier as the Grizzlies right now around 47-48 wins.
Minnesota Timberwolves: Over 47.5 (-140)
I&rsquo;ll continue to bang the Minnesota drum until proven otherwise because I&rsquo;m all-in on the Timberwolves taking a huge step forward. Anthony Edwards checks every box for a young superstar, and their new addition in Rudy Gobert will augment a talented rotation. Karl-Anthony Towns being flanked by Gobert makes up one of the most unique frontcourt combinations we&rsquo;ve ever seen in the modern NBA, but this type of move is a risk an organization like Minnesota must take. Towns and Edwards are ready to win big soon, so adding an elite rim-protector like Gobert allows those gifted scorers to focus on that end.
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Bookmark this if you want, but here&rsquo;s perhaps my biggest hot take: Minnesota will win the Northwest Division and become a top-four seed. With how everything stacks together for Minnesota, this is a team well-positioned to take a leap similar to the one we&rsquo;ve seen from Phoenix and Memphis in recent years.
Los Angeles Lakers: Under 45.5 (-105)
Unless Kyrie Irving is walking through the door anytime soon, I&rsquo;m taking the money and running as quickly as possible on the Lakers' under here. LeBron James and Anthony Davis will do their usual damage, but this roster is nowhere close to being finished. Also, there&rsquo;s no way anyone can truly believe the Lakers are a Finals contender with their ongoing saga surrounding Russell Westbrook. From the very beginning, Westbrook&rsquo;s fit was super clunky alongside LeBron and AD. Now, the triple-double king continues to be the main target of trade rumors, many of which are linking him to the Indiana Pacers and San Antonio Spurs as a pure salary-dump option.
Indiana is <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/lakers-would-be-foolish-not-to-accept-pacers-lifeline-to-extend-their-title-window" target="_blank" rel="noopener">offering the Lakers a lifeline to fix the Westbrook situation</a>. The Pacers are willing to take on the $47 million owed to Westbrook while also sending Los Angeles back two starters in Myles Turner and Buddy Hield. The current hold-up in trade negotiations reportedly is draft pick compensation. Los Angeles refuses to offer its 2029 first-round pick on top of the 2027 selection, which the Pacers believe is more than a fair price to pay.
In the meantime, I&rsquo;m going to take the Lakers under 45.5 wins while it remains at plus value. Until any resolution is reached on the roster, I&rsquo;m betting against L.A.
New Orleans Pelicans: Over 44.5 (-140)
Compared to almost any other team in the NBA, New Orleans projects supremely well long-term if Zion Williamson&rsquo;s health cooperates. Williamson and Brandon Ingram have each shown on separate occasions they can be the No. 1 option for New Orleans. CJ McCollum and Jonas Valanciunas are ideal veteran pieces in the starting unit as well. Well-balanced on both ends of the court, the Pelicans have completely bought into what head coach Willie Green brought over from Monty Williams in Phoenix.
With Williamson, Ingram and McCollum, the Pelicans should be a team projected closer to 50 wins. I absolutely love the over here on 44.5 wins, so don&rsquo;t be surprised if New Orleans finishes as a playoff lock instead of a Play-In Tournament competitor.
Portland Trail Blazers: Under 40.5 (-110)
Kudos to Damian Lillard because he will not leave the Blazers hanging anytime soon. He&rsquo;s all-in on winning in Portland, which reminds me so much of Reggie Miller with the Pacers a few decades back. Portland re-signed Jusuf Nurkic and Anfernee Simons, but two notable splashes occurred this offseason. Jerami Grant is the Blazers&rsquo; first true wing threat in years, and the ultimate wildcard from the 2022 NBA Draft fell into their laps at No. 7 overall. What if Shaedon Sharpe hits his ceiling? That&rsquo;s something Portland has in their back pocket, because Sharpe&rsquo;s scoring prowess forecasts very well alongside Lillard. They'll just have to hope he can get healthy and stay healthy.
The West remains a tough customer though. So, with that being said, the Blazers fall into the category of a feisty team that&rsquo;s competitive most nights on their way to a sub-40-win campaign. It's certainly not the outcome Blazers fans hope for, but there&rsquo;s a large number of teams ahead of them at the moment.
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Sacramento Kings: Over 32.5 (-120)
The Kings actually had a good offseason. Yes, you&rsquo;re reading that right. Keegan Murray at No. 4 overall looks to be a lights-out scorer with an extremely high floor. Ideally, Murray can become the third piece to a long-term trio in Sacramento alongside De&rsquo;Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis. Also, don&rsquo;t forget about the Kings adding much-needed help on the perimeter with Kevin Huerter via trade and Malik Monk via free agency.
I had to double-take upon finding this fact, but the Kings have only exceeded 33 wins once over the last 14 years (2018-19 was that season).
Luckily for Sacramento, I&rsquo;m projecting them to finish with at least 33 wins for 2022-23. If the Kings underachieve once more, I wonder what the future looks like for an organization that stays in topsy-turvy mode.
Utah Jazz: Under 31.5 (-110)
Assuming Donovan Mitchell is eventually traded, this number will crumble down into the 20s. Utah is in the midst of a full-scale rebuild attempt for the first time in over a decade, and all signs point to Mitchell&rsquo;s exit soon enough from Salt Lake City. Gobert being dealt within the division to Minnesota for a historic amount of draft capital shook up the trade market for good, as it&rsquo;s holding up potential blockbusters revolving around Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and Mitchell.
Moving forward, there&rsquo;s no reason why you should feel confident about betting the Utah over unless Mitchell keeps them above water staying around until February. If not, you&rsquo;re putting an awful lot of faith into the hands of Bojan Bogdanovic and Jordan Clarkson to carry the roster. (If they're there.)
The smart route is to go with the under for the Jazz. Lock in with extreme confidence that Jazz executive Danny Ainge eventually tears it all down within a few months.
Oklahoma City Thunder: Under 26.5 (+100)
Until the Thunder stop their tanking ways, I can&rsquo;t willfully bet an over on them. Following their aggressive draft night &mdash; obtaining three lottery picks headlined by No. 2 overall selection Chet Holmgren, who many viewed as the best overall player &mdash; maybe that "tanking" buzzword is in their rearview mirror.
OKC&rsquo;s roster is young, but the talent screams out as a team that could propel itself forward in a huge manner. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey profile as a super fun long-term backcourt pairing. Luguentz Dort is a pitbull defender who continues to improve his outside shot, which earned him a lucrative five-year extension.
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The Thunder could easily make me look foolish selecting the under, but something along the lines of 25 or 26 wins feels spot on. Can Sam Presti resist the temptation of not tanking for Victor Wembanyama or Scoot Henderson in 2023?
Houston Rockets: Over 23.5 (-125)
The Rockets have one of the most interesting young cores to monitor heading into next season. Jalen Green began to turn the corner over the last month of the season, averaging 22.3 points on a 59.9% True Shooting percentage. Jabari Smith Jr., Houston&rsquo;s No. 3 overall selection from the 2022 draft, projects as a score-first wing/big hybrid who should excel alongside Green and Kevin Porter Jr. Alperen Sengun, a throwback Turkish big man, is an underrated prospect with an unlimited ceiling once the small aspects of his game are figured out.
Houston is nowhere close to being competitive, but that&rsquo;s totally okay. The team controls the Brooklyn Nets&rsquo; draft for the next season years, so the Rockets are set up arguably as well as anyone right now with the chaos surrounding that whole situation. If the youth jells together and the organization obtains another top pick in next year&rsquo;s draft, be on the lookout for this core to ascend.
For the over/under, 23.5 wins feels a little low, in my opinion. I&rsquo;m projecting the Rockets with 25 victories, so give me the over at -125 odds on DraftKings.
San Antonio Spurs: Under 22.5 (-110)
Once Dejounte Murray was traded to the Atlanta Hawks, it sounded the alarm that the Spurs are finally waiving the white flag on competing for wins effective immediately. San Antonio obtained three future first-round picks for Murray, a haul for a team pressing the reset button at the perfect time.
Las Vegas projects the Spurs with the worst over/under for next season, and there&rsquo;s no real reason to go against them there. Keldon Johnson will put up numbers following his long-term extension, but inexperience is the main theme for San Antonio. The Spurs should be on their way to 20 wins or less, so hammer the under.

Evan Sidery goes over win totals for the Western Conference. Who stands out?

Best Bets: NBA Western Conference over/under projections

The NBA's free-agency period tips off today at 6 p.m. ET! Here's a look at some underrated players who could be on the move.
Check out&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/nba-free-agency" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BasketballNews' 2022 NBA Free Agency page</a>&nbsp;for our complete rankings, the latest rumors, a glossary of relevant terms and more.
BRUCE BROWN, UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT
If you want to find a truly "positionless" NBA player, look no further than Bruce Brown. The 25-year-old shifted fluidly between roles for the Brooklyn Nets &mdash; the textbook glue guy that any playoff contender would love to have. In 22 games after the All-Star break, Brown averaged 14.7 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.2 steals, 1.1 blocks and 1.1 threes on 53.0/47.2/77.5 shooting splits. During the Nets' first-round series against the Boston Celtics, he continued to produce at this level, averaging 14.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.5 threes, 1.3 steals and 0.8 blocks on 56.8/42.9/80.0 shooting splits. Brown proved he can be an initiator, a connective passer, a multi-faceted off-ball player and a primary defender, so he is due for a payday.
LU DORT, RESTRICTED FREE AGENT
Lu Dort established himself as one of the league's elite young defenders early in his career. Last season, he proved that he is also capable of putting up points on the offensive end. Before undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery, Dort was averaging 17.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 2.5 made threes. Over his final eight games, he averaged more than 23.0 points per game. Dort has one of the biggest bargains in the NBA, as he earned $1,782,621 last season. The Thunder decided to decline his team option, making him a restricted free agent.
MALIK MONK, UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT
Mailk Monk, the 11th overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, failed to live up to expectations over the first four years of his career in Charlotte. He made just one career start as a member of the Hornets, and averaged 9.1 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 233 appearances while shooting below 34% from three. As a result, the Los Angeles Lakers were able to ink him to a one-year contract at the veteran minimum ($1.7 million) last offseason. Surprisingly, Monk established himself as one of the Lakers' most consistent and effective players. In the 37 games he started this year, Monk averaged 17.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.9 threes while shooting 47.8% from the field, 42.2% from three and 79.2% from the free-throw line. He will look to cash in and receive a significant pay raise in July.
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MARVIN BAGLEY III, RESTRICTED FREE AGENT
Getting traded from Sacramento to Detroit gave Marvin Bagley III an opportunity to revive his career. He scored in double-digits in 15 of his 18 games with the Pistons, and he finished the season averaging 14.6 points and 6.8 rebounds while shooting 55.5% from the field. If Detroit is sold on Bagley as a long-term fit (and vice versa), the two sides may be able to reach a multi-year deal. Perhaps a team will give Bagley a significant offer sheet after what he showed following the trade. Another option for Bagley is signing the one-year qualifying offer, which would make him an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2023. However, 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, making that option a bit less appealing.
JAE'SEAN TATE, RESTRICTED FREE AGENT
After going undrafted in 2020, Jae'Sean Tate earned his way onto the NBA's All-Rookie Team by averaging 11.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.2 steals with the Houston Rockets. Despite logging fewer minutes last season, Tate increased his scoring (11.8 PPG), rebounding (5.4 RPG) and assist (2.8 APG) averages. The Rockets declined Tate's $1.8 million team option for the 2022-23 campaign, making him a restricted free agent. However, all signs point to the 26-year-old remaining in Houston.
VICTOR OLADIPO, UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT
After missing most of the 2021-22 season while recovering from surgery on his ruptured quad, Victor Oladipo returned to Miami's lineup for the final eight games of the regular season and averaged 12.4 points, 3.5 assists, 2.9 rebounds and 1.9 threes on 47.9/41.7/73.7 shooting splits. Oladipo had several impressive outings, including a 40-point, 10-rebound, 7-assist, 5-three, 2-steal performance in the regular-season finale against Orlando and an efficient 23-point, 3-assist, 3-steal outing in Miami's Game 5 win over Atlanta. Oladipo's days as an All-Star-caliber player are over, but the 30-year-old can still be a significant contributor and his flashes are bound to intrigue teams.
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NIC CLAXTON, RESTRICTED FREE AGENT
Nic Claxton has consistently impressed in limited playing time off the bench for the Brooklyn Nets. His per-36 minute averages last season were outstanding: 15.2 points (on 67.4% shooting), 9.8 rebounds, 1.9 blocks and 0.9 steals. The Nets have limited depth due to the high salaries of their top players and billionaire owner Joe Tsai is unafraid of paying the luxury tax, so Brooklyn is expected to match any reasonable offer Claxton receives.
GARY PAYTON II, UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT
It's no surprise that Gary Payton's son is a terrific on-ball defender. After going undrafted in the 2016 NBA Draft, Gary Payton II bounced around from team to team (including multiple G League stints) before finally sticking in the NBA. This season, he broke out with the Warriors, averaging a career-high 17.6 minutes and even starting 18 games (including the playoffs). He averaged 2.5 deflections and 1.4 steals per game, bothering plenty of opposing scorers. He earned just $1,669,178 this season, but he outplayed his contract and helped the Warriors win a championship. Now, a nice payday is imminent.&nbsp;
LONNIE WALKER, RESTRICTED FREE AGENT
Lonnie Walker averaged career-highs in points (12.1), assists (2.2), rebounds (2.6) and steals (.6) per game for the San Antonio Spurs, despite playing fewer minutes (23.0) each night. Teams will be <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/lonnie-walker-is-surging-compelling-offseason-gamble-san-antonio-spurs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interested in the 23-year-old's potential</a>. Walker is a restricted free agent, so San Antonio can match any offer sheet he receives.
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CHRIS BOUCHER, UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT
Chris Boucher just completed a two-year, $13.5 million deal that he signed in 2020. After averaging 13.6 points and 6.7 rebounds per game in 2020-21, his production and efficiency dipped in 2021-22. He shot 38.3% from downtown in 2020-21, but that number fell to 29.7% this season, and his scoring average dropped to 9.4 points per contest. However, it's worth noting that the Raptors allowed just 105.7 points per 100 possessions with Boucher on the floor, and that his net rating of plus-5.4 was second on the team (behind only Pascal Siakam&rsquo;s plus-7.4).
OTTO PORTER JR., UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT
Last offseason, Otto Porter Jr. shocked everyone when he decided to join the Golden State Warriors on a veteran-minimum deal despite receiving larger offers elsewhere. His gamble paid off, as he won a championship and now he's due for a nice raise. This season, Porter averaged 8.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.3 threes and 1.1 steals in 22.2 minutes per game, while shooting 46.4% from the field, 37.0% from three and 80.3% from the free-throw line. There's no question that producing as a key reserve for Golden State helped his stock, and it'll be interesting to see what kind of offers he receives this offseason.
T.J. WARREN, UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT
T.J. Warren was a beast in the NBA Bubble at the end of the 2019-20 season, when he averaged 31.0 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.7 threes. With that said, he played just four games during the 2020-21 season and he missed the entire 2021-22 campaign. He'll have to provide medicals to any team that&rsquo;s interested, but he's still just 28 years old. Some team will likely roll the dice on a one-year, make-good contract in hopes of Warren resurrecting his career. A return to Indiana remains a possibility too.
ISAIAH HARTENSTEIN, UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT
This season, Isaiah Hartenstein emerged as a multifaceted contributor for the Los Angeles Clippers and one of the best backup centers in the NBA. Hartenstein's bag of tricks as a passer and interior scorer make him an offensive weapon even without a viable jumper. On defense, he blocks shots and contests the rim with proficiency. This year, he averaged 8.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.1 block in 17.9 minutes per game.
CALEB MARTIN, RESTRICTED FREE AGENT
In his first season with the Miami Heat, Caleb Martin averaged 9.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.1 threes, 1.1 assists and 1.0 steal, while shooting 50.7% from the field and 41.3% from three-point range. The 26-year-old has proven to be a reliable role player. Martin is a restricted free agent, so the Heat can match any offer he receives.
JALEN SMITH, UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT
Jalen Smith was the No. 10 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, but the Phoenix Suns decided to trade him after he appeared in just 56 games. The Suns dealt Smith and a future second-round pick to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for Torrey Craig. The 22-year-old got a fresh start in Indiana, where he averaged 13.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.4 threes, 1.0 block and 0.4 steals in 24.7 minutes per game. Smith scored in double figures in 18 of his 22 games with the Pacers. Now, after the best stretch of his young NBA career, Smith is an unrestricted free agent and it'll be interesting to see how teams value him.
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<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/nba-free-agency" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Click here for BasketballNews' complete free-agency rankings</a>. And check out&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/2022-nba-draft-rumors-live-notebook-all-the-latest-news-trades-and-intel" target="_blank" rel="noopener">our NBA rumor tracker</a>, which we'll continue to update throughout free agency.
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The NBA's free-agency period tips off today at 6 p.m. ET! Here's a look at 15 underrated players who could be on the move.

2022 NBA Free Agency: 15 sleepers who are available

Bookmark this page and we'll keep you up-to-date on every NBA rumor. We'll continue updating this tracker over the next 24 hours.

NBA Rumor Tracker: Compiling the latest news and intel

Not too long ago, T.J. Warren was the NBA's hottest topic in the Orlando Bubble. After putting up a career-high 53 points against the Philadelphia 76ers as the season resumed play in 2020, Warren seemed on the verge of becoming one of the league&rsquo;s most underrated three-level scorers.
However, nearly two years later, Warren has seemingly vanished into the background after his outstanding performance inside the Bubble. Two consecutive stress fractures in Warren&rsquo;s left foot have kept him sidelined for the last two years. Warren was supposed to return and suit up for the Indiana Pacers earlier this season, but then the same injury sidelined him until mid-March, when he was finally cleared for full basketball activities. The Pacers had no reason to play Warren over the final month of the regular season in the midst of their tanking efforts.
As he approaches unrestricted free agency this offseason, here's the big question: Was his Pacers stint lightning in a bottle? Can he produce at that level again?
Since Warren&rsquo;s foot became a problem, the Pacers began their rebuilding process, shipping out Caris LeVert and Domantas Sabonis in separate deals. Malcolm Brogdon and Myles Turner may be next on the chopping block with trade rumors consistently swirling around each of them.
Warren will be 29 years old in September. Does he even fit into Indiana&rsquo;s timeline anymore as they build around Tyrese Haliburton, Chris Duarte, Isaiah Jackson and whoever is selected at No. 6 overall? It&rsquo;s doubtful, so now a bona fide bucket-getter will likely be available. If healthy, Warren becomes one of the most underrated, bargain free-agent options for any playoff team in need of a scoring boost.
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In 71 games for the Pacers, Warren averaged 19.6 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.2 steals while carrying an impressive 60.8% True Shooting percentage. Warren&rsquo;s expanded range to the three-point line led to a noticeable efficiency spike, which changed his career trajectory before the stress fractures occurred.
In the modern pace-and-space NBA, Warren knew his game had to evolve from a strong dosage of mid-range shot creation. During the 2017-18 campaign, Warren&rsquo;s shot profile featured only 8% of his attempts from downtown. In what would be his final season with the Phoenix Suns, Warren spent the 2018 offseason tirelessly working on adding a three-pointer, and it led to a 20% jump in volume. After getting dealt from Phoenix to Indiana, Warren continued to hone in on his scoring, keeping defenses honest with his variety of old-school mid-range moves to go along with a newly-added jumper from distance.
There&rsquo;s no doubt that Warren is one of the game&rsquo;s best mid-range scorers, consistently able to get to his spot while being unbothered by heavy on-ball defense. According to Cleaning The Glass, Warren ranks above the 90th percentile throughout his career for wings attempting the most mid-range shots. How Warren&rsquo;s game could change following his injury is a looming concern; however, if all checks out, teams should be lining up to sign him, offering their mid-level exception or more. Whether it be a rebuilding organization trying to push for the postseason or a contender needing one more piece on top of an already-strong rotation, Warren could fit into any role thanks to his easily translatable scoring ability.
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Nobody in the bubble was stopping T.J. Warren from dropping 53 POINTS last night 🔥 <a href="https://t.co/rS1Wf0azp4">pic.twitter.com/rS1Wf0azp4</a>
&mdash; SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) <a href="https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/1289947809836224513?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 2, 2020</a></blockquote>

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Teams will approach Warren with cautious optimism. If he checks out medically, this could be the new version of Malik Monk signing with the Los Angeles Lakers on a minimum deal. Maybe Warren could get more annual salary &mdash; potentially a one-plus-one with a team option &mdash; but there&rsquo;s no long-term security until he proves that he can stay healthy. At this point in Warren&rsquo;s career, it&rsquo;s impossible to ignore the injury concerns. The &ldquo;injury-prone&rdquo; label should rightfully be put on the former North Carolina State product, who hasn&rsquo;t played a full NBA season yet to date. (His career high is 67 games in 2019-20.)
Which teams could use Warren? There are many potential destinations that make sense for Warren, as he's a realistic target for any team willing to take a flier and he could fit with a lot of squads. Could you imagine Warren alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee? Or next to Nikola Jokic in Denver? Or playing with Luka Doncic in Dallas? What about Warren as the third scoring option in Los Angeles next to LeBron James and Anthony Davis?
Warren&rsquo;s career has taken such an interesting turn. From surviving the tanking Suns years to a full-fledged breakout for Indiana, Warren now faces an uncertain path for what&rsquo;s next. It seemed like Warren was headed toward a massive payday, but then injuries threw his future up in the air.
Even still, plenty of teams should be more than willing to take the risk on a score-first wing who won&rsquo;t break the bank financially. Don&rsquo;t be surprised if we look back on Warren as one of the NBA&rsquo;s best value free-agent signings this time next year.
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T.J. Warren's career has taken a much different turn than expected over the last two years. Is Warren a bargain NBA free agent?

T.J. Warren: A worthy high-risk, high-reward gamble in NBA free agency

Game 1 of the 2022 NBA Finals will be played on Thursday, June 2. Remarkably, that date is the exact one-year anniversary of the Boston Celtics' announcing Brad Stevens had stepped away from head coaching duties to assume the role of president of basketball operations in place of the departing Danny Ainge.
Let's have a look back at what has been an extraordinary and almost unimaginable 12 months&hellip;
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During his eight seasons on the sidelines in Boston, Stevens was viewed as one of the league's better head coaches. He was regarded as an elite tactician and considered an important part of the Celtics' sustained success. Under his stewardship, Boston advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals three times in four years.
So when the club announced that its long-time top executive in Ainge was retiring and that Stevens would be promoted to team president last June, it came as a shock to most. Would Stevens be able to replicate the regular-season success he enjoyed as head coach? Could Boston get over the hump and advance all the way to the NBA Finals?
Although Ainge left a roster stocked with a budding superstar in Jayson Tatum, his All-Star caliber sidekick in Jaylen Brown, veteran stalwart Marcus Smart and a few promising youngsters, Stevens took control at a precarious juncture. Boston entered last summer capped out (with a directive from ownership not to incur a costly luxury tax bill) and lacking excess draft capital.&nbsp;
Stevens' first order of business was parting ways with Kemba Walker and his cumbersome contract. With two years and $73 million remaining on his deal, Walker was the team's highest-paid player. When healthy, the four-time All-Star Walker was highly productive on the offensive end for the C's, but his balky left knee had robbed him of his quickness. Some suggested the Celtics sit tight, hoping that an entire offseason of rest would allow Kemba to re-establish himself as a quality starter. If Boston wanted to trade Walker, Stevens would have to get creative.
The week before the 2021 NBA Draft, Stevens dealt Boston's first-round pick (16th overall) and a 2025 second-round draft pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Al Horford and a 2023 second-rounder.&nbsp;
At the time, Stevens' first significant move as team president was considered highly questionable.&nbsp;
Following the 2019-20 season, when Horford posted career-worst numbers for the Philadelphia 76ers after signing a monstrous four-year, $109 million pact, the veteran big man's contract was viewed as one of the worst in the league. In December 2020, the Sixers were forced to attach a future first-round pick and the draft rights to Vasilije Micic (who just won his second EuroLeague Final Four MVP) in a trade with OKC just to get out from under Horford's contract.
During his lone season in Oklahoma City, Horford appeared in just 28 games for the Thunder. After the trade deadline passed in February 2021, the Thunder shut him down for the rest of the season. At the time, it felt like Stevens was trading for a potentially washed-up 35-year-old center with two years and $53.5 million left on his contract ($41 million of it guaranteed).
But after struggling at times to find his groove in the regular season, Horford has been a crucial cog in the Celtics' run to the Finals. During these playoffs, he is averaging 11.9 points, 9.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.9 three-pointers,1.6 blocks and 0.9 steals per game, all while shooting 50.0% from the floor, a scorching 43.2% from downtown, and 83.3% from the free-throw line.
Per Basketball-Reference, Horford is just the third player in NBA history (joining Draymond Green and Rasheed Wallace) to average more than 1.5 blocks and more than 1.5 made treys in a postseason (minimum 15 games played). Horford is also the first player ever over the age of 35 to tally more than 25 blocks and more than 25 three-pointers in a single postseason.
To say the Walker/Horford trade has worked out well for Boston would be a dramatic understatement.&nbsp;
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After acquiring Horford, Stevens' next critical decision would be choosing a new head coach. After interviewing several candidates, Stevens zeroed in on Ime Udoka and officially hired him in late June. Udoka was a bit of a gamble, as he had never been a head coach, having spent the previous nine seasons as an assistant with San Antonio (2012-13 to 2018-19), Philadelphia (2019-20) and Brooklyn (2020-21).&nbsp;
Udoka's job was made that much more difficult when the C's stumbled out of the gates this season. By the turn of the new year, there was some finger-pointing in the locker room with the Celtics losing too many winnable games. Three weeks into January, Boston was still below .500 with a 23-24 record.
However, Udoka remained stoically stern, providing a calm and reassuring presence in the locker room and on the sideline. His ability to outcoach opponents and his command of the X's and O's gained him the trust of his team. Over the second half of the season, Boston ranked in the top three in Defensive Efficiency, and led the league in Offensive Efficiency (122.6) and Net Rating (plus-12.7) by a wide margin.
Udoka earned Coach of the Month honors on multiple occasions, and would go on to finish fourth in the NBA Coach of the Year voting. The league-wide respect he's garnered has only increased as he's helped guide his team to the championship series.&nbsp;
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When the free agency frenzy commenced in July 2021, Stevens had to decide what to do with shooting guard Evan Fournier. Ultimately, Boston opted to let Fournier leave for New York.
The Celtics' only free-agent addition of note last summer was inking Dennis Schroder to a team-friendly, one-year deal for $5.9 million. However, Stevens signed Marcus Smart (four years, $76.5 million) and Robert Williams III (four years, $48 million) to lengthy extensions.
The Smart signing, in particular, looks genius in retrospect.&nbsp;
It had been rumored that Ainge was seriously considering trading away Smart in different deals in years past. However, Stevens made it clear that he was committing to Smart for the long term. Just as importantly, Stevens let it be known he would entrust Smart with the team's primary point guard duties. This may seem like an easy decision with the benefit of hindsight, but it's important to point out that entering this season, Smart had started in just 228 of the 449 games he had appeared in. And a large percentage of those starts were alongside point guards such as Kemba Walker, Kyrie Irving and Isaiah Thomas.&nbsp;
The C's flourished with Smart installed as the floor general, especially on the defensive end. Smart, as we know, would be named NBA Defensive Player of the Year, becoming the first guard to win the award since Gary Payton in 1996.
Starting in each of the 71 regular-season games he played, Smart finished the season ranked seventh in the NBA in steals per game (1.68), ranked fifth among all guards with a Defensive Rating of 105.2, and led the NBA with 1.1 loose balls recovered per contest. He was also near the top of the league in deflections, charges drawn and defensive rebounds. On the offensive end, he averaged a career-high 5.9 assists per game and posted an Effective Field Goal percentage above 50% for the first time.
Had Stevens not locked up Smart last summer, he would undoubtedly have been one of the most highly sought-after players on the free-agent market next month.&nbsp;
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Before being sidelined by a knee injury late in the season, Williams had also been enjoying a breakout 2021-22 campaign, averaging career-highs in points (10.0), rebounds (9.6), blocks (2.2), steals (0.9), field-goal percentage (73.6%) and free-throw percentage (72.2%). Like Smart, Williams' value now exceeds his salary.&nbsp;
In February, Stevens recognized Boston's backcourt needed an upgrade. Hence, he sent Josh Richardson and Romeo Langford and a top-four-protected 2022 first-round pick to the San Antonio Spurs in exchange for Derrick White at the trade deadline. Udoka, who was familiar with White having spent time as an assistant in San Antonio, asked him to sacrifice some of his offense. White would serve as a reserve, which meant fewer field goal attempts and fewer minutes. White embraced the role, supplied solid defense on the perimeter and knocked down a handful of big buckets during Boston's run to the Finals.
Ironically, of all the trades and signing Stevens has made over the past 12 months, arguably the most important and impactful are the ones he did NOT agree to. It sounds outlandish now because the C's are four wins away from the franchise's 18th championship, but plenty of pundits and fans in New England had been calling for the Celtics to break up the duo of Brown and Tatum.
While there was no denying their collective talent, many argued the roster was unbalanced, and that the skill sets Tatum and Brown brought to the table were a bit duplicitous. Thus, some folks contended that the best path forward was trading Brown (possibly in a package with Smart) for a pure point guard (such as Damian Lillard).
Pressure and the corresponding rumors reached a fever pitch in the dark days of December and January.&nbsp;
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Damnit I&rsquo;m holding everybody in Boston accountable, from the front office, to the coaching staff and down to Jaylen and Tatum. It&rsquo;s time to break them up! Carry on&hellip; <a href="https://twitter.com/FirstTake?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FirstTake</a> <a href="https://t.co/2fNHMFavfd">pic.twitter.com/2fNHMFavfd</a>
&mdash; Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) <a href="https://twitter.com/KendrickPerkins/status/1479494503765524483?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2022</a></blockquote>

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As noted above, Boston was below .500 for much of the season. On Jan. 15, the Celtics had a worse record than both the Knicks and Washington Wizards. Boston was 11th in the East, on the outside of the Play-in Tournament looking in.&nbsp;&nbsp;
But Stevens never budged, trusting in the roster he helped construct. And the results speak for themselves. Twelve months after he was hired, Stevens's squad is preparing for the NBA Finals.&nbsp;
Earlier this month, the NBA announced Memphis Grizzlies General Manager Zach Kleiman as the winner of the 2021-22 Basketball Executive of the Year Award. Stevens came in sixth, receiving only one first-place vote. However, that award is based on regular-season accomplishments.
Given how well Boston has performed in the playoffs, there is little doubt about which executive's moves have looked best in the postseason.&nbsp;
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Tommy Beer reviews Brad Stevens' first season as Celtics president with his one-year anniversary coinciding with NBA Finals Game 1.

Brad Stevens deserves massive credit for the Celtics' success

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

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

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

Every day, BasketballNews.com gives you NBA betting analysis before tip-off. Make sure you subscribe to our daily podcast, &ldquo;Nothing But Bets&rdquo; on&nbsp;<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nothing-but-bets/id1589799249" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Apple Podcasts</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/6zNxt0NQXPmKuryAdz89m0?si=1038d121100444fd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Spotify</a>&nbsp;or wherever you listen to podcasts.
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Without further ado, let&rsquo;s dive into our favorite NBA spread bets for Tuesday's slate.
Indiana Pacers vs. Philadelphia 76ers (-11)
This is one of the easiest bets for Tuesday&rsquo;s loaded slate. Philadelphia is going to massacre Indiana on its home court. Outside of Tyrese Haliburton, nothing is going right at the moment for the Pacers. Expect Joel Embiid and James Harden to dominate throughout, which will eventually lead to an easy cover for the Sixers. Don&rsquo;t be surprised if Embiid has one of those performances where he puts the NBA on notice for the MVP race.
Pick: Sixers -11
Utah Jazz (-5.5) vs. Memphis Grizzlies
<blockquote class="q4-performance" data-sport="basketball" data-q4="cf8bc784-fbe4-3f73-a350-04d1ae04a041" data-gid="6167e6b9-6a64-473b-90f3-9af2af05e8b3" data-server="api.quarter4.io">
&nbsp;
&mdash; Tuesday, April 05th Memphis Grizzlies @ Utah Jazz</blockquote>
Rumors continue to swirl around the Jazz looking past this season. If there&rsquo;s more postseason failure ahead for Utah, the general consensus seems to be blowing it all up. Will the Jazz have a new head coach? What about moving off one of Rudy Gobert or <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/expect-the-knicks-to-make-a-real-run-at-donovan-mitchell-this-summer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Donovan Mitchell</a>? Honestly, any scenario should be on the table for Utah. Looking towards Tuesday&rsquo;s matchup with the Grizzlies, though, Utah is in a favorable spot. If Mitchell and Gobert control both ends of the court, the Jazz should roll here, utilizing the outside noise to their advantage. Hammer a 5.5-point cover here for Utah.
Pick: Jazz -5.5
Phoenix Suns (-13.5) vs. Los Angeles Lakers
This is a monster spread, but it&rsquo;s the most confident play of the day. Phoenix is coming off an embarrassing loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Meanwhile, LeBron James is out Tuesday night, as the Lakers look could fall short of the postseason in perhaps their most disappointing year in franchise history. With no LeBron, plus a motivated Suns squad, this game won&rsquo;t be close. Devin Booker and Chris Paul will dominate the Lakers&rsquo; backcourt. Also, Deandre Ayton should be able to hold his own against Anthony Davis. The Suns roll here behind a charged-up, playoff-like atmosphere inside the Footprint Center.
Pick: Suns -13.5
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Who are the best bets for tonight's NBA games? We've got you covered!

Best Bets: BasketballNews' picks against the spread for 4/5/22

After the Los Angeles Lakers were embarrassed by the Milwaukee Bucks at home on Tuesday night (before Los Angeles lost to a bad Portland Trail Blazers team missing half their roster), a reporter asked LeBron James how his squad stacks up against Milwaukee and the league's other elite teams.
LeBron gave a surprisingly candid response: "<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/lakers-players-believe-changes-must-be-made-before-trade-deadline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">We ain't on their level</a>."
When asked if he believed the Lakers could eventually reach the Bucks' level this season, <a href="https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nba/lebron-james-admits-lakers-are-not-on-championship-level#:~:text=After%20the%20game%2C%20LeBron%20James,a%20flat%2C%20%22No.%22" target="_blank" rel="noopener">James replied</a>, "Where they are right now? I don't know. Do I think we can reach the level where Milwaukee is right now? No. Is that what you want to hear from me? No. We can't get to where they are right now. They're the defending champions for a reason and I guarantee you if you would've asked teams coming out of the bubble if they could get to the level that we were playing at when we won a championship, they would've said the same thing."
Let's flashback to the championship group for a second, shall we?
It may seem like it's been 16 years or so since LeBron led LA to a title in the bubble, but, incredibly, it's been less than 16 months. The Lakers beat the Miami Heat in Game 6 of the Finals on Oct. 11, 2020. The team's two cornerstones, Anthony Davis and LeBron, remain, but the rest of the rotation has been turned over completely.&nbsp;
So, how did this team go from raising the Larry O'Brien trophy, to being four games under .500 and fighting for a spot in the play-in tournament just a year-and-a-half later?&nbsp;
Let's break it down.&nbsp;
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In the offseason following their championship, LA's major move was trading Danny Green (a significant two-way contributor on their title team) and LA's 2021 first-round pick (Jaden McDaniels) to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Dennis Schroder. That summer, LA re-signed Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (three years, $39 million) and used its cap space to ink free agent Montrezl Harrell to a two-year, $18.9 million contract. They also brought in Wesley Matthews and Markieff Morris for the veteran minimum and inked Marc Gasol to a two-year, $5.3 million deal.&nbsp;
In mid-March, in the days leading up to last season's trade deadline, the Lakers were cruising. More than halfway through the 2020-21 campaign, the Lakers' were 15 games above .500 and owned the league's second-best record at 28-13.&nbsp;
At that point, the Lakers made a decision that would come back to haunt them. Hindsight is 20/20, of course, but the Lakers arrived at a fork in the road and chose the wrong path. They've been headed downhill ever since. (Over the past 11 months, the Lakers are 43-51 in the 94 games they've played).&nbsp;
On the eve of the 2021 trade deadline, the Lakers and Toronto Raptors were engaged in serious discussions on a potential deal that would have sent Kyle Lowry to LaLa Land, giving LeBron and Co. the established veteran point guard (and proven winner) the team desperately needed. The Lakers and Raps <a href="https://theathletic.com/2477311/2021/03/25/what-the-lakers-were-willing-to-trade-for-kyle-lowry-and-what-it-says-about-the-future/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> were close to finalizing a swap sending Schroder, Caldwell-Pope and some draft capital to Toronto in exchange for Lowry. Yet, in the hours right before the deadline arrived, "the sticking point was the inclusion of Talen Horton-Tucker," <a href="https://theathletic.com/2477311/2021/03/25/what-the-lakers-were-willing-to-trade-for-kyle-lowry-and-what-it-says-about-the-future/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to Jovan Buha and Bill Oram of The Athletic</a>.&nbsp;
"Rob Pelinka, the Lakers' vice president of basketball operations, insisted that price was too high for the 35-year-old Lowry, and that he was not willing to trade Horton-Tucker, the 20-year-old combo guard who has emerged as a valuable rotation player for the Lakers in his second season," Buha and Oram <a href="https://theathletic.com/2477311/2021/03/25/what-the-lakers-were-willing-to-trade-for-kyle-lowry-and-what-it-says-about-the-future/">reported</a>.
Looking back, it's impossible not to wonder how the future of several franchises might have changed if the Lakers had been willing to pony up for Lowry, who is now averaging 13.0 points and 8.1 assists per game for the Heat. This is the same Heat team that is poised to enter the All-Star break with the best record in the Eastern Conference.&nbsp;
As we know, the Lakers stood pat at last year's deadline and would struggle mightily in the six subsequent weeks. Over a 25-game stretch from mid-March through the first week in May, LA posted an 8-17 record.
The Lakers would eventually be eliminated in six games by the Suns in the first round of the 2021 playoffs. Anthony Davis returned to the Lakers' starting lineup in Game 6 after missing the second half of Game 4 and all of Game 5 due to a groin injury, but logged just five minutes before limping off the court. It was the first and only time in LeBron's career that he lost a first-round series (he had been 14-0).
"What matters to me is getting this team back healthy," James told reporters after the loss to Phoenix.
Well, as it turns out, Pelinka and James were unwilling to run it back with the same squad and hope the group would avoid injuries.&nbsp;
Instead, the Lakers rolled the dice, agreeing to one of the most dramatic and controversial trades in recent NBA history.&nbsp;
On the evening of July 29, both Woj and Shams <a href="https://twitter.com/shamscharania/status/1420855153410854925" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that the Lakers had consented to take on Russell Westbrook (and his onerous contract).&nbsp;
A week later, the trade was officially announced. LA had traded away Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Montrezl Harrell, Kyle Kuzma and the draft rights to Isaiah Jackson (whom the Lakers had selected with the 22nd overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft) in exchange for Russ and several future second-rounders.&nbsp;
The justification from the Lakers was that they viewed Westbrook as an offensive powerhouse that could lighten the load LeBron had been forced to carry.&nbsp;
The Lakers rounded out their roster this past offseason by adding Trevor Ariza, Dwight Howard, Wayne Ellington, Kent Bazemore, Carmelo Anthony, Malik Monk and Rajon Rondo. They gave Kendrick Nunn the taxpayer mid-level exception ($5.9 million for two years). They also re-signed Horton-Tucker to a three-year deal worth $32 million.
Shockingly, despite advanced analytics that confirmed he was a near-perfect fit playing alongside LeBron, the Lakers decided not to bring back Alex Caruso, who had excelled as a role player in LA. Caruso's aggressiveness and versatility on the defensive end, as well as unselfishness on offense, made him an ideal wingman to AD and King James.&nbsp;
However, having Westbrook on the books for $44.2 million in 2021-22 and another $47.1 million in 2022-23 undoubtedly played a part in Pelinka's decision to let Carouso leave.&nbsp;
Still, as he explained on <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/how-the-lakers-botched-alex-carusos-free-agency-and-lost-a-key-piece" target="_blank" rel="noopener">JJ Redick's "Old Man and the Three" podcast</a> back in November, Carouso had hoped to re-sign with the Lakers and was even willing to give them a hometown discount. Before ultimately accepting the offer he received from Chicago (a four-year, $37 million contract, though the final season only carries a $3 million guarantee), <a href="https://twitter.com/oldmanandthree/status/1458257821405954052?s=21" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Caruso said</a> he and his agent "went back to L.A., asked if they could do the same, they said no. We asked for something else that was a little bit less; they said no."
As it turns out, the concerns many critics envisioned over the summer related to potential issues arising from the addition of Westbrook have reared their ugly head. Unfortunately for Los Angeles, Westbrook's declining athleticism has hamstrung the former All-Star.
At various points this season, Westbrook's alarming regression has been uncomfortable to watch. In the closing minutes of LA's victory over the New York Knicks last weekend, Russ found himself alone in the corner and as he was about to launch a three-pointer, the home crowd <a href="https://twitter.com/FanMahome/status/1490172360892329985">screamed at him not to shoot</a>. Coach Frank Vogel yanked him out of the lineup in overtime vs. New York. In the Lakers' embarrassing loss to the Bucks on Tuesday, Westbrook was benched for the final 14 minutes of the game, including the entire fourth quarter. Russ sat out Wednesday's loss to Portland with a "lower back" injury.&nbsp;
His counting stats on the season are solid (18/7/7), but the peripheral numbers are putrid, and his plus/minus is the worst on the team. This season, the Lakers have been outscored by 123 points with Westbrook on the floor, whereas they have outscored their opponents by 35 points with Russ on the bench.
The situation has careened toward rock-bottom this month. Over the Lakers' last four games, Westbrook is shooting just 27% from the floor, 15% from downtown and 55.0% from the free-throw line. He's also leading the league in turnovers.
Yet, now that the 2022 trade deadline has passed, we know that Lakers fans have no choice but to hope Russ can somehow locate his confidence and contribute to winning.&nbsp;
It has been rumored this week that the Houston Rockets were willing to trade John Wall to the Lakers for Westbrook, but Pelinka was reportedly unwilling to include LA's 2027 first-round pick, which Houston was demanding. Will the decision come back to bite LA, as refusing to include THT at last year's deadline did? Even if Wall failed to live up to expectations, would it have amounted to addition by subtraction?&nbsp;
Although Monk has been fantastic, and Melo has given LA as much as they could have hoped for, Howard, Ellington and Bazemore have failed to deliver. Ariza is averaging 4.2 points while shooting 36% from the floor. Rondo is no longer on the roster. Nunn, hampered by a bone bruise in his right knee, has yet to log a single second in an NBA game this season. Horton-Tucker is converting career-lows from the floor (41%) and behind the arc (27%). Despite playing nearly six more minutes per game, THT is averaging fewer assists this season (2.7) than he did in 2020-21, while still committing 1.5 turnovers a night.
Sum it all up, and you see why the Lakers have lost more than half of their games and find themselves in ninth place in the West, despite LeBron authoring the greatest season in NBA history by a 37-year-old.&nbsp;
This is a particularly bitter pill for Lakers fans to swallow considering the team purportedly had several different options to choose from this summer when shopping around their Kuz/&rsquo;Trez/draft picks package, including a deal for Sacramento sharpshooter Buddy Hield. In that scenario, the Lakers could have held onto KCP and added Hield, and the combined salary of both players still would have been $8 million less than Westbrook's cap hit of $44.2 million.&nbsp;
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To be fair, it's worth noting that in 2020-21, Westbrook played his best basketball of the season after the All-Star break. Over the Wizards' final 35 games of the season, he averaged 23.3 points, 13.3 rebounds, 13.4 assists and 1.5 steals, while shooting a respectable 44% from the floor, 32% from behind the arc and 72% from the FT line. Washington closed the regular season by going 17-6 over their final 23 contests and advanced to the playoffs.&nbsp;
Will Russ and his teammates feel less pressure now that the deadline has passed? LeBron and the Lakers don't need Westbrook to dominate the ball and chase triple-doubles, but they do need him to focus on playing the best defense of his career and help facilitate the offense, especially when James needs a breather.&nbsp;
If Russ cannot shake out of his slump, LA will have a very tough time getting back on track and achieving the goals they set for themselves back in October.&nbsp;
And if Los Angeles fails to right the ship (wasting a year of "Prime LeBron" in the process), the team's fans will look back with rage on the terrible trades and free-agency failures over the past 12 months that led to the Lakers' demise.&nbsp;
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Tommy Beer delves into the errors of the Lakers' ways following their championship success one-and-a-half years ago.

How the Lakers managed to turn a contending team into a sub-.500 mess

Competing executives say Orlando is shopping Gary Harris and Terrence Ross, but several are curious what the Magic do with Mo Bamba.
Source: <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2952328-nba-rumors-binge-a-desperate-ben-simmons-suitor-how-lakers-can-keep-monk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Eric Pincus/Bleacher Report</a>
ANALYSIS: Harris and Ross have both been productive veterans for the Magic, who are still in the midst of re-tooling with young prospects. Harris is averaging 11.6 points and 2.4 rebounds per game while shooting a solid 37.2% from three. Ross, meanwhile, is averaging 12.8 points per game but shooting a career-low 30.6% on three-pointers.&nbsp;

Harris and Ross have both been productive veterans for the Magic, who are still in the midst of re-tooling with young prospects.

Magic reportedly shopping Gary Harris, Terrence Ross in trade talks

As noted, the Pistons are believed to be targeting a big man with their projected cap room this summer. Deandre Ayton may be their primary target, but many around the league expect the Phoenix Suns to retain him despite failing to reach an extension with him before the season.
Source: <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2952328-nba-rumors-binge-a-desperate-ben-simmons-suitor-how-lakers-can-keep-monk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Eric Pincus/Bleacher Report</a>
ANALYSIS:&nbsp;Ayton will be a restricted free agent this offseason, meaning the Suns have the ability to match any contract offer. The 23-year-old is averaging 16.8 points and 11.0 rebounds per game with Phoenix this season, anchoring one of the NBA's best teams. Detroit recently acquired a young center in Bol Bol from the Denver Nuggets.

Ayton will be a restricted free agent this offseason, meaning the Suns have the ability to match any contract offered.

Report: Pistons may target Deandre Ayton, Suns expected to keep him

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

2021-22 NBA Season Preview: Central Division

The 2021 NBA offseason featured plenty of surprises and quite a bit of player movement. While there has been plenty of discussion about the stars who changed teams, there were also many talented players who ended up signing for the veteran&rsquo;s minimum.
These are the kind of low-risk, high-reward moves that could end up being some of the biggest steals of the offseason. Some of these players will inevitably outperform their contract and become a huge bargain for their respective teams.&nbsp;
For example, when the Los Angeles Lakers won the championship in 2019-20, their roster featured quite a few minimum-contract contributors including Rajon Rondo, Dwight Howard, Markieff Morris, Talen Horton-Tucker and Jared Dudley.&nbsp;
In the NBA, the veteran's minimum varies from player to player depending on their years of experience. For example, a rookie who signs a minimum deal will earn $925,258 this season. A second-year player on the minimum will earn $1,489,065. By the time a player has played 10 or more years in the NBA, their minimum contract is worth $2,641,691.
So while all of the players listed in this piece signed for the veteran minimum, they won&rsquo;t receive the same paychecks. However, their cap hit will be the same. <a href="https://www.hoopsrumors.com/2021/08/nba-minimum-salaries-for-2021-22.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Luke Adams from Hoops Rumors explains</a>:
&ldquo;Because the NBA doesn&rsquo;t want teams to avoid signing veteran players in favor of cheaper, younger players, the league reimburses clubs who sign veterans with three or more years of experience to one-year, minimum salary contracts. Those deals will only count against the cap &ndash; and against a team&rsquo;s bank balance &ndash; for $1,669,178, the minimum salary for a player with two years of experience.&rdquo;
So while Andre Iguodala will earn $2,641,691 this season, he&rsquo;ll only cost the Golden State Warriors $1,669,178, and the NBA will make up the difference.
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Across the board, minimum salaries increased by 3% over last year&rsquo;s numbers. Here&rsquo;s a look at some notable players who signed for the minimum:
Victor Oladipo, Miami Heat: After earning $21,000,000 last season with the Indiana Pacers and Houston Rockets, Oladipo will make $2,389,641 this season with the Miami Heat. A significant quad injury impacted his stock entering free agency, which is why this two-time All-Star is on a minimum deal just three years after making an All-NBA team. Last year, Oladipo averaged 20.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 2.6 threes and 1.3 steals in 29 total games with the Rockets and Pacers. If healthy, Oladipo could end up being a <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/victor-oladipo-minimum-deal-may-become-nba-offseason-biggest-steal-miami-heat" target="_blank" rel="noopener">key contributor for Miami</a>.
Andre Drummond, Philadelphia 76ers: Last season, Drummond averaged 14.9 points, 12.0 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.1 blocks in 46 games with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers. The 28-year-old was earning $27,957,238 with the Cavs, but then he agreed to a buyout and joined the Lakers. He hoped to win a title alongside LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Co., but Los Angeles was eliminated in the first round by the Phoenix Suns. Now, he&rsquo;ll serve as Joel Embiid&rsquo;s backup on the 76ers while earning $2,401,537.
Blake Griffin, Brooklyn Nets: Like Drummond, Griffin was bought out halfway through the 2020-21 season. With $75 million remaining on his contract, Griffin reportedly agreed to leave $13.3 million on the table in order to exit his deal with the Detroit Pistons and hit unrestricted free agency. Shortly after, he joined the Brooklyn Nets in pursuit of a ring. Still, he went from earning $32,670,565 last year to $2,641,691 during the upcoming campaign.
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Otto Porter Jr., Golden State Warriors: Porter received larger offers during free agency, but he decided to join the Warriors on a $2,389,641 salary (after earning $28,489,239 last season with the Chicago Bulls and Orlando Magic). He should fit perfectly alongside Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, and then he&rsquo;ll hit free agency again next offseason. Last year, the 28-year-old averaged 9.7 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.4 threes in 28 games.
Andre Iguodala, Golden State Warriors: After spending five years with the Warriors (from 2013-14 to 2018-19), Iguodala joined the Miami Heat for a two-year stint. Now, he&rsquo;s returning to Golden State on a one-year deal. Last season, he averaged 4.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.6 blocks in 21.3 minutes per game, while also serving as a strong veteran leader in the locker room. After earning $15,000,000 last season, he&rsquo;ll make $2,641,691 in 2021-22.
DeAndre Jordan, Los Angeles Lakers: Last season, Jordan earned $10,375,678 from the Brooklyn Nets, averaging 7.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 21.9 minutes per game. Recently, the Nets traded Jordan and four second-round picks to the Detroit Pistons in exchange for Sekou Doumbouya and Jahlil Okafor. Shortly after, the Pistons bought out Jordan, and he signed a one-year, $2,641,691 deal.
Other Notable Minimum-Contract Players:&nbsp;
Carmelo Anthony, Los Angeles Lakers ($2,641,691)
Enes Kanter, Boston Celtics ($2,641,691)
Paul Millsap, Brooklyn Nets ($2,641,691)
Dwight Howard, Los Angeles Lakers ($2,641,691)
Cody Zeller, Portland Trail Blazers ($2,389,641)
Malik Monk, Los Angeles Lakers ($1,789,256)
Nemanja Bjelica, Golden State Warriors ($2,089,448)
Rajon Rondo, Los Angeles Lakers ($2,641,691)
Wayne Ellington, Los Angeles Lakers ($2,641,691)

Alex Kennedy highlights key players who signed for the veteran's minimum this offseason after being on lucrative deals previously.

Examining minimum-contract bargains from 2021 NBA offseason

The New York Knicks enter the 2021 NBA offseason with more potential cap space than any other team in the league, as New York can clear out up to $50 million in space if they choose to renounce all of their own free agents. Their primary objective is using that cap space to acquire a superstar. However, the only true max-level player in this year's <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/2021-nba-free-agency-ranking-kawhi-leonard-chris-paul-and-the-top-10-offseason-players-on-market" target="_blank" rel="noopener">free-agent class</a> is Kawhi Leonard, who is dealing with a partially torn ACL that may sideline him for the entirety of the 2021-22 season. The potential second-best player in the class is a 36-year-old point guard with a $44 million player option, so there&rsquo;s no guarantee he&rsquo;ll ever hit the open market.
Another avenue to acquiring a superstar is utilizing your available cap space to trade for a disgruntled stud. I have explained, in detail, why I think the Knicks should <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-knicks-should-prepare-to-go-allin-for-damian-lillard-new-york-trade-rumors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pursue Damian Lillard</a> if he wants out of Portland. There are also rumblings that Wizards All-Star Bradley Beal may demand a trade.
Yet, despite all the juicy gossip, the most likely scenario in each case is Kawhi re-signing with the Clippers, CP3 staying in Phoenix and Lillard and Beal starting next season in Portland and Washington, respectively.
So, where would that leave New York? How would team president Leon Rose choose to utilize his cap space?
First and foremost, it's important to note that the Knicks can choose to keep most of their powder dry. New York is considered a team on the rise not just because they exceeded expectations last season, but also because they have shrewdly managed their cap, avoiding the temptation to overpay big-name veterans on the downslope of their career.
Nonetheless, if the Knicks begin the free agency frenzy with $50 million, they'll need to spend a healthy chunk of that just to reach the league's minimum salary floor (per the collective bargaining agreement, every NBA team has to spend at least 90% of the salary cap on player salaries.)
Here are some players the Knicks may target when teams can start negotiating with free agents on August 2 at 6:00 p.m. ET.
Devonte' Graham - Restricted Graham enjoyed a true breakout season in 2019-20, averaging a whopping 18.2 points, 7.5 assists and 3.5 made three-pointers per game. He took a bit of a step back this past season, but still poured in 14.8 points and dished out 5.4 assists (vs. 1.5 turnovers) in 30 minutes a night. It's also worth noting that he posted the best net rating on the team in 2020-21. The Hornets outscored their opponents by 98 points with Graham on the floor last season and were outscored by 237 points with Graham on the bench. He also became one of just four players in league history to average at least nine three-point attempts per game while shooting above 37% from downtown. The other three are Steph Curry, Dame Lillard and Buddy Hield. Many pundits assume the Hornets will match any reasonable offer Graham receives this summer, but ESPN's <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_/id/31891612/nba-free-agency-2021-shaped-point-guard-movement" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Brian Windhorst reported</a> Tuesday that the Hornets "are believed to be interested in extending Terry&nbsp;Rozier and Miles Bridges, plus need to sign a starting center, all of which could squeeze their finances." At 26, Graham is entering the heart of his prime. It would be fascinating to see what kind of offer would scare off the Hornets, who obviously view LaMelo Ball as a cornerstone of the franchise.
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Victor Oladipo - Unrestricted Here's a startling reminder of just how dramatically an NBA player's value can fluctuate over a single season. Less than 10 months ago, in October 2020, Mark Berman of the New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2020/10/05/knicks-eyeing-victor-oladipo-amid-offseason-possibilities/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported that</a>, with respect to an Oladipo trade, "One NBA personnel man said Dallas' two first-round picks (2021, 2023), Julius Randle and Dennis Smith Jr. or Frank Ntilikina could whet the Pacers' appetite." It&rsquo;s remarkable to think how much Randle's stock has improved since then. On the other hand, the career of Oladipo &mdash; who was named an All-Star in both 2018 and 2019 &mdash; has been derailed by injuries. Oladipo will not be ready for the start of the 2021-22 season as he recovers from surgery to repair a partially torn tendon in his right quad and could <a href="https://www.miamiherald.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/barry-jackson/article252111543.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> be sidelined until "mid-December at the earliest." Does Dipo prefer to sign a one-year "make good" contract to rebuild his value? Or will he look to ink a multi-year deal in order to rehab correctly, rather than potentially being pressured to rush back to the court? Either way, New York should have some interest.
Duncan Robinson - Restricted The Knicks' remarkable improvement from downtown was a crucial factor in their surprising success this past season. After finishing dead last in three-point makes in 2019-20 (New York was the only team in the league to average fewer than 10 made treys per game), the Knicks converted 39.2% of their long-distance attempts in 2020-21, which tied for the second-best mark in the NBA. However, two of the team's best shooters (Alec Burks and Reggie Bullock) are free agents. And is it safe to assume that Julius Randle, who shot 27.7% from deep in 2019-20, will again shoot above 41% from behind the arc as he did last season? Should the Knicks decide not to bring Burks and/or Bullock back, they will desperately need to add some marksmen. Robinson is one of only three players in NBA history to average more than eight three-point attempts per game while shooting above 40% in multiple seasons. The other two players in this elite club are Steph Curry and Klay Thompson. He's also durable, having appeared in 147 consecutive games dating back to 2019. Since he is restricted, the Heat will have the opportunity to match any offer he receives.
Serge Ibaka - Player Option Ibaka struggled through an injury-plagued 2020-21 season with the Clippers, but last year at this time, he was a highly-valued big man. In 2019-20 &mdash; his 11th season in the league &mdash; Ibaka averaged a career-high 15.4 points to go along with 8.2 rebounds and 1.3 made three-pointers. In the 27 games he started for the Toronto Raptors, he averaged 18.3 points and 9.2 rebounds while shooting over 55% from the floor and 43.7% from downtown. A consistent two-way performer his entire career, Ibaka is the only player in NBA history to make more than 500 three-pointers and block more than 1,500 shots. Someone is going to get a great value contract if Ibaka can stay healthy. That, of course, assumes that he opts out, which seems likely considering the potential payday that could await this offseason.
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Lauri Markkanen - Restricted Markkanen is a very difficult player to gauge. On the negative side of the ledger, his production has dipped dramatically in each of the past two years, and he's been unable to avoid assorted injuries, having played fewer than 55 games in three consecutive seasons. Nonetheless, this is a talented seven-footer who can stretch the floor, is still just 24 years of age, and averaged 18.7 points and nine rebounds during his age-21 season. It will be interesting to see what kind of offers he receives, and what the Bulls will be willing to match.
T.J. McConnell - Unrestricted Make no mistake, point guard is, by far, the Knicks' most glaring need. Elfrid Payton, last year's starter, won't be back, Derrick Rose is a free agent, and Immanuel Quickley frequently played off the ball as a rookie. If New York is unable (or unwilling) to pony for a big-name point guard, might they go in a different direction? In many respects, McConnell brings many of the attributes to the table coach Tom Thibodeau desires, namely defensive intensity. A gritty, pesky defender, McConnell led the entire league in steal percentage last season at <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_2021_advanced.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">3.4%</a> (Jimmy Butler was the only other player in the NBA to post a steal rate north of 3%). Although he's limited offensively, McConnell was efficient last season, shooting 55.9% from the floor. He's also an unselfish facilitator who takes care of the ball and is content to set up his teammates. In 2020-21, McConnell was one of just eight players to record an assist rate above 34% and a true shooting percentage above 58%. The other seven members of this elite club were Dame Lillard, Chris Paul, Jimmy Butler, LeBron James, Luka Doncic, Trae Young and Nikola Jokic.
Kyle Lowry - Unrestricted Lowry is a proven winner, a terrific defender, and a reliable, efficient scorer; essentially, he&rsquo;s everything the Knicks have been missing at the point guard position for the better part of two decades. However, according to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer, Lowry's free-agency <a href="https://www.inquirer.com/sixers/sixers-among-teams-interested-kyle-lowry-nba-free-agency-20210727.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&ldquo;asking price&rdquo;</a> is $90 million over three seasons. That's a hefty price to pay for a player already on the wrong side of 35, especially for a Knicks team that is not simply one piece away from title contention.
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Spencer Dinwiddie - Player Option Dinwiddie has bantered back-and-forth with Knicks fans on social media the last few years, but there is no denying his impact on the court. In 2019-20, he averaged 20.6 points, 6.8 assists and 3.5 rebounds. It's been more than 40 years since a Knicks point guard averaged more than 20/6/3 over an entire season. Yet, like Lowry, Dinwiddie may price himself out of the Knicks&rsquo; target range. Dinwiddie, who played only three games last season due to a partially torn ACL, is reportedly seeking $25 million per year.
Goran Dragic - Team Option Miami holds a team option on Dragic for next season worth $19.4 million. If the Heat decide to go in another direction, Dragic would be an enticing option for New York, assuming he&rsquo;d be willing to sign a short-term deal. Although he would provide the club with an immediate upgrade at a position of need, it is important to note that he is 35 years old and has been primarily coming off the bench over his last two seasons. Entering the 2021-22 campaign with Dragic and Derrick Rose as your two point guards could be courting trouble.
Lonzo Ball - Restricted Reading the tea leaves, it seems less and less likely the Pelicans are willing to make a lucrative long-term commitment to Ball. Brian Windhorst of <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_/id/31891612/nba-free-agency-2021-shaped-point-guard-movement">ESPN wrote</a> this week that New Orleans is targeting Lowry and has an interest in Dinwiddie, adding that "league executives believe the Pelicans are willing to let Ball go if he gets an aggressive offer sheet or they find a different option." Shams Charania of The Athletic <a href="https://theathletic.com/2703448/2021/07/13/sixers-opening-up-ben-simmons-trade-talks-knicks-interested-in-collin-sexton-plus-more-nba-news/?source=twitterhq" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> earlier this month the Pels are unlikely to match a significant offer. Ian Begley of SNY has <a href="https://www.sny.tv/articles/spencer-dinwiddie-demar-derozan-knicks-free-agency" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> the same. Many Knicks fans seem to be enamored with Ball, but it should be considered a major red flag that the Pels seems unwilling to bring him back. Ball, who is just 23, received the endorsement of the face of the franchise, Zion Williamson. That there still seems to be some trepidation on New Orleans&rsquo; part is interesting, to say the least. Ball's upside is tantalizing, but I'd pass if his price tag approaches the $100 million mark.
Cameron Payne - Unrestricted Payne earned himself a massive pay raise over the past couple of months by establishing himself as a legit NBA rotation player in the crucible of the playoffs. However, before arriving in Phoenix, Payne shot below 40% from the floor and 33% from behind the arc over his first three years in the league. He turns 27 next month. Is it possible he plays significantly better than he did this past season? Some team will offer Payne a lucrative long-term deal, but I let another team roll the dice if I'm Leon Rose.
Malik Monk - Restricted Monk (who was drafted with the 11th overall pick in the 2017 draft &mdash; ahead of Donovan Mitchell and Bam Adebayo) has failed to live up to expectations. Monk has made just one career start and has averaged 9.1 points, two rebounds and 1.8 assists in 233 appearances while shooting 40.3% and 33.9% from downtown. No, thanks.
DeMar DeRozan - Unrestricted While maybe not as appealing as several other younger players on the open market, DeRozan remains criminally underrated by #BasketballTwitter, in my opinion. Yeah, I know he's 32, is not a great defender, doesn't shoot threes, etc. We know what he doesn't do well, but consider this: Over the past two seasons, only four players have averaged at least 20 points and five assists per game while shooting over 50% from the floor: LeBron James, Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and DeRozan. While not a perfect fit on the Knicks roster, New York had trouble finding offense late in games last season. DeRozan immediately addresses that need. If he's willing to sign at a discount, some team will get a significant value contract.
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While some of the names appearing on this list might not be the most glamorous, there is definitely value to be found here if you're the New York Knicks. That's especially true if the team clears out the as much salary cap space as it possibly can this offseason.

Poised to be the league-leader in cap space this offseason, here are some players who could make sense for the New York Knicks.

Knicks free-agent targets: 12 names that could fit in New York

According to <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-trade-deadline-rumors-houston-rockets-orlando-magic-victor-oladipo-aaron-gordon-evan-fournier-andre-drummond" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BasketballNews.com's NBA trade deadline notebook</a>, some expect March 25 to be one of the quieter deadline days in recent memory.
"I just don't know who's available that way, right? I'm pretty certain someone like a Bradley Beal is unavailable right now,&rdquo; an Eastern Conference executive said. &rdquo;I don't see anything huge happening. I think a team might add around the edges. I think that might be what you see, to get ready for the playoffs. But I don't see anything monstrous happening, where you get a big name change teams. There were some big trades that have already happened.
"I think there will be some stuff around the edges, like what Sam [Presti] did to get another second-round pick for Hamidou [Diallo]. That&rsquo;s the kind of stuff I could see happening.&rdquo;
With the James Harden blockbuster occurring in January, that likely represents the largest move of the NBA season. Beal appears to be off the market. Other names, such as Victor Oladipo, Andre Drummond and Aaron Gordon, continue to swirl in the rumor mill, but these players are not the franchise-altering superstars we have seen dealt in years past.&nbsp;

An Eastern Conference executive believes there won't be a superstar that changes teams.

League executives expect a quiet NBA trade deadline

With less than a week until March 25, the NBA Trade Deadline is fast approaching. There have already been a number of moves made to this point, with the most-recent deals sending P.J. Tucker to the Milwaukee Bucks and Hamidou Diallo to the Detroit Pistons.&nbsp;
There was no move &ldquo;noisier&rdquo; than the colossal four-team trade in February, when James Harden got his wish to split from the Houston Rockets and ended up with the Brooklyn Nets. That same blockbuster saw Caris LeVert go to the Indiana Pacers, Victor Oladipo land with the Rockets and Jarrett Allen wind up with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
It&rsquo;s highly unlikely that any move prior to the deadline will top that blockbuster deal, considering the magnitude of that particular trade. There&rsquo;s just not much star power on the market, and the biggest names that are available come with a steep price tag attached.&nbsp;
On top of that, this is a unique time in the basketball world. For the first time maybe ever, college conference tournaments and March Madness have coincided with NBA trade season.&nbsp;
&ldquo;We're all starting to miss calls and stuff,&rdquo; an Eastern Conference executive told BasketballNews.com. &ldquo;Obviously we've been making calls all year, but stuff's starting to pick up&hellip; We're all in flux of where we are across the country, and there's just a lot of phone tag going on just because you're trying to scramble to see some of these draft prospects for the last time.
&ldquo;It's just a little different than in the past where you could sort of sit at your desk and field phone calls and do it. So we're sort of a little all over the place. You're trying to do a whole bunch of stuff at once, but that's this year. That's what this year is."
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Currently sliding down the standings on a 18-game losing streak, the Rockets are the most active organization when it comes to trade talks, per sources. Tucker was the hot name not too long ago, and he&rsquo;s been moved. Now, Oladipo is another piece that could be traded.&nbsp;
Similarly on a lengthy eight-game skid and sinking in the East standings, the Orlando Magic are somewhat stuck in the middle as far as their team makeup goes. Aaron Gordon, who was recently linked to the Denver Nuggets by <a href="https://www.denverpost.com/2021/03/19/aaron-gordon-nuggets-trade-possibilities/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mike Singer of the Denver Post</a>, and Evan Fournier have been mentioned as possible targets for numerous interested teams. Terrence Ross might be another player who draws interest.&nbsp;
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The Sacramento Kings are in a comparable predicament in a highly competitive Western Conference. Executives around the league are monitoring Orlando and Sacramento to see whether they decide to shake things up.
While quite a few contenders and playoff teams are looking to bolster their roster, the players they are targeting likely won&rsquo;t be stars.
"I just don't know who's available that way, right? I'm pretty certain someone like a Bradley Beal is unavailable right now,&rdquo; the East executive said. &rdquo;I don't see anything huge happening. I think a team might add around the edges. I think that might be what you see, to get ready for the playoffs. But I don't see anything monstrous happening, where you get a big name change teams. There were some big trades that have already happened.
"I think there will be some stuff around the edges, like what Sam [Presti] did to get another second-round pick for Hamidou [Diallo]. That&rsquo;s the kind of stuff I could see happening.&rdquo;
One Western Conference executive did mention one notable player to keep an eye on.
&ldquo;I haven&rsquo;t seen Lauri Markkanen&rsquo;s name mentioned a lot, but he could be available,&rdquo; suggested the West executive.
<a href="https://twitter.com/TheSteinLine/status/1372925200757526531" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Marc Stein of the New York Times reported</a> Friday morning that the Los Angeles Clippers are intrigued by Lonzo Ball of the New Orleans Pelicans. Speaking of New Orleans, one Eastern Conference general manager told BasketballNews.com, "New Orleans is a team to keep an eye on too," mentioning that J.J. Redick seems like a lock to change teams (either via a trade or buyout).
We do know that the San Antonio Spurs are attempting to find a new home for veteran big man LaMarcus Aldridge. Since mid-February, the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-rumors-andre-drummond-trade-possibilities-destinations-no-contract-buyout-toronto-raptors-dallas-mavericks-brooklyn-nets-sacramento-kings-new-york-knicks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cleveland Cavaliers have been trying to do the same for Andre Drummond</a>, as the two parties mutually agreed upon.
It&rsquo;s going to take some real creativity for Cavs general manager Koby Altman to get a deal done with the All-Star big man&rsquo;s $28.7 million salary.&nbsp;
According to a source close to the team, Cleveland believes it will take a multi-team trade to make a Drummond move work. As days shrink between now and the deadline, the source feels there will be enough urgency to make it happen.&nbsp;
&ldquo;The hard part with [Drummond] is not so much the interest, it's the number,&rdquo; the source close to the Cavaliers told BasketballNews.com &ldquo;The teams that are interested in him are competitive teams that are in the playoffs, but they're not going to trade the contracts, they're not going to trade the good players to get there.&rdquo;
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Drummond&rsquo;s been linked to several contenders in the event that the Cavs buy out his contract. The West executive believes that the New York Knicks could be a &ldquo;sneaky&rdquo; option if he is bought out, and that the Knicks could try to secure Drummond in the long-term.
&ldquo;Would they throw him a four-year, $60 million offer and try to lock him up ahead of free agency?&rdquo; the West executive pondered.
Remember, there is an incentive for Drummond to be traded because he would keep his Bird rights and have a chance to sign an extension with his new team. A buyout for him means money left on the table and losing those Bird rights, although the West executive downplays that particular notion.
&ldquo;His Bird rights are overrated,&rdquo; the West executive said. &ldquo;So many teams have enough space and I don&rsquo;t know that he ends up being that expensive.&rdquo;
The Cavs source indicates that &ldquo;option one is to try to find a trade partner," and that both the team and Drummond are on the same page in that regard.&nbsp;
Per the same source, the Cavs have received calls on other players as well, including Swiss Army knife forward Larry Nance Jr.&nbsp;
"It's amazing how many people [have reached out]... he fits everybody, so it makes a lot of sense,&rdquo; the source said, adding that Altman&rsquo;s even joked that he&rsquo;d have to go with Nance if he traded him and that he&rsquo;d &ldquo;get run out of town.&rdquo;
The Cavs already made their major move by acquiring Allen in that aforementioned blockbuster deal, so there won't be any "groundbreaking" change, per the team source. That said, Cleveland will always welcome the opportunity to work around the margins and "keep hitting singles and "take swings at young guys" if the chances present themselves.
March 25 is right around the corner, and the stove is about to heat up.
BasketballNews.com's Alex Kennedy also contributed to this report.

What are executives saying ahead of the NBA Trade Deadline? Spencer Davies and Alex Kennedy spoke to several decision-makers.

NBA trade deadline notebook: Executives share rumblings ahead of March 25

The NBA trade deadline is now nine days away, and while we can safely assume that all 30 teams want to get better, we must proceed expecting two teams --the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks -- to play big roles in dictating what the market will look like.
There are lots of big men available, and anybody who tells you that Andre Drummond or Hassan Whiteside or JaVale McGee would not make a difference in an Eastern Conference playoff series has not been paying attention. Or as Gregg Popovich would say: &ldquo;Living in a phone booth.&rdquo;
Also, those who assume the Knicks (with $15.7 million in cap space) are not in win-now mode do not understand Tom Thibodeau. The guy is married to a basketball, and he is anxious to do in New York what he was unable to do in Minnesota and, to a lesser degree, in Chicago.
And then we have the Celtics, who are sitting on the largest trade exception ($28.5 million) in NBA history and are worse off that they were a year ago when they made the Eastern Conference Finals. Danny Ainge cannot stand pat and expect to get past the Nets, Sixers, Bucks or Heat.
The rumor mill will be churning between now and March 25, and every contending team in the East will be scheming to make an addition that attacks the weaknesses of Brooklyn and Philadelphia, while every Western team will try to find a way to compete with the three-point shooting of the Utah Jazz and the depth and experience of the Los Angeles Lakers.
So let&rsquo;s go through the league alphabetically and assess each team&rsquo;s needs, expectations and expendables.
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ATLANTA HAWKS: Nate McMillan is 5-0 as head coach, and the most active team in the weeks leading up to training camp remains built (if fully healthy) to advance if all of the pieces can fit together with almost zero practice time. John Collins is entering restricted free agency and is not as productive as he was a year ago, but he makes just $4.1 million. Put him in a deal with Tony Snell, though, and those combined salaries equal $16.3 million, which can get you a nice player.
BOSTON CELTICS: What made them special a year ago was the ability to get offensive production from three All-Star caliber starters: Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Gordon Hayward. But Hayward is gone, Enes Kanter is doing big things in Portland (remember how he was a game-changer for Boston in the postseason a year ago?) and Kemba Walker is shooting 38% in his 10th season. Standing pat is not an option.
BROOKLYN NETS: At some point they will need a third center to join DeAndre Jordan and Nicolas Claxton, but the buyout market or the China market (the CBA season ends before the NBA playoffs) may be the easiest way for Sean Marks to add an extra big body if they cannot get a big man whose contract fits into their $5.7 million disabled player exception. Spencer Dinwiddie is the only superfluous player on the roster, but he is out for the remainder of the season, and the Nets have no future draft picks to throw into a deal. They used them all in the Harden trade.
CHARLOTTE HORNETS: Michael Jordan&rsquo;s team is 100-1 to win the East despite having the lock for Rookie of the Year, a four-game winning streak and a roster chock full of young and hungry players who, for the most part, lack postseason experience. At a certain point, they have to realize they could have done better than Cody Zeller ($15.4 million) with the fourth pick of the 2013 draft. It might be time to sacrifice a future first-round pick or two to upgrade at center. Malik Monk has been playing well lately, otherwise, we would predict his imminent departure. The Hornets have an open roster spot and $4 million in cap room.
CHICAGO BULLS: It would be delusional of them to think they can advance beyond the first-round of the playoffs, which is why they have to consider getting a good young player from a contender in exchange for Thaddeus Young ($13.5 million), who is the leading candidate to finish a distant second to Jordan Clarkson in Sixth Man of the Year voting. &nbsp;Tomas Satoransky ($10 million this year and next year) is 29 years old and could be combined with Young to bring in a good young player. Here is an idea:
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Who says no? <a href="https://t.co/Pc61DX8jQV">pic.twitter.com/Pc61DX8jQV</a>
&mdash; Chris Sheridan (@sheridanhoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/sheridanhoops/status/1371826941804883973?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 16, 2021</a></blockquote>

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CLEVELAND CAVALIERS: Aside from the inevitable Drummond and McGee moves (best offers arrive at 2:59 p.m. on deadline day), Koby Altman will probably keep quiet after acquiring Jarrett Allen from the Nets and sending Kevin Porter Jr. to the Rockets. Kevin Love is going to be dead money for two more seasons and Cedi Osman is looking like he will be in the same category, though not quite as expensive. It&rsquo;ll be a long road back.
DALLAS MAVERICKS: They should be better than their record (20-18), but the West is tough. Dwight Powell ($11 million this season and the next two) is not worth what he is being paid and could be packaged with more future No. 1 picks (the Mavs can&rsquo;t trade their own first-round draft pick until 2025 because they owe the Knicks their 2021 and 2023 picks), if mortgaging the future is something Mark Cuban is cool with. Powell and James Johnson for Drummond works cap-wise.
DENVER NUGGETS: A rumor is out there that the Nuggets have spoken to the Magic about acquiring Aaron Gordon, and the price would include Bol Bol. They currently do not look like they have enough to come out of the West, and JaMychal Green has not been an adequate replacement for Jerami Grant. To a lesser degree than Boston, standing pat does not seem like the most prudent option. They have a $9.6 million trade exception, so expect them to make some sort of acquisition that improves the roster. They are one player away from being one player away.
DETROIT PISTONS: Troy Weaver might have already made his &ldquo;deadline deal&rdquo; in getting Hamidou Diallo from the Thunder. Wayne Ellington is superfluous, and one would think teams might like a 14-year veteran who shot 42% from three-point range with a manageable $1.6 million salary&hellip; But the Knicks couldn&rsquo;t find a taker for him a year ago.
GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS: Limbo sucks, but Klay Thompson will be back next season. In the meantime, the best they can do is hope that the Wolves&rsquo; pick is not top three and they can get another high lottery pick to put next to James Wiseman for the years ahead. Kelly Oubre Jr., Kent Bazemore, Brad Wanamaker and Marquese Chriss are all on expiring contracts. Their combined salaries total $20.6 million. The Warriors can acquire a player into Thompson&rsquo;s $9.25 million disabled player exception.
HOUSTON ROCKETS: We are seeing a flurry of Victor Oladipo trade rumors, which is strange because he was the biggest piece they got in the Harden trade. If they are disappointed in him (and his expiring $21 million contract) they must not have been watching Pacers playoffs games the past few seasons. Kevin Porter Jr. was a nice pickup, and Rafael Stone is probably on the hunt for another player who has worn out his welcome for non-basketball reasons. P.J. Tucker is headed somewhere. Dante Exum (expiring $9.6 million contract) didn&rsquo;t quite work out for a fifth overall pick, eh?
INDIANA PACERS: Acquiring Caris LaVert for Oladipo as part of the Harden trade will go in Kevin Pritchard&rsquo;s trophy case, so the question now becomes &ldquo;What next?&rdquo; aside from waiting for T.J. Warren&rsquo;s broken foot to heal. They are in 10th place, which wasn&rsquo;t exactly what they had in mind for this season. Still, Indiana has a nice mix of players in their mid-to-late 20s. Doug McDermott (expiring $7.3 million) and T.J. McConnell (expiring $3.5 million) could be a useful shooter and pest duo for a playoff team willing to give up a draft pick and a matching expiring salary. Indiana is probably better off keeping both and rolling the dice in the play-in postseason.
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LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS: They have everything they need except the Lou Williams they had gotten used to over the past three seasons. His scoring average is down almost six points. Serge Ibaka (scoring average down 4.5 points) is showing his age at 31 and has a 15% trade kicker. Both still have plenty of playoff experience, but Jerry West likes to make trades when he can find the right ones. The Clippers are an interesting team to watch at the deadline because they have an open roster spot, but they are also within a $500,000 of the hard cap, which limits their options.
LOS ANGELES LAKERS: They need nothing except for Anthony Davis to be healthy, so the Lakers are the winner of the &ldquo;Most Unlikely To Make A Trade&rdquo; award. They are option No. 1 for pretty much everybody getting a buyout after the deadline.
MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES: More than a year later, we are still trying to figure out the Justise Winslow acquisition. Taylor Jenkins&rsquo; rotation goes 10 deep, not including the team&rsquo;s highest-paid player in Gorgui Dieng -- $17.2 million. They are young and they are not a good team, yet they are still in contention for a play-in spot, so that incentivizes them to get creative.
MIAMI HEAT: The rule of thumb used to be &ldquo;Pat Riley hates making midseason trades,&rdquo; but he went out and got Andre Iguodala and Jae Crowder last season and built an NBA Finals team. So you would think they would be predisposed to tinker despite their recent run of 11 victories in 12 games. Kelly Olynyk ($12.6 million) and Moe Harkless ($3.6 million) are on expiring deals, and Avery Bradley is gathering dust. They can take on long-term money if the incoming player is worthy of it, but that would likely involve trading a starter (Olynyk). They also have a $7.5 million trade exception but owe Oklahoma City two first-round picks.
MILWAUKEE BUCKS: Veteran Bucks writer <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/podcasts/the-sheridan-show/episodes/basketballnews-com-episode-16-gery-woelfel-on-milwaukee-bucks-chances,-possible-trade,-other-east-contender">Gery Woelful said on my most recent podcast</a> that he fully expects the Bucks to try to find an upgrade from Donte DiVincenzo at shooting guard. The salaries of DiVincenzo and D.J. Wilson add up to $7.5 million, and it is hard to see Jon Horst moving anyone else on this roster. They are not last year&rsquo;s Bucks, but they theoretically have enough to get to the NBA Finals. They are very close to the hard cap and cannot trade any more picks after using so many in the Jrue Holiday acquisition.
MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES: The team is for sale, so do not expect Gersson Rosas to take on any long-term money. They have already changed coaches, and they have nothing anybody would want except for Karl Anthony-Towns, who isn&rsquo;t going anywhere. Okay, they have Ed Davis, who may be somebody&rsquo;s consolation prize as contending teams search for bigs. Nominations for the Dumpster Fire Award are now closed.
NEW ORLEANS PELICANS: Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram are not available. You can safely assume that everyone else is, and David Griffin does not need to hold anybody else up because he already did that to Horst. This was not supposed to be a throwaway season, but it is. The Pelicans would like to get J.J. Redick closer to his family, who live in Brooklyn. Exactly how close? Well, when Redick played for the Sixers, he commuted to Philadelphia. So &ldquo;close&rdquo; is a relative term. Boston is drivable from Brooklyn.
NEW YORK KNICKS: As mentioned above, they are the team to watch most closely. They can take on long-term money if the incoming player is someone who can tolerate Thibodeau&rsquo;s coaching style, and they would bring in a player on an expiring contract if they believed that player&rsquo;s Bird rights would be of value over the summer. Leon Rose is one year away from having a top-three team in the East if he plays his cards right a week from Thursday.
OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER: Sam Presti likely has George Hill, Trevor Ariza and Mike Muscala available to the highest bidders. Hill was an important piece of the Bucks last season and could help a playoff team needing a bench shooter and veteran voice in the locker room. At a certain point, Presti is going to have to package together some of the 20 extra first and second-round picks he has accumulated through trades, but that point is probably a couple of years away as the rebuild runs its course. Important: If Houston&rsquo;s pick is in the top four, the Thunder get it. Also, Presti has three trade exceptions; the largest is $27.6 million.
ORLANDO MAGIC:&nbsp; Aaron Gordon trade rumors are everywhere, which makes sense because the time to cash in on their seven-year investment is now. They need to get younger and acquire assets to build around Markelle Fultz, Nikola Vucevic and Jonathan Isaac. Their ceiling should not be the kind of first-round exits they have been producing the past two seasons, and they have not won a single playoff series since 2009-10. So, it would be shocking to see them keep Gordon, who is only 25 years old and can bring a lot in return. Gordon is a good guy who needs a change of scenery and deserves one. Same goes for Evan Fournier.
PHILADELPHIA 76ERS: They wanted James Harden and did not get him, and Doc Rivers still somehow kept Ben Simmons committed to the team. That is pretty huge, because players who know they have been shopped usually resent it. They are in first place in the East and have a roster with the proper pieces to match up with Brooklyn. Mike Scott&rsquo;s expiring $5 million deal and the Knicks&rsquo; 2021 second-round pick are Elton Brand&rsquo;s most movable trade assets, but Scott has been playing well lately. Terrence Ferguson, Vincent Poirier and Tony Bradley are on expiring contracts but would bring little in return.
PHOENIX SUNS: Acquiring Chris Paul checked the &ldquo;monster trade&rdquo; box, and the NBA&rsquo;s most overachieving team will likely abide by the &ldquo;If It Ain&rsquo;t Broke, Don&rsquo;t Fix It&rdquo; rule. That being said, if an on-the-ball defender capable of defending LeBron James is out there somewhere, you kick the tires on just about anything that does not include Devin Booker, DeAndre Ayton and Chris Paul. Ariza would seem to be a fit.
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS: Like Dallas, they should be better than their record&hellip; and would be if C.J. McCollum and Jusuf Nurkic had not gotten injured. At full strength, they are going to be a tough out in the postseason. Gary Trent Jr. is on an expiring contract and they may fear losing him, so keep that in mind with these guys. They are sleepers.
SACRAMENTO KINGS: What they can get for Whiteside will be interesting to see, because he was killing it for the Blazers last season. Then, Nurkic returned in the bubble. Whiteside does not exactly have the best reputation around the league, which is why he played in Lebanon and China before resurrecting his career. There are also a lot of Harrison Barnes rumors out there, and like the Magic and Gordon, it may be time for the Kings to cash in on the three-year investment they made in Barnes after acquiring him from Dallas. He makes $22.2 million. Does Nemanja Bjelica have any value? Same question has to be asked of Jabari Parker.
SAN ANTONIO SPURS: The LaMarcus Aldridge era is in its final days, and you have to wonder if the Patty Mills era is, too. Derrick White is signed long-term and Dejounte Murray is damn good. The expiring contracts of Aldridge and Mills add up to $37.2 million, and if you include Rudy Gay&rsquo;s expiring deal that number becomes $51.2 million. They are 20-16, yet, as currently constituted, not good enough to do much in the postseason. R.C. Buford wins the award for the league executive most overdue to make a trade.
TORONTO RAPTORS: The name that is out there now is Kyle Lowry, who has spent nine seasons of his 16-year career playing for the team that now calls Tampa its home. Having lost five in a row and sitting in 11th place in the Leastern Conference, Masai Ujiri must determine whether it is time to turn Lowry&rsquo;s expiring $30.5 million contract into something of value. At 35 years old, Lowry can still play and, percentage wise, is hitting threes, twos and free throws better than he has over the past four seasons. But this would not be a giveaway, and a sign-and-trade in the offseason is still possible.
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UTAH JAZZ: Like Phoenix, the &ldquo;If It Ain&rsquo;t Broke , Don&rsquo;t Dix It&rdquo; rule applies. They are in first place in the West, are making threes better than anybody and have Rudy Gobert finding new and incredible ways to never, ever be mentioned in the MVP debate. None of their nine rotation players is going anywhere, and no one else on the roster has either a big contract or much trade value. Still, someone on the team could be a giveaway because the Jazz are $1.9 million over the luxury tax line. They have already traded five of their next seven second-round picks (they don&rsquo;t have one until 2025).
WASHINGTON WIZARDS: You&rsquo;ve got to feel bad for Tommy Sheppard, one of the best guys and better GMs in the league -- he was able to turn John Wall into Russell Westbrook but then lost Thomas Bryant and had his team put on ice because of COVID issues. They are now playing the busiest second-half schedule of any Eastern Conference team, and they theoretically have a puncher&rsquo;s chance against practically anyone in the conference if Westbrook keeps triple-doubling (he leads the league with 11). But they have lost four in a row and rank 12th. Robin Lopez and his expiring $7.3 million contract is their best trade asset. If they combined Lopez with Ish Smith&rsquo;s expiring contract, that totals $13.3 million.

With one week before the NBA's trade deadline, Chris Sheridan previews what could be in store for all 30 of the league's teams.

What to expect from all 30 NBA teams ahead of the Trade Deadline

Ethan Fuller gauges which NBA teams should be zeroing in on Cade Cunningham.

NBA Sour Rankings: Cade-O-Meter 2.0

Ethan Fuller breaks down the NBA landscape with over half the league hovering close to a .500 record.

NBA Sour Rankings: How to understand the spectrum of mediocrity

Ethan Fuller evaluates the NBA landscape at the quarter mark of the season.

NBA Sour Rankings: Back to the rumor mill

Not long ago, a ruptured Achilles was considered a death sentence for an NBA player&rsquo;s career. 
There was a long list of players who were never the same following their Achilles injury: Elton Brand, Kobe Bryant, Mehmet Okur, Chauncey Billups, Brandon Jennings, Christian Laettner, Jonas Jerebko, Anderson Varejao and so on.&nbsp;
Dominique Wilkins was the lone example of a player who returned and continued producing at a superstar level (as he averaged 29.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.0 steal per game).
That&rsquo;s why the basketball world was devastated when Kevin Durant ruptured his Achilles on basketball&rsquo;s biggest stage during the 2019 NBA Finals. Durant is one of the greatest scorers in NBA history and nobody wanted to see his name added to the list above.
Fortunately, Durant hasn&rsquo;t missed a beat since returning from his Achilles injury. Somehow, in his first nine games back, he looks like the exact same player. The 32-year-old is averaging 30.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, 5.7 assists, 2.9 threes, 1.0 block and .9 steal (while shooting a ridiculous 54.8 percent from the field, 48.3 percent from three and 86.7 percent from the free-throw line).
He's posting career-highs in assists per game, threes per game, field goal percentage, three-point percentage, True Shooting Percentage and assist percentage. His 30.7 points would be the second-highest mark of his career (which says something considering he's a four-time scoring champ). And he&rsquo;s doing this while getting acclimated on the Brooklyn Nets and adjusting to new coaches and teammates.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Just trying to be the best I can each possession and each rep,&rdquo; Durant said recently. &ldquo;I've been always trying to take that approach as a pro, and then you got guys around you who have that same approach and love for the game. It's making me better and hopefully rubbing off on my teammates as well. &rdquo;
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Many fans take Durant's greatness for granted since he has consistently posted jaw-dropping numbers for over a decade and he makes the game look incredibly easy, but it's important to note that we're witnessing something special right now.
Among all players, Durant currently ranks second in points per game (30.7), third in PER (27.9), fourth in Offensive Box Plus/Minus (6.6), fifth in Box Plus/Minus (7.3), eighth in Offensive Win Shares (1.2), ninth in Net Rating (14.7), ninth in True Shooting Percentage (.675), ninth in Value Over Replacement Player (.7) and 13th in Win Shares (1.6).&nbsp;
If Durant is performing this well out of the gate, how will he look once he shakes off the rust and gets used to his new situation?
&ldquo;He continues to find his rhythm,&rdquo; Nets head coach Steve Nash said. &ldquo;He looks great and he&rsquo;s going to continue to feel more and more comfortable.&rdquo;
Nash is confident that Durant can return to his MVP form, but he has repeatedly said that Durant should give himself 15-to-20 games before judging himself and expecting to be back at 100 percent. And after nine games, Nash is revising that timetable a bit,
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s a pleasure to coach him; he&rsquo;s so talented and loves the game,&rdquo; Nash said. &ldquo;Part of the process of him coming back to playing is that it&rsquo;s not going to be smooth off the bat. I said early on [that it&rsquo;ll take] 15-to-20 games and I think that&rsquo;s even... maybe I need to be more conservative with that number, just because it&rsquo;s such a lot thrown at him [during] the climb he&rsquo;s had back here.&rdquo;
When Wilkins came back from his ruptured Achilles, he said the first few games were the toughest.&nbsp;
&ldquo;The thing you keep thinking about is, &lsquo;What if I tear this thing again? What if I hear that pop?&rsquo; You think those sort of things, but you must get those things out of your head,&rdquo; Wilkins <a href="https://hoopshype.com/2019/01/17/nba-rumor-warriors-demarcus-cousins-achilles-dominique-wilkins-kobe/">told me in 2019</a>. &ldquo;You can&rsquo;t even think about that stuff. The moment I realized I was back to being myself came during our training camp. I hit the ground really hard, and I immediately grabbed my ankle. But I didn&rsquo;t feel any pain. That&rsquo;s when I said, &lsquo;You know what? If this thing is going to pop or tear, it&rsquo;s happening on my terms. I&rsquo;m going all out.&rsquo; I just had to think like that to get that [fear] out of my head.
&ldquo;We played two really great teams in a back-to-back when I first returned (the Knicks and Bulls). I had two great games, which did wonders for my confidence. I knew, at that point, &lsquo;Hey, I&rsquo;m back in rare form.&rsquo; That&rsquo;s when I realized, &lsquo;Only you know how tough you are. Nobody else knows.&rsquo; That confidence and toughness helped me get over my fear of hurting myself again.&rdquo;
Durant&rsquo;s monster numbers have to be good for his confidence, and the fact that he&rsquo;s already playing in back-to-backs suggests that he&rsquo;s pain-free and blocking out that fear of re-injury.&nbsp;
Also, Wilkins told me that he stayed motivated by listening to his doubters.
&ldquo;Well, I looked at all of the criticism,&rdquo; Wilkins <a href="https://hoopshype.com/2019/01/17/nba-rumor-warriors-demarcus-cousins-achilles-dominique-wilkins-kobe/">said</a>. &ldquo;I looked at all of the guys who were saying I wouldn&rsquo;t come back. I looked at all of the guys who were saying that if I did come back, I couldn&rsquo;t be that good because I was already 32 years old. I looked at everyone saying my best days were behind me because, at that time, it was a very difficult injury to come back from. 
"I just used it as fuel to prove everyone wrong. I worked twice-a-day, every day, for nine months. I was working hard. My inspiration came from all of those negative articles that talked about how old I was and how difficult it would be to return. I kept all of those articles and I put them on my bathroom mirror, so that I&rsquo;d have to see them every day. That was my inspiration.&rdquo;
Sound familiar?
As if the Nets weren't already under the microscope, all eyes will be on them going forward now that they&rsquo;ve assembled a Big Three of Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving.
Brooklyn is now 7-6, which is the fifth-best record in the East. The Nets currently have the NBA&rsquo;s fourth-best offense (scoring 112.9 points per 100 possessions) and 10th-best defense (allowing 106.5 points per 100 possessions), although this team will look very different following the trade for Harden.
The Nets face the Orlando Magic tonight at 6 p.m. ET and while Irving is out, Harden may make his Brooklyn debut.

Kevin Durant is absolutely dominating in his first nine games back since rupturing his Achilles, writes Alex Kennedy.

Don't take Kevin Durant's greatness for granted

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
We're reacting to the four-team blockbuster trade NOW. Come hang out with me, <a href="https://twitter.com/NekiasNBA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NekiasNBA</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/SpinDavies?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SpinDavies</a>: <a href="https://t.co/7YyyjPCyU3">https://t.co/7YyyjPCyU3</a>
&mdash; Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlexKennedyNBA/status/1349470786281734149?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 13, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Reporting w/ @RamonaShelburne: Brooklyn&rsquo;s acquiring James Harden in a three-way deal with Cleveland. Caris LeVert, Dante Exum, Rodions Kurucs, four 1st round picks &ndash; including Cavs&rsquo; 2022 first via Bucks -- and 4 Nets pick swaps to Rockets. Jarrett Allen, Taurean Prince to Cavs. The Rockets are expanding the deal to send Caris LeVert to the Pacers for Victor Oladipo, sources tell ESPN.
Here is the deal laid out courtesy of Shams Charania.
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Sources: Full current trade: Rockets: Victor Oladipo, Dante Exum, Rodions Kurucs, 3 BKN first-rounders (22, 24, 26), 1 MIL first (22, unprotected), 4 BKN 1st round swaps (21, 23, 25, 27) Nets: James Harden Pacers: Caris LeVert, 2nd-rounder Cavs: Jarrett Allen, Taurean Prince
&mdash; Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1349467665631490050?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 13, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Source: <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1349464741882814466?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Adrian Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne of ESPN</a>
ANALYSIS:&nbsp;The biggest blockbuster trade of the season sends the disgruntled Harden to Brooklyn, where he joins Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant in an imposing "Big Three." But Harden is not the only major piece in the deal. Victor Oladipo had been rumored to want out of Indiana during the offseason, but that noise had quieted as he and the Pacers have gotten off to a strong start this season.
Now Oladipo is the arguable best player in Houston, who also received a treasure trove of draft assets from the Nets. Indiana returns a dynamic scorer in Caris LeVert and a second-round pick. Cleveand also got in on the deal and returned yet another quality big man in Jarrett Allen.
Once the dust settles from this monster deal, the Eastern Conference in particular will be that much more imposing with Harden joining the Nets.

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James Harden is going from Houston to Brooklyn in a blockbuster deal that involves Cleveland and Indiana.

Nets acquire James Harden in four-team deal with Rockets, Pacers, Cavs

Ethan Fuller breaks down the general direction of all 30 NBA teams in his weekly Sour Rankings.

NBA Sour Rankings: New Year, New Problems

Kyrie Irving -- perhaps now the most talked-about voice in NBA media -- broke his public silence on Monday.
The Brooklyn Nets star spoke publicly to reporters for the first time this season after an extended media holdout. In the press conference, Irving addressed his healthy return to the court, his preseason debut with Kevin Durant and tempering the expectations placed on this year's team.&nbsp;
"You can't make up experience, you can't make up time and you can't make up [what it'll take] to get us as a whole championship-collective train right away," Irving said. "We've got to continue to make progress every single day, and craft.
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<div class="p-rich_text_section">"We know the monsters that are getting together [around the league], which I'm excited for. The league's just gonna be that much more exciting. As a competitor, you wanna build your team the best, without anything mattering when it comes to putting that ball through the hoop [in] Game 1-7 of the NBA Finals. This is the beginning of the journey. Use every day to get better." Irving appeared in his first preseason action Sunday night after a shoulder injury prematurely ended his 2019-20 season in February. In just 17 minutes, the dynamic point guard scored 18 points on 7-of-9 shooting in Brooklyn's 119-114 win over the Washington Wizards. After this performance, Irving spoke about his prolonged recovery period.</div>
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"It's not the first time I've had a lengthy injury or been out a long period of time," he said. "I've had to build myself up quite a few times in my career."
The Nets are a revamped squad, and new head coach and former MVP Steve Nash made his coaching debut last night. Irving had nothing but praise for Nash and the job he's done.
"Steve's been amazing," Irving said. "It really is a reflection of the type of person he is and the I.Q. he has for the game. He commands the respect, and it's not just coming in and being a typical rah-rah coach and getting on us. It's just giving us a comfortable space to grow, to communicate, to throw ideas out there. And you got a two-time MVP coaching you."
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And it wasn't just Nash -- Irving dished out credit to the entire Nets' coaching staff, which includes Mike D'Antoni and former All-NBA big man Amar'e Stoudemire.
"They have been able to guide us to come together as men in the locker room, and then be able to communicate with them. And then we mesh well in the locker room," Irving said. "And with Mike D'Antoni in the locker room talking about offense -- I mean, come on now, he's led the league in three-point attempts the last few years with his teams and his offensive style."
The Nets have been involved in plenty of rumors -- particularly surrounding the trade availability of superstar James Harden. Brooklyn is reportedly atop Harden's wish list of preferred destinations. Irving said he and the Nets have tried to limit the outside noise.
"There's no control that we have as players to manage what's being said in terms of rumor mills and what's being reported, so let's just leave it at that," Irving said. "James is a great player, we wish him well, and I just want him to be happy and secure in who he is as a man first. And then as a basketball player, whatever happens between those conversations is between them first."
"But with us," Irving added, "we have to focus on us. I play with so many great players in this league, and we all wanna play with one another. But now we just gotta focus on what's out here on the floor."
Irving and Durant represent one of the best duos in the NBA. After a year-long wait, they plan to show up and show out this season. Irving even tossed out a nickname for the pairing.
"It's a new show," Irving said. "It's a new beginning in terms of building and moving forward with the pieces that we have here, and that includes 7-11. So get to know us."

Kyrie Irving spoke to reporters for the first time after a controversial media absence and he covered a wide range of topics.

Kyrie Irving discusses Coach Nash, Harden rumors, more

Nekias Duncan previews the Southeast Division (the Hawks, Hornets, Heat, Magic and Wizards) ahead of the 2020-21 NBA season.

2020-21 NBA Season Preview: Southeast Division

We enter the new week with much changed and much still the same. With the draft behind us and all of the major free agents either signed or committed, a crazy week in the NBA is now over. 
Training camps are eight days away, and the upcoming week promises to include the finalization of several trades that have been worked on for quite some time -- and perhaps we'll get some clarity from the NBA office on where games are going to be played.
This site <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-considering-playing-regular-season-games-practice-facilities-g-league-arenas-control-costs-pandemic" target="_blank" rel="noopener">has already reported that NBA arenas may be mothballed for a while with teams playing in G-League and practice facilities</a>, but the ever-changing COVID rules from state-to-state make everything day-to-day.&nbsp;
Thanksgiving is four days away, so let&rsquo;s take stock of went down over the past several days in The Association. The 10 things listed below will be worth watching through the entirety of the 2020-21 season:
1. Will Giannis Antetokounmpo sign his supermax deal? 
After the Bucks went down in five games against Miami in the second round of the playoffs, the Greek Freak has been in Milwaukee since draft night working with the front office on which moves the team should consider. The Bucks were not all that good in the bubble, losing five of eight games, and they had dropped three in a row before the season was suspended in March. Wes Mathews, Eric Bledsoe, George Hill and Robin Lopez are gone, but a starting five comprised of Giannis, Jrue Holiday, Khris Middleton, Brook Lopez and someone else (perhaps Donte DiVincenzo) is not all that bad. 
What is worrisome is the lack of bench production that Hill provided, so they have a lot riding on D.J. Augustin, Bobby Portis and whoever else is added as the backup center (currently, they do not have one). It is noteworthy that the Miami Heat, Dallas Mavericks and New York Knicks have kept max cap space available for the 2021-22 offseason. If Giannis does not sign his supermax by the Dec. 21 deadline, all bets are off in terms of him playing his entire career with the Bucks.&nbsp;
2. Gordon Hayward and Bogdan Bogdanovic were free agency&rsquo;s biggest winners. 
Hayward landed a four-year, $128 million contract to join LaMelo Ball and the Charlotte Hornets as Michael Jordan continues his years-long quest to become relevant as an NBA owner. Terry Rozier is coming off the best season of his career, as is Devonte' Graham, and P.J. Washington is clearly a keeper. They still look like a .500 team, but if Hayward is super productive as a featured scorer, that changes. 
Regarding Bogdanovic, folks thought he was nuts when he turned down a chance to join the Bucks and make $60 million over the next four seasons. But he got $12 million more than that with the Atlanta Hawks, who now can field a starting five of Trae Young, Bogdanovic, Danilo Gallinari, John Collins and Clint Capela, with Rajon Rondo leading a second unit that includes Cam Reddish, Kris Dunn and Kevin Huerter. The Hawks will still be good even if Bogdanovic&rsquo;s offer is matched by Sacramento. When was the last time we could say this this team is good?
3. The Lakers are probably going to the NBA Finals again.
Nothing is ever certain in the NBA, as we learned two seasons ago when LeBron James was injured, keeping him out of the NBA Playoffs and Finals for the only time in the past decade. But they now have Montrezl Harrell at center (backed up by Marc Gasol) instead of the JaVale McGee/Dwight Howard duo that split time at the position a year ago, and Avery Bradley and Rajon Rondo have been replaced by Dennis Schroder and Wes Mathews, both of whom should be considered upgrades notwithstanding what Rondo did in the Finals to close out the Miami Heat.
4. The Brooklyn Nets are a monster. 
Those James Harden rumors may have some legs, but Sean Marks would be nuts to bring in a ball-dominant player to use alongside Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant... unless Irving was one of the players going out. As it is, the Nets are stacked with a starting lineup of Irving, Durant, Caris LeVert, Joe Harris and Jarrett Allen, with a second unit that includes Spencer Dinwiddie, Bruce Brown, Landry Shamet, Jeff Green and Taurean Prince. If Steve Nash&rsquo;s team is not performing well by midseason, maybe then is the time to take a harder look at Harden. But for now, these guys are legit 10 deep. If it ain&rsquo;t broke, don&rsquo;t fix it.
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5. It looks like Russell Westbrook is staying in Houston.
He may want out, but teams who watched him in the playoffs saw a player who struggled with his shot and struggled to co-exist with Harden in Mike D&rsquo;Antoni&rsquo;s super small-ball system. Westbrook is on the books for $132 milllion over the next three seasons, and new Rockets general manager Rafael Stone may just be stuck with him until the trade deadline at the very least. There is a saying in the NBA that nothing ages faster than a point guard in his 30s; that may or not apply here -- let&rsquo;s not forget that Westbrook was coming back from coronavirus in the bubble.
6. The Clippers will be OK despite losing Sixth Man of the Year Montrezl Harrell.
That&rsquo;s what happens when you bring in Serge Ibaka, a proven playoff performer who will share time with Ivica Zubac and give the Clippers some maturity at that position, if not the energy that Harrell provided. But first and foremost for coach Ty Lue is getting superstars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George to get over this &ldquo;load management&rdquo; nonsense. When you are getting paid to play basketball, you have to play basketball. Doc Rivers did not stand up to those two superstars and used 33 different starting lineups last season, and in the playoffs the Clippers did not look like they were familiar with each other... because they weren&rsquo;t. Luke Kennard may or may not replace Landry Shamet&rsquo;s shooting, whether it's in the starting five or off the bench. He certainly has had enough time to rest after sitting out most of last season with the Pistons.
7. Is Hassan Whiteside going to find a job? 
He has been the forgotten man in this year&rsquo;s free-agency class after having a dominant regular season pre-bubble, averaging 15.5 points and 13.5 rebounds in his best season in four years. He went to the bench for the first couple games in the postseason, as Jusuf Nurkic was coming off an "All-Bubble" performance. Enes Kanter has been brought in as the backup, and Zach Collins can play that position, too. 3-and-D expert Robert Covington is on the wing and Carmelo Anthony is back, presumably as a scorer off the bench. Gary Trent Jr. is a known commodity, and we shall see what they got in Derrick Jones Jr., who was kept on the bench in the Finals by Miami coach Erik Spolestra (when he should have been out there intentionally fouling LeBron James). Whiteside has a tarnished reputation, which is why he was playing in Lebanon not so long ago. For now, 29 NBA teams seem uninterested. Perhaps that changes in the next day or so, but he will only get mid-level money.
8. Who will be the worst team in the NBA? 
This looks like a toss-up between the New York Knicks and Oklahoma City Thunder.&nbsp; Leon Rose had a good draft in getting A-10 Player of the Year Obi Toppin and SEC Player of the Year Immanuel Quickley, but struck out in free agency and ended up getting Austin Rivers, Alec Burks and Nerlens Noel. And so the rebuild continues, presumably with Antetokounmpo as the target. As for the Thunder, Chris Paul, Danilo Gallinari and Steven Adams are gone, and there are three guys in their 30s &ndash; Al Horford, Trevor Ariza and George Hill -- who may or may not get traded as the season moves along. This team is being built around Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luguentz Dort and all of the future No. 1 picks that Sam Presti is squirreling away, and a final preseason judgment on them cannot be made until Presti is finished dealing.
9. Can Doc Rivers do what Brett Brown could not? 
Daryl Morey had a terrific week in bringing in Seth Curry, Terrance Ferguson and Dwight Howard along with drafting DePaul sleeper Paul Reed, but the true test will come when he and Doc Rivers are in the locker room trying to motivate Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons -- and getting them to run plays correctly. At a certain point, both of those players have to lose some of their immaturity, and it is unclear who on the roster will play the role of locker room leader. J.J. Redick and Robert Covington did that in years past, but they are long gone.
10. How good will the New Orleans Pelicans be? 
Load managing Zion Williamson&rsquo;s bubble minutes was ridiculous, but it was what it was and it helped cost Alvin Gentry his job. New coach Stan Van Gundy is armed with Williamson, Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram (assuming he re-signs), Steven Adams, Eric Bledsoe and an array of young players with potential including Kira Lewis Jr., Jaxson Hayes, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Frank Jackson.

Chris Sheridan lists the NBA storylines that will be worth watching throughout the 2020-21 season.

10 things we did (and didn't) learn in the NBA's past 10 days

The Athletic&rsquo;s Shams Charania <a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1326678884226658311" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dropped a bombshell of a tweet</a> on Wednesday night, reporting that Rockets star Russell Westbrook wants out of Houston.
It&rsquo;s a bizarre and abrupt request on the heels of Big-Mouth-styled changes going on in the organization. Head coach Mike D&rsquo;Antoni is gone, replaced by Stephen Silas. Daryl Morey, the architect of the smaller-than-smallball Rockets, left for bluer pastures in Philadelphia. Westbrook, reportedly frustrated with the direction of the organization and the lack of offensive rhythm, now wants to take his talents elsewhere.
If the Rockets decide to move him, his market will be a tough one to navigate. On one hand, Westbrook remains one of the most talented players in the sport. He can get to the rim when he wants and finish at a high level. There aren&rsquo;t many players who create as many threes or lobs as Westbrook does. He&rsquo;s still a triple-double machine, for whatever that&rsquo;s worth to you.
On the other hand, the lack of off-ball value really hinders his effectiveness in playoff situations. The Lakers flat-out ignored him during their second-round series whenever he didn&rsquo;t have the ball. He also failed to capitalize on advantage situations whenever the Lakers trapped James Harden -- a massive indictment on Westbrook&rsquo;s decision-making in high-leverage spots, though it&rsquo;s fair to note that Westbrook was trying to work himself into playoff shape after dealing with COVID and injuries.
Further complicating matters is Westbrook&rsquo;s age (32) and contract (three years, $132 million left). It&rsquo;s hard for teams to swallow that much money on the back-9 of Westbrook&rsquo;s career. But from a talent perspective, the Rockets will rightfully want a good young piece and more for a guy of Westbrook&rsquo;s status. In order for a deal to work, there will have to be some compromise on both sides.
Let&rsquo;s take a look at several potential suitors.&nbsp;
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Charlotte Hornets
The Hornets are in a weird spot. They&rsquo;re clearly a bad team, but one with some useful vets and intriguing young talent that falls a tier (or two) below &ldquo;blue-chipper&rdquo; status. They&rsquo;re technically in position to land a high-profile youngster in this year&rsquo;s draft, but let&rsquo;s just say the merits of that distinction can be heavily debated.
In short: the Hornets are in position to make a move for a less-than-desirable star if they want to.&nbsp;
For a guy like Westbrook, who is still good enough to raise the floor of a team to playoff-level, and for a team like the Hornets that have little hope in nabbing a big name in free agency, a marriage could make some sense.
Starter Offer: Terry Rozier, Nicolas Batum
There was mild controversy around Rozier&rsquo;s acquisition last summer, though most of that was no fault of his own. The Hornets either failed or flat-out decided not to re-sign franchise cornerstone Kemba Walker, depending on who you talk to. Losing him hurt on and off the floor; losing him then immediately handing Rozier a three-year, $57 million deal&hellip; the optics didn&rsquo;t look great.&nbsp;
To Rozier&rsquo;s credit, he put together a solid season alongside Most Improved candidate Devonte&rsquo; Graham. Rozier averaged 18 points while shooting north of 40 percent from three on nearly seven attempts per contest. He also provided his usual brand of pesky defense at the point of attack. If the jumper proves to be real, he&rsquo;d be an ideal fit next to Harden as a secondary playmaker.
The Batum signing has mostly been a failure. Since signing his five-year, $120 million deal in the summer of 2016, Batum has waved between injuries and inconsistent play. At his best, he&rsquo;s a versatile forward capable of shooting, finishing, operating secondary pick-and-rolls and defending three positions credibly. It&rsquo;s just been difficult for him to put things together for extended stretches.
In Houston, he can enjoy easier looks playing off of the brilliance of Harden. Flanked by defenders like Robert Covington and PJ Tucker, Batum&rsquo;s defensive workload could also be a little lighter. A one-year flier on Batum could be a worthwhile gamble -- and we&rsquo;ve seen Contract-Year Batum before.
Last Ditch Offer: Terry Rozier, Cody Zeller, Malik Monk
If Batum isn&rsquo;t appealing, swapping him out for the Zeller/Monk combo could make things work. That may require the Rockets to throw in another piece -- Ben McLemore? Danuel House? -- depending on how confident the Hornets are in Monk moving forward.
Zeller has dealt with injury woes over the past three seasons, but has proven to be a reliable screener and lob threat when upright. Adding a screen-and-dive big back to Houston&rsquo;s arsenal would be a positive.&nbsp;
The jury remains out on Monk. He&rsquo;s a bucket-getter at his best, able to use a shifty handle and quick trigger to flow into pull-ups whenever he wants. The issue is that his shooting ability is more theoretical at this stage of his career. There&rsquo;s enough raw talent there to argue that a change of scenery would benefit him; maybe providing bench relief for a better team and occasionally playing off of Harden can lead to a mini-breakout.
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Dallas Mavericks
The Luka Doncic-led Mavericks made their return to the postseason behind, statistically, the greatest offense in NBA history. Doncic pick-and-rolled his way into rim forays and stepback jimmies; Kristaps Porzingis pick-and-popped his way into triple after triple. Gunners like Tim Hardaway Jr. and Seth Curry thrived off of the open looks created by the Doncic-Porzingis tango.&nbsp;
The next step for Dallas is finding someone to take some on-ball pressure off of Doncic, which is where a Westbrook deal could make some sense for them. There&rsquo;s rightful concern about Westbrook&rsquo;s value and/or inactivity without the ball in his hands, as well as how Westbrook&rsquo;s contract could affect their eventual pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo in 2021. The counter there is that Dallas shouldn&rsquo;t get in an all-out bidding war for Westbrook&rsquo;s services. Beyond that, Westbrook could likely be moved again next offseason, with a year less on his contract at that point, if they received word that Giannis was interested in joining.
First and Final Offer: Tim Hardaway Jr., Delon Wright, Dwight Powell
Hardaway Jr. is coming off his most efficient season as a pro, posting career highs in three-point percentage (39.8) and True Shooting percentage (58.1). With new head coach Stephen Silas looking to add more variety to Houston&rsquo;s offensive attack, having an off-ball mover like Hardaway Jr. could make them more dangerous in the half-court.
Wright had a smaller role than anticipated in his first year in Dallas, only starting five games and averaging a shade under 22 minutes a night. Still, he provided solid perimeter defense across multiple positions, and showcased some improved craft in pick-and-roll.&nbsp;
Wright pick-and-rolls (including passes) generated a little over 1.08 points per possession, per Synergy. Wright can slot in nicely alongside Harden or help anchor the second unit with Eric Gordon. There would be enough size for Houston to go with three-guard lineups with any three of Harden, Hardaway Jr., Gordon, or Wright if the situation called for it.
Powell is one of the more underrated bench bigs in the league, an elite roll option in ball screens and solid positional defender. There may be some hesitancy in taking on the remainder of his contract, especially with him coming off an Achilles injury, but I think it&rsquo;s fair to say that his deal is an easier pill to swallow than Westbrook&rsquo;s.&nbsp;
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Indiana Pacers
The Pacers are in the suburbs of purgatory: good enough to not only make the playoffs, but to host a playoff series, but not good enough to make legitimate noise in the postseason. There is no capital-s star, though Domantas Sabonis comes the closest. The player that did occupy that role has dealt with injuries and is set to hit unrestricted free agency next summer. This may be the time for the Pacers to make a swing that could vault them into the next tier.
Starter Offer: Victor Oladipo, Jeremy Lamb, Goga Bitadze
Any offer from the Pacers would likely start with Oladipo, a recently-oft-injured-but-talented guard that may be <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-trade-rumors-possible-destinations-victor-oladipo-indiana-pacers">on his way out</a>. He may not be able to be the focal point of an offense at this point, but still has the driving and spot-up shooting skills necessary to operate as a secondary option. That, combined with his still-rugged perimeter defense, makes him an ideal fit next to Harden.
Lamb is a silky two-dribble attacker that can beat rotating defenses with pull-ups or tough finishes at the rim. He&rsquo;s also an active defender, if not an especially good one.&nbsp;
Goga Bitadze is an intriguing big prospect that didn&rsquo;t see much daylight last season. The former Serbian League MVP has enough shooting touch to feast off pick-and-pops, and he built a reputation overseas as a stout rim protector and shot blocker. The Pacers may not want to part with him, especially if the smoke around Myles Turner being on the block is true. If they&rsquo;re willing to move Bitadze, though, he&rsquo;d have a clear-cut path to playing time in Houston.
Last Ditch Offer: Myles Turner, Victor Oladipo, TJ Leaf
Turner is a good, albeit frustrating player. In theory, he&rsquo;s the type of 3-and-D center you want. Silky jumper that he launches into the freaking sun before it kisses through the net; a ridiculous rim protector that can swat shots from just about anywhere; enough of a handle and straight-line speed to pump-and-go against overeager defenders. Turner just hasn&rsquo;t managed to put it all together. That reality, combined with the emergency of Sabonis as the team&rsquo;s best player, and the presence of Bitadze makes a Turner move a more realistic outcome.
Leaf would be filler in a move like this. The shooting ability he flashed at UCLA hasn&rsquo;t really translated on the NBA level, and that&rsquo;s made it difficult for him to carve out consistent playing time to this point of his career.
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Los Angeles Clippers
The clock is definitely ticking in Los Angeles.
Fresh off of an embarrassing playoff collapse, the Clippers now find themselves in a dangerous spot. Their title window is wide open for next season -- having Kawhi Leonard and Paul George as your top two will do that -- but both players have the ability to hit free agency in 2021. It would be an outright disaster if even one of them leaves considering the capital it took to bring them in last offseason. Changes are needed, and fast.
Starter Offer: Montrezl Harrell (S&amp;T), Patrick Beverley, Lou Williams
Making the money work in a deal like this is tough without including Leonard or George. It is possible, though, by utilizing a sign-and-trade with Montrezl Harrell, last year&rsquo;s Sixth Man of the Year. TradeNBA&rsquo;s trade machine allows you to give players custom contracts. I gave Harrell a 3-year, $57 million deal -- quick hat tip to this <a href="https://www.dangerc.art/contract-structures">NBA contract generator</a> -- to make things work.
(Also, can I just say that it&rsquo;s ridiculous that the Clippers had two players as finalists for the Sixth Man award? By definition, one of Harrell or Lou Williams had to be the seventh man, which would eliminate them from contention. Come on, man. The math just ain&rsquo;t mathin&rsquo;.)
Beverley remains one of the most annoying players in the league to dribble against. He&rsquo;s also turned himself into one heck of a shooter, draining 39.3 percent of his threes over the past five seasons.
Williams is a multi-time Sixth Man of the Year award winner, a slithery pick-and-roll guard that wins with a variety of shoulder, head and pump fakes. There&rsquo;s obvious regular-season value with him, though he&rsquo;s never really put it together in the postseason.&nbsp;
Last Ditch Offer: Paul George
Ideally, if the Clippers are going to make a move for Westbrook, it&rsquo;ll be to create a Big 3 with him, Leonard and George.&nbsp;
The Hail Mary here would be to flip George, who reportedly <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/disappointment-frustration-lack-of-chemistry-portrait-of-the-clippers-collapse-172338674.html">played a role</a> in the Clippers&rsquo; ruffled locker room last season. His playoff struggles have been a little overblown -- people have really lost sight of what he was able to do in Indiana, and an argument can be made that he was OKC&rsquo;s best playoff performer during his stretch there -- but they can&rsquo;t completely be ignored.&nbsp;
If the Clippers prioritize the playmaking and rim pressure that Westbrook -- and they might, considering Leonard reportedly <a href="https://nba.nbcsports.com/2020/10/19/report-kawhi-leonard-wants-clippers-to-add-point-guard/">wants some help</a> in that regard -- there&rsquo;s room for a swap. That may require the Rockets to toss in an extra piece like House, but it&rsquo;s easy to see the on-court benefit from both sides.&nbsp;
Westbrook could help push the pace, create lob opportunities for Ivica Zubac, and take some of the creation burden off of Leonard. George can flow off of pindowns and attack bent defenses in Houston, or float around the perimeter to create driving lanes for Harden, Gordon and others.

Nekias Duncan breaks down four possible trade destinations for Russell Westbrook since the former MVP reportedly wants out of Houston.

Breaking down possible trade destinations for Russell Westbrook

Nekias Duncan breaks down the Denver Nuggets' offense and what the Los Angeles Lakers must do defensively to beat them.

Scouting Report: How the Lakers can stop the Nuggets

In today's NBA, there's a ton of player movement and the rumor mill is always churning. Last July, we saw Kawhi Leonard, Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis, Paul George, Russell Westbrook, Kyrie Irving, Kemba Walker, Jimmy Butler, Chris Paul, D'Angelo Russell, Mike Conley and Al Horford (among others) change teams over the course of 23 days.&nbsp;
Which NBA star will be traded next? We asked a number of NBA writers/analysts to weigh in:
Victor Oladipo: &ldquo;This is a tough one. My first thought was to go with either Joel Embiid or Ben Simmons, but I think the Sixers will see if they can find a coach who can make it work before they split that pair. So, in that case, I'll go with Victor Oladipo. The Pacers kind of got used to life without him for a few months and it wasn't all that bad. With the sides unable to reach an agreement on an extension before this season, and his free agency approaching in 2021, Oladipo looks like the most getable star who&rsquo;s available for teams (cough, Miami) seeking another piece to push them forward.&rdquo;
-&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/MrMichaelLee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Michael Lee</a>, <a href="https://theathletic.com/author/michael-lee/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Athletic</a>
Victor Oladipo: "The Indiana Pacers are in a difficult position, not dissimilar to where the San Antonio Spurs and New Orleans Pelicans found themselves with Kawhi Leonard and Anthony Davis, respectively. They have an All-Star who can opt out of his deal after the coming season, potentially leaving as a free agent. The Pacers are heavily invested in players like Malcolm Brogdon, Domantas Sabonis and Myles Turner. They're not likely to spend into the luxury tax and since Oladipo is a significant flight risk, they need to look to get the best value they can in return before he leaves them high and dry. That Oladipo can scare off other suitors with the threat of free agency is a potential problem the Pacers may need to navigate through." -&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/EricPincus" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Eric Pincus</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://bleacherreport.com/users/7951339-eric-pincus" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bleacher Report</a>
Victor Oladipo: "There&rsquo;s been way too much smoke with Victor Oladipo to think he&rsquo;ll finish his tenure in Indiana. The will-he-won&rsquo;t-he element of his bubble involvement was odd to say the least. Once you add in all of his connections to Miami -- he&rsquo;s a part-owner of a gym there, he rehabbed there and he is pretty close with Heat legend Dwyane Wade -- it&rsquo;s not hard to put two and two together and get four."
-&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/NekiasNBA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nekias Duncan</a>,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.basketballnews.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BasketballNews.com</a>
Jrue Holiday: &ldquo;This is a tough call, as no one star seems likely to be traded this offseason. Jrue Holiday seems the most likely to me if he and New Orleans can't agree on an extension, since he can be a free agent in the summer of 2021 and he's older than New Orleans' core players.&rdquo;
-&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/NateDuncanNBA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nate Duncan</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/duncd-on-basketball-nba-podcast/id986901174" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dunc&rsquo;d On Podcast</a>
<img src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/Beal5_lg.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="AUTO" />
Bradley Beal: "Beal's name has been surfacing in trade rumors for quite some time, although the reports died down a bit since he signed a two-year, $72 million extension with Washington in October of 2019. However, coming off of a monster year in which he averaged career-highs in points (30.5), assists (6.1) and threes (3.0), Beal&rsquo;s trade value has increased. At 27 years old, Beal is several years older than the Wizards&rsquo; young core, which consists of Troy Brown Jr. (21 years old), Rui Hachimura (22), Thomas Bryant (23) and Moritz Wagner (23) among others. It&rsquo;s possible that Washington will keep Beal and hope that John Wall&rsquo;s return could lead to a playoff berth next year. However, many teams will be calling about Beal and Washington may decide to deal him for more young players and draft picks (especially if they get off to a slow start in 2020-21).&rdquo;
- <a href="https://twitter.com/AlexKennedyNBA">Alex Kennedy</a>, <a href="BasketballNews.com">BasketballNews.com</a>
Bradley Beal: &ldquo;Of course, everyone seems to think that Bradley Beal will be the next star player who gets traded. For his sake, I hope so. He&rsquo;s too good to waste his career losing big in Washington.&rdquo;
- <a href="https://twitter.com/Chris_Broussard">Chris Broussard</a>, <a href="https://foxsportsradio.iheart.com/featured/the-odd-couple-with-chris-broussard-rob-parker/">Fox Sports</a>
Chris Paul: &ldquo;Devin Booker and Bradley Beal would both be attractive choices here for obvious reasons, but neither has been reported to be anything but committed to their team. Plus, in the case of Booker, there's excitement about continuing to build in Phoenix with the obvious culture change that's transpired. I'll caveat this by saying that the trades that usually happen are the ones we don't see coming. We were all floored by Russell Westbrook being traded to Houston, just as nobody foresaw Kawhi Leonard landing in Toronto, Kyrie Irving heading to Boston or Jimmy Butler ending up in Philadelphia. Call me crazy, but I think Chris Paul is a good trade candidate, despite the Thunder far surpassing all preseason expectations. Despite overachieving, the Thunder are a team fixated on their future, and Sam Presti has always been proactive with respect to moving out players if there are doubts about their long-term future with the team. Kevin Durant is the obvious exception, and I think he's too smart to let something like that happen again. Truth is, the Thunder probably would've dealt Paul this past season if he wasn't regarded by the rest of the league as damaged goods. He's proven everyone wrong and his value probably won't get any higher. Dennis Schroder is just 26 years old and the progression of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander could make moving Paul the right choice if OKC can get some value (see: draft capital) in return.&rdquo;
-&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/MokeHamilton" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Moke Hamilton</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://theathletic.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Athletic</a>
C.J. McCollum: &ldquo;Star player movements can be hard to predict, but I'm going to go with C.J. McCollum. The Blazers' bubble run has been impressive and if they are all healthy, they are clearly a better team than their eighth-place finish suggests. However, an exit in round one might still necessitate a change. Damian Lillard is a bonafide star who has stuck it out in Portland and, at 30 years old, the clock may already be ticking. If the Blazers are going to give him a chance to win a championship, it has to happen right now, which means shipping off McCollum for someone who's a better fit alongside Lillard has to be on the table.&rdquo;
-&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/Trevor_Lane" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trevor Lane</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://lakersnation.com/author/trevor-lane/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lakers Nation</a>
LaMarcus Aldridge: &ldquo;I think the next star player who will be traded is LaMarcus Aldridge. San Antonio missed the playoffs for the first time since 1997. Aldridge, 35, could be a missing frontcourt piece for a contender. DeMar DeRozan will likely exercise his $27.7 million player option for next season. If he doesn't, it will hasten a full rebuild in San Antonio. With Aldridge going into the final year of his contract at $24 million, trading him for assets now is the prudent decision if he won't be a part of San Antonio&rsquo;s long-term future. The Spurs can compete for one of the final playoff spots in the West if they keep Aldridge, but the upside is limited beyond that.&rdquo;
-&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/MikeAScotto" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Michael Scotto</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://hoopshype.com/author/michaelascotto/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HoopsHype</a>&nbsp;

Which star player will be traded next? BasketballNews.com asked a number of top NBA writers/analysts to weigh in.

Roundtable: Which star will be traded next?

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

Sabrina Ionescu channeled her inner &lsquo;mamba mentality&rsquo; to wrestle away Game 3 of the 2024 WNBA Finals from the hands of the Minnesota Lynx, 80-77, on Wednesday night at the Target Center.&nbsp;
With just under 15 seconds left in the game, Ionescu pulled up from 30 feet to drain a tough stepback three point shot to give the New York Liberty the improbable win on the road. The Liberty went up 2-1 in their series against the Lynx, winning back-to-back games after losing Game 1 in New York.&nbsp;
Ionescu finished with 13 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists with two huge threes coming in the dying minutes of the 4th quarter. The recently-minted All-WNBA second teamer scored the final 6 points for the Liberty, hitting on a separate three to put New York up by 4 before her incredible game winner.&nbsp;
Minnesota tied the ball game at 77-all after Bridget Carleton&rsquo;s tough layup and Napheesa Collier&rsquo;s two free throws and it set up Ionescu&rsquo;s game winner at the top of the key.
Breanna Stewart led the Liberty with a monster game of her own, racking up 30 points and 11 rebounds as New York moved one win away from the 2024 WNBA title.
Collier led the Lynx with 20 points and 9 rebounds as she played all 40 minutes in the game. Game 4 will still be at Minnesota on Friday night.

Sabrina Ionescu channeled her inner ‘mamba mentality’ to wrestle away Game 3 of the 2024 WNBA Finals from the Minnesota Lynx.

Sabrina Ionescu shoots down Lynx to bring Liberty to one win away from WNBA title

Serbia needed to pull off the biggest comeback in Olympic history to book their ticket to the semifinals of the Paris 2024 Olympics as they took down a pesky Australia Boomers squad 95-90 at the Bercy Arena in Paris, France.&nbsp;
Despite a monstrous game from ageless wonder Patty Mills, Serbia managed to come back from 24 points down in the 2nd quarter behind a huge second half showing. Three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic was at the forefront of it all by taking over the game down the stretch on both ends of the floor to seal the come from behind victory.&nbsp;
Australia led the game 44-20 in the second quarter behind the hot shooting hands of Mills, who then scored 18 big points in the first half. However, the Serbians displayed their toughness and resiliency as they slowly chipped away at the lead. They finally took the lead in the 3rd quarter, 65-64, but Australia answered the call and the game went back and forth from there. Both teams were trading baskets in the 4th quarter and it looked like a win for Serbia at the end, but Patty Mills made another clutch play for the Boomers as he hit a tough, stepback mid range jumper over the outstretched arms of Jokic to send the game into overtime.&nbsp;
However, a crucial call near the end of the 4th quarter saw Jock Landale foul out of the game, and it hurt Australia badly in extra time. Serbia immediately went to Jokic in OT, feeding him the ball every time &ndash; and he delivered. Jokic scored on a hook shot then followed it up with a post fade away the next possession to give Serbia a 3-point lead. Jokic then made a huge defensive play on the other end to effectively end the game and give Serbia the win.&nbsp;
Jokic had 21 points, 14 rebounds, and 9 assists in yet another near triple-double performance while Bogdan Bogdanovic added 17 points to lead the Serbians. They will now move on to the semifinals where they will face the winner of the USA-Brazil matchup.
Mills ended up with 26 points in a tough losing effort for Australia as they failed to reach the medal rounds this time after winning bronze in Tokyo 2020. Josh Giddey, a rising NBA star, scored 25 of his own to lead Australia.

Serbia needed to pull off the biggest comeback in Olympic history to book their ticket to the semifinals of the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Serbia completes biggest comeback in Olympics history to stun Australia

Sacramento Kings head coach Mike Brown has netted a new 3-year deal with the team that will take him through the 2026-2027 season, <a href="https://x.com/wojespn/status/1796751924261224904">ESPN&rsquo;s Adrian Wojnarowski reports.</a>
Brown, 54, led Sacramento to the playoffs for the first time in 16 years two years ago and won 46 games and a Play-In game this season. He now gets a $4.5 million raise annually and an additional two seasons of $8.5 million per year.
The 2022-2023 NBA Coach of the Year and the Kings were determined to discuss a new deal after the franchise&rsquo;s recent success over the past two years. After ending a 16-year playoff drought, the Kings took then-defending champions Golden State Warriors to 7 games before eventually losing.&nbsp;
The Kings are looking to build off those two winning seasons to improve the team even more and contend with Brown at the helm. They are currently bannered by all-stars De&rsquo;Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis with young talents like Keegan Murray also in the fold.
After Brown, Sacramento will also have another big decision to make this offseason as 6th man of the year finalist Malik Monk enters free agency.&nbsp;

Sacramento Kings head coach Mike Brown has netted a new 3-year deal with the team that will take him through the 2026-2027 season.

Mike Brown inks 3-year extension with Kings

Minnesota Timberwolves&rsquo; center/forward Naz Reid took home the 2023-2024 Kia NBA Sixth Man of the Year, the league announced Wednesday night.
Reid, 24, won the award by the closest of margins over the Sacramento Kings&rsquo; Malik Monk. Reid finished with a total of 352 points with 45 1st place votes (equivalent to five points), 39 2nd place votes (three points), and 10 3rd place votes (one point). Monk had 43 1st place votes and had the same 2nd and 3rd place votes, making up 342 total points and just 10 points shy of Reid.
Reid becomes the 1st Timberwolf ever to win the award and the third undrafted player in history, joining John Starks in 1996 and Darrell Armstrong in 1998.&nbsp; Reid averaged 13.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.3 assists for the 56-26 Minnesota, which finished third overall in the West.
The 6-foot-10 big guy who moves like a guard and has guard-like skills has set career highs in points and rebounds per game this season. Reid also made 169 total three-pointers in the season exceeding his total from the previous two seasons combined (132), shooting a career-high 41.4% from three-point range.
During a 13-game stretch this season when the Timberwolves went 10-3 from March 16-April 10, Reid started 12 of the 13 games for an injured Karl-Anthony Towns, averaging 17.1 points on 45.4% shooting, including 41.4% from deep, 7.2 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game. His 17.1 points per game during that stretch were the second-most PPG for the Wolves (Anthony Edwards, 25.4 ppg).

Minnesota Timberwolves’ Naz Reid took home the 2023-2024 Kia NBA Sixth Man of the Year, the league announced Wednesday night.

Naz Reid takes home 2023-2024 Kia NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award

On Sunday night, the NBA announced the finalists for its 2023-2024 NBA Awards. Each award featured three finalists from different teams that were eligible to win. These awards are expected to be handed out at some point during the playoffs.
Check out the full list here:
Kia NBA Clutch Player of the Year
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">DeMar DeRozan, Chicago Bulls</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder</li>
</ul>
Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Rudy Gobert, Minnesota Timberwolves</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs</li>
</ul>
Kia NBA Most Improved Player&nbsp;
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Alperen Sengun, Houston Rockets</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Coby White, Chicago Bulls</li>
</ul>
Kia NBA Rookie of the Year
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Chet Holmgren, Oklahoma City Thunder</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Brandon Miller, Charlotte Hornets</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs</li>
</ul>
Kia NBA Sixth Man of the Year
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Malik Monk, Sacramento Kings</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Bobby Portis Jr., Milwaukee Bucks</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Naz Reid, Minnesota Timberwolves</li>
</ul>
Kia NBA Coach of the Year
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Mark Daigneault, Oklahoma City Thunder</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Chris Finch, Minnesota Timberwolves</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Jamahl Mosley, Orlando Magic</li>
</ul>
Kia NBA Most Valuable Player
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets</li>
</ul>
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LOOK: The complete list of 2023-24 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBA</a> awards finalists... 👀 Any thoughts? 🤔 (📸 <a href="https://twitter.com/NBAPR?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NBAPR</a>) <a href="https://t.co/Exx5nZAYft">pic.twitter.com/Exx5nZAYft</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1782180951801626825?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2024</a></blockquote>

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On Sunday night, the NBA announced the finalists for its 2023-2024 NBA Awards.

NBA announces finalists for 2023-2024 NBA Awards

Views are the author&rsquo;s and do not necessarily reflect the views of the website.
The 2023-2024 NBA season has wrapped up and the race for the league&rsquo;s annual awards has officially ended. Here&rsquo;s a look at my picks of the NBA's award winners.
Most Improved Player: Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers
(Runner-ups: Coby White, Jalen Johnson)
Notes: In the end, Tyrese Maxey takes the award with the amount of burden and responsibility in a Philadelphia team reeling from the loss of James Harden to become a true No. 2 option behind reigning MVP Joel Embiid. White improved a lot this year, increasing his averages both numbers and his shooting percentages. Johnson, like White, has also increased his usage and averages by a lot, featuring as the third option behind DeJounte Murray and Trae Young, or even as the second option without one of those two. A jumbo playmaking forward, Johnson showed improvements in his playmaking as well as his ability to score and had increased numbers in shooting as well. Ultimately, Maxey wins this award out because he was a guy who increased his usage and his role while playing most of the season without Embiid.
Sixth Man of the Year: Naz Reid, Minnesota Timberwolves
(Runner-ups: Malik Monk, Bobby Portis)
Notes: Naz Reid has been the best player off the bench this season with the way he has been an offensive spark plug for the Timberwolves this season. He&rsquo;s had a phenomenal season, and he had to start and fill in for Karl-Anthony Towns when he went down while still being an efficient scorer as he is. If you factor in all the stuff for these awards, you could actually make a case for Monk, for Portis, maybe even guys like Norman Powell for the Clippers and Bogdan Bogdanovic for the Hawks. But with Minnesota going 56-26 and having the second most wins in franchise history &ndash; ultimately ending up atop the three best teams in the West, this gives a little bit of boost to Naz Reid due to his importance to the team.
Defensive Player of the Year: Rudy Gobert, Minnesota Timberwolves
(Runner-ups: Victor Wembanyama, Anthony Davis; Honorable mention: Bam Adebayo)
Notes: One of the hardest awards to figure out. Minnesota had the best defense in the league for a reason, and based on that Rudy Gobert would be a deserving winner of the award. When he&rsquo;s off the floor, the team does not perform defensively the way it does when Gobert is on the floor. This was hard because Wembanyama had a legitimate case, being the generational defender that he was. Davis also had a strong case with how he carried single-handedly the Lakers&rsquo; defense, while Adebayo had the immense burden of playing all the defensive schemes in Miami. Ultimately, it ended up with Gobert with the way he lifted a good defensive team to the best in the league, manning that paint and being that anchor that holds all of the pieces together.
All-Defensive Team:
1st Team - Rudy Gobert, Victor Wembanyama, Anthony Davis, Bam Adebayo, Herb Jones
2nd Team - Derrick White, Jalen Suggs, Jaden McDaniels, Alex Caruso, Jonathan Isaac
Notes: Starting this year, the NBA&rsquo;s All-NBA teams and defensive teams were positionless so I had to cheat a little bit here, putting 4 bigs in the 1st team. Gobert, Wembanyama, Davis, and Adebayo are no-brainers considering their defensive impact for each of their teams, while Jones takes the last spot in the 1st team for his ability to disrupt offenses as well as guarding each team&rsquo;s best player night in and night out for the Pelicans.&nbsp;
The second team features White (most blocks for a guard), Suggs and Isaac (best defensive players for the 4th best defense in the league, helping to lead the Magic back to the playoffs), McDaniels (best wing defender for the best defense in the league), and the perennial all-defense player Caruso who brings it in defensively every game.
Rookie of the Year: Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs
(Runner-up: Chet Holmgren)
Notes: Despite Holmgren having far and away the better team success, there&rsquo;s no denying Wembanyama&rsquo;s greatness in his rookie year. The French phenom has transcended the game both figuratively and on the eye test &ndash; he is simply a generational talent who is going to take over the league soon. Holmgren got off to a hot start in the first two months of the season but since January, Wembanyama has locked up the award for himself with out-of-the-world numbers for a rookie. He was dubbed as the best prospect since LeBron James and now he is well on his way to being one of the greatest of all time if he remains healthy after a historic rookie season.
All-Rookie Team:
1st Team - Victor Wembanyama, Chet Holmgren, Brandon Miller, Jaime Jaquez Jr., GG Jackson
2nd Team - Ausar Thompson, Amen Thompson, Keyonte George, Brandin Podziemski, Trayce Jackson-Davis
Notes: There were several names to choose from here, and it felt hard to cut some of them here. Jordan Hawkins of the Pelicans has had a good start to the year when the team had all those injuries paving the way for him to play early into the season but has seen the bench since as NOLA got healthier and players came back; Cason Wallace had such a good shooting year off the bench for the No.1 seeded Thunder despite shooting being labeled by scouts as his biggest weakness coming into the NBA; Dereck Lively II being center that Luka Doncic needed and fit well with by catching all those lobs and helping the Mavs&rsquo; defense this season big time; No.2 overall pick Scoot Henderson had a good close to his rookie year.
All in all, these 10 rookies have felt like the best rookies in terms of production, opportunity, and narratives surrounding them. Of course, Wembanyama and Holmgren are automatic locks; Miller has been the best player in Charlotte without LaMelo Ball and Mark Williams; Jaquez is a vital piece off the bench for Erik Spoelstra&rsquo;s playoff-bound Heat team; and GG Jackson becoming a legit NBA scorer despite being the youngest player in the league to round out the first team.
The Thompson twins have just been defensive monsters ever since stepping foot in the league; George playing point guard at Utah has turned some heads and he has stepped up with the opportunity given to him; while Podziemski and Jackson-Davis have arguably been rotational pieces to the Warriors despite being rookies and has contributed a lot to them finding a way to fit in a complex team.
Coach of the Year: Mark Daigneault, Oklahoma City Thunder
(Runner-ups: Chris Finch, Jamahl Mosley)
Notes: There have been so many good coaches this season that have elevated their teams to good records, say Ime Udoka of the Houston Rockets and Tom Thibodeau from the New York Knicks. But my Coach of the Year pick goes to Mark Daigneault of the OKC Thunder because this award tends to favor the expectations set for a team before the start of the season. The Thunder weren&rsquo;t supposed to be this good this season, but Daigneault catapulted them into one of the best teams not just in the West but the entire NBA. The evidence is written on the wall: No.1 in the West despite being the second youngest team in the league; having a top 5 ranking on both offense and defense and no.2 overall net rating. Finch and Mosley take the runner-up spots with the work they had to lift both the Timberwolves and the Magic to being top 4 seeds in their conferences as well as having top-rated defenses in the league.
Clutch Player of the Year: Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
(Runner-ups: DeMar DeRozan, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander)
Notes: Another tough and close race, but ultimately it goes to Curry. Despite the Warriors&rsquo; so-so record, Curry had the most clutch time points, shot 50% from the field, and 46% from three in clutch time. Curry had the most threes than anyone in crunch time &ndash; being just the incredible clutch-time performer that he is &ndash; and always been.
All-NBA Team:
1st Team - Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jayson Tatum
2nd Team - Jalen Brunson, Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis, Anthony Edwards, LeBron James
3rd Team - Stephen Curry, Domantas Sabonis, Kawhi Leonard, Devin Booker, Tyrese Haliburton
Notes: With Jalen Brunson carrying the Knicks to a second seed in the East playing without Julius Randle since January, it was incredibly hard to leave him off the 1st team. However, by the slightest of margins, I gave the nod to Tatum for being the best player on the best team in the league by a wide margin.
All the other picks were pretty explanatory, with the top 4 in the MVP race in Jokic, Doncic, SGA, and Giannis all expected to be first-teamers. The second team kind of got tougher besides Brunson, with legends Durant and James making the list because of the seasons they had leading their team as well as playing their most regular season game in years. Rounding out the second team were Edwards and Davis, two stars with the biggest impacts on their teams in the tough Western Conference.
The third team is actually a toss-up with a lot of good cases from the league all around, but ultimately I went with Curry, Sabonis, Leonard, Booker, and Haliburton.
Most Valuable Player: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander&nbsp;
(Runners-up: Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic; Honorable mention: Giannis Antetokounmpo)
Perhaps the closest race out of all the awards, all three players here are each deserving with their narratives and the numbers that support each of their cases. You can never go wrong picking one over the other, so it came down to personal opinion on who I thought had the strongest case this season. His case?
-Leading the second youngest team in the league to No.1 in the West
-3-1 series vs Denver
-3-1 series vs Dallas
-First player since Steph and MJ to average 30/5/5 in a season with 2+ steals
-Second in defensive net rating for guards
One could make the argument for Nikola Jokic being the best player in the world having better numbers than his two MVP seasons while Luka Doncic had one of the best seasons statistically in all facets of the game, but there&rsquo;s no denying SGA&rsquo;s strong case as well given the expectations for this young Thunder team.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is my MVP.

The 2023-2024 NBA season has wrapped up and the race for the league’s annual awards has officially ended.

OPINION: Picking the 2023-2024 NBA Awards winners

Let the world be warned: &lsquo;The Avengers&rsquo; are coming.
USA Basketball has officially unveiled its roster featuring several NBA superstars and this generation&rsquo;s best basketball players in preparation for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The 12 players to be part of the exclusive list include:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">LeBron James</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Stephen Curry</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Kevin Durant</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Kawhi Leonard</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Joel Embiid</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Jayson Tatum</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Devin Booker</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Jrue Holiday</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Anthony Davis</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Bam Adebayo</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Anthony Edwards&nbsp;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Tyrese Haliburton</li>
</ul>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The Stars Align in the City of Light. 🇺🇸 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/USABMNT?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#USABMNT</a> <a href="https://t.co/RV1tIGoxXa">pic.twitter.com/RV1tIGoxXa</a>
&mdash; USA Basketball (@usabasketball) <a href="https://twitter.com/usabasketball/status/1780604665505149074?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 17, 2024</a>
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</blockquote>
Barring any unforeseen circumstances or injuries, these 12 men will be flying to Paris in July. Team USA officials headed by managing director Grant Hill have reportedly notified those players who have been selected (and those who have not) from the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/usa-basketball-announces-player-pool-for-team-usas-2024-mens-national-team">original 41-man pool</a> revealed earlier this year. Those selected have been visited by USAB officials to be presented with &lsquo;special Team USA Olympic jerseys.&rsquo;
Team USA is set to defend again its Olympic gold medal in men&rsquo;s basketball after winning it for the past 4 iterations of the quadrennial event.&nbsp;
Leading the team are James, Curry, and Durant, who are arguably the game&rsquo;s biggest stars over the past decade or so.
James will play in his 4th Olympics after winning bronze in Athens 2004 and gold in Beijing 2008 and London 2012. Curry, a winner of two FIBA World Cup medals in the past, will be playing in his 1st Olympics. Durant, the Americans&rsquo; all-time leading scorer, is looking for his 4th Olympic gold medal (won in 2012, 2016, and 2020) to break a tie with Carmelo Anthony (won in 2008, 2012, and 2016) for the most ever.
Supplementing its three-headed monster are Tatum, Booker, and Holiday &ndash; members of the gold medal-winning squad in Tokyo 2021. Reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid and two-time NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard, who have never played in any international competition in their careers, will each be making their debuts in Paris.
Previous Olympic gold medal winners Davis and Adebayo add additional size to the roster while Edwards and Haliburton, who emerged as USA&rsquo;s best players in the World Cup last year, round out the team.
Coaching this vaunted USA roster is Curry&rsquo;s NBA coach Steve Kerr, who also coached Team USA in the World Cup.&nbsp;

USA Basketball announces its official roster for the 2024 Paris Olympics featuring the best the NBA has to offer.

‘Here come the Avengers’: USA Basketball announces roster for 2024 Paris Olympics

The Sacramento Kings have been dealt a significant blow with the NBA playoffs around the corner.
After being virtually healthy all of last season, the Kings were unfortunately bit by the injury bug this year, as they will likely be without key guards Malik Monk and Kevin Huerter due to injuries, according to separate reports by The Athletic&rsquo;s Shams Charania.
A Sixth-Man-of-the-Year candidate and a dynamic scorer off the bench for the Kings, Monk is feared to have a sprained MCL in his right knee and will undergo further testing to determine the severity of the injury.&nbsp;
The 6-foot-3 Monk has been vital for Sacramento, providing a huge scoring boost off the bench, averaging 15.4 points and 5.4 assists per game.
Huerter, the Kings&rsquo; starting shooting guard, will reportedly undergo surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder. Kings coach Mike Brown wouldn't rule out Huerter for the entirety of the playoffs, but he will miss the rest of the regular season. Huerter may be able to return if the Kings make a deep playoff run.
The 6-foot-7 Huerter is essential for a lot of the Kings&rsquo; offensive actions, oftentimes a recipient of dribble handoff actions from star center Domantas Sabonis and providing spacing and shooting for Sacramento&rsquo;s offense.
Expected to step up in Monk and Huerter&rsquo;s absences is Keon Ellis, a 3-and-D guard who's capable of hitting the open three while playing suffocating defense against opposing guards.&nbsp;
Backup point guard Davion Mitchell would likely see his minutes increase as well, and he might see the floor with star point guard De'Aaron Fox as the Kings fill in the holes left by Monk and Huerter.
Sacramento is in the midst of a tight Western Conference playoff race. They are currently 42-31, which is the eighth-best record in the West. They sit just four games behind the fourth-seed Los Angeles Clippers, while only having a four-game lead over the 11th-place Houston Rockets.

The Sacramento Kings’ push for the playoffs this season has taken a significant blow.

Sacramento Kings lose Malik Monk, Kevin Huerter to injury

The Philadelphia 76ers were aiming to &ldquo;bounce back,&rdquo; according to coach Nick Nurse, from Thursday's disappointing loss to the New York Knicks, and they did just that against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday.
"A lot of length, a lot of size, they got really good defense to protect the rim. I think both guards can hurt you in a lot of ways,&rdquo; Nurse said of the Cavaliers&rsquo; roster prior to the matchup.
There were an abundance of Knicks fans in Wells Fargo Center on Thursday, but the arena was packed full of Philadelphia supporters on Friday evening. The Sixers won the tip-off, wasting no time to get the crowd on their feet. Forward Kelly Oubre Jr. delivered a monster slam dunk on the opening possession over Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen. The star of the show for Philadelphia, Tyrese Maxey, kicked off his night with a stepback three-pointer. The opening quarter was highlighted by the late efforts of guard Cameron Payne, who grabbed an offensive rebound for a layup and drained a corner shot from the arc to level the score at 25 after one.
The second quarter began with Tobias Harris struggling, with multiple missed shots inside the paint within the first three minutes. However, Payne picked up for the slack on offense, with points from all three levels. Maxey operated the pick-and-roll game with forward K.J. Martin masterfully, which led to a clear lane for Martin to score. The efforts of Allen and guard Isaac Okoro kept Cleveland within reach until halftime, when the Sixers led by three points.
Payne led the 76ers in scoring at the half with 13 points, while star guard Darius Garland led the Cavs with 12 points.&nbsp;
The Cavaliers were refreshed coming out of the break as Okoro found the basket for two, followed by a drive-and-score from forward Max Strus. Maxey refused to let the Cavs take over, responding with multiple contested shots of his own. Harris was able to find a rhythm at the midway point of the quarter, draining a three-pointer and a set of free throws. Triples from sharpshooter Buddy Hield and Oubre increased their lead to 11 points. Late energy from big man Evan Mobley and Strus kept the Cavaliers competitive, with a score of 74-70 entering the final 12 minutes.
The final quarter began with an electric acrobatic finish from guard De&rsquo;Anthony Melton, followed by a fluent mid-range shot from center Paul Reed. Interior defense was a glaring issue for the Sixers throughout the night, with Allen taking full advantage. The night couldn&rsquo;t end before Maxey created a multitude of looks for himself down the stretch, which resulted in a 24-point outing. It was a back-and-forth battle until the final buzzer, but ultimately the 76ers prevailed. Despite the comeback attempt from Cleveland, a deep-range three-pointer from Hield was the dagger, resulting in the 104-97 victory.
The Sixers are facing off against the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday evening, where Patrick Beverley makes his return and Payne takes on his former team.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s turnt. It&rsquo;s turnt. Let&rsquo;s get it,&rdquo; Payne told Basketball News postgame when asked about playing against the Bucks.

Tyrese Maxey led the Philadelphia 76ers to a win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night.

Monstrous fourth quarter from Tyrese Maxey carries Sixers past Cavs

LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers survived Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors in double overtime, 145-144, on Saturday night in a frantic finish to the NBA's Rivals Week.
In what turned out to be an all-time classic game, James and Curry went head-to-head just like old times, pouring in clutch basket after clutch basket in the fourth quarter and both overtime periods.&nbsp;
Curry hit a booming triple at the top of the key to give the Warriors the 144-143 lead with six seconds to play. James got fouled on a drive on the Lakers' possession and swished two clutch free throws to take back the lead, 145-144. Curry had one last shot to save the Warriors, but his 68-foot heave did not find the bottom of the net.
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&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1751473405671706965?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 28, 2024</a></blockquote>

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James had a monster game, finishing with a triple-double of 36 points, 20 rebounds and 12 assists. He becomes the oldest player to have a 30-point triple-double and the oldest player with a 30-20 game. Even at 39 years old, he continues to top himself, as his 20 rebounds were a career-best.
Curry, for his part, had 46 points, 7 assists and 3 rebounds in 43 minutes in the losing effort, as the Warriors suffered their second-straight heartbreaking loss (after losing to the Sacramento Kings by one point two nights ago).

LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers survived Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors in double overtime, 145-144.

LeBron James, Lakers outlast Steph Curry, Warriors in Rivals Week showdown

Two nights ago, the Phoenix Suns did something they have failed to do all season long &ndash; close out a game and win in the fourth quarter in a thrilling comeback victory over the Sacramento Kings.
The Suns, who already lost nine games this season in fourth quarters, are dead last in fourth-quarter scoring at just 24.6 points per game. They are also getting outscored by 3.2 points &ndash; worst in the league.
Phoenix tends to shrink when they are pressured in tense moments despite having talented, all-world scorers in Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal. This shouldn't be happening to an aspiring championship team &ndash; it is downright uncharacteristic and unacceptable.
Tuesday night&rsquo;s game against the Kings looked like it was heading toward another inexcusable loss in the fourth, as the Kings led by 18 points, 112-94, with 5:56 to go.
The Suns have been longing to fix their fourth-quarter woes, but to no avail, as a combination of injuries, bad rotations and lackluster effort on defense have held back the team.
So, how did the Suns come back and get the win? By going on a 32-8 run to end the game.
With the Suns down 109-89 in an important game against their division rivals, Durant blocked a Malik Monk floater off a pick-and-roll, passed it out and found Chimezie Metu leaking out for an easy transition layup. The next possession, Josh Okogie made an extraordinary play that fueled the Suns&rsquo; furious comeback. On an island vs. Monk, Okogie stayed with him after a crossover and hustled back to block a floater, and it led to a wide-open transition trey by Grayson Allen that cut the lead to 17.&nbsp;
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/wqqk7c?quality=highest" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
From that point on, players started doubling down on defense &ndash; chasing blocks instead of standing around and getting beat on defense. Even Booker and Beal, who aren't known for their defense, were fighting over screens and running back in transition with a concerted effort.
Over the next five minutes, the Suns scored 25 points to the Kings' 4 with the following series of buckets:
Beal driving layup.&nbsp;
Allen three.&nbsp;
Durant dunk.&nbsp;
Durant three.&nbsp;
Beal dunk.&nbsp;
Durant three.
Gordon three.&nbsp;
Gordon three.&nbsp;
Durant makes 2 free throws.
Durant makes 2 free throws.
By the end of the fourth quarter, the Suns outscored the Kings 35-21. Phoenix had finally exorcised their fourth-quarter demons.
The Big Three of Durant, Booker and Beal are finding their groove and offensively, their potential is off the charts. But their effort on defense is what will allow them to contend for a championship.
The Suns followed up that win over Sacramento with another impressive effort, blowing out the New Orleans Pelicans (who have surged to fifth place in the Western Conference). 
Booker had a spectacular performance, dropping 52 points to pull the Suns closer in the standings. Phoenix currently holds the No. 8 seed in the West with a 23-18 record, but are now right behind Sacramento (23-18, seventh), Dallas (24-18, sixth) and New Orleans (25-18, fifth), as all four teams are now tied in the loss column.
Over the next few games, the Suns will go up against the Mavericks before going on a road trip out East. This stretch of games could be crucial down the road considering how close the standings are as of now.
 Their best basketball is still ahead of them, and perhaps this will go down as the turning point of their season.

The Suns finally exorcised their fourth-quarter demons in their recent win over the Kings. Could it be a turning point of their season?

Is this the turning point of the Phoenix Suns' up-and-down season?

After trading OG Anunoby and acquiring youngsters RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley, the Toronto Raptors seem poised for a rebuild.
This recent trade with the New York Knicks begs the question: Is All-Star Pascal Siakam the league&rsquo;s most desired player as the Feb. 8 trade deadline approaches?
With Toronto likely looking to jumpstart their rebuild, the 29-year-old does not fit the timeline of their other high-value players, including Scottie Barnes (22 years old) and Barrett (23 years old). Barnes is averaging career-highs in nearly every major statistic, and he's the Raptors' second-leading scorer behind Siakam. Barrett has not lived up to expectations as a former No. 3 overall pick, but he has proven himself as a solid scorer, averaging 18.2 points on 42.3% shooting. The Raptors are entering 2024 with a lineup that's built to compete in the coming years rather than this season.
Many organizations believe they have a cast strong enough to compete for a championship or, at the very least, a playoff berth. There are very few sellers this season, and the lack of teams interested in parting ways with their key contributors further enhances Siakam&rsquo;s value. With so few impact players on the market, many front offices around the NBA could view Siakam as their missing piece.
There is an argument for stars such as Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen or Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro being the most sought-after player, but neither has the newfound availability of Siakam. Also, it seems unlikely that either of those players will be traded, whereas a Siakam deals seems more likely, especially since he'll be an unrestricted free agent after this season.
<a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/39209777/knicks-acquiring-raptors-og-anunoby-trade-sources-say" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ESPN&rsquo;s Adrian Wojnarowski</a> reports that "Toronto is expected to continue to explore trades involving forward Pascal Siakam." While he points out that "there are no deals with traction now," that's likely to change as the trade deadline gets closer.
Siakam is a two-time All-NBA forward who's averaging 21.9 points, 6.6 rebounds and 5.2 assists on 51.2% shooting. Teams seeking a player to stretch the floor should consider looking elsewhere, as Siakam is shooting 26.1% from three-point range through 32 games. He's an offensive engine who has the ability to create his own shot, with just 58.1% of his points being assisted. For comparison, reigning MVP Joel Embiid is assisted on 56.8% of his makes.
Two of the strongest contenders for Siakam are the Philadelphia 76ers and Sacramento Kings.
Philadelphia could benefit from a third scoring option alongside Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. The Sixers' tandem is averaging a combined 61.3 points. The 76ers sit as the No. 3 seed in the East, trailing the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks.
Forward Tobias Harris provides solid contributions, but lacks the offensive skill-set of Siakam. Harris would likely act as the center of Philadelphia&rsquo;s offer. The 31-year-old is averaging 17.3 points and 6.1 rebounds on 51.3% shooting. It's no secret that Daryl Morey has been pursuing a third star ever since trading James Harden to the Los Angeles Clippers.
Meanwhile, the Kings currently hold the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference. If they add a third star to the exhilarating duo of De&rsquo;Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis, Sacramento could elevate further up the standings. The organization has a multitude of valuable assets, including Keegan Murray, Kevin Huerter, Davion Mitchell and Malik Monk. 
However, it remains to be seen whether Sacramento is willing to part with these pieces and push their chips to the middle of the table. Murray is averaging 15.5 points per game in his sophomore season, while Monk and Huerter provide solid scoring and shooting from beyond the arc.
While the 76ers and Kings make sense as landing spots for Siakam, plenty of teams will likely call about the forward in the coming weeks. Don't be surprised if there's a bidding war for Siakam's services.

After trading OG Anunoby, the Raptors could look to move All-Star Pascal Siakam, who will be highly coveted in the coming weeks.

Is Pascal Siakam the NBA's most sought-after player?

The Detroit Pistons have done it: They have won a basketball game.
For the first time since October 28, the Pistons earned a victory after surviving a gritty game against the Toronto Raptors, 129-127.&nbsp;
Detroit avoided monumental infamy by finally snapping a 28-game losing skid, which was tied for the worst losing spell in NBA history.
The Pistons were in a losing streak, yes, but it wasn&rsquo;t like they were getting blown out of the gym from the get go; they were competitive throughout games until they faltered at the end. Their past six games have been decided by just 10 points or less, and it was only a matter of time before they could break through.&nbsp;
Detroit coach Monty Williams said prior to the game that the Pistons have been knocking on that door for victory &mdash; they just needed to find a way to finally blow it open &mdash; and they did last night.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve been in a ton of locker rooms... That&rsquo;s a first for me&hellip; Guys were screaming. I was almost in tears,&rdquo; Williams said after celebrating in the locker room.&nbsp;
It took a dominant game from Cade Cunningham, who had 30 points, 12 assists and 0 turnovers, to ultimately put the Pistons over the top. He became only the third player this season with the same numbers, joining Nikola Jokic and Tyrese Haliburton. Cunningham also became the first Piston to have a 30-10 game without a turnover since Chauncey Billups in 2008.
&ldquo;Tough times brought us together even more..." Cunningham said. "It's still early. [Monty] just got here. I'm still young in the league, it's only gonna continue to grow."
The 22-year-old is glad that the nightmare is over, but stressed there is still a lot of basketball left to be played.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I think moments like that are important to know how to win games," Cunningham said. "I&rsquo;m just happy to be a part of a group of guys that don&rsquo;t quit, stay positive and uplift each other.&rdquo;
Center Jalen Duren backed Cunningham up with 18 points and 17 rebounds as the Pistons had six players in double digits.&nbsp;
In the end, Detroit&rsquo;s 33 bench points (Toronto had 12) and eight-rebound edge (41 against Toronto&rsquo;s 33) was enough to propel them to victory.
What&rsquo;s Next For The Pistons?
With the monkey now off their backs, Detroit hopes to build off this win and head in the right direction.&nbsp;
The next thing they probably want to do is avoid the worst single-season record of all-time (82 games), which is held by the 1973 Philadelphia 76ers (9-73) and the worst single-season win percentage, which is held by the 2012 Charlotte Bobcats (.106).
Despite all the losing, Detroit has young stars who have played well during these dark days. Cunningham, who was the No. 1 overall pick in 2021, is playing like an All-Star &mdash; averaging 23.5 points and 7.3 assists.&nbsp;
His pick-and-roll partner Duren is also blossoming into one of the top young big men in the league. Duren&rsquo;s chemistry with Cunningham is gradually maturing and will only get better as the seasons go on.&nbsp;
Already imposing physically at just 20 years old, Duren has also shown he lives for tough moments after confidently sinking two pressure-packed free throws late in the fourth &mdash; which is rare for a big man.&nbsp;
And rookie Ausar Thompson, even after recently slowing down following Bojan Bogdanovic&rsquo;s return from injury, has shown that he has All-Star potential after going on a tear to start the year.
Combine that with assets to make moves and a players' coach in Monty Williams, the Pistons hope to be in a position to turn it around.

For the first time since October 28, the Detroit Pistons earned a victory, snapping their 28-game losing streak.

Pistons beat Raptors to snap NBA-record 28-game losing streak

The championship match-up of the NBA's inaugural In-Season Tournament is set! This Saturday at 8:30 p.m. ET, the Los Angeles Lakers will face off against the Indiana Pacers at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The winner will receive the NBA Cup and a $500,000 prize for every player on the roster.
The Lakers advanced to the championship by blowing out the New Orleans Pelicans, 133-89, on Thursday night. LeBron James finished with 30 points, 8 assists, 5 rebounds, 4 threes and 0 turnovers on 75.0/100/100 shooting splits. Anthony Davis (16 points, 15 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 blocks and 2 steals) and Austin Reaves (17 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds and 3 threes) also stepped up for Los Angeles.
The Pacers beat the Milwaukee Bucks, 128-119, behind another monster performance from Tyrese Haliburton. The superstar point guard finished with 27 points, 15 assists, 7 rebounds, 3 threes and 0 turnovers, while Myles Turner chipped in 26 points, 10 rebounds, 3 blocks, 2 assists and 2 threes.
The Lakers currently have the fourth-best record (14-9) in the Western Conference. L.A. boasts the NBA's ninth-best defense (allowing 108.8 points per 100 possessions) and 23rd-ranked offense (scoring 109 points per 100 possessions).
The Pacers currently have the fifth-best record (12-8) in the Eastern Conference. Indiana boasts the NBA's top-ranked offense (scoring 119.6 points per 100 possessions), but they rank 28th on the defensive end (allowing 117.5 points per 100 possessions).&nbsp;
Los Angeles and Indiana are both undefeated (6-0) in the In-Season Tournament to this point. The championship game will air on ABC and ESPN Radio starting at 8:30 p.m. ET.

The Lakers and Pacers will square off in the championship of the NBA's inaugural In-Season Tournament.

Lakers, Pacers set to battle in NBA In-Season Tournament Championship

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

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

NBA Roundtable: How do you define Most Valuable Player?

Watching from the hallway,&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/DoingItDodson/status/1717370045167198267" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://twitter.com/DoingItDodson/status/1717370045167198267&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1698516889209000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3jZoBngDtk4kH95MIfVfP8">&ldquo;Happy with it, not satisfied with it&rdquo;,</a>&nbsp;was overheard as the New Orleans Pelicans marched away from the FedEx Forum with a victory over the Memphis Grizzlies.
The divisional rivals were both missing key pieces but Zion Williamson finished off the hosts with 12-straight points to close out the Game 1 win. New Orleans head coach Willie Green admitted there were some frustrating moments but &ldquo;it is easier to teach off of a win than a loss.&rdquo;
The postgame locker room message ended with Coach&rsquo;s understated, &ldquo;81 more to go.&rdquo; Everything wasn't going to come together all at once for a team trying to shed unflattering narratives from the last few seasons.
&ldquo;The biggest discussion that we'll have is it&rsquo;s going to be hard," Green said. "We should expect that night-in and night-out. The NBA is going to be hard, and teams aren't going to let us just come down and execute. We have to be the team that's more forceful, and we did that tonight.&rdquo;
Memphis might have been missing Stephen Adams and Ja Morant, but New Orleans has dealt with those issues for years. No one shows mercy in the NBA and the Pelicans' Big Three did their job. C.J. McCollum poured in 24 points, Zion added 23, and Brandon Ingram&rsquo;s 19 points made 66 points from the team&rsquo;s stars. It took Williamson a while to get going, scoring only 7 first-half points on two made shots, but the highlight dunk at the end of the second quarter might&rsquo;ve awakened a monster season.
&ldquo;It helped,&rdquo; Williamson admitted, &ldquo;For me, I think it's going to be a few games, just getting that in-game flow back. No matter how much I train, workout, play pickup, it&rsquo;s nothing like a real NBA game. [I] give Jaren [Jackson Jr.] his respect. I think it actually worked out for me, just playing against the Defensive Player of the Year in the first game and just kind of feeling out how he&rsquo;s going to jump for shots, how certain teams will try to guard me. The second half was more so just kind of feeling the game.&rdquo;
Ingram needed 18 shots to notch 19 points but McCollum was &ldquo;elite,&rdquo; according to Green. McCollum felt Williamson &ldquo;settled in and got more comfortable as the game went on. Kind of felt out the defense and obviously how they were, how they were calling the game, and you got to get more aggressive. We did a better job of getting the ball in spots where he&rsquo;d be successful, and he finished plays and did what he does.&rdquo;
&ldquo;A couple of times we got ahead of ourselves to turn the ball over and things of that nature," added McCollum. "I just have to make sure I keep us settled, but I can score the ball. I can get to certain spots, and I'll continue to develop and get better as we play together more. I think that'll be helpful for all of us, the spacing, play calling, when to make the pass and when to cut. All of those things we'll continue to get better at, but I like the steps that we made from Sept. 28 to now."
There are still a lot of wrinkles to work out with this roster. Overlooked addition turned Twitter-trending star enjoying his first postgame podium Matt Ryan shared, &ldquo;There really hasn't been much time to get acclimated with everybody off the court. I flew in Monday morning to New Orleans and tonight is Wednesday, so I've been with the team for... this is like the third day I've been with the team. They kind of knew who I was. Everybody at this point knows what I'm looking to do out there, and again I just got to thank the front office and coaches for giving me this chance.&rdquo;
I asked Coach Green if there was anything they could take away from Opening Night that had long-term value. He replied, &ldquo;The biggest clarity that we have is that we want to be a mentally tough team. We did that tonight. Coming on their floor and carving out a win with different lineups. Throwing zones at them, switching one through five... all the things that we've been working on in practice. It was great to see us come to somebody's home floor and have toughness, execution and communication and to do it with joy.&rdquo;
There are always frustrations during the NBA's first 10-game feeling-out process. Next up is Josh Hart&rsquo;s return with the New York Knicks. A 2-0 start while showing the same resiliency would go a long way in the effort to win back skeptical fans.
&ldquo;Look at the teams that win the championship; they&rsquo;re consistent with the small things on a day-to-day basis," Williamson said, echoing Green. "So, if we can get to a championship level, with the small things, I think we got a good chance.&rdquo;

The New Orleans Pelicans marched away from the FedEx Forum with a victory over the Memphis Grizzlies.

Pelicans play through frustrations in opening-night win vs. Grizzlies

When San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich chose to rest four starters during a nationally televised game back in 2012, he likely didn't think much of it.
Little did he know, this decision to sit Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Danny Green would go on to create a massive ripple effect, with the NBA creating rules about resting players and terms like "load management" entering the lexicon.
At the time, NBA commissioner David Stern fined Popovich and the Spurs $250,000 and said this decision was "a disservice to the league and our fans."
Nearly 12 years later, the NBA is still trying to combat this issue, implementing a new Player Participation Policy in order to prevent teams from resting their best players.
This new policy could conceivably be named the Coach Popovich Rule, but it&rsquo;s not. The NBA&rsquo;s Player Participation Policy specifically governs how teams are allowed to rest their stars. Current NBA commissioner Adam Silver put a very fan-friendly spin on the new rule.
&ldquo;This is ultimately about the fans,&rdquo; Silver recently told reporters following two days of Board of Governors meetings in New York. &ldquo;And that we&rsquo;ve taken this [load management] too far. This is an acknowledgement that it has gotten away from us a bit.&rdquo;
The league&rsquo;s perceived intention seems fair: reverse the load-management trend, which has seen a rise in star players voluntarily missing games &ndash; an admittedly bigger problem now than in the recent past. During the 2022-23 season, the average games played by the league's top-10 scorers was 65 games per player. Comparatively, the average games played by the top-10 scorers in 2012-13 was 75 games!
Ultimately, this move will benefit the fans, but was this really done with the fans&rsquo; interests in mind? By limiting how often stars rest, the NBA&rsquo;s on-court product will inevitably be more compelling. While that's good for fans, it's also good for the NBA itself (but more on that in a moment). Stars sitting out nationally televised games was never a good look, so putting an end to that trend is important.
But digging a bit deeper, I believe it becomes clear that this move is more about business than fan satisfaction. Let's consider, for a moment, that the league&rsquo;s current broadcast rights deal expires following the 2024-25 season. The current TV deal is worth a total of $24 billion over 10 years. The NBA hopes to double &ndash; or even triple &ndash; that number in its next deal, according to <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/03/22/nba-is-next-up-for-a-big-rights-increase-and-75-billion-is-the-price.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jabari Young of CNBC</a>. It is entirely possible that the league is looking to demonstrate increased value for its bidders, which will likely include the usual suspects like Turner Sports and ESPN as well as streamers like Amazon and Apple.
For what it&rsquo;s worth, Apple recently inked a deal with Major League Baseball, paying $85 million annually to air Friday Night Baseball games over the next seven years. Meanwhile, Amazon reached an agreement with the NFL to pay $1 billion annually for 10 years for exclusive rights to Thursday Night Football games. The NBA is trying to entice these same companies to bid for their broadcast rights.
It's important to note that the Player Participation Policy isn't the league&rsquo;s first attempt to improve its televised product. The NBA also recently announced its <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-announces-details-for-inaugural-inseason-tournament-&amp;sa=D&amp;source=docs&amp;ust=1695515248097037&amp;usg=AOvVaw0mEzpohBfg-49Qyl7iKxR6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">inaugural in-season tournament</a>, conveniently beginning this season, which is likely to be marketed differently and, therefore, viewed more regularly. Furthermore, the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, which was ratified in April 2023, dictates that players must participate in at least 65 games to qualify for in-season awards. In total, these are major changes in order to ensure that the NBA's best players are suiting up more often than not.
This could ultimately be a win-win for the league and its fans. Players will probably need more convincing. But if the league plans to continue with an 82-game season &ndash; which it should &ndash; star players must lead the way, meaning they need to be front and center as often as possible. Rest is, of course, an important part of the process, which is likely to be an area of frustration for star players. But the medical advancements, health-oriented amenities and teams of on-staff trainers should ultimately translate to more games played for modern players &ndash; not fewer.
And considering how aggressively maximum salaries have increased, stars will understand. In 2012-13, the highest salary in the NBA was $30.5 million (Kobe Bryant). In 2022-23, it was up more than 50% to $48 million (Stephen Curry). By 2026-27, the highest salary will be at least $63 million (Damian Lillard). Of course, a big reason for these monster salaries is the NBA's TV money. This was never more apparent than during the summer of 2016, when the NBA's new broadcasting deal caused the salary cap to spike and teams went on a spending spree (handing out massive contracts that some would quickly regret).
But for the league&rsquo;s TV partners to also benefit monetarily, star players must be available as often as possible as a means of driving interest &ndash; especially since more and more fans are pledging their allegiance to stars rather than teams. The league clearly understands this fact. Just look at how the NBA structures its Christmas Day games, which are normally among the most-viewed games of the season. Last year, we saw LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Jayson Tatum, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Doncic, Devin Booker and Ja Morant, who represent seven of the top-10 players in jersey sales.&nbsp;We also saw Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic, the two finalists for 2022-23 NBA MVP award.
Like most major changes, the new Player Participation Policy will inevitably ruffle feathers, especially among some players. But it should also improve the NBA&rsquo;s viewership numbers and result in more competitive games. There will probably be some bumps along the way, but fans will benefit as much as anyone. I only wish the league would have referenced the TV deal in announcing the rule as a means of transparency. But regardless of whether the league, owners and players get richer, it&rsquo;ll be refreshing to see stars more frequently &ndash; and that&rsquo;s probably the point.

The NBA introduced rules to combat load management just as their TV deal is set to expire. That's no coincidence, writes Drew Maresca.

NBA’s new Player Participation Policy may lead to even larger TV deal

Luka Doncic has been the best player during the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup, and he's been doing it on one leg.
Doncic has been battling a leg injury since the second half of the 2022-23 NBA season and when asked about the injury, Doncic said it's "not okay," per <a href="https://www.si.com/nba/mavericks/news/dallas-mavs-luka-doncic-reveals-no-sleep-heavy-legs-slovenia-fiba-world-cup-injury" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sports Illustrated</a>.
"I do not know what to say," Doncic said. "It's not okay. At the same time, I have to prepare for one more game, and then for a whole season in the NBA."
Doncic has been incredible throughout the World Cup, becoming the first player with 200+ points, 50+ rebounds and 40+ assists in a single World Cup over the last 30 years. Through eight games, he averaged 27 points, 7.1 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 2.5 steals per game.
Even though Slovenia had no chance of winning a medal, he decided to continue playing and led the team to a seventh-place finish.&nbsp;
"There was no question at all [I would continue playing]," Doncic <a href="https://www.si.com/nba/mavericks/news/dallas-mavs-luka-doncic-reveals-no-sleep-heavy-legs-slovenia-fiba-world-cup-injury" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. "As I have said many times, whenever I can, I will play for the national team. There is no question for me. The crowd here is cheering for us, so the atmosphere is really great."
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Luka Doncic came two dimes short of the World Cup's first-ever triple double to power Slovenia's win over Italy and earn TCL Player of the Game honors 👏 📊 29 PTS | 10 REB | 8 AST | 3 STL | 32 EFF<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FIBAWC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FIBAWC</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WinForSlovenia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WinForSlovenia</a> 🇸🇮 | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/InspireGreatness?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#InspireGreatness</a> <a href="https://t.co/8ScQNdTdsl">pic.twitter.com/8ScQNdTdsl</a>
&mdash; FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 🏆 (@FIBAWC) <a href="https://twitter.com/FIBAWC/status/1700467670507024593?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 9, 2023</a></blockquote>

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When asked about staying motivated even though Slovenia couldn't win a medal, Doncic replied: "It shouldn't be difficult. It's the World Cup after all. We made it to the top-eight. I don't see why that would be difficult. Playing basketball is already a great motivation for me, especially for the national team."
Doncic could have pulled out of the World Cup to recover, but representing his country on a big stage is clearly important to him.&nbsp;
It remains to be seen if Doncic's leg will continue to bother him as he suits up with the Dallas Mavericks throughout the 2023-24 NBA season.
Doncic is coming off a monster season with Dallas in which he averaged 32.4 points, 8.6 rebounds, 8.0 assists, 2.8 threes and 1.4 steals, while shooting 49.6% from the field, 34.2% from three-point range and 74.2% from the free-throw line.
However, the Mavericks struggled as a team, finishing the year with a 38-44 record (11th-best in the Western Conference), causing Dallas to miss the play-in tournament. Now, with a full season of the Doncic and Kyrie Irving one-two punch, a return to the postseason is expected.
Doncic will have about three weeks to rest before the Mavs' training camp gets underway.

Luka Doncic has been the best player during the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup, and he's been doing it on one leg.

Luka Doncic says leg injury is 'not okay,' but he played through it

The 2023-24 NBA season gets underway next month, with another highly anticipated year of basketball on the forecast. 
The NBA also happens to be one of the few sports where the offseason is just as exciting thanks to player movement and the soap-opera-esque storylines that can emerge. This can make it easy for fans to quickly move on from the previous season. 
However, each season deserves recognition, and last year was no exception. From historic accomplishments to jaw-dropping plays, there were a number of unforgettable moments worth discussing from the 2022-23 season.
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De'Aaron Fox drains the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TissotBuzzerBeater?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TissotBuzzerBeater</a> for the win from BEYOND! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ThisIsYourTime?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ThisIsYourTime</a> <a href="https://t.co/BwYotIU2cA">pic.twitter.com/BwYotIU2cA</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1589042762686795777?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2022</a></blockquote>
5. De&rsquo;Aaron Fox Hits Unreal Buzzer Beater
Last season saw the revival of the Sacramento Kings. Finishing as the third seed in the Western Conference, they clinched their first postseason berth in 16 seasons. Leading this resurgence was De&rsquo;Aaron Fox, who averaged 25 points per game on a career-best 51.2% from the field.&nbsp;
What really stood out about Fox's season was his play during clutch situations. He consistently showed up late, averaging 8.3 points in the fourth quarter &ndash; the second-best mark in the league behind only Kyrie Irving (9.8). Ending the season, he led the league in clutch points (194) and was recognized as the NBA's first-ever Clutch Player of the Year.
Fox had some incredible moments en route to winning the inaugural award. In November of last year, the Kings were involved in a tight contest with the Orlando Magic. Tied at 123-123 in overtime, Fox brought the ball up the court and drained a three-pointer from nearly half-court with no time left on the clock to stun the hometown fans in Orlando.&nbsp;
Fox and the Kings certainly made their mark on the league and will look to carry that momentum into the 2023-24 season.&nbsp;
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Steph Gonna STEPHHHHH <a href="https://t.co/6R3Q7z1vro">pic.twitter.com/6R3Q7z1vro</a>
&mdash; Golden State Warriors (@warriors) <a href="https://twitter.com/warriors/status/1616246949006528512?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 20, 2023</a></blockquote>
4. Steph Curry Shows Off Against Former Finals Foe
Golden State Warriors superstar Steph Curry is familiar with long-distance threes. The NBA&rsquo;s all-time leader in three-point field goals utilizes his deep range often, making him dangerous at the end of quarters.&nbsp;
Curry notoriously takes shots from near half-court and beyond when quarters are coming to a close, and he doesn&rsquo;t shy away from showing his excitement when they go down. The one he hit in January of this year against the Boston Celtics had to feel good. It was the first time that Curry had been back in TD Garden since Game 6 of the 2022 NBA Finals, where he clinched his fourth NBA championship and earned first NBA Finals MVP award.
The last thing Boston needed is another reminder of Curry burying their hopes for a league-best 18th championship, but the sharpshooter did so in quite the fashion. Curry stripped Celtics forward Jayson Tatum just past half-court and attempted his patented logo three, sending the ball through the net as the first-half buzzer sounded.&nbsp;
Curry is heading into his 15th NBA season and has yet to show signs of slowing down, leaving the four-time champion looking to add even more unforgettable moments to his resume.&nbsp;
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OH MY GOODNESS JA MORANT 😱 DUNK OF THE YEAR CANDIDATE <a href="https://t.co/OQsyR28lKj">pic.twitter.com/OQsyR28lKj</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1614439270994919424?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 15, 2023</a></blockquote>

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3. Morant&rsquo;s Ja-Dropping Dunk
The NBA is constantly evolving, and these days the league features arguably the most talented and athletic players of any era. Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant may be one of the best example of this, as the 6-foot-3 point guard has made a habit of posterizing taller players almost nightly. Morant makes an effort to try these nasty dunks over significantly larger defenders, keeping fans on the edge of their seat anytime he enters the paint.&nbsp;
Morant pulled off arguably his greatest dunk to date earlier this year. Facing the Indiana Pacers on the road back in January, the high-flying Morant would split a double-team and throw down a monster slam over forward Jalen Smith.&nbsp;
Unfortunately, Morant's multiple firearm-related incidents off the court will keep him off the court for some time, as he was suspended for the first 25 games of the 2023-24 season by NBA commissioner Adam Silver. After the suspension, hopefully a refocused Morant will add more posters to his collection.&nbsp;
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UNREAL ENDING IN DALLAS 😱 LUKA (54 PTS) PUTS IN HIS OWN REBOUND TO TIE IT UP WITH 1 SECOND LEFT WE'RE GOING TO OT AFTER A 12-3 MAVS RUN IN THE LAST 30 SECONDS 📲 <a href="https://t.co/WjxYAo1gl0">https://t.co/WjxYAo1gl0</a> <a href="https://t.co/LKpwGgNbGU">pic.twitter.com/LKpwGgNbGU</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1607948900731883523?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 28, 2022</a></blockquote>
2. Luka Doncic Hits Game-Tying Shot During Historic Performance&nbsp;
While the Dallas Mavericks had a forgettable 2022-23 season in terms of team performance, Luka Doncic certainly had his fair share of impressive moments. Doncic has already racked up a career&rsquo;s worth of highlights in just five seasons in the NBA. The 24-year-old has a very unique style of play, and the term "Luka Magic" was coined to describe his highlight-reel plays.
Magic was most definitely in the air on the night of December 27, 2022. Doncic and the Mavericks were taking on the New York Knicks. With 33.2 seconds remaining in the game, the Knicks held a nine-point lead over the Mavericks. According to ESPN Stats and Info, teams were 0-13,884 over the last 20 seasons when trailing by at least nine with 35 or fewer seconds remaining in regulation.&nbsp;
That record would become 1-13,884 by the end of the night.&nbsp;
The Mavs and Doncic would go on a miraculous 9-3 run, leading to a situation where Doncic was at the free-throw line with the Mavs down 115-112 with 4.2 seconds left. Doncic would convert the first free throw, then intentionally miss the second in an attempt to tie the game. After multiple bounces, the ball miraculously found its way back into Doncic's hands and he threw up a quick shot, getting it to go and tying the game with one second remaining. The game would go into overtime and the Mavericks would finish the job, defeating the Knicks 126-123.&nbsp;
This would go down as arguably Doncic's best performance since entering the NBA. He dropped a historic stat line of 60 points, 21 rebounds and 10 assists &ndash; the first 60-point, 20-rebound, 10-assist game ever in NBA history. This was an unprecedented performance on several fronts, and Doncic will look to add even more magical moments to his already-impressive resume this upcoming season.&nbsp;
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38,388 POINTS LeBron James hits the fadeaway jumper to become the NBA&rsquo;s all-time leading scorer! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ScoringKing?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ScoringKing</a> <a href="https://t.co/P5LyTZAZn3">pic.twitter.com/P5LyTZAZn3</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1623185295481966592?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 8, 2023</a></blockquote>

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1. LeBron James Breaks All-Time Scoring Record
Heading into the 2022-23 campaign, many expected Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James to break Kareem Abdul-Jabbar&rsquo;s all-time scoring record. Once the season got underway, the record-setting performance drew closer and closer with James scoring at his expected pace.&nbsp;
The fabled moment came to pass on February 7 of this year, with the Lakers taking on the Oklahoma City Thunder in Los Angeles. James entered the game needing 36 points to pass Abdul-Jabbar, and The King made it apparent that he wanted to break the record that night, showing an eagerness to score that we typically don't see from the 38-year-old these days. 
James reached 34 points and, with just over 10 seconds left in the third quarter, Abdul-Jabbar&rsquo;s record was broken after a 39-year run. James backed down Thunder wing Kenrich Williams and hit a fadeaway jumper, officially putting his name No. 1 in the record books with 38,388 points.
The 2023-24 campaign will mark <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/revisiting-lebron-james-legendary-nba-career-as-he-enters-year-21">the 21st season of LeBron's legendary career</a> and if it's anything like his other campaigns, it will feature plenty of iconic moments.
<a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews" target="_blank" rel="noopener">What were your favorite moments from the 2022-23 NBA season? Tweet us at @basketbllnews!</a>

From historic accomplishments to jaw-dropping plays, Jack Maguire looks back at five unforgettable moments from last NBA season.

Revisiting 5 unforgettable moments from the 2022-23 NBA season

It's fair to say that New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson hasn't had the ideal start to his young NBA career. 
Playing in just 114 games across four seasons, injuries have kept Williamson from solidifying himself as a top player in the NBA. However, when healthy, Zion has produced at a high level and his play has certainly silenced any doubts about his long-term potential.
During the 2020-21 season &ndash; just his second year in the league &ndash; Williamson averaged 27 points on 61.1% from the field, setting the NBA record for highest points-per-game total for a player shooting above 60% from the field. The 6-foot-7 forward averaged 20.3 points in the paint that year, the most since 7-foot-1 center Shaquille O&rsquo;Neal in 2000 (when O&rsquo;Neal won the NBA's MVP award). Williamson also led the league in layups with 441, which was 170 more than the next-closest player (Giannis Antetokounmpo). 
Last season, after only playing in 29 games, Williamson was named an All-Star starter after averaging 26.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game.
Zion&rsquo;s issues clearly are not about his production on the court, but rather how to keep him there.&nbsp;
That terrific sophomore season was cut short due to a fractured thumb, and then Zion missed the following season with a Jones fracture in his right foot. While Williamson was voted an All-Star starter last year, a hamstring injury kept him out of the All-Star game and then caused him to miss the remainder of the season.
Williamson's injury history is concerning as is, but these long stints spent recovering have also brought skepticism. Questions have surfaced about Williamson&rsquo;s weight, with reports back in 2021 suggesting that Zion was over 300 pounds. Other reports suggested that Williamson was not taking his weight control seriously.
In fact, the Pelicans even added weight-related stipulations to his five-year, $193 million max contract. Williamson has&nbsp;periodic weigh-ins and &ldquo;the sum of his weight and body fat percentage must be below 295,&rdquo; according to <a href="https://www.nola.com/sports/pelicans/article_85296674-00a5-11ed-97cb-ef28af9a5590.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Christian Clark of NOLA.com</a>.&nbsp;If this number is above 295, the team can reduce his guaranteed money.
Williamson recently spoke out to Gilbert Arenas about his struggles with proper dieting on "Gil's Arena."
&ldquo;There are times when I will say, &lsquo;Man, that sh*t hard. It's hard, man... Feeling like all the money in the world [won't help], man. It is hard," Williamson <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_NKA6EJa9A" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. "But I&rsquo;m at that point now where, because of certain things, I&rsquo;m putting back wisdom around me &ndash; a bunch of, I don't want to say 'older' [people] because they take offense to it, but I'm just putting people around me with wisdom, who put me on game to certain things and just go from there.&rdquo;
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/zion22.jpg" alt="" width="334" height="387" />
With the former No. 1 overall pick looking to be in incredible shape based on recent photos from his offseason workouts, the league may be at Williamson&rsquo;s mercy once again. Zion&rsquo;s dominant play last year led the Pelicans to the top seed in the Western Conference for some time in December. 
If he is truly as healthy and in shape as he looks, this could be the year the league must finally acknowledge Zion Williamson.&nbsp;

Zion Williamson looks to be in great shape and he might be poised for a monster year, writes Jack Maguire.

Pelicans star Zion Williamson poised to silence critics this season

With the NBA&rsquo;s 2023 free-agency period pretty much wrapped up, why not take a look at how projecting next year's free-agent market? Obviously, a lot can change between now and then, but let&rsquo;s examine each team&rsquo;s cap situation and how much cap room they project to have next summer.&nbsp;
Next year&rsquo;s free-agency class could feature some big names, including Kawhi Leonard, Pascal Siakam, Tyrese Maxey (restricted), Paul George, LeBron James, James Harden, Jrue Holiday, OG Anunoby and DeMar DeRozan.&nbsp;
For the purposes of this exercise, I&rsquo;m going to separate teams into four spending-power tiers: Cap Space Teams, Non-Tax MLE Teams, Luxury Tax Teams and Second Apron Teams. Also, let's assume that the salary cap will be set at $149,623,000 and the luxury tax will come in at $181,823,000, the maximum 10% jump from this upcoming season set under the new CBA.
CAP SPACE TEAMS
Teams in this tier are currently projected to have cap space next summer. They have spending access to their cap space, Bird Rights, the Room Exception (projected at $8,495,000) and the Veteran Minimum Exception.
San Antonio Spurs ($77,195,776 under the cap) If Victor Wembanyama is 70% as good as he&rsquo;s hyped up to be entering this season, one would figure that the Spurs will spend big or at least make a meaningful impact on the free-agent market next summer. They project to have an enormous amount of cap space, so it&rsquo;s very possible we&rsquo;ll see San Antonio take on some more bad contracts in trades to give them even more draft capital. Also, they&rsquo;ll want to retain Devin Vassell, who will be a restricted free agent next offseason once the Spurs extend his qualifying offer.
Philadelphia 76ers ($73,034,842 under the cap) The Sixers are perhaps the most interesting team in terms of their 2024 offseason outlook. By letting Tyrese Maxey hit restricted free agency next summer rather than extending him this year, Philadelphia gave themselves serious cap flexibility. Tobias Harris and James Harden both have expiring contracts, so the Sixers will have to use their cap space to replace their production. A Harden trade would obviously change their projected cap room, but it remains to be seen what they&rsquo;ll get back for the former MVP and how much it&rsquo;ll impact their books.
Toronto Raptors ($60,339,034 under the cap) After losing Fred VanVleet, the Raptors are walking a tightrope when it comes to whether they&rsquo;ll compete or rebuild. They face some tough decisions. Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby are both set to hit free agency next summer, so Toronto needs to decide whether they want to extend or trade their best players. Not to mention, Precious Achiuwa and Gary Trent Jr. also need new contracts.
Orlando Magic ($58,010,944 under the cap) Orlando has a lot of options for next summer, but the Magic may start with retaining many of their own players. Franz Wagner will likely receive a big contract extension, while Markelle Fultz and Cole Anthony will be up for new contracts. Given that Orlando has a logjam in their backcourt &ndash; with Fultz, Anthony, Jalen Suggs and Anthony Black &ndash; it&rsquo;ll be interesting to see what they do with Fultz and Anthony. The Magic will still have plenty of room to add quality talent for yearly average values over the NTMLE.
Detroit Pistons ($57,781,166 under the cap) Detroit may approach the 2024 offseason similar to how Houston approached this summer, as a young team hoping to use its massive cap space on good veterans in order to take bigger steps toward playoff contention. With that said, the first priority for the team will be agreeing to a contract extension with Cade Cunningham.
Utah Jazz ($50,315,319 under the cap) The Jazz find themselves in a unique position where they could go in two directions. After committing a three-year deal to Jordan Clarkson, they can use their cap space to give 2023 Most Improved Player Lauri Markkanen a contract extension. If they want to have significant cap space for next summer instead, they can hold off on giving Markkanen an extension until free agency is settled.
Washington Wizards ($47,123,801 under the cap) Despite their cap space next year, don&rsquo;t expect Washington to be a big player in 2024 free agency. In the beginning stages of a rebuild, the Wizards will probably keep their sights on collecting more draft capital. They do have an interesting decision coming up with recent trade acquisition Tyus Jones, whom they&rsquo;ll likely want to keep long-term.&nbsp;
Charlotte Hornets ($41,300,515 under the cap)&nbsp; They may lose some 2024 cap space if they eventually re-sign PJ Washington this offseason, but watch out for Charlotte to be one of the many small-market teams with money to spend next summer. With LaMelo Ball in the first year of his max contract extension, Charlotte may cash in on a marquee player to keep their young star happy.
Brooklyn Nets ($33,048,185 under the cap) The Nets do have the potential to have significant cap space next summer if they choose not to re-sign most of their own free agents. However, the Nets will more than likely focus on exploring the trade market and retaining big man Nic Claxton before reaching next year&rsquo;s free agency. Spencer Dinwiddie and Royce O&rsquo;Neale will also hit free agency next offseason.
Indiana Pacers ($20,488,005 under the cap) Indiana could get to an even higher number in cap space if they decline Bruce Brown&rsquo;s $23 million team option next season. If Brown has a good year, the Pacers would likely keep him on a long-term deal that would consume a good chunk of their space. Other impending free agents they might like to keep include Obi Toppin, Aaron Nesmith and Jalen Smith.
Oklahoma City Thunder ($10,264,814 under the cap) The Thunder will likely continue to utilize the strategy of taking on short-term, bad-money contracts in exchange for draft capital. As they inch closer to contention, they will be looking at some big-money extensions for many of their young pieces, including one for Josh Giddey next year.&nbsp;
NON-TAX MLE TEAMS
Teams in this tier are currently projected to be over the salary cap but under the luxury tax. They have spending access to Bird Rights, the Non-Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception (projected at $13,644,000), the Bi-Annual Exception (projected at $4,968,000) unless used in 2023-24, and the Veteran Minimum Exception.
Chicago Bulls ($19,465,689 under the cap) The Bulls could potentially operate as a cap-space team if they elect to let DeMar DeRozan and Patrick Williams walk in free agency, but that seems unlikely. In addition, the Bulls could potentially create more space if Lonzo Ball&rsquo;s knee injury is considered career-ending by an NBA/NBPA-appointed physician. (Ball would still be paid, it just wouldn&rsquo;t count against the cap).&nbsp;
Sacramento Kings ($210,669 under the cap) The Kings used up most of their cap space by signing Domantas Sabonis to a big four-year extension that ties him with the team through 2028. As long as they are competitive, they will likely pursue quality pieces with their Non-Tax MLE to support Sabonis and De&rsquo;Aaron Fox. They will also likely try to keep Malik Monk and look at extension options for Davion Mitchell.
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New Orleans Pelicans ($487,911 over the cap) The Pelicans are fairly set with their core of CJ McCollum, Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram under contract through 2025. Ingram and McCollum are both extension-eligible this offseason, but the Pelicans may wait on dishing out extensions to maintain flexibility under the tax. New Orleans must also monitor Jonas Valanciunas&rsquo; free agency and a possible extension for Trey Murphy III.&nbsp;
Atlanta Hawks ($1,658,172 over the cap) Similar to the Kings, the Hawks wiped away their cap space when they signed Dejounte Murray and De&rsquo;Andre Hunter to four-year, $120 million and four-year, $90 million extensions, respectively. Already pushing past the salary cap, the Hawks may face a money crunch as they broach the luxury tax line. Retaining restricted free agents Onyeka Okongwu and Saddiq Bey next offseason may be tricky.
Los Angeles Clippers ($5,018,261 over the cap) The Clippers are in an interesting spot with George and Leonard both needing new deals, which they will likely get despite their inability to stay on the floor. Many veterans with big salaries will come off the books next year, like Marcus Morris, Nic Batum and Robert Covington. The question is whether the Clippers will continue to commit significant capital to a roster that hasn&rsquo;t met its lofty expectations.
Miami Heat ($7,751,630 over the cap) The Miami Heat are in a holding pattern with their roster as they engage in a Mexican standoff with the Blazers on a Damian Lillard trade, which could see them skyrocket into the deep tax. Outside of the Dame situation, Jimmy Butler will likely look for another big extension this offseason, which will pay him max money deep into his late 30s. They will also have to contend with potentially losing Caleb Martin, who has a player option for 2024-25.
Houston Rockets ($8,734,919 over the cap) The biggest spenders of this past offseason, the Rockets made big moves for Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks. Houston could get back into the cap-space tier again if they choose to part ways with Kevin Porter Jr. and his non-guaranteed $15.9 million salary. Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun will also be up for extensions.&nbsp;
Cleveland Cavaliers ($11,399,749 over the cap) The Cavs are pretty set going into the 2023-24 season and beyond with two max guys (Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell) and key guys on fairly big deals (Jarrett Allen, Caris LeVert and Max Strus). They will likely give Evan Mobley a big extension next offseason, which could push them into the luxury tax in the near future. For next offseason, their only notable free agent is Isaac Okoro.
New York Knicks ($11,400,861 over the cap) This morning, the Knicks inked Josh Hart to a four-year contract extension that pushed them over the cap for 2024-25. Their main concerns for next summer are Immanuel Quickley and Isaiah Hartenstein, who are both up for new contracts. They will likely be able to avoid the tax by declining their team option on Evan Fournier or trading his expiring contract for another expiring deal.
Dallas Mavericks ($13,566,153 over the cap) The Mavericks are not likely to seek pathways to cap space next summer after doubling down on their trade for Kyrie Irving by re-signing him to a three-year, $120 million deal. They should look to retain Josh Green, who will be a restricted free agent. Luka Doncic&rsquo;s happiness looms over all of the Mavs&rsquo; moves, as ESPN&rsquo;s Tim McMahon <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/mavs-fear-luka-doncic-may-request-trade-unless-they-build-contender">reported in April</a> that the Mavericks are worried about Doncic potentially seeking a trade elsewhere as soon as next year.
Los Angeles Lakers ($15,380,636 over the cap) The Lakers had a pathway to almost two max slots in the unlikely scenario that they decided to pivot from the LeBron-AD era. However, that option is out the window with them inking Davis to a three-year supermax extension that will keep him with the team through 2028. LeBron James&rsquo; decision to stay with the team or leave will ultimately dictate how the Lakers approach spending next offseason.
Portland Trail Blazers ($20,567,876 over the cap) Portland is in the midst of turning the page to a new era as they look to accommodate franchise cornerstone Damian Lillard&rsquo;s trade request. If they do end up trading Lillard, expect their cap numbers to come down slightly, but not enough to get any meaningful space. Whether Lillard is traded for the Miami package or something else, Portland shouldn&rsquo;t be a major player in free agency for a while.&nbsp;
LUXURY TAX TEAMS
Teams in this tier are currently projected to be over the salary cap and luxury tax. They have spending access to Bird Rights, the Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception (projected at $5,500,000), and the Veteran Minimum Exception.
Minnesota Timberwolves ($14,474,085 under the tax) The Timberwolves have paid the luxury tax only once since 2007. They should be a tax team once again, with Karl-Anthony Towns' supermax extension and Anthony Edwards' max extension kicking in. In addition, Minnesota will need to use significant capital to keep players like Jaden McDaniels, Mike Conley and Kyle Anderson, all of whom will be free agents in 2024.
Golden State Warriors ($9,696,462 under the tax) While the Warriors are currently under the tax, they are likely going to re-sign 2024 free agent Klay Thompson to a long-term deal at a lower number or at least use his Bird Rights to acquire another piece at a similar number. Golden State can cut some costs by releasing Chris Paul after the season, as his $30 million salary for 2024-25 is non-guaranteed.
Milwaukee Bucks ($6,142,529 under the tax) The Bucks re-signed Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez to big-money deals, committing to the players who won them the 2021 title. Another one of those players, Jrue Holiday, is set to reach free agency and will likely demand max money. In addition, Giannis Antetokounmpo becomes eligible for a supermax extension of up to three years in October and can sign a four-year supermax extension next offseason.
Denver Nuggets ($6,732,627 over the tax) The defending champs have their core of Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr. and Aaron Gordon locked in through the 2025 offseason. They&rsquo;ve already lost Bruce Brown and Jeff Green this summer and will be forced to work around the edges with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope potentially heading for free agency next summer.
Boston Celtics ($7,306,800 over the tax) The trade for Kristaps Porzingis pushed the Celtics into the luxury tax for the first time since 2018, and that was before they signed Jaylen Brown to a five-year supermax extension. With Jayson Tatum&rsquo;s own supermax extension on the horizon next year, the Celtics figure to be a tax team, and potentially a second apron team, for the foreseeable future.
SECOND APRON TEAMS
Teams in this tier are currently projected to be over the salary cap, luxury tax and second luxury tax apron ($17.5 million over the tax). They have spending access to just Bird Rights and the Veteran Minimum Exception. The second apron was introduced in the new CBA and prevents teams from using the Taxpayer MLE, trading first-round picks seven years away, signing buyout free agents and taking back more salary than they send out in trades among other restrictions.
Memphis Grizzlies ($13,829,477 over the tax) For the first time under owner Robert Pera, the Grizzlies will be paying the luxury tax. While Memphis probably won&rsquo;t reach the second apron, they are not likely to have enough spare capital to use their Tax MLE and be able to fill out their roster without going over it. Their core of Ja Morant, Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. are locked up to big money, long-term deals that will keep Memphis among the league's biggest spenders for likely the next decade-plus.
Phoenix Suns ($27,039,607 over the tax) Phoenix is by far the most limited team when it comes to spending, and they will be for the next few seasons after trading for Bradley Beal&rsquo;s behemoth contract. With four max contracts, including two supermax contracts, the Suns have blown through the second apron. Like this past offseason, the supporting cast around their core four will be mostly minimum-salary contracts.

How much cap room is your favorite NBA team projected to have next summer? Blake Stern breaks down where all 30 teams stand.

Which NBA teams project to have the most cap space in 2024?

As we <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/big3-sees-surge-in-tv-ratings-attendance-to-start-sixth-season" target="_blank" rel="noopener">covered recently</a>, the BIG3 basketball league has experienced significant viewership growth in its sixth season, seeing both year-over-year as well as week-over-week increases through the first few weeks of play.&nbsp;
The three-on-three league just completed its sixth week of games, and once again saw viewership and attendance numbers increase.
Viewership is up almost 10% compared to the same period in 2022. After starting the season with 483,000 viewers on CBS in Week 1, numbers have climbed each week, hitting 560,000 viewers and a .4 rating this past weekend in the 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. ET time slot on CBS. Through six weeks, the BIG3 is currently averaging 530,000 viewers per broadcast on CBS with a .33 average rating.
For comparison, the BIG3 beat out Premier League Soccer, which had 546,000 fans tuning in to NBC during the 2:30 p.m. ET time slot. The WNBA on ESPN in the 4 p.m. EST time slot had 272,000 viewers (.2), and the Premier Lacrosse League on ABC had 247,000 viewers (.2) at 3 p.m. EST.&nbsp;
"We're thrilled with the continued growth and excitement for BIG3 action this summer," said Ice Cube. "The fast-paced games and star players really resonate with fans looking for top-level sports entertainment."
Last weekend's games were played at TD Garden in Boston, with 11,255 fans in attendance. Fan turnout continues to climb each week, and Boston is the biggest crowd so far in 2023. The crowd erupted when Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown entered the arena to take his seat courtside.
On the court, Trilogy's Ryan "Hezi God" Carter broke the league's single-game scoring record, pouring in 35 points to lead his squad over 3's Company. The record was previously held by Triplet's star Joe Johnson (34). Aliens and 3 Headed Monsters were eliminated after finishing in the bottom two places in the standings.
The BIG3 continues this Saturday, August 5, at 1 p.m. ET at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, NC. After Saturday's games, two more teams will be eliminated based on the standings. BIG3 games can be found on CBS, Paramount+ and <a href="http://tv.big3.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://TV.BIG3.COM&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1691016313730000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2aqSDKE04Cw9n7DE-X7XC8">TV.BIG3.COM</a>

The three-on-three league just completed its sixth week of games, and once again saw viewership and attendance numbers increase.

BIG3 basketball viewership keeps growing as sixth season continues

The BIG3, Ice Cube's professional three-on-three basketball league, is off to a terrific start in its sixth season, seeing substantial increases in television viewership and live attendance.
The league's games on CBS have seen viewership grow substantially compared to last season, and the audience continues to rapidly increase week to week.
Week 1 (June 25): 483,000 viewers
Week 2 (July 1): 501,000 viewers
Week 3 (July 9): 525,000 viewers
Week 4 (July 15): 600,000 viewers
Week 4 in Memphis earned a 0.31 rating and averaged 600,000 viewers during the league's 3.5-hour broadcast window from 3:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. ET. This represents a 46% increase from 412,000 viewers and a 0.26 rating in the same weekend time slot last year. BIG3 topped tough competition in the time slot, including the NBA Summer League on ESPN (309,000 viewers) and MLB on FS1 (369,000). Also, NASCAR on USA (609,000) and Wimbledon's Women's finals on ABC (762,000) had overlapping broadcast windows.
"We're thrilled to see this continued interest and growth as we start season six," said BIG3 co-founder Ice Cube.&nbsp;"It's a testament to the highly competitive and entertaining product we put on the court each week.&nbsp;This season is the best yet."
Attendance rebounded after two seasons impacted by COVID-19 restrictions. The first three weeks in Chicago, Dallas and New York drew close to 30,000 fans in total, with energetic crowds averaging over 9,000 per event.
"Our fans have been eager to get back to experiencing the BIG3 in person," said league co-founder Jeff Kwatinetz. "Their energy and excitement have been palpable in each city so far."
This season, the BIG3 is paying tribute to the 50th anniversary of rap and hip hop. The first four weeks have included musical performances by artists such as Ja Rule, KRS-One, M.O.P., NLE Choppa, Big Boogie, Twista, Dorrough, Mike Jones, Scar Lip and, of course, Ice Cube. Monster Energy athletes have also been featured, along with dancers, cheerleaders and dunkers.
The league features many of the most popular and skilled three-on-three players worldwide, including Joe Johnson, Leandro Barbosa and Michael Beasley. Hall-of-Fame legends such as Julius "Dr. J" Erving, Rick Barry, Lisa Leslie, Nancy Lieberman and Gary Payton are among the league's coaches.
The BIG3 continues this Sunday at the Kaseya Center in Miami, followed by stops in Boston, Charlotte, Detroit and Washington D.C. for the playoffs. This year's championship and All-Star game will be played at the famous O2 Arena in London. BIG3 games can be found on CBS, Paramount+ and <a href="http://tv.big3.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://TV.BIG3.COM&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1689970311421000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2ao6QRso9oXC-5pMgFtdlc">TV.BIG3.COM.</a>

In its sixth season, the BIG3 has seen substantial increases in television viewership and live attendance.

BIG3 sees surge in TV ratings, attendance to start sixth season

DENVER (AP) &mdash; Gabe Vincent scored 23 points, Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo each had 21 and the Miami Heat evened up the NBA Finals by overcoming a monster effort from Nikola Jokic to beat the Denver Nuggets 111-108 in Game 2 on Sunday night.
Max Strus scored 14 and Duncan Robinson had 10 for the Heat, who had a big early lead, then got down by as many as 15 before reclaiming the lead in the fourth. Miami outscored Denver 36-25 in the final period, erasing an eight-point deficit going into the final frame.
And even then, they had to dig deep to finish it off.
Jokic scored 41 points and was 16 of 28 from the floor, the last of those shots a 4-footer with 36 seconds left to get the Nuggets within three.
Denver elected not to foul on the ensuing Miami possession. Butler missed a 3, and with a chance to tie, Jamal Murray missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer.
Murray had 18 points and 10 assists for Denver, while Aaron Gordon had 12 points and Bruce Brown scored 11.
Game 3 is Wednesday in Miami. Denver had been 11-0 with a double-digit lead in the playoffs.
TIP-INS
Heat: Miami changed its starting lineup, with Kevin Love back in the opening five and Caleb Martin &ndash; who missed practice Saturday with an illness &ndash; coming off the bench. &hellip; The Heat got their 13th win of these playoffs, breaking a tie with the 1999 New York Knicks for the most ever by a No. 8 seed.
Nuggets: Denver hadn&rsquo;t lost a game since May 7 &ndash; four weeks ago. &hellip; Nuggets legends Alex English, LaPhonso Ellis (who actually ended his NBA career with Miami) and David Thompson were among those in attendance.
HERRO UPDATE
Injured Heat guard Tyler Herro played 2-on-2 on Saturday as he continues his efforts to try to return from a broken hand at some point in these finals &mdash; but remained out. Herro got hurt in the first half of Game 1 of Round 1 at Milwaukee. His status for Game 3 is unclear.
EXPANSION TALK
Commissioner Adam Silver told NBA TV before the game that negotiations for the next media rights deal are now a priority since the new Collective Bargaining Agreement has been ratified &mdash; and how expansion talk will come after that.
Silver said he thinks the media deal negotiations will begin &ldquo;in earnest probably this next spring.&rdquo; And after that, plans to add franchises will be the next item on the to-do list.
&ldquo;We don&rsquo;t have anything specific in mind right now,&rdquo; Silver said. &ldquo;But I think it makes sense over time if you&rsquo;re a successful organization to continue to grow. There&rsquo;s no doubt there&rsquo;s a lot of great cities we&rsquo;re interested in having in the NBA.&rdquo;

The Heat evened up the NBA Finals by overcoming a monster effort from Nikola Jokic to beat the Nuggets 111-108 in Game 2 on Sunday.

Heat roar back late, beat Nuggets 111-108 to even NBA Finals at 1-1

BOSTON (AP) &mdash; Derrick White had 24 points, including six 3-pointers, and the Boston Celtics dominated the Miami Heat 110-97 on Thursday night in Game 5 to extend the Eastern Conference finals.
Marcus Smart had 23 points and five steals. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown finished with 21 points apiece as the Celtics claimed their second straight win and trimmed Miami&rsquo;s series lead to 3-2.
It keeps alive Boston&rsquo;s hopes of becoming the first team in NBA history to overcome a 3-0 deficit to win a series. Teams previously in that position are 0-150 all-time.
Game 6 is Saturday in Miami.
A day after the Florida Panthers punched the franchise&rsquo;s first ticket to the Stanley Cup Finals since 1996, for the second straight game the Heat were denied a spot in the NBA Finals.
Duncan Robinson led the Heat with 18 points. Bam Adebayo added 16 points and eight rebounds. Jimmy Butler had 14 points, five rebounds and five assists but sat out the final 9:47 of the game. Caleb Martin finished with 14 points.
It was Butler&rsquo;s lowest-scoring game of the playoffs. He had 16 points in Game 3, a blowout win by Miami.
Miami never led and had 16 turnovers.
Boston entered the day just 4-5 at TD Garden this postseason. But with a raucous home crowd behind them, the Celtics thrived on their energy.
They dove for loose balls, outfought Miami for rebounds and found each other for layups and dunks in transition as they built as much as 20 points in the first half.
The Heat cut into it, but Boston kept knocking down 3s and grew its edge as high as 96-72 in the fourth quarter.
Boston&rsquo;s fans reignited a &ldquo;Beat the Heat!&rdquo; chant that hadn&rsquo;t been prevalent since Game 1.
The Heat started Kyle Lowry at point guard after Gabe Vincent was ruled out with a sprained left ankle earlier in the day. It was Lowry&rsquo;s first start since Feb. 2.
Vincent, the Heat&rsquo;s third-leading scorer this postseason, got hurt late in Miami&rsquo;s Game 4 loss when he landed awkwardly while trying to save a loose ball near the Heat bench.
His presence was missed as Miami struggled early on the offensive end, swarmed by a Celtics&rsquo; defense that forced the Heat into 10 first-half turnovers that led to 17 Boston points. Lowry played 31 minutes, scored five points and finished with four turnovers.
TIP-INS
Heat: Were outscored 13-0 in second-half points in the opening 24 minutes.
Celtics: Al Horford added six points and 11 rebounds. &hellip; The Celtics took a 61-44 edge into halftime. &hellip; Boston&rsquo;s first turnover of the game didn&rsquo;t come until the 8:16 mark of the second quarter.
FAST START
The Celtics got the fast start they had hoped for in front of their home crowd.
Smart stripped Adebayo on Miami&rsquo;s opening possession, igniting a fast break and layup on the other end by Tatum.
Then, with the game tied at 4, Tatum got free in the lane for a monstrous two-handed dunk. He hung on the rim afterward and continued his celebration when he landed, leading to a technical foul.
It didn&rsquo;t stop the Celtics&rsquo; momentum, as their first-quarter lead grew as high as 23-7. Boston ended the period with a 35-20 lead, punctuated by a 3-pointer by White at the buzzer.
Tatum had 12 points in the opening 12 minutes, with the Celtics outscoring the Heat 21-6 from beyond the arc. Boston hit 7 of its 12 attempts.
VIP WATCH
Celtics Hall of Famer Paul Pierce, NCAA president Charlie Baker and New England Patriots Matt Slater and Devin McCourty were among several celebrities in the Garden.

Derrick White had 24 points, including 6 threes, and the Boston Celtics dominated the Miami Heat 110-97 on Thursday in Game 5.

Celtics thrive on 3s, beat Heat 110-97 in Game 5 to extend East finals

Sacramento Kings general manager Monte McNair has been named the NBA's 2022-23 Executive of the Year, the league announced today.
In just his third season as an NBA general manager, McNair assembled a team that went 48-34 &ndash; securing the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference and ending the Kings' 16-year playoff drought.
McNair hired Kings head coach Mike Brown, who was the unanimous winner of the NBA's 2022-23 Coach of the Year award. He built the team around the star tandem of De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis, and his key offseason additions included Kevin Huerter, Malik Monk and No. 4 overall pick Keegan Murray.
McNair received 16 first-place votes and 98 total voting points. Cleveland Cavaliers president of basketball operations Koby Altman was the runner-up, receiving seven first-place votes and 63 total voting points.
Utah Jazz GM Justin Zanik (20 total points), Denver Nuggets GM Calvin Booth (20 total points) and Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens (13 total points) rounded out the top-five.
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/exec1.png" alt="" width="748" height="316" />
Other executives who received at least one vote were Jon Horst (Milwaukee Bucks), James Jones (Phoenix Suns), Leon Rose (New York Knicks), Zach Kleiman (Memphis Grizzlies), Sean Marks (Brooklyn Nets), Rob Pelinka (Los Angeles Lakers), Sam Presti (Oklahoma City Thunder), Daryl Morey (Philadelphia 76ers), David Griffin (New Orleans Pelicans) and Tim Connelly (Minnesota Timberwolves).
Unlike the other end-of-season awards that are voted on by media members, the voting panel for the Executive of the Year award consisted of front-office executives across the NBA. The balloting was tabulated by the independent accounting firm Ernst and Young LLP.

Sacramento Kings general manager Monte McNair has been named the NBA's 2022-23 Executive of the Year.

Sacramento's Monte McNair named NBA's 2022-23 Executive of the Year

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP)&nbsp;&mdash; Stephen Curry scored a playoff career-high 50 points and answered time and again to will the defending champions on in their quest for a repeat, Kevon Looney grabbed 21 rebounds, and the Golden State Warriors advanced to the Western Conference semifinals by beating the Sacramento Kings&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nba.com/game/gsw-vs-sac-0042200167">120-100 in Sunday&rsquo;s winner-take-all Game 7</a>.
Curry&rsquo;s points are the most in NBA history in a Game 7, topping former teammate Kevin Durant&rsquo;s 48 for the Nets against Milwaukee in 2021.
The Warriors fell behind 2-0 in this series then won twice on the road in front of a hostile, cowbell-clanging crowd in the state capital to become the first reigning champion to drop the first two games and win any postseason series.
Now, bring on LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference semifinals with all that NBA Finals history with James and Golden State dating to his Cleveland days. Game 1 is Tuesday night at Chase Center.
Sacramento&rsquo;s special comeback season is over long before these young Kings had planned. After snapping a 16-year playoff drought &mdash; longest in NBA history &mdash; under Coach of the Year Mike Brown, playoff-starved Sacramento earned a No. 3 seed but missed advancing to the second round for the first time since 2004. No more Light the Beam at Golden 1 Center this season.
Curry shot 20 of 38 with seven 3s and delivered after almost every big play by Sacramento as Splash Brother Klay Thompson struggled on both ends again. But Thompson came through in some crucial moments, too.
Malik Monk&rsquo;s putback and three-point play with 14.6 seconds remaining in the third pulled Sacramento within six only for Thompson to hit a long 3 and convert a four-point play to make it 91-81 heading into the final 12 minutes.
Domantas Sabonis had 22 points, eight rebounds and seven assists but the Warriors held De&rsquo;Aaron Fox in check as he scored 16 points on 5-for-19 shooting in his third game playing with a broken index finger on his shooting hand.
Trailing 58-56 at halftime, the Warriors opened the second half with a 13-4 burst to take a 69-62 lead and force a Kings timeout at the 7:50 mark.
Sacramento scored early on with a beautiful combination of classic give-and-goes and long jumpers off crisp passing around the perimeter.
But Curry kept coming, and Looney kept scrapping to create second and third opportunities during his brilliant series on the boards.
Curry fired from way back with precision and fearlessly drove to the basket with jaw-dropping acrobatics all afternoon to send Kings fans to the exits late in the fourth.
Thompson began 1 for 10 missing his first five 3s before connecting at the 9:18 mark of the third. Golden State, playing just its fourth Game 7 under Steve Kerr since the 2014-15 title run, was smart down the stretch after 18 turnovers in Game 6 led to 23 Kings points and Kerr calling his team &ldquo;wildly undisciplined.&rdquo;
Kerr had no doubt before the deciding game &mdash; and he went back to Draymond Green in the starting lineup for Game 7 with the season on the line after the fiery forward came off the bench the previous two contests following a Game 3 suspension for stepping on Domantas Sabonis.
&ldquo;These guys are champions, defending champions from a year ago, four in the last eight years, these guys know the deal,&rdquo; Kerr said. &ldquo;There&rsquo;s a sense of confidence and a sense that we&rsquo;re going to go get it done.&rdquo;
Just before the final buzzer, Kerr offered a long embrace to Brown &mdash; Golden State&rsquo;s former top assistant who once coached the Warriors during Kerr&rsquo;s health absence and just guided the Kings&rsquo; remarkable turnaround.

Stephen Curry scored a playoff career-high 50 points and the Warriors beat the Kings, 120-100, to advance to the second round.

Curry scores 50 points, leads Warriors past Kings 120-100 in Game 7

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) &mdash; His team huddled up before taking the floor, Harrison Barnes hollered a message to the Kings with their special season on the line: &ldquo;Leave it all on the floor and take this series back to Sac!&rdquo;
With spectacular performances on both ends against Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors, the Kings are going home to Sacramento for Game 7 against the defending champions.
Malik Monk can only imagine what a winner-take-all showdown might be like with a chance to extend this long-awaited playoff run as all those supporters try to will their Kings into the second round.
For Curry and Co., there&rsquo;s no imagining necessary &mdash; they know what hostile road environments feel like for elimination games, having been there so many times over the past decade on the way to four titles.
&ldquo;Man, I never been to Game 7, so I don&rsquo;t know. I don&rsquo;t know what to expect,&rdquo; Monk said. &ldquo;I just know I&rsquo;m going to go out there and play 110 percent, give it my all, and continue to do what I&rsquo;ve been doing, and that&rsquo;s attacking the rim and making plays for my teammates. So I&rsquo;m going to be ready.&rdquo;
Facing elimination, upstart Sacramento shined on both ends and hardly looked to be feeling any added pressure in a&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/warriors-kings-nba-playoffs-2023-48443f77587597953cf2cbadf9530b60">commanding 118-99 Game 6 victory</a> Friday night.
Whenever Curry worked his offensive magic, Monk or Fox or Keegan Murray did something brilliant of their own. With big man Domantas Sabonis in foul trouble, others like Trey Lyles came through to quiet a fan base dreaming of a Warriors repeat title.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve put ourselves in a situation where we have to be the team that&rsquo;s playing with desperation, obviously on the road in a Game 7. There&rsquo;s a lot of belief that we can do that,&rdquo; Curry said. &ldquo;There&rsquo;s a lot of belief in every single guy that&rsquo;s going to be out there on the floor, that we can make the necessary adjustments. If it is an energy thing, that&rsquo;s something you can control and correct it. So you&rsquo;ve got to embrace the challenge of what&rsquo;s in front of us and try to go get the job done.&rdquo;
If the Kings got a glimpse of their homecourt advantage in the initial two games of this series, Golden 1 Center might be at another level on Sunday.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s going to be rocking. We&rsquo;ve had loud games this year,&rdquo; De&rsquo;Aaron Fox said. &ldquo;Coming out for Game 1, I think our guys were amazed at what was going on. But going back there for a Game 7, I feel like &mdash; everybody doesn&rsquo;t get to experience a Game 7, but not a lot of people get to experience a Game 7 in Sacramento.&rdquo;
Coach of the Year Mike Brown joked he doesn&rsquo;t have &ldquo;magic dust&rdquo; regarding what to do against the Warriors other than compete with the same physical authority on both ends because he has seen Golden State thrive through all the toughest moments.
Brown was the Warriors&rsquo; top assistant before joining the Kings.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;re going to have to play at our best. Again, they&rsquo;re the champions,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re going to have to play at an elite level for 48 minutes against these guys because they&rsquo;re going to bring it, trust me.&rdquo;
All that work to earn the No. 3 seed and home court sure matters now for these Kings &mdash; &ldquo;that&rsquo;s part of the reason why we bust our behind all year,&rdquo; Brown said.
The Warriors, meanwhile, must regroup and try to rediscover the energy and efficiency they had in a 123-116 win Wednesday at Golden 1 Center. On Friday, they missed 10 free throws while shooting 35 &mdash; three that Curry couldn&rsquo;t convert and three missed by Andrew Wiggins. Klay Thompson shot 2 for 9 from 3-point range.
&ldquo;When I said that was the best win of the season Game 5, this is probably the worst loss of the season, but there&rsquo;s no time to hang our heads,&rdquo; Thompson said. &ldquo;Luckily for us, we still have another crack at it. I still have absolute belief in this team that we can go get it done on the road. It will be a tall task but we are up for it and I know we will respond.&rdquo;
Curry is counting on that, too, and knows it will start with smart basketball despite the challenging atmosphere.
&ldquo;Coming out with a sense of composure is a big thing, especially if you&rsquo;re on the road because it&rsquo;s going to be hostile and their crowd is going to be into it,&rdquo; Curry said.
Brown has embraced the notion of his young team learning on the fly in what is the first playoff series for most. Each game, each situation provides new experiences and opportunities for growth.
He is thrilled by how the Kings have handled outside noise, such as anyone who counted Sacramento out of this series before the ball had even tipped in Game 1.
&ldquo;The job&rsquo;s not done,&rdquo; Brown said, &ldquo;so we&rsquo;ve got to see how we&rsquo;re going to respond in a Game 7 for the first time as a group.&rdquo;
WARRIORS AT KINGS
Series tied at 3-all. Game 7, 3:30 p.m. EDT, ABC
&mdash; NEED TO KNOW: The Warriors &mdash; trying to improve to 19-0 in playoff series against Western Conference opponents under coach Steve Kerr dating to the team&rsquo;s 2014-15 title run &mdash; know every miscue will be magnified after their 18 turnovers led to 23 Kings points in Game 6.
&mdash; KEEP AN EYE ON: Sacramento&rsquo;s Kevin Huerter. After struggling all series with his shot &mdash; 20 of 52 in the first five games &mdash; the fifth-year forward hit two crucial 3s down the stretch and might have a performance to build on going into the decisive Game 7. &ldquo;You got no idea. It feels good,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Just got to see the ball go in sometimes.&rdquo;
&mdash; INJURY WATCH: Sabonis has a cut beneath his left eye after being hit on a jump ball by Kevon Looney. Fox insists he&rsquo;s doing great despite the broken index finger on his shooting hand. He scored 26 points on 10-for-18 shooting and had 11 assists but will strive to cut down on turnovers after committing 11 over the past two games. &ldquo;I feel fine. Obviously at times it&rsquo;s going to hurt, but that is what it is,&rdquo; Fox said.
&mdash; PRESSURE IS ON: Golden State won once on the Kings&rsquo; home floor in Game 5 after a dismal regular season on the road and now the defending champions must find a way to quiet the playoff-starved, cowbell-clanging Sacramento crowd to save the season after losing Games 1 and 2 at Golden 1 Center.

The Kings will host Game 7 against the Warriors, and they're counting on their passionate fans to create a hostile environment.

Kings hope their home crowd can carry them in Game 7 vs. Warriors

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) &mdash; Malik Monk scored 28 points, De&rsquo;Aaron Fox added 26 points and 11 assists, and the Sacramento Kings staved off elimination in their first-round playoff series by beating Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors 118-99 on Friday night in Game 6.
Now, a winner-takes-all Game 7 is back in Sacramento on Sunday afternoon.
Rookie Keegan Murray scored 15 points with four 3-pointers and grabbed 12 rebounds for his first playoff double-double, and the No. 3-seeded Kings withstood every scoring surge the defending champions made on their home court and shined in nearly every facet of this one with their special season on the line.
Kevin Huerter, struggling with his shot all series &mdash; 20 of 52 coming into the game &mdash; hit a 3 with 6:23 to go and another with 4:58 left as Sacramento gave the state capital one more chance to Light the Beam.
Curry scored 29, Klay Thompson 22 and Kevon Looney pulled down 13 more rebounds to give him an NBA-leading 85 this postseason. He was coming off a career-high 22 rebounds in a Game 5 win at Golden 1 Center.
But the Kings, in the postseason for the first time since 2006, answered almost every big play by Golden State in the third quarter and capitalized on regular miscues. They outhustled the Warriors to the boards.
The Kings led 90-80 heading into the final 12 minutes. Curry hit an early 3, only for Trey Lyles to connect moments later. When Curry drove for a layup the next possession, Monk made one of his own.
Curry's 3 with 9:28 left got Golden State within 99-89 before Fox hit.
Fox's first points came on a jumper with 2:18 left in the first on his first shot. He then scored again the next time down still dealing with a broken index finger on his shooting hand. He shot 10 for 18.
Sacramento snapped a six-game losing streak on the Warriors' home floor dating to a win on Feb. 25, 2020.
Lyles wound up with 12 points and 10 rebounds as others picked up the slack with Domantas Sabonis in foul trouble. The big man had seven points and 11 rebounds before fouling out with 5:17 left.
Fox had been frustrated with his poor fourth quarter in Wednesday's 123-116 defeat in which he went 0 for 6 from the field and was scoreless &mdash; the most shots he had ever taken in a final period without scoring.
Draymond Green came off the bench for a third straight game and received a rousing standing ovation when checking in for the first time at the 6:26 mark of the opening quarter. He had 10 assists.
Both teams took a while to warm up, with Sacramento starting 6 for 23 and Golden State 6 of 19.
PAYTON'S DEGREE
Golden State guard Gary Payton II surprised mother Monique with his college diploma in person Friday morning. Payton had&nbsp;<a class="link " href="https://apnews.com/article/payton-degree-warriors-playoffs-99e8594d7391b9fb6755a5d9fdf1b6e7" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" data-ylk="slk:promised her he would finish his degree;elm:context_link;itc:0" data-rapid_p="43" data-v9y="1">promised her he would finish his degree</a>&nbsp;at Oregon State, and he did so recently to complete a major in human development and family science.
TIP-INS
Kings: Sacramento's bench outscored the Warriors' reserves 52-21. ... The Kings were 4 of 16 to start from deep but finished 17 of 45. ... Sabonis suffered a cut under his left eye on a jump ball with Looney in the second quarter.
Warriors: Curry missed three free throws, practically unheard of, as his team went 25 of 35 from the line. ... The Warriors gave up 23 points on their 19 turnovers. ... Green picked up his third foul at the 7:09 mark of the second quarter. ... Golden State is 8-3 in Game 6s dating back to their 2015 title run and 22-11 in close-out games.

The Kings forced a Game 7 against the Warriors, beating Golden State 118-99 on Friday night in their first-round playoff series.

Monk, Fox lead Kings past Warriors 118-99 to force Game 7

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) &mdash; Stephen Curry scored 31 points, Draymond Green had his highest-scoring game in more than five years and the Golden State Warriors won the first road game of their series against Sacramento, beating the Kings 123-116 Wednesday night to take a 3-2 lead.
Green had 21 points and seven assists in his first game back in Sacramento since getting ejected and later suspended for stepping on Domantas Sabonis&rsquo; chest in a Game 2 loss.
Golden State now can try to wrap up the series with a fourth straight win at home on Friday night.
The defending champion Warriors withstood another raucous crowd in Sacramento and showed off their road mettle that had been missing so often this season.
Golden State won only 11 games away from home in the regular season and lost the first two games in Sacramento before making the key plays in the second half to beat the Kings and extend their record to 28 straight playoff series with at least one road win.
The Kings trailed by 12 early in the fourth quarter after a layup by Curry but wouldn&rsquo;t go away. They chipped away at the deficit behind 11 points in the next five minutes from Monk &mdash; who went down briefly with what looked like a left knee injury &mdash; to make it a one-point game with just over four minutes left.
But the Warriors pulled away late after Monk missed a potential game-tying 3 with 1:04 to play.
Andrew Wiggins made a turnaround jumper to make it a five-point game and Curry put it away with a three-point play with 22.1 seconds left that made it 122-114.
Klay Thompson added 25 points, Wiggins had 20 and Kevon Looney matched his career-high with 22 rebounds.
De&rsquo;Aaron Fox scored 24 despite a&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/nba-playoffs-fox-injury-kings-warriors-7217265572c8f19edc5fa8642f5ae6dc">broken index finger</a>&nbsp;on his shooting hand, and Monk and Sabonis added 21 points apiece for Sacramento.
Fox got the start despite breaking the tip of the index finger on his shooting hand late in Game 4. He played with a splint on the finger and showed no ill effects from the injury, making all three of his attempts from long range in the first quarter to help Sacramento build a 10-point lead.
The Warriors got going in the second quarter with Thompson making three 3-pointers during a 12-0 run that helped Golden State take a 60-56 lead at the half.
TIP-INS
Warriors: Curry moved past Magic Johnson (3,701) into fifth-place all-time in playoff scoring with 3,727 points. ... Looney became the first Warriors player with two games with at least 20 rebounds in the same playoff series since Nate Thurmond did it against Milwaukee in 1972. ... Golden State got called for two transition take fouls in the fourth quarter.
Kings: Sacramento went from shooting 8 for 12 from 3-point range in the first quarter to 0 for 9 in the second quarter &mdash; the Kings&rsquo; most misses without a make in any quarter this season.
UP NEXT
With a win on Friday night, the Warriors would improve to 19-0 in playoff series against Western Conference teams since coach Steve Kerr took over in 2014-15.

The Warriors won the first road game of their series against the Kings 123-116 on Wednesday night to take a 3-2 lead.

Curry leads Warriors past Kings 123-116 for 3-2 series lead

Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen is the winner of the NBA's Most Improved Player award and the recipient of the George Mikan Trophy.&nbsp;
Markkanen received 69 first-place votes and 430 total voting points, while runner-up Shai Gilgeous-Alexander received 24 first-place votes and 289 total voting points. Jalen Brunson (91 total voting points), Mikal Bridges (33 total voting points) and Nic Claxton (22 total voting points) rounded out the top-5.
The following players also received at least one vote: Tyrese Haliburton, Trey Murphy III, Kevon Looney, De'Aaron Fox, Austin Reaves, Jaren Jackson Jr., Aaron Gordon and Malik Monk.
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/voting2.png" alt="" width="698" height="264" />
This season, Markkanen averaged 25.6 points, 8.6 rebounds, 3.0 threes and 1.9 assists while shooting 49.9% from the field, 39.1% from three-point range and 87.5% from the free-throw line. It was easily the best season of his NBA career, and the 25-year-old became a first-time All-Star.
Markkanen raised his scoring average by 10.87 points from last season, which was the biggest jump in the NBA. He set career-highs in points per game, field goal percentage and three-pointers made. Also, Markkanen posted 16 games with 30+ points this year after having just 15 such games in his first five NBA seasons.
The annual award, which was first presented in the 1985-86 season, is designed to honor an up-and-coming player who has made a dramatic improvement from the previous season or seasons.
The balloting was tabulated by the independent accounting firm Ernst &amp; Young LLP. Complete ballots for each voter will be released by the NBA after the announcement of all end-of-season awards.

Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen is the winner of the NBA's Most Improved Player award.

Jazz's Lauri Markkanen wins NBA's Most Improved Player award

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) &mdash; First, Draymond Green suggested to Warriors coach Steve Kerr that he come off the bench for Game 4 against the Sacramento Kings after Golden State had played so brilliantly without him.
Then at halftime Sunday, a couple of assistant coaches offered up the idea to Kerr that Green should defend De&rsquo;Aaron Fox for the final two quarters.
Those collaborative, spot-on moves helped overshadow a late blunder, and now the defending champions are all tied up in their first-round playoff series at two games apiece.
Stephen Curry scored 32 points but gave Sacramento a late chance when he called a timeout Golden State didn&rsquo;t have, then the Warriors held on to beat the Kings 126-125 on Sunday when Harrison Barnes missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer.
&ldquo;These games are coming down to the wire, and you&rsquo;ve just got to really finish possessions and try to give yourself the best chance, and then sometimes, it&rsquo;s just, does the ball go in or not,&rdquo; Kerr said.
Fox had 38 points, nine rebounds and five assists for Sacramento. His 3 with 28.7 seconds left pulled the Kings within one, then Curry missed a 16-foot jumper on the other end and Keegan Murray corralled the rebound. With Curry and Green defending, Fox dished to former Warrior Barnes for the potential game-winning 3, which hit the back of the rim.
&ldquo;Wide open,&rdquo; Barnes said. &ldquo;Fox trusted me to take that shot. Back rim. On to the next but I feel confident in where we are.&rdquo;
Golden State led 126-121 with 42.4 seconds left when Curry called the excessive timeout, and Malik Monk made the technical free throw for Sacramento.
Klay Thompson made a baseline 3-pointer to beat the third-quarter buzzer and another with 3:24 left, finishing with 26 points for the Warriors.
Game 5 in the best-of-seven series is Wednesday night at Sacramento&rsquo;s Golden 1 Center, where the Kings went ahead 2-0. The Warriors struggled on the road all year.
&ldquo;As good as this feels, it&rsquo;s got to be quickly forgotten about,&rdquo; Thompson said.
Curry&rsquo;s 3 with 4:10 remaining gave Golden State a 121-117 lead and he finished 11 for 22 with five 3s while dueling all afternoon with Fox.
After Monk&rsquo;s layup made it 107-106 Kings with 9:03 to play, Curry responded with a driving layup and a 3 in a 14-second span.
Green came off the bench after serving a one-game suspension while the Warriors dominated Thursday&rsquo;s Game 3 without him. Given the momentum and success, Kerr stuck with Jordan Poole in the starting five Sunday.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m a firm believer if something isn&rsquo;t broke you don&rsquo;t fix it,&rdquo; Green said.
He made a nifty behind-the-back pass for a Curry 3 midway through the fourth, then swatted a shot by Domantas Sabonis with 1:37 left.
Green, disciplined for stepping on Sabonis&rsquo; chest in the fourth quarter of Game 2, checked in to a rousing ovation with 6:38 left in the opening quarter and wound up with 12 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. He and Fox picked up double technicals at the 5:43 mark of the first.
Sabonis added 14 points, seven rebounds and eight assists and now heads home determined to get the Kings closer to winning their first playoff series since eliminating Dallas in the 2004 first round.
&ldquo;We made some timely mistakes, especially in the fourth quarter,&rdquo; coach Mike Brown said. &ldquo;This is where our playoff inexperience comes into play because you can&rsquo;t rest out there, or you can&rsquo;t think that you can play something a certain way and the champions are not going to make you pay the price.&rdquo;
Poole scored 22 points, Andrew Wiggins added 18 points, eight rebounds and four blocked shots, and Kevon Looney pulled down 14 rebounds to go with eight points and six assists.
Murray&rsquo;s 3 with 10:43 left pulled the Kings within 102-99 after a 7-0 burst to begin the fourth after the 3 by Thompson to end the third put the Warriors ahead 102-92. Brown instructed his young star to &ldquo;let it fly&rdquo; and Murray shined under the matinee lights, scoring 23 points.
Thompson&rsquo;s driving and dishing is something Kerr pointed to as a success opening up the floor in Game 3 and Thompson penetrated and found Moses Moody for a baseline 3 late in the first. Golden State moved the ball with snappy passes that created open looks.
MURRAY&rsquo;S GROWTH
Murray shot 9 for 13 with five 3s after he went a combined 1 for 8 on 3s and 3 of 13 in the first three games.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve just tried to be more aggressive throughout the playoffs and I knew eventually I&rsquo;d catch my stride on the offensive end, so it&rsquo;s just a matter of time and I came in confident,&rdquo; Murray said.
TIP-INS
Kings: Sacramento scored 18 points off Golden State&rsquo;s 12 turnovers while committing just 10 of its own. ... The Kings shot 14 of 35 from deep, 3 for 11 by Fox and 1 of 6 by Barnes.
Warriors: Gary Payton II returned to play seven minutes after missing Game 3 with an illness. ... Green had started the last 132 postseason games he played, last coming off the bench in Game 3 against the Clippers in 2014. ... Golden State shot 52.2% in the first.
LEADING LATE
The Warriors improved to 75-3 since Kerr became coach when leading a playoff game by 10 or more at any point in the fourth quarter.
&nbsp;

Stephen Curry scored 32 points and the Warriors held on to beat the Kings 126-125 on Sunday.

Curry, Warriors hold off Kings 126-125 to even series 2-all

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) &mdash; De&rsquo;Aaron Fox scored 24 points and made a backbreaking 3-pointer that led the playoff newcomer Sacramento Kings to a second straight victory over the defending champion Golden State Warriors, 114-106 on Monday night.
The Kings closed the game strong after Golden State&rsquo;s Draymond Green was ejected for a flagrant foul and became the first team to take a 2-0 series lead over the Warriors in the Stephen Curry era.
The Warriors will try to get back into the series when it shifts less than 90 miles southwest to San Francisco for Game 3 on Thursday night.
The game got heated in the fourth quarter when Green stomped on Domantas Sabonis&rsquo; chest with 7:03 to play, leading to an ejection for a flagrant foul.
During the review, the fans in Sacramento yelled derogatory chants toward Green, who egged them on by waving his hands, holding a hand to his ear calling for louder cheers and standing on a chair.
The Warriors fought back to tie the game before the Kings went on a 17-8 run to run away with it to the delight of the towel-waving crowd.
Fox&rsquo;s 3-pointer made it 107-101 with 2:17 to play and the Kings were in control from there. Davion Mitchell put it away with another 3 that made it 112-103 with 1:18 left.
Sabonis added 24 points for Sacramento and Malik Monk scored 18 off the bench.
Curry led the Warriors with 28 points but made just 3 of 13 from 3-point range as Golden State struggled to get going offensively. The Warriors committed 22 turnovers.
The crowd in success-starved Sacramento didn&rsquo;t quite hit the fever pitch of the opener when the fans celebrated the franchise&rsquo;s first playoff game following a record drought of 16 seasons.
The fans started to get into it in the second quarter thanks to another spark off the bench from Monk, who scored 32 points in the opener. Monk hit three 3-pointers in the first 2:04 of the period to help fuel a 23-8 run that turned a six-point deficit into a nine-point lead.
Golden State fought back and tied it on a 3 by Curry before allowing the final six points of the quarter to trail 58-52 at the half.
The Kings built the lead to 14 points in the third quarter before the Warriors scored eight in a row. Sacramento led 83-75 headed to the fourth.
SLOPPY START
The teams got off to a sloppy start with each committing nine turnovers in the first quarter. The 18 combined turnovers in the first quarter were the most in any game in more than six seasons and the most in a playoff game since at least the 2001-02 season.
The Kings also missed their first 11 3-pointers before Fox made one late in the first.
TIP-INS
Warriors: Andrew Wiggins was back in the starting lineup in his second back following an absence of more than two months to deal with an undisclosed family matter. Wiggins scored 22 points. ... Golden State committed five fouls in the first 1:42 of the third quarter.
Kings: Sacramento&rsquo;s 41 points in the second quarter marked the eighth time a team scored at least 40 in a quarter of a playoff game against Golden State in coach Steve Kerr&rsquo;s tenure.
UP NEXT
Game 3 is Thursday night in San Francisco.

De'Aaron Fox led the Kings to a second straight victory over the defending champion Warriors, 114-106 on Monday night.

Saint Joseph's College of Maine Monks