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Jon M. Huntsman Center

Last week, NBA legend Shawn Marion traveled to Abu Dhabi to support the 2023 NBA Abu Dhabi Games, which featured two preseason games between the Dallas Mavericks and Minnesota Timberwolves as well as youth clinics and fan events.&nbsp;
Marion led a skill-development clinic for youth athletes from Dubai's NBA Basketball School &mdash; a year-round basketball program in the UAE for boys and girls ages 6-to-18. He also judged a dunk contest, met with fans and took part in other NBA events alongside Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Ray Allen, Tim Hardaway Sr., Gary Payton, Sam Perkins, Kenny Smith, Ronny Turiaf and Salah Mejri.
Marion is an NBA champion, four-time NBA All-Star, two-time All-NBA selection and one of just five players in NBA history to record 17,000 points, 9,000 rebounds, 1,500 steals and 1,000 blocks (the other four are LeBron James, Kevin Garnett, Karl Malone and Hakeem Olajuwon). The Phoenix Suns recently announced that they'll retire Marion's jersey this season.
While in Abu Dhabi, Marion joined me on <a href="https://twitter.com/AlexKennedyNBA/status/1710458099448811578" target="_blank" rel="noopener">my new show "Running Up The Score"</a> to discuss his legendary career, the Suns' decision to retire his jersey, Mat Ishbia's impact since buying the franchise, the globalization of the NBA, how the game has evolved, whether he'll get back into podcasting and more.&nbsp;
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You&rsquo;re currently in Abu Dhabi for the Mavericks-Timberwolves preseason games and to host a basketball clinic with kids from the NBA Basketball School in Dubai. How is your trip going?&nbsp;
Shawn Marion:&nbsp;"Man, the trip is going amazing. This is a new culture for me; I've never experienced this, never been here. We're in a different part of the world right now and, I mean, I can tell you this: this is a place I'll definitely be coming back to. This is truly awesome. And, you know what, they're very passionate about [basketball]. I just had this meeting; I just came from an office visit and they had like 250 employees, but everybody spoke different languages! There were 16 languages being spoken! That tells you how diverse it is here, and they really pride themselves on that here. It's pretty amazing."
The globalization of the NBA has been a big priority for the league for some time. From when you were playing to now, do you see a big difference in terms of the NBA&rsquo;s worldwide popularity and international support?
Marion: "Yes. I think as you look at the lay of the land right now, the NBA and basketball is a global sport. But the way that the NBA has been able to grow it, they're taking it to other levels. They're starting NBA Academies and having clinics all around the world, and that just helps it grow even faster. Of course, TV and social-media content help as well, but the level it's growing at right now is unheard of."
The Phoenix Suns recently announced that they are retiring your jersey. Congratulations!
Marion: "Thank you!"
How did you find out that news and what was your reaction?
Marion: "I'm gonna be very honest and candid. Mat [Ishbia] called me as soon as he took ownership of the team and he was like, 'I'm not doing some of the shit that's been done [before]. I'm going to take care of you and reward you by retiring your jersey. I'm a man of my word, and that's what I'm going to do.' That's exactly what he said, and he did! Yep, it was that simple."
Ishbia is quickly winning over fans &mdash; he&rsquo;s spending money, making it easier to watch games, honoring past legends like yourself and so on. What do you think of Ishbia and the fresh start in Phoenix from an ownership perspective?
Marion: "I love it, man. I got a chance to see the practice facility; it's literally not too far from the place that I still have in Phoenix and I ain't been able to see [it before]. I ain't feel like... I feel like a weight was lifted off my shoulders to a certain degree. He's making the transition so easy. And he wants all the players who paved the way and set the foundation for the Suns organization and helped build that team into what the city loves and admires [to be involved]. He just wants everybody to be a part of it, man, and I love it. I think it's awesome. He's doing some amazing things out there."
The Suns have so much talent with Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal and Jusuf Nurkic. What do you think of this year's team and do you think they can win it all?
Marion: "Man, I think they got a chance just like anybody else, but, of course, their [championship hopes] are probably a little bit more realistic than some other teams. I just hope they stay healthy. When you stay healthy, you give yourself a chance. That's the thing. A lot of teams deal with injuries, and they've been hit with the injury bug a little bit as well. But they've got Frank Vogel as the head coach out there now and he's a defensive-minded guy. They just made another trade and got some other pieces to add to it &mdash; Grayson Allen and Jusuf Nurkic. I think that happened while I was out here; I was at a meeting when I got the alert and I was like, 'Wow! They ain't playing no games right now!' Listen, at the end of the day, he's trying to give himself and the organization the best chance to win. That's what you gotta do."
You obviously helped change the game and were ahead of your time. Overall, what are your thoughts on the modern NBA?
Marion: "Listen, it's run-and-gun, it's feast-or-famine right now. We set the foundation for what [the game] is now. There's so much positionless basketball being played, and it's dynamic. You're seeing the transition and evolution of what we started back in my Phoenix days during the Seven-Seconds-Or-Less era. That's what we started, and that's what it is right now. And I don't see the game going back to two traditional big men ever again."
Throughout the 2000s, not having a specific position was a death sentence for a player; nobody wanted to be labeled a "tweener." Then, seemingly overnight, the NBA became obsessed with "positionless" players and the tweeners were suddenly the most valuable players. That's one of my favorite examples of how the NBA is always evolving.
Marion: "Here's the thing: people can say [they're positionless], but it don't mean they are. You know, to be a two-way player in this league is very rare, but to be a positionless player is even more rare. You could be a guy who can go out there and guard 1 through 5, but to actually do it &mdash; willingly do it &mdash; is a big difference! A lot of guys probably could do it, but they don't do it, you know? Right now, teams are playing positionless basketball because everybody's switching everything. Most guys don't really post up anymore either. It's all face-up game and jumpers. So, it's easy to just jump into that narrative and bandwagon, but if you look at the game as a whole though, it's more of a guard-heavy game now than it was prior to when we made that transition. It's just been a shift. A lot of bigs now don't post up anymore; they're face-up players [too]. That's the evolution of the game."
A few years so, you and I did some of the NBA Watch Parties together on Clubhouse. I also love that <a href="https://twitter.com/MainTeamSports2/status/1506615984173592589" target="_blank" rel="noopener">video where you jumped on Twitter Spaces</a> and educated fans about your career; it was incredibly entertaining. You're obviously passionate about this game. Have you ever thought of doing a podcast?
Marion: "Well, Alex, it's funny you say that. I actually had a podcast with one of my guys in Dallas, so I was one of the first guys to ever do it. I just didn't do any promoting or all of that stuff, but it was something that we did in the Mavs organization kind of early on &mdash; like way before everybody started getting into podcasts. And it was great! But the thing about podcasts is unless you got a set thing, you gotta create content all the time, and I was so busy focusing on trying to be a father first. That was my lane. And then I dibbled and dabbled in TV a little bit and thought about doing some broadcasting work, but, like I said, my priorities shifted because I'm a hands-on father. So, I couldn't keep doing it in Dallas because that was the situation, but I have thought about reopening that window.
"I do have a different side of the game that I like to talk about. I know narratives get created easily by the media, and we consume them and we digest them. It becomes part of our thought process of that player, of that team or whatever it is. But I was talking about this with one of my friends. I was telling him: it's easy for a [former] player to say, 'I can do this or that.' But what kind of player were you though? Because it's hard for a point guard to tell how to guard a big, or for a big to tell how to guard a point guard. But when I say it, I actually guarded all of them! I did it all! And I didn't just do it for a quarter or half a quarter. I did it for full games! So, when I sit there and I tell people that, people are like, 'Man, you know, I never thought about it from that standpoint.' I was like, 'Yo, I actually did this.' You know what I'm saying? Like, it's easy for somebody to say, 'I can guard somebody,' or, 'Oh, I'm a two way player; I can guard this player.' I'm like, 'Can you do it for a full game though?' I'm the only person ever to do it for full games."
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I love to ask players about big &ldquo;what-ifs&rdquo; from NBA history. There was a report a while back that you were nearly traded to the Boston Celtics as part of a three-team deal that would have sent Kevin Garnett to Phoenix and picks to Minnesota. Is that true and, if so, can you tell that story?
Marion: "It is true. But Phoenix wasn't gonna do the deal. They didn't think it was viable because they would have to change their style of play instantly because we're two different type of players. So, they didn't want it. KG was in Minnesota at the time, and I would've went to Boston and he would've came here (to Phoenix). At the time, Boston was losing; I think they had a losing record at that time. I was like, 'Uhh...' But I mean, we have no control over that. Some of the rumors that come out about trades are actually true, but both sides have to agree to it. People throw out deals all the time, [teams talk] all the time, so there's plenty of hypotheticals out there.
"But you wanna hear an untold true story? I never really fully ever became a free agent except my last year playing when I signed with with Cleveland. When I signed with Dallas, it was a sign-and-trade, so I was still under contract basically with Toronto. It was a sign-and-trade deal, so I never really tested the free-agency market like that. So, what happened was I was about to be a free agent or get traded, and this was around that same time as those KG rumors. Kobe [Bryant] called me and said, 'If you're really gonna go out on the market and it's a possibility [that you're changing teams], I want you to come out to L.A.' So, we was texting and he was like, 'Yo!' It ain't happen because they didn't have the money to pay me, but that's a story that a lot of people don't know about."
I love those kind of stories and it's always interesting to think how those potential moves could have changed NBA history.
Marion: "Oh, there were a lot of situations out there like that where [trade talks] were open! It was pretty fun. When you look at the business of the NBA, man, the optimism and [hope] of what could possibily be is what makes it so fun and dynamic &mdash; een with the trade that just went down with Damian Lillard. It's funny, Paul Pierce actually predicted that. He called that in July. He said, 'If I'm Dame, I would try to get to Milwaukee.' It's funny that he said that and I could see it [from Lillard's perspective]. But do I think they're better? Ehh, they lost a lot for that trade, you know? [Jrue Holiday]. Grayson Allen was a great player for Milwaukee. He is a great pickup for Phoenix. He's a hell of a player, a great player, dude. Like, he does a lot of small stuff. He's a very tough guy. I like him. It's something about him that I like. I like the little Duke dudes with that little rough-and-rugged side! But he's one of those guys who can hit shots, he's gonna play defense and he competes. He's actually a lot better than people give him credit for. He ain't got a chance to really showcase his skills, but he can play. And if they use him the right way, he can help them."
For sure. Thanks for your time, I really appreciate it!&nbsp;
Marion: "Anytime, man. You know, we have great conversations and stuff. I might contemplate doing a podcast again. I gotta have the mobile equipment. We'll see; I don't know. I gotta have a great co-host. I like people who shoot [straight]. I told this to a reporter, so I'll give this to you. I told this guy who was recording me yesterday: when you are doing your interviews, do not ask the same questions and stuff that somebody else asks. Do not&nbsp;ask the same stuff."
I'm sure that gets really annoying.
Marion: "It's so annoying. It's okay to piggyback off of answers just to get some kind of content to create something in your own way. But don't ask the exact same questions. You sound you are a true fan. I know you are a true fan of the game. Like, you really love this. And so [you] ask the questions that you wanna know from someone in my position! Forget about the stuff that's already been out there already! Create your own. We all got a story to tell."
For sure.
Marion: "And the thing is, I love my former guys talking about ball and stuff, but some of them talk like they was way bigger and better than they were. Some of these guys were below-average role players, but they talk like they were superstars! I'm like, 'What did you... How good was you? What did you do?!' (laughs) I'm like, 'He was a role player!' He was a solid role player! And look, I became a role player. But you know...
Yeah, but that was because of your longevity. You had four All-Star years before that.
Marion: "Yeah, that's about longevity and understanding that you gotta sacrifice to win. That's the biggest thing, you know? And I could have easily averaged such and such, but I was like, 'You know what? They don't need me to do that. I don't have to do that. If we can win and I'm averaging 16, 17 points, I'm cool with that. We gonna win, so I'm good with that. Let's win.' That was about getting them Ws.
"But that's something to think about though. You asked some great questions. That's the lane to go into. Those are the things to ask &mdash; the hypotheticals or something you [researched]. Like, 'You know what, he was pretty good at this, how did you pick up on that?' or, 'What's something that you did differently than everybody else?' Those are different questions, not the same questions [we always hear]. We get repetitively asked the same questions time and time again. It's boring. It sucks. I'ma be honest: it sucks. I hate it. It&nbsp;sucks!"
I can't imagine how old that gets.
Marion: "One thing that everybody was constantly asking me about was my shot. Everybody seemed to want ask me about my shot. But listen, you know what's really messed up about that though? One media person said it, so it went rampant and every media person wanted me to replicate the answer, right? Whether I like it or not, or whether I enjoy it or not. I did so much on the floor, but you wanna focus on something that nobody talks about? Nobody in the league talks about that. Don't nobody in the league shoot the same! ... I [used to get] pissed off, but now I respond and it's fine. 'It don't matter, don't nobody shoot the same. Next!' But why would you wanna talk about my shot, but then you won't talk about how I just had 25-and-15!"
Or that you shot 39% from three-point range one year!
Marion: "You wanna discredit me and what I did just to talk about my shot? Got it. I totally understand. There's certain lanes and narratives that will be pushed. I totally get it. I'm an owner now, so I see exactly what lane [they're in]; it's all marketing strategies. I know how it works and I know who controls it. Being on this side of the business, I know how things work now. But it's all good though. And it's all love. Thank you."
This interview has been edited for length and clarity. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/MwvBnhrrzgs?si=2BRrY0Vaq8WWyAPe&amp;t=1676" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Watch the full conversation here</a>.
Other news from around the web: <a href="https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/dress-to-impress-why-barbie-and-ken-are-the-hottest-couples-costume-this-halloween/ar-AA1iaTEh" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Barbie and Ken are the hottest couples costume this Halloween</a>

Shawn Marion opens up about the Suns retiring his jersey, nearly getting traded to the Celtics, Mat Ishbia, the modern NBA and more.

Shawn Marion on Suns retiring his jersey, near-trade to Celtics, more

Now in his eighth season with the Indiana Pacers, Myles Turner is easily the team&rsquo;s longest-tenured player. In fact, no other Pacer on the current roster has been in town longer than four seasons.
Turner arrived in Indiana as a wide-eyed teenager who was selected with the No. 11 overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft. In the years that followed, Turner would watch as the team continually changed around him. He has played for four different head coaches &mdash; Frank Vogel, Nate McMillan, Nate Bjorkgren and Rick Carlisle &mdash; and witnessed a ton of roster turnover. But despite Turner&rsquo;s name surfacing in trade rumors annually, he has been the one constant in Indiana.
As a rookie, Turner suited up alongside stars like Paul George and Monta Ellis. During his sophomore campaign, he called Al Jefferson, Thaddeus Young, Jeff Teague and Lance Stephenson teammates. The following year, Victor Oladipo, Domantas Sabonis, Bojan Bogdanovic and Darren Collison joined the squad. Turner has also played with veterans such as Tyreke Evans, Ty Lawson, Rodney Stuckey, Caris LeVert, Doug McDermott, T.J. Warren and C.J. Miles over the years.
However, one could argue that no teammate has had a greater impact on Turner&rsquo;s game than his current star running mate: Tyrese Haliburton.
When the Pacers <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">acquired Haliburton from the Sacramento Kings</a> prior to last year&rsquo;s trade deadline, Turner was ecstatic. He was a fan of Haliburton&rsquo;s game and potential, and couldn&rsquo;t wait to team up with the pass-first point guard. Unfortunately, Turner wasn&rsquo;t able to play alongside Haliburton in the second half of last season due to a stress reaction in his foot.
This year, the Pacers&rsquo; one-two punch of Haliburton and Turner has been on full display, and they have become one of the most productive pick-and-roll duos in the NBA.
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pretty.😍 Tyrese Haliburton to Myles Turner for two. <a href="https://t.co/TupiSM909t">pic.twitter.com/TupiSM909t</a>
&mdash; Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) <a href="https://twitter.com/Pacers/status/1629656051175026688?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2023</a></blockquote>

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Turner has set 814 picks for Haliburton, which is the third-most of any pick-and-roll duo in the league, per Second Spectrum. The only tandems who have run the pick-and-roll more are Philadelphia&rsquo;s James Harden and Joel Embiid (893 picks) and Phoenix&rsquo;s Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton (897). Possessions featuring a Haliburton-Turner pick-and-roll have generated 1.063 points per possession &mdash; the fifth-best PPP of the 24 duos with at least 500 picks.
&ldquo;This has been a wonderful opportunity for Myles to play with a playmaking guard of Tyrese&rsquo;s caliber,&rdquo; Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle told Basketball News. &ldquo;A couple weeks ago, we checked and they were top-five or top-six in the league as a successful pick-and-roll connection, and that&rsquo;s pretty amazing. Myles is getting all different kinds of stuff &mdash; he&rsquo;s getting rolls for dunks, he's getting a little bit of mid-range, he's getting good looks for threes and he's getting some late passes underneath for dunks as well.
"I just love the force that he&rsquo;s playing with. Tyrese has had a wonderful impact on Myles and certainly the rest of the team, but the connection those two guys have has been special.&rdquo;
The partnership has been mutually beneficial. Turner gets easy looks from an elite floor general who ranks second among all players in assists per game (10.2) and assist percentage (46.9%), while Haliburton gets a unique big-man partner who can score inside (62.8% on twos) and out (40.3% on threes). It&rsquo;s no coincidence that both players are having career years.&nbsp;
Turner is averaging career-highs in points (18.2), rebounds (8.0), field-goal percentage (54.9%), three-point percentage (40.3%) and made threes (1.7), while also contributing 2.3 blocks, 1.4 deflections and 0.6 steals per game. Turner's dominance shows up in his analytics too, as he's posting personal bests in win shares per 48 minutes (.157), Box Plus/Minus (+2.6), True Shooting percentage (65.8%), Player Efficiency Rating (20.6) and total rebound rate (14.7%).
&ldquo;Myles has blossomed this year. We've seen the relationship with him and Ty; they're one of the best pick-and-roll [duos] in the league right now,&rdquo; Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard said recently. &ldquo;This is the beginning of a nice core &mdash; no, a great core.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Meanwhile, Haliburton <a href="bit.ly/3AyPKHC" target="_blank" rel="noopener">became a first-time All-Star</a> after averaging career-highs in points (20.1), assists (10.1) and threes (2.8), while also contributing 3.7 rebounds and 1.7 steals per contest. Haliburton is also posting personal bests in advanced stats like assist percentage (46.9%), PER (23.0), VORP (3.8), BPM (+6.9) and WS/48 (.189).
&ldquo;It was unfortunate that I didn&rsquo;t get a chance to play with him last year and really start to develop that synergy, but I think we&rsquo;ve really picked it up quickly,&rdquo; Turner told Basketball News. &ldquo;Ty is someone who&rsquo;s easy to play with. Obviously, he sees the floor well. And as the season has progressed, we&rsquo;ve done a better job of communicating with each other. It&rsquo;s been a fun experience.&rdquo;
Despite the fact that they&rsquo;ve only played 44 games together, they have developed a strong connection and can often anticipate each other&rsquo;s next move.
&ldquo;I think I know what he&rsquo;s going to do before he does it in a sense,&rdquo; Turner said. &ldquo;I think that just comes with playing with him.&rdquo;
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this sequence.🔥 a huge block by Myles Turner followed by a huge dunk by Tyrese Haliburton.👀 <a href="https://t.co/4MpAf4Kp0B">pic.twitter.com/4MpAf4Kp0B</a>
&mdash; Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) <a href="https://twitter.com/Pacers/status/1630770909442191360?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 1, 2023</a></blockquote>

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&ldquo;We just needed time together, that&rsquo;s all,&rdquo; Haliburton told Basketball News. &ldquo;I feel like I&rsquo;ve had pretty good chemistry with my bigs throughout my NBA career, and I knew that playing with Myles wasn&rsquo;t going to be any different. He brings a different dynamic than what I&rsquo;m used to, with his ability to space the floor. And he&rsquo;s the best shot-blocker that I&rsquo;ve ever played with, so that gives me confidence on the defensive end to be able to take more risks and get into the ball a little bit more.
"I think it&rsquo;s a mutual relationship where he&rsquo;s got my back and I&rsquo;ve got his.&rdquo;
Not too long ago, Turner&rsquo;s days in Indiana seemed numbered. After all, the team traded away nearly all of its veterans last season (including Sabonis, LeVert, Torrey Craig, Justin Holiday and Jeremy Lamb), and Turner&rsquo;s name continued to pop up in trade rumors. However, since Turner is only 26 years old, the Pacers&rsquo; brass felt that he could be on a similar timeline as Haliburton, who is 23.
It certainly seems that the Pacers are building around this duo, especially after Turner was given a two-year, $60 million extension in January.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m glad that we got it done. I think it was a win-win for both sides,&rdquo; Turner said. &ldquo;I think I have a good relationship with (Pacers owner) Herb Simon, and I think he has a big belief in what I&rsquo;m capable of as well. I&rsquo;m glad that we were able to come to terms on an agreement. Behind the scenes, for me personally, I was open to the idea of free agency, but I also wanted to at least give Indy a fair chance, and both sides came to an agreement.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m comfortable. I&rsquo;m where I want to be. I&rsquo;m growing with a young team that&rsquo;s hungry. I think we&rsquo;re just trying to get better and better every day, and that&rsquo;s the main goal of this whole thing. I have a lot of belief in this city, a lot of belief in this program and a lot of belief in the guys in this locker room, so that was a big initial factor in me wanting to stay here.&rdquo;
Since Turner was a popular trade candidate, many fans of other teams got excited about the possibility of him joining their favorite squad. When Turner inked his extension with the Pacers, some of these fans reacted negatively &mdash; upset that he was no longer on the market.&nbsp;
&ldquo;What fans don&rsquo;t realize is that this is a business, and both sides have to do what&rsquo;s best for them,&rdquo; Turner said. &ldquo;Sometimes it doesn&rsquo;t work out where you&rsquo;re able to stay with the same team, but I&rsquo;ve been blessed and fortunate enough to be with the same team for my entire career. That&rsquo;s not something that happens a lot, and I never take that for granted. That was obviously something that went into my decision as well. For the casual fan, they have to realize that while basketball may be a fun game, the business aspect of it will always reign supreme.&rdquo;
As Turner mentioned, not many players stay with one NBA team for the entirety of their career. He admits that retiring in Indiana would mean a lot to him.
&ldquo;Yeah, obviously, it&rsquo;s something that would be very special,&rdquo; Turner said. &ldquo;Like I always talk about, the business of basketball always reigns supreme, but my loyalty is with the organization that drafted me and the city that took me in, and hopefully it&rsquo;s able to stay that way for years to come.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Turner has been a part of many different iterations of Pacers basketball. Now, looking at the current pieces around him, he&rsquo;s excited about the team&rsquo;s promising future.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve seen the growth in a lot of our young guys throughout the entire year,&rdquo; Turner said. &ldquo;The best thing for them was getting a chance to play early. For <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-feature-interview-indiana-pacers-rookie-andrew-nembhard-rick-carlisle-tj-mcconnell-gonzaga-florida" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Drew [Nembhard]</a>, Ben [Mathurin] and those guys, playing heavy minutes early was big for their development, and not every rookie has a chance to do that. The fact that they&rsquo;re getting battle-tested so early is going to bode well for them.
"I&rsquo;ve just enjoyed the overall spirit and fight of this team. We&rsquo;ve got a lot of guys who clock in and work hard day in and day out, and they&rsquo;re coming in here and getting a chance to compete after working their whole life to get here.&rdquo;
While playing alongside Haliburton has certainly helped Turner, the big man does deserve a lot of credit for the leap he has taken this season. He&rsquo;s put in a lot of hard work behind the scenes to maximize his potential and make the most of his opportunity.
&ldquo;I attribute [my career year] to patience and obviously the hard work I put in over the offseason to prepare for these moments,&rdquo; Turner explained. &ldquo;I also attribute it to just the years that I&rsquo;ve been in the league, where I&rsquo;ve been able to play out on the perimeter at the 4 position and now I&rsquo;m able to play my natural position (the 5).
"I&rsquo;m thankful that I was able to just stick it out those years that I was here and see what the other side of basketball was like, outside of just getting what you want when you want it. I think I waited my turn and, obviously, I&rsquo;m thriving now, and I&rsquo;m only hoping to get better from here.&rdquo;
Nekias Duncan contributed to this article.

Alex Kennedy catches up with Pacers big man Myles Turner to discuss his extension, playing with Tyrese Haliburton and more.

Pacers' perfect pairing: Turner, Haliburton form dominant 1-2 punch

ATLANTA (AP) &mdash; Trae Young says he has &ldquo;nothing but love and respect&rdquo; for former Atlanta Hawks coach Nate McMillan and expects to have no input in the hiring of McMillan&rsquo;s replacement.
Young spoke with reporters on Friday for the first time since&nbsp;McMillan was fired on Tuesday&nbsp;with the Hawks in eighth place in the Eastern Conference. Young was not available following Wednesday&rsquo;s practice and was excused from Thursday&rsquo;s practice for personal reasons.
Young is preparing for his third full-time coach in five seasons. Asked if he is worried another change impacts the perception of his ability to maintain long relationships with coaches, Young said &ldquo;People are going to say what they&rsquo;ve got to say.
&ldquo;A lot of players have played for a lot of coaches. I don&rsquo;t look at it like that. I&rsquo;m not looking at the next coach who comes in here. I&rsquo;m trying to win a championship, whatever it is, I&rsquo;m just trying to win.&rdquo;
Young, a two-time All-Star, is Atlanta&rsquo;s on-court team leader as the starting point guard while also ranking as the team&rsquo;s top scorer with 26.7 points per game. He dismissed speculation he had a rocky relationship with McMillan.
&ldquo;There&rsquo;s a lot of moments that people really don&rsquo;t understand that me and him have had and that&rsquo;s OK,&rdquo; Young said after Friday morning&rsquo;s practice. &ldquo;It will get brought up eventually. I know I don&rsquo;t tell everybody everything. I kind of let y&rsquo;all make up rumors about certain things about how I am and how my relationship is with certain people. I just play basketball.&rdquo;
Young said he has talked with McMillan since the firing and added &ldquo;It&rsquo;s not the last time he and I are going to talk.&rdquo;
Hawks general manager Landry Fields on Wednesday said speculation that McMillan was hampered by conflicts with Young were unfair to Young. Fields said McMillan&rsquo;s relationship with Young was not a factor in his decision to make a coaching change.
Fields said he already has launched his search for McMillan&rsquo;s full-time replacement and said&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/atlanta-hawks-nba-sports-playoffs-nate-mcmillan-cb25039415b0a651ff041b515a27a5bd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">former Utah coach Quin Snyder is a candidate.</a>
Young said &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t care to have any input&rdquo; in the coaching search.
&ldquo;I trust those guys up top,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Since I&rsquo;ve been here I&rsquo;ve always said that. Nothing has changed for me.&rdquo;
Fields said he believed it was time for a new voice on the Hawks bench and said &ldquo;there was slippage&rdquo; as the team lost four of six games before the All-Star break.
Asked if he believes it was time for a new voice, Young said &ldquo;That&rsquo;s not up to me.&rdquo;
&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t know. I think that&rsquo;s part of it. I think sometimes it&rsquo;s not always going to be easy. Some conversations are not going to go great. That&rsquo;s just part of it. Not every situation is easy and nice.&rdquo;
Young participated in Friday&rsquo;s practice and is expected to start in Friday night&rsquo;s game against Cleveland as the Hawks (29-30) hope for a late-season surge under interim coach Joe Prunty.

Trae Young says he has “nothing but love and respect” for former Atlanta Hawks coach Nate McMillan.

Trae Young expresses ‘love and respect’ for fired Nate McMillan

TORONTO (AP) &mdash; Jakob Poeltl scored 30 points, Pascal Siakam had 26 and the Toronto Raptors beat the Orlando Magic 123-113 on Tuesday night for their fifth win in six games.
Scottie Barnes scored 17 points, Fred VanVleet had 10 points and a season-high 15 assists, and Precious Achiuwa had 11 points and 13 rebounds for the Raptors, who shot a season-best 60.2%.
Wendell Carter Jr. scored 26 points, Jalen Suggs had 24 off the bench and Markelle Fultz scored 19 points for the Magic.
Orlando came in having won three straight road games but couldn&rsquo;t follow Monday&rsquo;s win at Chicago with another victory. The Magic are 1-10 in the second game of back-to-backs.
A former Raptor who was reacquired from San Antonio last week, Poeltl shot 15 for 17 and added nine rebounds and six blocks.
&ldquo;You see what he did tonight,&rdquo; Magic coach Jamahl Mosely said. &ldquo;He was a game changer.&rdquo;
The 30 points were the most Poeltl has scored as a Raptors player. His career high is 31, set with San Antonio last Nov. 15 at Portland.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s just about reacting to the defense,&rdquo; Poeltl said. &ldquo;They decided to trap Freddie a bunch of times. I&rsquo;m comfortable catching the ball there at the top of the key and trying to make plays.&rdquo;
Suggs said Poeltl hurt Orlando with his bruising, physical style.
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s a force in the paint,&rdquo; Suggs said. &ldquo;Trying to box him out, you can&rsquo;t out-jump him. He&rsquo;s really strong and physical in there. He fits what they want to do. He&rsquo;s a physical big who&rsquo;s going to hit you in your mouth and have no remorse about it.&rdquo;
One game after setting a season best by allowing just five points off turnovers, the Raptors made a season-worst 20 miscues against the Magic, leading to 26 points. The Magic weren&rsquo;t much better, making 19 turnovers that led to 29 points for Toronto.
&ldquo;You can&rsquo;t turn the basketball over and give up offensive rebounds and give yourself a chance,&rdquo; Mosley said.
The Raptors outrebounded the Magic 40-29 and had a 13-9 edge on the offensive glass.
As the All Star break arrives, Orlando has gone 19-15 since a 5-20 start.
&ldquo;I feel like we did a solid job from the beginning of the year to now of kind of changing the script of who the Orlando Magic are,&rdquo; Carter said.
Orlando led 70-65 at halftime but Poeltl scored eight points in the third as Toronto took a 94-89 edge to the fourth.
TIP-INS
Magic: Paolo Banchero scored 13 points. &hellip; F Jonathan Isaac (left knee) sat as Orlando played the second game of a back-to-back. &hellip; G Cole Anthony (sore right wrist) missed his second straight game.
Raptors: Toronto is 13-0 all-time when shooting 60 percent or better. &hellip; Coach Nick Nurse returned after missing Sunday&rsquo;s win over Detroit for personal reasons. &hellip; F Thad Young injured his left knee early in the second quarter and did not return. .. G Gary Trent Jr. (sore left calf) missed his second game while F O.G. Anunoby (sprained left wrist) missed his ninth straight. &hellip; Toronto had 13 assists on 16 made baskets in the first quarter, including seven assists from VanVleet.
MILESTONE MAN
Barnes reached 2,000 career points. At 21 years and 197 days, he&rsquo;s the third-youngest player in Raptors history to reach the milestone, behind Tracy McGrady and Chris Bosh.
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ROAD WORK AHEAD
After hosting the Pelicans in their first game following the All-Star break, Toronto plays seven of eight on the road, a testing stretch that includes games at Cleveland, Denver, and both Los Angeles teams.
OUT ON VALENTINE&rsquo;S DAY
Toronto Mayor John Tory attended the game. Tory said last Friday that he would step down as mayor of Canada&rsquo;s largest city after acknowledging an affair with a former staffer.
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Jakob Poeltl scored 30 points, Pascal Siakam had 26 and the Toronto Raptors beat the Orlando Magic 123-113.

Poeltl scores 30, Siakam has 26, Raptors beat Magic 123-113

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

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

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

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

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

Evaluating the Clippers' three NBA trade deadline moves

The 2023 NBA trade deadline is less than 48 hours away, which means talks are heating up around the league.
The New York Knicks always seem to pop up in trade rumors, and this season is no different. However, it remains to be seen whether Leon Rose and Co. will pull off a trade before Thursday.
Following New York's 102-98 win over the Orlando Magic on Tuesday night, Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau was asked about the deadline and whether the team needs to make a move.
"I love our team," Thibodeau told reporters. "I love our team. Leon's job &mdash; and it's league-wide right now as things heat up &mdash; but that's his job, to listen to people, to talk and to see what's going on around the league. He and his staff are always thinking about [trade] possibilities and can we improve the team. That's his job, he's responsible for that. But we love our team. If something were to happen, it would have to be something that he felt very strongly about that would improve the club.
"But we know that we have a really good roster that we like. We have a lot of good, young players that we know are going to get better as time goes on. I've been around a long time: for every 100 trades they talk about, one gets done. So just keep focused on [the games], don't get distracted. It's just noise. But the good thing is that [trade rumors help] the popularity of our league. It creates a buzz and everyone is looking at it. But you can't lose sight of what's important to us, which is getting ready for the next game."
Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson was also asked about the upcoming deadline and how he feels about the roster as currently constructed.
"I mean, as professionals, our job is to show up every day and play basketbll and let the front office deal with all of those situations. But I love my teammates," Brunson told reporters. "Getting to know these guys, they've been welcoming &mdash; the guys that were here before me. The relationships that we've made over these past couple of months have been special. I love these guys. That's all I can say."
The Knicks are currently 30-26, which is the seventh-best record in the Eastern Conference.
New York has the NBA's ninth-best offense (scoring 113.1 points per 100 possessions) and 14th-best defense (allowing 110.6 points per possessions).

Will the Knicks make a trade? Tom Thibodeau and Jalen Brunson weighed in on the upcoming trade deadline and the Knicks' roster.

Will the Knicks make a trade? Tom Thibodeau, Jalen Brunson weigh in

NEW ORLEANS (AP) &mdash; When LeBron James was pulling up his dribble to float an alley-oop pass to Anthony Davis, or diving into the stands in an attempt to regain the ball for the Lakers, he appeared far more concerned with immediate team goals than making NBA history.
Yet, after nearly 40 minutes on the court, James couldn&rsquo;t stop Los Angeles from losing ground in the standings, even as he gained on Kareem Abdul-Jabbar&rsquo;s scoring mark.
James moved 36 points away from breaking the NBA career scoring record in the Lakers&rsquo; 131-126 loss to New Orleans on Saturday night that ended the Pelicans&rsquo; losing streak at 10 games.
&ldquo;I just want to win,&rdquo; James said. &ldquo;You know, you play the game the right way and see what happens.&rdquo;
James had 27 points to go with nine rebounds and six assists as he continued to close in on Abdul-Jabbar&rsquo;s record total of 38,387 points.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m tired as hell,&rdquo; James said, but added, &ldquo;I&rsquo;ll be ready to go on Tuesday,&rdquo; when the Lakers play next.
Brandon Ingram had his best game since returning 10 days earlier from a nearly two-month injury absence, scoring 35 points for the Pelicans on an array of drives and jumpers, sometimes in heavy traffic as he was fouled.
CJ McCollum had 23 points, highlighted by a late 3 to help New Orleans close out the final 3:14 on a 9-5 run that kept the Lakers at bay.
&ldquo;We just continued to attack across the board,&rdquo; said Pelicans coach Willie Green, whose team won for just the fourth time in 19 games. &ldquo;Every guy on our team that touched the floor came in and played with force and played with confidence. That is what is going to take for us to get over the hump.&rdquo;
Anthony Davis had 34 points and 14 rebounds for the Lakers. They led by 12 when James&rsquo; finger role made it 84-72 in the third quarter.
The Pelicans chipped away and closed the period with five quick points on McCollum&rsquo;s transition floater and Jose Alvarado&rsquo;s 3 after he caught a deflected inbound pass.
That sequence cut the Lakers&rsquo; advantage to 106-103, and New Orleans surged in front when Trey Murphy hit back-to-back 3s, the second from 27 feet, to make it 114-108.
The game remained tight thereafter, but the Pelicans didn&rsquo;t allow Los Angeles to regain the lead.
Murphy finished with 21 points and Alvarado 18.
Jonas Valanciunas had 18 points and 14 rebounds for New Orleans but left late in the third quarter with a right knee injury and did not return.
Russell Westbrook scored 15 points but did not play during the final 11 minutes.
&ldquo;Whatever decision they make, that&rsquo;s up to them,&rdquo; Westbrook said, brushing off questions about the possibility of being shipped out of Los Angeles before the Feb. 9 trade deadline. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve been all in since Day 1. I&rsquo;m very supportive of my teammates. I compete every night.
&ldquo;Whatever decision that they make, I&rsquo;ll make sure I&rsquo;m very professional like I always have been and always will be,&rdquo; Westbrook added.
James said trade deadline rumors should not distract the Lakers from what they need to do to win games.
&ldquo;It shouldn&rsquo;t be an issue. The trade deadline happens every single year,&rdquo; James said. &ldquo;You go out and focus, no matter what happens. You&rsquo;re still a professional.&rdquo;
And while James said he didn&rsquo;t want to speak for the Lakers&rsquo; front office about possible trades, he didn&rsquo;t quibble with the notion that Kyrie Irving, who has requested a trade and won a title with James in Cleveland, could help the Lakers.
&ldquo;That&rsquo;s a &lsquo;duh&rsquo; question when talking about a player like that,&rdquo; James said.
TIP-INS
Lakers: Went 2-3 during their five-game road trip that concluded in New Orleans and came in 12-16 on the road overall. ... Davis was playing in his third straight game and for the fifth time in six games since missing 20 games with a right foot injury. He reached 20 points for the 26th time in 30 games played this season and 30 points for the 11th time. ... Got 43 bench points including 13 from Troy Brown Jr. and 11 from Lonnie Walker.
Pelicans: Larry Nance Jr. had 10 points and nine rebounds. ... Have given up at least 70 first-half points in two straight. ... Shot 52% (52 of 100) for the game despite going 9 of 30 from deep, missing 11 straight 3s during the first half.
WARM WELCOME
Fans cheered James during introductions and when he scored, particularly after his end-to-end transition dunk in the third quarter. In the fourth, when James dove into the stands chasing the ball, fans patted him on the back supportively as he lay across them and helped him up.
UP NEXT
Lakers: Host Oklahoma City on Tuesday night.
Pelicans: Host Sacramento on Sunday night.

LeBron James moved 36 points away from breaking the NBA scoring record in the Lakers’ 131-126 loss to New Orleans on Saturday night.

LeBron James closes in on NBA record, Lakers falls to Pelicans

"We're a championship team."
That's what Nuggets guard Jamal Murray said, as <a href="https://www.denverpost.com/2023/02/03/nuggets-jamal-murray-championship-team/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">part of a larger answer</a> about the team's prospects after Thursday night's 134-117 win over the Golden State Warriors. Murray was a big part of the win, scoring 33 points (9-of-12 from two, 3-of-11 from three), dishing out 8 assists and grabbing 5 rebounds in a little over 30 minutes.
"All that stuff, not being happy, has gotta go out the window or else we&rsquo;re not going to win," Murray said. "It&rsquo;s nice to have a coach that knows that and knows what we&rsquo;re trying to accomplish.&rdquo;
There are a couple of ways to decipher the rest of Murray's words. You can take the "duh" approach and leave it there. Any team with title aspirations &mdash; and the Nuggets, headlined by MVP frontrunner Nikola Jokic while boasting the West's best record, certainly fit the bill &mdash; needs buy-in. Beyond the Xs and Os and rotation decisions, a head coach's primary responsibility is to get buy-in from its players.&nbsp;
Michael Malone has appeared to get that for the most part. You can see that most blatantly with the Nuggets' defensive performance. Per Cleaning The Glass, they're up to 16th in defensive rating on the year, excluding garbage time. <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-examining-the-denver-nuggets-poor-defense-nikola-jokic-michael-malone-bruce-brown-michael-porter-jr" target="_blank" rel="noopener">In early December</a>, I wrote about how pourous their then-ranked 27th defense was; Coach Malone seemingly lamented it every other game.
If you read a little deeper into Murray's reminder for connectivity, you could interpret it as a message to second-year guard Bones Hyland.
Hyland didn't appear in Thursday night's game. He only played four minutes in Tuesday's win over (what's left of) the New Orleans Pelicans. In fact, here is Hyland's minute count over the Nuggets' past 10 games: 8, 15, 18, 8, 11, 0 (inactive), 24, 21, 4, 0 (DNP).
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There have been reports of Hyland and Malone not seeing eye-to-eye. It would make sense; young players &mdash; especially young guards &mdash; have to do a lot to earn Malone's trust on both ends of the floor.
Hyland is a microwave scorer, unafraid to pull from 30 feet if he's feeling it. He's drained nearly 38% of his threes on high volume (5.7 attempts in 19.5 minutes) this season. He's also, at this stage of his career, a harmful defender due to his off-ball awareness and shaky screen navigation. Those are hard sells for Malone fundamentally, even while acknowledging how talented Hyland is.
But with the relationship appearing to deteriorate, trade rumors have <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/report-bones-hyland-is-one-of-the-most-likely-players-to-be-dealt" target="_blank" rel="noopener">continued to swirl</a>. Most recently, ESPN's Tim MacMahon essentially called a Hyland trade an inevitability. Brian Windhorst didn't go that far, but it seems the writing is on the wall in Denver.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
&ldquo;Bones Hyland is getting traded. It&rsquo;s a matter of where and for what.&rdquo; (via <a href="https://twitter.com/espn_macmahon?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@espn_macmahon</a>) <a href="https://t.co/JlUJQI7YnW">pic.twitter.com/JlUJQI7YnW</a>
&mdash; The Trade Deadline (@_TradeDeadline) <a href="https://twitter.com/_TradeDeadline/status/1621550941500473348?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 3, 2023</a></blockquote>

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Beyond the intrigue of the Nuggets potentially moving Hyland this early, figuring out who they'd actually pursue is also challenging.
It's easy to look at the roster and pinpoint&nbsp;what&nbsp;they should pursue. Finding a bigger, more reliable two-way presence on the perimeter would be at the top of the list. As it stands, rookies Christian Braun and Peyton Watson are the only "3s" between 6-foot-6 and 6-foot-8 on the roster. Braun has been in and out of the rotation this season despite his positive flashes, and we've seen virtually nothing from Watson.
If they land on another guard to directly replace Hyland, that player would need to hold their own defensively &mdash; and likely be capable of punching above their weight &mdash; while being able to toggle between on and off-ball duties. Murray has been commanding the second unit when staggered away from Jokic; ideally, you'd want to take some of that creation burden off of him.
The "who" of it is what makes this tough. Hyland isn't just a young trade chip &mdash; he might be the&nbsp;trade chip for the Nuggets considering their first-round pick situation. <a href="https://www.prosportstransactions.com/basketball/DraftTrades/Future/Nuggets.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Due to prior trades</a>, the earliest available first-rounder they can move <a href="https://www.denverstiffs.com/2023/1/10/23547887/the-denver-nuggets-trade-deadline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">is their 2029 first</a>. Cashing in Hyland for a veteran could still be the move, but it'd be beneficial to add a vet who could move the needle this year and&nbsp;next year, at the very least.
No team wants to "lose" a deal obviously, but there's heightened importance in nailing a trade involving Hyland because of it.
For that reason, I'd imagine the first call would be to the Chicago Bulls. Alex Caruso doesn't fit the wing-with-size archetype, but he doubles as one of the NBA's stingiest and most versatile perimeter defenders. He is one of the best screen navigators in the sport, possesses quick hands that allow him to pester ball-handlers and restrict passing lanes and has the strength and guile to defend bigger wings or forwards when called upon.
A fun stat, per Second Spectrum: Over the past two seasons, possessions featuring a post-up defended by Caruso have garnered just 0.82 points per possession (PPP). Among the 114 players who have defended at least 75 post-ups in that time frame, that mark ranks 11th. Players ahead of him include Pascal Siakam (0.74 PPP), Draymond Green (0.75 PPP), PJ Tucker (0.76 PPP), Onyeka Okongwu (0.78 PPP) and Jayson Tatum (0.8 PPP).
Any questions concerning Caruso come on the offensive end of the floor. He's currently shooting 40.2% from deep, but is only attempting 4.3 threes per 100 possessions, the second-lowest clip of his career. Because of his infrequent trigger &mdash; with more infuriating catch-and-holds sprinkled in this season &mdash; defenses are okay defending him conservatively on the perimeter.&nbsp;
Caruso remains a smart cutter and a tough-as-nails screener, making him an ideal partner for Nikola Jokic whenever they play together. His cross screens consistently help Nikola Vucevic establish deep post position; it's easy to see him doing the same for Jokic. There's also room for him to act as a brush screener whenever the Nuggets want to utilize Jokic as the pick-and-roll ball handler.
Per <a href="https://marcstein.substack.com/p/the-latest-nba-trade-winds?utm_source=post-email-title&amp;publication_id=392205&amp;post_id=99187151&amp;isFreemail=false&amp;utm_medium=email" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Marc Stein of Substack ($)</a>, the Bulls reportedly want two first-round picks in a deal for Caruso. Would the Bulls consider Hyland as a first-rounder, and would the 2029 first the Nuggets could actually offer be enough to entice them? If so, Hyland, Jeff Green, Ish Smith and the 2029 first is a package that could get the ball rolling.
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(There would be haggling, of course. The Nuggets would rather add second-rounders &mdash; they have six, including two this year. If they do include the first-rounder, I'm sure they'd ask for protections &mdash; or explore what it would take to get the Bulls to include Andre Drummond in the deal as well. In short, there are conversations to be had here.)
If not the Bulls, the Nuggets should check in with the Washington Wizards again. They just did business over the summer with the wing room; why not see if they could pry Delon Wright out of there? It would take one of Green or Smith along with Hyland for salary-matching purposes. Because of the age gap and team control aspect, the Nuggets may be able to ask for minor draft compensation.
Among available forwards, I wonder if they'd call the Phoenix Suns and check in on Jae Crowder. Because of Crowder's contract status &mdash; he's set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer &mdash; the Nuggets likely wouldn't have to think about including a future first. The Hyland-Green-Smith triumvirate would work salary-wise for Crowder and a minimum piece (maybe Jock Landale or Josh Okogie).
STRAY THOUGHTS
<ul>
<li>If the San Antonio Spurs didn't already have multiple guards they're somewhat invested in, a Hyland-led package for Josh Richardson would be something worth exploring.</li>
<li>Same guard-heavy issue with the Utah Jazz, otherwise a Jarrod Vanderbilt deal would be at the top of the list for me.</li>
<li>The Sacramento Kings and Warriors have reportedly been linked to Matisse Thybulle. The Nuggets have the offensive infrastructure to slot Thybulle in as a cutter and occasional screener. How would we feel about a Hyland/Green for Thybulle/Shake Milton swap? Feels like a third team would be needed to balance things further for the Sixers, but I'd be intrigued.</li>
<li>Hyland for Cam Reddish is the "Man, everybody would hate this" trade that I can't push in good faith.</li>
</ul>

The Denver Nuggets may be on the verge of trading Bones Hyland. Nekias Duncan explores which landing spots make sense for Hyland.

Exploring possible trade destinations for Nuggets' Bones Hyland

Since entering the NBA in 2015, Myles Turner has seen his name surface in trade rumors constantly. One could argue that he's been featured in the rumor mill more than any other NBA player over that span.
Despite all of the rumblings, Turner has never actually been dealt. Even when the Indiana Pacers blew up their roster last season &mdash; trading away veterans like Domantas Sabonis, Caris LeVert, Torrey Craig, Justin Holiday and Jeremy Lamb &mdash; they ultimately decided to keep Turner.
Now, after signing a two-year, $60 million extension with the Pacers (that includes a $17.1 million renegotiation of his 2022-23 salary), it would seem that Turner isn't going anywhere.&nbsp;
On Monday, the team held a press conference to announce the extension and Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard was asked if Turner is finally off the trade block.
"Yes, he's off the trade block!" Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle immediately chimed in.
"One of the things that we've always believed in here is that if you sign a player, it's to sign a player; we don't sign a player to trade a player," Pritchard said. "And Myles has blossomed this year. We've seen the relationship with him and Ty [Haliburton]; they're one of the best pick-and-roll [duos] in the league right now. This is the beginning of a nice core &mdash; no, a great core &mdash; and we signed Myles to be here. That's our goal."
"I'm here to stay," Turner added with a smile.
This season, Turner is averaging career-highs in points (17.5), rebounds (7.8), three-pointers (1.6), field goal percentage (54.4%) and three-point percentage (39.3%). Meanwhile, he continues to dominate defensively, averaging 2.4 blocks (fourth-most in the NBA) and 0.6 steals.
Looking at Turner's advanced stats, he's also posting career-bests in True Shooting percentage (64.8%), total rebound percentage (23.0%) and player efficiency rating (19.8).
"I'm gonna tell ya'll right now: I'm just getting started. The best version of myself is yet to come," Turner said. "I'm just leveling up each and every day."
"We've seen him play some of his best basketball this year and it really makes me proud to see Myles sitting here and accomplishing what he's accomplished," Pritchard added. "And I think his best is still to come."&nbsp;
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Carlisle praised Turner's development and said that he and his coaching staff "were hoping that this day would come very desperately."
&ldquo;Myles&rsquo; values and what he stands for really align with what we&rsquo;re trying to do here," Carlisle said. "His love of the game, his loyalty to his teammates and to this city and to our vision, and his commitment to growth has been something that&rsquo;s been great to see. And over the last year-and-a-half, he&rsquo;s transitioned back to his natural position as a full-time five man and we&rsquo;ve seen him flourish."
Pritchard revealed that the two sides had extension talks last year, but Turner chose to bet on himself and wait. One month ago, the negotiations started back up and they were able to reach an agreement.
&ldquo;Give Myles a ton of credit here because he took a risk,&rdquo; Pritchard said. &ldquo;We talked about an extension in the past, but he wanted to wait another year. He wanted to be in a position where he was playing the right position, the one that he&rsquo;s most comfortable with."
"This has been a really great example of a player having a vision and having the discipline and patience to wait it out and put himself in this great position with the right players [surrounding him]," Carlisle added.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
the squad pulled up to celebrate Myles Turner's contract extension.💙 <a href="https://t.co/ZTuB7BwYbP">pic.twitter.com/ZTuB7BwYbP</a>
&mdash; Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) <a href="https://twitter.com/Pacers/status/1620207893328039936?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 30, 2023</a></blockquote>
Many of Turner&rsquo;s teammates came in during their day off to show their support at the press conference and put in some extra work. Tyrese Haliburton, Buddy Hield, Andrew Nembhard, Bennedict Mathurin, Trevelin Queen, James Johnson and Oshae Brissett were all in attendance &mdash; a testament to the Pacers&rsquo; culture. Turner believes that this organization is building something special.
&ldquo;I think that that&rsquo;s a huge reason why I stayed here: I really truly believe that we can accomplish something here," Turner said. "You&rsquo;ve got to start from somewhere. We have a team that&rsquo;s on the up and up. Today was supposed to be our blackout day, but I see countless players here getting their work in. That&rsquo;s the type of stuff I respect and the type of stuff that I came up on... That made the decision really easy.&rdquo;
Pritchard acknowledged that the Pacers have exceeded expectations this year, which factored into the decision to extend Turner. Despite having one of the league&rsquo;s younger teams, Indiana is 24-28 &mdash; which is just a half game back from the Play-In Tournament and two games back from the Eastern Conference&rsquo;s eighth seed.&nbsp;
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Turner has been with the Pacers since he was 19 years old, and he appreciates the fact that he's been able to stick with one team up to this point in his NBA career.&nbsp;
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s still very surreal. Growing up here, I&rsquo;ve spent my entire 20s here," Turner said. "It&rsquo;s incredible to still see the same faces from the beginning of my journey. I have such a strong belief in this organization and this city&hellip;&nbsp;
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m still here where I started, and that&rsquo;s very special to me. I want to continue to grow here, continue to grow this organization, continue to grow with my team and put Indiana back on the map."

Rick Carlisle and Kevin Pritchard confirmed that Myles Turner is "off the trade block" after signing a two-year extension with the Pacers.

Following extension, Pacers take Myles Turner 'off the trade block'

Gear up for fireworks, folks.
The fun period of the WNBA offseason is on the horizon. As of yesterday, teams are now allowed to offer qualifying offers and core designations to their own restricted and unrestricted free agents respectively. That period ends on Jan. 20, with (outside) free agents and teams being able to negotiate deals on Jan. 21.
With superstars like Breanna Stewart, Candace Parker and Nneka Ogwumike headlining the market &mdash; and with rumors already swirling about Stewart eyeing the Big Apple &mdash; this is one of most anticipated free-agency periods in recent memory.
Below the star tier, it's worth keeping an eye on what's happening with the Dallas Wings.
Midway through <a href="https://twitter.com/Khristina/status/1548019576142585857" target="_blank" rel="noopener">last season</a>, Khristina Williams of Girls Talk Sports (<a href="https://twitter.com/Khristina" target="_blank" rel="noopener">follow her!</a>) reported that Allisha Gray &mdash; an All-Star caliber wing for Dallas &mdash; would stick around through the trade deadline, but was expected to be moved during the offseason.
Well, the offseason is here, and, per Williams, that's looking more like an inevitability.
Here's her report from Wednesday night:&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
SOURCES: Allisha Gray is expected to be traded from Dallas. Possible destinations include Washington, Chicago, Connecticut,and Atlanta. Gray is in the last year of her contract and plans to exercise free agency when her contract is up. <a href="https://twitter.com/GrlsTlkSportsTV?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GrlsTlkSportsTV</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WNBA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WNBA</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WNBAFreeAgency?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WNBAFreeAgency</a> <a href="https://t.co/KEp5ALIMib">https://t.co/KEp5ALIMib</a>
&mdash; Khristina Williams (@Khristina) <a href="https://twitter.com/Khristina/status/1613363135146037254?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 12, 2023</a></blockquote>

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

Not only do we have a follow-up on Gray, but we also have potential destinations!&nbsp;
The Connecticut Sun are fresh off a Finals appearance (and a loss to the Las Vegas Aces), but have their own tightrope to walk with an actual All-Star. Brionna Jones, a two-time All-Star and reigning Sixth Woman of the Year, is an unrestricted free agent this offseason. And because of the Sun's salary crunch, they may not be able to retain her on the max deal she's worthy of without moving a piece (or two) of their core.
Aside from the Seattle Storm, there may not be a team in The W with more potential roster turnover than&nbsp; the Chicago Sky. After losing to the Sun in the Eastern Conference Finals, they're now faced with a daunting offseason. Parker is a free agent, as is All-Star guard Courtney Vandersloot, sharpshooter Allie Quigley and budding star big Azura Stevens.
The Washington Mystics are stacked with talent, headlined by Elena Delle Donne and a pair of two-way forces in Natasha Cloud and Ariel Atkins. Though they have pending free agents like Alysha Clark, Shatori Walker-Kimbrough and Elizabeth Williams, they don't run the risk of losing core talent like the Sun and Sky, which sets them up as an interesting landing spot for Gray.
And then, we have the Atlanta Dream, whose <a href="https://www.wnba.com/news/theyve-got-next-an-inside-look-at-the-atlanta-dream-rebuild/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">organizational overhaul</a> has set them up for long-term success. Not only do they have talent now &mdash; reigning Rookie of the Year Rhyne Howard has "star" written all over her, and versatile big Cheyenne Parker is coming off the best season of her career &mdash; they're flush with cap space.
In summation, the destination list contains three recent contenders and one team that's on the upswing and has plenty of money to spend. All four could use a shooting boost in particular.
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To that end, it's easy to see why Gray is so coveted. She was one of six players to knock down 40% of her threes while attempting at least four per game. Her ability to play-make against tilted defenses adds to her offensive value. Add in her defense &mdash; the list of players who can defend on the perimeter like or better than Gray is a short one &mdash; and you have one of the most versatile wings in the sport, smack dab in the middle of her prime.
When players like her are on the trade market, it would behoove a good team to pounce. Her contract status could complicate things a bit; she has one year left on her deal and, per Williams, she plans on testing the market next offseason. But this is the type of player you shouldn't have issue commiting to long-term.
Among the teams listed, I'd probably give the Mystics the edge here.
In light of Dallas having some questions in the frontcourt &mdash; Isabelle Harrison is an unrestricted free agent who isn't far removed from complaining about her playing time; Teaira McCowan is a restricted free agent with up-in-the-air market value due to play style &mdash; the Mystics could use Myisha Hines-Allen to headline a package. Beyond that, the Mystics have draft equity to use, including the No. 4 overall pick in this year's draft.&nbsp;
A starting five of Cloud, Atkins, Gray, Delle Donne and Rookie of the Year runner-up Shakira Austin (already a <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/how-the-washington-mystics-are-winning-with-activity" target="_blank" rel="noopener">near-elite defender</a>) would challenge the Aces for the best unit in The W.
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Among the teams not listed in Williams' report, I wonder if the New York Liberty could get into the mix. They could surely use more punch in their stable of perimeter options.
It was almost comical how much better their defense looked &mdash; roughly <a href="https://www.pbpstats.com/wowy-combos/wnba?TeamId=1611661313&amp;Season=2022&amp;SeasonType=Regular%2BSeason&amp;PlayerIds=204335" target="_blank" rel="noopener">five points per 100 possessions stingier</a> &mdash; when Betnijah Laney rejoined the rotation after recovery from meniscus surgery. She was the Liberty's only wing option that could credibly defend while also drawing the attention of defenders when operating off the ball.
Regardless of who lands her, you can put Gray's name on the list of players whose acquisition could help shape this year's title picture in The W.

Nekias Duncan digs into a buzzworthy 2023 WNBA offseason that could include Wings guard Allisha Gray being on the move.

Weighing sensible landing spots for Dallas Wings' Allisha Gray

Nekias Duncan previews the Mavericks, Rockets, Grizzlies, Pelicans and Spurs ahead of the 2022-23 NBA campaign.

2022-23 NBA Season Preview: Southwest Division

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

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

Howard Beck explains differences in Donald Sterling, Robert Sarver cases

Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges pleaded not guilty Wednesday to felony domestic violence charges filed by Los Angeles County prosecutors after he was accused of assaulting his girlfriend in front of their two children.
District Attorney George Gasc&oacute;n announced Tuesday that his office filed one felony count of injuring a child&rsquo;s parent and two felony counts of child abuse under circumstances or conditions likely to cause great bodily injury or death.
Bridges entered not guilty pleas during an arraignment, the DA's office said.
Bridges was arrested on June 29 by Los Angeles police and was later released on $130,000 bond.
The Hornets and the NBA both said they were aware of the charges filed against Bridges.
&ldquo;These are very serious charges that we will continue to monitor,&rdquo; the Hornets said. &ldquo;As this is a legal matter, we will have no further comment at this time.&rdquo;
Mychelle Johnson, the mother of Bridges&rsquo; two young children, addressed the incident on Instagram on July 1, posting several pictures of injuries and a medical report that read &ldquo;adult victim of physical abuse by male partner; Assault by strangulation, Brain concussion; Closed fracture of nasal bone; Contusion of rib; Multiple bruises; Strain of neck muscle.&rdquo;
&ldquo;I hate that it has come to this but I can&rsquo;t be silent anymore. I&rsquo;ve allowed someone to destroy my home, abuse me in every way possible and traumatize our kids for life,&rdquo; Johnson wrote on Instagram. &ldquo;I have nothing to prove to the world, but I won&rsquo;t allow anyone who could do something so horrible to have no remorse and paint a picture of something I&rsquo;m not. I won&rsquo;t allow the people around him to continue to silence me and continue to lie to protect this person.&rdquo;
The 24-year-old Bridges is a restricted free agent who was expected to command big money in the free agent market this summer following a breakout season.
The 6-foot-7, 225-pound Bridges was the Hornets&rsquo; leading scorer last season, averaging 20.2 points and seven rebounds in his fourth NBA season.
The Hornets have extended Bridges a qualifying offer allowing them a chance to match any offer sheet made by another team. The team had indicated prior to knowledge of Bridges&rsquo; arrest that it wanted to re-sign him.
___
More AP NBA coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Hornets forward Miles Bridges pleaded not guilty to felony domestic violence charges filed by Los Angeles County prosecutors.

Hornets' Bridges pleads not guilty to domestic violence

Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges is facing three felony domestic violence charges after being accused of assaulting his girlfriend in front of their two children last month, the Los Angeles County district attorney said Tuesday.
District Attorney George Gasc&oacute;n said his office filed one felony count of injuring a child&rsquo;s parent and two felony counts of child abuse under circumstances or conditions likely to cause great bodily injury or death. Bridges is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday.
&ldquo;Children who witness family violence are especially vulnerable and the impact on them is immeasurable," Gasc&oacute;n said.
Bridges was arrested on June 29 by Los Angeles police and was later released on $130,000 bond.
The Hornets and the NBA both said they were aware of the charges filed against Bridges.
&ldquo;These are very serious charges that we will continue to monitor,&rdquo; the Hornets said. "As this is a legal matter, we will have no further comment at this time.&rdquo;
Bridges&rsquo; agent, Rich Paul, could not immediately be reached for comment Tuesday night.
Mychelle Johnson, the mother of Bridges&rsquo; two young children, addressed the incident on Instagram on July 1, posting several pictures of injuries and a medical report that read &ldquo;adult victim of physical abuse by male partner; Assault by strangulation, Brain concussion; Closed fracture of nasal bone; Contusion of rib; Multiple bruises; Strain of neck muscle.&rdquo;
&ldquo;I hate that it has come to this but I can&rsquo;t be silent anymore. I&rsquo;ve allowed someone to destroy my home, abuse me in every way possible and traumatize our kids for life,&rdquo; Johnson wrote on Instagram. &ldquo;I have nothing to prove to the world, but I won&rsquo;t allow anyone who could do something so horrible to have no remorse and paint a picture of something I&rsquo;m not. I won&rsquo;t allow the people around him to continue to silence me and continue to lie to protect this person."
The 24-year-old Bridges is a restricted free agent who was expected to command big money in the free agent market this summer following a breakout season.
The 6-foot-7, 225-pound Bridges was the Hornets&rsquo; leading scorer last season, averaging 20.2 points and seven rebounds in his fourth NBA season.
The Hornets have extended Bridges a qualifying offer allowing them a chance to match any offer sheet made by another team. The team had indicated prior to knowledge of Bridges&rsquo; arrest that it wanted to re-sign him.
___
More AP NBA coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

“These are very serious charges that we will continue to monitor,” the Hornets said. "As this is a legal matter, we will have no further comment at this time.”

Hornets forward Bridges facing 3 domestic violence charges

The NBA's free-agency period tips off today at 6 p.m. ET! Who are the top players available? Here's a look at 15 notable players who could be on the move.
Check out <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/nba-free-agency" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BasketballNews' 2022 NBA Free Agency page</a> for our complete rankings, the latest rumors, a glossary of relevant terms and more.
ZACH LAVINE, UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT
Zach LaVine bet on himself instead of signing a four-year, $105 million extension last offseason, and the gamble has certainly paid off. He averaged 24.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.8 made three-pointers while shooting 38.9% from downtown and a career-high 85.3% from the free-throw line. Steph Curry is the only player in the NBA to match or exceed LaVine in those statistical categories last season. With LaVine playing at such a high level, he'll want a max deal that pays approximately $200 million over five years. The most any other team can offer LaVine is around $160 million over four years. LaVine is expected to return to the Chicago Bulls when all is said and done.
JAMES HARDEN, UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT
James Harden declined his $47.4 million player option for the 2022-23 season and he's now an unrestricted free agent. However, all signs point to Harden remaining with the Philadelphia 76ers on a new deal. The 32-year-old struggled during the playoffs, especially in the second round when he averaged 18.2 points, 7.0 assists, 6.3 rebounds, 4.8 turnovers and 2.5 threes, while shooting 40.4% from the field, 33.2% from three and 76.1% from the free-throw line. Harden turns 33 years old in August and he seems significantly less explosive. Harden is&nbsp;
BRADLEY BEAL, UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT
In February, Bradley Beal underwent surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left wrist. Prior to the injury, Beal's scoring average had dipped dramatically (from 31.3 points per game in 2020-21 to 23.2 this season), and he was shooting just 30.0% from downtown. However, the three-time All-Star averaged a career-high 6.6 assists. Beal declined his $36.4 million player option for the 2022-23 season, but he's expected to re-sign with the Washington Wizards barring a sudden change of heart.
DEANDRE AYTON, RESTRICTED FREE AGENT
Deandre Ayton is the crown jewel of this year's free-agent center crop. Although the Phoenix Suns surprisingly chose not to offer him a max extension last offseason (worth approximately $173 million over five years), Phoenix can match any offer the former No. 1 overall pick receives this summer. However, an up-and-down postseason has raised questions about the 23-year-old&rsquo;s future with the team. In Phoenix&rsquo;s embarrassing Game 7 loss to the Dallas Mavericks, Ayton had just 5 points and 4 rebounds, leading Monty Williams to bench him after only 17 minutes. Ayton is a young, improving player and he's widely regarded as one of NBA's best young centers. If the Suns don&rsquo;t want to give Ayton the max, they may weigh their sign-and-trade options.
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MILES BRIDGES, RESTRICTED FREE AGENT
Charlotte reportedly offered Miles Bridges an extension worth $60 million over four years this past summer, but he rejected it. With Bridges exploding this season &mdash; averaging a career-high 20.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.9 threes and 0.9 steals &mdash; the Hornets' front office likely regrets not upping that offer, as the stud forward is now in line for a massive pay raise. He is one of only five players in the NBA this season who knocked down at least 125 three-pointers while also averaging at least 20-7-3. The other five players? LeBron James, Luka Doncic, Jayson Tatum and Karl-Anthony Towns. It's worth noting that Bridges was arrested for domestic violence on the eve of free agency, which could impact his negotiations.
JALEN BRUNSON, UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT
Jalen Brunson took a significant step forward during the 2020-21 season, averaging 12.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.2 threes in 25.7 minutes, while shooting 52.3% from the floor and 40.5% from downtown. The Villanova product continued to improve in 2021-22, averaging career-highs in points (16.3), assists (4.8) and rebounds (3.9). Brunson also showed he could shoulder increased responsibility by stepping up when Luka Doncic missed time during the regular season and playoffs. In the first round, Brunson helped Dallas Mavericks eliminate the Utah Jazz despite being without Doncic for the first three games of the series. In six games against Utah, Brunson averaged 27.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 2.0 threes and just 0.7 turnovers on 48.1/32.9/84.8 shooting. The New York Knicks are currently the front-runners to add Brunson.
ANFERNEE SIMONS, RESTRICTED FREE AGENT
Anfernee Simons increased his value a ton with his play during the 2021-22 season. After averaging a modest 7.8 points per game during the 2020-21 season, Simons averaged 17.3 points last year, which was the largest year-over-year leap in the NBA last season. He also chipped in 3.9 assists, 3.1 threes and 2.6 assists, while shooting 40.5% from beyond the arc. In the 30 games he started, he was even more productive &ndash; putting up 22.0 points, 5.5 assists, 4.1 threes and 2.8 rebounds on 45.2/41.5/87.1 shooting splits. The 22-year-old has a bright future in the NBA. One of the primary reasons the Blazers traded away CJ McCollum, Norman Powell and Robert Covington prior to the deadline was to clear up cap space to give Simons a big payday, so it would be very surprising to see him change teams.
JUSUF NURKIC, UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT
After a disappointing 2020-21 campaign, Jusuf Nurkic bounced back impressively last season, averaging 15.0 points, a career-high 11.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.1 steals while shooting 53.5% from the floor. Nurkic&rsquo;s season ended early due to plantar fasciitis. However, he'll likely be ready to return by the start of training camp in September. Due to Nurk's tight bond with Blazers point guard Damian Lillard, many pundits expect Portland to re-sign the big man to a multi-year deal.
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COLLIN SEXTON, RESTRICTED FREE AGENT
Collin Sexton injured his left knee in early November, and an MRI revealed a torn meniscus. He had surgery a week later, sidelining him for the entirety of the 2021-22 campaign. It will be <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-trade-rumors-offseason-free-agency-examining-potential-destinations-collin-sexton-cleveland-cavaliers-washington-wizards-san-antonio-spurs-dallas-mavericks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fascinating to see what offers he receives on the open market</a>. During the 2020-21 season, Sexton averaged 24.3 points and 4.4 assists while shooting 47.5% from the floor, 37.5% from downtown and 81.5% from the free-throw line. However, he struggled defensively, and the Cavs registered a league-worst 60-159 record over the first three years of his career. With Sexton out of action this season, Cleveland went 44-38 and made the Play-In Tournament. Darius Garland emerged as an All-Star in Sexton&rsquo;s absence. Because he is a restricted free agent, the Cavs can match any offer he receives this summer.
BOBBY PORTIS, UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT
With Brook Lopez sidelined for most of the 2021-22 season, Bobby Portis stepped up for the Milwaukee Bucks, starting 59 games. He averaged career-highs in scoring (14.6 points), rebounds (9.1), blocks (0.7) and made three-pointers (1.8). Portis declined his $4.6 million player option for the 2022-23 season, and he is expected to search for a significant raise.
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.
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MITCHELL ROBINSON, UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT
The New York Knicks technically have until June 30 to ink Mitchell Robinson to an extension worth up to $48 million over four years. However, the two sides have not yet reached an agreement, so it appears Robinson will be able to test the market. While he has flashed All-Defensive upside in short spurts throughout his four-year career, Robinson has battled numerous injuries and baffling inconsistency. His regression at the free-throw line (shooting below 50% in each of the past two seasons) is worrisome as well. Nevertheless, few big men can supply the type of high-flying athleticism and rim-protection he brings to the table. Robinson is expected to re-sign with the Knicks, but <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-free-agency-rumors-examining-potential-destinations-for-mitchell-robinson-new-york-knicks-chicago-bulls-pistons-trail-blazers-magic" target="_blank" rel="noopener">we'll see if any other team can make things interesting</a>.
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.&nbsp;
TYUS JONES, UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT
Tyus Jones has proven to be a reliable, efficient backup point guard. Last season, he averaged 8.7 points, 4.4 assists, 2.4 rebounds, 1.1 threes, 0.9 steals and 0.6 turnovers on 45.1/39.0/81.8 shooting splits. However, he has also shown that he can step into the starting lineup and take on more responsibilities. In 23 games as a starter, Jones averaged 12.7 points, 6.6 assists, 3.2 rebounds, 1.6 threes and 1.1 steals on 45.0/39.6/83.8 shooting splits. He turned heads at times during the playoffs too. In Memphis' Game 6 win over the Warriors, he posted 21 points, 9 assists, 4 threes, 3 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 block and 0 turnovers (on 66.7/57.1/100.0 shooting) in just 24 minutes.
MO BAMBA, UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT
After struggling over his first three years in the NBA, Mo Bamba just enjoyed the best year of his pro career. He became the first player in Magic franchise history to average more than 1.5 blocks and 1.0 made three-pointers per game over an entire season. However, it remains to be seen if Bamba has a long-term future in Orlando. The Magic just selected Paolo Banchero with the No. 1 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. Also, Orlando inked center Wendell Carter Jr. to a four-year, $50 million contract extension back in October (and lineups with both Carter and Bamba have not performed well). Orlando didn't extend a qualifying offer to Bamba, making him an unrestricted free agent.
&nbsp;
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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 <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! Who are the top players available?

2022 NBA Free Agency: The top 15 players who are available

Among this offseason's crop of free agents, some players are flying under the radar. Coming off a torn meniscus, Cleveland Cavaliers combo guard Collin Sexton enters restricted free agency with an uncertain long-term future with the organization.
With Darius Garland&rsquo;s massive jump last season, alongside the midseason addition of Caris LeVert (who is extension-eligible), does Sexton still fit into Cleveland&rsquo;s vision? At the moment, Sexton feels slotted into a sixth man role for the Cavaliers or as a secondary piece behind Garland, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen.
Throughout his career in Cleveland, Sexton has shown a true knack for scoring the basketball at an efficient clip, averaging 20.0 points, 3.3 assists and 3.0 rebounds per game on 55.0% True Shooting.
On Tuesday afternoon, the Cavaliers extended a qualifying offer to Sexton, which means they can match any offer sheet he receives the open market. However, how many teams will seriously pursue Sexton? After the draft, the landscape looks much clearer for potential destinations outside of Cleveland.
A return to the Cavaliers is certainly possible. But let&rsquo;s dive into the three best landing spots for Sexton around the league if he doesn't stick around in Northeast Ohio.
WASHINGTON WIZARDS 
It&rsquo;s no secret at this point that the Wizards covet a point-guard upgrade to pair alongside Bradley Beal. Whether it be Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Dejounte Murray, Malcolm Brogdon or Tyus Jones, Washington seems to be making calls everywhere at the moment.
Could we be underrating the Wizards as a potential fit for Sexton in the process? Next to Beal, Sexton would consistently see open looks, but his playmaking chops would have to improve to a more consistent level, as Washington needs a smooth operator to run head coach Wes Unseld Jr.&rsquo;s system.
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The offensive fit for Sexton with Beal is super fun, but the defense is also super questionable. However, there&rsquo;s no denying Sexton would be the best point guard Beal has played with in D.C. since John Wall. And that&rsquo;s not hyperbole either. The Wizards need to have something click for them in their backcourt, and the clock is now restarting once Beal inks his new lucrative deal.
It's highly unlikely that Sexton would come to D.C. with a mid-level exception offer &mdash; regardless of whether it's the $10.3 million non-taxpayer annually or the $6.3 million taxpayer annually &mdash; so the team would have to get creative to get him there, likely via a sign-and-trade. We know that Kyle Kuzma and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope could be available, but would that entice Cleveland? How about Deni Avdija or Rui Hachimura, both of whom have flashed upside albeit inconsistently?
Sexton would solve a lot of scoring woes for Washington, but is the price of admission worth it for a team seemingly trying to simultaneously retool and make win-now moves?
SAN ANTONIO SPURS
A week ago, this option would&rsquo;ve never seriously been considered. Now, it seems San Antonio is seriously considering a pivot to a full-scale rebuild, which would mean trading away their All-Star point guard Dejounte Murray. The Atlanta Hawks have been consistently rumored as a potential landing spot for Murray, and it makes a lot of sense <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/dejounte-murray-trade-rumors-nba-atlanta-hawks-san-antonio-spurs-john-collins-deal-atl" target="_blank" rel="noopener">as I covered earlier this week</a>.
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/usatsi_15759486_690w.jpg" alt="" />
From the perspective of Sexton and the Spurs, it could become a realistic marriage that makes sense for both sides. The Spurs' hole at point guard would be serious, but trading Murray could easily signal their intentions to tank the season for generational prospect Victor Wembanyama. Would Sexton fit the Spurs&rsquo; new timeline around their young core? Absolutely. Remember, Sexton is only 23 years old, so he actually makes sense as a long-term piece to their puzzle alongside Keldon Johnson, Devin Vassell, Jeremy Sochan and others.
While the market for Sexton away from Cleveland is thinner than expected, San Antonio truly makes sense as a logical landing spot.
DALLAS MAVERICKS
With Dallas now expected to lose Jalen Brunson to the New York Knicks in free agency, could Sexton all of a sudden become a realistic fallback option? If the Mavericks are able to secure a large trade exception in a deal with New York for Brunson, they could become an interesting trade candidate for guards such as Malcolm Brogdon or Sexton. (However, it's looking like the Knicks will be able to sign Brunson outright.)
Alongside Luka Doncic, Sexton would excel in a score-first role. For the Mavericks, Sexton represents a player with upside on the same timeline as Doncic.
The big question becomes: What exactly would the Mavericks be willing to pay for his services if they create that aforementioned traded-player exception? If it&rsquo;s on a similar tier as Brunson, around $20 million, it actually could be a very plausible reality for Sexton to be a strong backcourt partner with Doncic in Dallas. (If Dallas doesn't get a traded-player exception, they would only have the mid-level exception, so sign-and-trade would be the only realistic route to land Sexton.)
However, thinking out loud, it should be noted that Tim Hardaway Jr. will be returning in basically the same role, and his contract is designed to descend year-by-year &mdash; an advantageous structure given that Doncic is starting his rookie max extension next season. (Dorian Finney-Smith also begins his new deal.) Spencer Dinwiddie joined the Mavs' fray at the trade deadline to boot, and proved to be a key contributor in multiple moments after he was acquired as well.
It will be very interesting to see where exactly Sexton lands within the next few weeks. If he ends up staying in Cleveland, will it be beyond the 2022-23 campaign?
These looming questions will soon be answered for Sexton, the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/nba-free-agency" target="_blank" rel="noopener">No. 9 ranked free agent on BasketballNews</a>, but he&rsquo;s one of the more interesting names to follow as we close in on the official start of the new league year.
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If Collin Sexton moves on from the Cavs, which teams make sense as a landing spot? Evan Sidery breaks down potential destinations.

Examining potential free-agency destinations for Collin Sexton

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

It&rsquo;s Christmas in late June for NBA fans.
The 2022 NBA Draft is hours away, and the rumor mill is churning. BasketballNews has compiled every major rumor to keep you up-to-date on the latest rumblings around the Association.
If you missed yesterday's NBA Rumors Notebook with updates on Malcolm Brogdon, John Collins, Gordon Hayward and more, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-trade-rumors-draft-2022-news-reports-atlanta-hawks-malcolm-brogdon-new-york-knicks-deal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">check that out here</a>.
Without further ado, let&rsquo;s jump into the juicy intel.
Kevin Durant will request trade if Kyrie Irving leaves Nets
On Wednesday, ESPN&rsquo;s Adrian Wojnarowski dropped this blockbuster nugget in his <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/insider/story/_/id/34130810/how-kyrie-irving-contract-talks-change-kevin-durant-long-term-commitment-brooklyn-nets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ESPN+ story</a> detailing the the uncertainty surrounding the Nets and Kyrie Irving. Woj said that the star point guard has a huge leverage play in negotiations: Irving knows that if the Nets refuse to sign him to a long-term extension, Kevin Durant will soon follow him out the door in Brooklyn. Wojnarowski said the Nets are aware of this situation, so their front office is trying to walk this tightrope.
Longtime NBA insider Marc Stein <a href="https://marcstein.substack.com/p/kyrie-irving-latest-more-trade-talk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">added on Substack</a> that he&rsquo;s heard Irving and LeBron James have been in contact recently, potentially about reuniting on the Los Angeles Lakers. Wojnarowski relayed on NBA Today that the Lakers are considered "the biggest threat" to acquire Irving outside of Brooklyn too. Also, Stein said don&rsquo;t rule out the Miami Heat as a possible suitor via sign-and-trade.
The Irving drama has already created a negative impact on the Nets&rsquo; free-agency plans. Wojnarowski said on NBA Today that Brooklyn is having a hard time retaining their own free agents, plus Durant isn&rsquo;t recruiting potential names to the Nets as well.&nbsp;
"In previous offseasons, rival agents and players would tell you of Durant's eagerness in talking to potential free agents. So far, that hasn't been the case with him, sources say," Wojnarowski <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_/id/34130810/how-kyrie-irving-contract-talks-change-kevin-durant-long-term-commitment-brooklyn-nets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote on ESPN+</a>.
Durant has also been putting pressure on the Nets to sign Irving long-term, per Wojnarowski.
All of a sudden, the possibility of the Nets breaking up feels very real. Could we actually be looking at a scenario where Durant is requesting a trade over the next few weeks? If Irving's contract situation isn&rsquo;t resolved soon, it sure feels like it.
OG Anunoby joining Jerami Grant in Portland?
According to <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisBHaynes/status/1539759808907284480" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Yahoo Sports&rsquo; Chris Haynes</a>, the Portland Trail Blazers aren&rsquo;t done trying to make massive moves to improve their roster. After acquiring Jerami Grant for a bargain price on Wednesday, Haynes relayed that Portland is offering the Toronto Raptors the No. 7 overall pick in today's NBA Draft in exchange for versatile wing OG Anunoby.
There has been persistent smoke surrounding Anunoby in trade talks over the last few weeks, and now things have kicked into overdrive.
If the Blazers are able to land Anunoby alongside Grant, it&rsquo;s a dream wing pairing to place alongside the high-usage backcourt of Damian Lillard and Anfernee Simons. Assuming Portland also re-signs Jusuf Nurkic, they could become a playoff contender once again.
Deandre Ayton, Suns heading for a split?
Deandre Ayton may have played his final game with the Phoenix Suns. Even though things seemed to be heading in this direction after the Suns' shocking postseason exit, Wojnarowski confirmed Wednesday on NBA Today that the organization doesn&rsquo;t view&nbsp; their former No. 1 overall pick as a max-level player. Woj added that Phoenix plans to engage in serious sign-and-trade discussions surrounding Ayton.
Keep an eye on the Detroit Pistons as a potential landing spot for Ayton, especially after the Grant trade went down. The Pistons now have more than $40 million in cap space, which means they can offer Ayton a max contract without any hiccups. According to <a href="https://theathletic.com/3379072/2022/06/22/jerami-grant-blazers-pistons-deandre-ayton/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Athletic&rsquo;s James Edwards III</a>, Detroit is &ldquo;heavily expected&rdquo; to pursue Ayton.
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Will James Harden opt in?
Wojnarowski mentioned on NBA Today that James Harden was likely to exercise his $47 million player option for next season and sign a short-term extension with the Philadelphia 76ers. Harden&rsquo;s new deal with Philadelphia will come in at a figure slightly below the max, as Woj relayed on ESPN2. This lines up with <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10038916-latest-nba-intel-sources-say-james-harden-will-sign-short-term-extension-with-sixers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a recent report</a> from Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report.
Philadelphia has <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-trade-rumors-draft-2022-news-reports-atlanta-hawks-malcolm-brogdon-new-york-knicks-deal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">already been linked to Eric Gordon and PJ Tucker</a> this offseason, so we'll see if the 2018 Houston Rockets are planning a reunion. Would adding Gordon and Tucker be enough to put Philadelphia over the top in the Eastern Conference?
The Sixers are also shopping the No. 23 overall pick, Matisse Thybulle and Danny Green, per <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10038916-latest-nba-intel-sources-say-james-harden-will-sign-short-term-extension-with-sixers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fischer</a>.&nbsp;
Thunder planning blockbuster trade to move up draft?
<a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/insider/story/_/id/34121058/2022-nba-mock-draft-projecting-all-58-picks-based-latest-intel-scouting" target="_blank" rel="noopener">According to ESPN&rsquo;s Jonathan Givony</a>, the Oklahoma City Thunder are aggressively trying to trade up from No. 12, with their primary targets being Purdue&rsquo;s Jaden Ivey and Kentucky&rsquo;s Shaedon Sharpe.
The Thunder are hoping to come out of this draft with two of the top prospects; OKC also has the No. 2 and signs seem to point to them taking Chet Holmgren.&nbsp;
Could you imagine Oklahoma City trotting out a core that features Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Josh Giddey, Holmgren and either Ivey or Sharpe? That&rsquo;s simply unfair.
Hawks pursuing Dejounte Murray trade?
<a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10039635-latest-nba-offseason-rumors-san-antonio-spurs-discussing-dejounte-murray-trades" target="_blank" rel="noopener">According to Bleacher Report&rsquo;s Jake Fischer</a>, the San Antonio Spurs and Atlanta Hawks have discussed a deal that would involve swapping Dejounte Murray and John Collins. Fischer noted that the price for Murray to leave San Antonio would be &ldquo;Jrue Holiday-like&rdquo; in terms of the return. If that&rsquo;s the case, the Spurs would likely have to part with multiple first-round picks to land the versatile guard.
The Athletic's Chris Kirschner joined BasketballNews' Twitter Spaces last night and confirmed that these talks are ongoing, but added that a deal isn't close. He has also heard that the asking price for Murray is significant.
With this coming out of nowhere, it wouldn&rsquo;t be a surprise to see the Spurs be a very aggressive team during tonight's NBA Draft.
Knicks all-in on Jalen Brunson?
Stein <a href="https://marcstein.substack.com/p/kyrie-irving-latest-more-trade-talk?sd=pf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> on Wednesday that the New York Knicks are viewed as a real threat to sign Jalen Brunson, if they can clear the necessary cap space. The Knicks are trying to offload the expiring contracts (if you count their 2023-24 team option) of Alec Burks, Kemba Walker and Nerlens Noel. Wojnarowski added later in the day on ESPN2 that New York will be aggressive in clearing said space.
Stein dropped another Knicks-related note involving underrated rim protector Mitchell Robinson. <a href="https://marcstein.substack.com/p/nba-draft-forecast-trades-aplenty?sd=pf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">According to Stein</a>, the Knicks are expected to re-sign Robinson, which may close the door on potential draft options like Memphis&rsquo; Jalen Duren or Duke&rsquo;s Mark Williams at No. 11 overall.
Yesterday, ESPN&rsquo;s Brian Windhorst mentioned on NBA Today that New York has been unwilling to include No. 11 in any trade talks involving Pacers point guard Malcolm Brogdon. The availability of Brogdon continues to be a hot topic, which included <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10038623-latest-nba-intel-sources-expect-zach-lavine-to-re-sign-with-chicago-bulls" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fischer reporting</a> that league executives believe Brogdon is the Knicks' backup option after Brunson.
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Pacers accepting rebuild?
On ESPN's NBA Mock Draft Special on Tuesday, Wojnarowksi said that the Pacers plan to reshape their roster and move toward a rebuild under head coach Rick Carlisle. Woj added that Indiana is hopeful to add a second lottery selection since there are multiple prospects they like in that range.
The full expectation is that Brogdon will be moved soon. However, when it comes to Myles Turner's future, the Pacers may wait for better offers or hold onto him long-term. Both Brogdon and Turner have constantly popped up in trade rumors, and that likely isn't changing until there's a resolution.
Indiana deciding on a full-scale rebuild opens up a lot of roster possibilities, and it further suggests that Brogdon, Turner and maybe even Buddy Hield could be on the move. Leading up to the draft, Indiana continues to be one of the most active teams on the trade market.
<a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10039635-latest-nba-offseason-rumors-san-antonio-spurs-discussing-dejounte-murray-trades" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fischer mentioned on Wednesday</a> that the following teams have shown interest in a Turner trade: the Toronto Raptors, Minnesota Timberwolves and Charlotte Hornets.
D&rsquo;Angelo Russell staying in Minnesota?
Speaking of the Timberwolves, another interesting tidbit was shared on Wednesday morning by <a href="https://theathletic.com/3363956/2022/06/22/dangelo-russell-future-timberwolves/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Athletic&rsquo;s Jon Krawczynski</a>: Minnesota has not come close on any potential trades involving D&rsquo;Angelo Russell or any other players. Russell is on the final year of his contract, but his season ended with some fourth-quarter benchings in favor of Jordan McLaughlin during the playoffs.
Timberwolves president of basketball operations Tim Connelly <a href="https://twitter.com/JonKrawczynski/status/1539694720108085248" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told reporters</a> on Wednesday that the organization is &ldquo;super open&rdquo; to trading the No. 19 pick. Connelly added that they would welcome a win-now piece in exchange for the top-20 selection.
Cavs open to trading back?
According to <a href="https://www.cleveland.com/cavs/2022/06/cleveland-cavaliers-getting-trade-offers-for-the-no-14-pick-in-2022-nba-draft-sources-say.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com</a>, the Cleveland Cavaliers are open to trading back from No. 14 overall. This lines up with what <a href="https://hoopshype.com/lists/nba-rumors-bradley-beal-bobby-portis-nicolas-batum-lakers-nets/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HoopsHype's Michael Scotto reported</a> earlier this week. Scotto added that the Minnesota Timberwolves, Memphis Grizzlies and Milwaukee Bucks have called about the No. 14 pick.
Holding the final pick in the lottery, Cleveland could fetch a solid return on the trade market. The Cavs are reportedly hoping for a future first-round pick, but they&rsquo;re open to adding a win-now role player in a trade-back scenario as well.&nbsp;
If the Cavaliers are able to move back while also improving the top of their rotation, it would be a huge win for the up-and-coming team.
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Suns shopping Jae Crowder?
<a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10039635-latest-nba-offseason-rumors-san-antonio-spurs-discussing-dejounte-murray-trades" target="_blank" rel="noopener">According to Fischer</a>, the Suns have reached out to rival teams to gauge Jae Crowder's trade value. Over the last two seasons, Crowder has played a pivotal role in the Suns&rsquo; historic turnaround. However, with a looming extension for Cameron Johnson, it could make sense to clear more playing time for he and Mikal Bridges on the wing.
Phoenix has no picks tonight, but they are rumored to be interested in getting into the draft. While they have looked into buying a second-round selection, perhaps trading Crowder could get them into the first round.
If the Suns send Crowder to Philadelphia for the No. 23 pick and Danny Green&rsquo;s non-guaranteed salary, would that make sense for both sides?
Wizards listening on Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
<a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10039635-latest-nba-offseason-rumors-san-antonio-spurs-discussing-dejounte-murray-trades" target="_blank" rel="noopener">According to Fischer</a>, the Wizards are open to discussing Kuzma and KCP in deals. Earlier in the week, Wojnarowski listed Washington as one of the most active teams in trade discussions.
After a strong season with the Wizards, Kuzma could provide a strong return. KCP&rsquo;s expiring contract would be a strong match with Indiana for Malcolm Brogdon, which has been rumored for several days.
Blazers, Pelicans draft preferences
Closing out the notebook, here are two draft-related notes. First up, if the Portland Trail Blazers stay put at No. 7, they are reportedly fans of Dyson Daniels and Shaedon Sharpe, per <a href="https://theathletic.com/3377254/2022/06/22/nba-mock-draft-trades-rumors-news/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Athletic&rsquo;s John Hollinger</a>. Both Daniels or Sharpe could be real complements on the wing alongside Lillard, Grant and Simons. If Portland nails their lottery pick, they are set up to potentially rebound in 2022-23.
The New Orleans Pelicans&rsquo; top choices at No. 8 are Daniels and Arizona&rsquo;s Bennedict Mathurin, per <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/please-dont-aggregate-this/id1618992995" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fischer on his podcast</a>. If neither Daniels nor Mathurin are on the board, New Orleans would be more inclined to listen on potential trade-back scenarios.
Buckle up, folks, as this is going to be a crazy day! BasketballNews will keep you updated on all the latest NBA news and rumors.
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The 2022 NBA Draft is hours away, and the rumor mill is churning. Here are all of the latest rumblings from around the Association.

NBA Rumors Notebook: Kyrie Irving, James Harden, Deandre Ayton, more

The 2022 NBA Draft is one day away, and rumors are surfacing left and right.
Which teams have been the most aggressive in trade talks? Will any notable players be on the move? Which draft picks could be dealt? BasketballNews has compiled all of the biggest rumors:
Malcolm Brogdon &ldquo;significantly likely&rdquo; to be traded
All signs point to the Indiana Pacers trading Malcolm Brogdon this week. Not only has Brogdon surfaced in trade rumors more than any other player, ESPN&rsquo;s Adrian Wojnarowski recently reported that teams like the Washington Wizards and New York Knicks are expected to pivot to Brogdon trade negotiations if they can&rsquo;t move up to No. 4 for Purdue&rsquo;s Jaden Ivey.
The Ringer&rsquo;s Kevin O&rsquo;Connor reported that the Pacers were throwing the veteran guard into every trade discussion they were having.
On <a href="https://www.espn.com/radio/play/_/id/34125407" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Lowe Post,</a> ESPN&rsquo;s Jonathan Givony mentioned that the Los Angeles Lakers offered the following package for Brogdon: Russell Westbrook, Talen Horton-Tucker and a future first-round pick in 2027. Givony said that the Pacers immediately declined the Lakers&rsquo; offer. Lowe also threw in that he&rsquo;s heard Brogdon and Myles Turner are &ldquo;coveted&rdquo; around the league.
During ESPN&rsquo;s NBA Mock Draft Special on Tuesday night, Wojnarowski reiterated that it&rsquo;s &ldquo;significantly likely&rdquo; that Brogdon is moved before the 2022 NBA Draft begins.
Hornets shopping Gordon Hayward
The Charlotte Hornets are prioritizing salary-cap flexibility in order to re-sign Miles Bridges, according to ESPN's Brian Windhorst. The Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons are also worth monitoring as potential suitors for Bridges, per <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10039350-latest-nba-intel-the-divide-between-kyrie-irving-and-brooklyn" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer</a>.
With the Hornets prioritizing Bridges, Gordon Hayward&rsquo;s future in Charlotte is certainly in flux. Windhorst said that the Hornets are looking to find a team that's willing to take on the final two years of Hayward&rsquo;s contract. As an incentive, Charlotte is reportedly willing to throw in one of their first-round picks (No. 13 or No. 15). We'll see if any teams pounce at the opportunity to land Hayward and a lottery pick.
Fischer notes that Charlotte is also gauging the trade market on Terry Rozier, Kelly Oubre Jr., PJ Washington and Mason Plumlee.
With the hope of shedding salary to keep Bridges alongside LaMelo Ball, the Hornets seem poised to make a big move this week.
Hawks have been aggressive
There have been a ton of Hawks-related rumors of late. On Monday night, Wojnarowski appeared on SportsCenter and said that Atlanta has been aggressive in trying to find a star to pair with Trae Young.&nbsp;
John Collins has surfaced in a number of trade rumors as well. The Hawks have had talks with the Sacramento Kings about a potential Collins deal, according to <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/kings-hawks-engaged-in-john-collins-trade-talks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Athletic's Shams Charania</a>.
Versatile wing Bogdan Bogdanovic is also drawing interest from teams, per&nbsp;Windhorst. Atlanta has offers on the table for Collins and Bogdanovic.
Bleacher Report&rsquo;s Jake Fischer also shared an interesting Hawks nugget during his <a href="https://www.callin.com/episode/2022-nba-draft-preview-with-jeremy-woo-AojmeoFMXL" target="_blank" rel="noopener">live podcast</a> on Tuesday: Atlanta is trying to move up from No. 16 overall into the lottery, with their primary target being G League Ignite playmaker Dyson Daniels. Fischer said that the Portland Trail Blazers at No. 7 could be a potential team to monitor as Atlanta continues to pursue Daniels.
It's possible we could see an explosive draft night from the Hawks. They are weighing multiple moves, and the front office views Young and De&rsquo;Andre Hunter as the only untouchable assets, per Woj.
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Tucker, Gordon reuniting with Harden on 76ers?&nbsp;
The Philadelphia 76ers could be a team to watch this offseason. Not only do they have <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/signing-james-harden-to-a-max-contract-could-cripple-the-sixers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">an important long-term decision to make</a> on James Harden, they also have a number of players who could be viewed as available. Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer <a href="https://www.inquirer.com/sixers/sixers-pj-tucker-nba-draft-free-agency-20220621.html?utm_source=t.co&amp;utm_campaign=edit_social_share_twitter_traffic&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_content=&amp;utm_term=&amp;int_promo=" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dropped multiple tidbits on the Sixers&rsquo; plans</a>.
After PJ Tucker declined his player option with the Miami Heat, Philadelphia and the veteran forward have mutual interest. In order to create cap space, the Sixers are looking to deal Matisse Thybulle and the No. 23 pick in a three-team deal.&nbsp;
Pompey <a href="https://www.inquirer.com/sixers/sixers-pj-tucker-nba-draft-free-agency-20220621.html?utm_source=t.co&amp;utm_campaign=edit_social_share_twitter_traffic&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_content=&amp;utm_term=&amp;int_promo=" target="_blank" rel="noopener">added</a> that Philadelphia is trying their best to offload Tobias Harris&rsquo; large contract, but it's been tough to find any potential suitors.
Finally, there's another Houston Rocket who could potentially reunite with Harden in Philadelphia. The Sixers and Phoenix Suns have expressed interest in Eric Gordon, per Windhorst on NBA Today.
It sounds like Daryl Morey is trying to get the band back together, with Gordon and Tucker running it back with Harden in the Eastern Conference.
Knicks have been very active
As previously mentioned, the New York Knicks are showing interest in Brogdon. In addition to Wojnarowski's report, we've seen similar intel from The Athletic&rsquo;s Shams Charania and SNY&rsquo;s Ian Begley. Outside of Brogdon, are there any other targets on the board?
Begley <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MxXPLPlNRM&amp;feature=youtu.be" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported on KnicksFanTV</a> that New York recently offered the Sacramento Kings multiple future first-round picks to move up to No. 4 for Jaden Ivey. The Knicks view Ivey in a high regard, and are willing to pay a steep price to move up seven spots in the draft.
The Knicks have also had talks with the Detroit Pistons about acquiring the No. 5 overall pick, and Cam Reddish was included in those discussions, per <a href="https://www.sny.tv/articles/knicks-pistons-touched-base-draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Begley</a>.&nbsp;
It certainly seems like New York is trying to make a splash.
Hawks, Pistons are top suitors for Deandre Ayton
According to <a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/33LDGb6QNc9VQor8CJVWoL?si=55021b96146147f5&amp;nd=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">O&rsquo;Connor on The Mismatch</a>, the Detroit Pistons and Atlanta Hawks are the main teams to monitor as it relates to Deandre Ayton&rsquo;s upcoming restricted free agency. Ayton could still stay with Phoenix, but Detroit and Atlanta will be among the teams pursuing the 23-year-old center.
Do the Suns actually view Ayton as a max-level player? If not, perhaps the Suns will try to get creative and explore sign-and-trade packages revolving around Ayton. Detroit and Atlanta have some intriguing assets that could make a deal worth it from the Suns&rsquo; perspective (although the Pistons could also try to sign Ayton using <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/which-nba-teams-have-the-most-cap-space-entering-free-agency" target="_blank" rel="noopener">their cap space</a>).
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Timberwolves inquired about Rudy Gobert, Clint Capela
During <a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/33LDGb6QNc9VQor8CJVWoL?si=55021b96146147f5&amp;nd=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tuesday&rsquo;s episode of The Mismatch</a>, O'Connor also mentioned that the Minnesota Timberwolves have registered interest in Rudy Gobert and Clint Capela. This lines up with a previous report from Charania that Minnesota had inquired about Capela.
Where there&rsquo;s smoke, there&rsquo;s usually fire. So, are the Timberwolves really about to make Karl-Anthony Towns a full-time power forward? If the plan is to make a big move for a veteran center, moving one of the best shooting bigs of all-time further to the perimeter is an interesting thought.
According to <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/t/townska01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Basketball Reference</a>, Towns played 100% of his minutes at center last season. In fact, the only time he has played power forward throughout his NBA career was during his rookie season in 2015-16, when 2% of his minutes came at the 4.
The more you think about it, the more a Towns-Gobert frontcourt is certainly intriguing though.
John Wall expected to get bought out?
The Houston Rockets and John Wall will work toward finalizing a buyout before free agency begins, according to Fischer on his <a href="https://www.callin.com/episode/2022-nba-draft-preview-with-jeremy-woo-AojmeoFMXL" target="_blank" rel="noopener">latest podcast</a>.
After Wall opted in to his $47.3 million player option, there were questions about what's next for the point guard. This is the final year of Wall's contract, which could make it easier for the two sides to reach a buyout agreement.
If Wall hits the open market, could regain his form on a contender (potentially signing for the mid-level exception or less)? Wall averaged 20.6 points and 6.9 assists for Houston during the 2020-21 season, but he hasn't set foot on an NBA court since April of 2021.
Cavaliers open to trading No. 14 pick
According to <a href="https://hoopshype.com/lists/nba-rumors-bradley-beal-bobby-portis-nicolas-batum-lakers-nets/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HoopsHype&rsquo;s Michael Scotto</a>, the Cleveland Cavaliers are open to trading back from the final slot in the lottery at No. 14 overall. The Minnesota Timberwolves, Memphis Grizzlies and Milwaukee Bucks are among the teams who have already called the Cavs about the pick, per Scotto.
It's interesting that the Grizzlies and Bucks &mdash; two legitimate contenders &mdash; trying to move up 10-plus spots on Thursday night. It's unclear who these teams are targeting, but our Senior NBA Draft Analyst Matt Babcock currently has Ousmane Dieng projected at No. 14 overall. Rumors have been flying that Dieng has a guarantee, per Babcock, and he did receive an invite to the green room.
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Heat expressing interest in Jerami Grant
According to SNY&rsquo;s Ian Begley, the Miami Heat have checked in on the availability of Jerami Grant. The Detroit Pistons have been openly shopping Grant for a while, so perhaps a deal will finally go down this week.
Does Miami make sense as a potential trade partner for the Pistons? It's unclear what the Heat would be giving up in return for Grant, who averaged 19.2 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.9 threes, 1.0 block and 0.9 steals this season, while shooting 42.6% from the field, 35.8% from three-point range and 83.8% from the free-throw line.
Grizzlies attempting to move up
Reaffirming the Grizzlies&rsquo; desires of trading up on Thursday, Zach Lowe mentioned on <a href="https://www.espn.com/radio/play/_/id/34125407" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Lowe Post</a> that Memphis' executives are &ldquo;calling in every direction.&rdquo;
If that&rsquo;s not a sign that the Grizzlies are expected to be very active on Thursday, I don&rsquo;t know what to tell you. Memphis has a history of being active on draft night, and it seems this year won&rsquo;t be any different.
Are the Suns willing to pay the luxury tax?
Recently, many national pundits have suggested that the Phoenix Suns are hesitant to go deep into the luxury tax. However, Suns owner Robert Sarver recently told BasketballNews that Phoenix has no qualms about paying up in order to keep this team together long-term.
&ldquo;My position for a market like us with the tax is, if you get yourself where you can compete at the highest level, then you pay it and you go for it,&rdquo; Sarver said.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m not saying we&rsquo;re in a market that can be in it 10 years in a row," Sarver added. "But when you get to a certain level where you have a chance to compete and you&rsquo;re a top-four, top-six, top-eight team, if you&rsquo;re at the level where you have a legitimate chance to compete &mdash; get to your Conference Finals and maybe win a championship &mdash; then I think you go in the tax, you pay and you do what you gotta do."
Sarver knows that the Suns&rsquo; championship window is in the here and now. Barring a change of heart, it seems that he's willing to spend to keep this core together.
&ldquo;You just can&rsquo;t take success for grant,&rdquo; Sarver said. &ldquo;It can come and go.&rdquo;
Also, keep an eye on the Suns trying to add a pick in Thursday's draft. While they have no picks at the moment, Phoenix is making calls and trying to buy a second-round selection, according to 98.7 FM&rsquo;s John Gambadoro. Gambadoro said that the Orlando Magic, Oklahoma City Thunder, Minnesota Timberwolves and Golden State Warriors are teams who are open to trading their second-rounders.
Dyson Daniels rising up draft boards?
Dyson Daniels has one of the biggest risers during the NBA pre-draft process. On BasketballNews' latest mock draft, Babcock has Daniels being selected No. 8 overall by the New Orleans Pelicans.
&ldquo;After being at the NBA Global Academy in Canberra, Australia, Dyson Daniels had a terrific season for the G League Ignite," Babcock said of Daniels. "The 6-foot-7 positionless Swiss army knife, Daniels excels at getting downhill and attacking the basket, relying on his athleticism and body control for finishing while occasionally employing a floater. Daniels&rsquo; outside shooting is still a work in progress, but he is a disruptive defender with quick feet and instincts. Daniels&rsquo; progression as a playmaker was also notable during the G League season. He seems to have a bright future ahead of him.&rdquo;
According to <a href="https://theathletic.com/3372868/2022/06/20/indiana-pacers-nba-draft/?source=emp_shared_article" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Athletic&rsquo;s Bob Kravitz</a>, Daniels blew away the Indiana Pacers&rsquo; front office in his recent workout in Indianapolis.
&ldquo;I was told Dyson Daniels had one of the greatest workouts a lot of people in the Indiana organization have ever seen,&rdquo; Kravitz said on ESPN 107.5 FM on Tuesday.
With the Pacers selecting at No. 6 overall, their hope is that somehow one of Jaden Ivey or Keegan Murray slips. If not, Kravitz said the Pacers will be deciding between Daniels and Arizona wing Bennedict Mathurin.
Stay tuned to BasketballNews.com for all the latest NBA news and rumors during what could be a crazy offseason. Also, check out our <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/nba-draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2022 NBA Draft page</a> for all of our in-depth draft coverage.
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On the eve of the 2022 NBA Draft, rumors are surfacing left and right. Evan Sidery compiles the latest rumblings around the NBA.

NBA Rumors Notebook: Malcolm Brogdon, John Collins, Gordon Hayward, more

The intensity is turning up as the NBA Draft looms on June 23.&nbsp;With all combines and withdrawal deadlines behind us, the final steps to draft night will take place behind closed doors &mdash; apart from rumors and reports, of course.
On Monday, we saw the first pre-draft trade of the season go down. <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/denver-trades-jamychal-green-to-oklahoma-city" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski</a>, Oklahoma City dealt its No. 30 overall pick and two future second-rounders to Denver in exchange for JaMychal Green and a 2027 first-round pick. That should be just the start of one of the most chaotic newsbreaking stretches in basketball.
Senior NBA Draft Analyst Matt Babock updated our <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/nba-draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2022 NBA Mock Draft</a> on Tuesday. Jabari Smith remains the No. 1 overall pick, but movement later on in the lottery highlights his projections. Babcock discused the notable changes and gave his pulse on the pre-draft chatter.
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Most mock drafts have either Jabari Smith or Chet Holmgren at No. 1 to the Orlando Magic, and you have not wavered from Smith yet. How close is the decision between these two?
I have not wavered from having Jabari Smith as the No. 1 pick. However, at this point in the process, we've shifted our approach from being scouts and making our own picks to projecting what the teams will actually do. From my understanding, most teams are operating under the impression that Jabari Smith will be the first pick, but I have heard some teams think it could be Holmgren too. So we'll see what Jeff Weltman and John Hammond decide to do soon enough.
What pick do you consider to be the first major inflection point for unpredictability in the draft?
We currently have Chet Holmgren at No. 2, but I'm not overly confident that's how it will actually unfold. For starters, will Oklahoma City even stay put at this pick? Sam Presti is known to be a wheeler and dealer. Could the Thunder take Paolo Banchero or even Jaden Ivey? I also heard Holmgren has not provided his medical information to teams (at least most of them), and did not do the NBA's heart screening. That could suggest that his agents are trying to manipulate the draft and direct Holmgren to a specific spot, which is probably the most likely scenario. I don't know which team that would be though.
Shaedon Sharpe continues to be one of the most mysterious players in this pre-draft process. How have things been going for him?
Shaedon Sharpe has become a polarizing prospect for this year's draft. However, I don't think there is any denying that he has a lot of raw talent and upside. There have been some rumblings that he could slip a bit, but even with that said, he's still likely to go mid-to-late lottery.
What has <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/jeremy-sochan-a-citizen-of-the-world-sets-his-course-for-the-nba" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jeremy Sochan</a> continuing to rise up your mock draft to No. 9?
The San Antonio Spurs have a lot of young pieces on the perimeter, but I think they need to address their frontcourt. I've heard they do have interest in Sochan. I also heard earlier today that the Spurs could be a team on the hunt to move up, with Keegan Murray being their likely target.
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Ousmane Dieng is slotted at No. 14 to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Is it safe at this point to say he'll be the first international player selected?
Rumors are flying that Ousmane Dieng has a guarantee, and he did receive an invite to the green room. Could that guarantee be coming from Cleveland? Maybe.
Were you surprised by any of the players who pulled their names out, or kept their names in, at the final withdrawal deadline?
I was a little surprised by some of the international players who decided to stay in the draft, as I expected guys like Yannick Nzosa, Ibou Badji and Matteo Spagnolo to pull their names out.
Which prospects do you think possess higher upside than most anticipate?
A few guys with a lot of upside that might not be getting a ton of attention are Max Christie from Michigan State, Moussa Diabate from Michigan and Josh Minott from Memphis. I'm not sure how much these players are ready to contribute right off the bat, but I wouldn't be surprised to see any or all of them establish themselves in the league over the next couple of years or so.
Who is one player that you think teams have higher on their draft boards compared to the media and general public?
At this point in the pre-draft process, I think teams and the media are generally pretty aligned. Of course, it only takes one team to take a player higher than expected to make all of our mock drafts look questionable. It just adds to the fun of the NBA Draft though.
We've seen one pre-draft trade go down so far between the Nuggets and Thunder (Note: Dallas also traded its No. 26 pick to Houston on Wednesday night). In general, do you expect a lot of movement or relative stability this year?
Oh, of course I always expect there to be movement on draft night. It's part of the business, but has naturally became part of the event's appeal as well. I remember being a kid and freaking out anytime David Stern would walk up to the podium and say, "We have a trade." The NBA Draft is such a special part of the NBA and the basketball industry. I'm very fortunate to be involved in something that I have loved since I was a kid. And this year, I'll be in New York for the draft. See you soon!
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Matt Babcock discussed his latest NBA Draft insights with Ethan Fuller after recently updating his 2022 NBA Mock Draft.

2022 NBA Draft: Q&A with Matt Babcock on notable risers, latest intel

It's unfortunate that the treasure-hunting roller coaster of business in the NBA often leaves player development in the dust.
A rumor, a ping-pong ball or a phone call can accelerate a franchise's competitive life cycle out of nowhere. With just about every major leap, however, comes a squeeze, where young players suddenly find their professional lives dramatically altered.
Every fan has a "What if?" story of a player who felt close to figuring things out, but simply ran out of time as the next big move packed him up and sent him away. Maybe it's the Los Angeles Lakers and Brandon Ingram, or the Lakers and Lonzo Ball, or the Lakers and Josh Hart, or &mdash; you get it. My personal wistful regret is the Minnesota Timberwolves dealing specifically Kris Dunn (along with Zach LaVine and Lauri Markkanen, of course) in the 2017 trade that returned Jimmy Butler. Even if the trades and draft picks made sense, we still wish we could have just a small peek at the alternate universe.
It feels like Mo Bamba is about to fall into that category. The 2018 No. 5 pick struggled to find his place in the NBA while wading through myriad injuries over his first few years. Then, this past season, he finally started to lay down a pattern of production with his flashes of potential, even as the Orlando Magic languished at the bottom of the league.
The problem: Orlando has the No. 1 pick in a <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/nba-draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2022 NBA Draft</a> with three game-changing bigs ranking among the consensus top prospects. Bamba, Wendell Carter Jr., Franz Wagner and *insert top pick* cannot all share a starting frontcourt now, in three years or in 10 years. Someone is probably getting squeezed out.
According to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, Bamba appears to be on the outside looking in. And regretfully, it's understandable. Wagner had a <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA_University/status/1536109881853218816?s=20&amp;t=-gBn7I0iLjpdqhaqWAM2hQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">phenomenal All-Rookie First Team season</a> and Carter appears fully entrenched as a <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/wendell-carter-jr-dont-publish-yet" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cornerstone big man</a>. Still, Bamba truly took a leap in his own right, and it's worth reestablishing what makes him such a promising young player.
Bamba appeared in a career-high 71 games and averaged a career-high 25.7 minutes per game in 2021-22. He started 69 of those contests after earning six combined starts across his first three seasons. The availability alone is a major positive; just look at <a href="https://www.foxsports.com/nba/mohamed-bamba-player-injuries" target="_blank" rel="noopener">all of the injuries Bamba battled through four years.</a> With the increase in playing time came corresponding career highs in practically every major box-score category. But Bamba's most notable leap by far came from his deadeye perimeter shooting.
Bamba canned 38.1% of his 4.0 three-pointers per game, including a scorching 44.6% clip after the All-Star break. All of the sustainability indicators are there; Bamba hit 78.1% of his free-throws, improved from the arc as the year went on and proved himself on high volume.
According to Synergy, over 26.6% of Bamba's offensive plays last year were spot-ups. He also demonstrated comfort on pick-and-pop actions, where he cashed in plenty of open threes.
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Defenses dared Bamba to make them pay because he hadn't yet in his career, and the 24-year-old fired away. Opponents will likely pay more attention to him next season, but if you were to pair Bamba with scoring guards who can create advantages with his screens, he'll find open shots.
Bamba is a better screener than he gets credit for. The screen-assist stats from this season (1.7 per game) won't show it because Carter was the chief impediment, but Bamba averaged 3.0 screen assists per game in 2020-21 despite playing just 15.8 minutes per game. He's not a brick wall, but Bamba has greatly improved his build and strength since entering the league.
As a paint presence, Bamba is essentially a pure finisher at this stage. He made 70.4% of his shots in the restricted area, which is fine, but he doesn't create chances on his own and hasn't shown nearly enough as a passer or connector.
Then, you flip to the defensive end and you see why Bamba was so high-regarded before the 2018 draft. He contested over 46.7% of opposing shots at the rim this season, ranking in the 96th percentile at his position, according to The BBall Index. A whopping 29.5% of those contests resulted in blocks (93rd percentile), and opponents shot over 6% worse than expected at the rim when facing him (92nd percentile). Questions still remain about how he guards on the perimeter and how he handles 1-on-1 drives and post-ups. The bottom line is that few intimidate at the rim more than Bamba.&nbsp;
Despite the dissonance on paper, Bamba and Carter fared pretty well as a tandem. Together, they anchored Orlando to the 13th-ranked defense during the regular season. The five-man lineup of Cole Anthony, Gary Harris, Wagner, Carter and Bamba was a plus-5.8 per 100 possessions, according to Cleaning the Glass. Not bad for a lineup that played a lot together on a 22-win squad.
The final pitch for Bamba is that he is an efficient low-usage scorer who you can trust to boost teammates as a screener and cash in on his perimeter and lob chances. He's not quite an "anchor" yet on defense, but he is a pillar. Do teams buy that he can grow as a switching player, and do they buy that he can stay on the floor enough to stack his bright moments into a foundation? Those are the major question marks.
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Fortunately, several NBA teams should take interest in a 7-foot center with valuable traits and an untapped ceiling. Bamba is a restricted free agent, which means a pursuing team has to overwhelm Orlando with a contract and, most likely, a trade package. But loads of avenues exist for a deal that benefits Bamba, the Magic and his possible new franchise.
So, let's look at where Bamba could end up this summer.
ORLANDO MAGIC
The Magic hold all the power at the end of the day. They can match any contract opposing teams try to throw at Bamba, and maybe they want to. Orlando isn't a probable playoff contender, so why lose a young talent when the current objective is to amass young talent? The guessing game comes down to what the contract extension looks like.&nbsp;
Bamba has the pedigree of a No. 5 overall pick and the trajectory of a sturdy starting center with a concerning injury history and still-unrealized potential. it's pretty difficult to estimate what his next salary could look like.&nbsp;
If&nbsp;(and it's a big if) I had to compare, the most similar scenario would be the Boston Celtics inking Robert Williams III to a four-year, $48 million deal last summer. Like Bamba, Williams had a prior history of ailments and flashed starter ability. Williams had shown a lot more for a competitive basketball team &mdash; but also didn't carry the same stature Bamba does. So I'd say those cancel out, and for visualization's sake, we can estimate his extension would look something like $12 million per year .
Should Bamba stay in Orlando, he likely won't have long as a starter if Jabari Smith, Chet Holmgren or Paolo Banchero are waiting in the wings. But he'd absolutely continue as a high-end back big for an Orlando roster that boasted a pretty solid defense last year.&nbsp;
BROOKLYN NETS
Nic Claxton (restricted free agnet), Andre Drummond, Blake Griffin and LaMarcus Aldridge all hit free agency this summer. This is Brooklyn's chance to mold a center rotation that complements Kevin Durant, Ben Simmons and (most likely?) Kyrie Irving. Those three, plus Bruce Brown (also a free agent), are all excellent playmakers and passers. Bamba would simply be asked to finish his looks, be it as a stretch-5 or a lob threat. He'd have no burden to create on offense and could fill similar rim-protecting roles as his predecessors on defense.
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How could a trade work? Let's stick with Bamba's current salary estimate of $12 million for at least next season. Fanspo's trade machine says a deal exchanging Bamba for Joe Harris, Kessler Edwards and a future first-round pick works financially.
I think this is a fair starting point. Harris is making just over $18 million for the next two years, but Orlando shouldn't be concerned with cap space, and I actually love the idea of the Magic adding a movement shooter on the wing. Orlando is going to have a tough defense again next season; this is an easy way to give its slashing guards an outlet.
DALLAS MAVERICKS
Bamba is absolutely not Kristaps Porzingis, but he can take on some of the same responsibilities as an above-the-break shooter, screener and rim-protector while playing as a more versatile defensive center than Porzingis has ever been. The Mavericks desperately need size on the glass as well, and Bamba can grab rebounds while fitting into the team's overall spacing.
Dwight Powell is a solid NBA player. His minutes also decreased in every subsequent playoff series this spring, and he played just 9.8 minutes per game in the Western Conference Finals. Does Bamba have the two-way versatility to stick in these matchups against Golden State Warrior-like squads? It's difficult to say for certain, but I think he can get there.
Trading Bamba for Powell, Josh Green and/or the No. 26 overall pick works in the trade machine. It would be a complicated move to pull off because Bamba's restricted free agency begins after draft night, but this would be my guess at the framework.
MIAMI HEAT
How does Miami feel about Bam Adebayo as its long-term center? Obviously, he's a <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/pat-riley-like-most-of-us-wants-more-bam-adebayo-offense-too" target="_blank" rel="noopener">core piece to the overall team</a>, but is he best-equipped anchoring a smaller lineup or working alongside another big man? Bamba might be the ideal test.
Adebayo can operate as his All-Defensive self, taking on any matchup on the floor, while Bamba lurks as a shot-blocker and helper. Then, on offense, Bamba can space for Adebayo and Jimmy Butler. If the move doesn't work out, Bamba would at least be a significant upgrade over Dewayne Dedmon in a worst-case development scenario.&nbsp;
This deal, like with the Nets, starts with trading an elite movement shooter in Duncan Robinson. The Heat also have the No. 27 overall pick at their disposal and could add another flier prospect like Omer Yurtseven.
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OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER
The Thunder have an exciting backcourt duo in Josh Giddey and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who could both use a pick-and-pop big to heighten their impact. OKC does not yet (though the draft could change things) have a certified stopper in the frontcourt. Enter Bamba, who plugs the on-paper hole at center and could reasonably fit alongside any of the top picks in the draft.
With picks and prospects galore, OKC can kind of take this deal in any direction that gets Bamba to the city. Lu Dort and Aaron Wiggins seem to fit some Magic needs at first glance.
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
The Trail Blazers surprisingly have oodles of cap space this offseason and a vacant starting center spot with Jusuf Nurkic hitting free agency. It's certainly possible Portland re-signs Nurkic, extends Anfernee Simons and heads on its merry way. But we've all expected some roster overhaul, as the franchise tries to throw one last contender together around Damian Lillard. Bamba won't vault Portland to the playoffs on his own, but he might be a suitable replacement for Nurkic on a manageable contract with room to grow.
Keon Johnson feels like an obvious return target for the Magic as a long, athletic wing with two-way upside. Perhaps the trade conversations start there and include an additional rotation player, plus some draft compensation.
I do ultimately hope that Bamba lands in a situation that is willing to be patient with his development. He's hit some rotten luck with injuries and deserves a extended chance to shine &mdash; whether that's in Orlando or somewhere else.&nbsp;
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The Nets, Mavericks, Heat and Trail Blazers could be possible, logical landing spots for Mo Bamba. Ethan Fuller explains.

Examining potential destinations for Mo Bamba

The NBA's free-agency period gets underway in less than a month, so BasketballNews.com is ramping up our free-agency coverage. Our <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/nba-free-agency" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2022 NBA Free Agency page</a> features a ranking of the top-85 free agents (with scouting reports for each player), plus all of the latest free-agency news and rumors.
We also put together a glossary of relevant terms that NBA fans should know before free agency begins. This glossary is courtesy of <a href="http://www.cbafaq.com/salarycap.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Larry Coon's NBA Salary Cap FAQ</a>, which has everything you could possibly want to know abot the NBA's CBA and salary cap.
Salary Cap 
The NBA salary cap is a limit that teams can spend on player contracts, which helps to maintain competitive balance in the league. The basic idea behind a salary cap is that a team can only sign a free agent if its total payroll will not exceed the cap, so a team with deep pockets is on a more level playing field with every other team. For the 2022-23 season, the salary cap is $122 million.
Soft Cap 
The NBA has a soft cap. A hard cap cannot be exceeded for any reason. A soft cap contains exceptions that allow teams to sign players or make trades that exceed the cap under certain conditions. In practice, few NBA teams are under the cap during a season. The soft cap promotes a team's ability to retain its own players. Certain components of the NBA's system function as a hard cap under specific circumstances.
Luxury Tax 
The luxury tax is a mechanism that helps control team spending. It is paid by high spending teams &mdash; those with a team salary exceeding a predetermined tax level. These teams pay a penalty for each dollar their team salary exceeds the tax level. For example, a team with a salary that's $12 million over the tax level would have to pay a tax of $21.25 million. In addition to the financial penalties, a number of restrictions are placed on taxpaying teams. For the 2022-23 season, the luxury tax is $149 million.
Apron
If a team's luxury tax bill goes above the "apron," they are subject to further restrictions. Last season, the apron was $6.3 million above the tax threshold. For example, teams that are above the apron can't use the bi-annual exception, can't acquire any players via sign-and-trade and they have a smaller mid-level exception.
Hard Cap 
If a team is hard-capped, it cannot exceed the apron under any circumstances. If a team subsequently needs to sign a player, they must first create room under the apron by waiving, stretching or trading players. When a team is below the apron and uses their bi-annual exception, acquires a player via sign-and-trade or uses their mid-level exception to sign a player to a contract larger than allowed by the taxpayer mid-level exception, the team becomes hard-capped at the apron for the remainder of that season.
Unrestricted Free Agent 
An unrestricted free agent is free to sign with any other team and there's nothing the player's original team can do to prevent it.
Restricted Free Agent 
Restricted free agency gives the player's original team the right to keep the player by matching a contract the player signs with another team. Once a restricted free agent signs an offer sheet with another team, their original team has two days to match the offer.
Option Clauses 
An option clause allows a contract to be extended for one additional season after the date it is scheduled to end. For example, a three-year contract with an option for the fourth year means that if the option is exercised, then the contract extends through the fourth season. But if the option is not exercised, then the contract ends after the third season. Once exercised, an option cannot be revoked. Conditional options are not allowed. There are three types of options:
<ul>
<li>Team Options give the team the right to invoke the option. There can be only one option year (except in the case of rookie-scale contracts).</li>
<li>Player Options give the player the right to invoke the option. There can be only one option year.</li>
<li>Player Early Termination Options (ETOs) give the player the right to terminate the contract early. An ETO can't occur prior to the end of fourth season of the contract (which implies that the contract must be for five seasons). An ETO is not allowed in a veteran extension.</li>
</ul>
Repeater Tax 
If a team has paid the luxury tax in at least three of the four previous seasons (not including the most recent season), they are a "repeat offender." They are taxed $2.50 for each dollar spent above the tax level rather than the usual $1.50 (or more depending on how much they've exceeded the luxury tax). For example, a repeater team that is $4 million over the tax level would have to pay a tax of $10 million.
Bird Rights 
The Larry Bird exception allows teams to exceed the cap in order to re-sign their own free agents up to the player's maximum salary. Teams are said to have "Bird rights" to players who qualify. To qualify for this exception, a player essentially must play for three seasons without clearing waivers or changing teams as a free agent (although there are nuances). This means a player can qualify by playing under three consecutive one-year contracts, a single contract of at least three years or any equivalent combination. When a player is traded, his Bird rights are traded with him, and his new team can use the Larry Bird exception to re-sign him. These contracts can be up to five years in length, with raises up to 8% of the salary in the first season of the contract.
Sign-and-Trade 
This allows teams to re-sign their own free agents and immediately trade them to another team. This is done by adding a clause to the contract stipulating that the contract is null and void if the trade to the specific team is not completed within 48 hours. A sign-and-trade is treated like a single, atomic transaction, and not two separate transactions between which one party can change its mind &mdash; if the trade is not completed, then the signing is invalidated. Sign-and-trade contracts must be for at least three seasons (not including any option year) and no longer than four seasons. The first year of the contract must be fully guaranteed, but the remaining seasons can be non-guaranteed. If a team acquires a player in a sign-and-trade, then the apron effectively becomes a hard cap for the remainder of the season.
Mid-Level Exception 
This exception allows a team to sign any free agent to a contract with a starting salary up to $10,095,000 for non-taxpayers and $6,149,000 for taxpayers. Teams can use the mid-level exception (MLE) in consecutive years. Also, this exception may be split and given to multiple players. The MLE is available only when a team is below the apron. This determination is made after the exception is used, so a team below the apron cannot use this exception if doing so takes them above the apron.
Bi-Annual Exception 
This exception allows a team to sign any free agents to a contract with a starting salary of $3,951,000. It can be used to sign players for up to two years, with raises limited to 5% of the salary in the first season of the contract. It may be split and given to more than one player. This exception may not be used two years in a row. This exception is available only when a team is below the apron, and it cannot be used by a team that has already used its taxpayer mid-level exception or room mid-level exception.
Gilbert Arenas Provision 
Teams are limited in the salary they can offer to a restricted free agent with one or two years in the league. The first-year salary in the offer sheet cannot be greater than the non-taxpayer mid-level exception. Limiting the first-year salary in this way enables the player's original team to match the offer sheet by using the Early Bird exception (if applicable) or non-taxpayer mid-level exception (provided the team has it and didn't already use it).
Stretch Provision 
If a team waives a player whose contract has more than $250,000 of remaining guaranteed salary, the guaranteed salary for the remaining seasons is "stretched" and paid in equal amounts over a greater time span. The guaranteed salary is then paid over twice the number of years remaining on his contract, plus one.
Two-Way Contract 
A two-way player is a hybrid of a standard NBA player and a G League player. A player on a two-way contract is principally a G League player, but he can spend up to 45 days with his affiliate NBA team. His salary is prorated by day, depending on which team he is on, and he can only play for the affiliated NBA team while on a two-way contract &ndash; he can&rsquo;t be poached by another NBA team. A two-way player differs from a regular G League player because he receives a higher salary and can be called up to the parent NBA club while remaining under his two-way contract.
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Check out <a href="http://www.cbafaq.com/salarycap.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Larry Coon's NBA Salary Cap FAQ</a> for more CBA and salary-cap terms. And check out <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/nba-free-agency" target="_blank" rel="noopener">our 2022 NBA Free Agency page</a> for additional free-agency content.

BasketballNews.com put together a glossary of relevant terms that NBA fans should know before free agency begins.

NBA free-agency glossary: Relevant salary-cap terms to know

Last week, after reports surfaced that the Sacramento Kings were willing to deal the fourth overall pick in the right deal, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/examining-potential-trades-involving-the-sacramento-kings" target="_blank" rel="noopener">we examined several potential trade scenarios</a>.
On Tuesday, plugged-in reporter <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10037274-latest-nba-offseason-intel-does-og-anunoby-want-out-of-toronto">Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report</a> relayed that the Portland Trail Blazers "remain widely expected to pursue trade scenarios with the No. 7 pick in order to add a complementary veteran alongside All-NBA guard Damian Lillard."
In addition, The Athletic's John Hollinger and Sam Vecenie <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10036663-nba-trade-rumors-blazers-to-use-no-7-draft-pick-to-rebuild-around-damian-lillard">reported</a> the Blazers lottery pick "seems even more certain to be on the move," adding that Portland "will push to immediately put a competitive team around Damian Lillard rather than start over."
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So, let's analyze several potential trade scenarios that might make sense for both Blazers and possible partners.
Detroit Pistons trade Jerami Grant to the Blazers in exchange for the No. 7 overall pick and the rights to Milwaukee's first-round pick in 2025
Although Jerami Grant hasn't received much national attention while playing for the Pistons, he has posted solid numbers and is respected league-wide as a valuable, versatile, two-way contributor. During his two years in Detroit, he's averaged 20.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 2.0 made treys and 1.1 blocks per game. Only three other players have averaged at least 2.5 dimes, 2 treys and a block per contest over the past two seasons: LeBron James, Karl-Anthony Towns and Kevin Durant.
Grant, who was a teammate with Lillard on Team USA last summer, just turned 28 and is in the heart of his prime. However, Grant has just one season left on the three-year, $60 million deal he signed in 2020. Yet, if the Blazers acquired Grant before Aug. 9, he would be eligible to sign an extension for up to $112 million over four years. If the Blazers are looking to "win now," Grant would be a superb addition. In February, it was reported that Portland and Detroit had discussed a deal for Grant before the trade deadline.&nbsp;
The Blazers gained a $20.9 million trade exception in the deal that sent CJ McCollum to New Orleans, and Grant's $20 million salary in 2022-23 would fit snugly into that exception.&nbsp;&nbsp;
From the Pistons' perspective, the seventh pick would allow them to add another young prospect alongside Cade Cunningham, Saddiq Bey, Isaiah Stewart and Killian Hayes. <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10037274-latest-nba-offseason-intel-does-og-anunoby-want-out-of-toronto" target="_blank" rel="noopener">According to Fischer</a>, Detroit's "known asking price" for Grant is "two first-round picks or a first and a promising rookie-scale prospect."&nbsp;
Toronto Raptors trade OG Anunoby to the Blazers in exchange for Nassir Little, the No. 7 and No. 36 picks and a 2024 first-round pick
Fischer <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10037274-latest-nba-offseason-intel-does-og-anunoby-want-out-of-toronto" target="_blank" rel="noopener">notes</a> in his latest post that "word has circulated among rival front offices that OG Anunoby grew dissatisfied at times with his role in Toronto." And although Portland is one of the potential landing spots OG has been linked to in trade chatter, "league personnel believe Toronto would require far more than [Josh] Hart and the seventh pick to part with Anunoby, considered to be a darling of Raptors lead executive Masai Ujiri."
So, would the No. 7 selection paired with Nas Little, an early second-rounder and a future first be enough to entice Ujiri? Little is coming off what looked to be the best season of his young career before going down with a shoulder injury. In the 23 games he started for Portland, he averaged 11.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.4 made three-pointers and 1.1 blocks, while posting the second-best Net Rating among all of the Blazers' rotation regulars. He won't celebrate his 23rd birthday until next February and is locked into his rookie contract, which will pay him just $4.1 million next season.&nbsp;
Like Grant, Anunoby's salary would fit into the Blazers trade exception.&nbsp;
It's also worth noting that the <a href="https://www.si.com/nba/raptors/news/toronto-raptors-dyson-daniels-g-league-ignite-draft-prospect" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Raptors met with</a> G League Ignite prospect Dyson Daniels, a highly-touted prospect who will almost assuredly be a top-10 pick in the upcoming draft. Because the Raptors don't have a first-rounder in this year's draft (having traded the No. 20 selection to the San Antonio Spurs), "news of Daniels' interview with the Raptors seemed to <a href="https://www.si.com/nba/raptors/news/toronto-raptors-portland-trail-blazers-nba-draft-trade-rumors-dyson-daniels" target="_blank" rel="noopener">raise some questions</a> about Toronto's plan for the future."&nbsp;&nbsp;
Oklahoma City Thunder send Luguentz Dort and the No. 12 pick to the Blazers in exchange for the No. 7 pick, Justise Winslow and Drew Eubanks
Lu Dort established himself as one of the best young defenders in the NBA this past season and is a highly-valued, two-way contributor for OKC. Not only did he excel on the defensive end, but he also showed significant improvement offensively. Over the final nine games Dort appeared in (before tearing his left labrum), he averaged 22.3 points and 3.2 made three-pointers while shooting over 37% from downtown and 82% from the free-throw stripe. However, Thunder general manager Sam Presti has to ask himself how much he is willing to pay to keep Dort in Oklahoma City for the long term.
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Dort has one year left on the minimum salary contract he signed back in 2020, but if OKC exercises his $1.9 million team option for 2022-23, they risk losing him in free agency next summer. If OKC picks up the option, Dort would be eligible to sign an extension worth nearly $60 million over four years, starting with an annual salary of approximately $13 million. (Dort's team option for the 2022-23 season would need to be exercised in order to be traded. Otherwise, he would not be eligible.)
If Presti has reservations about committing major money to Dort (for context, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the only player currently on the OKC roster with more than $6 million in guaranteed salary over each of the next two seasons), would he consider trading away Dort to move up into the top seven?
While the Blazers have plenty of offensive firepower in their backcourt with Lillard and Anfernee Simons, they need to bolster their defense. Consequently, they may be willing to pony up and do what it takes to lock Dort up and ink him to a lucrative, long-term contract.
(FWIW, Lillard <a href="https://okcthunderwire.usatoday.com/2022/05/26/damian-lillard-likes-tweet-that-suggests-the-trail-blazers-should-send-no-7-pick-for-lu-dort/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recently liked a tweet</a> suggesting Portland trade the No. 7 pick for either Dort or Jerami Grant.)
New York Knicks send Julius Randle and the No. 11 pick to the Blazers in exchange for Eric Bledsoe, Justise Winslow, the No. 7 and No. 36 picks
Which Julius Randle would the Blazers be trading for?
The dude that earned a second-team All-NBA nod in 2020-21 after becoming just the seventh player in NBA history to average at least 24 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists over an entire season? (Joining ​​Wilt Chamberlain, Nikola Jokić, Larry Bird, Russell Westbrook and Oscar Robertson.) Or the guy who was wildly inefficient in 2021-22, when he became the first player in league history to attempt more than 300 three-pointers and 300 free throws, yet shot below 42% from the floor, below 31% from downtown and below 76% from the charity stripe?
For a Blazers team with limited options due to Lillard's hefty salary and the prohibitive cost of re-signing both Simons and Jusuf Nurkic, it may make sense to add Randle in the hopes that he regains his All-Star form. Randle is in prime and, like Lillard, is signed through the 2024-25 season. A starting lineup of Dame, Simons, Hart, Randle and Nurk, with Little in the sixth-man role, could be a dangerous team. And to add Randle, the Blazers would only have to move back four spots in the first round and part with a second-rounder. In a draft in which there is little consensus after the top four picks, the prospect Portland is targeting at seven might still be on the board at 11.
As for the Knicks, if they want a crack at Dyson Daniels, Shaedon Sharpe or Bennedict Mathurin, they will likely have to jump up a few slots. And parting ways with Randle could be viewed as <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/examining-potential-trades-involving-the-sacramento-kings" target="_blank" rel="noopener">addition by subtraction</a>, as it would clear his contract from New York's cap and open up a spot in the starting lineup for Obi Toppin (who averaged <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/examining-potential-trades-involving-the-sacramento-kings" target="_blank" rel="noopener">27.2 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.8 made three-pointers</a> per game in April). Bledsoe has just one year left on his contract, and that one season is only partially guaranteed for $3.9 million.&nbsp;
<ul>
<li>Before wrapping up, it's worth noting that the Blazers have also been linked to both Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine and Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton via sign-and trades. <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10036706-early-nba-free-agency-buzz-intel-on-deandre-ayton-zach-lavine-and-more">Per Fisher</a>, "Portland is most often mentioned as a top LaVine suitor. LaVine is a Seattle native, just a few hours' drive north of the Trail Blazers' facilities, and shares a relationship with Damian Lillard from their Team USA days." Regarding Ayton, Fisher <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10036706-early-nba-free-agency-buzz-intel-on-deandre-ayton-zach-lavine-and-more">writes</a>, "Portland, where free-agent center Jusuf Nurkic is expected to command far less than Ayton on the open market, could be a trade partner."</li>
</ul>
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Tommy Beer breaks down four possible trade scenarios for the Blazers on the night of the 2022 NBA Draft.

Analyzing 4 hypothetical trades for the Blazers' No. 7 draft pick

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

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

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
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&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

We have reached the final installment of this season's NBA Sour Rankings and it's been a wild ride.
Of the 30 NBA teams, 28 appeared on the list at some points in the season. I inversed each ranking and turned it into a point value to tally up the most prominent members. The Los Angeles Lakers (134 points), Sacramento Kings (117), New York Knicks (113) and Portland Trail Blazers (99) were the highest point-getters, and continuously peppered the rankings since they each disappointed at consistent levels throughout the year.
Who never touched the Sour Rankings? The San Antonio Spurs and Orlando Magic. I bet you didn't expect them. Those squads had the combination of extremely low expectations and frequent flashes from young talent. Despite those franchises never being on top of the NBA sphere, I never felt frustrated by by either team because there was always a silver lining after every game.
So we arrive at the final ranking with several playoff contenders sputtering to the finish.
If you're new to the Sour Rankings, here's a refresher: Unlike the typical "power rankings" that are so common throughout sports media, Sour Rankings are a bizarro-world counter. These rankings highlight the top-10 most frustrating NBA franchises throughout the season, and they are updated every week to match the twists and turns of the league.
This is not merely a bottom-10 of your typical best-to-worst outlooks. You will see championship contenders and playoff hopefuls mixed in with struggling squads. Teams well under .500 may never touch the Sour Rankings because they are on track with their respective processes. Injuries, drama, transactions and generally underwhelming play will earn you a spot on this list.
The central question is ultimately this: How good should you feel about the direction of each franchise? Let's get going.
Escaping the Sour Rankings:&nbsp;The Dallas Mavericks have climbed up to fourth in the Western Conference standings and flipped to home-court advantage against the Utah Jazz, who they'll likely play in the postseason. The Chicago Bulls have somewhat righted the ship and maintain a hold on fifth place in the Eastern Conference. The Knicks may be out of the playoff picture, but they've suddenly been hit with a wave of developmental flashes from the young core. <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-stats-notebook-immanuel-quickleys-unusual-shot-diet-can-work" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Immanuel Quickley leads the way</a>.&nbsp;
10. Boston Celtics (47-28)
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ESPN Sources: Celtics C Robert Williams has suffered a meniscus tear in his left knee and will minimally miss several weeks. Further evaluation today will help provide a timetable. Boston moved into first-place Sunday, and Williams has been immense part of NBA&rsquo;s best defense.
&mdash; Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1508469824195899398?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 28, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Man... <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/report-celtics-center-robert-williams-feared-to-have-torn-meniscus" target="_blank" rel="noopener">that is pain</a>. What else is there to say?
(Last week: Unranked)
9. Brooklyn Nets (39-36)
Brooklyn boasts the league's fourth-ranked offense over the past two weeks, and that was before the New York City vaccination policies changed, allowing Kyrie Irving to play in home games. The Nets can end their season with some positive momentum, as they face just three more teams at .500 or better.
One of those teams is the Atlanta Hawks, who Brooklyn is currently slotted to play in the Play-In bracket. The race for the eighth seed is dead even between the Nets and Charlotte Hornets, and that's a battle within a battle to get at least two extra shots at a playoff spot. Should the Nets lose, do they want to face a dominant Trae Young with their not-so-dominant defense?
(Last week: 8)
8. Golden State Warriors (48-27)
The Warriors have lost 5 of their last 6 games and just took a 123-115 defeat against the Wizards. They are 6-10 since the All-Star break, and while those losses have come with a mix of injured absences involving Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, it's concerning that the rest of the cast can't keep things together &mdash; even against bad teams. Golden State is currently two games up on the Mavericks for the third seed, but only four games separate the team from the sixth-place Denver Nuggets. This is a sneaky-close middle tier with the Warriors holding little momentum.
(Last week: 10)
7. Atlanta Hawks (37-37)
As mentioned, the Hawks face a potential playoff preview with the Nets. But they'll likely have to meet both Brooklyn and Charlotte in some order in the postseason. Atlanta went 2-2 against the Hornets in the regular season, and is 0-2 vs. the Nets prior to this coming Saturday's matchup. That doesn't inspire much confidence that the Hawks, as the No. 10 seed, can storm through both to the playoffs.
(Last week: 7)
6. Utah Jazz (45-30)
Utah received a quality playoff test this past week with games against the Nets, Celtics, Hornets and Mavericks. The Jazz lost all four games, though they missed Gobert. Their perennially stalwart defense is down to 20th over the past two weeks, and against the Celtics in particular, they couldn't seem to contain anyone. Donovan Mitchell is averaging 26.4 points per game since the All-Star break, but even that isn't mattering when the defense doesn't show up beyond Gobert.
(Last week: Unranked)
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5. Miami Heat (47-28)
Bryan Fonseca wrote a great piece this past week about <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-miami-heats-blow-up-was-necessary-but-now-the-rest-is-up-to-them" target="_blank" rel="noopener">that Heat meltdown on Wednesday</a> against the Warriors. His message was that these types of altercations don't have to define the rest of the season. But the dust-up certainly is right now, as the Heat have lost their grip on the East's top spot. They followed up the defeat with two more bad losses to the Knicks and Nets.
Miami still has conference powers in Boston, Chicago and Toronto left on the schedule. With the top four seeds separate by half a game, the Heat could easily plummet to the bottom of the tier.
(Last week: Unranked)
4. Washington Wizards (32-42)
Let's talk about Corey Kispert! The No. 15 pick flailed, as most rookies do, to open his NBA career. But Kispert has meaningfully caught fire in recent weeks. The 23-year-old sharpshooter is drilling 42.4% of his three-pointers in March. He just hit six triples on his way to a career-high 25 points in the team's aforementioned win over the Warriors. Washington hasn't had too much to get excited about in these last two weeks, so at least Kispert is helping send the young core into the summer on a high note.
(Last week: 2)
3. Portland Trail Blazers (27-47)
According to <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/jerami-grant-trade-rumors-portland-is-still-the-frontrunner" target="_blank" rel="noopener">James L. Edwards III of&nbsp;The Athletic</a>, the Trail Blazers are still the front-runner to trade for Jerami Grant this offseason. "I think a lottery pick would be the kind of sweetener that would [get a deal done]," Edwards told HoopsHype's Michael Scotto.
I just don't understand how a team so badly in need of a reset can cash in what will likely be its highest draft pick in a decade to go make a last-ditch attempt at keeping the current group relevant. Portland does not have a playoff-caliber roster regardless of Damian Lillard's health. Trading away several key future pieces for Jerami Grant will not change this. I'm simply against this move for the franchise's future.
(Last week: 4)
2. Los Angeles Lakers (31-43)
Here we go!
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WHAT A COMEBACK 😱 The Pelicans rally from a 23-point deficit to take down the Lakers in NoLa! <a href="https://t.co/MmFRQr8n2l">pic.twitter.com/MmFRQr8n2l</a>
&mdash; NBA TV (@NBATV) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBATV/status/1508254421804716033?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 28, 2022</a></blockquote>

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The Lakers are on a two-game skid and the Spurs are on a three-game win streak. Los Angeles has eight games to try and hold off San Antonio and at least survive to reach the postseason. Over the past two weeks, in which the Lakers have gone 2-5, they have the league's ninth-ranked offense and 27th-ranked defense. Their last eight games include the Mavericks, Jazz, Pelicans, Suns, Warriors, Thunder and Nuggets (twice).
Whew, this is not going to be easy!
(Last week: 1)
1. Sacramento Kings (27-48)
The Kings shut down Richaun Holmes for the season due to "personal reasons" and did not specify why. Robin Epley of the <a href="https://www.sacbee.com/opinion/article259668860.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sacramento Bee found out</a>: Holmes is facing serious domestic violence allegations amid an ongoing custody battle.
Obviously this is an ongoing process with no conclusion yet. But Epley makes the point painfully clear in her article.
"I&rsquo;m not convicting Richaun Holmes ahead of his court date. It does, however, appear that the Kings were focused on covering up a serious situation involving allegations of domestic violence by one of their players. When I contacted the team this week, they refused to comment on the serious charges facing their player, or say anything beyond the cryptic announcement of Holmes&rsquo; departure," she writes.
Epley goes more into some important statistics surrounding domestic violence cases in the U.S. and in the NBA. I seriously implore you to read them if you haven't yet. But the point is: This is yet again another case being swept under the rug by the league and its franchises.
(Last week: 3)
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Ethan Fuller ranks the most frustrating NBA teams in the last Sour Rankings of the season.

NBA Sour Rankings: The final countdown

After the Philadelphia 76ers crushed the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Sunday, Joel Embiid said he felt his partnership with the newly acquired James Harden was "unstoppable."
It's hard to blame the big man for feeling confident. Philly is 2-0 with Harden in the lineup, having blown out both opponents by a combined 45 points.
Harden's first game as a member of the 76ers was also the team's first post-All-Star break, a 31-point demolition of the Minnesota Timberwolves on the road. In his Philly debut, The Beard racked up 27 points (7 of 12 from the field, 8 of 9 from the free-throw line), 12 assists, 8 rebounds and 5 made treys.&nbsp;
On Sunday, Harden stuffed the stat sheet with 29 points, 16 dimes, 10 boards, 5 steals and 3 triples. In the process, he became the first player in NBA history to tally at least 25 points, 10 assists and 5 rebounds in each of his first two games with a new team.&nbsp;
He has been, to borrow a phrase from Embiid, "unstoppable."&nbsp;
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However, in watching him stack up insane numbers over those two games, I couldn't help but think back to his last appearance with Brooklyn on Feb. 2.
Before the Nets sent him to the Sixers in exchange for Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond and two first-round picks, Brooklyn was beaten badly by the lowly Sacramento Kings, and Harden's effort (or lack thereof) was abominable in his final contest as a Net. He finished with 4 points on 2 of 12 shooting, and the team was outscored by 21 points with Harden on the floor.&nbsp;
The energy and effort level Harden has played with for Philadelphia, when contrasted to Brooklyn, is stunning.&nbsp;
Over Harden's last two games with the Nets, he scored 26 points on 8 of 30 shooting, recorded a single steal and posted a plus/minus of -32.
Over Harden's first two games with the Sixers, he scored 56 points on 15 of 26 shooting, notched 5 steals and posted a plus/minus of +54.
To put his putrid performance against the Kings in context, keep in mind that Harden had scored in double figures in 450 consecutive games from 2015 through 2021. That's the eighth-longest such streak in NBA history.
Over the last decade, dating back to the start of the 2012 season, Harden has scored more points than every player in the league. His 21,340 points are more than 2,000 ahead of LeBron James (19,250), who ranks second.
But it wasn't just the inefficient offense. The footage of Harden loafing around the court in Sacramento was astonishing.&nbsp;
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Harden effort thread because I watched the film back and, my god, it's pathetic. Clip 1: just blatantly not caring. <a href="https://t.co/NbCccj2Ntt">pic.twitter.com/NbCccj2Ntt</a>
&mdash; Erik Slater (@erikslaterNR) <a href="https://twitter.com/erikslaterNR/status/1489287381031297027?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 3, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Here's what NBA insider <a href="http://NBA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shams Charania of The Athletic said on The Ringer NBA Show podcast</a> about that game and the situation surrounding Harden:
<blockquote>
He has a game in Sacramento where, you know, I think it's fair to say there were people who were within that locker room, within those confines, wondering, "Did he just quit on us?" And then he sits multiple games for a hamstring injury when, you know, there was no sign of a hamstring injury. There was a sign of the hand injury, but there was no hamstring.
</blockquote>
The day before the deadline, ESPN NBA senior writer <a href="https://twitter.com/gifdsports/status/1491469365467832328?s=20&amp;t=oZH91aLw2DxHA9FKKxEyDQ">Brian Windhorst intimated</a> that Harden might sabotage Brooklyn's season if the franchise didn't acquiesce to his wishes.
<blockquote>
You gotta be very careful using the "Q word" or saying whatever, but [Harden's] actions over the past 10 days are basically a threat to the Nets. Last week in Sacramento, he played 37 minutes and scored 4 points... And that doesn't even articulate the effort level he gave on defense in that game. Then, he basically shut it down for the rest of that road trip, and he is screaming in every way he possibly can, "I don't want to be here, get me out of here." Just like he did in Houston.
And so what the real issue here for the Nets is not the consequences of making this deal, it's the consequences of not making this deal. If they don't do this trade, what is James Harden going to do the rest of this season? And then, of course, what is he going to do when he becomes a free agent in the summer?
</blockquote>
As we now know, in the hours leading up to the trade deadline, Harden would leak that he planned to sign with the Sixers as a free agent this summer, essentially forcing the Nets to trade him to Philadelphia. Consequently, the Nets pulled the trigger on the blockbuster swap. As I <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/lest-we-forget-ben-simmons-is-a-great-basketball-player" target="_blank" rel="noopener">detailed last month</a>, the Nets were able to add three starters and two future firsts by parting with the unhappy Harden.
The drama at the deadline generated a ton of interest in the NBA, with trade rumors dominating social media and sports news broadcasts.
In addition, the tension and emotion surrounding the situation may be the birth of a heated rivalry between Brooklyn and Philadelphia. Immediately after the trade was finalized, fans worldwide circled March 10 on their calendars, as the Nets and Sixers will meet for the first time on that date. That highly-anticipated, nationally-televised game will generate huge ratings, just as a playoff series would between the two squads. That is obviously good news for the NBA.&nbsp;
However, on the flip side of the coin, it is worth asking: What is the long-term impact of superstars quitting on their current teams and complaining their way out of town, only to get rewarded by landing in their preferred destination?
Remember, this is the second time in two years that Harden has forced his way off a team.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
🚨🚨🚨 New Keepin' It 94 is up! Reacting to how new players are looking with their new teams, giving a summation of where the NBA is heading into the All-Star break in Cleveland and other good tidbits. Subscribe, rate, review 🎙️ LINK: <a href="https://t.co/RqDjKWI9QP">https://t.co/RqDjKWI9QP</a> <a href="https://t.co/GEEPbKTYgr">pic.twitter.com/GEEPbKTYgr</a>
&mdash; Spencer Davies (@SpinDavies) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpinDavies/status/1494426898629373959?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 17, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Prior to the start of the 2020-21 season, while a member of the Rockets, Harden showed up to training camp late and out of shape.
"He believed he could force a trade if he could anger team governor Tilman Fertitta enough," Bleacher Report's Farbod Esnaashari <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2934230-the-2-month-trade-request-how-james-harden-forced-his-way-out-of-houston" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote on March 3, 2021</a>.
And in early January, Harden told reporters Houston was "<a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/30702503/all-star-james-harden-says-houston-rockets-just-not-good-enough" target="_blank" rel="noopener">just not good enough</a>."
The Rockets got back a bevy of promising young players and draft picks by trading away Harden, but after finishing with the league's worst record last season, they are once again on pace to finish at the bottom of the standings.
In his final game as a member of the Rockets on Jan. 12, 2021, Harden finished with 15 points on 5 of 16 shooting and posted a plus/minus of -23.
Three nights later, in his first game as a Net, Harden made history as the first player to post a 30-point triple-double in a team debut, finishing with 32 points, 14 assists and 11 rebounds in a victory over the Orlando Magic.
Harden, of course, is not the first player to force the hand of his employer. Jimmy Butler belly-ached his way out of Minnesota and ended up in South Beach. Anthony Davis maneuvered his way out of New Orleans and landed in Los Angeles. Paul George forced his way out of Indiana and Oklahoma City. Simmons never played another game for the 76ers after he felt disrespected by his teammates and Doc Rivers following his poor performance in the 2021 playoffs.
The established precedent is troubling, especially considering how frequently it has occurred in recent years. The player empowerment era puts persistent pressure on general managers, and it may test the dedication of even the most loyal fans in some smaller markets.
Late last month, <a href="https://www.si.com/nba/2022/02/20/nba-superstar-empowerment-disruption-trades" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Howard Beck of Sports Illustrated reported</a> that executives leaguewide have speculated it's only a matter of time before several other popular players follow suit.
<blockquote>
The teams that have a star are feverishly doing everything to keep them happy. The rest are plotting to poach them. Around the league, team executives are already bracing (and/or plotting) for the next disenchanted star to ask out, with speculation focused on Zion Williamson in New Orleans, Damian Lillard in Portland, and Donovan Mitchell in Utah.
</blockquote>
As Beck notes, NBA commissioner Adam Silver was asked about the worrisome trend during his annual All-Star weekend press conference.
"It's no secret that I've expressed my unhappiness with public trade demands," <a href="https://www.si.com/nba/2022/02/20/nba-superstar-empowerment-disruption-trades">Silver stated</a>. But he added, "I don't want to pretend standing here that I have some secret idea that I know can fix that problem."
It's hard to imagine the issue abruptly disappearing. If anything, it may get worse before it gets better.&nbsp;
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James Harden's first two games with the 76ers were a smashing success, but we've seen this play out before. Tommy Beer examines.

James Harden got his wish... again, and that's a problem for the NBA

JJ Redick hasn&rsquo;t been a full-time NBA analyst for long, yet he has already emerged as one of the most insightful broadcasters in the industry. He has managed to separate himself from the pack in the five months since he announced his retirement from the NBA, and a big reason for that is his refreshing honesty and candidness &mdash; even when discussing his former teammates.
This was on display Tuesday morning, when Redick called out Zion Williamson on ESPN&rsquo;s First Take. The two played together on the New Orleans Pelicans for a season-and-a-half, appearing in 49 games together.
Redick was reacting to CJ McCollum <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/cj-mccollum-on-zion-williamson-i-havent-had-conversations-with-him-directly" target="_blank" rel="noopener">telling TNT</a> that he hadn't heard from Williamson at any point in the two weeks since he'd been traded to New Orleans, and that he had only heard from &ldquo;some people close to him.&rdquo; On Tuesday afternoon, McCollum revealed <a href="https://twitter.com/malika_andrews/status/1496219967179849730" target="_blank" rel="noopener">to ESPN</a> that he and Williamson finally had a conversation after his comment blew up over the weekend. But the fact that Williamson has been so distant and seemingly disinterested clearly frustrated Redick.
"This is a little bit insane to me. There&rsquo;s a general decorum of behavior that you should apply as a teammate,&rdquo; Redick said on First Take. &ldquo;Look, I wasn&rsquo;t the best player on any team that I was on&hellip; but I would always reach out to teammates. This just shows a complete lack of investment in your team, in the organization, in the city. I get that he's hurt and away from the team, but you just traded for one of the 50 best players in the league &mdash; a guy that's supposed to be paired with you. Reach out and say, 'Hello.'&nbsp;
&ldquo;This is a pattern of behavior with Zion that we are seeing again and again. I was his teammate; I can describe him as a detached teammate, that is an accurate statement. This is the basic level of humanity as a teammate, sending a text to a guy when he gets traded to your team. That is just normal behavior, the bare minimum that you have to do.
"Yes, he's been amazing when he's been on the court, 100%. He's amazing to watch. There's no one that can do what he does on a basketball court... but as a teammate, there is a pattern of behavior. As a fully invested individual in New Orleans, there's a pattern of behavior. This is worrisome. New Orleans is going to have to make some sort of decision here. We&rsquo;ve seen this now for three years.&rdquo;
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Redick revealed that he brought up similar concerns to Williamson back when they were teammates during the 2019-20 season, which was Zion&rsquo;s rookie year.
"This is something I addressed with Zion in front of the team, okay?" Redick said. "This is going back to his rookie year. There's a responsibility that you have as an athlete when you play a team sport to be fully invested. You're fully invested in your body, you're fully invested in your work and you're fully invested in your teammates. That is your responsibility, and we have not seen that from Zion.&rdquo;
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The conversation shifted to whether Zion may want out of New Orleans and whether that may explain why he has been so detached. There <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/report-patience-of-zion-williamsons-family-with-pelicans-wearing-thin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">have been reports</a> about Williamson and his family being unhappy with the Pelicans, with some relatives apparently pushing for a change of scenery. Redick said it sure seems like Zion wants out based on the reporting and how he's acting.
&ldquo;This is now another incident, another example, of that pattern of behavior [that suggests he wants out],&rdquo; Redick said. &ldquo;Yes, he&rsquo;s never come out and publicly said, &lsquo;I don&rsquo;t want to be in New Orleans.&rsquo; But as we know, because we follow the league, where there&rsquo;s smoke, there&rsquo;s fire&hellip; With Zion, you&rsquo;ve heard [rumors of him being unhappy] for the last three years.&rdquo;
It's also possible that the Pelicans are growing frustrated with Williamson. Redick pointed out that the Pelicans recently sent out an email promoting 2022-23 season tickets and didn't mention Zion at all. Instead, it listed Brandon Ingram, Jonas Valanciunas and McCollum as the players who are "building something special."&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Interesting 🤨 The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WBD?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WBD</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Pelicans?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Pelicans</a> just sent email to season ticket holders about renewals for 2022-23 season and&hellip; NO MENTION OF ZION 😳 <a href="https://t.co/Qqu9kibRWk">pic.twitter.com/Qqu9kibRWk</a>
&mdash; Fletcher Mackel (@FletcherWDSU) <a href="https://twitter.com/FletcherWDSU/status/1495842431543263232?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 21, 2022</a></blockquote>

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&ldquo;The Pelicans yesterday sent out an email about season tickets for next year and guess whose name wasn&rsquo;t in the email? Zion&rsquo;s!" Redick said. "What the heck is going on in New Orleans?&rdquo;
Williamson has yet to appear in any games this season after offseason surgery on his right foot, and there was recently a <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/zion-williamson-may-require-second-surgery-on-right-foot" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> that he may need a second surgery on his foot in the near future (although nothing has officially been decided). In the meantime, Zion has been rehabbing away from the team in Portland.
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Over the course of his three-year NBA career, Williamson has appeared in just 85 games, which has led to <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/we-now-have-to-wonder-whether-zion-williamson-is-the-next-yao-ming" target="_blank" rel="noopener">concerns about his longevity in the league</a>. When he's been healthy, he has been dominant, averaging 25.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.6 blocks while shooting 61.1% from the field.
Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!

JJ Redick ripped his former teammate Zion Williamson for being distant and detached over the last three seasons in New Orleans.

JJ Redick rips Zion Williamson for being 'a detached teammate'

In 2019, Tyreke Evans was &ldquo;dismissed and disqualified&rdquo; from the NBA for violating the league&rsquo;s anti-drug program. The league announced that he could apply for reinstatement after a two-year period.&nbsp;
Now, after three years, the NBA announced that they have reinstated Evans.
Evans, 32, has been training in Miami with John Wall and Michael Beasley, and he's hoping to sign with an NBA team in the near future. The NBA&rsquo;s press release states that Evans will be eligible to sign with a team on Feb. 18, 2022.
The league only suspends players if they test positive for &ldquo;drugs of abuse.&rdquo; According to <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story?id=2309872&amp;src=desktop" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ESPN</a>, those drugs include &ldquo;amphetamine and its analogs, which include methamphetamine; cocaine; LSD; opiates, including heroin, codeine and morphine; and PCP."&nbsp;
It&rsquo;s unclear which of those substances Evans tested positive for; the NBA announcement simply said that he tested positive for "a prohibited substance."
Years ago, Chris Andersen and OJ Mayo faced similar punishments for failing drug tests. Andersen ended up coming back and playing 10 more seasons in the NBA after being banned (and he won a championship with the Miami Heat in 2013). Mayo hasn't played in the NBA since being banned, but he has hooped overseas in Puerto Rico, China, Taiwan and Serbia.
Evans has career averages of 15.7 points, 4.8 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 1.2 steals, while shooting 44.0% from the field, 32.3% from three and 75.7% from the free-throw line. He won the NBA's Rookie of the Year award in 2010, after being selected No. 4 overall in the 2009 NBA Draft.
The last time we saw Evans in 2018-19, he was suiting up for the Indiana Pacers and averaging 10.2 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.1 threes in 20.3 minutes on .389/.356/.719 shooting splits.
In 2017-18, Evans had one of the best seasons of his career with the Memphis Grizzlies, putting up 19.4 points, 5.2 assists, 5.1 rebounds, 2.2 threes and 1.1 steals on .452/.399/.785 shooting splits.
It remains to be seen what kind of market there will be for Evans, but he&rsquo;ll be a name to watch in the coming weeks when <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/here-are-10-of-the-nbas-likeliest-contract-buyout-candidates" target="_blank" rel="noopener">buyout season heats up</a>. He&rsquo;s not too old and he may be able to help a team in need of some offensive firepower.

After three years out of the NBA, Tyreke Evans has been reinstated by the league and is eligible to sign with a team as a free agent.

NBA reinstates Tyreke Evans after multi-year ban for drug abuse

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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Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!

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

Nekias Duncan thoroughly grades every NBA trade from 2022 Deadline Week.

Grading every move from 2022 NBA trade deadline week

Despite rumors that <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/report-james-harden-wants-trade-to-76ers-has-not-formally-requested-one" target="_blank" rel="noopener">James Harden wants out</a> and a nine-game losing streak (the longest active losing streak in the NBA), the Brooklyn Nets are still the favorite to win this year's NBA championship &mdash; a testament to how talented this team is on paper.
Kevin Durant has been sidelined due to a sprained MCL in his left knee, and Harden has missed several games in a row due to left hamstring tightness. Meanwhile, Kyrie Irving is only playing in road games due to New York's COVID-19 mandate requiring pro athletes to be vaccinated. As a result, the Nets are 29-25 and sitting in the Eastern Conference's eighth seed. 
However, this team is so dangerous at full strength that they remain the favorite to win it all. <a href="https://www.oddschecker.com/us/basketball/nba/nba-championship/winner" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Oddsmakers</a> have given the Nets +400 odds (or an implied 20% chance to win this year&rsquo;s title).
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With that said, each time the Nets lose, the West&rsquo;s contenders close the gap a bit. The Golden State Warriors have moved to +460 (or an implied 17.9% chance), while the Phoenix Suns are at +500 (or an implied 16.7% chance). In the East, oddsmakers believe the Nets&rsquo; biggest competition is the Milwaukee Bucks (+650, or an implied 13.3% chance).
<table style="font-weight: 400;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td width="208">
Team&nbsp;
</td>
<td width="208">
Title Odds&nbsp;
</td>
<td width="208">
Implied Chance&nbsp;
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="208">
Brooklyn Nets&nbsp;
</td>
<td width="208">
+400&nbsp;
</td>
<td width="208">
20%&nbsp;
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="208">
Golden State Warriors&nbsp;
</td>
<td width="208">
+460&nbsp;
</td>
<td width="208">
17.9%&nbsp;
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="208">
Phoenix Suns&nbsp;
</td>
<td width="208">
+500&nbsp;
</td>
<td width="208">
16.7%&nbsp;
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="208">
Milwaukee Bucks&nbsp;
</td>
<td width="208">
+650&nbsp;
</td>
<td width="208">
13.3%&nbsp;
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="208">
Miami Heat&nbsp;
</td>
<td width="208">
+1400&nbsp;
</td>
<td width="208">
6.7%&nbsp;
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
The Nets&rsquo; Big Three has only played 16 games together since forming a year ago, and they&rsquo;ve suited up together just twice this season (in wins over the Chicago Bulls and Indiana Pacers).&nbsp;
Last season, we saw something similar when oddsmakers continued to list the Los Angeles Lakers as a title favorite even as injuries caused them to slide down the Western Conference standings and into the play-in tournament.

Despite rumors that James Harden wants out and a 9-game losing streak, the Nets are still the favorite to win this year's NBA title.

Despite injuries and Harden rumors, Nets are still title favorites

As yet another trade deadline approaches, the New York Knicks have found themselves in the familiar position of looking for a shot in the arm.
And yet again, it doesn&rsquo;t seem likely they&rsquo;ll get one.
At 24-31, New York enters play on Feb. 9 in 12th place in the Eastern Conference, good enough to be 2.5 games behind the Atlanta Hawks for the 10th seed. At this point, they can only aspire to get an opportunity to play themselves into the 2022 postseason.
There&rsquo;s still a lot of season left, but Leon Rose and his front office hasn&rsquo;t found an opportunity to dramatically reshape the roster, and those chances may have dried up with Tuesday trades that saw CJ McCollum and Tyrese Haliburton change addresses.
On Tuesday, McCollum saw his nine-year tenure as a member of the Portland Trail Blazers end when Portland dealt him to the New Orleans Pelicans in exchange for a package that ultimately yielded Josh Hart and draft compensation. And shortly thereafter, the Sacramento Kings surprisingly shipped Haliburton to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for a package headlined by Domantas Sabonis.
Obviously at different points in their careers, what McCollum and Haliburton each have in common is that they would&rsquo;ve upgraded Tom Thibodeau&rsquo;s backcourt and at least been a step in the direction toward helping the Knicks replicate last season&rsquo;s success. The Knicks were linked to both players, but now, New York must look elsewhere.
For the most part, the deals that happen are the ones that nobody hears about.&nbsp;
Sure, James Harden could end up in Philadelphia and all indications are that the Los Angeles Lakers would love to find a taker for Russell Westbrook, but other teams don&rsquo;t exactly seem to being ringing the phones off the hook at Penn Plaza. If they were, either McCollum or Sabonis &mdash; or perhaps both &mdash; could have landed in Manhattan.
Where the Knicks go from here remains to be seen.
Could Julius Randle be headed elsewhere?
Things changed quickly.
Last season, Julius Randle capably led the Knicks to the fourth seed, was named an All-Star for the first time in his career and won the NBA&rsquo;s Most Improved Player Award. Less than a year later, his story has been completely rewritten.
Perhaps mostly due to his poor play, Randle is the player on the team whose name has been called the most as it relates to trade rumors, and that&rsquo;s because &mdash; despite his struggles &mdash; his talent is undeniable. He would provide the Knicks the best opportunity to dramatically reshape their roster while dealing him would also offer RJ Barrett more opportunity to play with the ball in his hands.
According to SNY&rsquo;s Ian Begley, Randle <a href="https://www.sny.tv/articles/knicks-evan-fournier-trade-discussions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">has drawn interest</a> from several teams around the league, and the Sacramento Kings were believed to be among them. It stands to reason that the front office there coveted Sabonis more than Randle. Based on their play this season, it&rsquo;d be hard to argue.
Just one season removed from the first All-Star berth of his career, Randle&rsquo;s poor play and attitude have hurt his value, but he&rsquo;s still one of the team&rsquo;s two most talented players, at best. Trading him for a young point guard could make sense for the Knicks, but that ship may have sailed with Haliburton having been sent to Indiana.
The biggest impediment to a Randle deal for the Knicks would be the return. If a trade wasn&rsquo;t yielding a top flight prospect or an established player that would help New York remain in the playoff hunt, it would be difficult for the front office to divest Randle while his value is as low as it seems to be at the moment.
Making room for Cam Reddish
Thus far, the Cam Reddish era in New York has been more of a snooze fest than must see TV, and it&rsquo;s because Reddish has been used sparingly, to say the least.
One of the things that players who have played for Thibodeau has respected about him are the standards that he holds his players to and his equitable administration of his values.&nbsp;
In other words, it&rsquo;s very on brand of the coach to demand that Reddish play his way into the Knicks&rsquo; rotation rather than simply handing minutes to the youngster because other people have identified him as someone with promise.&nbsp;
Quentin Grimes and Immanuel Quickley have earned their minutes, while Alec Burks and Evan Fournier have been the best player on the floor in more than one appearance this season.
There are only so many minutes to go around, which is why there have been pretty persistent reports concerning the Knicks and their willingness to part with one or two of their veteran pieces; Fournier and Burks have both joined Kemba Walker as players who are <a href="https://sny.tv/articles/knicks-evan-fournier-trade-discussions">reportedly available</a>.
Trading away one of the veteran pieces for draft compensation could make sense for a New York team that wants to get Reddish more opportunity, but that might not make the team more competitive in the short-term.
Mitchell Robinson is opening some eyes
There&rsquo;s no denying what Mitchell Robinson has produced on the court as of late.&nbsp;
Over the past month, Robinson has recorded six double-doubles and is averaging 13.8 points, 10.8 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game. He&rsquo;s heading for free agency this summer, and retaining his services is likely to be expensive.
Although the league has mostly gone away from &ldquo;traditional&rdquo; big men, Robinson is a capable defensive presence on the perimeter, and he has proven that, when healthy, he&rsquo;s able to impact games. That he can do so on the offensive end without having plays called for him is a plus. Any team in the league could use that skill set.
According to Marc Berman of <a href="https://nypost.com/2022/02/08/nba-trade-deadline-knicks-eyeing-kings-harrison-barnes/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the New York Post,</a> the Detroit Pistons may have interest in Robinson, though Berman doesn&rsquo;t specify what the Pistons have that the Knicks would covet.
As it stands, the Knicks don&rsquo;t have the same kind of cap flexibility they had a year ago &mdash; they pretty much blew that last summer. Adding an expensive multi-year pact for Robinson would only make things worse, and if the team isn&rsquo;t sure that it&rsquo;s current core is who it wants to be married to for the next three or four years, Robinson could wind up with another address.
So&hellip; Where exactly are the Knicks going?
To say that the 2021-22 season has been a disappointment would be an understatement. The Eastern Conference has certainly gotten stronger around the Knicks, but after acquiring Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier last season, expectations were rather high for the team that captured the conference&rsquo;s fourth seed last year.
Acquiring Reddish and deploying Grimes and Quickley are things that a rebuilding team would do, but re-signing most of its core free agents isn&rsquo;t. The Knicks re-signed Randle to four-year, $104 million extension before they needed to, gave Fournier a four-year deal worth nearly $80 million and committed years and dollars to Alec Burks, Derrick Rose and Nerlens Noel. A team wouldn&rsquo;t do that unless they legitimately thought they had a chance to contend.
Teams that know they don&rsquo;t, from a management standpoint, look more like the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Houston Rockets. They divest every possible asset for draft compensation and use their salary cap space as currency to help teams rid themselves of onerous contracts.
That the Knicks have seemingly done an about face, and so quickly, is a blemish on the record of the front office. As the team reportedly dangles its veteran players in an attempt to find playing time for younger ones, on some level, represents failure.
At this point, it&rsquo;s difficult to know exactly what the Knicks are doing. And that&rsquo;s not a good thing.
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Moke Hamilton visits the Knicks' situation heading into the NBA trade deadline and whether or not it's fixable.

This may end up being another inconsequential trade deadline for Knicks

Tommy Beer is back with his latest version of BasketballNews.com's NBA Power Rankings. To read last week's version, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-power-rankings-sixers-and-nuggets-on-come-up-nets-sliding" target="_blank" rel="noopener">click here</a>.
The Milwaukee Bucks, Dallas Mavericks and Boston Celtics (thanks to their dominant defense) are three of the big climbers this week, while the Nets continue to head in the wrong direction.
1. Phoenix Suns (44-10) &harr;️ Last Week: 1
Despite posting the NBA's best record, the Suns are reportedly looking to upgrade their roster. <a href="https://hoopshype.com/lists/nba-rumors-james-harden-ben-simmons-caris-levert-collin-sexton-malik-beasley-thaddeus-young/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype</a>, Phoenix is one of two teams (the Minnesota Timberwolves being the other) that have expressed interest in trading for San Antonio Spurs veteran Thaddeus Young.
2. Golden State Warriors (41-13) &harr;️ Last Week: 2
It appears Klay Thompson is finding his groove, which is bad news for the rest of the NBA. Klay has scored over 20 points in back-to-back games and is averaging 19.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 3.6 made treys (while shooting 42.9% from downtown) over his last five contests. &nbsp;
3. Memphis Grizzlies (38-18) &harr;️ Last Week: 3
The Grizz just keep on winning. They've won 6 of their last 7 games and 19 of their previous 23. Memphis has not lost consecutive contests since before Christmas. Over their last 20 games, Ja Morant is averaging 29.9 points (while shooting over 51% from the floor), 6.7 dimes, 6.3 assists, 1.6 made triples and 1.1 steals. Those are jaw-dropping numbers for any player, let alone a 22-year-old kid in just his third pro season.
4. Milwaukee Bucks (35-21) ⬆️ Last Week: 9
Interesting statistical factoid from the Bucks 137-113 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday. In that game, Milwaukee became the first team in NBA history to have each member of its starting lineup score at least 15 points, grab at least 5 rebounds and knock down at least 2 three-pointers.
5. Miami Heat (35-20) &harr;️ Last Week: 5
When the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Chicago Bulls on Sunday night, Miami clinched the best record in the Eastern Conference through the end of last week, which means Erik Spoelstra and his staff will head to Cleveland later this month to coach Team Durant in the All-Star Game.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
6. Chicago Bulls (33-21) &harr;️ Last Week: 6
The Bulls, playing without two of their best perimeter defenders in Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso, have lost 3 of their last 4. However, after playing Wednesday in Charlotte, Chicago begins a six-game homestand that wraps around All-Star weekend. Following the matchup with the Hornets, the Bulls don't play on the road again until Feb. 28.&nbsp;
7. Cleveland Cavaliers (33-21) ⬆️ Last Week: 8
The Cavs acquired Caris LeVert from the Indiana Pacers in exchange for injured point guard Ricky Rubio and three draft picks over the weekend. "Very excited to add a dynamic young player of this caliber and experience," Cleveland president Koby Altman told reporters. "LeVert fits uniquely into our culture, and his Ohio roots bring an immediate connection to our community. We look forward to seeing what type of impact he can make on this roster." It's an excellent addition for the Cavs to supply them with the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/reaction-caris-levert-fills-blended-need-for-cavs-as-pacers-reset" target="_blank" rel="noopener">scoring wing they were looking for</a>, making Cleveland that much scarier come playoff time. LeVert is expected to be active for Wednesday's game against the Spurs.
8. Philadelphia 76ers (32-22) ⬇️ Last Week: 4
The Sixers are 10 games over .500 and Joel Embiid is doing much of the heavy lifting. Over his last 10 games, the big man is averaging 36.0 points, 12.1 rebounds and 4.7 assists. In the process, he may have established himself as the odds-on favorite to take home the MVP award entering the All-Star break. &nbsp;
9. Dallas Mavericks (32-23) ⬆️ Last Week: 10
Reggie Bullock tallied 22 points (on 8 of 14 shooting with 6 made three-pointers), 9 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals in a win over the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday. He's been a big part of the Mavs success of late. Over Dallas' past seven games, Bullock is averaging 17.9 points (while shooting 50.0% from the floor), 5.4 rebounds, 4.6 treys, 1.3 steals and just 0.6 turnovers.
10. Utah Jazz (33-21) ⬆️ Last Week: 11
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Donovan Mitchell sealed the win for the <a href="https://twitter.com/utahjazz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@utahjazz</a> with 3 fourth-quarter steals, after GOING OFF for 21 points in the first half! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TakeNote?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TakeNote</a> 🕷 <a href="https://twitter.com/spidadmitchell?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@spidadmitchell</a>: 32 PTS, 7 REB, 6 AST, 4 STL <a href="https://t.co/IiPsFfYDIu">pic.twitter.com/IiPsFfYDIu</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1490927965319970816?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 8, 2022</a></blockquote>

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

Donovan Mitchell racked up 32 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 steals in Utah's victory over the Knicks on Monday night. Rudy Gobert (left calf strain) did not play in the win, but the Jazz are hoping he is cleared to return to the action later this week. They also just acquired Nickeil Alexander-Walker <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nickel-alexanderwalker-on-the-move-again-as-blazers-jazz-spurs-complete-threeteam-deal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in a three-team deal</a> to add some youth (and depth) to their backcourt.
11. Denver Nuggets (30-24) ⬇️ Last Week: 7
Nikola Jokic was at it again Sunday, registering another triple-double in Denver's 124-104 win over the Brooklyn Nets. The Joker finished with 27 points (on 12 of 15 shooting), 12 rebounds, 10 assists, 2 steals and just 2 turnovers in only 30 minutes. This one (his NBA-leading 14th triple-double) was notable because it was the second time in Jokic's career he's recorded a 25-point triple-double while also shooting above 80% from the floor. Wilt Chamberlain is the only player in NBA history with more than one such game.
12. Toronto Raptors (29-23) ⬆️ Last Week: 14
The Raptors, who are currently riding a six-game winning streak, have discussed a trade that would send Goran Dragic (and his $18 million expiring contract) to the Hawks in exchange for Danilo Gallinari, <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2953236-nba-trade-intel-cj-mccollum-has-become-best-player-likely-dealt-at-deadline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report</a>.
13. Boston Celtics (31-25)&nbsp;⬆️ Last Week: 15
The Celtics have posted a 13-4 record dating back to New Year's Eve, and it's their defense that has turned Boston's season around. Over this 17-game stretch, the C's are allowing just 101.5 points per 100 possessions. To put that number in context: No team in the NBA other than Boston is allowing fewer than 106.5 points per 100 possessions over the past six weeks. Boston ranks first in Net Rating in 2022 as well. As usual, Marcus Smart has led the charge (pun intended) on the defensive front. He leads his team in pass deflections (64 more than any other Celtic) and charges drawn.
14. Minnesota Timberwolves (29-25) ⬆️ Last Week: 17
In the 18 games this season in which Minnesota has been able to roll out its preferred starting five of D&rsquo;Angelo Russell, Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Edwards, Jarred Vanderbilt and Patrick Beverley, the Wolves are 13-5.
15. Brooklyn Nets (29-25) ⬇️ Last Week: 12
The Nets have lost nine straight games. They are 12 games under .500 dating back to late December. Kevin Durant is still weeks away from returning to action after spraining the medial collateral in his left knee last month. James Harden looks puffy and is nursing a hamstring injury. Joe Harris suffered a setback in his recovery from left ankle surgery in late January and reportedly could need a second surgery. Of the 27 games remaining on the Nets schedule, 14 of them are on the road. However, four of those contests are against either the New York Knicks or Raptors, which means Irving will only be able to suit up for (at most) 10 games. But, yeah, other than that, everything is all good in Brooklyn.&nbsp;
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
16. Charlotte Hornets (28-27) ⬇️ Last Week: 13
Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2953236-nba-trade-intel-cj-mccollum-has-become-best-player-likely-dealt-at-deadline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> this week that the Hornets are one of several teams that have expressed interest in Spurs big man Jakob Poeltl. The Bulls and Raps have also been rumored to be interested in Poeltl.
17. Atlanta Hawks (26-28) ⬇️ Last Week: 16
The Hawks were just 1-3 in their previous four games prior to Tuesday (although that one win was impressive &mdash; a victory at home over the Suns last Thursday, which snapped their 11-game winning streak). Atlanta took advantage of a reeling Indiana Pacers squad Tuesday night, beating them 133-112.
18. Los Angeles Lakers (26-29) &harr;️ Last Week: 18
Over the Lakers' last four games, Russell Westbrook is shooting a putrid 27.5% from the floor, 15.4% from downtown and 55.0% from the charity stripe. Late in the fourth quarter of Sunday's victory over the Knicks, when Westbrook was alone with the ball in the corner, the home crowd shouted at him not to shoot. When New York forced overtime, head coach Frank Vogel benched Russ for Talen Horton-Tucker. Westbrook was also benched for the final 14 minutes in Tuesday&rsquo;s loss to the Bucks. Will the Lakers admit they made a mistake before the deadline and reroute Russ out of Los Angeles?
19. New Orleans Pelicans (22-32) ⬆️ Last Week: 23
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
🔥 Brandon Ingram WENT OFF for 17 points in the 3rd quarter on his way to 33 points and the <a href="https://twitter.com/PelicansNBA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PelicansNBA</a> win! <a href="https://twitter.com/B_Ingram13?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@B_Ingram13</a>: 33 PTS, 12 AST, 3 STL <a href="https://t.co/3uT1ocPpgg">pic.twitter.com/3uT1ocPpgg</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1490683017949552641?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 7, 2022</a></blockquote>

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

New Orleans, who won just one of their first 13 games this season, is now riding a four-game winning streak and has jumped up into 10th place in the Western Conference. And on Tuesday, the team <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/why-the-pelicans-pushing-chips-in-on-cj-mccollum-was-a-wise-investment" target="_blank" rel="noopener">added a stud scorer to its roster</a>. The Pels acquired CJ McCollum along with Larry Nance and Tony Snell from the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for Jason Hart, Tomas Satoransky, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Didi Louzada and draft compensation. I love this deal for New Orleans.&nbsp;
20. Los Angeles Clippers (27-29) ⬇️ Last Week: 19
Last week, the Clippers made a shrewd trade, sending Eric Bledsoe, Justise Winslow, Keon Johnson, and a second-round pick to the Blazers for Norman Powell and Robert Covington. It will help not only help them make a playoff push this year, but will also <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/breaking-down-why-the-blazersclippers-deal-works-for-both-sides" target="_blank" rel="noopener">round out their roster next season</a> when they can count on both Kawhi Leonard and Paul George returning to full strength. Powell looked great in his Clippers' debut on Sunday, tallying 28 points on 9 of 16 shooting in just 24 minutes. He followed that up with a 16-point night in a lopsided loss to the Grizz.
21. Washington Wizards (24-29) ⬇️ Last Week: 20
After the 2021-22 season started with plenty of promise, the Wiz have lost 8 of 9 heading into Thursday's matchup with the Nets. They will likely look to <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/examining-trade-destinations-for-spencer-dinwiddie" target="_blank" rel="noopener">trade the struggling Spencer Dinwiddie</a> before the deadline arrives.&nbsp;
22. New York Knicks (24-31) ⬇️ Last Week: 21
New York has lost 10 of its last 12 games, but Mitchell Robinson had been playing some of the best basketball of his career before sitting out Tuesday's loss due to a back injury. Over the last month, Mitch Rob is averaging 11.5 points, 10.8 rebounds and 1.7 blocks. During this stretch, the only other players in the NBA also averaging double-digit points and rebounds to go along with at least 1.4 blocks are Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
23. San Antonio Spurs (20-34) ⬆️ Last Week: 24
Spurs fans learned Monday that Dejounte Murray will make his NBA All-Star Game debut after being named an injury replacement by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. Murray is averaging 19.6 points, 9.2 assists, 8.4 rebounds and 2.1 steals this season, and has a chance to become just the third player ever to average at least 8 assists, 8 rebounds and 2 steals per game over an entire season.&nbsp;
24. Sacramento Kings (20-36) ⬆️ Last Week: 26
The Kings shook up the league Tuesday afternoon, trading Tyrese Haliburton, Buddy Hield and Tristan Thompson to Indiana for Domantas Sabonis, Jeremy Lamb, Justin Holiday and a 2027 second-round pick. It is stunning that Sacaremto would part ways with Haliburton. The 21-year-old has exceeded all expectations since being drafted in 2020. He is on pace to become just the second player in NBA history to average at least 5 assists and 2 made three-pointers per game while shooting over 40% from downtown in each of his first two pro seasons. (The only player to have accomplished this feat is Stephen Curry.)
25. Portland Trail Blazers (21-34) ⬇️ Last Week: 22
The Blazers made waves on Tuesday, trading away former franchise cornerstone CJ McCollum. It continued on Wednesday afternoon, as Portland rerouted Nickeil Alexander-Walker to Utah for Joe Ingles' expiring $14 million deal in a <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nickel-alexanderwalker-on-the-move-again-as-blazers-jazz-spurs-complete-threeteam-deal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">three-team trade</a>. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Tuesday that "Portland plans to fully reshape the roster around Damian Lillard now... the plan is to pursue high-end talent now, not retreat." The team's also created a ton of cap space in the process and has a $21 million trade exception at its disposal.
26. Indiana Pacers (19-37) ⬇️ Last Week: 25
The Pacers, who are just 5-18 since Christmas, began breaking down their roster by trading Caris LeVert to the Cavs on Sunday, and then <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/pacers-exit-blockbuster-trade-with-kings-as-huge-winners-thanks-to-tyrese-haliburton" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shipped off Domantas Sabonis to Sacramento</a>, as noted above. As our <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/bucks-interested-in-trading-for-myles-turner-pacers-may-keep-him" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Alex Kennedy reported</a>, Myles Turner is "a big fan of Tyrese Haliburton's game and is excited about the possibility of playing with the young guard." It appears Turner may stay in Indiana.
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27. Oklahoma City Thunder (17-36) &harr;️ Last Week: 27
The Thunder lost to the Warriors on Monday night, but Luguentz Dort had another strong outing, tallying 26 points, 4 rebounds and 3 steals. In the three games OKC has played without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Dort is averaging 23.7 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.0 three-balls.
28. Houston Rockets (15-39) ⬆️ Last Week: 29
The Rockets would love to join this week's wheeling and dealing by exchanging veteran shooting guard Eric Gordon for draft capital. We'll see if they find a willing trade partner.&nbsp;
29. Orlando Magic (13-43) ⬆️ Last Week: 30
We know the Magic hope to flip Terrence Ross and Gary Harris in exchange for draft picks before Thursday's deadline. The question is whether they will also look to deal big man Mo Bamba. After struggling over his first three years in the NBA, Bamba is posting career-highs across the board this season. However, Orlando inked center Wendell Carter Jr. to a four-year, $50 million contract extension back in October. The Magic are reportedly willing to listen to offers for Bamba, who has a $10.1 million qualifying offer for 2022-23 and will be a restricted free agent this summer.
30. Detroit Pistons (12-42) ⬇️ Last Week: 28
Killian Hayes has played a bit better of late, but he has failed to live up to expectations since being selected with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. This season, Hayes is one of only two players in the NBA logging more than 20 minutes per game yet shooting below 38% from the floor and averaging fewer than 10 points per contest. For his career, he is just 50-of-179 from downtown (27.9%)... The Pistons have lost 9 of their last 10 contests.
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Tommy Beer checks in with an installment of BasketballNews.com's NBA Power Rankings.

NBA Power Rankings: Bucks back into top tier, Mavs vault into top-10

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

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

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

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

The NBA trade deadline is Thursday at 3 p.m. ET and while the Brooklyn Nets have popped up in several trade rumors recently, it's very possible that the team is going to stand pat.
On Tuesday, Nets head coach Steve Nash told reporters that he's not expecting any moves.
"I think we'll be exactly the same," Nash told reporters. "I think the chances of trades or deals happening before the deadline are so slim, especially for our group.
"My mind and attention is on this group and putting this thing together as guys become healthy again and trying to build for the stretch run so that we can continue to improve but also find that cohesion before we hit the playoffs."
The Nets are 29-24, which is the seventh-best record in the Eastern Conference.
Brooklyn has the NBA's eighth-best offense (scoring 109.7 points per 100 possessions) and 17th-best defense (allowing 108.2 points per 100 possessions).
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Nets head coach Steve Nash told reporters that he expects Brooklyn's roster to look "exactly the same" after the deadline.

Steve Nash expects Nets to look 'exactly the same' after deadline

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After the Wizards endured a 115-95 thumping at the hands of the Grizzlies, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/dinwiddie-says-his-leadership-wasnt-necessarily-welcomed-by-wizards" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Spencer Dinwiddie was pretty candid with reporters</a> about his leadership approaches not really working out in the early going of the season. That comes after a previous report from <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/dinwiddie-says-his-leadership-wasnt-necessarily-welcomed-by-wizards-a-john-wall-westbrook-trade-really-help-lakers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bleacher Report's Eric Pincus</a> on the imperfect chemistry between Dinwiddie and Bradley Beal.
So that, plus a five-game losing streak with some epic moments of failure, gives Washington the edge in this week's Sour Rankings.&nbsp;
If you're new to the Sour Rankings, here's a refresher: Unlike the typical "power rankings" that repeat themselves throughout sports media, Sour Rankings are a bizarro-world counter. These rankings highlight the top-10 most frustrating NBA franchises throughout the season, and they will be updated every week to match the twists and turns of the league.&nbsp;
This is not merely a bottom-10 of your typical best-to-worst power rankings. You will see championship contenders and playoff hopefuls mixed in with struggling squads. Teams well under .500 may never touch the Sour Rankings because they are on track with their respective processes. Injuries, drama, transactions and generally underwhelming play will earn you a spot on this list.
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The central question is ultimately this: How good should you feel about the direction of each franchise? Let's get going:
Escaping the Sour Rankings:&nbsp;The Atlanta Hawks have taken flight and won their last seven straight games to vault back into the Play-In race. The Los Angeles Clippers have not reeled off a winning streak, but continue to fight hard with an undermanned cast and have snuck up to seventh in the Western Conference standings. They're a fun team to watch and a fun team to root for with this ragtag bunch.
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10. New Orleans Pelicans (18-31)
The Pelicans are mired in a three-game skid, though all three of those losses came without Brandon Ingram and Jonas Valanciunas. They're still one of my personal favorite squads to watch in the NBA and still worth praising for how they've remained competitive. But we're hitting the NBA trade deadline on Feb. 10, and that brings some anxiety for a squad that is too far outside the Play-In race as things stand but too good of a team to fold.
New Orleans could certainly make a splash to push to the postseason, but is that the right move? What happens if they don't? Every loss makes the claw toward contention more challenging.
(Last week: Unranked)
9. Boston Celtics (26-25)
The Celtics do not break out of the Sour Rankings because there's too much of a roller-coaster track record. But the past week is a massive confidence-builder for fans of the current starting lineup. The Marcus Smart-Jaylen Brown-Jayson Tatum-Al Horford-Robert Williams III group is outscoring opponents by 23.7 points per 100 possessions, according to Cleaning the Glass. They helped Boston eviscerate some lesser teams this past week. The real tests begin on Monday against Miami.
(Last week: 6)
8. Brooklyn Nets (29-20)
This is the first Sour Rankings appearance for Brooklyn since the early weeks of the season. The Nets have lost four games in a row to the Minnesota Timberwolves, Los Angeles Lakers, Denver Nuggets and Golden State Warriors, all while Kevin Durant rehabs an MCL injury. James Harden also missed Sunday's defeat at Golden State with a hand sprain.
Harden <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/james-harden-interested-in-exploring-other-opportunities-in-free-agency" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dominated headlines this week</a> after reports surfaced that he would consider "exploring other options" outside of the Nets this offseason with significant ties to Philly. That's simply not the news Brooklyn wants with the Big Three finally (partially) back together.
(Last week: Unranked)
7. Portland Trail Blazers (24-27)
The Blazers went 1-3 this week, but maintain a comfortable hold on 10th in the West because the teams behind them fared poorly as well. Portland got beat out narrowly by Minnesota and less closely by the Dallas Mavericks and Chicago Bulls, though it did take care of business against the lowly Houston Rockets. Sadly, much of the week gets overshadowed by the season-ending shoulder injury to Nassir Little, who was having a breakout third year with the team.
(Last week: 8)
6. Utah Jazz
Yes, the Jazz have missed Donovan Mitchell over the last six games, and also Rudy Gobert for the last four. Yes, they've played a brutal recent schedule that included the Warriors, Phoenix Suns and Memphis Grizzlies. However, this current five-game losing streak has only exposed how serious the depth question is for Utah ahead of the trade deadline.
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This has pretty easily been the most difficult month for the Utah Jazz in Quin Snyder&rsquo;s tenure as head coach
&mdash; Tony Jones (@Tjonesonthenba) <a href="https://twitter.com/Tjonesonthenba/status/1487971479790796800?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 31, 2022</a></blockquote>

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The team is 1-7 with bottom-10 efficiency ratings on both ends over the past two weeks. Now, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Utah fears Joe Ingles has torn his ACL. When the Jazz inevitably deal with injuries in the postseason, is there enough confidence that the next man up can help them win?
(Last week: 10)
5. New York Knicks (23-27)
It was just a two-game week for the Knicks and they got smacked in both with two double-digit losses to the Heat and Bucks. <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10025155-knicks-trade-rumors-ny-open-to-dealing-kemba-walker-evan-fournier-alec-burks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">According to ESPN's Brian Windhorst</a>, New York is open to trading Kemba Walker, Evan Fournier and Alec Burks. "Open to" feels like some generous phrasing at this stage. It can't feel great that the two marquee offseason additions are both on the block. Oh, and <a href="https://www.slamonline.com/nba/knicks-coach-tom-thibodeau-reveals-why-cam-reddish-isnt-in-rotation/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cam Reddish isn't in the rotation, either.</a>
(Last week: 5)
4. Indiana Pacers (18-33)
The Pacers are 4-14 dating back to Christmas. A mediocre defense has fallen apart, and that probably isn't helped by Myles Turner's extended absence due to a foot fracture. But you know what? Isaiah Jackson's been interesting. The 2021 first-round rookie most recently had 12 points, 6 rebounds, 3 blocks and a made three-pointer against the Mavericks.
Did the Pacers lose that game by 27 and did Jackson also foul out? Who's to say? But there's a nice little silver lining for a team that has very little going for it right now.
(Last week: 4)
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3. Los Angeles Lakers (24-27)
I'm glad Russell Westbrook had a fun second half in what ended up being a three-point Laker loss to the Charlotte Hornets. The discourse around him will never be fair, so it feels good to see him be successful through all the criticism.&nbsp;
... And that'll do it for this week's positive Lakers talk! They lost all three games this week to the Hornets, Atlanta Hawks and Philadelphia 76ers. Anthony Davis is shooting 18.0% from long range on the season, by the way.
(Last week: 1)
2. Sacramento Kings (18-33)
Kings-related conversations are rapidly turning from "How good is Tyrese Haliburton?" to "Free Tyrese Haliburton!" and that's not a great sign. The second-year combo guard put up 38 points on Saturday and Sacramento still lost that contest to the 76ers. He's built off a stellar December and is averaging 16.3 points, 8.4 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game while shooting 42.0% from beyond the arc in January. Yet, the Kings are 3-11 this month.
(Last week: 2)
1. Washington Wizards (23-26)
I listened to a couple of different social media conversations after the Wizards lost in meltdown fashion against the Clippers last Tuesday. In that game, Washington had a 30-point halftime lead before giving up 80 second-half points to the Clippers and ultimately losing on Luke Kennard heroics, 116-115. Those poor fans circled around the same phrase: "Why does this always happen?"&nbsp;
Washington had a three-day layoff and then promptly lost by 20 to the Grizzlies. The Wizards' upcoming schedule? In order: Milwaukee, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Miami, Brooklyn. This is going to get really ugly.&nbsp;
(Last week: 1)
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Washington blew a 30-point halftime lead to the Clippers in a spectacular collapse. Ethan Fuller updates his Sour Rankings.

NBA Sour Rankings: Wizards hitting new rock bottom

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

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

'Old Man' Love relishing reserve role with rising Cavaliers

Tommy Beer is back with his latest version of BasketballNews.com's NBA Power Rankings. To read last week's version, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-power-rankings-grizz-and-cavs-continue-to-climb" target="_blank" rel="noopener">click here</a>.
The Phoenix Suns, who have at least three more wins than every other team in the league, retains the top spot in this week's BasketballNews.com Power Rankings.
1. Phoenix Suns (37-9) &harr;️ Last Week: 1
Phoenix has won 37 of its first 46 games this season, matching the 2006-07 squad for the best start in franchise history. And while LeBron James has been lavished with praise for what he's been able to accomplish this season (and rightfully so), Chris Paul's play has been equally incredible. CP3 poured in a season-high 27 points to go along with 14 assists and 9 rebounds in Monday's win over the Utah Jazz. The 36-year-old Paul is on pace to become the first player in NBA history over the age of 30 to average more than 10 assists and fewer than 3 turnovers per game.
2. Golden State Warriors (34-13) ⬆️ Last Week: 3
Even the greatest shooter of all-time can fall into a slump. After missing 12 of the 13 three-pointers he attempted in Sunday's victory over the Jazz, Steph Curry's shooting percentage from behind the arc fell below 30% for the month of January. Over his last 10 games, Curry is just 29 of 105 from downtown (27.6%).
3. Memphis Grizzlies (32-17)&nbsp;⬇️ Last Week: 2
The Grizz have lost 3 of their last 5 games, but all five contests have come against teams well above .500. Their two wins during this stretch were impressive (a blowout victory over the Chicago Bulls and a win vs. the Denver Nuggets at altitude). Ja Morant was on fire last week, averaging 35.3 points, 9.0 rebounds and 8.7 assists per contest.
4. Miami Heat (30-17) &harr;️ Last Week: 4
Despite again being forced to play without Kyle Lowry (personal matter) and Tyler Herro (health and safety protocols), the Heat beat the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday, catapulting Miami to the top of the Eastern Conference. The fact that Heat have the East's best record even though Lowry, Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler have played just 14 games together is a testament to the phenomenal coaching job Erik Spoelstra has turned in.
5. Milwaukee Bucks (30-19) ⬆️ Last Week: 8
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
34 PTS from <a href="https://twitter.com/Khris22m?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Khris22m</a> 26 PTS from <a href="https://twitter.com/Jrue_Holiday11?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Jrue_Holiday11</a> The <a href="https://twitter.com/Bucks?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Bucks</a> make it three-straight wins as Khris &amp; Jrue combine for 60 🔥 <a href="https://t.co/CL6OhZH6ZM">pic.twitter.com/CL6OhZH6ZM</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1485254751772188674?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 23, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Jrue Holiday returned from injury last week, and the Bucks (who had lost 4 out of 5 with Holiday on the shelf) promptly went on a three-game winning streak. We shouldn't have been surprised, as the Bucks have been deadly when they've had their Big Three healthy and active. Milwaukee is now 18-3 in the 21 games Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton and Holiday have all played.&nbsp;
6. Cleveland Cavaliers (29-19)&nbsp;&harr;️ Last Week: 6
Kevin Love scored a team-high 20 points in the Cavs' victory over the New York Knicks on Monday night. It was Cleveland's seventh victory in its last eight games. Love embracing his role off the bench has been a significant factor in the Cavs' success this season. Over Cleveland's last 20 games, Love is averaging 16.6 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.0 treys, while shooting 41.4% from downtown and 82.6% from the free-throw line.&nbsp;
7. Utah Jazz (30-18) &harr;️ Last Week: 7
The Jazz have lost 8 of their last 11 games. However, Utah was missing Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert and Mike Conley on Monday night in Phoenix; Quin Snyder's bunch still fought tough and actually led the Suns by four points in the fourth quarter before running out of gas.&nbsp;
8. Chicago Bulls (29-17) ⬇️ Last Week: 5
Nikola Vucevic had been mired in a nasty slump heading into Monday night, but he powered the Bulls past the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday. It was a much-needed win for Chicago, who had lost 6 of 7 and was coming off an embarrassing blowout loss to the Orlando Magic. Vooch racked up 26 points (on 10 of 18 shooting), 15 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 treys, 3 blocks and a steal in 39 minutes. With Lonzo Ball (left knee) and Alex Caruso (fractured wrist) sidelined for the foreseeable future, the Bulls are going to need Vucevic to continue playing well.
9. Philadelphia 76ers (27-19) ⬆️ Last Week: 11
Unfortunately for Joel Embiid &mdash; who has scored at least 25 points in 14 straight games &mdash; Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey may be content to hold onto Ben Simmons until the offseason. According to Shams Charania and Sam Amick of The Athletic, Morey <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/sixers-could-wait-until-offseason-for-possible-james-harden-trade" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hopes to use Simmons as a trade chip to land James Harden or another superstar</a>. It really would be a shame if the Sixers waste a year of Embiid's prime, especially when the big man is playing arguably the best basketball of his career.&nbsp;
10. Dallas Mavericks (27-20) &harr;️ Last Week: 10
The Mavs have won 5 of their last 6, with two of those wins coming against the Grizzlies. And according to Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report, Dallas is <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/report-wizards-are-frontrunner-for-jerami-grant-may-deal-dinwiddie" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a potential "dark-horse" candidate to land Pistons forward Jerami Grant</a> at the deadline. The Mavs' offer would reportedly start with a combo of Dorian Finney-Smith and Dwight Powell.
11. Brooklyn Nets (29-17) ⬇️ Last Week: 9
Kyrie Irving has played well for the Nets, but Brooklyn continues to be sieve-like on the defensive end. It's been more than two months since the Nets held an opponent below 99 points. And they've been especially porous in January. In fact, Brooklyn has been the worst defensive team in the NBA this month, allowing 117.3 points per 100 possessions. The only other team in the league with a defensive rating higher than 117 is the Houston Rockets.
12. Denver Nuggets (24-21)&nbsp;⬆️ Last Week: 13
On Monday, Nikola Jokic was <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nikola-jokic-trae-young-take-home-player-of-the-week-for-jan-1723" target="_blank" rel="noopener">named the Western Conference Player of the Week</a> after averaging a mind-boggling 36.3 points, 11.3 rebounds, 10.0 assists and 2.3 steals per game. Oh, and he shot 65.0% from the floor, 40.0% from downtown and 86.2% from the charity stripe. Remarkably, it's the first time he's won a Player of the Week award this season.
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13. Charlotte Hornets (26-21)&nbsp;⬇️ Last Week: 12
The Hornets had won 7 of 8 before going ice cold in a loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday, as Charlotte shot just 4 of 36 (11%) from downtown. The Hornets have a tough road back-to-back (at Toronto and Indiana) on Tuesday and Wednesday.&nbsp;
14. Minnesota Timberwolves (23-23)&nbsp;⬆️ Last Week: 17
On Sunday, Anthony Edwards racked up 25 points, 4 assists, and 4 triples in the Wolves' victory over the Nets. In the process, he knocked down his 300th career three-pointer, making him the youngest player in league history to achieve that feat and breaking the record previously held by Luka Doncic. However, Ant-Man limped off the floor and into the locker room late in the game after colliding with a defender. Fortunately, Wolves coach Chris Finch said the injury was not serious after the game.
15. Los Angeles Lakers (23-24) ⬆️ Last Week: 18
Let's take a step back for a second and appreciate what LeBron has been doing this season. In 2011-12, when LeBron was 27 years old, he averaged 27.1 points (on 55.6% Effective Field Goal percentage), 7.9 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 0.9 made threes and 0.8 blocks per game. He would be named NBA MVP and lead the Heat to a championship, where he was named Finals MVP. Well, in 2021-22, at age 37, James is averaging 29.0 points (61.6% eFG), 7.7 rebounds, 6.3 assists, 2.8 made threes and 1.1 blocks a night. Somehow, he's posting better numbers 10 years after playing at his "peak" in the heart of his prime.
16. Boston Celtics (24-24) &harr;️ Last Week: 16
Jayson Tatum had been brutal from downtown (having missed all 17 of his three-point attempts over his three previous games) heading into Sunday's matchup with the Washington Wizards, but the Celtics superstar knocked down career-high 9 triples in Boston's latest win en route to a season-high 51 points. On top of that, he chipped in 10 rebounds and 7 assists for good measure. We'll see if Tatum and the Cs can find some semblance of consistency going forward.&nbsp;
17. Toronto Raptors (22-22) ⬇️ Last Week: 15
This Raptors team remains frustratingly inconsistent. Thus far this month, they have beaten the Bucks twice (including once in Milwaukee) and the Jazz. Yet, they've also been blown out by the Detroit Pistons and were down 34 points to the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday. The loss to Portland was Toronto's fifth loss in its last seven games. &nbsp;
18. Washington Wizards (23-24) ⬇️ Last Week: 14
The Wiz began an eight-game homestand on Jan. 11 (tied for the longest homestand by any team this season) and won their first two contests. However, Washington has dropped three in a row and 4 of their last 5. Their biggest issue has been on the defensive end, where the team is allowing 113.6 points per 100 possessions in January.
19. New York Knicks (23-25)&nbsp;⬆️ Last Week: 20
The Knicks are struggling, but New Yorkers have to be encouraged by the strong play of RJ Barrett in 2022. Over the 13 games the Knicks have played dating back to New Year's Eve, Barrett is averaging 23.2 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.2 treys, while shooting 45.6% from the floor and over 39% from downtown.&nbsp;
20. Atlanta Hawks (21-25)&nbsp;⬆️ Last Week: 21
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Trae Young hit 8 three pointers tonight. 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 <a href="https://t.co/JDWJqomWh9">pic.twitter.com/JDWJqomWh9</a>
&mdash; Everything Georgia (@GAFollowers) <a href="https://twitter.com/GAFollowers/status/1485464198914220037?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 24, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Heading into MLK Day, the Hawks were riding a five-game losing streak. However, Atlanta registered four impressive wins last week, beating the Bucks, Timberwolves and Heat at home before smashing the Hornets in Charlotte on Sunday. "We are definitely headed in the right direction," Trae Young said after Sunday's victory. "Right now it's more about consistency and keeping it going. We're not satisfied. We know what to do and what we are capable of doing."
21. Los Angeles Clippers (23-25)&nbsp;⬇️ Last Week: 19
The Clips have lost 7 of their last 10 games and just don't have enough firepower to compete on a nightly basis with both Paul George and Kawhi Leonard sidelined. Those two superstars are making more than $78 million in salary this season (which is more than the combined salaries of the entire OKC Thunder team). Late last week, it was reported that PG-13 would miss at least another few weeks as he continues to rehab the torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow.
22. Portland Trail Blazers (20-26)&nbsp;&harr;️ Last Week: 22 
Two weeks ago, when the Blazers embarked on a six-game road trip, Portland had been just 2-13 on the road over its first 15 road contests this season. However, by beating the Raptors on Sunday in Toronto, the Blazers wrapped up their six-game swing with an impressive 4-2 record.
23. New Orleans Pelicans (18-28)&nbsp;⬆️ Last Week: 25
Playing without leading scorer Brandon Ingram (right ankle sprain), Devonte' Graham carried the Pels to a victory over the Indiana Pacers on Monday night. Graham erupted for 25 points (on 8 of 14 shooting) and added 6 assists, 5 triples, 3 rebounds and a steal. Josh Hart also posted a strong double-double, finishing with 22 points and 10 boards.
24. Indiana Pacers (17-31) ⬆️ Last Week: 26
Domantas Sabonis has missed each of the Pacers' last three games after suffering a left ankle sprain during the fourth quarter of last Wednesday's win over the Lakers. Goga Bitadze has stepped in the starting lineup for Indy and averaged 13.7 points, 8.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 29.5 minutes since Sabonis went down.
25. Sacramento Kings (18-30)&nbsp;⬇️ Last Week: 23
De'Aaron Fox sat out Saturday's loss to the Bucks due to left ankle soreness and is listed as questionable for Tuesday's game vs. the Celtics. Last week, Shams Charania of The Athletic reported that the Kings are not planning to trade Fox before the February deadline, instead "informing teams in the marketplace that they want to build around Fox and second-year guard Tyrese Haliburton." This may well be posturing by the Kings; we shall see.&nbsp;
26. San Antonio Spurs (17-30)&nbsp;⬇️ Last Week: 24
Dejounte Murray has <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/making-the-allstar-case-for-dejounte-murray" target="_blank" rel="noopener">quietly been establishing himself as one of the league's elite young point guards</a> this season. Over the Spurs' past three games, Murray &mdash; who is among the league's steal leaders &mdash; is averaging 22.3 points, 10.3 rebounds and 12.0 assists (vs. just 2.0 turnovers). &nbsp;
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27. Houston Rockets (14-33)&nbsp;⬆️ Last Week: 28
Houston, who recorded an impressive victory over the Jazz last week, has turned down multiple trade offers for veteran shooting guard Eric Gordon, according to Kelly Iko of The Athletic. With the Rockets in rebuild mode, it's somewhat surprising, considering the 33-year-old Gordon is owed $19.6 million in guaranteed salary next season and is signed for $20.9 million in 2023-24 (although that season's salary is non-guaranteed).
28. Detroit Pistons (11-35)&nbsp;⬆️ Last Week: 29
Jerami Grant has been one of the most popular names bandied about in trade rumors over the last few weeks, but James L. Edwards III of The Athletic writes that there is a "real possibility" that Pistons sit tight over the next few weeks. General manager Troy Weaver is reportedly comfortable holding onto Grant and dangling him in trade talks over the summer if they don't get an offer that knocks their socks off before the February 10 deadline.&nbsp;
29. Oklahoma City Thunder (14-33)&nbsp;⬇️ Last Week: 27
The Thunder are currently riding a six-game losing streak and have posted a 1-11 record in the 12 games they've played since the calendar flipped to 2022.&nbsp;
30. Orlando Magic (9-39)&nbsp;&harr;️ Last Week: 30
Jalen Suggs is struggling with his efficiency (shooting just 36.5% from the floor and 22.4% from downtown this season), but he's coming the most productive week of his rookie campaign. Over Orlando's last three games, Suggs is averaging 17.0 points. 7.0 assists, 6.0 boards and 2.0 steals. Marc Stein wrote Monday that the Magic are looking to trade Terrence Ross and/or Gary Harris before next month's trade deadline.
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NBA Power Rankings: Suns remain red-hot, Bucks continue to climb

After a dismal 1-16 start followed by a 9-4 stretch&nbsp; &mdash; sandwiched with rumors of cutting loose head coach Stephen Silas midseason &mdash; the Rockets have gone awry yet again. They're sporting a 2-10 mark since then. Houston is young, they're certainly imperfect, and they're in store for significant change during the season if they maintain their current trajectory.
To stop and take stock of the youth movement during the first full rebuilding year post-James Harden, <a href="https://twitter.com/matissa15" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mat Issa</a> and I teamed up to gauge the development and future of the young players on the roster.&nbsp;
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Jae'Sean Tate
There are few players in the NBA I enjoy watching more than Tate. At 26, it's hard to necessarily consider him part of the young core and rebuild, but complementary role players are an absolute must in developing high usage players.&nbsp;
Tate possesses stellar defensive versatility and efficacy &mdash; many players can do a lot of things, but doing a lot of things well is where Tate manifests his value on both ends, whether it be:
Playing the passing lanes.
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Holding his own in isolation.
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Rotating in help.
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Or hounding ball-handlers at the point of attack.
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Tate is on the shortlist of players who are in a "when" not "if" category when looking to future All-Defensive team ballots. He can still clean up his off-ball defense, and he overshoots at times on switches, but many of these issues can be linked to communication &mdash; which this Houston team strongly lacks.
His offense requires more digging, as his box score doesn't leap off the page and understates his impact. He's one of only four Houston players that rates as a positive in Offensive Estimated Plus Minus, and the only Rocket who rates positive in both offensive and defensive EPM.&nbsp;
Tate is a solid finisher, but a poor shooter on low volume. He derives the majority of his positive play on offense through his decision-making and court vision. The Rockets at times take advantage of his frame and ability to bully smaller guards in the post, in order to create passing opportunities or easy scoring looks if he doesn't draw a double team.
He's excellent when grabbing and going, with timely kick-ahead passes and pacing to jumpstart the break. He's a really solid screener, which opens up intriguing small-small ball-screen actions that allow him to operate as a dribble-handoff facilitator and occasional roll man.
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Was going back through my notes and realized I forgot to clip this. One of my favorite little plays from the week Jae'Sean Tate's been awesome <a href="https://t.co/FIdwDa28US">pic.twitter.com/FIdwDa28US</a>
&mdash; Mark Schindler (@MSchindlerNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/MSchindlerNBA/status/1474041808363655171?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 23, 2021</a></blockquote>

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He just does everything to an extent.
His lack of shooting does hold him back from becoming one of the truly elite role-players in the league, but make no mistake, finding Tate last season has proven a vital building block for the Rockets.&nbsp;
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Kenyon Martin Jr.
KJ Martin was another pleasant surprise for the Rockets last year, far outplaying his draft value and contributing at a relatively high level much earlier than expected as a professional. That's what made his start to the season all the more perplexing. He started the year mostly out of the rotation and accruing a DNP before being reinserted to the regular rotation, albeit in a smaller role than last season (non-coincidentally, that fact can be linked with Houston's first losing streak). Fortunately, his minutes have evened back out (23 minutes per game in January) and he's played productively.
KJ has shown the foundation to become an elite play-finisher, part of what makes him so tantalizing alongside the burgeoning high usage creators on the team. He's 6'6, but one of the best leapers in the NBA &mdash; his verticality has&nbsp;boosted his gravity as a roller and cutter.&nbsp;
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He has solid counters already around the rim, with some touch on his hook shots. He's a quality passer on the roll already and makes quality decisions, although I'd even like to see him attempt some more risky passes.
To make the most of himself as a margins-based prospect, he'll need to improve as a screener and get a little stronger, but that describes almost any young player.
He's still coming along as a shooter (34.9% on threes for his career) and that's perhaps the biggest area for his improvement. If he was more willing to take his open shots, and some contested ones as well, he'd be able to flex with more opportunities as a ball-handler from the perimeter. He's not yet comfortable coming off of screens or operating with much movement, and has room to improve his footwork and shot preparation overall.
Part of what's so difficult in evaluating KJ is trying to perceive the upside he has. He's had some bright flashes as a ball-handler, primarily off of cuts where he gets room to gather himself, or attacking close-outs, but the results have been fairly mixed. His handle is quite clunky right now, but if he's able to make some real improvement there &mdash; along with his shot &mdash; he'll be cooking with grease.
KJ has some creases to work out defensively, but offers legit weakside rim protection and makes quality vertical plays at the rim &mdash; he's already a solid rotational defender with room for improvement that would be bolstered by additional strength and reps. I love his game and can't wait to see what the future holds for him, he just does good things on court!
Alperen Sengun
I cannot say enough positive things about Alperen Sengun's rookie season. I saw it with him offensively during the draft cycle, but I have been quite impressed with how he's adapted to the NBA game defensively already &mdash; and in a way I wasn't sure he'd be able to.
He's shown himself capable of playing more aggressive coverages, utilizing his wingspan and solid lateral quickness in ICE coverages to prevent drives, and using quick hands to stifle them altogether and force steals. His hands around the rim are extremely active, and in spite of some of his back-foot leaping limitations, he has a knack for tips and deflections in the paint. I absolutely love his ability to use his hips to force defenders into his contests as well. He certainly has limitations, but his ability to toe the line and expand on the margins has been tremendous to see.
Playing straight-up drop pick-and-roll defense or more in centerfield has given him some issues, if he's not able to force the defender to gather or hesitate. Straight-line bursts can hurt him due to his hip fluidity. However, that just doesn't matter very much to me. He's already shown some coverage versatility and his offensive abilities make playing a more aggressive defense worth trying.
Where do I even begin with Sengun as an offensive player, man.
Quite frankly, I've felt that Sengun is underutilized by the Rockets. I need him to start expeditiously! He's currently out with an ankle injury, so just getting back to playing at all will be a win, but the point remains: start Alperen Sengun, I beg of you.
The Rockets lack a true primary ball-handler. Kevin Porter Jr., Starting Point Guard, has been rough. Jalen Green is ideally an off-ball creator who flows into actions with his movement skills (more on that later). Sengun is pretty easily the best passer on the Houston Rockets who isn't currently sidelined by the organization (I just want to see John Wall play somewhere please).
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Like I wrote about with <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/trevion-williams-thinking-outside-the-box" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trevion Williams recently</a>, playing five-out doesn't really mean that you are getting guarded five-out. So often, Sengun is spaced to the slot or above the break, and while he has shown flashes as a shooter and has indicators to hint at future growth there, he is not guarded like a floor-spacer the majority of the time he's tasked with being one in Houston's offense.
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I'm not saying those need to be cut out entirely, as he's intrigued me with his loping drives off the catch.
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Sengun is so fun man. He's had some really impressive moments this season <a href="https://t.co/WiCAG1KbAl">pic.twitter.com/WiCAG1KbAlf</a>
&mdash; Mark Schindler (@MSchindlerNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/MSchindlerNBA/status/1460384809964953612?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 15, 2021</a></blockquote>

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What he could be if he opens up his game as a shooter and from the perimeter is part of his intrigue. However, he could be better optimized if used more often in the middle of the floor, or more regularly being tasked with running dribble-handoffs.&nbsp;
He's shown dynamic ability as a stout screener and as a roller. Affording him more opportunities where the offense flows through him could open up even easier scoring avenues for Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr. Screening and handoffs are a form of creation, even if they're not often considered as such, due to the levels one has to hit as a screener and passer to actually make them viable forms of self-creation. Sengun surpasses the marks required to create in those areas, and making him a larger part of the offense is something I really hope to see once he returns from injury.
Sengun does have limitations as a finisher that currently hinder his upside as a scorer &mdash; and therefore his gravity &mdash; but his craft shown in the post and on touch shots in the paint but outside the restricted area are encouraging. I'm not sure what the ceiling is for him, but his improvements as a finisher and eventually a shooter are essential to maximizing his potential.
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Jalen Green
Jalen Green had a very rough start to his rookie season, understandable given his environment and the woes of the Rockets early on. However, his efficiency from the floor has greatly improved after a 14-game absence due to a hamstring injury: 49.8% True Shooting in his first 18 games, compared to 58.2% across his last 10, a remarkable uptick.
He's starting to get a better grasp on the finer aspects of becoming a higher usage offensive player, going through the growing pains of on-ball development. I particularly have enjoyed some of the subtleties he's started to develop in pick-and-roll.
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Green stares down the oncoming screen from Christian Wood and rejects it as soon as Russ shifts ever so slightly onto his right foot in anticipation. Jalen's downhill burst and first step were second to none in the 2021 draft class, and this play is a showcase.&nbsp;
He hasn't yet consistently unearthed some of the low hanging fruit, like using his handle in conjunction with the screen to lull his man into it, or to set up a dribble-drive that opens him an even wider lane. He uses slight screen set-up and devastating power to draw a quick foul here (4.9 FTA per game over his last 10, that's good folks!). Imagining what he'll be able to do to the rim and opposing defenses as he starts to develop more on-ball counters and craft is ridiculous to think about.
Finding easier buckets as he develops counters at the rim and on drives would be beneficial as well. Green has the essential tools that allow him to get there, but his frame and relative lack of craft around the rim has been an issue thus far. While he's shooting pretty well at the rim this season (60% per Cleaning the Glass), he's only shooting 34.8% on layups per InStat, and has really struggled when tasked with converting against good rim protectors &mdash; and against contact and length in general.
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That's partially why I want to see even more with Jalen flowing off the ball. His gravity largely comes from his athleticism and ability to leverage it. Optimizing him more in a Bradley Beal mold (think from prior years before the mid-30s usage you see today), coming off pindowns, floppy actions, staggered screens, Iversons, etc. to get the most out of his quickness, and then work his way into easier isolations or secondary pick-and-rolls, would do him wonders. Especially for younger ball-handlers, making things easier &mdash; to simplify reads and what's required of them to create offense &mdash; is ideal.
Working in tandem with Sengun's gravity from the middle of the floor could get the most out of Green as a cutter and allow the gravitational pull between the two to warp defenses. He still has a great deal to learn as a passer &mdash; honing his vision, his progressions through reads, as well as ball placement.&nbsp;
The Rockets aren't in a great place this season, but their outlook moving forward is full of intrigue due to the young talent on the roster. I'm not sure how it all fits together yet, or if it does at all. Nevertheless I'm greatly encouraged by the individual players who comprise their core and what their development has looked like even in a sub-optimal situation. I'm cautiously optimistic about the future in South Texas and what it could hold for Rockets fans moving forward.
Read <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/rocket-revival-evaluating-houston-rockets-young-core-part-i" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Part 1</a> of Rocket Revival, where Mat Issa broke down the rest of Houston&rsquo;s young core.

Mark Schindler breaks down four of Houston's brightest talents in Part II of his Rocket Revival series with Mat Issa.

Rocket Revival: Evaluating Houston's promising young core — Part II

It&rsquo;s been quite an unconventional season in Washington.
The summer in D.C. was drowned out by an onslaught of Bradley Beal trade rumors. Instead of discussion about Wizards president Tommy Sheppard&rsquo;s impressive offseason, questions like the ones below dominated the news cycle.
Could Beal be the missing piece for Golden State? What if Boston broke the internet to form an all-St. Louis duo with Brad and Jayson Tatum? Is this the Ben Simmons trade that&rsquo;s been sitting there underneath our noses?
Well, here we are. Seven months later, Beal is still a Wizard, and as it so happens, most of us missed the point. Washington has cobbled together a deep, impressive group of veterans, which <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/kyle-kuzma-montrezl-harrell-have-wizards-adopting-dog-mentality" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hit the ground running with an Eastern Conference-leading 10-3 record</a> and the third-best defense in the entire league to start the season.&nbsp;
But then, the inevitable defensive regression hit like a <a href="https://www.mlb.com/video/miguel-sano-homers-22-on-a-fly-ball-to-center-field">Miguel San&oacute; deep-ball</a>; Washington has returned to its homey lair of a <a href="https://www.cleaningtheglass.com/stats/league/summary?season=2021&amp;seasontype=regseason&amp;start=10/1/2021&amp;end=01/15/2022">bottom-10 Defensive Rating</a>, and the Wizards overall record has deteriorated in harmonious fashion, with the team going just 12-17 since Nov. 15. With Beal having a down year and the vaunted defense appearing... um, suddenly not-so-vaunted, Washington has since looked rudderless following the hot start.
That is, until Kyle Kuzma started averaging a cool 26 and 11 over the Wiz&rsquo;s last nine games.
His output has largely been a byproduct of circumstance. Seven Washington players entered COVID-19 health and safety protocols at the turn of the new year, forcing the Wizards to go the substitute-player route like most other ball clubs. This left a hefty load to shoulder for Washington&rsquo;s mainstays, and Kuzma, in particular, made quite the impression while eclipsing 39 minutes in three straight games to ring in 2022.
The plat principal of the Kuzma experience this season has been his inspiring commitment to rebounding. He&rsquo;s finally at his rightful position &mdash; the 4 &mdash; and has seen his overall rebounding average jump by a colossal 2.6 per game while inhaling a career-high <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/advanced/?sort=GP&amp;dir=-1&amp;CF=PLAYER_NAME*E*kuzma">12.8%</a> of available boards.
As Washington&rsquo;s corps dwindled, Kuzma only dug deeper into the comfy niche he&rsquo;s settled into this season.
Kuz&rsquo;s rebounding rate has bumped all the way up to 14.5% since Dec. 27, when nearly half of his teammates entered protocols. He's keyed in on opponents&rsquo; misses with the hunger of Shaggy and Scooby Doo on a Whole 30 diet, his hands fastening onto the rock like a toddler leash. (Side note, who the heck uses those things?)
From there, Kuz is more than capable of initiating the offense in the open floor after ripping down a&nbsp; board, something he&rsquo;s been quite potent at as of late. No longer sharing the floor with LeBron James &mdash; whose resume alone obviously merits sole ownership of a fastbreak offense &mdash; Kuzma&rsquo;s now been empowered to push the pace like true-blue point-forward.
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But Kuzma&rsquo;s more than just a rebounder. He&rsquo;s a full-blown supersized slasher that knifes through coverages with X-Acto Blade precision, and he&rsquo;s only carved opponents up with more voraciously as Washington has suffered its availability crisis.
Kuzma&rsquo;s average drives per game have nearly doubled from 5.9 to 12.2 since December 27, and he&rsquo;s shot a supremely impressive <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/drives/?CF=PLAYER_NAME*E*kuzma&amp;Season=2021-22&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season&amp;DateFrom=12%2F27%2F2021">63.5%</a> on those forays to the rim in that time (his accuracy on drives sat at just 45% beforehand). For context, the league leader in field goal percentage off drives is Giannis Antetokounmpo at 60.2%. So basically, Kuzma&rsquo;s been the personification of the &ldquo;He Don&rsquo;t Miss!&rdquo; meme when putting the ball on the floor in the Year 2022.
Perhaps it was out of pure necessity, but what&rsquo;s largely spearheaded Kuzma&rsquo;s torrential downpour of downhill scoring has been his aggression. He&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCwZqaHipqs&amp;ab_channel=MattBrooksNBA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">playing through contact</a>, devising the necessary counters &mdash; like the occasional <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iANdyk_EHA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Eurostep</a> &mdash; to leave opponents loopy in a drunken state. <a href="https://youtu.be/LXyy_Z8Zy5g" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The glass</a> is the 26-year-old&rsquo;s friend if needed, of course. And his fabled <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkXmnXdURF4&amp;ab_channel=MattBrooksNBA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hook shot</a>, which earned him modest prominence during his rookie season, will peak through the blinds when applicable. (Rejoice, Laker fans, it&rsquo;s back!)
Most importantly, when he gets to that right hand, it&rsquo;s basically over. Kuzma&rsquo;s always been a sturdy at-rim finisher, and his <a href="https://cleaningtheglass.com/stats/player/4230#tab-shooting_accuracy">74% accuracy inside 4 feet</a> ties a career-high for the Flint native. His rim attacks have become a reliable source of renewable energy when Washington&rsquo;s bottom-tier offense trips up.
Here&rsquo;s a fun example of his decisiveness.
Washington sets up a pair of staggered screens for Beal, and Kuzma makes his move right when the help defender (Gordon Hayward) turns his head to bark out orders. Miles Bridges is left... miles behind (sorry) as Kuz stretches out for the layup.&nbsp;
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It&rsquo;s strange, but his size seems to stand out more now that he&rsquo;s a Wizard, no longer sharing the floor with a gaggle of giants in purple-and-gold threads. You really feel that Kuz is a full 6-foot-10 on his bull rushes to the rim. He's a towering thunderbolt of an athlete with G5 jets affixed to his highlight-blue sneakers.
Nothing is more emblematic of Kuzma&rsquo;s hot streak than his recent success from floater range. He&rsquo;s shot a hellacious <a href="https://cleaningtheglass.com/stats/player/4230?season=2021&amp;start=12/27/2021&amp;end=12/28/2022#tab-shooting_accuracy">55% on short-range middies</a> in his last nine games, a massive bump from the mere 36% he posted prior; it's also good for the 72nd percentile among his peers. Granted, it&rsquo;s unlikely that he&rsquo;ll maintain this level of preposterous efficiency on in-betweeners, as runners like the one below are a tricky diet to survive off of. But for now, I&rsquo;m sure he&rsquo;ll gladly take it.
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What makes all of this so impressive is that his handle &mdash; which can get a little rickety when <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9t8NDEGJEE&amp;ab_channel=MattBrooksNBA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bothered by nearby helpers</a> &mdash; hasn&rsquo;t been especially fluid nor deceitful as of late. His vision has <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmbA8HBzZl0&amp;ab_channel=MattBrooksNBA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">moments of genius</a>, though inaccuracy can <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qmZXfjyI-Y&amp;ab_channel=MattBrooksNBA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">plague him</a>. He grades out as a fairly average passer.
Most of all, his three-pointer remains a work in progress, and he&rsquo;s actually seen his efficiency from distance fall a percentage point to 33% during the recent hot stretch. He&rsquo;s pump-faking <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CuZ0O8dJOw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">defenders out their shoes</a> without the requisite long-range weaponry typically required to make the seas part and open up the rim.
Kuz made his bed as a defensive-minded grinder in Laker Land, and that calling card is still very much intact. As mentioned before, the dude&rsquo;s mobile and huge. It&rsquo;s tough as nails to score on him in isolation, where he ranks within the 75th percentile as a 1-on-1 defender.&nbsp;
Kuzma uses his body well to shield opponents away from the rim, with his 7-foot wingspan handling the rest. It&rsquo;s tough to get him in the air on pump-fakes. His body control is pretty exceptional, and here, he uses a 2-foot jump to slow down and leap with precise control while contesting Chuma Okeke.
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Recently, he&rsquo;s even had to pick up the slack and play some 5. Montrezl Harrell was one of the many players held out due to health and safety protocols, leaving the Wizards with only one available big man, Daniel Gafford. Playing Kuz in the middle allows the Wizards to switch pretty much everything, and he&rsquo;s had some super impressive reps against the likes of LaMelo Ball, Terrence Ross, Cole Anthony and Shai-Gilgeous Alexander, just to name a few. Certainly a varied cast of opponents.
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Failing to mention Kuzma&rsquo;s legend inside of five minutes would be a disservice, because, well, you&rsquo;ll hear about it on nearly every single Wizards broadcast. Only a handful of people in human history have shown more exuberance about anything&nbsp;than Washington&rsquo;s play-by-play crew when discussing &ldquo;Klutch Kuz&rdquo;: Anthony Edwards when <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-Y2P-BQP5w&amp;ab_channel=DaHoopSpotProductions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ranking fast-food french fries</a>, JAY-Z the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aayZ9ybDTBw&amp;ab_channel=MardyMoves" target="_blank" rel="noopener">first time</a> he heard the &ldquo;Dirt Off Your Shoulder&rdquo; beat, and pretty much anyone who has ever done a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGJhjHw4sMM&amp;ab_channel=Whereuat" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nardwuar</a> interview.
That&rsquo;s it. That&rsquo;s the list.
Having said this, it&rsquo;s easy to understand NBC Sports Washington's fascination with Kuz in crunch time. His <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/clutch-traditional/?sort=GP&amp;dir=-1&amp;Season=2021-22&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season&amp;TeamID=1610612764" target="_blank" rel="noopener">3.0 points</a> per game lead the Wiz in the clutch, and he&rsquo;s posting a <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/clutch-advanced/?sort=TS_PCT&amp;dir=-1&amp;Season=2021-22&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season&amp;TeamID=1610612764&amp;CF=PLAYER_NAME*E*kuzma">70.6% True Shooting percentage</a> when it matters most. He&rsquo;s already nailed <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-cVQhyBvw0&amp;ab_channel=ChazNBA">not one</a>, but two game-winners as a Wizard, sending the Pistons' fans home with a cheery wave and a toothy smile after a cold-blooded three. Truly villainous stuff from the hometown kid, if I do say so myself.
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It&rsquo;s been quite the revenge tour for Kyle Kuzma this year. Dangled in trades for almost the entirety of last season, his former employer sent him to the nation&rsquo;s capital in the Russell Westbrook blockbuster. Shortly after, the Brooklyn Nets felt a trade exception (that will likely go unused) was more valuable than his services in the Spencer Dinwiddie sign-and-trade. In the moment, it seemed quite telling that two teams on the brink of a championship said, &ldquo;Nah, I&rsquo;m good&rdquo; to Kuz.
Now, I bet they&rsquo;d surely love a do-over.

Matt Brooks takes a deep dive into Kyle Kuzma's resurgence with the Wizards and his incredible production since Dec. 27.

Don't look now, but Kyle Kuzma is silencing the critics

We've gotten some juicy NBA rumors over the past week, but John Collins' place on the Atlanta Hawks might be the most notable development.
Shams Charania first reported on Tuesday that the fifth-year big man was <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/report-john-collins-frustrated-by-role-with-hawks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">frustrated by his current role</a> with the team. Collins then <a href="https://theathletic.com/3065272/2022/01/12/john-collins-on-trade-rumors-frustration-and-how-he-feels-about-the-hawks-this-is-where-i-want-to-be/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">spoke to&nbsp;The Athletic's Chris Kirschner</a> to candidly share his own thoughts, mentioning that he doesn't love his current usage with the team, and is frustrated less by the volume and more by the context.
"I&rsquo;m not sitting here complaining and saying I need more touches of the ball, or I need to score more points or need more shots," Collins <a href="https://theathletic.com/3065272/2022/01/12/john-collins-on-trade-rumors-frustration-and-how-he-feels-about-the-hawks-this-is-where-i-want-to-be/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told Kirschner</a>. "I&rsquo;ve never complained about that. All I&rsquo;ve said, specifically, if there&rsquo;s a way that I feel like is beneficial for everybody &mdash; and not just myself &mdash; is for us to be used in the correct way. "
It's fairly unusual for a player to be this publicly honest and in-depth about his frustrations, and Collins' comments make his role worth investigating. What do the numbers say? Have things really changed significantly?
According to Cleaning the Glass, the 24-year-old does have the second-lowest usage rate of his career (17.9%), and it has decreased in each of the past four years &mdash; something Collins referenced in the interview. The site's usage rate refers to the percentage of plays that end in free throws, shot attempts, assists or turnovers; Collins is less involved in these play-enders.
He's also averaging career-lows in field goal attempts and three-point attempts per game, but Collins says in the interview that this isn't what he is frustrated about. This quote was particularly interesting:
"I just don&rsquo;t like to be out there running around sometimes," Collins said. "Sometimes, you just want to understand where you can make an impact instead of having to create it for myself. I feel like that&rsquo;s where I&rsquo;m at a lot of times. I&rsquo;m just having to create out of nothing, and it&rsquo;s hard as hell."
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How is Collins getting his shots? He's actually being assisted on 75.3% of his makes, which is a career-high; this would seem to contradict Collins' claim. Though, that number has decreased in recent games.&nbsp;
Things get intriguing when looking at the changes in his shot distribution. Below are Collins' year-by-year numbers regarding his frequency of shots in each area of the half-court, per Cleaning the Glass:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li>2017-18: 69% came in the paint | 24% in the mid-range | 7% from three</li>
<li>2018-19: 64% came in the paint | 19% in the mid-range | 17% from three</li>
<li>2019-20: 55% came in the paint | 22% in the mid-range | 22% from three</li>
<li>2020-21: 43% came in the paint | 32% in the mid-range | 25% from three&nbsp;</li>
<li>2021-22: 44% came in the paint | 32% in the mid-range | 24% from three</li>
</ul>
Something changed between 2019-20 and 2020-21, and it has carried over to the 2021-22 campaign. Collins' paint opportunities have noticeably decreased, and his mid-range attempts have increased without a serious jump in three-point volume. He's being drawn out of the paint. Is it a coincidence that he's also averaging two rebounds fewer per game than he did a couple of years ago?
Nine percent of Collins' field goal attempts this season have been pull-ups, according to NBA Stats. That's also a career-high, and it's historically a shot he's not comfortable with (39.5 FG% this season). And nearly all of those pull-ups are twos, not threes.
His playtype data looks suspect as well. Collins is posting up over twice as often (17.8% of his plays) as he did two years ago (8.1%), per NBA Stats/Synergy. He's not a good post-up shooter, as evidenced by the 39.4% clip and 14.0% turnover rate.
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Despite being one of the most efficient pick-and-roll bigs in the league, Collins' frequency in those plays is down nearly 9% from 2019-20. He acts as a roll man on just 19.9% of his possessions, which is far behind the NBA leaders. This is partially because he is being asked to space the floor more often, and that has come with his elite shooting from beyond the arc.
Then, we get to the NBA's touch data. Collins has a few claims in his favor. To start, he is averaging about 10 fewer touches per game over the past two seasons compared to 2019-20. He's also receiving nearly twice as many post touches. Meanwhile, his paint touches per game have progressed like this:
<ul>
<li>10.3 in 2018-19</li>
<li>9.4 in 2019-20</li>
<li>6.1 in 2020-21</li>
<li>5.8 in 2021-22</li>
</ul>
Interesting.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Elite efficiency: 2️⃣ NBA players have made over 70% of their shots at the rim and over 40% of their threes on high volume. John Collins and Andrew Wiggins 🔥 (Via NBA Stats, min. 80 FGA each) <a href="https://t.co/8UzNYNimwQ">pic.twitter.com/8UzNYNimwQ</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1479922651783208961?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Collins is one of the elite "3-and-rim" offensive players in the entire NBA. That's why this next stat from Sportradar might be the biggest indictment on his usage. Below is the percentage of Collins' shots that were either layups, dunks or threes:
<ul>
<li>2017-18: 79.1%</li>
<li>2018-19: 82.3%</li>
<li>2019-20: 82.3%</li>
<li>2020-21: 69.4%</li>
<li>2021-22: 68.4%</li>
</ul>
In short, yes, Collins' role has changed, specifically in the past two seasons. He is used less for his rim pressure and lob pressure, and asked to do more out of the post and in the mid-range. Collins' strengths on offense are pretty clear: he dunks on people and forces help when attacking the basket, and spaces the floor effectively. He's a play-finisher, not an initiator or post player.
I don't want to put words in Collins' mouth. Perhaps he's referring to other offensive situations that stats don't accurately capture. It's worth diving more into the film to see visual examples of where he is uncomfortable.&nbsp;
But there's no doubt he's being used differently. While this is far from the sole reason Atlanta is plummeting, it does lend some credence to his public confusion.
THE OUTLIERS (a.k.a. other random interesting numbers I find in the void):
<ul>
<li>I don't really have anything to add, but just wanted to pass along this awesome visual from Mark Cheung in the Twitterverse:</li>
</ul>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
110 ten-day contracts. 40 earn a second opportunity after the first ten days. 9 have secured the rest-of-season contract. Visualized the journey of hardship 10-day contracts thru Jan 9. it's tough out here - plenty of opportunity, but with plenty of replaceability and changes. <a href="https://t.co/6I7xaNmB0W">pic.twitter.com/6I7xaNmB0W</a>
&mdash; Mark (@MarkC_NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/MarkC_NBA/status/1480618455971745792?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2022</a></blockquote>
<ul>
<li>Here's another neat graphic from Tom Bassine. Notice how the Warriors' league-best defense gives up plenty of threes, but the fewest percentage of at-rim attempts in the NBA:</li>
</ul>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Here are opponent shot profiles! <a href="https://t.co/l5s2tsyOpq">https://t.co/l5s2tsyOpq</a> <a href="https://t.co/jrQfhkP7sZ">pic.twitter.com/jrQfhkP7sZ</a>
&mdash; Tom Bassine (@tvbassine) <a href="https://twitter.com/tvbassine/status/1481395413240332288?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 12, 2022</a></blockquote>

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<ul>
<li>Props to Coby White for finding his rhythm off the bench for the Bulls. According to Cleaning the Glass, the third-year guard has increased his points per 100 shot attempts by nearly 10, and he's now in the 85th percentile at his position after two below-average seasons. White has improved from an abysmal to average at-rim finisher and a good to great shooter in the mid-range and on the corners.</li>
</ul>

With John Collins going on the record about his frustration with his role, Ethan Fuller dove into the data to see if it backed the claims.

Stats Notebook: Has John Collins' role with the Hawks really changed?

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

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

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

Since he arrived to the NBA as the No. 1 pick in 2017 for the Philadelphia 76ers, there has been so much misreported about Markelle Fultz.
Fultz went through two tumultuous years of misinformation by the media and fans, conspiracy theories, unfounded rumors, criticisms and internet jokes, and he was labeled a bust by people who are paid a king&rsquo;s ransom on ESPN &mdash; namely Stephen A. Smith, who called Fultz &ldquo;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FG8Vtvkq8Fo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the biggest bust in NBA history</a>.&rdquo;
But what actually happened is quite the opposite. Fultz wasn&rsquo;t a &ldquo;bust.&rdquo; He was dealing with an injury that is not only untraceable by an MRI, but also rarely (or hardly ever) seen in basketball players. In spite of all that, he was still trying to play through the pain because of his love for the game of basketball, and it's something that he does, in fact, regret doing.&nbsp;
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I spoke with Fultz on <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/podcasts/the-rematch" target="_blank" rel="noopener">my podcast</a>, "The Rematch," and the Orlando Magic guard opened up on everything that happened with his shoulder and finally put all of the incorrect rumors to rest. Below is a snippet of our conversation:
Etan Thomas: You mentioned your shoulder. You injured your shoulder, and you initially tried to play through it and not tell anybody about the injury, right? Am I correct?
Markelle Fultz: "Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely."
Etan Thomas: So walk me through that process because people don't really understand how it works sometimes. And I'm sure the pressure of being No. 1 was a contributing factor to why you wanted to play through the injury. But walk me through that process.
Markelle Fultz: "Yeah. Well, a lot of people just don&rsquo;t know my love for the game. Growing up in the area I grew up, you have bumps and bruises. But that's where it becomes a business, taking care of your body. And me being who I am, loving the game so much, I feel like, although my shoulder was messed up, I feel like I can still contribute to the game and help my team win. So I wanted to go out there and just compete and have fun with the game. And also, it's my first year. And I think that I did a poor job of communicating to my agent and my family what I was feeling, instead of just going out there and trying to compete without expressing what I was feeling. And all I was doing was making it worse. But when I realized that certain situations weren't going my way, I knew I had to speak up, and I had to do what's best for myself.
"And I think that was the toughest part about it, because I felt like I could still play and contribute to my team, but I wasn't myself. I wasn't 100%, and it wasn't what was best for the team. So I took that time and tried to figure out what was going on. And I went to go see certain doctors and started that rehab process then. But I think the biggest thing I learned from that is just taking care of my body, and communicating what I feel to not only my agent and my family, but also trainers and stuff like that."
Etan Thomas: So how long were you in pain before you told anybody?
Markelle Fultz: "Actually, my shoulder started hurting before training camp [in my rookie year]. &nbsp;But I just thought it was from how much work I was putting in, from me shooting so much that my shoulder was just sore. So I tried to work through it. I'm going in the gym, shooting thousands of shots, trying to shoot through it. And the whole time, I just continued to make it worse. But again, the mindset that I had, I'm just trying to grind. I'm trying to continue to work through these issues, and not knowing that I'm making it worse. Again, I'm just kind of being young and being selfish, I would call it, in a sense, not understanding my body. And I think that was a big part of it. And again, once I communicated, I started to get the help that I needed. And I started to work and rehab, and it started to get better."
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Etan Thomas: You mentioned you learned how to advocate for yourself. I want you to go a little bit more detail with that. And speak up because still, a lot of people don't really understand how it works with team trainers and team doctors, and how a lot of times players have to speak up and advocate for themselves. Just go into a little bit more detail about that point.
Markelle Fultz: "Yeah. And this is no knock on any team or anything like that, but it's a business, at the end of the day. And sometimes, again, it's a long season, so you have bumps and bruises. And sometimes, some people play through it, some people don't. Everybody's body is different. So especially not knowing a person and not knowing the situation, if you don't communicate and advocate for yourself, you never know what could happen. And it can be something as small as your toe hurting. But what I've learned so much about my body is your body compensates. And we're so good, as athletes and as humans, that if we're trying to do something, our body's going to find a way to do it. So it might not be the right way, but we can do certain stuff and hurt ourself, in the long run.
"And so my one thing would be: try to be in tune with your body as much as you can. And [it could be something] as small as your toenail hurting. I mean, you always get this phrase of 'You're soft' or you're whatever. But what I've learned is I'd rather overcommunicate about how my body's feeling and still be able to work out. I still want to work out, but I'm going to let you know, 'Hey, my big toe's hurting. Hey, my right hamstring is feeling like this today. My knee's feeling like this.' So they can start to know that you're caring about your body, and you're documenting certain stuff, so you don't end up compensating and hurting yourself in the long run."
Etan Thomas: Yeah, well, it's interesting. You go to different gyms, and they could be even as young as high school. And you see phrases on the wall like "Pain is weakness leaving your body" and stuff like that. And I hate that. I do, because it puts the wrong mentality into players, to thinking that them being injured is somehow their fault, like they're not being tough enough to play through an injury. And I just personally cannot stand that mentality at all.
Markelle Fultz: "Yeah. And I think that's how I kind of grew up. Not in a bad way. But growing up, I'm playing through whatever. I don't want to be soft. I want to show that I'm tough. But when you get to a certain point where your body is your brand... Your body is your car, so you need to take care of that thing like it's a Ferrari. You hear phrases like that, but it's true. You have to take care of your body.
"You have to get the right recovery. You have to get the right sleep. If not, it's going to end up hurting you. It might not hurt you right away, but down the road it can give you certain side effects. Or you never know, it can lead to something happening right away. But there are also freak accidents that happen. But I think that's the one thing that I would recommend to any player at any age, is just communicating about your body. [That] doesn't mean that you have to sit out of a drill, but it can start to put an awareness on people's mind. You can start to document certain things. And you'll have a better understanding, going forward, of why you do what you do."
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Markelle Fultz&rsquo;s story is a great example for all younger players on fighting through adversity, having the right mentality, ignoring critics and perseverance. His testimony is something every young athlete should hear. Powerful interview <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheRematch?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TheRematch</a> <a href="https://t.co/25vHkql1Rj">https://t.co/25vHkql1Rj</a> <a href="https://t.co/LpHu9jQxfG">pic.twitter.com/LpHu9jQxfG</a>
&mdash; Etan Thomas (@etanthomas36) <a href="https://twitter.com/etanthomas36/status/1464569831324332045?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 27, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Etan Thomas: But I think that sometimes a player does have to sit down. A player does have to say, "Okay, I can't go. You're going to talk bad about me. You're going to tell..." So I use the example a lot with my son about Robert Griffin III. So when RG III first came to D.C., my son was the biggest RG III fan on earth. And then I took him to... you know when they have the open scrimmages? So he met him, and RG III was cool with him. And they took a picture, and he's been the biggest RG III fan forever since then. And you remember that game where RG III was limping out there? And so, I'm watching that game with Malcolm. And he was like, "Why is he playing? What is he doing? He's going to injure himself," and so forth. This is what a young Malcolm is saying.
And sure enough, in fact his entire career, the trajectory of everything, went downhill from there. And then you saw the trainer say, "Well, I didn't tell him to go out there." Nobody wanted to take responsibility. But it should be the trainer's job to tell you that you are going to hurt yourself more if you continue playing. And that's the problem that I personally have with a lot of NBA trainers. I'm not throwing anybody in particular under the bus; this is a league-wide issue. They're employers of the team, and they want to do what's best for the team, not what's best for the player.
Markelle Fultz: "Exactly. And that's where it comes back to a relationship. So you have to have the certain people in your corner that's going to always keep it real with you because at the end of the day, like I said, your body's your brand. And it's about the longevity. It's different if it's Game 7 in the playoffs or the championship, and you're sacrificing for that. What I've also learned is rest is a big part of recovery, and getting the right amount of rest. Some days you got to go hard, and some days you have to not do anything at all. I mean, you can do some light stuff. But I think you hit it right on the head. Some people&rsquo;s mind is set for the team. Not everybody has your best interest [in mind]. You have the best interest for yourself. So I think that's why it's huge to communicate how you feel to whoever it is &mdash; whether it's your mom, your dad, your trainer, whoever &mdash; and do what you feel is best because you know your body the best.
"Nobody else can tell you how your body is supposed to feel, how your body feels at that time. And I think that's where I learned how to advocate the most for myself. And I've gotten more respect from a lot of people when I do that. And again, it doesn't mean you're soft. It's just being smart about certain things. But at the same time, you do have to push yourself in certain limits to be able to... It's going to be certain days where you're sore, and you still have to push through. That's part of it, but it's a difference between sore and hurt. So just trying to learn... The sooner you start to communicate certain things, you start to learn what's pain, and what's okay to work through and what's not to work through. And that's where I think I've learned the most. I've learned how to identify what's going on in my body, and understand what I need to do to make that feel better, or if I need to take rest or if I need to go get treatment."
Etan Thomas: Yeah. I mean, I always heard the saying that there's a difference between being injured and hurting. So sometimes you're going to have to play through being hurting. That's just part of being an athlete. But being injured, you need to sit down.
Markelle Fultz: Exactly.
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Etan Thomas: So, I want to ask a few specifics. I remember seeing some videos of you, watching you play and seeing your different routines on the free-throw line. And I just wanted to ask: Was that when you was trying to push through it? Was it part of the rehab? So there was one where you would kind of pat the ball like this, and then shoot it. And then there were some where you would go up and it would be kind of like a hitch, kind of. What exactly was going on?
Markelle Fultz: "Yes. So what a lot of people don't know is, what TOS (Thoracic Outlet Syndrome) is. It's a nerve... It's when your nerves are getting pressured on, and you can start to lose feeling in your hands. So at the time when I was playing, I still had TOS. I wasn't diagnosed with TOS. I still was working through certain shoulder stuff. But again, with my love for the game, I still wanted to be out there.
"And another thing people don't know, TOS is not diagnosed through a MRI, CAT scan. It's very hard to diagnose TOS, which is a big part of why, in the beginning, I kind of thought that nothing was going on. And I just thought it was my shoulder, because when I got MRIs and I got the scans, I didn't see anything that was going on. But I had to continue. So I went from shooting 40% in college to coming into the NBA.... It's so funny, people were like, 'He changed his shot.' Like, what would I change my shot for? There's no reason. So that was one of the funniest things that I heard, then I used to hear all these rumors about me being injured on a motorcycle, but that's another story."
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
&ldquo;JJ Redick stood up for me to the media. He went off on them in front of the camera and I really appreciated that a lot. He was like a big brother to me&rdquo; Markelle Fultz <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheRematch?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TheRematch</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JJRedick?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JJRedick</a> <a href="https://t.co/U5IHeV99rU">https://t.co/U5IHeV99rU</a> <a href="https://t.co/GwGJ3a3FSB">pic.twitter.com/GwGJ3a3FSB</a>
&mdash; Etan Thomas (@etanthomas36) <a href="https://twitter.com/etanthomas36/status/1464597794677743621?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 27, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Etan Thomas: Oh, man! There were so many different rumors about you... They got the story wrong so many times. I heard so many different stories.
Markelle Fultz: And that's what was the funniest thing because to me... I never went out to address it because I didn't care about that. Again, my main focus was getting back on the court, doing what I needed to do. But some of the stuff I used to see, I used to be like, 'Yo, that's crazy that somebody actually believes that.' But it also taught me another thing: You can't believe everything you read, right? But yeah. So pretty much what people didn't know is, so when I was going... The whole thing on my shoulder, when I would try to shoot, it almost felt like I had a too-small suit jacket on. So I would go, try to go up, and it felt like somebody was almost holding my arm there. I would try to move fast, but I felt like I couldn't move fast. So what I ended up doing is continue to try to shoot on it. I ended up building up more and more pressure on my shoulder where I'm not using... where I'm starting to hinge my shoulder up. I'm starting to use the wrong muscles, and I'm building bad habits.
"But what people don't understand is I'm out there playing, still. Still trying to shoot, still doing this. I was still making free throws. I wasn't very high percentage, but I was still making free throws. And so the first thing, when I would go up sometimes, I would lose feeling in my hand. And so, that's the reason I'd double clutch, because I would get here and I wouldn't feel like the ball was in my hand. But when I'd come up, my feeling would come back because the way it is &mdash; when I'm going through a certain motion &mdash; my muscles are pushing on my nerve, which is cutting my feeling off. And when I go through, it releases off the nerve, and that's when I would get my feeling back. So when I would do the double clutch, it was because when I would get here, I wouldn't feel the ball in my hand. So it was no way I was shooting if I don't feel like the ball [was] in my hand.
"So I would go up a little bit and it would come back, so I would just come from here and shoot the ball. And so when I went to practice, I'm like, 'Alright, that's not working, so let me try something else.' So another thing I tried to do was, this wouldn't have me holding the ball. So the desensitization of just moving the ball back and forth until I get into where I get feeling, which is right here, then I can just shoot. I was fine shooting from here. If I had just caught the ball here and shot up, it was perfectly fine. So that was why I went to that because I was just trying to be more efficient at the free-throw line. I didn't care what people were saying. I was just trying to get my flow in. So when I got to where I needed to go, I can just shoot the ball fine. But again, that was another realization of me compensating. And I said, 'Markelle Fultz, you don't need to compensate. You need to get healthy.'
"And another instance where I talked to my agent, I just told him I have no problem playing. I just feel like I want to be myself so I can just go out there and play without thinking, just playing my game, be who I am. And so, that's where it kind of went from. But just a lot of repetition of shooting the wrong way, it just builds bad habits and it builds your muscle memory wrong. And so, that was the biggest thing, trying to get back to... And I'm still working on it now. It's something I'm always going to have to work on. It's just trying to get my brain to process the ball being over my head the same way. And it's something that is a everyday grind, but I'm enjoying it. I feel way more comfortable now, and I feel the improvement. And again, I know my body, so I know what I need to work on.
Listen to the full episode of Markelle Fultz on The Rematch <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/podcasts/the-rematch/episodes/basketballnews-com-episode-39-markelle-fultz-talks-injuries,-dealing-with-criticism-his-love-of-the-game-and-more" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

Markelle Fultz gives a behind-the-scenes breakdown of the shoulder injury he suffered as a rookie and how it affected his jump shot.

Markelle Fultz reveals what really happened with his shot, shoulder

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

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

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

NBA Sour Rankings: Chaos among the contenders?

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

2021-22 NBA Season Preview: Central Division

The 2021-22 NBA season is right around the corner, with training camps tipping off on September 28.&nbsp;
While the majority of free agents have already signed, there are a number of players who are still weighing their options. Some are working out for NBA teams to show that they still have something left in the tank, while others are taking their time to make a decision so they can find the perfect situation.
Of the remaining free agents, which players could step in and become a significant contributor for a team this season? Here are several names to keep an eye on in the coming weeks:
JAMES ENNIS
Ennis began his professional career overseas, becoming an NBL champion and All-NBL-First-Team selection with the Perth Wildcats during the 2013-14 season. Since entering the NBA, he has suited up for seven teams in as many seasons: the Miami Heat, Memphis Grizzlies, New Orleans Pelicans, Detroit Pistons, Houston Rockets, Philadelphia 76ers and Orlando Magic. With that said, the 31-year-old has produced when given an opportunity.&nbsp;
Last season with the Magic, he averaged 8.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.1 threes and 0.8 steals in 24.0 minutes while shooting 47.3% from the field, 43.3% from three and 80.5% from the free-throw line. Ennis started 37 of 41 games with the Magic last year, and he has 22 games of playoff experience on his resume as well. Over his career, he's averaged 6.7 points and shot 36.0% from three-point range.&nbsp;
Ennis has received interest from the Magic, Los Angeles Lakers, Chicago Bulls and Portland Trail Blazers, according to <a href="https://hoopshype.com/lists/nba-2021-roster-battles-michael-scotto-yossi-gozlan/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HoopsHype&rsquo;s Michael Scotto</a>. Considering he&rsquo;s coming off of a season in which he shot 43.3% from three while providing hustle plays and solid defense (often when guarding the opponent&rsquo;s best wing), it&rsquo;s somewhat surprising that Ennis is still available.
ISAIAH THOMAS
Thomas had a brief, three-game stint with the Pelicans last season, averaging 7.7 points and 1.7 assists in 16.0 minutes. However, he&rsquo;s just one year removed from averaging 12.2 points, 3.7 assists and 2.0 threes (while shooting 41.3% from deep) in 23.1 minutes with the Washington Wizards.
After being limited by hip pain during his recent stints with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Lakers, Denver Nuggets and Wizards, Thomas underwent a resurfacing procedure on his right hip last May. He&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/isaiah-thomas-ready-to-help-pelicans-i-still-have-a-lot-of-basketball-left-in-me" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> the difference is &ldquo;night and day,&rdquo; and that &ldquo;there&rsquo;s no more pain.&rdquo; Given the right opportunity, the 32-year-old could bolster a second unit's offense. He would also provide leadership and mentor his younger teammates, as he <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/isaiah-thomas-ready-to-help-pelicans-i-still-have-a-lot-of-basketball-left-in-me" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told me</a> last year.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m a leader, first and foremost,&rdquo; Thomas said. &ldquo;I won the NBA&rsquo;s Community Assist award so, off the court, I help in the community. On the court, I think it&rsquo;s self-explanatory what I bring to a team when given an opportunity. I also bring my wisdom; I don&rsquo;t think anybody has been through the things that I&rsquo;ve gone through in this league.&rdquo;
Thomas recently worked out for the Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Mavericks and Golden State Warriors in an effort to show that he&rsquo;s healthy and still capable of producing at a high level.
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DARREN COLLISON&nbsp;
In 2019, Collison stunned the basketball world (including his Indiana Pacers teammates and executives) when he decided to retire in order to focus on his faith. At the time, he was expected to be a highly coveted free agent who was <a href="https://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/nba/2019/06/29/darren-collison-sudden-retirement-stuns-pacers-teammates/39638581/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> on the verge of receiving offers worth $10-12 million annually.&nbsp;
Now, two years later, the 34-year-old is attempting to make an NBA comeback. The last time we saw Collison on an NBA court, he averaged 11.2 points, 6.0 assists, 3.1 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.0 three while shooting 46.7% from the field, 40.7% from three-point range and 83.2% from the free-throw line. He was terrific during his final two seasons, posting career-highs in win shares (7.6), box plus/minus (+2.7), value over replacement player (2.4), steal percentage (2.5%) and player efficiency rating (18.8) with the Pacers.
Before signing Collison, teams want to see whether he's in shape. (Oftentimes, the top priority in a free-agent workout is <a href="https://hoopshype.com/2019/07/18/nba-free-agent-workout-rumors-agency-training-behind-scenes-players-coaches-toppert-nurse/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">testing the player's conditioning</a>). So far, the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors are among the teams that have worked out Collison. Even if he&rsquo;s 70% or 80% of the player who shined during the 2018-19 season, he should be able to provide some backcourt depth.
AVERY BRADLEY&nbsp;
Bradley began last season with the Miami Heat, but he was ultimately traded to the Houston Rockets as part of the Victor Oladipo trade prior to the deadline. In 27 games with the Heat and Rockets last year, Bradley averaged 6.4 points, 2.1 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.2 threes and 0.8 steals in 22.3 minutes.&nbsp;
During the 2019-20 regular season, he was a key contributor for the Los Angeles Lakers. Bradley started in 44 games and averaged 8.6 points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.3 threes while shooting 44.4% from the field, 36.4% from three and 83.3% from the free-throw line. However, Bradley ultimately decided to opt-out of the Orlando Bubble due to his son's health concerns, and the Lakers went on to win the championship without him.&nbsp;
Now, like Thomas and Collison, the 30-year-old has recently worked out for the Golden State Warriors. Golden State <a href="https://twitter.com/MarcJSpears/status/1439996348909064195" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> plans to add two guards and a big man to its training-camp roster, so it&rsquo;ll be interesting to see who the team decides to sign.&nbsp;
[UPDATE: The Warriors signed Avery Bradley, Langston Galloway and Jordan Bell to training-camp deals, so they'll be competing for Golden State's final roster spot.]
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DEMARCUS COUSINS
Cousins hasn't been the same player since suffering three serious injuries in the same leg (a ruptured Achilles, torn quad and torn ACL) over the course of 18 months. While he&rsquo;ll never return to his All-Star form, he can still help a team&rsquo;s frontcourt.
Last season with the Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Clippers, Cousins averaged 8.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.1 threes, 0.8 steals and 0.6 blocks while shooting 42.6% from the field, 34.8% from three and 72.8% from the free-throw line. 
Once he joined the Clippers, he was much more efficient, shooting 53.7% from the field and 42.1% from three. During Los Angeles' playoff run, Cousins contributed 7.6 points on 45.2% from the field and 40.0% from three. Another year removed from his injuries, perhaps Cousins could be even more effective during the upcoming campaign.
Recently, Cousins has had fans speculating that a return to the Sacramento Kings is a possibility based on his new <a href="https://twitter.com/boogiecousins/status/1440437057931808769" target="_blank" rel="noopener">profile picture</a>.
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LANGSTON GALLOWAY
Teams can never have enough shooters, so someone like Galloway shouldn't have trouble finding a new home at some point during the season. Last year with the Phoenix Suns, the 29-year-old played in 40 games, averaging 4.8 points while shooting 42.4% from deep.&nbsp;
For his career, he has averaged 8.2 points while shooting 37.0% from three-point range (on 3.9 attempts per game). He's just one year removed from averaging 10.3 points, 2.3 rebounds and 2.0 threes (while shooting 39.9% from three) in 66 games with the Detroit Pistons.&nbsp;
Galloway also has a reputation as a great teammate and strong veteran presence in the locker room, with Suns head coach Monty Williams and teammates <a href="https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/nba/suns/2021/08/02/langston-galloway-seeking-opportunity-after-one-season-phoenix-suns/5458842001/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">praising</a> &ldquo;his positive attitude and professionalism&rdquo; throughout last season.
[UPDATE: Galloway signed a training-camp deal with the Golden State Warriors and he'll be competing for their final roster spot.]

Of the remaining free agents, which players could step in and become a significant contributor for an NBA team this season?

6 remaining free agents who can still help an NBA team

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

The Milwaukee Bucks earned the right to be called NBA champions.&nbsp;
Giannis Antetokounmpo could&rsquo;ve spurned the organization that drafted him for greener pastures as the national pundits were begging him to do last fall, but he instead stuck with it and signed a super-max contract before the 2020-21 season began. For the first time in what seems like a while, loyalty has been rewarded with gold.&nbsp;
"I just I couldn't leave. There was a job that had to be finished," Giannis said after the Bucks' title win. "The Bubble did not pay us justice. Give credit to the Miami Heat. They played great. But they did not pay us justice. Everybody was feeling homesick. We are a family-oriented team and we wanted to see our families.
"But coming back, I was like, 'This is my city. They trust me. They believe in me. They believe in us.' Even when we lost, the city was still -- went outside and [supported us]. You know, obviously, I wanted to get the job done. But that's my stubborn side. It's easy to go somewhere and go win a championship with somebody else. It's easy. I could go to a super-team and just do my part and win a championship.
"But this is the hard way to do it and this is the way to do it and we did it. F***ing did it. We did it, man."
Milwaukee&rsquo;s franchise face chose to work harder, honing in on his craft as he let Bucks general manager Jon Horst make the appropriate tweaks to the roster in the offseason prior to Giannis signing the dotted line. Horst boldly acquired Jrue Holiday as a part of a massive four-team deal that sent Eric Bledsoe and a boatload of future draft capital to the New Orleans Pelicans and George Hill to the Oklahoma City Thunder, as well as Milwaukee&rsquo;s No. 24 overall pick in 2020 (which became R.J. Hampton).&nbsp;
Horst nearly added Bogdan Bogdanovic to the mix as well via trade, except the NBA nixed that effort when it was learned that talks were being had prior to the moratorium period. Still, the Bucks were able to bring in Bobby Portis and Bryn Forbes (and ironically, Finals opponent Torrey Craig) to bolster the bench bunch, and PJ Tucker and Jeff Teague joined the fray late in the season for a playoff run.&nbsp;
The point is: Milwaukee wasn&rsquo;t resting on its laurels with Giannis&rsquo; commitment hanging in the balance, and the front office&rsquo;s sense of urgency was felt in a major way. Looking back, both parties have to feel great about how the offseason was handled, especially with so many rumors linking Giannis to different teams and head coach Mike Budenholzer&rsquo;s job potentially being in jeopardy. Vibes surrounding the team, at least on the outside looking in, were pretty negative.
"What Jon Horst has done to put together a team, he's the greatest GM in the league," Budenholzer said. "I'm a little bit biased, but to be his partner, for him to go out and get Jrue Holiday, to have the guts to make that [trade], to recruit guys, to get P.J. Tucker midseason, Bobby Portis in the offseason. Stick with Khris [Middleton], Giannis and Brook [Lopez] and Pat [Connaughton] and these guys, and you go up and down the roster. Jon has done an amazing job.
"Ownership, Marc Lasry, Wes Edens, Jamie Dinan, Mike Fascitelli, they give us what we need. We keep pushing. We try to get better as coaches, players, and here we are [celebrating]. It's special."
Fast forward to now, with a Larry O&rsquo;Brien trophy to show for withstanding those bumps in the road, and those concerns have vanished. This is a group that weathered a number of storms in multiple ways, so it shouldn&rsquo;t come as a surprise that the Bucks&rsquo; identity in this 2020-21 postseason was built on resilience and mental toughness.&nbsp;
"As a whole, we used a lot of our failures as experience. We've been in a lot of situations our past years here," Middleton said. "At the beginning of the year, we had a new team, a lot of new rotation guys, different guys step into the starting lineup and we knew it was going to be challenging, but we all said it was going to be worth it to learn and find out how to adjust and figure out what we needed to do in-game to win. We knew it wasn't always going to be pretty, we knew we were going to have to win different styles of ballgames, but that's the type of team you want to be, to throw different guys out there, different lineups out there, because you can't win the same way at this level."
"It took time. You could see it," Tucker added. "Everything kind of got -- Coach has to play it the right way. It's got to flow. And mind you, we didn't have Donte [DiVincenzo]. We're missing a big piece. Donte would have been huge for this series, especially a big series. But all that mattered. Even throughout the process, me, I got hurt early and being out. It was a lot of obstacles throughout the season. So it wasn't just like, Oh, we can win it. It's like, Oh, we got a really good team, we got a strong team, we got a chance. But I think honestly, after the Brooklyn series, it was like, All right, we here now. Ain't no need -- we here, we got to go for it. This is it, fellas; this is it. So everybody bought in.&nbsp;
Aside from a payback thrashing of the Miami Heat in the first round, Milwaukee&rsquo;s back was against the wall in every series the team played in. There were 0-2 deficits and inconsistencies in performances. Donte DiVincenzo was lost three games into the playoffs. There was even a nearly-devastating knee injury to Giannis in the Eastern Conference Finals when the outcome was far from determined. Though there were so many instances when the Bucks could&rsquo;ve thrown in the towel, they refused to.
"We were down 0-2 against Brooklyn and came together as a group within our film session and talked it out. We all wanted to be on the same page and realized how we needed to play and what we needed to do. It was the same thing in this series," Middleton said. "We never got down, we're still playing, we still have a chance. That's the way we felt, no matter if we were down in the game or the series, it didn't matter. We knew each time we took the court we had a chance to win. And we have everybody in the locker room and organization that believes and that is never going to give up until it's completely over. That's who you want to play with, guys who are going to fight to the end."
"It's incredible. It's a testament to the team," Lopez said. "I'm a team guy. I've always been a team guy. And so you know, like I was saying earlier, it's something that all our guys deserve, and to see them persevere, we went 0-2 against Brooklyn, 0-1 against Atlanta and 0-2 to open the series against the Suns, and to see our guys fight back and make adjustments and keep that belief in one another, that's special and not something you get with everything team. I've seen that through my 13 years in the league that this team is absolutely one of a kind and I am just fortunate and pleased to be part of that."
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Giannis persevered through his knee setback, ensuring he did everything in his power to ready himself for the Finals after the Game 4 injury occured in Atlanta nine days beforehand. The Finals opener definitely showed that the Greek Freak wasn&rsquo;t 100%; it didn&rsquo;t stop him from progressing with each night, and Giannis imposed his will in every game from there on out.&nbsp;
It&rsquo;s almost like the injury slowed things down for him mentally, and he was able to process the game more naturally as a result. He was at his best when off the ball and used as a screener in the halfcourt, and when coming full speed like a locomotive in transition. Giannis understood when the time was right to use his size on the block and didn&rsquo;t force the issue quite as much as he did in previous series. His decisiveness was arguably the best we&rsquo;ve seen since he&rsquo;s been in the league, quickly swinging the ball without bogged-down possessions and spraying it around to his teammates on drives to the rim. And if he ever received the ball in the vicinity of the rim, it was curtains for anybody that tried to stop him.
That&rsquo;s just the offense. As a help defender, Giannis wasn&rsquo;t outdone by a single soul. He didn&rsquo;t shy away from crunch time, making his biggest impacts when the lights shone the brightest. Instinctually, he was superb, racking up deflections and starting Milwaukee&rsquo;s fastbreaks on the regular. He bodied up Deandre Ayton inside, and challenged Devin Booker and Chris Paul on switches when needed. That goes without mentioning how he erased a plethora of shots at their apex and hustled back on transition defense with every possession the Suns had numbers. All-around, he was just magnificent, and it was a 120% effort from somebody who wasn't 100%.
"I think he embraces us being great defensively. Giannis does, the whole team," Budenholzer said. "When we get stops and get out and run and get Giannis in space, get our team in space, I think he's special. He was able to put his stamp on the game in the third quarter and flip the score. And then some big plays in the fourth quarter -- big plays, big blocks. It's hard to keep finding words for Giannis."
Giannis' journey throughout the playoffs culminated with an iconic showing in the Game 6 series finale, a 50-point, 14-rebound, 5-block signature performance to send Milwaukee to the promised land and earn himself the Finals MVP award. The Greek Freak joined Shaquille O'Neal as the only other player in NBA history to record three 40-point, 10-rebound games in a Finals series.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Giannis EXPLODES for 33 of his 50 points in the 2nd half of Game 6, fueling the <a href="https://twitter.com/Bucks?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Bucks</a> Taco Bell Comeback en route to their first NBA Championship in 50 years! 50 PTS 14 REB 5 BLK 17-19 FTM <a href="https://t.co/qDbk0nHWeb">pic.twitter.com/qDbk0nHWeb</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1417721768287080448?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 21, 2021</a></blockquote>

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

"I don't know how many words you need to use beyond 50 points in a close out game in an NBA Finals. Pretty much sums it all up," Lopez said. "It's so indicative of who Giannis is as a player, as a person. He had to -- he has that mindset always to just take care of business and he's been our leader throughout my time. To have him as a focal point of everything we do and the way he goes about it, it's just contagious with the whole team, and he's so impressive night-in and night-out.&nbsp;
"This is stuff you don't want to take for granted. But that's Giannis. That's what he does, and it's just, I mean, completely aTwe-inspiring. His performance tonight, this whole series, this whole year, there's no words for that. You've just got to look at the numbers."
Khris Middleton had some mind-bogglingly off nights, as did Holiday, but there was never a question of what kind of effort they&rsquo;d bring on the defensive side of the ball. And the thing is, they&rsquo;d always bounce back in some way, shape or fashion. (Care to discuss the shots down the stretch in Game 7 in Brooklyn? Or the last two games of the East Finals without Giannis?)
For Middleton, he showed up when it counted most with the team in desperation mode. He was an excellent facilitator and pull-up magician, unafraid to take shots with a high degree of difficulty. There was an inherent clutch factor about his handy work as well, always seeming to come up huge in money time. As a lead handler and savant in the pick-and-roll, when Middleton turned the corner, it forced the opposition to make a swift choice to contest or stick with the roller -- oftentimes a lose-lose situation.
Yes, Holiday had head-scratching issues with finishing his layups, but he had plenty of gems as a pull-up three-baller and on-point dime man. There were just night-and-day occasions; you could tell the games he was &ldquo;on&rdquo; and the ones where he was way off. In spite of that, however, Holiday entirely flipped the momentum of the Finals with his defense on Chris Paul.&nbsp;
CP3 was a man possessed in Game 1 and Game 2, having his way with Milwaukee&rsquo;s bigs out on the perimeter and then adjusting to the extra attention that followed by involving his teammates. It didn&rsquo;t last long. Holiday started to pick up Paul from 94 feet starting in Game 2, and from that point on, everything changed. The former started to notice fatigue settling in, as he himself was exhausted. Holiday had Paul out of sorts, with the 36-year-old struggling with shot selection and offensive rhythm. Had it not been for that increased intensity, who knows where these Finals could&rsquo;ve gone?
"I think when it comes down to it, man, I guess I don't really even care what people think about my game. I think it's about the team. We have a great team," Holiday said. "How they put it together, we have two superstars who carried us this whole playoff series and the whole playoffs. We got great role players. We got the energy. We got Bobby. We got shooters. It's a great puzzle. I think every piece in that puzzle has contributed so much -- from Jordan Nwora to Giannis Antetokounmpo. So, it's been a heck of a journey."
We&rsquo;d be remiss to not mention the top to bottom contributions this team had on this run. Tucker injected the Bucks with grit and hustle, never backing down from a challenge no matter who it was. Pat Connaughton sunk a ton of critical threes, chased down 50-50 balls and rebounded his heart out. Bobby Portis fed off the Fiserv Forum&rsquo;s energy and channeled it into incredible, momentum-shifting production on the offensive glass and from long distance (and stepped up again in a huge way in Game 6). Brook Lopez had his role change with different matchups, but utilized his perimeter shooting and rim protection when the squad needed it; let&rsquo;s not forget the turn-the-clock-back post performance he had in Game 5 of the East Finals, either. Bryn Forbes played the role of a human torch in the Miami series. Just about everybody who was in the rotation, at some point of the postseason, contributed to this Finals victory.
"That's just the character of the team that we have. You know, it's the group of guys that make up the Milwaukee Bucks and not just the players but the coaches, the management, the ownership," Connaughton said. "At the end of the day, the guys that have been here for three years, we've had a taste of it, of what it looks like in the regular season, Brook and I's first year where he got a look at what it was like to get to the Eastern Conference Finals and take a lead, but some of the adversity from a four or five [game] losing [streak] we had in regular season to losing some games, the character of the team never wavered. We came together stronger and had each other's backs more and that's what makes up a championship-caliber roster and team and that's what wins you a championship.
"That is what made us better is just the character of the guys, the characters of guys like Brook, the characters of guys like P.J. and Bobby and guys that they don't really care what it looks like on the stats sheet. They just want to make winning plays. They want to be out playing and putting ourselves in the best position to win."
With a microscope on him, the oft-criticized Budenholzer showed a willingness to adapt and experiment throughout the season at the expense of a record. In the playoffs, he rode his best players and played them heavy minutes. Albeit sometimes at the last minute or in do-or-die time, there were adjustments made -- rotationally and schematically. For that, despite outcries to the contrary, Coach Bud deserves his own share of credit as well, in addition to his entire staff that's been by his side from day one.
There were countless amount of questions asked of the Bucks during the Finals about 2019, the furthest the franchise got in the postseason when it reached the Eastern Conference Finals against the Toronto Raptors. They were the ones who were up 2-0 and in the driver&rsquo;s seat before losing the eventual title-winners.&nbsp;
Giannis learned from that experience. Middleton learned from that experience. Budenholzer did, too, which is why those were the three with the strongest embrace when the buzzer sounded on Tuesday night.
"It's special for me to get the opportunity to coach those two guys," Budenholzer said. "The leadership they have shown since day one, from having breakfast together, you can see their desire to be great and their desire to push this organization to where we are tonight. To embrace those guys, and I love them. I love the players, I love the roster, I love the team. I'm incredibly fortunate to be where I am and just to be a small part of what's happening."
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
"There is nobody in this world I'd rather do this journey with than that guy." - Giannis on Khris Middleton<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAFinals?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAFinals</a> presented by YouTube TV <a href="https://t.co/5cMBAZlX4p">pic.twitter.com/5cMBAZlX4p</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1417730585678733317?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 21, 2021</a></blockquote>

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"I love Khris to death, man. I love him to death, man. It's crazy," Giannis said. "He doesn't realize how much he pushes me to be great. He pushes me to be great. I had people push me to be great and be persistent and just be dominant and just keep coming and keep working hard. He's one of those guys. You know, there was nobody in this world that I would rather do this journey with than that guy. He's been here since the beginning. He's been since the day since we were fighting for some minutes. He was yelling to me when I was 18. He was yelling to me to pass the ball and everything. We were fighting on the court when we were kids, and now we're on this stage doing it together.
"We have to enjoy this moment. We have to share this moment. Maybe we might not have another moment like this. Who knows, we can't predict the future. But we have to live in the moment, enjoy this moment. I hope Khris enjoys it with his family. And he played amazing throughout the whole playoffs, man. He led us when I was down. He gave me a chance to come back. But once we're done enjoying this, we got to get back to work. We got to do it again. That's how me and Khris operate."
"We formed a bond, a brotherhood since that first year we've been together. We struggled. We struggled together. But we both saw in each other there was no give-up," Middleton said. "It was all motivation to be better and not be embarrassed. Year after year we challenged each other to be better. Challenged each other to be better leaders, better teammates... It was all worth it for sure. Us challenging each other to be better, me being stubborn in some ways. But the thing I like, he challenged us all. I think we challenged him in certain ways to help us, but for the main part, he challenged us every day to be leaders, to fight through adversity, to change our games a little bit. It's all worth it."
In 2021, the Bucks reversed their role, and because of that, they are the last team standing.
NBA champions.

Spencer Davies looks back on the Bucks' NBA title run and the hardships the team went through from top to bottom to get there.

Battle-tested Bucks find redemption from past with NBA championship gold

Starting shooting guard Bradley Beal has been ruled out for the Tokyo Olympics after testing positive for COVID-19, leading to <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/exhibition-game-between-team-usa-and-australia-cancelled-due-to-healthsafety-protocols" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the cancellation of Friday's exhibition game</a> between the U.S. and Australia. Forward Jerami Grant has also been placed in the health-and-safety protocols and his status is up in the air.
As Team USA evaluates who will replace Beal, it's been rumored that Miami's Duncan Robinson is receiving consideration, according to <a href="https://twitter.com/GrantAfseth/status/1415740862395465736" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Grant Afseth of Sports Illustrated</a>.
Robinson would surely help Team USA's depth, as he spent time at shooting guard, small forward and power forward last season with the Heat. He would also provide the team with long-range shooting, which is much-needed after losing Beal.
Over the course of his three-year NBA career, Robinson has averaged 12.3 points and 3.3 threes per game while shooting 42.3% from deep. If selected, Robinson would be the only player from the 2018 NBA Draft on the team.
Team USA is just 1-2 in exhibition play, but the team remains focused on their goal of winning an Olympic gold medal this summer. Team USA's first official game vs. France kicks off on July 25 in Tokyo.

As Team USA evaluates who will replace Bradley Beal, Miami Heat sharpshooter Duncan Robinson is reportedly receiving consideration.

Team USA considering Duncan Robinson to replace Bradley Beal?

The Memphis Grizzlies have seen significant contributions this season from two unexpected sources in guard Scotty Pippen Jr. and center Jay Huff. Once teammates on the Los Angeles Lakers&rsquo; bench and in the G League, Huff and Pippen Jr. have now found a place to thrive in Memphis, proving to be reliable pieces for the Grizzlies off the bench.&nbsp;
Jay Huff, a 7-foot center, first made his mark at the University of Virginia. Known for his shot-blocking abilities and efficient shooting from the outside, Huff helped anchor Virginia&rsquo;s defense, contributing to their reputation as one of the toughest defensive teams in the NCAA. Despite these strengths, he went undrafted in 2021, eventually signing a two-way contract with the Los Angeles Lakers. Huff spent much of his time with the Lakers&rsquo; G League affiliate, the South Bay Lakers, where he continued to develop his rim protection and shooting touch. He also spent some time with the summer league team of the Orlando Magic, where he had a solid outing that led Memphis to pick him up in the offseason.
Scotty Pippen Jr., son of Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen, also found his path through the G League after going undrafted out of Vanderbilt. At Vanderbilt, he displayed his playmaking skills, leading his team in scoring and assists. However, like Huff, he wasn&rsquo;t initially picked in the NBA draft and signed with the Lakers on a two-way contract, also playing for the South Bay Lakers.&nbsp;
Both players took full advantage of their time in the G League, honing their skills and awaiting a chance to make a larger impact in the NBA. However, both sides did not pan out and LA chose to release both guys.
Now with the Memphis Grizzlies, both Huff and Pippen Jr. are seizing their opportunities. Huff&rsquo;s defensive presence has been particularly impactful, providing Memphis with a much-needed shot-blocker off the bench. His ability to protect the paint has been a welcome addition, especially with injuries affecting some of Memphis&rsquo;s key frontcourt players. Huff&rsquo;s height and defensive instincts make him a tough matchup in the paint, where he averages close to 2 blocks per game (1.9). 
He&rsquo;s also shown an impressive shooting efficiency, both from the field and beyond the arc, allowing Memphis to space the floor even with a big man on the court. Huff is a scorching hot 48 percent on his threes, as he became one of the best shooting big men in the league this early into the season. One of his standout performances included an 18-point game, underscoring his scoring potential when given the opportunity.
Pippen Jr., meanwhile, is thriving in his role as a playmaker and secondary ball-handler. His passing has helped stabilize Memphis&rsquo;s second unit, and he has displayed the ability to score in bursts when needed. Recently, he logged a double-double, finishing with 11 points and 11 assists&mdash;a testament to his growth as a floor general. Pippen Jr. is averaging career highs across the board with 12.1 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 6.5 assists. His court vision, combined with his knack for finding open teammates, has made him an essential part of Memphis&rsquo;s bench rotation, providing valuable relief minutes and keeping the offense fluid while the starters rest.
Both Huff and Pippen Jr. have found in Memphis what they couldn&rsquo;t quite establish in Los Angeles&mdash;a defined role that plays to their strengths. Huff&rsquo;s defensive skill set and shooting from the 5 position complements Memphis&rsquo;s hard-nosed, physical style on defense and a driving, paint-oriented style on offense as he spaces the floor well, while Pippen Jr.&rsquo;s playmaking and scoring ability off the bench provide depth to the Grizzlies&rsquo; backcourt. This fit speaks to the patience and persistence both players exhibited in the G League and in limited NBA minutes until their breakthrough moments arrived.
Their success also highlights the value of the G League as a development pipeline. Both Huff and Pippen Jr. used their time in the G League to fine-tune their skills and stay prepared for NBA call-ups. Now that they have regular minutes, they are proving that their time in the development league wasn&rsquo;t wasted; it prepared them to thrive when the moment finally came. Huff&rsquo;s ability to anchor the paint and contribute scoring when needed, along with Pippen Jr.&rsquo;s floor leadership, are assets Memphis has needed this season.
Their journeys reflect the resilience and adaptability required to break through in the NBA, going from college standouts to the G League, and now to productive roles in the league. They found themselves fighting for recognition, and have now established themselves as reliable and effective pieces in Memphis&rsquo;s rotation. This is a reminder of how hard work can translate to real NBA success. For the Grizzlies, Huff and Pippen Jr. are proving that sometimes, the best additions come from players who just needed a chance to shine.

Former Lakers Jay Huff and Scotty Pippen Jr. are making an impact off the bench for the Grizzlies, excelling in defined roles.

Former Lakers Huff, Pippen Jr. thriving in roles at Memphis

The NBA today is a long-range shooter&rsquo;s league. The 3-point shot is now the foundation of most offenses and most teams rely on it to create more scoring opportunities and generate space on the floor. Over 18 teams are shooting more than 36 threes per game 10 games into the season, a notable jump from just 12 last year as teams lean heavily into analytics and allow players to adapt in order to maximize spacing and scoring efficiency.&nbsp;
Two generational prospects, 2020 no.1 overall pick Anthony Edwards of the Minnesota Timberwolves and 2023 no.1 overall selection Victor Wembanyama in particular, are two budding superstars taking the league&rsquo;s 3-point trend to new heights.&nbsp;
Last year, the Boston Celtics won the NBA Finals by breaking the all-time 3-point rate record. This season, the Minnesota Timberwolves rank third in the league for 3-point field goal frequency with 48.6% of their shots coming from deep &ndash; almost half their shots. Edwards is a big proponent of this being tied for 2nd in the league in three-point attempts at 11.6 per game. This has led Minnesota to the 9th ranked offensive rating in the league even when they lost stretch big Karl-Anthony Towns who was one of their main weapons from beyond the arc.&nbsp;
Wembanyama himself has stepped into this 3-point-heavy style, molding his game according to the current modern NBA trend. Despite shooting poorly at just 23%, Wembanyama already has attempted 62 threes. Including his 23 mid range attempts, this would total to 85 shot attempts outside the paint, a staggering number compared to the 53 shots he&rsquo;s taken inside the paint and restricted area.
This has shown contrasting results to start both of their seasons. But as each of Edwards and Wembanyama embracing the perimeter game, the question is written on the wall: are they sacrificing the skills and natural physique that make them special?
For Edwards, increased shooting gives him more room to operate and makes defenses respect his jumper. But by prioritizing long-range shooting, is he leaving his best attributes behind&mdash;attacking the rim and creating contact? And for Wembanyama, who has a rare 7-foot-4 frame, there&rsquo;s an expectation that he&rsquo;ll dominate inside. But he, too, has embraced the 3-pointer, raising questions about whether he&rsquo;s fully utilizing his size advantage.
Now in his 5th season, Edwards has become a high-volume 3-point shooter. He has taken more than half his shots from beyond the arc (104 out of 185 total) and is hitting them at an impressive 48% clip. Edwards&rsquo; three-point volume is reaching historical highs, as he now holds the third-best start to a season in terms of 3-pointers made just behind the greatest shooter of all time Stephen Curry with 50 in 9 games (50/104).
Most three-pointers in NBA history through 9 games:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">55 &mdash; Stephen Curry, 2018-19</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">53 &mdash; Stephen Curry, 2023-24</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">50 &mdash; Anthony Edwards, 2024-25</li>
</ul>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
ANT-MAN GOES OFF! 🐜 37 PTS, 9 threes, and a historic feat&mdash;Anthony Edwards joins Steph Curry as the only players in NBA history with 50+ threes through the first 9 games of a season! 🐺🏀 📲Watch games live and on demand with NBA League Pass 👉 <a href="https://t.co/DiARukKMPn">https://t.co/DiARukKMPn</a> <a href="https://t.co/44Mf8PYivP">pic.twitter.com/44Mf8PYivP</a>
&mdash; NBA Philippines (@NBA_Philippines) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA_Philippines/status/1855181214904422751?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 9, 2024</a></blockquote>

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Edwards&rsquo; jump shooting has reached levels comparable to Stephen Curry&rsquo;s historic seasons, a testament to his improved shooting skill and the willingness to take more this season. This might have a direct correlation to Edwards in his Olympic run where he mentioned that Steph has had the biggest influence on his game. He has made it to a point to shoot more threes, but has offered a simple yet encouraging response when asked about it: <a href="https://x.com/MorvalNBA/status/1855111187173953997">if the opponents keep going under the screen, he will take the three every time down the floor.</a>
But as impressive as this may be, the question lingers: Will Edwards&rsquo; 3-point-heavy game ultimately help him develop as a player or take away from the strengths that make him one of the league&rsquo;s most explosive finishers?
Known for his explosive drives, Edwards has always excelled at creating contact and finishing at the rim. His strength and athleticism make him a natural inside threat, where he can put pressure on defenses and draw fouls. However, with his increased focus on 3-point shooting, there&rsquo;s a noticeable shift in his play style. Instead of attacking and putting pressure on the rim, he&rsquo;s often stationed behind the arc, waiting to catch and shoot or set up a pull-up jumper.
In a recent game against the Mavericks, Edwards scored 24 points in the first quarter alone by finding space to shoot. But as Dallas adjusted, switching on screens and applying more ball pressure, Edwards struggled to create looks for himself inside. The lesson here? While his 3-point shot is an asset, his ability to drive to the basket remains his most reliable weapon.
That said, Edwards&rsquo; 3-point success does have significant upsides. With defenses now forced to respect his range, he has more freedom to drive or play-make, potentially creating even more scoring opportunities as teams spread out to cover him. This evolution may not take away from his strengths but instead enhance his overall game, giving him options that make him more unpredictable and difficult to guard.
Wembanyama, like Edwards, has shown a willingness to stretch his game out to the perimeter. At 7-foot-4, Wembanyama has the size to dominate the paint, yet he often operates from the 3-point line. While his shooting ability is impressive for a player of his size, it raises questions about whether he&rsquo;s fully maximizing his physical gifts.
When he does work inside, his height and reach make him nearly unstoppable. However, by spending significant time on the perimeter, Wembanyama might be reducing his impact near the rim, where he has a natural advantage. As he adjusts to the NBA, striking a balance between perimeter shooting and inside dominance will be crucial for his growth and effectiveness.
With his shot not yet falling to start the season, perhaps it would be more beneficial for Wembanyama if he&rsquo;s going to start to position himself inside and shoot over shorter defenders, or station near the paint for an easy bucket.
For both Edwards and Wembanyama, balancing their 3-point shot with their unique strengths is key to reaching their potential. Edwards embracing his rim-attacking abilities while using his newfound 3-point marksmanship could maximize his offensive power. For Wembanyama, leveraging his height in the paint with selective 3-point attempts could establish him as a multifaceted threat.
Anthony Edwards and Victor Wembanyama illustrate the NBA&rsquo;s 3-point revolution, but both face the challenge of staying true to their best skills. Edwards shooting more threes may indeed provide new dimensions to his game, but it&rsquo;s crucial he doesn&rsquo;t lose his aggressive drives that make him a unique talent. And for Wembanyama, balancing his rare size with perimeter skills could make him one of the most versatile threats in the league.

Anthony Edwards and Victor Wembanyama are embracing the 3-point shot, but is it enhancing or detracting their respective games?

Anthony Edwards and Victor Wembanyama shooting more threes: a good or a bad thing?

The New Orleans Pelicans have announced Dejounte Murray has injured his left hand and will be sidelined indefinitely, according to ESPN&rsquo;s Shams Charania.
The point guard, who was acquired by New Orleans this offseason, suffered the injury during the Pelicans&rsquo; opening night win against the Chicago Bulls.&nbsp;
According to Charania, tests have confirmed the injury to the former 1-time all-star. It was initially reported that the Pelicans &lsquo;feared&rsquo; that Murray might have injured his hand after experiencing discomfort in it in the second half. Now, those fears were deemed to be true and could be a setback for the Pelicans, who also missed star forward Zion Williamson due to illness.
ANALYSIS: This is a huge blow to the Pelicans in the tough and deep Western Conference. New Orleans brought Murray in to be the main playmaker for the team that features scorers like Williamson, Brandon Ingram, and CJ McCollum and also be a closer for the team in clutch situations.
Murray had a very good game against the Bulls, tallying 14 points, 10 assists, and 8 rebounds with only 1 turnover. He commanded the game well against the Bulls, finding teammates on easy baskets. Murray also played tough defense as he aims to get back to his usual defensive self with the Pelicans.
Murray did not speak to reporters after the game, and McCollum hopes he&rsquo;s not out for too long.
According to ESPN stats, Murray became the third player in Pelicans history with 10 assists in his team debut, joining Elfrid Payton (2018) and Baron Davis (2002). Last season with the Hawks, he had just two games total with 10 assists and one or fewer turnovers.
The Pelicans go on a 4-game road trip in the West coast, beginning at Portland on Friday night.&nbsp;

The New Orleans Pelicans have announced Dejounte Murray has injured his left hand and will be sidelined indefinitely.

Pelicans lose Dejounte Murray in 1st game of season after fractured left hand

The Los Angeles Lakers withstood a late run by the Minnesota Timberwolves to win their season opener, 110-103, on a historic Tuesday night at the Crypto.com Arena in downtown LA.
Anthony Davis had a dominant MVP-type performance, putting up 36 points, 16 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 blocks. He made key plays down the stretch on both ends of the floor, scoring on 4-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert and swallowing up a strong take by Donte DiVincenzo.
The Lakers built a 20-point lead in the first half only to see it cut down to single digits in the 3rd quarter. The Timberwolves came to as close as 4, 81-85, but Davis and LA pulled off enough baskets and stops to come away with the victory.
Davis became the first Laker to achieve a 35+ point, 15+ rebound in an LA season opener win since Wilt Chamberlain and Elgin Baylor.&nbsp;
Anthony Edwards scored 27 for the Timberwolves in their losing effort but shot just 10/24 from the field. Minnesota played their first regular season game with Julius Randle (16 points) and DiVincenzo (10 points) after that blockbuster trade a few weeks ago that sent Karl-Anthony Towns to the New York Knicks.
This was a night to remember in Los Angeles with lots of historic moments. Let&rsquo;s check out each of them here.
LeBron-Bronny the first-ever father-son duo in the NBA
The game featured a historic moment for LeBron James and his eldest son LeBron &ldquo;Bronny&rdquo; James Jr. as they became the first father-son pair in the history of the league to step on the court at the same time.
The wholesome moment happened with 4 minutes left in the second quarter as LeBron and Bronny checked in together in the game.
LeBron, who is in year 22 of his basketball career and will turn 40 years old this December, is the all-time leading scorer of the NBA with over 40,000 points. He always expressed his desire of playing together with his son in the NBA, and that dream became a reality today.
Bronny, the 55th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, is not expected to play heavy minutes for the Lakers and will likely spend most of the year in LA&rsquo;s G League team South Bay Lakers to continue his development.
Nonetheless, the precious moment was shared by the elder and younger James with their wife/mother Savannah, daughter/sister Zhuri, and several high-profile people in attendance to witness the history.
JJ Redick&rsquo;s first pro game (and win) as an NBA basketball coach
The Lakers&rsquo; win also allowed first-year head coach JJ Redick to win his coaching debut. Redick, a 15-year NBA veteran, did not have any basketball coaching experience at any level but was relatively active around the basketball scene. After a successful NBA career, the 6-foot-4 guard out of Duke was an analyst for ESPN and had his own production studio of podcasts to talk about the NBA before applying and getting accepted for the Lakers job.
Redick did a relatively good job in his first-ever regular season game, often coaching up the Lakers to emphasize their offensive rebounding and to limit their turnovers. Redick also expressed his desire for the Lakers to shoot a certain number of threes, and although LA just went 5-30 from deep, Redick liked what he saw as the Lakers played with pace and space.
Redick also coached with a veteran sense, drawing up unique and good set plays that drew national media attention on social media. Redick was often credited for the Lakers&rsquo; renewed sense of ball movement which could be a good sign for the team moving forward.
Lakers (finally) win a season opener with LeBron
Coming into the game, the Lakers were 0-6 over their last season-opening games in the LeBron James era. They weren&rsquo;t about to lose 7 straight times, as AD willed them victory.
Davis also mentioned this was the Lakers&rsquo; first win in any historic moment that involved LeBron, as he exchanged a laugh with reporters post-game.
&ldquo;We lose every time [LeBron] does something historic or cool, so we&rsquo;re just happy to win today and celebrate this moment,&rdquo; Davis said.
LeBron: longest tenured player of all time
After playing in this game, LeBron officially tied Vince Carter as the only players in NBA history to play 22 seasons. With the body of work he has and the ability to adapt to situations, LeBron could officially surpass Carter next season and claim another record by himself &ndash; alone &ndash; next season.&nbsp;

The Lakers withstood a late run by the Timberwolves to win their season opener on a historic Tuesday night at the Crypto.com Arena

Anthony Davis, Lakers withstand Timberwolves in historic night

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.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
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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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
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.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
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

Oklahoma City Thunder&rsquo;s offseason acquisition Isaiah Hartenstein has suffered a minor injury and will be re-evaluated in 5-6 weeks, according to ESPN&rsquo;s Shams Charania.&nbsp;
The 7-foot, 250 lb center who signed with the Thunder after his stint with the New York Knicks last season suffered a small, non-displaced fracture in his left hand in Tuesday&rsquo;s preseason game in Denver.&nbsp;
ANALYSIS: This could potentially be a game changer for the Thunder after looking good with Hartenstein in the preseason. OKC have been practicing the big man duo of Hartenstein and their young star Chet Holmgren, often running big-to-big dribble handoffs and pin down screens.&nbsp;
Now OKC will have to start the new season playing Holmgren as the sole big man again. Although they found success in the regular season last year with the same setup (1st seed and 57-25 record), Hartenstein&rsquo;s loss to start the season could make or break the Thunder&rsquo;s early record in the tough and deep Western Conference.

OKC Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein has suffered a minor injury and will be re-evaluated in 5-6 weeks.

New OKC Thunder acquisition Isaiah Hartenstein suffers minor injury, out for 5-6 weeks

PASAY CITY, PHILIPPINES &ndash; The Meralco Bolts kicked off their 2024 East Asia Super League (EASL) campaign with a strong 97-85 victory over the Macau Black Bears on October 2. After a disappointing run last season, the Bolts returned with a renewed sense of purpose, fueled by their recent PBA championship triumph. While this win was a collective effort, Chris Banchero&rsquo;s performance, though not the loudest, played a crucial role in overcoming Macau&rsquo;s size and grit.
Banchero may not have been the primary leader on the floor, but his efficiency was hard to ignore. He quietly worked his way to 14 points on 6-of-10 shooting, with an impressive 6-of-7 (85.71%) inside the paint. Facing a formidable Macau frontcourt, featuring the towering 7'6.5" Samuel Deguara and 6'11" Will Artino, Banchero opted for a more aggressive approach near the basket after his outside shot wasn&rsquo;t falling.
&ldquo;My outside shot wasn&rsquo;t falling tonight, so I was doing my best to get to the basket and make plays,&rdquo; Banchero admitted. &ldquo;Our speed was a positive, but we&rsquo;ve got to play better basketball, especially against Okinawa.&rdquo;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Asked Chris Banchero on how he found success after efficiently shooting inside the paint (14 PTS on 6-10 FG) against the taller front court duo of Macau 🗣️ Reporting for <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@basketbllnews</a> for <a href="https://twitter.com/EASLofficial?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EASLofficial</a> 2024 Tipoff Wednesday night 🏀 <a href="https://t.co/P5iQgl4CXQ">pic.twitter.com/P5iQgl4CXQ</a>
&mdash; THEKNPROJECT (@theknproject) <a href="https://twitter.com/theknproject/status/1841682337286734334?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 3, 2024</a>
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The adjustment paid off. Instead of forcing long-range attempts, Banchero attacked the rim, finding success against the imposing size of Deguara and Artino. Macau&rsquo;s towering frontcourt may have dominated the paint defensively, but Banchero&rsquo;s quickness and ability to navigate tight spaces inside kept Meralco&rsquo;s offense flowing when it mattered most.
However, let&rsquo;s not overstate his impact&mdash;this was very much a team win. Meralco&rsquo;s starting five played with precision, moving the ball and capitalizing on mismatches. Allen Durham led the way with 17 points on 7-of-13 shooting, while Chris Newsome added 18 points, also on 7-of-13 shooting. Kakou Kouame and Raymond Almazan held their own in the paint, with Kouame bringing energy and Almazan contributing 7 points on 3-of-4 shooting.
Meralco&rsquo;s speed and versatility allowed them to break down Macau&rsquo;s defense, especially in the second half. Kennedy struggled, going 6-of-24 from the field, but the team&rsquo;s overall balance and offensive adjustments helped push them past Macau&rsquo;s size advantage.
It&rsquo;s clear that Meralco is determined to erase the memories of their underperformance in last season&rsquo;s EASL. This time, they&rsquo;ve got momentum on their side, thanks in no small part to their PBA championship run, where they dethroned the San Miguel Beermen. But they know the road ahead won&rsquo;t be easy.
Up next is the Ryukyu Golden Kings, one of Japan&rsquo;s most decorated teams, boasting four BJ League championships and a 2023 B.LEAGUE title. They&rsquo;ll be waiting for the Bolts in Okinawa on October 16, a matchup that will undoubtedly test Meralco&rsquo;s growth.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;re going to, I believe, a very, very tough opponent in Okinawa,&rdquo; Banchero noted. The Golden Kings are a different beast entirely, with a proven track record and a championship pedigree. For Meralco, this is where they&rsquo;ll find out how far they&rsquo;ve come.
While Banchero&rsquo;s efficient night was crucial in this win, he knows there&rsquo;s more work to be done. His ability to adapt and find success inside will need to continue, especially with the challenges that lie ahead. For the Bolts, it&rsquo;s not just about getting wins&mdash;it&rsquo;s about proving that they belong among the EASL&rsquo;s elite.
Next Game: Meralco Bolts vs. Ryukyu Golden Kings 📅 Date: October 16, 2024 📍 Venue: Okinawa Arena, Japan
Meralco&rsquo;s journey in the EASL is just beginning, and with Banchero&rsquo;s adaptability and the team&rsquo;s newfound confidence, the Bolts are poised to make some noise.

While this win was a collective effort, Chris Banchero’s performance played a crucial role in overcoming Macau’s size and grit.

Chris Banchero's Efficient Play Helps Meralco Defeat Macau in EASL Opener

The New York Liberty and the Las Vegas Aces have set up their WNBA Finals rematch, albeit in a different setting, after sweeping their respective opponents Tuesday night in the 2024 WNBA Playoffs.
The Liberty ended their series matchup by defeating the Atlanta Dream in Game 2, 91-82, and swept the series. Sabrina Ionescu starred for New York as she delivered the best game of her young playoff career with 36 points and 9 assists.
Starting center Jonquel Jones had 20, while All-WNBA First Teamer Breanna Stewart added 13 for New York, who will now advance to the semifinals.
4th seed Las Vegas Aces continued their bid for a three-peat after also sweeping the Seatle Storm 2-0, winning Game 2, 83-76. MVP A&rsquo;Ja Wilson went at it for the Aces with 24 points and 13 rebounds while Kelsey Plum was in her vintage form with 29 points on an impressive 11-15 shooting from the field.
Both the Liberty and the Aces&rsquo; wins meant that the 2023 WNBA Finals rematch is set to happen, but in semifinals. New York finished with the top overall seed this year with a 32-8 record while Las Vegas, which dealt to injuries to their starters all season long, just finished 4th with 27 wins and 13 losses coming from their championship.&nbsp;
This allowed both 2023 WNBA finalists to end up on the same side of the bracket, and will renew their brewing rivalry when their best-of-three series starts.

The New York Liberty and the Las Vegas Aces have set up their WNBA Finals rematch after sweeping their respective opponents.

WNBA Playoffs 2024 Day 2 recap: Liberty, Aces setup rematch in WNBA semis

Golden State Warriors superstar point guard Stephen Curry has long established himself as the greatest shooter in the history of the game. With his numerous three-point shooting records along with his three-point makes that still stretch to date, Curry is the undisputed GOAT shooter. 
However, Curry is more than just a shooter, as evidenced with the several accolades he has amassed over his colorful career. Curry has 4 NBA titles, 1 Finals MVP, 2 season MVPs, and countless all-NBA and all-star teams. This summer, Curry completed perhaps the last award he has yet to get in his illustrious career &ndash; an Olympic Gold Medal. Steph and Team USA made history when they went to Paris and captured the nation&rsquo;s 5th straight gold.
It did not come easy, though. Despite being favored in their games, the Americans were tested multiple times throughout the tournament. The toughest one came in the medal rounds when Team USA faced Serbia in the semifinals and hosted France in the gold medal game. For both of those games, it was Curry who came through the most, carrying the Americans behind his back. Against Serbia, Steph scored 36 points, making 9 threes in the game as Team USA eked out a tough 95-91 comeback win. In the gold medal game, Curry cemented his legacy and created a memorable moment that would be remembered for generations to come.
Steph hit 4 three-pointers to end the game in front of a stunned French crowd at the Bercy Arena in Paris, then proceeded to hit his signature &lsquo;night night&rsquo; celebration after hitting the last of the 4 threes over the outstretched arms of Nico Batum and Evan Fournier. This left the world in awe of Curry&rsquo;s brilliance and ability to come up big in clutch situations.&nbsp;
One of those people who marveled at Steph&rsquo;s greatness is former NBA player CJ Miles. In an interview with <a href="https://rg.org/news/basketball/nba-veteran-cj-miles-reacts-to-team-usa-olympics-gold">RG.org&rsquo;s Alex Kennedy</a>, Miles mentioned Curry&rsquo;s performance as wild and Stephortless. Miles even went further as to say Curry&rsquo;s place being one of the all-time greats and one of the greatest of all-time and not just being the greatest shooter of all time.
&ldquo;Steph just continues to solidify who is the greatest shooter of all time [and] what&rsquo;s crazy is as he continues to make that gap even bigger, he places himself in the realm of best players ever,&rdquo; Miles said. &ldquo;I think players see him that way, but the narrative is never that when we talk about him.&rdquo;
Miles also praised the longevity of LeBron James in his exclusive interview with Kennedy. He says James&rsquo; ability to stay in shape speaks to the power of his mind. James, who is approaching 40 years old this year later in December and going onto his 22nd season in the NBA, was named the FIBA Olympic MVP after providing the all-around brilliance game by game for Team USA. &ldquo;As far as LeBron goes, [his longevity] is incredible. I think it just really speaks to the power of his mind,&rdquo; Miles said. &ldquo;We as people have a fascination with youth and we get bored with greatness because there is nothing left to figure out. I know I am getting 25, 8, and 8 from him [every game], and that&rsquo;s not exciting from a fan standpoint; they want entertainment, which is full of unpredictability.&rdquo;
Finally, Miles shared his thoughts on Team USA&rsquo;s LA2028 Olympic team, which could be without the three greatest players of this generation &ndash; Steph Curry, LeBron James, and Kevin Durant.
&ldquo;As far as the future, Team USA is in great hands. Ant [Edwards], [Tyrese] Haliburton, [Jayson] Tatum. And the guys on this team playing small roles like [Devin] Booker and Bam [Adebayo] are capable of doing incredible things also,&rdquo; Miles explained.
&ldquo;And there are guys who will rise up in the next couple of years who are more than capable of being handed the keys.&rdquo;

Warriors superstar Stephen Curry has long established himself as the game's GOAT shooter. However, he is more than that.

Steph not just the GOAT shooter but one of the greatest players ever, says CJ Miles

WNBA super rookies Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese wasted no time showing their wares in the WNBA&rsquo;s return to action after a month-long break from the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Indiana Fever&rsquo;s Clark, the no.1 overall selection in this year&rsquo;s draft, lit up Diana Taurasi and the Phoenix Mercury in their first game back in the WNBA. Clark had 29 points, 5 rebounds, and 11 assists in the win over Taurasi and Team USA teammates Brittney Griner and Kahleah Copper. Clark showed poise and renewed confidence as the Olympic break seemed to calm the super rookie&rsquo;s game down. Clark started her WNBA career on a whirlwind, going from the Final Four in the NCAA Tournament to being drafted in the league in three weeks, then starting the entire month with just over a month.&nbsp;&nbsp;
The transition seemed to have affected Clark&rsquo;s game to start, however she has gotten her groove. Clark followed up that performance against Phoenix with 23 points, 9 assists, 5 rebounds, and 3 blocks and made history in the process by breaking the WNBA record for most assists in a season by a rookie. Clark is now also the franchise record holder for most 3-pointers made by a rookie, a testament to the rookie&rsquo;s incredible season as a pro. Clark is starting to get into her groove now as she gets more and more comfortable in the league and that is bad news for the rest of the WNBA teams.
Angel Reese, Chicago Sky&rsquo;s no.7 pick, has continued her double-double rampage throughout the league. Since coming back from the Olympic break, Reese has delivered three straight double-doubles, putting up 11 and 15 against the Phoenix Mercury; 14 and 11 against the Los Angeles Sparks; and an almost 20-20 game vs the Mercury again with 19 points and 20 rebounds. Reese&rsquo;s relentless pursuit of the boards put her in special company in the league, making history in her own right by being the fastest player in WNBA history to reach 20 double-doubles in a single season. Reese&rsquo;s latest triple-double also marked a league-leading mark &ndash; an impressive one being a rookie in a league with premier players in A&rsquo;Ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart.&nbsp;
For Wilson and Stewart, Team USA&rsquo;s runaway best players in their 8th straight run to Olympic gold, they will now be back to their respective teams in the WNBA to lead another championship run. Wilson&rsquo;s Las Vegas Aces and Stewart&rsquo;s New York Liberty met in the 2023 WNBA Finals with Wilson and Las Vegas eventually coming out on top. This season, the two teams are one of the best in the league yet again and it figures out to be yet another race to the finish line among them. When the league resumed play, Stewart and New York recently got the better of the matchup with a tough 79-67 victory. Stewart had 18 points and 7 boards in the win, but she had a lot of help from her Liberty teammates with Sabrina Ionescu leading the way with 23 points.
Despite the Aces&rsquo; rocky season than expected coming off a WNBA championship, Wilson continues to dominate the league by further establishing her status as the best player in women&rsquo;s basketball. She recently had a staggering 34 points, 13 rebounds, 5 steals, and 2 blocks on 12-20 FG and 10-11 FT to lead the Aces to another win and bring their record to 17-9, good for 4th overall in the league.
A lot of action is still yet to unfold in the WNBA with more and more stars and good basketball to be played, so stay tuned as the race to the end gets more intense.

WNBA super rookies Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese wasted no time showing their wares in the WNBA’s return to action.

Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese light up the WNBA after Olympic break

Team USA will face their best challenge in these Olympics yet when they go up against Nikola Jokic and Serbia in a huge semifinal matchup at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
The best team in the world, the United States of America, had formed the best possible lineup they could send into the Games and are being dubbed as Avengers-esque with the way all the superstars of basketball have converged into one team, will face the Thanos-level threat that is 3-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic and Serbia. Team USA has actually faced and already beaten Serbia twice &ndash; once in the USA Basketball Showcase in Abu Dhabi and the other in the group stage in Group C.&nbsp;
Both of the games were blowouts, but this upcoming game could probably be the biggest test the Americans could face in the tournament. The Serbians have the biggest weapon against Team USA &ndash; familiarity &ndash; and this could come very much in handy in a single elimination game with all the necessary adjustments needed on the fly.

Team USA will face their best challenge in these Olympics yet when they go up against Nikola Jokic and Serbia.

Paris 2024 semifinals preview: USA faces Serbia for the third time

The USA Men&rsquo;s National Basketball Team passed its second test after beating Australia, 98-92, in the USA Basketball Showcase in Abu Dhabi.&nbsp;
In part of their preparation for the Paris Olympics, Team USA looked to be in cruise control after leading by 20 over the Boomers. However, Australia unleashed a huge run in the 4th quarter, even cutting the lead down to just 4, 94-90, with 15 seconds to go.
Phoenix Suns&rsquo; superstar guard Devin Booker took over from there as he hit 4 clutch free throws to keep the rushing Australians at bay and win the game.
Anthony Davis once again had a double-double to lead the US with 17 points and 14 rebounds while Booker added 16 points of his own. Both came off the bench for the Steve Kerr-manned squad.
Main takeaways:
STEVE KERR PLAYING 4 GUARD LINEUP AT THE END
With Australia playing fast and wreaking havoc on the wings, Kerr opted for an interesting lineup to close the game with Tyrese Haliburton, Jrue Holiday, Anthony Edwards, and Devin Booker all on the floor &ndash; a 4-guard lineup &ndash; alongside Miami Heat big man Bam Adebayo. It could be argued that the lineup almost cost Team USA the game with the Boomers attacking the paint relentlessly against a relatively smaller Team USA lineup. However, it could also be argued on the other way that Kerr utilized the lineup to have more decision-makers on the floor, making reads, and moving the ball. Nonetheless, it was an interesting decision considering the personnel Kerr has at his disposal.&nbsp;
JOEL EMBIID GETTING ESTABLISHED ON OFFENSE
For the second straight game, no one from the opposing team could guard the NBA&rsquo;s MVP straight up. Joel Embiid had a better game vs Australia after fouling out vs Team Canada, scoring 10 points with 5 rebounds. He established his presence on the post, drawing out double teams. At times, Embiid attacked the man in front of him and scored twice on an and-ones. He also dished out assists to the open man when Australia came to double. Overall a good game from Embiid as Kerr has mentioned about Team USA wanting to establish the big man early on offense.&nbsp;

The USA Men’s National Basketball Team passed its second test after beating Australia, 98-92, in the USAB Showcase in Abu Dhabi.

Team USA defeats Australia in USA Basketball Showcase 98-92

The 2024 NBA Las Vegas Summer League is officially underway with the league&rsquo;s brightest rookies and young stars put to the test to hone their games and develop their wares to be ready come the official NBA season. Here are some of the players who stood out on the 1st day of action.
Anthony Black and Jett Howard, Orlando Magic
The duo was the Magic&rsquo;s first-round picks just a year ago and just in their first game both Black and Howard showed some promising developments that could catapult them into the team&rsquo;s rotation moving forward.
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Magic's Summer League backcourt today: Anthony Black 📊 20 PTS | 6-9 FG | 4 STL Jett Howard 📊 22 PTS | 5-10 3P | 4 AST Bright future ahead ✨ <a href="https://t.co/vYVp2HvkzS">pic.twitter.com/vYVp2HvkzS</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1811892100755259632?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 12, 2024</a></blockquote>

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Reed Sheppard, Houston Rockets
This year&rsquo;s third overall pick showed out against the Lakers dropping an efficient 23-ball alongside manning the offense for the Rockets. Sheppard looked like he has all the makings of a solid PG in the NBA, which locks in Houston&rsquo;s core for the foreseeable future alongside young studs Jabari Smith Jr., Amen Thompson, and Cam Whitmore.
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Reed Sheppard tonight: 🟥 23 PTS 🟥 9-17 FG 🟥 4-6 3P 🟥 5 AST 🟥 4 REB 🟥 3 BLK <a href="https://t.co/RZNq6fOpOG">pic.twitter.com/RZNq6fOpOG</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1811942641644503138?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 13, 2024</a></blockquote>

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Dalton Knecht, Los Angeles Lakers
Over three summer league games since the California Classic, Knecht has looked like the Lakers&rsquo; best player and continued to do so in Vegas. The 23-year-old shot the ball particularly well and looked confident in taking catch-and-shoot jumpers as well as some on-ball creation at times.
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Dalton Knecht despite the loss: 🟨 25 PTS 🟨 9-18 FG 🟨 5-11 3P 🟨 6 REB 🟨 4 AST <a href="https://t.co/J928gQBS1U">pic.twitter.com/J928gQBS1U</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1811943377371623610?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 13, 2024</a></blockquote>

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Zaccharie Risacher, Atlanta Hawks and Alex Sarr, Washington Wizards
The top 2 picks in this year&rsquo;s draft went on a duel with Sarr and the Wizards coming out on top to down Risacher on the Hawks. The French duo both showed great potential on both sides of the floor which explains why they were picked where they were picked in the draft: the talent is clearly there.
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Zaccharie Risacher tonight: 🟥 18 PTS 🟥 7-16 FG 🟥 3-9 3P 🟥 5 REB 🟥 2 AST <a href="https://t.co/Rw198OUtv0">pic.twitter.com/Rw198OUtv0</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1811985256419065994?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 13, 2024</a></blockquote>

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Alex Sarr NBA Summer League Debut: ◻️ 12 PTS ◻️ 7 REB ◻️ 4 AST ◻️ 4 BLK (‼️) A young defensive juggernaut for the Wizards 🔒 <a href="https://t.co/DdAj3naXZ9">pic.twitter.com/DdAj3naXZ9</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1811986265841295766?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 13, 2024</a>
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Jordan Miller, Los Angeles Clippers
The Clippers&rsquo; second-round selection in last year&rsquo;s draft, Miller went off with a 30-bomb against the Denver Nuggets to lead LA to the win. He went 6-10 from three and 8-8 from the FT line, which was impressive from a player who played mostly in the G-League the past season. With Paul George&rsquo;s departure, Miller could have a real chance of fighting for a rotation spot if he continues racking up performances like these.
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Jordan Miller WENT OFF tonight: 🟦 36 PTS 🟦 11-18 FG 🟦 6-10 3P 🟦 8-8 FT A masterclass performance by the 48th pick in the 2023 NBA Draft 🤯<a href="https://t.co/aWuzdriUdE">pic.twitter.com/aWuzdriUdE</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1811986702832926912?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 13, 2024</a></blockquote>

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The 2024 NBA Las Vegas Summer League is officially underway with the league’s young stars putting their games to the test.

2024 NBA Summer League: Day 1 Standouts

The USA Men&rsquo;s National Basketball will face arguably their biggest threat in the Olympics in Team Canada on July 10 in Las Vegas. This Canadian team features a multitude of NBA talents, just like Team USA. Led by 2024 NBA MVP finalist Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and 2023 NBA Champion Jamal Murray, Team Canada is poised to give Team USA all the headaches and possible roadblocks in its pursuit of gold.&nbsp;
With all things considered, here&rsquo;s what Team USA could do to stamp their dominance against their neighboring rivals up North and send a message to the rest of the world eager to challenge their throne.
Dump the ball to Joel Embiid and let him go to work
Perhaps the most dominant basketball player in the world right now, there&rsquo;s probably nobody who could guard Joel Embiid one-on-one today on God&rsquo;s green earth. A 7-foot-2 big man blessed with skill, size, finesse, and power, Embiid&rsquo;s complete game will be a main problem for Team Canada. Among the frontliners they could throw at Embiid are Dwight Powell, Kelly Olynyk, and Trey Lyles but none of them - on paper and quick eye test - are quick or strong enough to deter Embiid and his dominance. Embiid dominated some of the league&rsquo;s best defensive players, putting up 50 points on 4-time DPOY Rudy Gobert and scoring 70 points in phenom Victor Wembanyama&rsquo;s head last season.
Team USA should quickly take advantage of this opportunity and run the offense through Embiid and make Team Canada send double teams at him. That&rsquo;s when advantages and opportunities will open up to the rest of the guys like LeBron cutting to the rim or Durant and Curry spotting up for wide-open threes. It could be a pick-your-poison type of game where Team Canada could let Embiid play one-on-one and destroy them inside the paint or double him and risk putting two on the ball creating opportunities for the rest of Team USA.
Get into lots of screening actions to create advantages and confuse the defense
Team Canada&rsquo;s biggest strength will be their on-ball perimeter defense. Among Dillon Brooks, Gilgeous-Alexander, Lu Dort, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker, they will have long wings that could disrupt passing lanes and wreak havoc on the perimeter, creating easy baskets in transition. Canada&rsquo;s a relatively young team with most players in their athletic prime so they would definitely take advantage of their biggest strength and make it their main style of play.
To counter this, Team USA could involve their players in more screening actions to create advantages on offense and confuse Canada&rsquo;s defense. They should also incorporate slips and slides in those screens and in the pick and rolls for cutters and shooters to get open shots. By doing this, Team USA will negate Canada&rsquo;s biggest strength and create easy and quality looks against their vaunted perimeter defense.
Play defense
It&rsquo;s no secret that Team USA&rsquo;s core players are aging and nearing the end of their athletic peaks. Although being the superstar basketball players that they are and still being at the top of their offensive games, Team USA&rsquo;s defense will be suspect here and would probably be the main attacking point of their opponents. Jrue Holiday, Anthony Edwards, and Derrick White will have their work cut out for them in the perimeter right from the get-go as Team USA could be punished by a guard-heavy offensive team like Team Canada.&nbsp;
Team USA might outscore everyone, but you can make them work on the other side of the floor, and this could be Canada&rsquo;s main mindset coming into the game. Despite the top-end talent and superstar-level shot-making on offense, Team USA should put more effort on the defensive end of the floor if they want to win this game.

The USA Men’s National Basketball will face arguably their biggest threat in the Olympics in Team Canada on July 10 in Las Vegas.

USA vs CAN preview: 3 things Team USA could do to win exhibition game against Canada

The Villanova reunion is now complete.
According to ESPN&rsquo;s Adrian Wojnarowski, the New York Knicks are acquiring Nets forward Mikal Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets after the two New York basketball cities have agreed in principle on Tuesday night.
This move brings Bridges, a long-time Knicks target, to a team filled with former college teammates and close friends Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, and Donte DiVincenzo. The quartet won an NCAA National Championship with Villanova in 2018.
In exchange for Bridges, the Knicks are sending out Bojan Bogdanovic (who they got in last season&rsquo;s trade deadline), four unprotected picks (2025, 2027, 2029, 2031), a 2025 protected Milwaukee first, a 2028 unprotected pick swap, and a 2025 second-round pick. New York will also receive a 2026 second-round pick from Brooklyn in this deal.
This is the first major move by the Knicks in the offseason as they await to resign free agents OG Anunoby and Isaiah Hartenstein. Anunoby and Hartenstein have been instrumental in New York&rsquo;s success in the playoffs and are set to receive their big paydays. However, with New York acquiring Bridges, resigning both guys appears to be a much trickier situation now.

The Knicks are acquiring Nets forward Mikal Bridges from the Nets after the two New York cities agreed in principle on Tuesday night.

Knicks acquire Mikal Bridges from Nets in blockbuster trade

The Boston Celtics made quick work of the Indiana Pacers to book a ticket to the NBA Finals while the Minnesota Timberwolves lived to fight for another day on Days 37 and 38 of the 2024 NBA Playoffs on Monday and Tuesday nights.
Although the Celtics swept the Pacers, it did not come easy with 3 of the 4 games with Indiana leading in the 4th quarter before Boston displayed their superior experience in clutch playoff situations that willed them to victory.
The Pacers also missed young star Tyrese Haliburton in action during the series&rsquo; last two games with a left sore hamstring.
Jaylen Brown won the Eastern Conference Finals MVP after averaging 29.3 points on 54 percent shooting in the 4-game sweep.
Over at the West, the Timberwolves finally won a game over the Mavericks impressively. After leading most of the time in the first three games, particularly in the 4th quarter, the Mavericks proved to be the better team in the clutch led by Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.
However, this time around, star guard Anthony Edwards also showed his clutch genes, hitting a long two-pointer that gave Minnesota a 5-point lead with 38 seconds left.&nbsp;
Co-star Karl-Anthony Towns was also huge, tallying 20 points in the second half including two huge threes in the 4th that kept the Mavs at bay.
Game 5 will be back in Minnesota on Thursday night.
Check out our recap here:
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Jaylen Brown and the Celtics rally late to close out Pacers for 4-0 sweep in ECF 📊 29 PTS | 11-22 FG | 4-8 3P | 6 REB | 3 STL Other top performers 🏀 J. Tatum 📊 26 PTS | 11-26 FG | 13 REB | 8 AST J. Holiday 📊 17 PTS | 7-13 FG | 9 REB D. White 📊 16 PTS | 7-14 FG | 4 REB | 4&hellip; <a href="https://t.co/ac3Guvm8JK">pic.twitter.com/ac3Guvm8JK</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1795305706868117613?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 28, 2024</a></blockquote>

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Jaylen Brown is the 2024 Eastern Conference Finals MVP 🏆 📊 29.8 PTS | 5 REB | 3.0 AST | 2.0 STL | 51.7% FG | 37.0% 3P | 65.5% FT <a href="https://t.co/HyYgT9kr2s">pic.twitter.com/HyYgT9kr2s</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1795300367842132223?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 28, 2024</a></blockquote>

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FINAL GAME RECAP ⏪ Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves kept the series alive as they got the bounce back 105-100 W against the Mavericks 🔥 📊 29 PTS | 11-25 FG | 5-8 FT | 10 REB | 9 AST Other top performers 🏀 K. Towns 📊 25 PTS | 9-13 FG | 4-5 3P | 5 REB R. Gobert 📊 13&hellip; <a href="https://t.co/G3S7RgVEmo">pic.twitter.com/G3S7RgVEmo</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1795715945073459516?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 29, 2024</a></blockquote>

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The Celtics made quick work of the Pacers to book a ticket to the NBA Finals while the Timberwolves lived to fight for another day.

2024 NBA Playoffs Day 37 and 38 Recap: Boston sweeps Indiana, Minnesota lives another day

The Dallas Mavericks defied the odds to defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves at home and take a commanding 3-0 lead in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals on Day 36 of the 2024 NBA Playoffs, Sunday night.
The Mavericks outworked, outhustled, and out-strategized the Timberwolves who were looking for an answer to their superb attack. Led by their dynamic backcourt duo Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, the Mavericks sliced up the Wolves&rsquo; defense with their scoring and passing in the pick-and-roll. The Timberwolves&rsquo; no.1 defense in the regular season could not do anything with Doncic and Irving throwing up lob after lob while also scoring at will.&nbsp;
Minnesota star guard Anthony Edwards was better in Game 3 however co-star Karl-Anthony Towns struggled once again vs the physical and scrappy defense by the Mavs against him.
Dallas will try to close it out and sweep Minnesota in Game 4 on Tuesday.
Check out our recap here:
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Luka Dončić and the Mavericks delivered in the clutch, taking a commanding 3-0 lead in the WCF against the Timberwolves 🐴 L. Dončić 📊 33 PTS | 10-20 FG | 5-11 3P | 8-10 FT | 7 REB | 5 AST | 5 STL Other top performers 🏀 K. Irving 📊 33 PTS | 12-20 FG | 3-6 3P | 6-8 FT | 4 AST&hellip; <a href="https://t.co/nfyQoO3Kd5">pic.twitter.com/nfyQoO3Kd5</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1794934188917059617?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 27, 2024</a></blockquote>

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The Mavericks defied the odds to defeat the Timberwolves at home in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals on Sunday night.

2024 NBA Playoffs Day 36 Recap: Dallas moves one win away from NBA Finals

The Boston Celtics overcame a late-game scare to beat the visiting Indiana Pacers on Tuesday night in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Day 31 of the 2024 NBA Playoffs.
The Celtics trailed by five late in the 4th after the Pacers&rsquo; furious run in the 4th quarter with some clutch baskets led by 2019 NBA champ Pascal Siakam and young Andrew Nembhard. The Celtics scored on a huge Jrue Holiday basket and got lucky on an Indiana turnover to get the ball back.
It then set up a crazy sequence for Jaylen Brown who hit a contested three-pointer deep in the corner with Siakam all over him to knot the score at 117-117. Tyrese Haliburton had one last shot to try and win the game for the Pacers but could not get a clean look off, sending the game into overtime.
In the extra period, Jayson Tatum took on the scoring cudgels and put the team on his back, pouring in 11 points including a huge three from the top of the key to put the Celtics&rsquo; up by five and essentially win the game.
Game 2 will be on Thursday night still at the TD Garden in Boston.
Check out our recap here:

The Celtics overcame a late-game scare to beat the visiting Pacers on Tuesday night in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

2024 NBA Playoffs Day 31 Recap: Boston overcome Indiana scare

For the first time since awards have been handed out to NBA players, all-rookie, all-defensive, and all-NBA teams are now positionless, paving the way for the best five players to make up a team regardless of position.
And for the league&rsquo;s All-Defensive teams list for this year, 4 bigs have been dominant throughout the regular season and have made the all-defensive first team &ndash; making up 4 of the 5 spots &ndash; an unprecedented turn of events in the NBA&rsquo;s awarding space.
Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert, his runner-up and Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama, Defensive Player of the Year finalist Bam Adebayo, and Anthony Davis have been named to the NBA&rsquo;s All-Defensive First Team, the league announced Tuesday night.&nbsp;
All four, who play the center position, have been the most dominant defensive players during the regular season and have rightfully deserved a spot in the team. The 5th and only player that was not a big man was forward Herb Jones of the New Orleans Pelicans.
Gobert got all 99 1st place votes, Wembanyama had 86 1st place and 12 2nd place votes, Adebayo had 73 and 22, Davis had 60 and 31, and Jones had 66 and 27.&nbsp; Wembanyama became the first rookie in NBA history to make the first team, as several other rookies made the second team.
Making up the All-Defensive Second team were four guards Boston Celtics&rsquo; Jrue Holiday and Derrick White, Orlando Magic&rsquo;s Jalen Suggs, Chicago Bulls&rsquo; Alex Caruso, and a forward in Minnesota Timberwolves&rsquo; Jaden McDaniels.
Among the noticeable snubs from the 10-man rookie list that could have been awarded were the Portland Trailblazers&rsquo; Scoot Henderson (3rd overall), Detroit Pistons&rsquo; Ausar Thompson (5th overall pick), and Golden State Warriors&rsquo; Trayce Jackson-Davis (57th overall pick).
Check out the full results here:
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The 2023-24 NBA All-Defensive First Team: ▪️ Bam Adebayo ▪️ Anthony Davis ▪️ Rudy Gobert ▪️ Herb Jones ▪️ Victor Wembanyama The 2023-24 NBA All-Defensive Second Team: ▪️ Alex Caruso ▪️ Jrue Holiday ▪️ Jaden McDaniels ▪️ Jalen Suggs of ▪️ Derrick White Who got snubbed? <a href="https://t.co/Uft0NYQS0F">pic.twitter.com/Uft0NYQS0F</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1793049284755030413?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 21, 2024</a></blockquote>

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For the first time ever, winners of all-rookie, all-defensive, and all-NBA teams are now positionless: first-team all-defense has 4 bigs.

Utah Utes