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

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

Brad Stevens deserves massive credit for the Celtics' success

With nearly a full month of NBA playoff action in the books, we've witnessed a handful of players surprisingly exceed expectations and drive their league-wide value to increasingly high levels. On the other end of the spectrum, several stars have seen their market price dip quite a bit.
So whose stock has soared? Whose has plummeted? Let's dive in with an in-depth breakdown.
Stock Up
Jalen Brunson, Dallas Mavericks
Heading into the 2021-22 season, the Dallas Mavericks could have signed Jalen Brunson to a four-year, $56 million extension. However, <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/33801390/nba-playoffs-2022-jalen-brunson-star-turn-dallas-mavericks-massive-free-agency-implications" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ESPN's Tim MacMahon</a> reported that the Mavs chose not to make an offer and didn't even engage in negotiations with Brunson's representatives. You have to assume Dallas is now regretting that decision.
After averaging career-highs in scoring (16.3 points), assists (4.8), rebounds (3.9) and steals (0.8) during the regular season, Brunson has taken his game to another level in the playoffs. With Luka Doncic sidelined early on in the Mavs' first-round series vs. Utah, Brunson got off to a scorching hot start, tallying 96 points, 16 rebounds and 16 assists over the first two games. He became just the third player in NBA history to tally at least 70 points and 10 assists while committing fewer than 2 turnovers over a two-game span in the postseason. Incredibly, Brunson led all players in total points scored in the first round (167).
After struggling a bit in the first two games of Dallas' first-round series vs. Phoenix, Brunson was again a crucial factor in the Mavs' victories at home in Games 3 and 4 over the weekend.&nbsp;
Through 10 postseason contests, Brunson is averaging 23.5 points, 4.6 boards and 3.9 dimes per game. He's done most of his damage by relentlessly attacking the rim. Among all postseason performers, Brunson ranks third in drives per game (behind only Ja Morant and Doncic) and third in points scored off drives.
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WHAT A NIGHT FOR JALEN BRUNSON! 🔷 Career-high 41 PTS 🔷 6 3PM 🔷 8 REB 🔷 Gets the W in Game 2 <a href="https://t.co/GixvrcCqIM">pic.twitter.com/GixvrcCqIM</a>
&mdash; NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBAonTNT/status/1516250998607540229?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 19, 2022</a></blockquote>

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It could be argued that no player has boosted his stock more over the past few weeks than Brunson. And it couldn't come at a better time for the versatile combo guard, who will become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. We know the New York Knicks are interested in making a run at Brunson, and <a href="https://marcstein.substack.com/p/a-slow-spinning-coaching-marketplace-1ce?token=eyJ1c2VyX2lkIjo0MDU5OTIyOCwicG9zdF9pZCI6NTMyMjYzMDQsIl8iOiJscTRCVSIsImlhdCI6MTY1MTUyMjAxMywiZXhwIjoxNjUxNTI1NjEzLCJpc3MiOiJwdWItMzkyMjA1Iiwic3ViIjoicG9zdC1yZWFjdGlvbiJ9.Tiw_7fovr2Ot5a6LeR_ujN2MyJCkgAuKahkQLnMBOMU&amp;s=r" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to Marc Stein</a>, Detroit and Indiana have shown interest as well. However, Mark Cuban has stated publicly he plans to re-sign Brunson &mdash; even if it has an outsized impact on Dallas' luxury tax bill.&nbsp;
Victor Oladipo, Miami Heat
Due to a slew of serious injuries that limited him to only 88 games over the past three seasons, Victor Oladipo was forced to settle for a one-year deal with Miami on the veteran minimum back in August. The hope was he'd be able to show teams during the 2021-22 campaign that he was finally fully healthy. Unfortunately, Oladipo was sidelined for nearly all of the regular season as he recovered from a debilitating right quadriceps injury. 'Dipo didn't make his season debut until March 7.&nbsp;
After playing sporadically in late March and early April, Oladipo exploded for 40 points in the Heat's regular-season finale. Yet, he was a DNP-CD in each of Miami's first three playoff games. However, with both Jimmy Butler (knee) and Kyle Lowry (hamstring) ruled out for Game 5 of the Heat's first-round series vs. the Atlanta Hawks, Oladipo slid into the starting lineup. He finished that contest with 23 points (8 of 16 from the field, 4 of 4 on free throws), 3 assists, 3 steals, and 3 triples in 36 minutes. Needless to say, 'Dipo has been a part of the Miami rotation since. In Game 2 of Miami's second-round matchup vs. the Philadelphia 76ers, he tallied 19 points, 6 rebounds and 3 triples. He also chipped in 15 points off the bench in Game 4.&nbsp;
Oladipo will undoubtedly have plenty of interest on the free-agent market this summer.
Al Horford, Boston Celtics
Al Horford's 2022-23 salary is only partially guaranteed. And when the Celtics initially acquired Horford last summer in a trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder, some pundits speculated that Boston might look to get out from under the $26.5 million owed to Big Al next season.&nbsp;
But with as well as he has played this postseason, that will no longer be a consideration. Horford has been a godsend for Boston, averaging 15.9 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.1 blocks per contest through the Celtics' first eight playoff games. In Game 3 vs. Milwaukee on Saturday, Horford became the first player in Boston's franchise history with at least 20 points, 15 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 made three-pointers in a single playoff game. Then, in Monday's Game 4 victory, he exploded for 30 points, 8 rebounds, 5 triples and 3 assists.
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Stock Down
Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert, Utah Jazz
Rumors of a <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/expect-the-knicks-to-make-a-real-run-at-donovan-mitchell-this-summer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rocky relationship between Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert have been swirling for years</a>. Unfortunately for Utah, it appears the team will be forced to trade one of its two best players at a time when their respective values have depreciated.
The two pillars of the Jazz franchise played relatively well during the regular season, but the rumblings of toxicity in Utah grew louder as the year dragged on. Mitchell not sharing the ball with Gobert has become a topic of conversation in early April. Shortly thereafter, Gobert called out his teammates for not wanting to play physically and "<a href="https://www.sltrib.com/sports/jazz/2022/03/30/triple-team-jazz-lost/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">get our hands dirty</a>." When asked about the perceived finger-pointing, Mitchell characterized it as "<a href="https://www.sltrib.com/sports/jazz/2022/04/01/utah-jazz-vow-not-fall/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">childish</a>."&nbsp;
Utah backed into the playoffs after losing five straight games in late March, but was hoping to take advantage of a Mavericks team playing without its best player, Doncic, who was sidelined by a calf injury for the first two contests. However, the Jazz lost Game 2 and lost the series in six games.
Over the six-game series vs. Dallas, Mitchell averaged over 22 field-goal attempts per contest, but shot just 39.8% from the floor and 20.8% from downtown. He became the first player in league history to attempt more than 20 field goals but shoot below 40% from the field and under 21% from three-point territory over a postseason run. And Mitchell's poor defense was arguably more problematic than his offense. Utah allowed over 115 points per 100 possessions vs. Dallas with Mitchell on the court. That number dropped to 104.5 with Mitchell on the bench.
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Here&rsquo;s video of Rudy Gobert talking about the defensive improvements he&rsquo;s seen from Devin Booker on January 14th&hellip; As well as the Donovan Mitchell responses to 2 separate questions a day later: <a href="https://t.co/irKTufQJ1L">pic.twitter.com/irKTufQJ1L</a>
&mdash; Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) <a href="https://twitter.com/TomerAzarly/status/1520538333482749952?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 30, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Gobert averaged just 12.0 points per game on 5.5 attempts per game (a career-low in his six postseason appearances) and blocked a total of 6 shots in the six-game series. It was the first time in his career he averaged more turnovers than blocks and steals combined. The Mavs often attempted to take advantage of Gobert's difficulty covering the perimeter by going small and spreading the floor.&nbsp;
Dating back to the 2021 postseason (when they dropped four straight to a shorthanded Clippers team that lost Kawhi Leonard to an ACL tear), the Jazz have lost 8 of their last 10 playoff games. With Gobert, Mitchell, Mike Conley, Bojan Bogdanovic, Jordan Clarkson and Royce O'Neale locked into contracts that will pay them north of $133 million in guaranteed money next season, Utah won't be able to make any significant upgrades via free agency.&nbsp;
Last week, <a href="https://www.si.com/nba/jazz/news/rudy-gobert-him-or-me-ultimatum-donovan-mitchell">it was reported</a> that Gobert had reached a "him or me" point with Mitchell and would demand one of the two be traded this summer. It's difficult to envision the Jazz entering the 2022-23 season with both <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/examining-potential-trade-destinations-for-rudy-gobert" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gobert</a> and <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/examining-potential-trade-desinations-for-donovan-mitchell-2022" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mitchell</a> on the roster.
Duncan Robinson, Miami Heat
As noted above, Oladipo has stepped in and stepped up for the Heat over the past two weeks. On the flip side of the coin, we have Duncan Robinson, who has gone from a crucial contributor to a non-factor.&nbsp;
Robinson started all 72 games for Miami in 2020-21, averaging 13.1 points and 3.5 rebounds while shooting 40.8% from beyond the arc (on 8.5 three-point attempts per game). The Heat rewarded him with a five-year contract worth $90 million. However, Robinson regressed during the 2021-22 regular season, as his production and percentages dipped. After starting 68 of the team's first 72 games, he was bumped to the bench in late March. Following a solid outing in Game 1 vs. Atlanta, coach Erik Spoelstra clearly didn't feel comfortable trusting his sharpshooter. Robinson averaged just 2.3 points in 10.7 minutes per contest in the final four games of the first round.&nbsp;
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Remarkably, Robinson has logged a total of just 55 seconds thus far in Round 2, and has been a DNP-CD in 3 of the 4 contests. This is obviously not what Pat Riley and company had in mind when they ponied up $90 million less than nine months ago.
With $74.5 million still owed to Robinson over the next four years, will Miami look to dump his contract this summer already?&nbsp;
Kyrie Irving, Brooklyn Nets
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/why-the-nets-should-part-ways-with-kyrie-irving" target="_blank" rel="noopener">As I detailed in this space last month</a>, the Nets are on the precipice of a difficult decision.&nbsp;
Kyrie Irving has a player option worth $35,328,700 for the 2022-23 campaign. If he declines his option, he would be eligible to sign a new five-year deal with Brooklyn worth up to $248 million. While Kyrie is still capable of playing at an incredibly high level, the Nets have to decide how much he's worth considering his injury history (since signing with Brooklyn in 2019, Irving has appeared in just 103 of 216 regular-season games) and the off-court drama he brings to the table.&nbsp;
In the three years since Brooklyn added Kevin Durant and Kyrie, the Nets have won just one playoff series. This past season, Nets owner Joe Tsai spent $266 million in salary and luxury tax payments, the second-highest amount in league history. The Nets don't have a single playoff victory to show for it.
And over the team's final three games in the first round, Irving averaged just 15.3 points while shooting a putrid 37.2% from the floor and a frigid 18.2% from downtown.
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Whose stock in the NBA Playoffs has soared before this offseason? Whose has plummeted? Tommy Beer dives in.

Stock Up, Stock Down: NBA Playoffs edition

In the 2020 Summer Olympics, which took place in 2021 due to COVID, France matched up with Team USA in the men&rsquo;s basketball gold-medal game for the third time.
The first gold-medal meeting between the two nations took place was in 1948, with France <a href="https://www.usab.com/history/national-team-mens/games-of-the-xivth-olympiad-1948.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">losing 65-21 in that final</a>.
Despite having been historically good since then, it took another 52 years for the Frenchmen to return to that stage for a second time; unfortunately, Team USA awaited again. The game was much closer in 2000 than in 1948, but the Americans &mdash; led by Vince Carter, Kevin Garnett, Alonzo Mourning and Ray Allen among others &mdash; outlasted Antoine Rigaudeau, Laurent Sciarra, Frederic Weis and France, 85-75.
(No, that wasn&rsquo;t the game Carter <a href="https://youtu.be/WihbbVEmppI" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dunked on Weis</a>; that was earlier in The Games.)
And in last year&rsquo;s gold-medal game, in the countries' third meeting on that stage, France <a href="https://www.espn.com/mens-olympics-basketball/boxscore/_/gameId/401347899" target="_blank" rel="noopener">got even closer</a>.
France's best Olympic team ever was defeated by the Americans, 87-82. Team USA started Damian Lillard, Jrue Holiday, Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Bam Adebayo, answering the French quintet of Nando De Colo, Evan Fournier, Nicolas Batum, Guerschon Yabusele and Rudy Gobert.
Contributions from the U.S. bench came from Jayson Tatum, Zach LaVine, Draymond Green and Khris Middleton, while Timoth&eacute; Luwawu-Cabarrot, Frank Ntikilina, Thomas Heurtel and Moustapha Fall were key components of France's second unit. The Frenchmen trailed by as little as 3 points with just eight seconds remaining before Durant iced the game with two free throws.
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Now imagine that game with Joel Embiid... playing for France.
The 28-year-old NBA MVP candidate, who was born and raised in Cameroon and has never played for his home national team (despite <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/things-to-monitor-as-the-next-fiba-world-cups-next-qualifying-window-arrives">coming close in 2017</a>), is reportedly <a href="https://www.si.com/nba/2022/05/02/joel-embiid-could-change-nationality-play-french-national-team-report">eyeing an opportunity to suit up for France</a>.
Embiid has family in France, and is <a href="https://rmcsport.bfmtv.com/basket/basket-joel-embiid-superstar-de-nba-se-rapproche-de-l-equipe-de-france_AV-202205020664.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">considering changing his nationality</a> in order to play for the Frenchmen in the 2024 Olympic Games, where they&rsquo;d enter as one of the favorites to challenge Team USA again for the gold. According to French basketball general manager Boris Diaw, Embiid is <a href="https://actucameroun.com/2022/05/03/boris-diaw-manager-general-de-lequipe-de-france-confirme-les-demarches-entamees-par-joel-embiid-pour-jouer-avec-les-bleus-en-vue-des-jo-2024/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">taking the necessary steps</a>.
(Looks like we won't ever see the Embiid-Pascal Siakam tandem for Cameroon, unfortunately.)
In FIBA, each team is allowed one naturalized player on its roster. Current and recent instances of this include American-born players to suit up for different countries, such as Javonte Green (Montenegro), Matt Costello (Ivory Coast), Anthony Randolph (Slovenia) and Andray Blatche (Philippines). Non-American examples include Congolese center Serge Ibaka playing for Spain, Cuban native Ismael Romero playing for Puerto Rico and French-born Aaron Cel playing for Poland. Another famous occasion where this occurred saw Hakeem Olajuwon playing with Team USA in the 1990s.
Regarding American-born WNBA players, known examples include Bria Hartley representing France, Becky Hammon representing Russia and Leilani Mitchell representing Australia. Non-American examples in the women&rsquo;s game include Bahamian Jonquel Jones playing for Bosnia and Herzegovina and Senegal native Astou Ndour playing for Spain.
Now, it may be long before we see Embiid actually playing for France if this process gets finalized, or less than we think if he decides not to wait for the Olympics.
The next major European basketball tournament is EuroBasket 2022, <a href="https://www.fiba.basketball/eurobasket/2022">which will run from Sept. 1-18 later this year</a> across Italy, Germany, Georgia and the Czech Republic. France will be one of 24 teams competing, but seeing Embiid there would be surprising.
The 2023 FIBA World Cup, which France is <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/where-things-stand-after-the-second-window-of-fiba-world-cup-qualifiers">currently attempting to qualify for</a>, will take place from Aug. 25 through Sept. 10, 2023. Qualifying for the World Cup will run through next February before the final pool of 32 teams gets decided.
And the 2024 Summer Olympics, assuming we avoid another global pandemic, is expected to actually run that summer. The host of the Games? France, who will automatically qualify for the tournament <a href="https://www.fiba.basketball/pr-n34-brazils-national-teams-granted-automatic-places-at-2016-olympic-basketball-tournament" target="_blank" rel="noopener">by rule</a>. Embiid will be 30 years old by the next Olympics.
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Since Embiid is reportedly targeting the 2024 Games, let&rsquo;s look at some players who might be his teammates.
The oldest players from the silver-medal-winning squad last summer were De Colo and Batum, who&rsquo;ll be 37 and 35 by the 2024 Games, so expect many of the same players to run it back if possible. One name that could join the fray is Boston Celtics second-round pick Juhann Begarin, who is just 19 years old and was the No. 45 overall selection last summer. Isma&euml;l Kamagate and Hugo Besson, both of whom are 21, are in the 2022 NBA Draft pool; the same goes for 18-year-old Ousmane Dieng, who is quickly rising up draft boards. There's also plenty of hype surrounding fellow 18-year-old, ASVEL star and 7-foot-2 sensation Victor Wembanyama &mdash; a lock to be a high draft pick in 2023.
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft">BasketballNews.com Sr. NBA Draft Analyst Matt Babcock</a> has Dieng going No. 21 overall, Kamagate at No. 40 and Besson at No. 51.
But really, there&rsquo;s one question we need to answer, and it has to do with a three-time Defensive Player of the Year already on the roster who holds down the 5 position. Could an Embiid and Gobert frontcourt lead France over Team USA?
If you haven&rsquo;t realized, the American pool of bigs is slighter than you think.
Many of the best centers in the NBA aren&rsquo;t American and don&rsquo;t represent America internationally. Examples include Embiid, Gobert, Nikola Jokić (Serbia), Karl-Anthony Towns (Dominican Republic), Nikola Vučević (Montenegro), Kristaps Porziņģis (Latvia), Clint Capela (Switzerland) and Jonas Valančiūnas (Lithuania).
The best centers that have represented Team USA, and/or have Team USA eligibility, have been Adebayo, Green, Jarrett Allen and JaVale McGee. Deandre Ayton (Bahamas) is a player to watch <a href="https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/nba/suns/2021/06/22/suns-big-deandre-ayton-ideal-team-usa-2024-summer-olympics-paris/5307682001/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">who could represent Team USA in the future</a>, along with younger bigs like Evan Mobley and Chet Holmgren.
Assuming health, so the 2024 American team could start either Adebayo, Ayton or Allen, if not 2 of the 3. Team USA is generally harder to guess in advance, but your starting lineup could look like some combination of Ja Morant, Anthony Edwards, Booker, Tatum and Adebayo. Maybe, to match size, Ayton gets in there instead of Edwards.
Maybe a Trae Young, LaMelo Ball, Bradley Beal, Jaylen Brown and Donovan Mitchell sneak into the backcourt instead. Maybe someone we&rsquo;re not projecting to make another huge leap does &mdash; like Jordan Poole, Tyler Herro or Tyrese Maxey &mdash; or maybe Jaden Ivey or Jabari Smith are more ready than we think by 2024. Even so, you&rsquo;d throw, at best, Adebayo, Ayton, Allen, and Mobley at the Embiid-Gobert combo, and that tandem could be backed up by Dieng, Yabusele, and Vincent Poirier for France.
It&rsquo;s a lot to project, no doubt, but giving <a href="https://www.fiba.basketball/rankingmen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the No. 4 team in the world</a> a top-four player in the world could be what it takes for someone to snatch the gold medal away from Team USA in the Olympics for the first time since 2004.
But a lot can happen in two years, so we'll table this... for now.&nbsp;
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Bryan Fonseca looks at the potential of Joel Embiid joining France in international competition.

We’re not talking enough about Joel Embiid possibly playing for France

We&rsquo;re officially two months away from 2022 NBA Free Agency officially kicking off. Although the class is rather shallow &mdash; especially on superstar movement &mdash; the headliners provide some intrigue and there are endless possibilities in terms of the potential domino effects.
Will Zach LaVine and Deandre Ayton be viewed as max-level talents by their respective organizations? What will happen with James Harden and Kyrie Irving? Will Bradley Beal once again commit long-term to the Washington Wizards?
Let&rsquo;s dive into my predictions on what the top-five projected free agents will likely do this offseason, and how those moves could alter the calculus of the entire NBA.
James Harden
Player Option ($44.7 million)
Philadelphia 76ers president Daryl Morey accomplished his long-awaited dream when he helped James Harden and Joel Embiid join forces in Philadelphia earlier this season. When Harden wanted to get out of Brooklyn (an era we'll look back on as a huge "what if" in NBA history), the Sixers pushed their chips all-in on the dominant inside-out duo&rsquo;s potential.
However, having sent out Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond and future draft capital to the Nets, it hasn&rsquo;t gone as smoothly as many expected for Harden. After a fast start with his new team, Harden's production has tailed off. Now, with Embiid's postseason status in jeopardy due to an orbital fracture, can Harden recapture his form before another important career decision?
Harden averaged 21.0 points, 10.5 assists and 7.1 rebounds in 21 regular-season games with the Sixers, and through six playoff games, has produced to the tune of 19.0 points, 10.2 assists and 5.0 rebounds.
Since these numbers aren't anywhere close to vintage-Harden levels of offensive production, does Morey feel comfortable shelling out a gigantic long-term extension to the 32-year-old, high-usage guard? It feels like we&rsquo;re entering into the next phase of Harden&rsquo;s career, and if that&rsquo;s the case, he&rsquo;s probably not a $40-plus-million player.
It seems like Philadelphia is backed into a corner in this situation though. After shipping off Simmons and future assets to Brooklyn, the Sixers have committed to Embiid and Harden hopefully delivering a championship within their short-term window.
Prediction: Harden opts out and re-signs on three-year max contract
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Kyrie Irving
Player Option ($36.5 million)
Who knows what the future holds as it relates to Kyrie Irving? Unwilling to get vaccinated against COVID-19, Irving cost the Nets a realistic chance at competing for an NBA championship this season; this should've never been an issue, but he had to try to catch up and learn on the fly with his teammates.
Brooklyn still holds those championship expectations moving forward, especially with Kevin Durant and Simmons alongside Irving.
Irving is the true wildcard to watch this summer. If he decides to <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/why-the-nets-should-part-ways-with-kyrie-irving" target="_blank" rel="noopener">move on from the Nets</a>, it wouldn&rsquo;t be a surprise at all. Honestly, even retirement wouldn&rsquo;t be a complete surprise with Irving. In the end, though, the Nets are also married to this idea of competing for rings over the extended window with Durant.
The reason why Durant joined the Nets was to play with his best friend in Irving. It&rsquo;s hard to envision Irving leaving Brooklyn, and he echoed similar sentiments after the Nets&rsquo; disappointing first-round exit against the Boston Celtics.
&ldquo;There&rsquo;s no way I&rsquo;m leaving my man 7 anywhere,&rdquo; Irving said after the series.
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"I don't really plan on going anywhere.... when I say I'm here with Kev [Durant] I think that it really entails us managing this franchise together alongside Joe [Tsai] and Sean [Marks]... we're cornerstones here but we have Ben, we have a few other guys..." -Kyrie Irving on FA <a href="https://t.co/ulk86MzHTK">pic.twitter.com/ulk86MzHTK</a>
&mdash; DaveEarly (@DavidEarly) <a href="https://twitter.com/DavidEarly/status/1518782963579867138?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 26, 2022</a></blockquote>

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The Nets should definitely reconsider their stance on handing out a potential five-year max extension to Irving though. Understanding his unpredictability, who knows what could happen in the future with him? With Durant still dominating, Irving will likely align his next contract on a similar path.
Prediction: Irving opts out and re-signs on four-year max contract
Bradley Beal
Player Option ($36.4 million)
Will Bradley Beal really decide to stick around in D.C. for the long-term? I have serious doubts on that idea, and Beal should as well for his legacy. Even in a down year for the Washington Wizards &mdash; one in which he was shut down due to a torn ligament in his left wrist on Feb. 8 &mdash; he&rsquo;s still a star-level player in the NBA. Capable of dropping 30-plus points with ease at anytime, Beal has consistently shown the team around him has been the main issue. Carrying subpar teams on his back since John Wall left, Beal needs to consider doing the greater good for his own individual outlook.
From Beal&rsquo;s perspective, looking around at other options to win right now would be the best-case scenario. While he's been very loyal to the Wizards since being drafted by the organization, this could become very awkward rather quickly once the offseason window opens.
Washington has done a fantastic job retooling its team on the fly since trading away Russell Westbrook. Rolling the dice on Kristaps Porzingis at the trade deadline is a massive risk, but he&rsquo;s the closest thing to a star-level player who would be willing to stay long-term. With Porzingis and a plethora of young talent led by Kyle Kuzma, will Beal lock himself into this situation for another four or five years?
The trade market will be the most realistic route to see star movement in the summer. Beal is one of those names to watch via sign-and-trade. If Beal opts out, don&rsquo;t be surprised to see him sign elsewhere while not leaving the Wizards high and dry with nothing back in return. Beal seems destined to spread his wings elsewhere and serve as the cherry on top of a true title contender's roster.
Prediction: Beal opts out and the Wizards pull off sign-and-trade to recoup some assets
Zach LaVine
Unrestricted Free Agent
Zach LaVine is one of the more underrated players in the league. He&rsquo;s a highlight reel on the offensive end, but his defense leaves so much to be desired. We&rsquo;ve seen incremental improvements with LaVine on that end with better talent around him, but will the Bulls view him as a max-level player? Committing that type of money to LaVine could be risky &mdash; especially with an upcoming offseason knee surgery &mdash; but it&rsquo;s the Bulls&rsquo; best bet to keeping their core together long-term.
If the Bulls balk at paying LaVine, many teams with cap space will come knocking on his door. San Antonio Spurs point guard Dejounte Murray has already started <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPointsApp/status/1519870631180791808?s=20&amp;t=vGdMwWWoEEc20-pQbx0udg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recruiting LaVine on social media</a> with photoshops of him in their jersey, for example.
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LaVine and DeMar DeRozan showed throughout this season that they are a lethal scoring combination that is very difficult to contain. Before injuries ravaged Chicago&rsquo;s roster, they were one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference. Maybe the Bulls try to move Nikola Vucevic, who has a $22 million expiring contract; <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/examining-potential-trade-destinations-for-rudy-gobert" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rudy Gobert could be a name to watch</a> if the Bulls try to take their team to another level.
But LaVine is a different story.
A core in Chicago of LaVine, DeRozan, Lonzo Ball, Patrick Williams and Alex Caruso is a fun one. Chicago runs it back and doesn&rsquo;t hesitate coughing up huge money to its star shooting guard.
Prediction: LaVine signs a five-year max extension with Bulls
Deandre Ayton
Restricted Free Agent
This is one of the more interesting situations to follow heading into the offseason. After the Phoenix Suns shockingly decided not to pay 2018 No. 1 overall pick Deandre Ayton before the season began, questions are still bubbling under the surface on his long-term future with the organization. Ayton hasn&rsquo;t let this impact his on-court performance though, as he's continued to be a two-way anchor to the Suns&rsquo; immense success. The Bahamian big man keeps proving his game is tailor-made for the postseason as well.
Will the Suns actually allow Ayton and his representation to test the open market as one of the top free agents available? It would be stunning, but it feels like we could be heading in that direction.
ESPN&rsquo;s Adrian Wojnarowski has mentioned that, in negotiations, the Suns didn&rsquo;t view Ayton as a max-level player at the time, which stunned many executives around the NBA. Has Phoenix&rsquo;s stance changed after Ayton&rsquo;s consistent performances throughout this season and the playoffs?
Here&rsquo;s a little nugget: According to a league source, Phoenix is more than comfortable paying up and going deep into the luxury tax as long as its roster is competing for championships. Ayton is part of that puzzle, and 2019 lottery pick Cameron Johnson is eligible for an extension this offseason. Do with that information what you will, but it would truly be stunning to see Ayton playing elsewhere in 2022-23.
Prediction: Ayton tests the market and signs four-year max offer sheet elsewhere, which includes a player option; Phoenix eventually matches the offer sheet and keeps him long-term 
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What will happen with the best projected 2022 free agents this offseason? Evan Sidery shares his predictions for the top five.

2022 NBA Free Agency: Predicting where 5 stars will land this summer

In spite of Luka Dončić only playing half of the series, the Utah Jazz have been eliminated by the Dallas Mavericks in the opening round of the NBA Playoffs, which can only mean it&rsquo;s time to blow them up!
Okay, not really... but maybe? Virtually everyone is expecting organizational changes given the team's recent underachievement in the playoffs stemming from successful regular seasons. This incarnation of the Jazz was established in 2017-18, behind then-rookie Donovan Mitchell&rsquo;s quick rise to stardom and Rudy Gobert&rsquo;s emergence as an annual Defensive Player of the Year candidate.
That season, Mitchell &mdash; filling the void left by Gordon Hayward &mdash; finished his first season as a 20-point-per-game scorer despite being picked No. 13 overall and averaging just over 14 points per game in his first 19 appearances. Gobert, even having played only 56 games, was awarded his first of now three DPOY awards.
In these five years, there have been as many playoff trips &mdash; three as the No. 5 seed (including this season), one as the No. 6 in the Orlando Bubble, and another as the top overall seed in the Western Conference last year.
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In 2017-18, the Jazz overachieved, taking down the Russell Westbrook-Paul George-Carmelo Anthony-led Oklahoma City Thunder in six games before losing to the No. 1 seed Houston Rockets in five contests.
In 2018-19, Utah lost to the Rockets again in five, this time in the first round, and Houston even led 3-0 with a +55 scoring margin before dropping Game 4.
In 2019-20, the Jazz squandered a 3-1 lead to the Denver Nuggets, losing Game 7 in the final seconds of the opening round.
Last season &mdash; despite the Los Angeles Clippers losing Kawhi Leonard to a torn ACL (that he&rsquo;s still not back from) &mdash; the Jazz <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CD2yBy-EqnU" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lost in six games to the Clippers</a> in the West semifinals, and Gobert was dunked on by both Terance Mann and social media in the ending.
And finally, this postseason &mdash; in a series with Dončić missing the first three games with a calf injury, in which Utah still trailed 2-1 upon his return &mdash; Utah lost on yet another last-second heartbreaker.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
THE PLAYOFF DROUGHT IS OVER. THE DALLAS MAVERICKS ADVANCE TO THE SECOND ROUND SINCE 2011!<a href="https://twitter.com/dallasmavs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@dallasmavs</a> | 📺 BSSW | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/dALLasIN?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#dALLasIN</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAPlayoffs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAPlayoffs</a> <a href="https://t.co/VcWGAdSOL4">pic.twitter.com/VcWGAdSOL4</a>
&mdash; Bally Sports Southwest (@BallySportsSW) <a href="https://twitter.com/BallySportsSW/status/1519896562079518727?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Given <a href="https://twitter.com/tribjazz/status/1482077811019902980">the sniping back-and-forth between Mitchell and Gobert</a>, the Jazz's inability to break through and how far behind they appear from the top teams in the West, this seems like the summer where sizeable moves will be coming.
Personally speaking, it feels like we&rsquo;re heading toward Mitchell requesting a trade and moving on, but either way, one of Mitchell or Gobert &mdash; perhaps both &mdash; may be on the move in the coming months. Our Evan Sidery <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/examining-potential-trade-destinations-for-rudy-gobert" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recently looked at five trade ideas involving Gobert</a>.
Today, let's look at where Mitchell could end up, <a href="https://fanspo.com/nba/trade-machine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">using this trade machine</a>.
Mitchell is due $30.3 million next year, $32.6 million in 2023-24, $34.9 million in 2024-25, and has a player option for $37 million in 2025-26. Keep that in mind as we embark on this journey together. (Why did I sound like Professor Oak there?)
New York Knicks
Mitchell&rsquo;s father, Donovan Sr., works with the New York Mets organization. The 25-year-old Mitchell himself is a native of Elmsford, New York. Naturally, with the New York Knicks, there will be Mitchell smoke until a deal (or something else) actually happens. Because Tommy Beer already <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/expect-the-knicks-to-make-a-real-run-at-donovan-mitchell-this-summer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">broke down the possibility of a Mitchell-to-New-York trade</a>, we won&rsquo;t stay here too long.
Regarding the Knicks&rsquo; actual proposal, the first look would be to RJ Barrett, who is extension eligible this summer, entering year four and making $10.9 million next year. The idea, for New York, should be to team Barrett and Mitchell together. If that&rsquo;s not possible, and the Mitchell deal were to have to get done, Barrett is your chief trade chip, along with first-round draft picks. The Knicks have all their own first-rounders as of this writing.
Usable salaries for the Knicks next year include Evan Fournier, who&rsquo;ll be at $18 million, Derrick Rose at $14.5 million, Alec Burks at $10 million, Nerlens Noel at $9.2 million and Kemba Walker at over $9.1 million. Rose, Burks and Noel all have team options for 2023-24, so they have ostensibly expiring deals. Walker&rsquo;s next season is his last under contract, and Fournier is signed through 2025, but that also includes a team option. Cam Reddish and Taj Gibson also enter the last year of their respective deals, at about $6 million and $5.1 million each, respectively.
The contract elephant in the room is Julius Randle&rsquo;s, which is a four-year, $117 million extension that begins next season at $26.1 million. It&rsquo;ll gradually increase until his player option for $32.4 million kicks in for 2025-26. The Knicks might try to move Randle instead, but what sense does that make for Utah? And if Utah isn&rsquo;t getting Barrett, would they want a package of the aforementioned veterans (say, Fournier and Burks), along with one or two of Immanuel Quickley, Quentin Grimes, or Miles McBride (who make between $1.6 and $2.3 million next year) and picks?
It&rsquo;ll be hard to do without Barrett, and maybe Randle gets involved in a three-team deal, but the Knicks have the picks, salaries and prospects to make it work, if that&rsquo;s the route the Jazz want to go.
Detroit Pistons
The Pistons seem like a team that could be a version of this past season&rsquo;s Cleveland Cavaliers &mdash; not in terms of play style or once being a top-four team in the Eastern Conference standings necessarily, but from the standpoint of being competitive a year sooner than we think and playing meaningful games down the stretch (like one or two in the Play-In Tournament).
Given that 20 of 30 NBA teams will have games beyond the regular season, the Pistons may (should) attempt to get one of those spots.
Last year&rsquo;s No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham is <a href="https://youtu.be/I9OLPXxgYWk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">someone you can build with</a>. Saddiq Bey should be a more efficient scorer with more experience and better teammates. Most of the rest is to be determined, but Detroit can start by using Jerami Grant&rsquo;s near $21 million expiring deal next summer.
What comes next depends on what stage the Jazz want to be closer to. If this is a rebuild, you can ask for a combination of Killian Hayes and Hamidou Diallo (both of whom make over $5 million next year), for example, and Hayes has a $7.4 million team option for 2023-24. If not, Kelly Olynyk has $12.8 million coming to him next year that&rsquo;s usable. Utah can in throw in, hypothetically, Royce O&rsquo;Neale&rsquo;s $9.3 million deal next year and get Olynyk anyway.
So the player framework can look something like:
<ul>
<li>Donovan Mitchell for Jerami Grant and Kelly Olynyk</li>
<li>Donovan Mitchell for Jerami Grant, Killian Hayes and Hamidou Diallo</li>
<li>Donovan Mitchell and Royce O&rsquo;Neale for Jerami Grant, Killian Hayes, Hamidou Diallo and Kelly Olynyk plus a sh*t ton of draft picks. The Pistons would be moving something like three first-rounders in the deal, and potentially multiple first-round pick swaps.</li>
</ul>
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Miami Heat
I brought this up during <a href="https://youtu.be/XBQwn0pOAa4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BasketballNews.com's NBA Trade Deadline stream</a>.&nbsp;
The Heat didn&rsquo;t do it then, but it might still be on the table depending on how these playoffs go. The Heat might not offer the best return package because of their draft picks, but they did unlock additional firsts by moving KZ Okpala to Oklahoma City in February. And, for Miami, we&rsquo;re mainly talking about one package. But again, it depends on the results of this postseason.&nbsp;
Currently, the Heat are getting ready to face the Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference semifinals, a matchup they&rsquo;re favored to win (albeit narrowly). If they lose this particular series, or if they win and Tyler Herro continues to struggle in the playoffs, or even if Miami makes a deep run and Herro elevates from a slow start, he&rsquo;d be the primary chip in a Mitchell deal. Furthermore, the <a href="https://twitter.com/GregSylvander/status/1482101290964504580" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Heat are on Mitchell&rsquo;s shortlist</a>, according to Greg Sylvander of Five Reasons Sports.
The deal, as I mentioned on our stream, would include Herro &mdash; who is still on a rookie-scale contract ($5.7 million next year), but is extension-eligible this summer and wouldn&rsquo;t kick-in until 2023. Then comes Duncan Robinson, who&rsquo;ll enter the second year of a five-year, $90 million deal next season, which bookends with a near $20 million player option and rises to $16.9 million next season.
According to the trade machine, Omer Yurtseven&rsquo;s $1.7 million next season makes the math work, and would give Utah a Gobert backup who&rsquo;ll, if nothing else, get you 10 rebounds in 15 minutes on occasion. Would the Heat have to throw in at least one of Gabe Vincent, Max Strus or Haywood Highsmith (all of whom make between $1.7 and $1.8 million next year)? Perhaps. And from there, Miami has tradeable first-rounders in 2022, 2024 and 2026. So, in summation, it could look like this:
<ul>
<li>Donovan Mitchell for Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson, Omer Yurtseven, one of Gabe Vincent/Max Strus/Haywood Highsmith, draft capital</li>
</ul>
But if Herro has a big playoff run moving forward, the Heat may instead opt to move Robinson in a separate, smaller deal for a worthy big man in their rotation, and mostly run it back otherwise.
Atlanta Hawks
Alright, now you saw what the Heat did to Trae Young in the first round. The Hawks clearly are not only poised to get Young some help, but make a 3-for-1-ish deal to consolidate some depth into a higher-end starter &mdash; or in the case of Mitchell, a fellow offensive starter. His teammate, Gobert, is probably the better fit, but one, I&rsquo;m not writing about Gobert (our Evan Sidery will handle that) and two, if Gobert is frustrated with Mitchell&rsquo;s defense...
But anyway, you gotta start somewhere. And for Atlanta, part of why the Heat neutralized Young is their malleability defensively, but also, the Hawks don&rsquo;t have another true star to account for on the perimeter. Mitchell would give Young a viable tag team partner offensively to spread the defensive focus. To do so, the Hawks could play this a few different ways.
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The obvious trade chip is John Collins, and there could be questions about his fit next to Gobert, but it&rsquo;s not a bad place to start if you&rsquo;re moving someone of Mitchell&rsquo;s caliber. Collins will make $23.5 million next year, and between $25.3 and $26.6 million through 2025-26. Collins has had rumored friction with Young, though they&rsquo;ve downplayed it over the years. From there, if you use Collins in a possible deal, it gets interesting.&nbsp;
De&rsquo;Andre Hunter &mdash; who makes $9.8 million next year in the last season of a rookie deal and is extension-eligible this summer &mdash; seems logical for both the Jazz to want and the Hawks to keep. Hunter was Atlanta's best player against the Heat, and has been a quality two-way wing when healthy. Is a framework of Collins and Hunter for Mitchell straight up enough of a deal for both sides? Sheeeeeiiiiit, ask them, but it sounds good to me!
<ul>
<li>Donovan Mitchell for John Collins and De'Andre Hunter</li>
</ul>
No Collins? Okay. You&rsquo;re not moving Clint Capela&rsquo;s long-term deal for Utah in a Mitchell move, so that&rsquo;s out of the picture. Kevin Huerter would absolutely have to be part of this, and no, that&rsquo;s not a white Utah joke. Hu-why would you think that?&nbsp;
Huerter begins his $65 million extension next year, the first of four, banking $14.5 million in 2022-23. Hunter probably stays in the deal because Utah has to get something really good, and the Hawks simply can&rsquo;t extend everyone. Again, Atlanta should want to keep Hunter, but this is the price of doing business. But if you&rsquo;re throwing in Huerter instead of Collins (which does work on the trade machine since different rules apply in the offseason than in-season), you&rsquo;ll need multiple first round picks &mdash; of which the Hawks have all their own &mdash; so that could get done.
Could Utah also want Onyeka Okongwu? Sure, but he seems like Atlanta's 5-man of the future, and a separate deal moving off Capela might be more likely. So the second proposal could look like this:
<ul>
<li>Donovan Mitchell for De'Andre Hunter, Kevin Huerter, draft capital</li>
</ul>
Now, the Hawks would still need to figure some things out defensively, seeing as how they&rsquo;d be led by two 6-foot-1 scorers in the backcourt. They could just became the new Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum to some extent, but <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/a-salute-to-the-defiance-of-damian-lillard-and-cj-mccollum" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the Portland Trail Blazers are as much to blame for that &ldquo;not working,&rdquo;</a> and the Hawks can learn from those team-building mistakes.&nbsp;
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Bryan Fonseca takes a look at four logical landing spots for Utah Jazz star guard Donovan Mitchell.

Examining potential trade desinations for Donovan Mitchell 

Back injuries are incredibly common in professional sports, particularly in the NBA. But just because they&rsquo;re common does not make them easy to overcome &mdash; and Ben Simmons can attest to that.
Simmons is a big, dynamic playmaker whose defensive versatility and speed set him apart from the vast majority of guards in the NBA. And, right or not, the Brooklyn Nets were relying on Simmons to contribute in their first-round playoff series against the Boston Celtics.
After a number of reports suggested a Simmons comeback was imminent, we now know that was not meant to be.
The media didn&rsquo;t help, as rumblings surfaced that Simmons was pain-free following a practice and could return to the team as early as Game 3. Simmons didn&rsquo;t help his case either, and at one point beckoned to ESPN's Nick Friedell to film him <a href="https://twitter.com/YahooSports/status/1515377280129806340?s=20&amp;t=dhtvXHosNXvt8FuOZ4T1kg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dunking the basketball</a> after a recent practice.
We don&rsquo;t necessarily know why Simmons didn&rsquo;t play in the Nets&rsquo; first-round series. Maybe he suffered a setback, or maybe he wasn&rsquo;t as healthy as we were led to believe. Per The Athletic's Shams Charania, his mental health <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/shams-ben-simmons-did-not-return-because-of-mental-block" target="_blank" rel="noopener">was also a major factor</a>.
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But while reports about his potential availability misled many of us, <a href="https://rahulshahmd.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dr. Rahul Shah</a>, a world renowned, board-certified orthopedic spine surgeon, cautioned against getting too excited from the very start.
&ldquo;Simmons received a shot a few weeks ago,&rdquo; Dr. Shah told BasketballNews.com in a Zoom interview in late March. &ldquo;If you&rsquo;re not seeing him practice, warming up with the team, 3-on-3s &mdash; if he&rsquo;s not doing that, you can be pretty certain he&rsquo;s not getting the relief he needs.&rdquo;
We last saw Simmons on the floor in the 2021 Eastern Conference semifinals, but he sat out of this season's training camp in hopes of pressuring the Philadelphia 76ers to trade him. The Sixers didn&rsquo;t relent... at least not quickly.
Simmons' hold-out cost him 54 games (and approximately $20 million, over which he filed a grievance in early April), and on Feb. 10, he was finally traded to Brooklyn.
As mentioned earlier, Simmons dealt with mental-health issues for the entirety of the 2021-22 season and possibly longer. It was initially <a href="https://twitter.com/ramonashelburne/status/1491841027153412096?s=20&amp;t=johir1tYZUwQ_s5HLqg4-Q" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported by ESPN&rsquo;s Ramona Shelburne</a> that Simmons &ldquo;will continue to work with his therapist to get mentally ready to play in Brooklyn.&rdquo; But there was no mention of a back injury &mdash; at least not initially.
One of the main challenges in understanding where Simmons was in his recovery as of a week ago was that the injury wasn&rsquo;t proactively reported. Even Nets head coach Steve Nash seemed unclear on his status for much of the time following the trade.
Nash referred to Simmons&rsquo; back injury as &ldquo;a little soreness&rdquo; in late February. In mid-March, he had &ldquo;extremely high hopes&rdquo; that Simmons would return in the regular season. But in late March, Nash finally conceded that &ldquo;someone&rdquo; had reported that Simmons had a herniated disc.
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Was Nash being intentionally coy? Or was he truly unaware of the extent of Simmons&rsquo; back issues?
It&rsquo;s worth mentioning that Simmons has a mostly uneventful injury history as it relates to his back. The most recent occurrence was when he missed nine games with a nerve impingement in February 2020, but there have been no reported complications since.
Something clearly happened between June 2021 and February 2022.
<a href="https://rahulshahmd.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dr. Shah</a> told BasketballNews.com that herniated discs typically require three-to-six months for a full recovery. Could Simmons have really injured his back after being traded? Or just before?
It&rsquo;s possible, but not relevant.
Regardless of when it happened, we can probably blame Simmons' hold-out for much of it. Training camp and the preseason are important to warm up for a relatively long season. Getting back into shape after skipping training camp and preseason and missing months of a season is nearly impossible &mdash; even for someone as athletic as Simmons.
Even worse, Simmons&rsquo; injury could have long-term implications for the Nets.
With Simmons having received an epidural shot in mid-March, Dr. Shah walked BasketballNews.com through the process and timeline of a typical recovery from a herniated disc.
&ldquo;Shots are one step before surgery, and that&rsquo;s why Simmons was having shots,&rdquo; Dr. Shah explained. "If that doesn&rsquo;t work, why not? It can be because it&rsquo;s the wrong problem, but it can also be that more has to be done. Typically, with surgery &mdash; when you go to that area &mdash; you identify where the disc is pressing on that nerve. You go in and basically trim down the area; you just remove a small portion. But if you&rsquo;re torquing on that area, there&rsquo;s a chance that more disc can come out.
&ldquo;So, you want to limit risk as much as you can. You want to always take the least amount of risk, but sometimes it&rsquo;s not enough. This operation is very effective but there is a 5-to-15% chance of more disc coming out in the future.&rdquo;
Dr. Shah also explained that, while surgery is generally successful, the risk it presents leads many people to try rehab and shots first.
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&ldquo;People return to twice as many games and play for twice as long with the surgery than without it,&rdquo; Dr. Shah explained. &ldquo;But there is a risk with it. And that&rsquo;s why most people don&rsquo;t go with it immediately.
&ldquo;So, for Ben Simmons, the likelihood of him needing this kind of surgery is probably reasonable, maybe 60% or 70%. And the real question is, &lsquo;Can he return back and play at the highest level with the shot?&rsquo; If he can&rsquo;t, you have your answer.&rdquo;
While the Nets&rsquo; season is done, Simmons could have decisions to make that will directly impact his ability to play next season. Granted, Simmons&rsquo; mental health is at least equally important as his physical health, especially to him; but if Simmons&rsquo; is to be successful, his back must be healthy.
According to the Mayo Clinic, a diskectomy &mdash; a surgical procedure to remove the damaged portion of a herniated disk in your spine &mdash; requires at least 6-to-8 weeks of recovery time. For context, Dwight Howard was expected to miss <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-basketball-nba-was-howard/wizards-howard-says-hes-pain-free-after-surgery-idUSKCN1OI2K4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2-to-3 months</a> following a microdiscectomy in late 2018, and Mike Dunleavy was projected to miss <a href="https://www.si.com/nba/2015/09/25/chicago-bulls-mike-dunleavy-back-surgery-injury-update" target="_blank" rel="noopener">8-to-10 weeks</a> in 2015 following the same procedure.
Simmons and the Nets have about five months until the start of training camp. So, while he technically has some time, Simmons should make a decision regarding how he'll proceed sooner than later.
In a recent <a href="https://hoopshype.com/lists/nets-rumors-kyrie-irving-kevin-durant-ben-simmons-steve-nash-bruce-brown-nicolas-claxton/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HoopsHype podcast with the Daily News' Kristian Winfield</a>, Mike Scotto said the Nets hope Simmons can guard an opposing team&rsquo;s best player on any given night, regardless of position. In other words, in a given (hypothetical) week, Simmons will be expected to guard the likes of LeBron James, Ja Morant, Luka Doncic, Giannis Antetokounmpo and more.
That is a very tall task for any player, but it&rsquo;s downright impossible if said player has a lingering injury &mdash; especially in his back. And given what was given up to get Simmons to Brooklyn (and the fact that most teams around the league want nothing to do with him at the moment), the Nets have to hope he'll bounce back to his old self.&nbsp;
It might seem crazy, but Ben Simmons is still only 25. He truly could have a decade or more left in the NBA. Hopefully he's able to overcome all of his challenges &mdash; physical and otherwise.
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Dr. Rahul Shah says there was a 60-70% chance that Ben Simmons needed back surgery in late March. Could the Nets have known?

Ben Simmons' Brooklyn no-show was more predictable than we thought

The last time Ben Simmons appeared in an NBA game was June 20, 2021.&nbsp;
It was Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, which the Philadelphia 76ers lost to the Atlanta Hawks, 103-96. Simmons contributed 5 points, 13 assists, 8 rebounds and a steal, but the most memorable play occurred with 3:30 left in the fourth quarter when he passed up a wide-open layup. The loss ultimately led to the Simmons saga, which culminated in a trade to the Brooklyn Nets. 
Simmons has yet to suit up for the Nets, but that may change very soon. ESPN&rsquo;s Adrian Wojnarowski <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/woj-ben-simmons-targets-first-rounds-game-4-to-be-his-nets-debut" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reports</a> that Simmons is targeting Game 4 against the Boston Celtics to make his season debut. The 25-year-old has been dealing with a herniated disc in his back, but he's made progress this week.
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Based on Ben Simmons&rsquo; progress in practices this week &ndash; and the anticipation of him further accelerating in the coming days &ndash; Game 4 vs. Boston on Monday is looming as a realistic target for his Brooklyn debut, sources tell ESPN.
&mdash; Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1516830553160527889?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 20, 2022</a></blockquote>

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If Simmons does get cleared, does it even make sense for Brooklyn to play him against Boston? Do the risks outweigh the rewards? We asked our BasketballNews.com writers to weigh in:
Mark Schindler: I'd probably lean toward not playing Ben. I understand the impact he&nbsp;could have, but the precedent of bringing players who haven't logged a regular-season minute into the middle of a playoff series makes me lean "no." I don't think it's as simple as, &ldquo;Well, he could just play 15-to-30 minutes&rdquo; because he needs rhythm. The players in the rotation already have a rhythm, and even then, it's still being sorted out. Brooklyn&rsquo;s rotation has been in flux and has varied all year, and it finally feels close to right. Given that, as well as Ben&rsquo;s injury timeline, it's murky for me.
Nekias Duncan: The Nets could use Simmons, particularly on the defensive end. They currently don't have a forward-sized player aside from Kevin Durant who is completely trustworthy. Considering the role Simmons would have to play on both ends, I don't think it'd be a crazy adjustment period for him. Defend, push after misses, execute some handoffs and hang around <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/podcasts/the-dunker-spot" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the dunker spot</a> otherwise.
Alex Kennedy:&nbsp;This is complicated. Simmons has been sidelined for nearly a year, so he's going to be rusty. It also seems unlikely that he'll be 100% healthy. A few weeks ago, Simmons needed an epidural because his herniated disc was causing him so much pain. Also, he hasn't played with any of these current Brooklyn players (aside from 49 games alongside Seth Curry in Philadelphia). He'll be trying to learn a new system, a new role and new teammates' tendencies on the fly; meanwhile, the other players will be trying to adjust to Simmons and the new rotation. If that wasn't tough enough, Simmons also has dealt with confidence issues and has struggled in high-pressure moments. This isn't throwing him into the deep end; it's tossing him into the Mariana Trench. I understand the temptation to play him since he's a Defensive Player of the Year runner-up, and the Nets had the NBA's 15th-ranked defense this season (third-worst among the East playoff teams). There's no question that he'd help on that end, especially against Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Still, I lean toward sitting him and focusing on next season. Playing him is the high-risk, high-reward move, but it feels like that could blow up in the team's face.&nbsp;
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Sharon Brown: I would play him in limited sets. Simmons' role with the Nets is different than it was with the Sixers. Defense comes naturally to him. He will be able to get rebounds, alter passing lanes, block shots and more. All the Nets need him to do is play defense and pass the ball to either Kyrie or KD. I don't see how that can hurt the Nets.
Bryan Fonseca: F**k no! You're really going to take a guy who had that playoff experience last year and &mdash; fresh off a back injury and alleged mental-health issues &mdash; just throw him into this series? How does that make sense? Can he help from a basketball standpoint on the floor? Sure. That's why Brooklyn made the trade, isn't it? And maybe the Nets are confident in how they've gotten him ready, his progress, their culture and things of that nature. Cool. But to throw him back in there after a year off, after the conclusion to last season and after all that's unfolded since, I'm not sure what sense this makes. Perhaps he's mentally and physically ready, but it feels like a desperate-times-call-for-desperate-measures move.
Spencer Davies: Despite having the luxury of an All-NBA defender and All-Star-caliber threat in the open floor, it'd be wise for the Brooklyn Nets to ease Ben Simmons back into competition. If that means he plays 10 total minutes in short, separated stints, so be it. He'd likely be tasked with roaming off the ball on defense and trying to create pick-sixes, in addition to containing Jayson Tatum and/or Jaylen Brown directly. There's always an inherent risk with debuting a player who hasn't played with your team in a playoff setting, particularly one where you could be experimenting in a situation that needs to be concrete (pending the series score). Still, there's always room for a playmaking, athletic, rangy weapon in the postseason, no matter how little Simmons is out there.
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Moke Hamilton: I&rsquo;m torn on this. I argued that the Nets <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/at-some-point-nets-may-be-wise-to-rule-ben-simmons-out-for-season" target="_blank" rel="noopener">should shut Simmons down</a>, but I also recognize that Kevin Durant is no spring chicken. He and Kyrie don&rsquo;t necessarily have all the time in the world to bring a championship to Brooklyn, so you figure Simmons can help while they&rsquo;re both playing at a high level. Why not, right? At the end of the day, if you&rsquo;re Sean Marks, you have to trust your medical staff. If I&rsquo;m Brooklyn, I&rsquo;d let him run if everyone thought he was good to go. My major concern is that after a one-year layoff, coming back in the playoffs &mdash; especially against a team like Boston &mdash; is going from zero-to-100 pretty quickly. And let&rsquo;s keep in mind, medical staffs can be wrong. The Warriors probably didn&rsquo;t think Durant could do further damage to his &ldquo;calf strain&rdquo; by returning against Toronto in the 2019 NBA Finals. Wrong they were, obviously. I&rsquo;d let Simmons play, but I would slowly ramp him up. I also wouldn&rsquo;t be expecting him to be as effective as usual. At that point, you&rsquo;d have to wonder if he&rsquo;d even be a net-plus over the guy whose minutes he&rsquo;d be taking (Bruce Brown, in most instances)&hellip; But that&rsquo;s Steve Nash&rsquo;s problem.
Ethan Fuller: I don't think a mid-playoff-series toss into the teeth of the Celtics' defense is going to get Ben Simmons feeling confident and in rhythm after nearly a year on the sidelines. The Nets have already faced trials of team chemistry with the James Harden trade and Kyrie Irving&rsquo;s return to full-time play. Now they want to roll out Simmons and further disrupt a rotation that's finding its footing? Simmons is an All-World defender, and maybe that's what the Nets will need if they face elimination. But until then, I just can't logically picture him instantly clicking with the high stakes of the postseason.
Tommy Beer: I understand the hesitancy to introduce a new player into a heavily competitive series when he clearly hasn&rsquo;t had enough time to practice with his new teammates. However, I think throwing Ben Simmons into the mix is worth the gamble for Brooklyn, primarily because of the significant contributions he can make on the defensive end. Keep in mind, Simmons was named to the All-Defensive First Team for a second consecutive season in 2020-21 and was one of just two unanimous selections (along with Rudy Gobert). The Nets will need quality defenders if they hope to slow down a Celtics squad featuring Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Also, Simmons brings incredible versatility to the table. He is one of the very few players in the league capable of covering quick point guards (like Marcus Smart) as well as burly power forwards (like <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/appreciating-a-brilliant-showing-from-al-horford" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Al Horford</a>). While the downside is obvious (expect Boston to send Simmons to the free-throw line early and often), the pros outweigh the cons for Brooklyn.
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Jesse Blancarte: I am guessing that most people think the Brooklyn Nets should not play Ben Simmons this postseason. I understand the arguments. He has not played in a long time. He has struggled mightily in past postseasons. His shooting is a problem. He is playing on a new team and will have to try and fit into their offensive and defensive systems on the fly. He could become a distraction if he clams up and the collective focus turns to his struggles like it did in Philadelphia. I still think the Nets should integrate Simmons immediately if he is healthy. Assuming Simmons is healthy, he is one of the most versatile defenders in the league. He has the length, mobility and strength to defend guards and forwards and can jump passing lanes to create easy fastbreak opportunities. Integrating him on offense will be more complicated, but a progressive ramp-up could pay off down the road, assuming the Nets can advance past the Boston Celtics (which is not a certainty at this point). If he doesn&rsquo;t look healthy, or if he is struggling, then bench him or scale back his minutes. But considering his skillset, his playmaking ability and the fact that he has Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving to distribute the ball to, I think there is too much upside to not give him a chance. Without him, the Nets are viable contenders, but if Simmons is activated and plays well, the Nets could become the favorite to win it all.
Justin Lewis: The Nets clearly need a body to throw at Jayson Tatum and another playmaker to take some pressure off of Kyrie and KD. They don't need Simmons to score a single point. His defensive prowess and ability to start a fastbreak and make plays for his teammates are valuable enough to throw him out there despite the rust.
Drew Maresca: Simmons is a risky play at best. Back injuries are fickle, and proceeding without sufficient time to gauge how well he responds to contact is dangerous. Simmons may have caught a break in that he avoided surgery. Why tempt fate? If his back is re-injured in any way, surgery is all but guaranteed, and that would result in additional complications. As much as Brooklyn and its fans are dying to push their chips to the center of the table, I'd proceed with caution.
Matt John: There are just so many unknowns surrounding what Ben Simmons could do for the Nets. He hasn't played all season and he's playing for a new team that will put him in a different role from what he was accustomed to in Philadelphia. Simmons could be a game-changer for Brooklyn, but that remains in the abstract until further notice. He's a great passer, but he's not going to have the ball too much playing next to Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. He's a great defender, but there's only so much ground he can cover for a sub-par defensive team like the Nets. Right now, Brooklyn's problem is that they need guys who can help them on both ends of the floor outside of KD and Kyrie. Defensively, Simmons helps them immensely. Offensively, he may pose spacing problems. On paper, Simmons should help slow down Jayson Tatum, but since he's coming off a back injury, there's no telling if he's physically capable of covering one of the league's best players. If he comes back, he won't be eased in because the Nets will be throwing him to the wolves. If he thinks he's ready, he'll have to prove it right away.
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Ben Simmons is hoping to make his season debut in Game 4 against the Celtics. Should the Nets to play him? Our writers weigh in.

NBA Roundtable: Should the Brooklyn Nets play Ben Simmons right now?

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

The 2021-22 NBA season has been the hardest of CJ McCollum&rsquo;s career.
Entering this campaign, he had spent the entirety of his NBA career with the Portland Trail Blazers, making the playoffs every year. Since getting drafted in 2013, he had only ever played for one head coach (Terry Stotts) and one general manager (Neil Olshey).
However, this season would be full of challenging firsts for McCollum.
Over the summer, he experienced his first coaching change, as the Blazers fired Stotts and his staff. Just as McCollum and his teammates were adjusting to new head coach Chauncey Billups, Portland announced that Olshey was under investigation after complaints of bullying, hostility and creating a toxic work environment. Shortly after, Olshey was fired, with Joe Cronin being promoted to interim GM midseason. McCollum was shocked and admitted that the turnover affected him.
&ldquo;This is different than anything I&rsquo;ve ever experienced because of the circumstances,&rdquo; McCollum told <a href="https://theathletic.com/3002581/2021/12/07/inside-the-mind-of-cj-mccollum-a-conversation-and-a-text-message-show-the-blazers-guards-current-struggle/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Athletic</a> in December. &ldquo;This is the first year of my career where we lost our whole coaching staff, brought in a new coach, a new staff, the GM gets fired in the middle of the season... all of that affects you on the court. But there is no excuses. I didn&rsquo;t come here to tell you, &lsquo;There&rsquo;s a lot of sh** going on...&rsquo; but yeah, there is. There&rsquo;s sh** going on every day. And I&rsquo;m a fu**ing human being. But look, at the end of the day, my job is to play basketball. So, I go play basketball.&rdquo;
The day after Olshey was relieved of his duties, McCollum suffered what he thought was a rib injury during the Blazers&rsquo; game against the Boston Celtics. However, a CT scan revealed that he had a collapsed lung, which would ultimately sideline him for six weeks.
Several weeks later, McCollum became a father when his wife, Elise, gave birth to their first child. Jacobi James McCollum was born at 11:59 p.m. on Jan. 10, 2022. Becoming a first-time parent is scary enough, but there are additional concerns and stressors when your baby is born during a pandemic.
&ldquo;Try having a kid in the middle of COVID. That sh** ain&rsquo;t normal,&rdquo; McCollum told <a href="https://theathletic.com/3002581/2021/12/07/inside-the-mind-of-cj-mccollum-a-conversation-and-a-text-message-show-the-blazers-guards-current-struggle/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Athletic</a> in December. &ldquo;Now, try having a kid during COVID amid trade rumors in the middle of the season.&rdquo;
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Congratulations to <a href="https://twitter.com/CJMcCollum?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CJMcCollum</a> &amp; his wife Elise on the birth of their son, Jacobi James McCollum! 😍 (via 3jmccollum / IG) <a href="https://t.co/GSvzwkY1P6">pic.twitter.com/GSvzwkY1P6</a>
&mdash; Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) <a href="https://twitter.com/trailblazers/status/1482855754243706887?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 16, 2022</a></blockquote>

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As McCollum mentioned, his name had been surfacing in trade rumors for much of the season. He wasn&rsquo;t a stranger to the rumor mill, but the rumblings had never been quite this intense. And with Portland struggling, a number of Blazers were looking over their shoulders and wondering what moves might be coming as the trade deadline approached.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;d be lying if I told you that we don&rsquo;t hear it or that it doesn&rsquo;t affect us at all,&rdquo; Blazers forward Nassir Little <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/qa-nassir-little-on-blazers-struggles-his-development-gm-change" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told me</a> in December. &ldquo;At the end of the day, we&rsquo;re people. I get the excitement of trades and the eagerness to talk about them, but you&rsquo;re talking about people having to move their families and basically break off relationships that they&rsquo;ve built over the course of time and they have to start a whole moving process and adapt to a whole new situation. It&rsquo;s just a lot of things that go into getting traded as a player and those things don&rsquo;t really get taken into account [by fans]... There are a lot of different dynamics that are very taxing on somebody&rsquo;s mental when you get traded.&rdquo;
On Feb. 8, less than one month after his son was born, McCollum was traded for the first time in his NBA career. The Blazers dealt McCollum, Larry Nance Jr. and Tony Snell to the New Orleans Pelicans for Josh Hart, Tom&aacute;&scaron; Satoransk&yacute;, Nickeil Walker-Alexander, Didi Louzada, a protected first-round pick and two second-round picks.
In other words, McCollum and his family suddenly had to move across the country. After an athlete gets traded, it&rsquo;s emotional and stressful since you&rsquo;re relocating to a new city on very short notice. Sometimes, players will live in a nearby hotel until they find a place to rent or buy. Going through that adjustment with a newborn is less than ideal.
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After nearly nine years in Portland, McCollum was starting over with a new organization. Fortunately for McCollum, the Blazers&rsquo; front office gave him some say in where he ended up, so he was starting the next chapter of his NBA career in his preferred destination. Why was he drawn to New Orleans?
"It was a combination of things: the culture, the city, the people, the love &mdash; you can feel it, you know what I&rsquo;m saying? I felt it from afar,&rdquo; McCollum said on the <a href="https://youtu.be/AB-4HFR_jrE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Knuckleheads Podcast</a>. &ldquo;I love the atmosphere. And if you do what you are supposed to do in a city like this, you will be loved forever. If you embrace them the way they embrace you, you can become legendary. I wanted to be where I was wanted, where I was needed. There's a lot of culture here, a lot of diversity and the food is fire. And they've got a lot of young talent. They&rsquo;ve got a lot of really good basketball players.&rdquo;
McCollum mentioned Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, Jonas Valanciunas, Devonte&rsquo; Graham and Herb Jones specifically, while also shouting out head coach Willie Green, general manager Trajan Langdon and executive VP of basketball operations David Griffin.
&ldquo;There's a lot of talent on this roster, and I think I can get the most not only out of my career, out of my situation, out of my development, but also out of the guys,&rdquo; McCollum added. &ldquo;I know what it takes to be successful consistently. And I can not only tell you about it, but I can show you because I've done it. I think that I'm just what they've needed and they're just what I've needed, especially at this stage in my life. And I think there's no better time for me to [make this move]. I&rsquo;m 30 years old, I've been in the playoffs for eight straight years and I'm trying to make it nine.&rdquo;
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New Orleans is now 32-43, which is the ninth-best record in the Western Conference. Since adding McCollum to their lineup, the Pelicans have the NBA's 10th-best offense (117.4 points per 100 possessions) and 14th-best defense (114.3 Defensive Rating). That is a plus-3.1 efficiency differential, which is eighth-best in the NBA over that span &mdash; ahead of the Philadelphia 76ers, Miami Heat, Brooklyn Nets, Milwaukee Bucks, Golden State Warriors and Dallas Mavericks.
Through 19 games with the Pelicans, McCollum is averaging 25.9 points, 6.5 assists, 4.9 rebounds and 1.2 steals while shooting 50.1% from the field &mdash; all of which would be career-highs. He's also knocking down 2.8 threes per game on 38.4% shooting from beyond the arc.
Also, he&rsquo;s posting a career-best Box Plus/Minus (+5.9), Player Efficiency Rating (23.3), True Shooting percentage (59.0%), assist percentage (33.9%) and total rebound percentage (7.7%). His turnover percentage is just 8.9%, which is one of the lowest marks of his career despite the fact that he has a career-high usage rate of 29.5%.
McCollum&rsquo;s teammates are thrilled to have him in New Orleans and they rave about his impact.
&ldquo;I told CJ that I love him; he makes our job easy,&rdquo; Willy Hernangomez said. &ldquo;He makes everybody&rsquo;s job easy. Everybody pays so much attention to him. We just need to set the screens and play the right way... We&rsquo;re trying to build something different and something special here. Every day, we just try to be 1% better than the day before. It has been amazing having CJ, Tony and Larry. Their experience has been helping us a lot. I think we&rsquo;re going to keep going and getting better. We&rsquo;re having fun, and that&rsquo;s the most important thing.&rdquo;
&ldquo;[We&rsquo;re] definitely locked in. That starts with [CJ] and BI just coming out, being aggressive, being under control,&rdquo; Graham said. &ldquo;They&rsquo;re making life easier for everybody.&rdquo;
"CJ is such an impressive human being," Nance <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/larry-nance-jr-qa-i-did-not-come-out-here-to-halfass-this-thing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told me</a> earlier this season. "He has his hands in a lot of different things, and he&rsquo;s just such an impressive human that, like, how could you not get along with a guy like that?!"
Ingram and McCollum have only played 11 games together (since Ingram was recently sidelined for three weeks due to a hamstring injury), but they have shown flashes of the dynamic one-two punch that they could become. Across those 11 games, McCollum and Ingram have averaged a combined 48.1 points, 11.9 assists and 11.0 rebounds while shooting 51.6% from the field and 35.6% from three-point range.&nbsp;
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s very similar in his approach, in the way he watches film, in the way he communicates. He&rsquo;s receptive of information,&rdquo; Ingram said of McCollum. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s fun to play here right now.&rdquo;
The Pelicans are getting healthier just in time for the Play-In Tournament. Ingram is back in the lineup and McCollum is healthy after missing a few games due to COVID-19 (which had to be scary with a newborn at home). Also, Nance just made his Pelicans debut last week.&nbsp;
Unfortunately, the Pelicans won&rsquo;t be at full strength until next year, as Williamson has been ruled out for the rest of the season due to his foot injury. In addition, Kira Lewis Jr. is sidelined after tearing his ACL in December.
Still, it's fun to think about how good this squad could be next year if everything comes together.
"I'm excited, man. I'm thankful to be here,&rdquo; McCollum said. &ldquo;I've said it a thousand times, but I like what we're building here, I like the way we're playing, I like the way we're executing, and the sky&rsquo;s the limit for us.&rdquo;&nbsp;
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This has been the craziest season of CJ McCollum's NBA career, but now the 30-year-old is thriving with the New Orleans Pelicans.

CJ McCollum excited for next chapter with Pelicans after chaotic year

The NBA playoffs are fast approaching and as the season winds down, there are a total of 21 teams fighting for 16 playoff spots across the two conferences.
Every game matters.
Injuries have had a major impact on this season. In the Western Conference, a number of potential playoff teams are missing key pieces, including the Golden State Warriors (Stephen Curry and James Wiseman), Denver Nuggets (Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr.), Los Angeles Clippers (Kawhi Leonard and Paul George), Memphis Grizzlies (Ja Morant), Los Angeles Lakers (Anthony Davis), New Orleans Pelicans (Zion Williamson) and Portland Trail Blazers (Damian Lillard).
There are fewer injured stars in the Eastern Conference, but Jarrett Allen (CLE), Ben Simmons (BKN), Lonzo Ball (CHI), Gordon Hayward (CHA) and Colin Sexton (CLE) are currently sidelined.
Between now and the start of the playoffs on April 12, some important players are expected to return to their respective teams, which could alter the NBA landscape in a major way.
<h2>WESTERN CONFERENCE</h2>
DENVER NUGGETS
On March 15, the Nuggets assigned Jamal Murray to their G-League affiliate (the Grand Rapids Gold) to get some additional work at practice. This sent waves through social media, as fans anticipated Murray's long-awaited return to the Nuggets' lineup. However, just a few days later, Nuggets head coach Michael Malone said that Murray is "not close" to suiting up.
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Denver Nuggets HC Michael Malone says Jamal Murray is "not close" to rejoining the lineup, per <a href="https://twitter.com/HarrisonWind?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HarrisonWind</a> <a href="https://t.co/7leLWbJe5W">pic.twitter.com/7leLWbJe5W</a>
&mdash; Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) <a href="https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/1505676501303320576?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 20, 2022</a></blockquote>

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It seems unlikely that Murray will be able to play during the regular season, but perhaps he'll be able to return at some point during the postseason.
Michael Porter Jr. is also on the mend, but the reports about his availability have been all over the place. There were rumblings that his rehab didn't go great and that he was further away than Murray. Then, there was a rumor that he's <a href="https://theathletic.com/3198516/2022/03/21/nuggets-hopeful-jamal-murray-and-michael-porter-jr-could-be-back-by-playoffs-but-no-immediate-return-on-the-horizon/?source=nbatw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">due back very soon</a>.

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A little over a week ago, Malone was asked about the possibility of Murray and Porter returning, and he <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/malone-michael-porter-jr-and-jamal-murrays-wont-be-back-soon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>, "There is no immediate return on the horizon for either one of those players."
Denver is currently the sixth seed in the Western Conference, trying to stave off the Minnesota Timberwolves and avoid the Play-In Tournament.&nbsp;
Nikola Jokic has played at an MVP level (again) and the absence of these two stars has allowed for Bones Hyland to emerge as a legitimate rotation player as a rookie. Adding even one of these two players back into the fold would make the Nuggets a significantly more threatening first-round opponent for the Grizzlies, Warriors or Mavericks.&nbsp;
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NEW ORLEANS PELICANS
Since the acquisition of CJ McCollum on February 8, the New Orleans Pelicans rank No. 10 in offensive rating and No. 6 in net rating. While the Pelicans won't be getting All-Star power forward Zion Williamson back at any point this season, they did just have another impact player return to their lineup.
Larry Nance Jr. was acquired as part of the McCollum trade and he made his Pelicans debut a few days ago. The 29-year-old is a seamless fit on the offensive end and he'll give New Orleans some defensive versatility.
Even though we all wanted to see how this team would look with a healthy Zion, they have a solid core with McCollum, Brandon Ingram, Jonas Valanciunas, Herb Jones, Devonte' Graham, Nance and Co. &mdash; making them a scary opponent in the Play-In Tournament.

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New Orleans likely won't catch the Clippers for the eighth seed, but they could steal homecourt advantage in the 9-10 game against the Lakers, as they are currently a half game behind L.A.
LOS ANGELES LAKERS
With LeBron James on roster, there always seems to be this lingering feeling that the Lakers will catch their stride and figure this thing out. But without Anthony Davis, it seems unlikely that Los Angeles will be able to escape the Play-In Tournament.
There has been no official word on a potential return date for Davis, but the Lakers would need him available if they hope to play beyond April 12.
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Anthony Davis continues to do on-court shooting, per Frank Vogel, and is progressing each day: &ldquo;Anthony has had a good week &hellip; He&rsquo;s had a productive week.&rdquo;
&mdash; Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) <a href="https://twitter.com/LakersReporter/status/1504943043669106699?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2022</a></blockquote>

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The presence of Davis would inject a tiny sliver of hope that he and James could will this team to victory and into a revenge series against the Phoenix Suns in the first round.
GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS
Stephen Curry is expected to be out until mid-April at the earliest, which is a huge blow to the Warriors. Fortunately, Curry has <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/breakingnews/warriors-curry-expects-to-return-by-start-of-playoffs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that he should be back in time for the first game of the playoffs.
The team has reintroduced Klay Thompson back into the fold, and Draymond Green is back in the lineup too. While Golden State's star-studded trio has only played three games together this season, at least the Warriors should have all three vets together for the postseason (barring any setbacks or new injuries).
Unfortunately, Golden State won't be at full strength, as James Wiseman was recently <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/warriors-james-wiseman-ruled-out-for-remainder-of-the-season" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ruled out</a> for the remainder of this season. The sophomore is still recovering from a torn meniscus that he suffered last April. Wiseman's size and versatility would have helped the Warriors, especially when facing the likes of Nikola Jokic, Rudy Gobert and Jaren Jackson Jr.
Golden State has been struggling without Curry, dropping four of their last five games (including surprising losses to the Orlando Magic, San Antonio Spurs and Atlanta Hawks). Golden State surrendered the No. 2 seed to the Memphis Grizzlies, and the Warriors could slip to fourth in the Western Conference, leading to a potential second-round matchup against Phoenix (instead of Memphis or Utah).&nbsp;
Still, assuming the Warriors have their Big Three, they will be dangerous in the playoffs.
LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS
Recently, Clippers head coach Ty Lue was asked about Kawhi Leonard and Paul George potentially returning prior to the playoffs, and he didn't shoot down the possibility.
"If guys are able to [return], they are gonna do it," Lue said. "But the most important part is making the sure the players are taken care of and making sure they're ready to go and fully healthy."
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Ty Lue says he&rsquo;ll keep the door open on Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, and/or Norman Powell returning if it&rsquo;s less than a week until the playoffs. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Clippers?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Clippers</a> <a href="https://t.co/iebGp2sRcp">pic.twitter.com/iebGp2sRcp</a>
&mdash; Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) <a href="https://twitter.com/TomerAzarly/status/1505958728125739011?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 21, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Leonard has been sidelined since last postseason, and Clippers fans have been holding out hope for a late-season comeback. ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/33579571/nba-playoffs-injury-updates-steph-curry-zion-williamson-anthony-davis-more" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reports</a> that Leonard may be able to return if the Clippers make it out of the Play-In Tournament.
George has been sidelined due to a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, and there is no timetable for his return. Recently, he has <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/33579571/nba-playoffs-injury-updates-steph-curry-zion-williamson-anthony-davis-more" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> made progress and been cleared for 4-on-4 and shooting drills, so a return still seems possible.&nbsp;
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<h2>EASTERN CONFERENCE</h2>
CHICAGO BULLS
The Bulls skyrocketed to the top of the East standings early in the season thanks to a supernova DeMar DeRozan and stellar defense. Two key cogs of that defense were Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso, who have played just 35 and 36 games, respectively. Chicago also played most of the season without forward Patrick Williams, who's another important rotation player.&nbsp;
The absence of those two elite perimeter defenders caused the Bulls to slip to the East's five seed, and they are just one game ahead of the sixth-seeded Toronto Raptors.&nbsp;
Caruso returned on March 12 and Williams returned on March 21. But if Ball is able to return to the starting lineup, that could significantly affect the outcome of a series against the Celtics or 76ers.
However, here's the bad news:
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Lonzo Ball will stop running on his knee for the next 10 days, per Billy Donovan. They&rsquo;ve been trying to ramp him up but he hasn&rsquo;t responded well
&mdash; Jamal Collier (@JamalCollier) <a href="https://twitter.com/JamalCollier/status/1506033717608865798?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 21, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Ball may not be needed for Chicago to avoid the Play-In Tournament, but his return is crucial in order for the Bulls to make a deep run in the playoffs.
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS
Colin Sexton is not coming back this season. In fact, it's possible that he has played his final game as a Cavalier since he's set to become a restricted free agent.
However, one of the main reason that the Cavaliers have exceeded expectations this season is the play of Jarrett Allen. Ricky Rubio was also a key cog in the Cleveland machine, but his injury back in December led to the acquisition of Rajon Rondo... who is also currently out with an ankle injury.&nbsp;
Allen's presence defensively next to Evan Mobley is crucial to the success of the Cavs. Cleveland's opponents take the ninth-most shots at the rim in the league, but they shoot the worst percentage. Their perimeter defense funnels opponents to the rim because of the three 7-footers they have on the floor.&nbsp;
For Cleveland to pull off a first-round upset, Allen must be present and continuing his career-year.&nbsp;
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Unfortunately, injuries are a part of the game and oftentimes play a major factor in the postseason. This year is proving to be no different, as the field seems wide open due to injuries and the players who are returning could have a major impact on who is eventually crowned champion.
BROOKLYN NETS
After arriving in Brooklyn, Ben Simmons began ramping up his conditioning and preparing to make his season debut, but then his back started giving him trouble. Initially, it was being described as back soreness, but he was recently diagnosed with a herniated disc and he needed an epidural for the pain.
Nets head coach Steve Nash has said that surgery isn't currently being considered. Simmons is working with a physical therapist and trying to get healthy enough to make his Nets debut. Nash told reporters that he's "fully expecting" Simmons to play at some point this season.
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/33520712/brooklyn-nets-hold-hope-ben-simmons-return-couple-regular-season-games" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that Brooklyn hopes to have Simmons for a "couple" regular-season games so that he can start shaking off the rust and getting acclimated prior to the postseason.
Whenever he returns, the Defensive-Player-of-the-Year runner-up will provide a huge boost for the Nets. Last season, Simmons averaged 14.3 points, 7.2 rebounds, 6.9 assists and 1.6 steals with the Philadelphia 76ers.
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Several NBA playoff teams are hoping to get back key contributors in time for the postseason. Justin Lewis examines these situations.

Examining 11 impact players whose return could alter NBA playoffs

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

From a mid-season blockbuster swap involving two disgruntled stars, to rumors that a former No. 1 overall pick wants a change of scenery in only his third season, the topic of player empowerment is front and center in the NBA. &nbsp;
Superstars wanting off their team isn't a new concept. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar forced a trade from the Milwaukee Bucks to the Los Angeles Lakers in 1975. In recent years, superstars demanding to be dealt is so common that the term &ldquo;player empowerment&rdquo; established itself in our NBA lexicon.&nbsp;
But this season feels different, in that it is rife with unique trade demands. Like Ben Simmons' refusal to play a single minute for the Philadelphia 76ers while requesting a trade, with a whopping four years left on his contract. Or James Harden asking off of his second team in as many years. Even the Zion Williamson situation &mdash; rumored to be disgruntled in New Orleans after playing a total of 85 games &mdash; is unprecedented. With every new trade demand, it feels like stars are pushing the limits and boundaries of player empowerment.
Either the NBA's Mercury is in retrograde or we&rsquo;re witnessing the dawn of a new era.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Player empowerment&rdquo; was popularized in 2010 after LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh conspired to play with each other in Miami. Suddenly, players realized they could control their own destiny and team up to form super-teams.
Since then, player empowerment has largely come to mean trade demands from superstars. &nbsp;&nbsp;
Many executives have decried it as ruining the league's parity and even the sanctity of the game. &nbsp;
"Player empowerment is a catchall for the fact that the league has done a terrible job of empowering teams, the players have all of the leverage in every situation. I think it's the worst thing that ever happened to professional sports on all levels," an anonymous NBA general manager <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/06/07/lebron-james-agent-is-transforming-the-business-of-basketball" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told Isaac Chotiner of The New Yorker</a>.&nbsp;
Many fans view it as a win for laborers.&nbsp;
The NBA is, after all, the most progressive sports league. However, without even touching the racial undertones that weave throughout the narrative about the league, it is easy to see why the masses support the players. Fans have watched players lose the battle over the means of production &mdash; from owning 57% of league revenue in 2005 down to only 50% today &mdash; so witnessing players gain autonomy over their playing career by stripping control from owners is celebrated as a nice consolation prize.&nbsp;
As we become inundated with debate over the merits of player empowerment, we&rsquo;ve seemed to skip over what the term actually means and how it actualizes itself in the league.&nbsp;
There is no denying that some players have power and some of those players have controlled the make-up of the league for over a decade. The issue is that player empowerment is a term that poses as the league's players uniting, but instead, it is merely a select few exercising their power over everyone else.&nbsp;
Let&rsquo;s break this down.&nbsp;
Were the Los Angeles Lakers' young core of Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram and Josh Hart empowered when Anthony Davis forced his way to Los Angeles? Not likely.&nbsp;
It&rsquo;s also impossible to imagine all six of Jarrett Allen (Brooklyn to Cleveland), Taurean Prince (Brooklyn to Cleveland), Caris LeVert (Brooklyn to Indiana), Rodions Kurucs (Brooklyn to Houston), Dante Exum (Cleveland to Houston) and Victor Oladipo (Indiana to Houston) felt empowered after being forced to uproot themselves midseason during a pandemic because Harden wanted to join the Nets.&nbsp;
Framing the whims of a small few that can disrupt the lives of many as player empowerment feels disingenuous. A better term would be &ldquo;superstar entitlement.&rdquo;&nbsp;
With the knowledge that player empowerment really means superstar entitlement, it&rsquo;s easy to understand how empowerment stories are often framed as prima donnas throwing tantrums until they get their way.
But maybe it should be framed as superstars earning power through loss of salary.&nbsp;
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With the advent of max salaries, stars are never fairly compensated. The bigger and brighter the star shines, the more they lose out &mdash; with their play forever eclipsing the money they make. Ergo, player empowerment is less about empowering all or even most players and more about compensating superstars in a salary-cap league.&nbsp;
Heliocentric is another popular term in our NBA vernacular; we&rsquo;ve heard the term &ldquo;heliocentric offense,&rdquo; and we&rsquo;ve heard stars described as heliocentric. But it&rsquo;s also a term that can refer to the league itself.&nbsp;
To briefly go back to the 1500s and Copernicus &mdash; heliocentrism is a cosmological theory that the Earth and planets revolve around the sun. And in the NBA, everything revolves around certain stars. The bigger and brighter the star, the stronger their gravitational pull &mdash; the LeBronicus Theory, if you will.&nbsp;
Superstars wield more power than ever. They influence nearly every aspect of an organization &mdash; from coaching hirings and firings, to player personnel and roster construction.
The Harden-for-Simmons swap is an interesting case to dissect, because it centers around two stars whom everything doesn&rsquo;t revolve around.&nbsp;
On one side, there&rsquo;s Harden, whose status as a heliocentric star diminished as soon as he left Houston for Brooklyn. And on the other side is Simmons, a player who could never cement himself into anything more than a secondary star in Philadelphia.
Though both players had leverage, Harden had more because of the status of his contract. Neither were in a place to force their teams to bend to their will &mdash; at least not in the same way Harden was able to back when he told Houston they had a problem.&nbsp;
In Brooklyn, Harden <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/33259122/james-harden-wants-trade-philadelphia-76ers-formally-request-deal-due-concern-public-backlash-sources-say" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly never voiced his desire to leave</a>, and 76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey threatened to hold out on trading Simmons for the duration of his contract.
&nbsp;"You're going to think I'm kidding, I'm not. This could [go on for] four years... We're in the prime of Joel's career... Either Ben Simmons is playing for us, or we have to get back a difference-maker," Morey said.
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Morey on his timeline: "You're going to think I'm kidding, I'm not. This could (go on for) 4 years. ... We're in the prime of Joel's career...Either Ben Simmons is playing for us, or we have to get back a difference maker."
&mdash; Derek Bodner (@DerekBodnerNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/DerekBodnerNBA/status/1451288448875343872?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 21, 2021</a></blockquote>

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It wasn't Simmons' refusal to play games or Harden&rsquo;s pouting that forced their teams&rsquo; hands.&nbsp; It was that Embiid&rsquo;s play pressured Morey to make a deal, and Kevin Durant <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2953512-inside-kevin-durants-role-in-brooklyn-nets-james-harden-trade" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly wanted one too</a>.&nbsp;
Ultimately, the deal came down to what was best for the biggest stars. While James and Ben were the players who used their leverage to request out, Durant and Embiid &mdash; being the heliocentric star of their respective teams &mdash; made the final call.&nbsp;
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/usatsi_17432379_lg.jpg" alt="" width="695" height="464" />
What Harden lost in star power in moving to Brooklyn, KD gained by doing the same. Though Durant&rsquo;s play has always been stellar, it&rsquo;s clear he has more power within the Nets' organization than he did with the Warriors. It was Durant, after all, who <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2953512-inside-kevin-durants-role-in-brooklyn-nets-james-harden-trade" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly requested Kyrie Irving be allowed to play road games</a> despite <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nets-say-kyrie-irving-cant-play-or-practice-with-team-while-unvaccinated" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the stance Sean Marks and the Nets took</a> earlier in the season.&nbsp;
Who has power and how much they have is determined by a number of variables, like their standing in the league, their standing on their team, their health, the length of their contract and market size, etc. And this list of powerful players is still arguably fewer than 10 names long in any given season (with some variance).
The variables at play that make Durant&rsquo;s star shine brighter with the Nets than with the Warriors are as simple as the fact that there's another superstar in Golden State &mdash; and he was there first and couldn&rsquo;t be eclipsed.
Of course there are titans like LeBron James, who can completely shift the paradigm of the league with a flippant comment &mdash; like over All-Star Weekend when he hinted at a possible return to Cleveland.&nbsp;
&ldquo;The door&rsquo;s not closed on that&hellip; &nbsp;I&rsquo;m not saying I&rsquo;m coming back and playing, I don&rsquo;t know. I don&rsquo;t know what my future holds. I don&rsquo;t even know when I&rsquo;m free.&rdquo; James <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/lebron-james-on-cleveland-return-the-doors-not-closed-on-that" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told The Athletic</a>.
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LeBron is back in Cleveland this weekend. His picture is on the building again. At first he said he hasn&rsquo;t thought about returning to play for the Cavs, but then we kept talking. &ldquo;The door&rsquo;s not closed on that,&rdquo; he said. LeBron had a lot to say today. <a href="https://t.co/cdg8RIoxZb">https://t.co/cdg8RIoxZb</a>
&mdash; Jason Lloyd (@ByJasonLloyd) <a href="https://twitter.com/ByJasonLloyd/status/1495148179410591745?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 19, 2022</a></blockquote>

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LeBron&rsquo;s comments dominated the news cycle over the league&rsquo;s busiest weekend, and that's in large part because he will be a free agent in 2023. James signs short-term deals to maximize his leverage even though it means leaving long-term NBA money on the table.
Player empowerment isn&rsquo;t limited to team decisions &mdash; the NBPA also caters to the stars. With recent negotiations featuring superstars at the helm, contract negotiations often prioritize their needs.&nbsp;
Take for example the 2017 CBA. Superstar and NBPA president Chris Paul managed to help push forward the NBA supermax deal, given to players who have either won an MVP award, a Defensive Player of the Year award or earned an All-NBA selection in the previous season &mdash; or two of the previous three. The NBA supermax allows these stars to earn massive five-year deals with a starting salary of up to 35% of the cap.
Paul also helped change the "over-36" rule that prevented players from signing multi-year deals if they are to turn 36 or older over the course of the contract to "over-38." Not lost on anyone, Paul was set to be a free agent the summer of 2017, and pushing the rule back two years would have positively affected how much and how long he could have signed for.&nbsp;
In any collective bargaining, there&rsquo;s a give and a take &mdash; so both parties can walk away feeling like winners. So as collective bargaining agreements continue to reward those at the top, that leaves little for the rest.&nbsp;
Now, let's take a look at punishments. More often than not, disciplinary action comes in the form of fines. Technical fouls, for example, come with a fine of $2,000 for a player&rsquo;s first five offenses.&nbsp;
On Jan. 25 this season, the Sixers faced the New Orleans Pelicans. Embiid and rookie Jose Alvarado got into it and were each assessed technical fouls. That means Alvarado, who earns $462,629 this season, and Embiid, who's making $31.58 million, are meant to pay the same amount. Though Embiid generously offered to cover the fine for Alvarado, the benevolence of stars shouldn&rsquo;t make up for this obvious imbalance.&nbsp;
Fines are meant to disincentivize players from committing offenses, but when by setting these as a specific dollar amount as opposed to a percentage of their salary, they disproportionately&nbsp;hurt the lowest earners. And consequently, they allow the elite to do as they please.&nbsp;
Calling out NBA officials comes with a hefty $25,000 fine &mdash; this would be astronomical to rookies like Alvarado, but not to a superstar like Embiid who has been fined for doing just that. In Feb. 2019, Embiid told reporters the "referees f**king sucked" after a missed call in a close loss to the Boston Celtics. Though the fine undoubtedly hurt his pocketbook, it was a calculated risk he and other high earners like him have the freedom of taking.&nbsp;
From afar, superstar entitlement looks like stars picking their teams; a closer look unveils real inequities like financial penalties and disproportionate representation at the top of the players' union. A more granular look reveals that every scenario and every superstar is unique.&nbsp;
There is, however, one constant amidst the chaos in understanding power dynamics in the league, and that&rsquo;s team control. The NBA draft, rookie contracts, restricted free agency and good old-fashioned trades are just some of the ways in which teams have maintained ultimate control. The difference is when teams wield their power, it&rsquo;s not much of a news story.
We clutch our pearls at Kawhi Leonard demanding a trade but not at the Raptors for sending out DeMar DeRozan. We expect teams to make moves to better their situation, yet players who have become brands in their own right aren&rsquo;t given the freedom to do the same.&nbsp;
Any team would be over the moon to have a superstar play for them &mdash; we recognize this and they recognize this. So, they aren&rsquo;t going to sit back and wish upon a star for a trade. They ask, and if they're good enough, teams will acquiesce. It is a star-driven league, after all. So, we can&rsquo;t be surprised at who's steering the ship. And I&rsquo;d argue it&rsquo;s high time for the rest of the league to just grab on to their seats and hold on, because the era of player empowerment has only started taking off.&nbsp;
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Imman Adan details what "player empowerment" in the NBA truly entails and how it's been framed incorrectly.

The truth about 'player empowerment' in the NBA

According to <a href="https://nba.nbcsports.com/2022/03/08/andrew-bogut-rumor-is-bradley-beal-will-join-james-harden-and-joel-embiid-on-76ers/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">former NBA player Andrew Bogut</a>, the word on the street is that Bradley Beal wants to join Joel Embiid and James Harden on the 76ers this coming summer. The former veteran big man said so <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-basketball-podcast-episode-56-with-mike-procopio/id1541789772?i=1000553089199" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on his podcast</a>, "Rogues Bogues." 
"I&rsquo;ve heard a pretty big rumor &hellip; from some people that are pretty close to the situation in the NBA: Big three to Philly. Brad Beal&nbsp;is trying to get to Philadelphia in the offseason to team up with Harden and Embiid.
"Philly&rsquo;s desperate, obviously, to try to get off Harris, anyway. They have been for a while. And I think they&rsquo;re even more desperate now to free up that cap space somehow. It will most likely have to be a sign-and-trade with Philly. But don&rsquo;t be surprised if a big three forms in Philly. That&rsquo;s the word on the street."
ANALYSIS:&nbsp;Something like this would be technically doable if Philly included Tobias Harris in a potential sign-and-trade, but it's hard to see Washington agreeing to take on such a mammoth contract that Harris is on, even if they could take back Tyrese Maxey in the deal. But, never say never.

Former NBA player Andrew Bogut says that Bradley Beal wants to join Joel Embiid and James Harden in Philadelphia this summer.

Bogut: Bradley Beal could be interested in move to 76ers

The Philadelphia 76ers pulled off the NBA's biggest deal at the trade deadline when they acquired James Harden, but Daryl Morey may not be done tweaking the roster just yet.
According to <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/4mOLvZqMud0JromeBgLpIh" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ESPN's Brian Windhorst</a>, rival NBA executives expect Philly to be active this offseason and Tobias Harris may be on the move.
"I&rsquo;ve talked to league league executives because I&rsquo;m asking league executives a lot about Philly&hellip; But they&rsquo;re already speculating what Tobias Harris trades they might look at this summer," said <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/4mOLvZqMud0JromeBgLpIh" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Windhorst</a>.
Harris is making $35,995,950 this year, and he's set to earn roughly $77 million over the next two seasons.
This season, Harris is averaging 18.3 points, 7.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.2 threes on .479/.347/.855 shooting splits.

Rival NBA executives believe that the Philadelphia 76ers could look to move Tobias Harris this offseason.

NBA executives expect 76ers to trade Tobias Harris this offseason

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.
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🚨🚨🚨 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

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver didn't like the circumstances that led to the blockbuster Ben Simmons-James Harden trade. He just doesn't see a way to fix them.
Silver noted that players being unhappy with their teams and asking for trades is nothing new. But the commissioner said Saturday that a player taking the stance Simmons did with the Philadelphia 76ers, refusing to play knowing he would be fined, is more complicated.
&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t have something specific in mind that can prevent a situation like this,&rdquo; Silver said. &ldquo;But I think we and the players have a collective common interest in ensuring that contracts are honored.&rdquo;
Silver started his annual All-Star news conference with an upbeat tone, saying people around the league were feeling more at ease as the coronavirus pandemic shows signs of easing and restrictions are lifted. He talked of taking the league back on the road again, for games outside the U.S. and more community-based events around the country.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s been a difficult time for so many, but I&rsquo;m frankly thrilled to be back here in person with so many people,&rdquo; Silver said. &ldquo;I would say it&rsquo;s been a celebratory mood for people in the NBA family.&rdquo;
But he couldn't hide his disappointment about the circumstances surrounding the deal at the trade deadline that ended with Simmons moving from Philadelphia to Brooklyn, just 13 months after the Nets had acquired Harden from Houston.
&ldquo;Again, it&rsquo;s no secret that I&rsquo;ve expressed my unhappiness with public trade demands,&rdquo; Silver said.
&ldquo;In the case of Ben Simmons, I don&rsquo;t think &mdash; I can&rsquo;t think of a change to the system that to the extent you have a player that is willing to sit out and not be paid, which is the scenario we have right now," Silver said. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t want to speak for Ben, but that was the posture we saw in that case of a player saying that, &lsquo;I&rsquo;m unhappy in the city, and I&rsquo;m not going to play.&rsquo;
&ldquo;And you had a team saying, &lsquo;We&rsquo;re not going to pay you, and there&rsquo;s going to be discipline.&rsquo; There&rsquo;s a stalemate."
Silver said he was sympathetic to the players' wants, noting the additional stress caused by the pandemic. But he is also concerned for the teams, and the players who are affected when trade rumors leak.
&ldquo;Of course, as the commissioner of this league, we want our players to be happy. We want them to find themselves in situations where they think they can be most productive,&rdquo; Silver said. &ldquo;At the same time, we want to run an orderly league, and so like a lot of things in life, we have to find the appropriate balance there.&rdquo;
Simmons cited mental health concerns for his belief he needed to leave Philadelphia, saying last week they began before last season and the 76ers were aware of them. Silver said he didn't know the specifics of Simmons' situation, but that mental health was something teams were spending more time on even before the pandemic.
&ldquo;I think it&rsquo;s something that we have talked a lot more about in terms of all our community programs, and it&rsquo;s another area where I really don&rsquo;t have any doubt we can do more,&rdquo; he said.
Silver also addressed several other topics:
INTERNATIONAL GAMES
As soon as it's safe, Silver wants the NBA back in overseas markets and has had discussions about doing so as soon as next preseason.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;re very much a global league, and the opportunity to bring teams to other continents, to other places in the world, is part of how we believe we grow the sport,&rdquo; Silver said. &ldquo;Because we can have, I think, a dramatically larger impact by showing up in those cities, creating a lot of excitement around those teams.&rdquo;
REPORTERS IN THE LOCKER ROOMS
Reporters covering NBA teams haven't returned to the locker rooms since the pandemic began in March 2020, with interviews being conducted in conference rooms or via Zoom.
Silver downplayed the possibility of a return to the old format, not only for health and safety reasons, but because he believes there could be a better system that would provide more privacy for players.
&ldquo;I just think this is an opportunity in the pandemic &mdash; and there&rsquo;s some real health and safety issues on top of that for all of you and our players as we&rsquo;re still living with this virus that we should include in the mix &mdash; but I can&rsquo;t believe we can&rsquo;t find a better way,&rdquo; Silver said. &ldquo;Maybe it will require some additional appearances, additional media time from our players, but we should take a fresh look at it.&rdquo;
PLAY-IN TOURNAMENT
Silver said the play-in tournament, that has the teams finishing 7-10 in their conferences playing a mini-tournament for the final two playoff spots, has been even more successful than he hoped.
&ldquo;In many ways, it&rsquo;s been better than we had anticipated,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t want to overstate it because I don&rsquo;t have many years to go by, but we&rsquo;re pleased.&rdquo;

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver didn't like the circumstances that led to the blockbuster trade. He just doesn't see a way to fix them.

Silver sees no easy fix to issues in Simmons-Harden trade

Daryl Morey's all-in, aggressive style that's built around analytical decisions has made him arguably the most well-known NBA executive in recent years. Ten years ago, Morey pulled off a forward-thinking, franchise-altering trade for the Houston Rockets, acquiring Oklahoma City Thunder sixth man James Harden. Houston sent Kevin Martin, Jeremy Lamb, two future first-round picks and a second-round pick to Oklahoma City for Harden, Cole Aldrich, Daequan Cook and Lazar Hayward.
Morey saw something in Harden that others missed, and he empowered his new superstar to become the face of the Houston Rockets. When diving into Harden&rsquo;s advanced-metrics portfolio during his three seasons in Oklahoma City, the Rockets&rsquo; former GM realized that Harden could potentially put up star-like numbers if given more of a primary offensive role. In short order, Harden accomplished that lofty goal while making himself one of the most unique, dynamic scorers in modern NBA history.
Now, in a completely new situation as the head of basketball operations for the Philadelphia 76ers, Morey is making another eccentric push for excellence with Harden as a cornerstone. Kudos to Morey, because he won his longstanding battle with former No. 1 pick Ben Simmons.
After a disastrous end to last season, Simmons decided he would never play a single minute for the Sixers again &mdash; even with four years remaining on his rookie-scale max extension. Six months and around $20 million in fines later, Simmons is now a member of the Brooklyn Nets and Morey landed his most-coveted star once again.
This time around, Morey acquired Harden by sending Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond and two future first-round picks to Brooklyn.
Forming a <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/james-harden-joining-joel-embiid-brings-historically-dominant-offense-potential-for-sixers-" target="_blank" rel="noopener">potentially historic offensive duo</a> with Joel Embiid and Harden, Morey didn&rsquo;t shy away from the Sixers&rsquo; new expectations for 2021-22 and beyond. Philadelphia&rsquo;s window to win a championship is right now, and he&rsquo;s confident in that occurring within a wide open Eastern Conference.
&ldquo;Doc [Rivers] and the coaching staff and the players have put us in a spot where, as we make this trade, we are well-positioned to go on a run &mdash; and a run that hopefully excites the city of Philadelphia,&rdquo; Morey said during Harden&rsquo;s introductory press conference. &ldquo;We wanted to give up nothing. But you have to give up something to make a trade and get a Hall-of-Famer and a player that can put us into a different tier of competing. We&rsquo;re very comfortable.&rdquo;
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Morey's strategy has always revolved around star hunting. It began with the gamble on a young Harden, but the Sixers executive has also pulled off deals for Dwight Howard, Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook in hopes of finding Harden the perfect running mate. However, the Harden-Embiid duo probably has the most potential, and this could finally be the pairing that allows Morey and Harden to fulfill their ultimate goal of hoisting the Larry O&rsquo;Brien trophy.
&ldquo;The way this league works, you have to get players the caliber of a James Harden to pair with a Joel Embiid and Tobias [Harris],&rdquo; Morey said. &ldquo;You can win without it. But you look historically in the league, you&rsquo;re looking at pretty long odds if you don&rsquo;t have two great players of that level of play out there.&rdquo;
Again, Morey has pushed his chips into the middle of the table for Harden. It paid huge dividends a decade ago, but what about now in Philadelphia? This move will paint the next chapter of Harden&rsquo;s legacy, but Morey&rsquo;s as well.
In the Eastern Conference, there are plenty of scenarios that could unfold between now and the NBA Finals. Only 3.5 games separate the No. 1 seed from No. 6 right now. After the All-Star break, it'll be an all-out sprint for home-court advantage in the playoffs. The Miami Heat, Chicago Bulls, Milwaukee Bucks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers could all put up a fight for the East's throne.
Who&rsquo;s to say a Harden-Embiid combination can&rsquo;t make it all the way? Especially with Tyrese Maxey and Matisse Thybulle flanking this new star duo, Philadelphia could have the right balance of ingredients when play ramps up to even higher levels.
This is the biggest gamble of Morey&rsquo;s career, but it's also the move he's been yearning for ever since he took over the Sixers' front office in 2020. Now, it&rsquo;s time to see if his longstanding approach will finally pay off with the ultimate prize.
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Daryl Morey made his all-in move to reunite with James Harden, and this big gamble may ultimately define his legacy as an executive.

Reuniting with James Harden may be Daryl Morey's legacy-defining move

After roughly six months of relative silence, Ben Simmons spoke with the media on Tuesday afternoon during his introductory press conference in Brooklyn, following the trade that sent him from the Sixers to the Nets.&nbsp;
"I feel physically pretty good," Simmons told reporters. "Mentally, I'm getting there, so it's an ongoing thing to stay on top of that. But I think I'm heading in the right direction."
Simmons said he had been staying in shape by doing Pilates, playing pickup games and lifting weights with his trainers.
The Nets acquired Simmons along with Seth Curry, Andre Drummond and two future first-round picks, in exchange for James Harden and Paul Millsap hours before last Thursday's trade deadline.&nbsp;
Simmons didn't provide much in the way of specifics when asked about what led to the deterioration of his relationship with the Sixers organization.
"It piled up, a bunch of things, over the years where I knew I wasn't myself, and I had to get back to that place of being myself and being happy as a person and taking care of my well-being," Simmons explained. "That was the major thing for me. It wasn't about the basketball, it wasn't about the money, anything like that. I want to be who I am and get back to playing basketball at that level and being myself.
"There's just a lot of things internally that happened over time, and it just got to a place where I don't think it was good for me mentally, so it is what it is... [I'm] moving forward."
If we are looking ahead and projecting how he will fit in alongside his new teammates, it's important to remember just how impactful Simmons can be when he steps onto a basketball court.&nbsp;
Simmons was named the NBA's Rookie of the Year in 2017-18 after becoming just the second player in NBA history (along with Oscar Robertson in 1960-61) to average more than eight rebounds and eight assists in his first full season. &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;
Simmons also excelled in the playoffs in 2018. In the first postseason series of his career, he led the Sixers past the Miami Heat and into the second round by averaging 18.2 points, 10.6 rebounds, 9.0 assists and 2.4 steals (while shooting over 70% from the free-throw stripe).
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In his sophomore season, Simmons averaged a career-high 16.9 points (on 56.3% shooting) to go along with 8.8 rebounds and 7.7 dimes. The only other players to average more than 16 points (while shooting above 50% from the floor), 8.0 boards and 7.0 assists over an entire NBA season are former MVPs: Wilt Chamberlain, LeBron James, Nikola Jokic, Magic Johnson, Oscar Robertson and Larry Bird.
In 2019-20, Simmons authored arguably his finest all-around campaign, earning a spot on the All-Defensive First Team and All-NBA Third Team after shooting a career-high 58% from the field and leading the league in steals (becoming the first Sixer to do so since Allen Iverson in 2002-03). Simmons became the only player in NBA history to average at least 16.0 points, 8.0 assists, 7.0 rebounds, 2.0 steals and a field goal percentage above 57%. He also led the league in defensive loose balls recovered and ranked third in deflections.&nbsp;
Last season, Simmons' counting stats declined a bit due to a dip in playing time, but he still stuffed the stat sheet and dominated the defensive end of the floor. He was named to the All-Defense First Team for a second-straight year and was one of just two players, along with Rudy Gobert, to be a unanimous selection. Simmons would finish second to Gobert in Defensive Player of the Year voting. Simmons' Sixers finished the year with the league's second-best defensive rating, one spot ahead of Utah.&nbsp;
It's also important to note that Simmons was just 24 years old at the end of the 2020-21 campaign. Per Basketball-Reference, he is one of only seven players to tally at least 4,000 career points, 2,000 boards and 2,000 dimes before celebrating their 25th birthday: the other six are Giannis Antetokounmpo, LeBron James, Magic Johnson, Tracy McGrady, Oscar Robertson and Kobe Bryant. (Magic and the Big O are the only two to reach those milestones in fewer games.)&nbsp;
Yes, his tenure with the 76ers ended awfully, culminating in a brutally bad playoff loss to Atlanta, but let's not forget just how well Simmons played during his four years in Philly.&nbsp;
Does he have flaws that he needs to address? Absolutely, with the issues at the free-throw stripe being the biggest problem.
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Yet, although Simmons has been a subpar shooter and dreadful free-thrower for most of his career, he has still been a great basketball player. The numbers detailed above prove that point.
Furthermore, there is no denying that Simmons positively impacted his team. He plays winning basketball, which is reflected by the Sixers' success. &nbsp;
For context, consider this: In the four years before Simmons arrived in Philadelphia, from 2013-14 through 2016-17, the Sixers lost more games than any team in the NBA, posting a pitiful 75-253 record (.228 winning percentage).&nbsp;
In the subsequent four years with Simmons, from 2017-18 through 2020-21, the Sixers were 195-114 (winning percentage of .631), which was the third-best record in the NBA over that stretch.&nbsp;
Philly hadn't won a playoff game in five years prior to Simmons' rookie season. They won 19 postseason contests and three series over his four years.&nbsp;
Of course, Joel Embiid and others deserve a ton of credit as well, as Simmons obviously wasn't solely responsible for the Sixers' turnaround. Still, Ben's impact on both ends of the floor was undeniably enormous.&nbsp;
Speaking with reporters on Tuesday, Simmons said he doesn't "have a date yet" for when he plans to make his Nets debut, but that he is "starting to ramp it up" and getting close to game shape. He also stated he hopes to be ready to play by March 10, when Brooklyn visits the City of Brotherly Love for a matchup against his former squad.
When asked about sharing the court with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, Simmons replied, "I think it's going to be scary having those guys running alongside me, multiple different weapons on the floor. And I think at the pace we want to play at, it's going to be unreal."
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And while Harden is certainly a better long-range shooter (Harden has made at least five three-pointers in a game 184 times, whereas Simmons has made a grand total of five three-pointers in his entire career), Simmons brings an all-around skill set that ultimately may fit better alongside KD and Kyrie.&nbsp;
On Tuesday, Simmons spoke specifically about running and pushing the pace with Brooklyn. Nets fans have to be excited envisioning how he'll immediately improve the Nets' fast-break offense. Dating back to 2017, Simmons leads the league in assists per game in transition, averaging over 2.5 per contest.&nbsp;
Defensively, Simmons brings incredible versatility to the table. He is one of the very few players in the league who can cover quick point guards on the perimeter and burly power forwards on the block.&nbsp;
And playing alongside two of the greatest offensive players of this generation in Durant and Irving will allow Simmons to focus primarily on the defensive end.&nbsp;
So, while nearly all the commotion and controversy surrounding Simmons over the last six months has focused on his flaws, let's not forget the kid can play.

After six months of silence, Ben Simmons spoke to the media about his exit from the Sixers, his fresh start with the Nets and more.

Lest we forget, Ben Simmons is a great basketball player

James Harden didn't hold back in his first moments as a Philadelphia 76er.
It hasn't exactly been the most, erm, ceremonious&nbsp;exit for James Harden since he fled a championship contender in Brooklyn for a longstanding conference rival. There have been loads of subtle potshots from the Nets' end, from Blake Griffin arguing that the Nets acquired "guys that wanna play" (Harden missed 5 of his last 7 games with Brooklyn) to Bruce Brown recently saying, well, this:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
"The locker room is just a great vibe in there right now. I don't know what it is. Everything just shifted after the trade deadline. Everybody likes everybody, it's just great" - Bruce Brown <a href="https://t.co/NbClBB9bEk">pic.twitter.com/NbClBB9bEk</a>
&mdash; Nets Videos (@SNYNets) <a href="https://twitter.com/SNYNets/status/1493421604524761088?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 15, 2022</a></blockquote>

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

Harden, never one to back down to a challenge, offered some chippy words of his own during his introductory presser as a member of the Sixers. According to Harden, Philadelphia was his "first choice" despite reporting from numerous national outlets that stated otherwise at the time of the Brooklyn-Houston blockbuster.
"Originally, when I was going through everything I was going through in Houston, Philly was my first choice, it just didn't happen," said Harden (ouch!).
"So just, detail... I don't really want to get into the Brooklyn situation. I just knew for a very long time, this is a perfect fit."
When asked to clarify those comments, Harden made it clear that he "had" (again, oof!) to go to Brooklyn by route of trade &mdash; a trade that his former team, the Rockets, was in the driver's seat for.
"Organizations gotta to do what's best for their their team, present and future. So, it didn't work like that," Harden said. "And, you know, I had to go to Brooklyn, which obviously, we all know, that could have been some special, but whatever reason it was. So here I am today."
Harden went on to confirm that he'll be picking up his player option for next season in Philadelphia. He also gave a shoutout to 76ers fans for being the "best" in the NBA, just days after escaping a loyal fanbase in Brooklyn (triple oof!).
"These fans are the best fans in NBA. You know, a lot of teams say that, a lot of organizations say that. A lot of fanbases say that, but ride or die, [these are] probably the best fans in the NBA, and I'm just happy they're on my side and I'm not getting booed as the opposing team," said Harden. "But I'm excited man, it's just the love, the atmosphere, just going into that arena is gonna be something special."
Here's some good news for 76ers fans: Harden's hamstring feels "real good." It was injury that had him sidelined for the final stretch of games in his Brooklyn tenure. The Beard isn't set to make his debut until after the All-Star break (he isn't playing in the big game itself, either), and for now, he's doing conditioning work to set himself up for success for Philadelphia's playoff run
"Just doing a lot of strengthening work right now," said Harden. "And then, my conditioning is great. And I've been doing a lot of running, a lot of sprints, a lot of treatment work. Strength and conditioning. But it's not unlike basketball conditioning, playing and playing 5-on-5 and pick-and-rolls and getting hit, things like that. So that's something that I got to incorporate. But overall, my body feels great."
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James Harden didn't hold back in his first moments as a member of the 76ers.

76ers' James Harden: 'Philly was my first choice... a perfect fit'

Ben Simmons said Tuesday his mental health struggles began well before the 76ers' season ended and he didn't believe he'd be able to overcome them in Philadelphia.
He's eager to begin moving on with the Brooklyn Nets, though isn't sure yet when he will join them on the court. Nor was he sure how things got so bad in Philadelphia.
&ldquo;If I knew, I would tell you everything,&rdquo; Simmons said. &ldquo;But there&rsquo;s just a lot of things internally that had happened over time, and it just got to a place where I don&rsquo;t think it was good for me mentally. So, it is what it is. It happened and I&rsquo;m moving forward.&rdquo;
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He spoke at the Nets' practice center, less than a week after the 76ers traded him to Brooklyn as part of a package for James Harden.
The former No. 1 overall pick hasn't played since the 76ers were beaten by Atlanta in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. Postgame comments from teammate Joel Embiid and coach Doc Rivers after Simmons played poorly were considered the catalyst for his trade request, but Simmons said that wasn't the case.
&ldquo;That was earlier than that series or even that season that I was dealing with and that organization knew that,&rdquo; Simmons said. &ldquo;So it&rsquo;s something that I continue to deal with, and I&rsquo;m getting there and getting to the right place to get back on the floor.&rdquo;
Simmons said he hopes to be ready to play by the time the Nets visit the 76ers on March 10.
He thanked the 76ers organization and fans for their support and said he had spoken with some teammates and personnel &mdash; though not Embiid &mdash; after the trade. He also spoke that day with Kevin Durant, whom he will join along with Kyrie Irving in a lineup the Nets hope will be good enough to win the Eastern Conference.
&ldquo;I think it&rsquo;s going to be scary,&rdquo; Simmons said. &ldquo;Having those guys run alongside me, multiple different weapons on the floor and I think at the pace we want to play at, it&rsquo;s going to be unreal.&rdquo;
That was the expectation for his partnership with Embiid, the 76ers' All-Star center. They led Philadelphia to the best record in the East last season, but Simmons was already dealing with personal challenges he felt required him to leave the organization.
&ldquo;I think I just wasn&rsquo;t in the place there to do that and a lot of things had happened over that summer to where I didn&rsquo;t feel like I was getting that help,&rdquo; Simmons said. &ldquo;But it is what it is. I don&rsquo;t have any &mdash; it wasn&rsquo;t a personal thing towards any player or coach or owners or anything like that. It was about myself, getting to a place where I need to be.&rdquo;
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He is happy so far in Brooklyn, where he was with the Nets on Monday when they beat Sacramento to snap an 11-game losing streak. Simmons didn't want to speak in depth about what he had been dealing with but was asked what he would say to those who saw him smiling at the game and don't believe his struggles were anything more than an excuse to seek a trade.
&ldquo;They should be happy I&rsquo;m smiling, honestly,&rdquo; Simmons said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve had some dark times over the last six months and I&rsquo;m just happy to be in this situation with this team and organization. So people are going to say what they want. They&rsquo;ve said it the last six months and I haven&rsquo;t commented and it is what it is, so people are always going to have their own opinions.&rdquo;

Simmons' mental health struggles began before the 76ers' season ended, and he didn't think he'd be able to overcome them in Philly.

Ben Simmons: Struggles in Philadelphia began before last season

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

Grading every move from 2022 NBA trade deadline week

Now that the smoke has cleared following one of the most eventful NBA trade deadlines in league history, which teams are best positioned to make a championship run this season?
Not only were there several blockbuster trades prior to today's deadline, there were also a number of contenders who made moves that may have altered the NBA landscape.
The Brooklyn Nets entered Thursday as the favorites to win it all this season (at +400, or an implied 20% chance of hoisting the Larry O'Brien trophy). However, following today's blockbuster trade that sent James Harden to the Philadelphia 76ers for Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond and two first-round picks, the Nets' odds <a href="https://www.oddschecker.com/us/basketball/nba/nba-championship/winner" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dropped to +500</a> (or an implied 16.7% chance).
After being viewed as the championship favorite all season long, Brooklyn now has the same title odds as the Phoenix Suns (+500) and Golden State Warriors (+500).
At the moment, there is no clear-cut favorite to win this year's title, with oddsmakers giving the Nets, Suns and Warriors each an implied 16.7% chance of winning the championship.
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&ldquo;The Nets odds weren&rsquo;t severely hurt, as they added some top talent in the deal," <a href="https://www.oddschecker.com/us/basketball/nba/nba-championship/winner" target="_blank" rel="noopener">OddsChecker</a> spokesman Kyle Newman said. "Ben Simmons brings elite defense and playmaking and Seth Curry is an elite three-point shooter. Adding the two of them mitigates the loss of Harden some."
The 76ers were the big winners today, as their odds jumped from +1600 (or an implied 5.9% chance of winning the title) to +550 (or an implied 15.4% chance). <a href="https://www.oddschecker.com/us/basketball/nba/nba-championship/winner" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Oddsmakers</a> essentially believe that the deal triples the 76ers' chances of winning it all, and Philadelphia now has the fourth-best championship odds.
"Meanwhile, the 76ers just traded somebody who wasn&rsquo;t playing for them along with two role players to add one of the league&rsquo;s best scorers. They couldn&rsquo;t have imagined a better scenario, and oddsmakers are taking notice," Newman said.
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="208">
Team&nbsp;
</td>
<td valign="top" width="208">
Odds before trade&nbsp;
</td>
<td valign="top" width="208">
Odds after trade&nbsp;
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="208">
Brooklyn Nets&nbsp;
</td>
<td valign="top" width="208">
+400, 20% chance
</td>
<td valign="top" width="208">
+500, 16.7% chance
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="208">
Philadelphia 76ers&nbsp;
</td>
<td valign="top" width="208">
+1600, 5.9% chance
</td>
<td valign="top" width="208">
+550, 15.4% chance
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Golden State Warriors
</td>
<td>
+460, 17.9% chance
</td>
<td>
+500, 16.7% chance
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Phoenix Suns
</td>
<td>
+500, 16.7% chance
</td>
<td>
+500, 16.7% chance
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
While the Warriors had a quiet deadline, the Suns were also active, trading for Torrey Craig and Aaron Holiday this afternoon. Phoenix only had to part ways with Jalen Smith and a future second-round pick too. Even though the Suns weren't able to land Eric Gordon or Thaddeus Young (as they had hoped), these were still two impressive win-now moves.
The Nets are currently 29-25, which is the eighth-best record in the Eastern Conference (and they have lost nine-straight games). The Sixers are 32-22, which puts them in the East's fifth seed. The Suns (44-10) and Warriors (41-14) are the top two seeds in the Western Conference.

Following one of the most eventful trade deadlines in NBA history, oddsmakers don't see a clear-cut championship favorite.

After NBA trade deadline, oddsmakers see no clear-cut title favorite

The Sixers and Nets engaged on trade talks revolving around Ben Simmons and James Harden this morning.
Source: <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisBHaynes/status/1491831032932225024?s=20&amp;t=Hkv6h_H97qPxLt7IDtaYLw">Chris Haynes/Yahoo Sports</a>
ANALYSIS:&nbsp;With conflicting reports on whether the teams would talk at all or consider a deal, it appears the two are in talks now.
There is reportedly motivation on both sides to get a deal done with Harden seemingly unhappy in Brooklyn and Simmons still unwilling to play in Philadelphia.

The Sixers and Nets engaged on trade talks revolving around Ben Simmons and James Harden this morning.

Harden-Simmons discussions ramping up

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

According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, James Harden does want to be traded from the Brooklyn Nets to the Philadelphia 76ers. However, he has not formally requested a trade out of worry about public backlash.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
"I'm told that James Harden wants a trade to the 76ers. He wants it to happen today prior to the trade deadline. But he has resisted formally requesting that trade with the Nets organization." &mdash;<a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@wojespn</a> <a href="https://t.co/Qo954XH0vg">pic.twitter.com/Qo954XH0vg</a>
&mdash; Get Up (@GetUpESPN) <a href="https://twitter.com/GetUpESPN/status/1491779862201257988?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 10, 2022</a></blockquote>
Harden's sudden availability has become the dominant storyline of this trade deadline cycle. The 32-year-old is averaging 22.5 points, 10.2 assists and 8.0 rebounds per game for the Nets this season, but is shooting a career-low 33.2% from three-point range and has drawn criticism from the public for an apparent lack of effort in recent games. It remains to be seen if Brooklyn and Philadelphia will have time to pull off a trade before the 3:00 p.m. ET trade deadline.
&nbsp;

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Harden's sudden availability has become the dominant storyline of this trade deadline cycle.

Report: James Harden wants trade to 76ers, has not formally requested one

While there have already been several splashy moves in recent days, there are still quite a few notable players who could be dealt prior to today's NBA trade deadline at 3 p.m. ET.
Which NBA team desperately needs to make a trade before the deadline? Vote below:
<iframe src="https://app.sli.do/event/ayUbr5ZxALn4vU4ob4L5WR/embed/polls/e8f1a63e-6ff9-4b98-b733-c0ec425da756" width="300" height="400"></iframe>

Which NBA team desperately needs to make a trade prior to today's deadline? Vote here!

Which NBA team desperately needs to make a trade before deadline?

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.
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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>

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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;
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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>

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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

Contrary to recent reports, the Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers have not engaged in trade discussions that include James Harden, according to Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
There have been zero trade discussions between the Sixers and Nets regarding James Harden, sources said. And while there are figures in Brooklyn who are open to a Harden for Ben Simmons swap, that concept won&rsquo;t be entertained by Nets brass before Thursday: <a href="https://t.co/e5Ew69Zdx3">https://t.co/e5Ew69Zdx3</a>
&mdash; Jake Fischer (@JakeLFischer) <a href="https://twitter.com/JakeLFischer/status/1490666851944341508?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 7, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Rumors began to swirl about a Harden-to-Philadelphia deal last week when The Athletic's Shams Charania reported that the Nets were open to moving the former MVP. Philadelphia would have benefited from such a deal, but it's impact on Brooklyn is less clear.
Ben Simmons was seen as the centerpiece for Brooklyn. He has missed all of Philadelphia's games so far this season, holding out in hopes of forcing the 76ers into a trade. Simmons is once again relegated to waiting for a resolution.
The Daryl Morey-James Harden connection is noteworthy. Morey, who is currently president of basketball operations for the 76ers, was general manager of the Rocker for a majority of Harden's tenure in Houston. Harden has a player option for 2022-23, which means he can opt out and sign elsewhere this offseason.

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Contrary to recent reports, the Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers have not engaged in trade discussions that include James Harden.

Report: Nets, 76ers have not engaged in trade discussions for Harden

With the&nbsp;NBA&nbsp;trade deadline just days away on Feb. 10, the 76ers are expected to pursue Harden in the coming days and the&nbsp;Nets&nbsp;are believed to be open to discussing a deal, sources with knowledge of the situation tell&nbsp;The Athletic. There&rsquo;s expectation that both the 76ers and Nets will engage in dialogue on a deal around Ben Simmons for James Harden, multiple sources say, with Philadelphia holding a chest of role players in Seth Curry,&nbsp;Tyrese Maxey&nbsp;and&nbsp;Matisse Thybulle&nbsp;that could sweeten a potential package.
Source: <a href="https://theathletic.com/3112818/2022/02/04/a-james-harden-ben-simmons-deal-is-a-possibility-before-the-nba-trade-deadline-sources/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shams Charania/The Athletic</a>
ANALYSIS:&nbsp;This would be a massive blockbuster after initial reports suggested any discussion between the two sides would have to wait until the offseason. According to Charania, there have been "growing concerns" over Harden's ball-dominant play style and the fit next to Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant.&nbsp;
Charania also reports that the Sixers have discussed a trade that would send Simmons to the Hawks for a package including John Collins, Bogdan Bogdanovic and draft compensation. The Timberwolves also remain in talks while the Kings have reportedly moved on.

According to Charania, there have been "growing concerns" over Harden's ball-dominant play style in Brooklyn.

Sixers pursuing James Harden before deadline, Nets open to trade

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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

When I first heard that Russell Westbrook got traded to the Lakers, I&rsquo;ll admit, I was surprised.
More than anything, I didn&rsquo;t expect the Lakers to be able to work out the trade from a financial standpoint nor did I think they&rsquo;d want to be so top-heavy and commit so much money to their top-three players. But they did.&nbsp;
What didn't surprise me was that the organization was willing to take the kind of risk they did by bringing Westbrook in.&nbsp;
Whether you love him or hate him, one thing nobody can take away from Russ is that he will give you 110% effort every night. And if you&rsquo;re a coach, those are the kind of players you want to have on your team. Those are the kind of players who are worth the headache, the film sessions and the lack of sleep.
They say where there&rsquo;s a will, there&rsquo;s a way, and that holds true on the basketball court. You can&rsquo;t teach effort, but with Russ, you&rsquo;d never have to. Everyone knows this, and so did the Lakers.
So it made sense in that regard.
Obviously, though, from a basketball standpoint, there were bound to be some growing pains. LeBron James needs the ball in his hands to be most effective, and so does Russ. But we once said the same thing about LeBron and Dwyane Wade in Miami.
The lesson there is if you have players who are motivated and willing to sacrifice, then everything can be figured out. Especially with LeBron and AD &mdash; they&rsquo;re so talented and versatile that it was easy to believe that the three would be able to mesh.
And you know what?&nbsp;
I still feel that way, even if a lot of people don&rsquo;t.
As the season has gone on, Westbrook has been getting a lot of attention, and his name has been getting dragged through the mud. He hasn&rsquo;t been efficient, he&rsquo;s been pressing and he&rsquo;s looked at times like he&rsquo;s lost a step. I&rsquo;ve even seen one or two news stories and rumors saying that the Lakers are open to trading him.&nbsp;
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While I do think it&rsquo;s crazy that we&rsquo;re still talking about the Lakers &ldquo;figuring things out,&rdquo; a lot of people have been unrealistic with their expectations. And that, I think, is the real story.
Aside from being from L.A. and going back home to play for the team he grew up watching (which comes with its own kind of pressure), Russ is now on a team with LeBron James. &lsquo;Bron has high expectations of everyone around him, whether it be the coaching staff, his teammates or the equipment managers.&nbsp;
The biggest problem &mdash; and it&rsquo;s something that a lot of players have been afraid of &mdash; is that everyone else expects a lot from you too. And if you don&rsquo;t play up to a certain standard, you&rsquo;re going to hear about it. Just ask Kevin Love.
The pro to playing with LeBron is that you know you have a good chance of making it to the Finals, if not winning it all. The con is that you live and play under a microscope. You&rsquo;re scrutinized in a way you&rsquo;ve never been before. It was like that in Cleveland, where I coached him, and the spotlight is a lot brighter in Los Angeles.
Going from an underdog in Oklahoma City to a sidekick in Houston to a non-contender in D.C&hellip; None of those experiences prepared Russ for the pressure he would face playing with someone like &lsquo;Bron&hellip; and especially not in Russ&rsquo; hometown of all places.
Has it gotten to him a bit? Probably. But I guess I&rsquo;m in the minority. I think Russ will find his way, and I also don&rsquo;t think he&rsquo;s to blame for all the Lakers&rsquo; problems.&nbsp;
Russ didn&rsquo;t just start missing midrange shots or turning the ball over. That&rsquo;s who he&rsquo;s been for a long time; he just has to find his way with &lsquo;Bron and AD. And that has become a challenge all by itself.
Believe it or not, the Lakers&rsquo; Big Three has only played 14 games together.&nbsp;
It&rsquo;s easy to forget because LeBron has been so great this season, but he only played nine of the Lakers&rsquo; first 20 games. Then, shortly after he got up to speed, AD had some health issues of his own.
On Thursday night, AD played his fourth game since Dec. 10, and guess what? LeBron wasn&rsquo;t even in uniform for that one. Knee soreness kept him out of the lineup and the Lakers fell to 24-25 after losing to the Philadelphia 76ers.
If you&rsquo;re looking for an explanation for the Lakers struggling, it&rsquo;s easy to point to Westbrook, but it&rsquo;s not all on him. My advice to him would be simple: be yourself, but keep sight of what this team needs from you to succeed.&nbsp;
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At the end of the day, you still want Westbrook to be Westbrook. He only knows how to play the way he&rsquo;s been playing. But when he has other teammates who are as talented as him or more talented than him, he doesn&rsquo;t need to play every possession as if he&rsquo;s the only one who can score the basket or make the difference. Maybe it was like that in OKC, and maybe at times in Houston and D.C&hellip; But that&rsquo;s not the case now.
He has to be okay with learning to measure the game and picking and choosing his spots. Maybe some nights, he&rsquo;ll only take eight shots. Maybe some nights, he&rsquo;ll play mostly with the second unit. Buying into that, that part is on him.
But the other parts&hellip; The lack of chemistry with &lsquo;Bron and AD and the expectations that seem to be getting in his head a bit&hellip; Those are factors in his struggles, as well, and they&rsquo;re not entirely his fault. Not after only 14 games, anyway.
Fortunately for the Lakers, there&rsquo;s a lot of season left. And veteran teams that think they&rsquo;re gonna be there in the end, they typically use the first half of the season as a trial period. When you have <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-james-posey-championship-expectations-boston-celtics-doc-rivers-kevin-garnett-paul-pierce-ray-allen-cleveland-cavaliers-lebron-james-tyronn-lue-miami-heat-pat-riley-shaquille-o-neal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a team that has a &ldquo;championship-or-bust&rdquo; mentality</a>, the main goal is to be healthy and be playing their best basketball after the All-Star break and heading into the playoffs.&nbsp;
At one game under .500, the Lakers obviously want to be better&hellip; But they shouldn&rsquo;t be counted out.&nbsp;
And honestly, neither should Westbrook&rsquo;s ability to be a positive difference-maker for them.
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The Lakers' Big 3 has played just 14 games together this season so it's too early to count them out, writes NBA champion James Posey.

Call me crazy, but I still believe in the Westbrook-Lakers marriage

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

Bryan Fonseca looks at Boston's options in the trade market to bolster the frontcourt in Part II of his series with Justin Lewis.

Broken in Boston: Retooling the spiraling Celtics — Part II

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
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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

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

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

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

According to Yahoo Sports&rsquo; Chris Haynes, Sacramento Kings point guard De&rsquo;Aaron Fox is <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/kings-receiving-interest-in-deaaron-fox-ahead-of-deadline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one of the biggest names that could be available</a> before next month&rsquo;s trade deadline. Haynes mentioned that the Kings are receiving heavy interest in Fox and Tyrese Haliburton, but the plan internally is to build long-term around this backcourt combination.
Haynes spoke with Fox recently about his future in Sacramento among other topics.
&ldquo;You definitely think about potentially being traded because we are struggling,&rdquo; Fox <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/deaaron-fox-addresses-kings-trade-rumors-his-ideal-role-in-the-nba-173928242.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told Haynes</a>. &ldquo;If you do have a change of scenery, it changes everything. I&rsquo;ve been here for five years. I&rsquo;ve built a life here, a family here. But once I&rsquo;m on the court, all that is out the window. You&rsquo;re not thinking about anything else than can happen outside of your control.&rdquo;
Although Fox just signed a five-year rookie-scale max extension during the 2020 offseason, his fit alongside Haliburton has brought up serious questions about who Sacramento should actually build around in their backcourt.
As I wrote last month, Haliburton has a big enough sample size now to show he blossoms when he&rsquo;s not next to a high-usage backcourt partner in Fox. When Fox was in NBA health and safety protocols, Haliburton showed a <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/tyrese-haliburton-providing-hope-potentially-forcing-kings-hand-on-backcourt-decisions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dazzling display of what his ceiling could potentially become</a> as Sacramento&rsquo;s No. 1 option.
In 42 games this season, Fox has averaged 20.9 points, 5.1 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 1.2 steals on a pedestrian 53.1% True Shooting percentage. Simply put, Fox hasn&rsquo;t taken the developmental jumps the Kings&rsquo; front office hoped for when he inked a big-money extension. Fox is still a blur in transition, being a massive weapon in that area, but he still struggles to keep teammates involved consistently and put in complete effort on the defensive end.
Still only 24 years old, Fox has immense upside as a top scoring option in Sacramento or elsewhere. Could he be Devin Booker-like when it comes to defensive effort, once the Kings get a true contender around him? That&rsquo;s the big question for both player and team, because Sacramento is once again going nowhere for another season.
At this point, it might be best for the Kings to trade Fox at his peak value while resetting a little bit around Haliburton in their backcourt.
If Fox actually isn't untouchable &mdash; something that has been <a href="https://theathletic.com/3052221/2022/01/05/nba-trade-talk-russell-westbrooks-awkward-lakers-fit-the-hurting-hawks-and-more-sam-amicks-nba-notebook/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mentioned by The Athletic&rsquo;s Sam Amick</a> &mdash; which teams make sense for him? Let&rsquo;s dive into some potential landing spots for the score-first point guard.
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Philadelphia 76ers
This destination has been mentioned before as a potential blockbuster revolving around Fox and Ben Simmons, who continues to sit out games for the Sixers. So, why don&rsquo;t we explore that possibility a little bit further?
Honestly, I love the idea of Fox in Philadelphia creating a lethal one-two combination with Joel Embiid. Also, I believe Fox and Tyrese Maxey can coexist in the same backcourt for Philadelphia.
Instantly, Fox would come aboard and bring a scoring jolt that&rsquo;s desperately needed to take pressure off Embiid. On the other side, I&rsquo;ve long been a fan of the idea where Simmons lands in a situation where he becomes the No. 1 scoring option.
How fun would a pick-and-roll combination of Haliburton and Simmons be in Sacramento? All around, this feels like a major win-win. We&rsquo;ll see if Philadelphia and Sacramento are actually open to the idea, but this swap feels right for both parties.
Kings receive: Ben Simmons
Sixers receive: De&rsquo;Aaron Fox
Indiana Pacers
When looking through the NBA standings, Indiana continues to stand out like a sore thumb when it comes to a team in desperate need of a reset. Rumors are <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/report-mavs-blazers-wolves-knicks-lakers-hornets-targeting-myles-turner" target="_blank" rel="noopener">picking up steam revolving around Myles Turner</a> and Caris LeVert. Domantas Sabonis has also been mentioned around the league in potential trade talks.
Sacramento and Indiana could find common ground on a potential Fox deal, which could make a lot of sense for two teams who need a shake up.
Kings receive: Domantas Sabonis, T.J. Warren, draft compensation
Pacers receive: De&rsquo;Aaron Fox
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Yes, the Kings have Richaun Holmes, who is an average starting center in the Association. However, could you imagine the on-court synergy Haliburton and Sabonis could develop as a lethal inside-out combination? As we&rsquo;ve seen in Indiana as well, there&rsquo;s some spot minutes where Holmes and Sabonis could share the floor as well (though I honestly wouldn&rsquo;t be a fan of that).
Fox would arrive in Indiana and be their star for years to come. He would be in a perfect situation to have a team built competently around him. Malcolm Brogdon would be an intriguing backcourt partner in this scenario too.
I&rsquo;m very intrigued by this potential landing spot for Fox, so keep an eye out on the Pacers here.
New York Knicks
Fox in the Big Apple? I love the sound of that. The question is: What would it cost for the Knicks to acquire him?
Honestly, unless the Knicks are willing to give up former No. 3 overall pick RJ Barrett, it likely won&rsquo;t happen. I&rsquo;m not a fan of Julius Randle in Sacramento, at least from the Kings&rsquo; perspective.
Kings receive: R.J. Barrett, Miles McBride, Kemba Walker, Taj Gibson
Knicks receive: De&rsquo;Aaron Fox
Fox and Randle would bring a potent pick-and-roll duo to New York. Meanwhile, Sacramento would acquire a young building block in Barrett who fits perfectly next to Haliburton. McBride has also shown unique upside, bringing aboard another backcourt piece who could play spot minutes with Haliburton down the road.
New York is in a tough spot after betting on running it back following a surprise playoff run last season. After stagnating, this could be the perfect move for the Knicks to make to expedite their win-now mindset with head coach Tom Thibodeau.
If the Knicks are open to trading Barrett for Fox, a big question mark currently, this could leapfrog right to the top of potential trade packages.
Boston Celtics
Boston is another team who seems poised for a major shake up within the next calendar year. Not taking a serious step forward this season, many questions are bubbling around <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-case-against-and-for-separating-jayson-tatum-and-jaylen-brown" target="_blank" rel="noopener">whether the Celtics&rsquo; dynamic wing duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown can coexist long-term</a>.
If Celtics president Brad Stevens decides to pull the plug down the line and find peak value, Brown seems to be the more obvious choice. Tatum is locked in as the Celtics&rsquo; face of the franchise, so who could they find to be an ideal compliment with him?
Enter Fox, who brings backcourt competency for a team in desperate need of it like Boston.
Kings receive: Jaylen Brown
Celtics receive: De&rsquo;Aaron Fox, draft compensation
Some might be asking why Sacramento is giving up draft compensation to Boston here, but, quite frankly, Brown has more value right now compared to Fox. And honestly, it would be a major win-win in the end for both teams.
Tatum and Fox would be a fun duo to build around in Boston, allowing more well-balanced roster construction. In Sacramento, Brown would enter as the go-to scorer with a great point guard to set him up in Haliburton.
This scenario might be more of a 2022 offseason scenario compared to the trade deadline, but crazier things have happened since both teams are stuck in neutral.
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New Orleans Pelicans
The pressure is on in the Bayou. Zion Williamson&rsquo;s injury concerns continue to put a cloud over the Pelicans&rsquo; future. New Orleans EVP David Griffin is on the hot seat, so what can he do to save his job?
Why not push the chips all-in on a franchise building block in Fox? In head coach Willie Green&rsquo;s system, acquiring Fox would be a brilliant move to make in the short and long-term. With Williamson out, Fox and Brandon Ingram would make a lethal scoring combination. And hopefully once Williamson eventually returns, the Pelicans would have their new Big Three set for years to come.
The Pelicans are loaded with future draft capital thanks to the Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday trades. They own so many picks from the Los Angeles Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks, plus their own, which makes them a potential suitor in any star-level trade.
What would it take for Fox to land in New Orleans, though?
Kings receive: Devonte&rsquo; Graham, Josh Hart, Kira Lewis, draft compensation
Pelicans receive: De&rsquo;Aaron Fox
This trade doesn&rsquo;t look too enticing on the surface for Sacramento, but if they receive a boatload of future draft capital from the Pelicans, it makes this scenario very appealing.
Resetting around Haliburton with ample draft picks for the future would be an ideal solution to hitting the reset button in Sacramento.
Dallas Mavericks
Luka Doncic needs help in Dallas, so where can the Mavericks find a player who can take pressure off of him? Enter Fox, who could really push the Mavericks&rsquo; ceiling to a completely new level.
Fox and Doncic would create instant fireworks in Dallas, playing on and off-ball with no issue. The offensive ceiling of this duo would be one of the best in the Western Conference.
The question is, do the Mavericks have enough to make a Fox blockbuster happen?
Kings receive: Jalen Brunson, Tim Hardaway Jr., draft compensation
Mavericks receive: De&rsquo;Aaron Fox
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This trade is very interesting for a multitude of reasons. I considered a trade of Porzingis to the Kings, but would they actually want his contract? I doubt it.
That led me back to giving up a prized asset in Brunson, who is going to cash out as a restricted free agent this offseason. Why not get something now for Brunson instead of potentially letting him walk with a big offer sheet elsewhere?
Fox not only would be an upgrade over Brunson, but also form a Big Three that Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has been lusting after for years in Dallas. It&rsquo;s a big bet to make locking in a core of Doncic, Fox and Porzingis together, but, if it works out, the ceiling is astronomical.
Sacramento would land future draft compensation to go along with an intriguing backcourt piece in Brunson. Also, Hardaway could be flipped elsewhere or kept around if the Kings decided to move Buddy Hield as well in a different deal.
Charlotte Hornets
This one was suggested to me by our own <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/news/authors/nekias-duncan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nekias Duncan</a>, which had me thinking about some potential scenarios. Fox and LaMelo Ball would be box-office levels of entertainment in Charlotte, so I totally get the idea.
However, what would the Hornets need to give up for Fox? Here&rsquo;s where I eventually landed on that idea, which led to our biggest blockbuster yet.
Kings receive: Gordon Hayward, Terry Rozier, James Bouknight, P.J. Washington, draft compensation
Hornets receive: De&rsquo;Aaron Fox, Marvin Bagley III, Tristan Thompson, Jahmi&rsquo;us Ramsey
Yeah, that&rsquo;s a lot to take in. This could have been a lot easier if I believed the Hornets would trade away Miles Bridges in this scenario, but I don&rsquo;t think that&rsquo;s realistic. So, let&rsquo;s chew on this eight-player deal for a moment.
Charlotte swaps out Rozier for Fox, an instant upgrade who elevates Charlotte&rsquo;s playoff hopes for this season and beyond. It takes a midseason flier on Bagley, who is a restricted free agent at the end of this season. And Bagley could be a big-time beneficiary of being spoon-fed easy looks from Ball.
Sacramento lands two win-now veterans in Hayward and Rozier. Whether the Kings decide to keep him long-term or not is to be determined. The prize of this deal is the young players/prospects. Bouknight and Washington are former lottery picks who just haven&rsquo;t found a consistent role in Charlotte. With the Kings, that would definitely change.
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If the Kings indeed decide to shop Fox openly before the trade deadline, a league-wide bidding war will ensue. Yet to hit his prime, Fox has a lot of great basketball left in him. Wherever he would potentially land, Fox could change the immediate calculus for win-now possibilities.

De'Aaron Fox could be the top name available at this year's trade deadline. Which teams make the most sense for the Kings' star?

Examining potential trade destinations for De'Aaron Fox

Bostonians need to breathe before reading this.
Things look bleaker than the ending of the Last Of Us II for some, but in totality, it&rsquo;s not really that bad.
The Boston Celtics are 21-21 halfway through the season and tied for 10th in the Eastern Conference with 40 games left. Even so, they&rsquo;re just three games behind the Philadelphia 76ers for the No. 5 seed. In this league currently, a two-week run could have you anywhere from eye-emojiing that conference championship or deciding to blow it up altogether. Just ask the Cleveland Cavaliers and Atlanta Hawks.
That brings us to the Celtics, who have two All-Star caliber wings in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
With the same tandem many anointed as next in line, the Celtics lost in Game 7 to the LeBron James-led Cavs in the 2018 Eastern Conference Finals. (IBoston missing a sidelined Kyrie Irving didn't help either.)
Since then, the Celtics have imploded in the 2019 Eastern Conference semifinals with Irving healthy, fallen to the Miami Heat in the East Finals in Kemba Walker&rsquo;s last All-Star season, and needed the Play-In Tournament to solidify their standing in the 2021 playoffs, where they were nearly swept by the Brooklyn Nets in the opening round.
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If you combine Boston's records following its 2020 East Finals run, the team is 57-57. So as a result, y&rsquo;all are trying to break up Tatum and Brown, who are still just 23 and 25, respectively.
Does that need to happen for the Celtics figure this out? Let&rsquo;s talk about it.
The Case To Keep&nbsp;
The case to keep is getting tougher to construct by the day because of public opinion and underwhelming results. Still, it&rsquo;s hard to have two All-Stars on your roster at 25 years or younger and to want to split them up, even if they could be offensively redundant. But let&rsquo;s compare this to Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum&rsquo;s situation out in Portland, as a guide.
Lillard and McCollum are both 6-foot-3, score-first guards who are on the other side of 30 years old. Each rely heavily on creating with the ball in isolation or high screen-and-roll situations to generate offense, and generally occupy the same real estate on that side of the ball. Neither are defensive stoppers... at all... and both are on huge contracts through at least 2024. Lillard will make $39 to $49 million annually between now and 2024-25, whereas McCollum will bank $31 million, $33 and $36 million between now and 2023-24. Each deal will take them into their mid-30s.
Tatum and Brown are both on rookie extensions. Tatum could opt out of the fifth year of his, but even so, it&rsquo;s $37 million in 2025-26 &mdash; less than Lillard makes this year. Brown&rsquo;s number is $24.8 million this season, and he&rsquo;s only signed through 2023-24 &mdash; same as McCollum &mdash; where he&rsquo;ll see $28.6 million. Tatum and Brown are also wings between 6-foot-6 and 6-foot-8, and have shown more defensive upside, while Lillard and McCollum are smaller guards who have dealt with more injuries in recent seasons than they had previously, for whatever that&rsquo;s worth.
A Tatum-Brown tandem is so damn hard to find and develop that it almost never happens, and &mdash; given where the projections stood after a quick turnaround from sending Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Jason Terry to Brooklyn &mdash; it&rsquo;s why people poke fun at the Celtics for being where they are. That's how Tatum and Brown got there in the first place.
But if you go the "keep both and make it work" route as <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/celtics-have-no-interest-in-trading-jayson-tatum-or-jaylen-brown" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Boston will reportedly choose</a>, you have to build it differently. If you want to keep the Jays together, a legitimate point guard should be there to run the show, not a dude who just plays the position; that would help Robert Williams significantly too. The problem is, the way guys are being encouraged to run the 1-spot now isn&rsquo;t conducive to that, so it&rsquo;s challenging. But hell, all of this is. Only four teams make a conference finals, and the Celtics have been to two in the last four seasons, so you could definitely talk yourself into keeping this going.
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The Case to Split
We don&rsquo;t definitively know what they are, but we&rsquo;ve heard rumors about friction and supposed off-the-court issues seemingly since these two became teammates. Not necessarily between them, but around them. This season alone, there was that time Brown and Al Horford didn&rsquo;t agree about whether or not the team <a href="https://www.nbcsports.com/boston/celtics/celtics-jaylen-brown-al-horford-werent-same-page-after-timberwolves-loss" target="_blank" rel="noopener">needed to look in the mirror</a> following a loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Less than two months earlier, Marcus Smart called out Tatum and Brown <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDwk3qbgsxA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">regarding their apparent selfishness offensively</a>. We could go on, but you get the point.
On the surface, you&rsquo;d just figure you&rsquo;d get more wins. It's easier said than done, especially knowing how much the league &mdash; the East, in particular &mdash; has improved since 2017. While Tatum and Brown have also become All-Stars in that time, we still have questions. &nbsp;
This also ties back into the redundancy on the court, which is discernable. There&rsquo;s something to be said for choosing one and dealing the other for a point guard with actual floor-general tendencies &mdash; or just better parts to fit around whoever&rsquo;s left &mdash; but given the level of whichever player is dealt, you&rsquo;d rather have the the former.
There&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/insider/story/_/id/33034686/2022-nba-trade-deadline-watch-potential-deals-all-30-teams" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ben Simmons smoke</a>, and he&rsquo;d make sense with either on the court. Off? Who the hell knows. Everyone&rsquo;s a wildcard in this hypothetical.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander would be fascinating, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-case-against-and-for-trading-shai-gilgeous-alexander" target="_blank" rel="noopener">though I think Oklahoma City should keep him</a>.
John Collins is interesting, particularly because he <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/hawks-emerging-as-a-potential-landing-spot-for-ben-simmons" target="_blank" rel="noopener">may be available</a> and could conceivably play next to Time Lord down low; however, there&rsquo;s a world where that&rsquo;s clunkier than what Collins is already dealing with by sharing the floor with Clint Capela in Atlanta.
And there&rsquo;s Dejounte Murray, who would be the most appealing fit next to either if you&rsquo;re point guard hunting. A Brown for Murray framework, for example, works for both the Celtics and San Antonio Spurs on paper, at least. But, if I&rsquo;m the Spurs, it&rsquo;s a no from me dawg. For now, at least.
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The Verdict
Honestly, the East is too good for Boston this year, barring something more improbable than you out-trash-talking Dillon Brooks. There&rsquo;s something to be said for <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/should-these-now-trade-eligible-candidates-be-dealt-this-season" target="_blank" rel="noopener">making a minor move to improve the roster a bit</a>. Still, this appears to be a one-and-done playoff team on the surface, with a deep evaluation of its future coming in a few months.
A trade wouldn&rsquo;t change your fortune a good deal either, so thugging it out until the summer is probably best for now, unless the locker room morale is worse than we know. In that case, it would be time for a meaningful shake-up.

Bryan Fonseca wrestles with the idea of what the Celtics should do with the Jayson Tatum-Jaylen Brown duo.

The case against, and for, Boston splitting Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown

The Kings are receiving interest in De&rsquo;Aaron Fox with the trade deadline approaching.&nbsp;
Source: <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/deaaron-fox-addresses-kings-trade-rumors-his-ideal-role-in-the-nba-173928242.html">Chris Haynes/Yahoo Sports</a>
ANALYSIS:&nbsp;The 76ers discussed a Fox-for-Ben-Simmons package a few days ago, but the talks remain exploratory.
Many teams are interested in trading for Fox and Tyrese Halibruton, but the 17-27 Kings are more interested in building around them going forward.
Second-year GM Monte McNair is expected to be aggressive at the trade deadline.
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The Kings are receiving interest in De’Aaron Fox with the trade deadline approaching. 

Kings receiving interest in De’Aaron Fox ahead of deadline

In recent years, Thaddeus Young has become one of the NBA's most respected veterans.&nbsp;
From providing leadership to mentoring younger players to making hustle plays, the 33-year-old has made an impact on and off the court throughout his 15-year NBA career.&nbsp;
Young started his career with the Philadelphia 76ers, joining the team as a 19-year-old after they selected him with the No. 12 overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft. He spent seven years in Philadelphia before ultimately getting traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves as part of the Kevin Love blockbuster deal.
Young was recently a guest on &ldquo;The Alex Kennedy Podcast,&rdquo; and the 2020-21 NBA Hustle Award winner discussed his experience playing in Philadelphia.
&ldquo;Man, I think that&rsquo;s one of the cities that turned me into who I am today,&rdquo; Young said. &ldquo;Philly has that blue-collar mentality, so they love players who play hard every single night, who are tough, who are going to continue to battle no matter what&rsquo;s happening, who are always going to be there for their teammates. That&rsquo;s what made me kind of, like, a well-liked guy in Philly because I always played hard, I always brought that hard-hat mentality to each and every game, and you knew that you could rely on me to be consistent each and every night. There were times when they booed us and we were still playing hard &mdash; or I was still playing hard, at least (laughs). It&rsquo;s just understanding what type of town you&rsquo;re in and if you embody that and embrace them, then they&rsquo;ll embrace you as well."
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When asked about the Ben Simmons saga, Young shared his take on the situation and explained why he believes the Sixers should trade Simmons sooner than later.
&ldquo;I think the situation that&rsquo;s going on there with [Ben Simmons], that&rsquo;s something they&rsquo;ve just got to figure out. And I think they should figure it out sooner than later because, at the end of the day, you have a whole franchise to worry about," Young said. "You have players that you have to get locked in to what&rsquo;s going on, but you also have a player who has his own issues and his own focus, so I think it&rsquo;s just a matter of communication and talking it out between them and [if that doesn't work], then just trying to figure it out on their own.
"Philly is a rough city; it&rsquo;s a tough city to play for. But you have to have tough skin as well. When you&rsquo;re playing basketball, [no matter what] city or state or gym you&rsquo;re playing in, there&rsquo;s always going to be someone who&rsquo;s going to be saying something about you, so you just have to be prepared and focused on what you can do as a player and go out there and continue to give your all and try your best.&rdquo;
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This week, Simmons&rsquo; agent Rich Paul met with Sixers executives Daryl Morey and Elton Brand to discuss the stalemate and no progress was made, according to <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/33052865/sources-ben-simmons-agent-meets-philadelphia-76ers-sides-no-closer-resolution" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN</a>.
Simmons is no closer to suiting up for in Philadelphia, and the Sixers continue to stress that they won&rsquo;t trade Simmons unless they receive a top-25 player in return.
Philadelphia hasn't been able to find any team that&rsquo;s willing to meet its asking price, <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/33052865/sources-ben-simmons-agent-meets-philadelphia-76ers-sides-no-closer-resolution" target="_blank" rel="noopener">per Wojnarowski</a>. Despite the fact that other teams believe the Sixers are overvaluing Simmons, rival executives told Wojnarowski that Philly seems to be increasing its asking price recently.
Young is currently on the San Antonio Spurs, averaging 6.0 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 14.0 minutes per game. On "The Alex Kennedy Podcast," he also opened up about <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/spurs-thad-young-frustrated-about-role-this-situation-is-not-ideal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">playing an unfamiliar role in San Antonio</a> and <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/thaddeus-young-was-blindsided-by-spurs-trade-bulls-said-hed-be-back" target="_blank" rel="noopener">how he was blindsided when Chicago Bulls traded him last offseason</a>.&nbsp;
Listen to the full conversation with Thaddeus Young on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-alex-kennedy-podcast/id1528900732?i=1000543435681" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Apple Podcasts</a>, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/48Ly2X2vni5An5s4v8nFg9?si=ea5e2f4532714827" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Spotify</a>, <a href="https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-alex-kennedy-podcast-powered-by-basketballnewscom" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Stitcher</a> or above.

Thaddeus Young opened up about his seven-year stint with the Philadelphia 76ers and shared his take on the Ben Simmons saga.

Former 76er Thad Young talks about stint in Philly, Ben Simmons saga

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Hornets didn't pop champagne or go wild in the locker room following a win over the Sixers more than five years in the making.
There was just a simple message from Gordon Hayward: On to the next game.
“We talked about it before the game. We talked about ending the streak,” Hayward said. “It was a big win for us. But it was just one.”
Hayward made his first nine shots and scored 30 points and the Charlotte Hornets beat the Philadelphia 76ers 109-98 on Wednesday night to snap a 16-game losing streak in the series.
The Hornets hadn’t won against the Sixers since Nov. 2, 2016 and held the longest active losing streak to one team in the NBA.
Now the winning streak stands at one.
“We battled with these guys for a number of years and it feels like every shot at the end of the game has gone their direction,” Hornets coach James Borrego said.
All the Hornets needed was a flawless first half out of Hayward to get them going.
Hayward came out firing with a 9 of 9 first half -- that included four 3-pointers -- for 22 points that put the Hornets up 14 at the break. Hayward, who averaged 17 points, became the fourth Hornets player to score 20 points in the first half since the 1996-97 season.
“I had some easy looks and I was able to knock them down,” Hayward said.
Terry Rozier scored 22 points for the Hornets and Miles Bridges added 21.
Joel Embiid scored 31 points for the fifth straight game and the Sixers' seven-game winning streak ended.
Embiid continued to do Embiid things and wrecked the Hornets with every kind of a shot from a step-back 3 to a down-the-lane dunk that left the backboard shaking.
His recent stretch is one of the best in team history, joining Allen Iverson and Wilt Chamberlain as the only Sixers to score 30-plus points in eight straight games. Embiid made 10 of 17 shots and 10 of 14 free throws against the Hornets.
“It’s the skill and the power,” Borrego said. “He knows how to play the game. The way he can impose his size and power on the game and still use skill and finesse at the same time.”
Embiid, though, can’t carry the Sixers alone and the franchise is still at a stalemate with All-Star guard Ben Simmons. Embiid picked up his fifth foul with 3:45 left in the third and the Hornets ended the quarter up 85-76. 
“It starts with me. I wasn't good enough," Embiid said.
With a losing streak to the Sixers stretching more than five years, the Hornets, coming off two straight wins against Milwaukee, instead showed why they might be a team on the rise in the Eastern Conference. 
“I wouldn’t say it’s a message. We just have to continue to get better,” Bridges said. “These are three good wins against three good teams but we still haven’t done anything yet.”
Tobias Harris hit a 3 that brought the Sixers within eight only for Rozier to come right back and hit one for the Hornets. Bridges buried Charlotte’s ninth 3 to stretch the lead -- and put that losing streak to rest. 
TIP-INS
Hornets: Borrego stumped for guard LaMelo Ball to make the All-Star team. “He brings a joy to our gym,” he said. “If we were having a film session right here, he’s up front, he’s talking the most, he’s got great spirit about us. You need that spirit to get through 82 games.” ... C Kai Jones entered health and safety protocols.
76ers: G Danny Green had his right hip examined after a hard fall and returned to the game. ... The Sixers had 16 turnovers.
THE BEN THING
The Sixers continue to motor along with no change in Simmons’ status as he sits out the season following an offseason trade demand. The NBA trade deadline is about a month away (Feb. 10) and rumors continue to swirl around Simmons and the Sixers.
“We have the Ben thing,” coach Doc Rivers said. “I’m sure there will be some crazy rumors. There’s not a lot I can do about that. But there may be more than usual. If that’s the case, then you have to deal with it. You have to deal with it, I guess.”
Rivers said Simmons continues to visit the Sixers’ training facility in New Jersey.
“Hopefully we’ll have an answer, sooner or later,” Rivers said.
Simmons’ agent, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, sat courtside and heard one fan shout, “Yo, Rich Paul, get Ben Simmons out of Philly!”
UP NEXT
Hornets: Host the Magic on Friday.
76ers: Host the Celtics on Friday.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

The Charlotte Hornets beat the Philadelphia 76ers for the first time since 2016.

Hornets end 16-game losing streak to 76ers in 109-98 win

NBA championships are often determined by the superstars participating in the series. Those superstars are also judged by the number of championship rings they possess at the end of their illustrious careers. However, in most series, there are unsung heroes who play a massive part in their team reaching the pinnacle.
These X-factors do the necessary things not only for their teams to win, but also for their stars to shine the brightest.&nbsp;Think about Andre Iguodala in 2015, Marc Gasol in 2019 or Danny Green in just about any year.&nbsp;
Iguodala is obviously an extreme case by winning Finals MVP, but his work on the defensive end made what Steph Curry and Klay Thompson did easier. The Toronto Raptors traded Jonas Valanciunas for a fossilized version of Gasol, but the veteran big's defensive prowess and playmaking added up just enough to lead The North to a title. Green just did his thing, shooting from deep and defending top-tier wings.
The NBA is loaded with more talent than ever, which leads to more contending teams than ever. There are the favorites like the Brooklyn Nets, Golden State Warriors, Phoenix Suns and Milwaukee Bucks, and some fringe favorites such as the Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat and Utah Jazz. Outsiders like the Memphis Grizzlies, Philadelphia 76ers and Dallas Mavericks are making noise too.
With a number of teams in true contention, and others that could be a few trades or buyouts away from contention, the team who has the biggest X-factor will prevail. Let's take a look at who's been the most impactful this season so far.
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Honorable Mention: Ben Simmons (from a team perspective) 
This is more like a multiverse scenario, or one of those "choose your own path" books you read as a kid. Ben Simmons is an X-factor who could determine this season's NBA champion for a few different reasons.&nbsp;
Scenario 1:
Nothing happens. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Wednesday that Sixers president Daryl Morey has stayed adamant on standing pat, even after a meeting with Simmons' agent Rich Paul. So say Morey keeps his strong stance of only taking back one of the 25 players on his <a href="https://www.nbcsports.com/philadelphia/sixers/sixers-daryl-morey-holding-firm-ben-simmons-says-buckle" target="_blank" rel="noopener">top-secret wish list</a>. The Sixers have managed to still do well &mdash; currently fifth in the East &mdash; but with 21% of their payroll not even coming around the team, they will be hard-pressed to be actual contenders this season.
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Lunch meeting in Philadelphia with Paul and Sixers' management to talk through the ongoing Simmons situation, sources said. Sixers continue to want Simmons to return to the floor, but there's no movement on that front --- nor traction on a trade now. Trade deadline is Feb. 10.
&mdash; Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1481378946608291840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 12, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Simmons staying put and not playing would all but eliminate the Sixers from championship contention.
Scenario 2:
Ben Simmons shows up eventually and plays for Philly. Would this be a mentally and physically prepared Ben Simmons, or an "I'm just here so I don't get fined" Ben Simmons? The former would put this team back into the conversation as a real threat in the Eastern Conference, while the latter would sabotage the season even worse than sitting out has. This feels like the least likely of all scenarios to happen.
Scenario 3:
Morey finds a deal of his liking, whether that brings back what he has been holding out for all along or he settles for "good enough." Even finding a couple of competent starters in return for a player who hasn't played at all would be an increase in title odds for Philadelphia.
On top of the Sixers gaining valuable players to add to their rotation for a playoff push, whoever adds Simmons also likely improves their odds at contending as well. Teams like the Portland Trail Blazers, Cleveland Cavaliers and Atlanta Hawks would all immediately improve and have the ability to throw a wrench into the postseason picture.
The biggest wildcard in the NBA continues to be Ben Simmons and his elite defense and playmaking has the ability to reshape the playoff picture. Mix in some confidence if he were out of Phildelphia and he is one of the biggest X Factors in the league.
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Nic Claxton, Brooklyn Nets 
The third-year big out of the University of Georgia has burst onto the scene in Brooklyn for Steve Nash and the Nets. The Brooklyn roster hosts LaMarcus Aldridge, Day'Ron Sharpe, Blake Griffin and Paul Millsap as the team's "bigs" other than Claxton. With a high-powered offense led by future Hall-of-Famers Kyrie Irving, James Harden and Kevin Durant, the Nets need somone to on the back end to do the dirty work: rebound, set screens, block shots, etc.
Enter Claxton.
Some might argue that a larger role coming at this point in his career is one season too late, as Brooklyn opted to feed DeAndre Jordan minutes when Bruce Brown wasn't playing as the small-ball 5. Nonetheless, we are here, and more importantly for the Nets, Claxton is here.
Per 36 minutes, Nic leads the team in rebounding and blocked shots for players who have played at least 300 minutes on the season. Even more surprising, according to Basketball-Reference, he leads the team in Offensive Rating at 129, which is 10 points higher than Durant, the next in line. His Defensive Rating of 106 is also second behind Brown.&nbsp;
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It's his ability to drive and use his length to finish over and around the most elite shot-blockers like Myles Turner that makes him such a great fit in this offense. He's a perfect pick-and-roll partner for any of the stars handling the ball and an even better rim-runner in transition.&nbsp;
Gary Payton II, Golden State Warriors 
In the Warriors' Jan. 11 matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies, Ja Morant got what and where he wanted when he wanted, early and often, to the tune of 15 first-quarter points. After a quick opening run by Golden State, Memphis responded by Ja, Ja and more Ja. He seemed unstoppable.
Unstoppable force, meet immovable object.
Payton II might be the only player in the NBA who can slow down Morant. Andrew Wiggins, an important defender for the Warriors himself, had little success hanging with Morant. If GP II can hang with the electric Morant, he will be able to frustrate the likes Donovan Mitchell, Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook and more of the like over the course of a playoff series.&nbsp;
Payton single-handedly flipped the game from an 18-point deficit to a Golden State lead by cutting off the head of the snake. Picking up Morant for 94 feet and being extremely physical slowed down the All-Star guard to the point where he was asking the refs for a foul call. It forced the Grizzlies to insert Tyus Jones as a secondary ball-handler... meaning Payton's defense changed a game plan.
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The Warriors are, once again, an elite defensive team. The player with the best Defensive Rating on the team? Payton, allowing just 98 points per 100 possessions, is among the top defenders in the entire league by this metric. GP II is not a one-trick pony with his stellar point-of-attack defense; he is also shooting the three-ball at a 42% clip this season on just under 2 attempts per contest.&nbsp;
While Stephen Curry has certainly improved defensively throughout his career, Steve Kerr having the option to unleash Payton on the other team's best guard will prevent Curry and even Klay Thompson from expending that energy and picking up fouls.
Mikal Bridges, Phoenix Suns
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Mikal Bridges. <a href="https://t.co/0AApeLPjVt">pic.twitter.com/0AApeLPjVt</a>
&mdash; Dom2K🎄🎅🎁 (@Dom_2k) <a href="https://twitter.com/Dom_2k/status/1465017291175870464?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 28, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Every team in the NBA would want Mikal Bridges if you gave them the chance. He is absolutely the perfect glue guy for any lineup. His length and defensive ability allow him to guard almost every team's best player in the league. He currently possesses a Defensive Rating of 107, which is ironically the second-highest on the Suns, but that is more about who he is guarding rather than his ability.
Bridges is also a highly efficient, low-usage-rate player. He does not need nor demand the ball offensively to be effective. He fits that Bruce Bowen or Shane Battier role quite well. 58% of his three-point attempts are from the corner, and he is converting those at a 40.7% rate &mdash; the ultimate 3-and-D player that teams across the league covet.
His basketball IQ and fit next to Paul and Devin Booker are crucial to the success of the Phoenix Suns. Just like Payton in Golden State, Bridges can guard Morant, Mitchell, LeBron James, Paul George and more at a high level, allowing Booker to use his legs primarily on the offensive side of the ball.&nbsp;
Mikal Bridges makes the Suns one of the toughest outs in the NBA. Not Devin Booker. Not Chris Paul. Not Deandre Ayton. Mikal Bridges.
It is what he does on both sides of the ball at a high level, night-in and night-out, that ultimately fuels the Suns.

Justin Lewis highlights the X-factors making the most impact across the NBA this season, including one who hasn't played yet.

Analyzing 3 crucial NBA X-factors who deserve praise this season

The Atlanta Hawks are a potential suitor to monitor for a Ben Simmons deal.
<a href="https://twitter.com/thesteinline/status/1479532937389522945?s=21">Source: Marc Stein</a>
Simmons infamously came up short with the 76ers against the Hawks last season.
The Hawks sit at just 17-20 this season, and are relatively reportedly aggressive in talks ahead of the looming trade deadline.

The Atlanta Hawks are a potential suitor to monitor for a Ben Simmons deal.

Atlanta potential suitor to monitor in Ben Simmons trade talks

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

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

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

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

NBA Power Rankings: New Year's Resolutions for each team

The Portland Trail Blazers have made clear to the 76ers that All-NBA guard Damian Lillard is not available to be discussed in trade talks and franchise has no interest in moving him, sources tell ESPN.
Source: <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1469420816182001670" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter)</a>
ANALYSIS: Wojnarowski added that interim GM Joe Cronin has expressed a strong commitment to continue building the franchise around the All-NBA guard. Lillard has been the subject of several rumors regarding his future with the team since the offseason started. But the All-NBA guard has continued to voice his longterm commitment to the franchise and has no intentions of moving on from Portland. If the Blazers are serious about acquiring Ben Simmons, it will likely have to at least include 30 year-old shooting guard CJ McCollum with Lillard off the table. 
Philadelphia has been known to carry a hefty price for Ben Simmons, but with the 76ers hovering around .500, Daryl Morey may be more inclined to make a move sooner rather than later.

The Blazers have made it clear to the 76ers that Damian Lillard is not available in trade talks.

Blazers make it clear Damian Lillard is not available in trade talks

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

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

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

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."
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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."
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&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

We&rsquo;re now one month into the 2021-22 NBA season and there hasn&rsquo;t been any movement in regards to the Ben Simmons saga. It&rsquo;s the NBA&rsquo;s biggest storyline and there&rsquo;s seemingly no end in sight, as neither side seems willing to budge.
Philadelphia 76ers general manager Daryl Morey has said that he won&rsquo;t consider trading Simmons unless the team gets back a &ldquo;difference-maker.&rdquo; What exactly does that mean? According to <a href="https://theathletic.com/2962244/2021/11/18/the-ben-simmons-saga-one-month-into-the-season-where-things-stand-and-whats-next/?source=nbatw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sam Amick of The Athletic</a>, Morey and his staff &ldquo;have an actual list&rdquo; of players that they&rsquo;d be willing to accept in return for Simmons and it&rsquo;s &ldquo;approximately 30 players&rdquo; long.
That list includes players like James Harden, Damian Lillard, Bradley Beal and Jerami Grant, according to <a href="https://theathletic.com/2962244/2021/11/18/the-ben-simmons-saga-one-month-into-the-season-where-things-stand-and-whats-next/?source=nbatw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Amick</a> and <a href="https://www.inquirer.com/sixers/sixers-ben-simmons-trade-rumors-james-harden-jerami-grant-20211118.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">The Philadelphia Inquirer&rsquo;s Keith Pompey</a>. Of these names, &ldquo;there&rsquo;s an internal belief that a fair amount of them &mdash; let&rsquo;s say five to 10 &mdash; could become available in the next year or two,&rdquo; per <a href="https://theathletic.com/2962244/2021/11/18/the-ben-simmons-saga-one-month-into-the-season-where-things-stand-and-whats-next/?source=nbatw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Amick</a>.&nbsp;
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In other words: the 76ers are in no hurry to move Simmons and they&rsquo;re willing to wait for a star to become available. This lines up with what Morey said on 97.5 The Fanatic last month.
&ldquo;You are going to think I&rsquo;m kidding, I&rsquo;m not: This could take four years,&rdquo; Morey <a href="https://www.inquirer.com/sixers/sixers-ben-simmons-daryl-morey-trade-rumors-20211021.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told The Mike Missanelli Show</a>. &ldquo;The conditions I pointed out to you don&rsquo;t change unless Ben Simmons is traded for a difference-maker. We are in the prime of Joel&rsquo;s career... So this could be four years. This is not a day-to-day thing. This is like every day we are going to expect Ben Simmons to be back here or we are trading him for a difference maker. There&rsquo;s no other outcome that doesn&rsquo;t materially hurt our chance to win the championship in Joel Embiid&rsquo;s prime.&rdquo;
A Sixers source <a href="https://theathletic.com/2962244/2021/11/18/the-ben-simmons-saga-one-month-into-the-season-where-things-stand-and-whats-next/?source=nbatw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reiterated</a> this to Amick, describing this saga as &ldquo;a multi-year thing.&rdquo;
In the case of Harden, the thinking is that the Sixers may be able to swoop in this offseason and complete a sign-and-trade for the nine-time All-Star since he didn&rsquo;t sign an extension with the Brooklyn Nets prior to the start of this season. It makes sense that Morey wants to reunite with Harden, but this seems like a long shot.
Beal could also be an unrestricted free agent this offseason, as he has a $36,422,136 player option for the 2022-23 season. However, Beal didn&rsquo;t show any interest in leaving the Washington Wizards when the team was struggling, and it&rsquo;d be shocking if he suddenly decided to move on now that they have one of the best records in the Eastern Conference.
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Lillard recently committed to remain with the Portland Trail Blazers long-term, stressing that winning a title in Oregon would mean way more to him than getting a ring elsewhere.
Grant is likely lower on the 76ers&rsquo; list, as a team source told <a href="https://www.inquirer.com/sixers/sixers-ben-simmons-trade-rumors-james-harden-jerami-grant-20211118.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Philadelphia Inquirer</a> that they "would want a more high-profile player than Grant in exchange for Simmons." However, Philly has reportedly had ongoing discussions with the Detroit Pistons about Grant, with Saddiq Bey and Kelly Olynyk also being mentioned. Grant has never been an All-Star, but he's coming off of a big year with the Pistons in which he averaged 22.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.1 threes and 1.1 blocks. The 27-year-old started his career with the 76ers, who drafted him No. 39 overall in 2014.
While a trade doesn't seem close, don't expect Simmons to suit up for the Sixers in the near future either. Amick reports that he doesn't "see a return happening anytime soon &mdash; if ever." Again, neither side is willing to budge.
Will the league get involved in the Simmons saga? That seems unlikely too. A league source <a href="https://theathletic.com/2962244/2021/11/18/the-ben-simmons-saga-one-month-into-the-season-where-things-stand-and-whats-next/?source=nbatw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told Amick</a> that getting involved would be a "last step" and stressed that "Simmons' contract is not with the league but with the Sixers." According to <a href="https://theathletic.com/2962244/2021/11/18/the-ben-simmons-saga-one-month-into-the-season-where-things-stand-and-whats-next/?source=nbatw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Amick,</a> the NBA would &ldquo;strongly prefer to let the situation play out.&rdquo; 
It remains to be seen how long that takes.

The 76ers have a wish list of roughly 30 players and it includes James Harden, Bradley Beal, Damian Lillard and Jerami Grant.

76ers have list of 30 elite players they'd accept in Ben Simmons trade

According to ESPN's Ramona Shelburne, the Philadelphia 76ers have stopped fining Ben Simmons for missing team practices and games.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
More from Ramona Shelburne on why the 76ers have stopped fining Ben Simmons Via ESPN's "NBA Today"<a href="https://t.co/PWhXUo920O">pic.twitter.com/PWhXUo920O</a> <a href="https://t.co/H0B2CC6okX">https://t.co/H0B2CC6okX</a>
&mdash; 𝙏𝙖𝙡𝙠𝙞𝙣&rsquo; 𝙉𝘽𝘼 🗣️ (@_Talkin_NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/_Talkin_NBA/status/1452724121083781123?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 25, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Shelburne says that per a provision in NBA contracts, players cannot be fined for stepping away from the team to address their mental health. Simmons reportedly met with the team in the past week to tell them he was "not mentally ready" to play in regular season games.&nbsp;
"Right now, everybody's in a good place," Shelburne said.

Simmons reportedly met with the team in the past week to tell them he was "not mentally ready" to play in regular season games.

Sixers have stopped fining Ben Simmons for missed practices and games

Ben Simmons met with Sixers' medical professionals and coach Doc Rivers today and informed them that he's not mentally ready to play to his expectations now, sources tell ESPN. He also talked to his teammates today.
Source: <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1451563937099513859" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Adrian Wojnarowski/ESPN</a>
ANALYSIS:&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1451564412976996352" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wojnarowski also added</a>, "Simmons has to be evaluated now and next steps will be based upon the determination of medical professionals." The star point guard has not played for the Sixers in any capacity this fall and was recently thrown out of practice and suspended by the team. It is unclear what the next steps are for Simmons from a playing and general wellbeing standpoint.

The star point guard has not played for the Sixers in any capacity this fall and was recently thrown out of practice and suspended.

Ben Simmons tells Sixers he is 'not mentally ready' to play right now

It turns out the Philadelphia 76ers will begin the 2021-22 season without Ben Simmons, after all.
Except this probably isn&rsquo;t what anyone had in mind.
On Tuesday, the Sixers announced that they had suspended Simmons for one game for conduct detrimental to the team, a penalty levied against him after head coach Doc Rivers reportedly sent the All-Star home from practice on Tuesday.
As a result, Simmons will miss the club&rsquo;s season opener against the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday.
Whether or not Simmons has indeed played his final game as a member of the Sixers remains to be seen, but it certainly sounds as if Joel Embiid has seen enough of the All-Star who was once considered the other half of Philadelphia's championship puzzle.
"At this point I don't care about that man," Embiid said in reference to Simmons.&nbsp;
"I'm only focused on trying to make the team better, win some games, play hard every night, try to lead the guys we have here.&rdquo;
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"At this point I don't care about that man." 🤯🤯🤯 <a href="https://t.co/telIeAGsyi">pic.twitter.com/telIeAGsyi</a>
&mdash; NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBCSPhilly/status/1450503054730711047?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 19, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Embiid used the term &ldquo;babysit&rdquo; more than once in his diatribe, and if there was any doubt as to whether the conflict between Simmons and the franchise had reached the point of no return, it was answered by Embiid.
Toiling to the point where he&rsquo;s become a legitimate MVP candidate, Embiid, in relatively short order, seems to have come to understand that winning at the highest level requires unity of purpose within the locker room as much as it requires talented individuals.
In the end, where Sixers president Daryl Morey finds himself with Simmons is exactly where his successor in Houston, Rafael Stone, found himself with James Harden when Harden decided he wanted to move on to Brooklyn. Unfortunately for Morey, what players have realized in this day and age is that they wield quite a bit of influence with respect to where they play &mdash; contract or no contract. And they earn so much money both on and off the floor that if they holdout they can usually make ends meet just fine.
If it seems like we&rsquo;ve seen this story before, it&rsquo;s because we have. When Anthony Davis decided he no longer wished to be in New Orleans, he had nearly two full seasons remaining on his then-current contract. Ditto for Harden. In the end, each got exactly what they wanted.
Although the same can&rsquo;t necessarily be said of Kawhi Leonard (he had one season left on his deal when the San Antonio Spurs dealt him to the Toronto Raptors), what we learned from his departure was that there will be a trade market for a superstar player, even if there is no guarantee that he&rsquo;ll re-sign with his club once he becomes a free agent.
So in some respects, it&rsquo;s natural to believe that Simmons will report to and be a professional. Including the 2021-22 season, he has four years and about $140 million remaining on the five-year max extension he signed with the Sixers just over two years ago.
But on the other hand, Simmons &mdash; who has seen many of his predecessors successfully hold out in order to be traded &mdash; has realized an important truth: the Sixers can&rsquo;t force him to play.
Including Wednesday night&rsquo;s game, Simmons will have missed five games for Philadelphia, resulting in more than $1.5 million in lost salary. Playing under the final year of his rookie deal last season, Simmons earned just over $8 million, so the $1.5 million in lost earnings is a fairly significant sum. However, it&rsquo;s a fraction of the $30.5 million he is scheduled to earn this season.
At some point, the Sixers will trade Simmons and he&rsquo;ll be paid the remainder of this season&rsquo;s salary from his new team, as well as another $108 million for the three seasons proceeding this one.
In other words, for Simmons, money really isn&rsquo;t a grave concern.
Said differently, by virtue of his suspension on Tuesday, Simmons and the Sixers have fully engaged in a high-stakes game of chicken whereby the Sixers can continue to dock his salary if he fails to perform, while Simmons can pout until he gets his way.
What&rsquo;s most unfortunate is that Embiid and his teammates find themselves stuck in the middle.
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Brooklyn Nets general manager Sean Marks recently made the difficult decision to effectively <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/itll-be-difficult-for-kyrie-and-the-nets-to-come-back-from-this" target="_blank" rel="noopener">banish Kyrie Irving</a> as a result of the point guard&rsquo;s refusal to get vaccinated against COVID-19. In the release announcing the franchise&rsquo;s position on Irving, Marks, among other things, stated the following: &ldquo;Our championship goals for the season have not changed, and to achieve these goals each member of our organization must pull in the same direction.&rdquo;
Simmons, obviously, has his own agenda.
Under normal circumstances, a 25-year-old who&rsquo;s a three-time All-Star would fetch a major haul on the trade market, but the organization&rsquo;s public conflict with Simmons has undercut its leverage tremendously. And while there&rsquo;s a long list of teams who have registered interest in Simmons, the Sixers are reportedly holding out for a player who, according to ESPN&rsquo;s Adrian Wojnarowski, will keep the team in the championship conversation.
Since arriving to the league, Embiid has become the epitome of a franchise player. He&rsquo;s meticulously plied his trade and has improved in nearly all facets.
Far from perfect, it&rsquo;s obvious that he&rsquo;s dedicated himself to maximizing his potential and pulling both his teammates and the Sixers franchise up with him.
Simmons, to say the least, has not.&nbsp;
Legacies can be made and broken in an instant. Had Kawhi&rsquo;s shot-heard-round-the-world missed in 2019 or had Simmons thrown down a dunk in 2021, the conversation might be completely different.&nbsp;
But alas, it simply wasn&rsquo;t meant to be &mdash; just like Simmons&rsquo; career in Philadelphia.
A fresh start somewhere &mdash; perhaps Sacramento or Portland &mdash; would probably serve Simmons well.
Truth be told, it would serve Embiid, too. At this point, he&rsquo;s earned the right to be surrounded by others who are willing to perform as professionals and dedicate themselves to the Sixers and the City of Philadelphia.
Sadly, without question, we now know Ben Simmons to not be among them.

Has Ben Simmons indeed played his final game as a member of the Sixers? For Joel Embiid's sake, let's hope so, writes Moke Hamilton.

The 76ers owe it to Joel Embiid to trade Ben Simmons… and fast

With the 2022 NBA Draft less than a month away, BasketballNews.com will have you covered from top to bottom. The NBA Draft Combine in Chicago began the pre-draft process for a number of hopeful prospects as they try to break into the league.
I had the opportunity to catch up with Ohio State swingman Malaki Branham, who averaged 13.7 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game in his lone season with the Buckeyes. We discussed his start in basketball, playing in his home state, his second-half surge and how he'll translate to the next level.
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Let's start with your background. What's your hometown?
Malaki Branham: "My hometown is Columbus, Ohio, where I was born and raised."
Could you tell me a little bit about your family background?
Branham: "I have a small circle. It's my mom, my little brother, my uncle, my auntie and my grandma. That's about it. My trainer is also like family. I've been working with him for seven-plus years, so he became family."
Did you play any other sports growing up?
Branham: "No, not really. When I was younger, I played soccer and baseball, but basketball has always been everything to me."
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When did you first start getting into organized basketball?
Branham: "Probably when I was 8 or 9. I started playing AAU early on, and things just took off from there."
At what point in your development did it start to click that you might have a bright future in basketball?
Branham: "It was my eighth-grade year. I dunked on somebody; that was my first in-game dunk but my first "poster" too. I thought, 'If I keep working, I can do something with this.'"
How tall were you when that happened?
Branham: I was around 6-2, 6-3. And I'm 6-5 now, so I've grown a few inches.
Being from Ohio, what was it like to be able to stay home and play at Ohio State?
Branham: "It meant everything to me, getting to play for my hometown school. I loved every second I was there on campus with the coaching staff and everyone. It was a good feeling to play for my hometown and have my family watch me too."
In our <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/nba-draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2022 NBA Mock Draft</a> on BasketballNews.com, we have you projected to the Cleveland Cavaliers at No. 14. How would you feel if that ended up being the case?
Branham: "It would be cool! Many people back home want me to stay and play for the Cleveland Cavaliers. It's just a blessing to be in this position."
I saw you early on in the season at the Fort Myers Classic. At that point, you were starting, but not getting a lot of shots. Then, midway through the season, you started to explode. From your perspective, what began to click for you to elevate your game so dramatically?
Branham: "I didn't have the biggest role on the team to start. In the beginning, I was trying to fit in. Then, when we played Wisconsin at home, I had 0 points and 4 turnovers. I texted Coach [Chris] Holtmann after the game and thanked him for letting me play through the mistakes that I was making. I was just frustrated with myself, I looked in the mirror and said, 'We need to get to work.'
"From that point, the Nebraska game came, and I kept that in the back of my head and wanted to make sure that the game wasn't just a fluke. I just wanted to be consistent the rest of the year, and I feel like I did that."
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The Big Ten was stacked this year. I stayed in Indianapolis to watch the entirety of the conference tournament. Who do you think was your toughest matchup this year?
Branham: "The toughest 1-on-1 matchups that I had to guard, I'd probably say Fatts Russell from Maryland; he's a smaller guard, but he's so quick and shifty. I'd also have to say Johnny Davis and Jaden Ivey as well.
"That quick first step that lets [Jaden] get to the rim with ease (makes him a tough matchup). Also, he gets up in the air and gets his shot off from anywhere he wants. With him, I feel like it's him being more explosive than everybody. Johnny is just smooth. He's a bigger guard as well. He gets to the mid-range just like me, so making it tough on him is hard to do. I feel like he plays through a lot of contact.
"Those guys were both a year ahead of me, so they had a feel for Big Ten basketball. I just had to get a feel for how they moved, but I felt like I matched up with them pretty well."
What was your driving force for going all-in on the draft?
Branham: "Really, it was just getting good feedback. I kept working and put my head down, and after, I kept getting good news. I felt like it was too good of an option for me to pass up. I feel like entering the draft with two feet is what I wanted, so I'm just excited to be in this process."
Can you describe yourself as a player?
Branham: "I would say that I'm aggressive. I'm always in attack mode. When I'm between those four lines, I'm in attack mode and aggressive. In the second half of the season, I was aggressive, looking for my shot. I'm also always trying to facilitate for my team too."
Are there any specific aspects of your game that you're looking to improve?
Branham: "Probably tightening my handle. I will be on the wing against bigger and older guys, so I need a tight handle. I'd also like to work on my defensive abilities as well. I'm not going to be a guy who is handling the ball all the time right away, so I need to get some stops on the defensive end to earn that trust on the offensive end."
Are there any current or former players that you model your game after?
Branham: "I watch a lot of Khris Middleton, Devin Booker and those types of guys that can get to the mid-range and are three-level scorers. Those are the guys I model my game after."
If you had to use one word to describe yourself, what would it be?
Branham: 'I'd go with resilient. There will always be tough times in life, but I'm always pushing through. This year was a good example of me being resilient. At the beginning of the year, I wasn't playing as well as I could have, and in the second half, I found a way to push through and get through it."
Let's pretend I'm an NBA general manager. What is your elevator pitch to me as to why I should select you?
Branham: "I live and breathe basketball. I'm a hard worker. So many people say that, but I am genuinely a hard worker. I wake up at 5 a.m. every day and put the work in to perfect my craft. You should select me because I do that and want to get better every day to become the best I possibly can become."
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Matt Babcock speaks with Ohio State wing Malaki Branham about his second-half surge, how he'll translate to the NBA and more.

2022 NBA Draft Q&A: Ohio State's Malaki Branham leans on resilience

Philadelphia 76ers star center Joel Embiid underwent surgery on Monday to repair his sprained right thumb that he injured during the playoffs. He also has a procedure done to repair an injury to his left index finger.&nbsp;
He is expected to be ready for training camp.
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The Sixers say Joel Embiid underwent surgery yesterday to repair his sprained right thumb that he injured during the playoffs, and that he also has a procedure done to repair an injury to his left index finger. He&rsquo;s expected to be ready for training camp.
&mdash; Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) <a href="https://twitter.com/TimBontemps/status/1531655121666457603?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 31, 2022</a></blockquote>

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76ers' Joel Embiid underwent surgery to repair his sprained right thumb that he injured during the playoffs.

Joel Embiid undergoes surgery, expected to be ready for training camp

Sr. NBA Draft Analyst Matt Babcock shares his experience of moving to Bologna, Italy, where he became an assistant coach for a professional basketball team before becoming a sports agent. Check out <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/my-past-life-as-a-sports-agent-going-to-california" target="_blank" rel="noopener">part 1</a> about how he got his start and <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/my-past-life-as-a-sports-agent-the-2006-nba-draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">part 2</a> about helping players prepare for the 2006 NBA Draft.
It was 2006, I was 22-years old and I was set to begin my first full-time job out of college as an assistant coach for Virtus Bologna, a professional basketball team in Bologna, Italy. Before leaving for Europe, I stayed at my parents' house in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I had received my travel itinerary via email, so I packed up all of my stuff, purchased a couple of Italian phrasebooks and hugged my mom. Then, my dad drove me to Chicago for my flight, and before I knew it, I was off to Italy.
After a long travel day, I made it to Bologna. I had not been given many details about my arrangements before landing. I knew that I would be an assistant coach and that the team would cover all of my expenses, but I didn't know where I would be living. I didn't even know if anyone would pick me up at the airport. I didn't have anyone's contact info from the team. To say an unknown world awaited me would be a significant understatement. I was a bit anxious.
I exited the plane and made my way to the baggage claim. I had hoped to see a driver holding a big sign with my name, but I did not see anyone like that. I collected my two massive bags that contained pretty much everything I owned at that point, took a seat and waited, hoping someone from the team was coming to pick me up. I was exhausted and grew increasingly anxious the longer I waited. I began to think, "Did I make a mistake coming here?"
Finally, a man approached me and said with a thick Italian accent, "Matt?"
I felt like I had been rescued from a deserted island.
The man pointed to a logo on his shirt that read, "Virtus Bologna." It was evident that he did not speak English. I didn't speak any Italian, so I'm sure you can imagine how everything carried on. We shook hands, and he directed me to follow him to his car, which was seemingly a team-issued van. After about a twenty-minute drive and no words exchanged, we arrived at a small hotel. A receptionist translated for us when we walked into the hotel, which was a huge relief. She explained that the team was on the road, but someone would reach out to me on the hotel phone the next day. (I didn't use my cell phone, as international roaming charges were costly at the time.)
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I was exhausted but also starving, so I asked the receptionist if any restaurants would be serving food at that hour. She directed me to a place nearby. I walked into the restaurant, and no one spoke English very well. I sat down at a table with my Italian phrasebook in hand. I ordered a pizza and a glass of red wine&mdash;I was in Italy, after all. After a long day and night, I was tired and stressed. Having been a young guy on my own in a foreign country was difficult. The language barrier was challenging, and all of the unknowns were nerve-wracking. I again questioned if I had made the right decision accepting that job. However, the waitress brought out my pizza and glass of red wine, and let me tell you, they were perhaps the best things I had ever tasted in my entire life! Subsequently, my stress subsided a bit, and although I still didn't know what to expect next, I could relax and appreciate the opportunity.
The following day, I woke up at about 3:00 AM because of jet lag. After hours of killing time, a man named Daniele Cavicchi called me on the hotel phone. He introduced himself in a thick Italian accent, saying he was the team's assistant coach (there was only one before I came). He told me they were happy to have me and that he would pick me up in a few hours. He explained that the team had the day off, but I would meet with the head coach and general manager.
When Daniele picked me up, I instantly liked him and thought he was a nice guy. Although he was older than I was, maybe in his late 20s, he was a relatively young coach. So he naturally became my "go-to guy" while I was there. Anyway, we got into his car, and we were off to the practice facility. He told me that he was from Bologna and would show me around the town. He gave me the lay of the land as we drove around, similar to a tour guide. Daniele explained that it was essentially a college town, with the university being the oldest in the world, established in 1088. He continued to explain that within Italy, a country known for its food and wine, that specific region was the best and even the home of bolognese sauce. It had been dark the night before when I arrived, so that car ride with Daniele was when I realized that Bologna was an extraordinary place, rich in culture and history. The more he described the city, and the more I saw it, the more excited I became to be there. I couldn't believe that was where I would be living. It felt like a dream come true.
When we arrived at the team's offices, my first meeting was with the team's head coach, Zare Markowski. A classy gentleman from Macedonia, he was a veteran coach that seemed to have coached nearly everywhere at some point in his career. Our initial meeting was brief as he pretty much just welcomed me. However, despite only meeting with him briefly, I found him to be a charming guy.
My second meeting was with the general manager, Piergiorgio Bottai, a businessman from "Roma." After meeting him, it was apparent from his enthusiasm that he was the main reason I was there. He outlined his vision for me and laid out the details of my arrangements during my stay. He told me I would be an assistant coach, and my primary responsibility was to develop their players individually. They also wanted me to occasionally direct the youth team's practices with a translator. He continued to tell me that they had an apartment for me in the "city centre," which also happened to be in the same building as the team's owner. I would have access to a nice restaurant, and I could eat there whenever I'd like, order whatever I'd like and always put it on the team's tab. He then explained that Mercedes-Benz sponsored the team, so players and staff members were given courtesy cars, myself included. It was apparent that the team had intended to take great care of me while I was there.
Following my meetings, Daniele brought me downstairs to give me all of the team-issued gear: a team jacket, polos, t-shirts, etc. I felt part of the team, and everyone was very welcoming.
After leaving the practice facility, Daniele and I had a great dinner at the team restaurant, and then I settled into my apartment afterward. It was "perfetto." The following day was my first day of practice, where I was set to be introduced to the team as their new assistant coach. Although it had been a hectic couple of days, and I was nearly 5,000 miles from home, I went to sleep that night with my mind at ease. Everything was "molto bene!"
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Matt Babcock discusses his stint as an assistant coach in Italy, which helped lay the groundwork for his later job as an NBA agent.

My past life as a sports agent: Bologna, Italy

BasketballNews.com's Senior NBA Draft Analyst Matt Babcock presents a series that will peel back the curtain from his time as a sports agent, giving a glimpse at some of his personal experiences working in the sports agency business for over a decade.
In the third entry of the series, Babcock discusses his search for coaching jobs prior to entering the sports agency business, ultimately leading him to go abroad.
Within several months, I left the University of Arizona and completed a summer internship at Wasserman Media Group in Los Angeles, California, which was an exciting summer and excellent learning experience. However, the real world was knocking on my door, and I needed to find a full-time job &mdash; a typical situation for a 22-year-old right out of college.
I had ambitions of being a basketball coach, not a sports agent, which was something I had planned on my entire life. Once my internship ended at Wasserman, I tapped into my family's network (with the help of my dad) in hopes of landing an entry-level coaching job &mdash; ideally with an NBA or D-League team. Although I had some interest from teams, I couldn't secure any legitimate offers. I realized then how tough it is to break into professional sports, even if you are well connected.
For better or worse, I'm not one to sit back and wait for anything to unfold organically. I felt that I needed to think outside of the box and be assertive &mdash; so that's what I did. I came up with the idea to pursue jobs with professional teams overseas. I ran it by my dad, and he thought it was a good idea.
We started making calls to people within our network that could help facilitate that sort of deal. We talked with Max Ergul, an agent from Turkey who worked with Milwaukee Bucks forward Ersan Ilyasova. We had gotten to know Max because he had moved to Milwaukee when Ersan joined the Bucks, the team my dad had worked for (and still does). Max liked the idea and began to pursue opportunities for me. Before I knew it, he found a team in Istanbul, Turkey that wanted me to be an assistant coach with an emphasis on player development.
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The terms of the deal were unique: I would not get paid a salary, but they would cover all of my expenses (flights, food, housing, transportation, etc.). The team wanted me to fly to Istanbul in August and be there for the entire season. I had only a few months of work experience under my belt, but in my mind, I was ready to conquer the world; all I needed was an opportunity just like that. I had made up my mind that I would take the deal. I was set to start my coaching career in Istanbul.
However, before I formally agreed to the deal in Turkey, I called Sam Goldfeder, an agent with Excel Sports Management. Sam had been kind enough to let me stay in his mother-in-law's guest house in Beverly Hills for the summer while I did my internship with Wasserman. My intent in calling Sam was to thank and update him on my job status, but the conversation did not go as I had expected.
Me: Sam, I wanted to thank you again for everything you did for me this summer. I also wanted to let you know that I plan to accept a coaching position with a professional team in Istanbul, Turkey.
Sam Goldfeder: "What?! Have you signed anything yet?"
Me: No, I have not.
Sam: "Okay, don't! I'll call you back."
He abruptly hung up the phone, and I thought: "What was that?" However, I trusted Sam, so I waited anxiously for his call.
Within a day or so, my phone rang. It was Sam.&nbsp;
Sam: "I have good news. I talked with our collaborating partner in Italy, Matteo Comellini. I told him about your offer in Turkey, and he spoke to the team in his hometown of Bologna, Italy. They would like to match the offer."
Me:&nbsp;No way, that's amazing!
Sam: "Yes, it's a great situation. The team's name is Virtus Bologna. They are one of the best teams in Italy. It's a terrific place &mdash; I think you will love it!"
Me: Thank you so much, Sam! But first, let me talk to my dad, and I'll get back to you.
After some consideration, I decided to accept the deal in Italy, and just like that, my plans were overhauled. I packed up all of my stuff, purchased a couple of Italian phrasebooks and gave my mom a hug and kiss, and I was off. I boarded the plane to Italy without speaking to anyone from the team, as all of the communication had been through Sam and Matteo.
I wasn't quite sure what I had signed up for, but one thing was for sure: I was a soon-to-be Italian resident and assistant coach of a professional basketball team.
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/my-past-life-as-a-sports-agent-the-2006-nba-draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Read the last entry of this series</a>: "My past life as a sports agent: "The 2006 NBA Draft."
Editor's Note: This article was originally published on <a href="https://www.babcockhoops.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BabcockHoops.com</a>.
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Matt Babcock discusses his search for coaching jobs before entering the sports agency business, ultimately leading him to go abroad.

My past life as a sports agent: An aspiring coach goes abroad

Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Dončić, Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić, Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker and Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum have been selected to the 2021-22 All-NBA First Team, the NBA announced today.&nbsp;
Antetokounmpo was the only player to receive All-NBA First Team votes on all 100 ballots (500 total points), earning his fourth consecutive selection to the First Team and sixth All-NBA Team honor overall (First Team, Second Team and Third Team). This is the third All-NBA First Team selection each for Dončić (476 points) and Jokić (476 points), the 2021-22 NBA Most Valuable Player.&nbsp; Booker (460 points) is making his debut on the All-NBA Team.&nbsp; Tatum (390 points) joins Booker as a first-time selection to the All-NBA First Team.&nbsp;
With the selection of Antetokounmpo (27 years old), Dončić (23), Jokić (27), Booker (25) and Tatum (24), the All-NBA First Team is made up entirely of players age 27 or younger for the first time in 67 years (1954-55 season).&nbsp; Dončić is the fourth player in NBA history to be named to the All-NBA First Team three or more times before turning 24, joining Tim Duncan, Kevin Durant and Max Zaslofsky.
The 2021-22 All-NBA Second Team consists of Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (414 points), Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (301 points), Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant (276 points), Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (274 points) and Chicago Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan (184 points).
Embiid, the 2021-22 NBA scoring champion, has been named to the All-NBA Second Team for the fourth time in the last five seasons.&nbsp; Morant, the 2021-22 NBA Most Improved Player, is an All-NBA Team honoree for the first time.&nbsp; This is the 10th&nbsp;All-NBA Team selection for Durant, the eighth for Curry and the third for DeRozan.
The 2021-22 All-NBA Third Team is composed of Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns (174 points), Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (169 points), Suns guard Chris Paul (114 points), Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (110 points) and Toronto Raptors forward Pascal Siakam (63 points).
This is the second All-NBA Team honor for both Towns and Siakam and the first for Young.&nbsp; James has extended his NBA record for most All-NBA Team selections to 18.&nbsp; Paul has been voted to the All-NBA Team for the 11th&nbsp;time, the second-most selections among active players behind James.&nbsp;
The 2021-22 All-NBA Team was selected by a global panel of 100 sportswriters and broadcasters.&nbsp;&nbsp;Players were awarded five points for each vote to the All-NBA First Team, three points for each vote to the Second Team and one point for each vote to the Third Team.&nbsp; Voters selected two guards, two forwards and one center for each team, choosing players at the position they play regularly.&nbsp; Players who received votes at multiple positions were slotted at the position at which they received the most voting points.
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The 2021-22 Kia All-NBA First Team: 🏀 Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee) 🏀 Devin Booker (Phoenix) 🏀 Luka Dončić (Dallas) 🏀 Nikola Jokić (Denver) 🏀 Jayson Tatum (Boston) <a href="https://t.co/D0H6GEDrea">pic.twitter.com/D0H6GEDrea</a>
&mdash; NBA Communications (@NBAPR) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBAPR/status/1529257510481416192?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 25, 2022</a></blockquote>

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The 2021-22 Kia All-NBA Second Team: 🏀 Stephen Curry (Golden State) 🏀 DeMar DeRozan (Chicago) 🏀 Kevin Durant (Brooklyn) 🏀 Joel Embiid (Philadelphia) 🏀 Ja Morant (Memphis) <a href="https://t.co/qHqDWB42tz">pic.twitter.com/qHqDWB42tz</a>
&mdash; NBA Communications (@NBAPR) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBAPR/status/1529257815654776832?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 25, 2022</a></blockquote>

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The 2021-22 Kia All-NBA Third Team: 🏀 LeBron James (L.A. Lakers) 🏀 Chris Paul (Phoenix) 🏀 Pascal Siakam (Toronto) 🏀 Karl-Anthony Towns (Minnesota) 🏀 Trae Young (Atlanta) <a href="https://t.co/uYiQpdkFeh">pic.twitter.com/uYiQpdkFeh</a>
&mdash; NBA Communications (@NBAPR) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBAPR/status/1529258023121825793?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 25, 2022</a></blockquote>

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The NBA announced the three All-NBA teams for the 2021-22 season.

NBA announces 2021-22 All-NBA teams

James Harden has averaged at least 15 field goal attempts per game in each of his last 10 regular seasons, encompassing his entire tenure with the Houston Rockets, Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers. He's put up at least 12 shots per game in 10 ten postseason appearances since 2013.&nbsp;
So when Harden took just two attempts in the Sixers' Game 6 exit against the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference semifinals, it was jarring to those who watch Harden and those who have followed the drama of the franchise over the past year. After all, it was just one season ago where Ben Simmons' shot selection created a firestorm that ultimately led to February's blockbuster deal.
But this felt different. Harden is one of the greatest scorers the NBA has ever seen. And the performance distracted from the fact that, even in his battle against Father Time, Harden is still one of the most talented floor generals in the world.&nbsp;
His "down" year included 22.0 points, 10.3 assists and 7.7 rebounds per game spanning a tenuous winter with the Nets and a midseason trade to Philadelphia. He still has the step-back, the strength and the court vision, even as his quick first step appears to be sputtering with age and injuries.
Harden is a game-changer for the 76ers, and it's why he is by far the chief offseason storyline. The 32-year-old holds a player option for next season. He could either opt-in and potentially sign an extension that could pay over $60 million in 2026-27, or decline and test the waters in unrestricted free agency. One more interesting wrinkle: According to ESPN's Brian Windhorst, few around the league expect Philly to pony up with that max contract extension:
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.<a href="https://twitter.com/WindhorstESPN?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WindhorstESPN</a> says to pump the brakes on Harden returning to Philadelphia next season with a max deal. "Nobody in the NBA believes that the Sixers are going to give James Harden a max contract.&rdquo; <a href="https://t.co/vASDx6p0ek">pic.twitter.com/vASDx6p0ek</a>
&mdash; Get Up (@GetUpESPN) <a href="https://twitter.com/GetUpESPN/status/1525118767511924736?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 13, 2022</a></blockquote>

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It's a pivotal summer for Harden and the franchise. Should Philadelphia <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/signing-james-harden-to-a-max-contract-could-cripple-the-sixers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">commit upwards of $200 million to a guard showing signs of physical decline who turns 33 next season</a>? Or should the team lower the offer and risk seeing an extremely talented, experienced playmaker (and a great fit with Joel Embiid) walk?
So Harden's contract is item No. 1 on president of basketball operations Daryl Morey's agenda. The next is evaluating which current rotation players are fit for long-term success.&nbsp;
Ten different Sixers averaged 10 or more minutes per game in the playoffs. It often felt like Sixers head coach Doc Rivers didn't know where to look for help outside of Embiid, Harden, Tobias Harris and Tyrese Maxey. DeAndre Jordan, Matisse Thybulle and Georges Niang, among others, frequently drew the ire of fans on social media.&nbsp;
Jordan will hit the open market this summer along with fellow veteran big man Paul Millsap. But Philly doesn't have many other free agency decisions to make; Shake Milton (team option), Myles Powell (restricted) and Harden are the only others to monitor.
The luxury tax hampers the 76ers, who will only have the taxpayer mid-level exception to add free agents unless Harden leaves and opens up some cap space. That MLE is valued at approximately $6.3 million. Maybe Philly locks in a permanent backup center like Thomas Bryant or Chris Boucher? Or perhaps they look for wings, whether it be a shooter like Bryn Forbes or a playmaker such as Kyle Anderson. Either way, it's at least a chance to reel in a rotation-caliber addition.
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The Sixers are also absent from the current NBA Draft picture. They traded their first-rounder to Brooklyn in the James Harden trade (though the Nets can defer that pick to 2023) and their second-rounder is headed to Miami.&nbsp;
If Philly wants to make a serious splash, it'll have to turn to the trade machine. Morey has reasonable pieces at his disposal. Thybulle, for all of his offensive warts, is one of the best wing defenders in the NBA and will make just $4.38 million next season before entering restricted free agency. Niang is set to enter the final year of his current contract and will collect $3.47 million. Harris still has two years left on his massive deal, but the 29-year-old deserves credit for a resurgent playoff effort.
Ultimately, Morey's maneuvering will only do so much for a Sixers roster in need of tweaks and growth. The biggest development might come in the offseason gym with young players who have yet to realize their potential.
Paul Reed emerged as a high-energy bench big in the playoffs, but still has leaps to make away from the boards. Charles Bassey, picked 53rd overall last season, is another athletic center preparing for his opportunity. We're still waiting on 22-year-old Isaiah Joe (non-guaranteed for next season) to round out his flashes of microwave perimeter scoring.
I was a fan of Jaden Springer, last year's No. 28 overall pick, at draft time. Springer averaged 15.0 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game with the Delaware Blue Coats in the G League, flying around on defense. But he still has a long way to go as an NBA guard on offense.
If any of these players break through into the full-time rotation next year, that's a major win for the 76ers development system. Trades can only accomplish so much when teams are sending pieces out to make additions. For Philly to take that next step as a championship contender, they'll need to see in-house improvement from Harden, the supporting cast and the young guns.
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James Harden's pending player option highlights a pivotal summer for the 76ers. Ethan Fuller dives in.

2022 NBA offseason preview: What's next for the Philadelphia 76ers?

The Orlando Magic came out of Tuesday&rsquo;s NBA Draft Lottery as the big winners, winning the No. 1 overall pick for the fourth time in franchise history.
Winning the lottery is a big deal for any team, as it gives them a tremendous opportunity to add an elite young talent. The <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2022 draft class</a> features a few &ldquo;can&rsquo;t-miss&rdquo; prospects who have already adequately separated themselves from the other top youngsters. Auburn&rsquo;s Jabari Smith, Gonzaga&rsquo;s Chet Holmgren and Duke&rsquo;s Paolo Banchero are easily the most electrifying players in the 2022 class.
All three of these prospects are versatile big men, which is a role that the Magic would be well-served in addressing. Orlando had two lottery picks in 2021, which they used on Gonzaga point guard Jalen Suggs and Michigan small forward Franz Wagner. If the Magic add a big man who grows into a superstar, their roster will be mostly set for the foreseeable future.
Of course, the allure of prospects wears off almost immediately after the draft. Ignoring the scouting process and all the work that goes into prosect evaluation, a look back at the last 10 NBA drafts reveals that first-overall picks are far from the sure things we make them out to be:
2012 NBA Draft: Anthony Davis, New Orleans Pelicans
Ten years ago, the New Orleans Pelicans selected Anthony Davis with the No. 1 pick. Davis grew into a superstar quickly, and his impact on the Pelicans was clear almost immediately. He led the Pelicans to the playoffs twice, in 2014-15 and 2017-18. The 2017-18 team was particularly good, winning 48 games in the regular season with a core of Davis, DeMarcus Cousins and Jrue Holiday. Cousins&rsquo; injury played a major role in Davis departing the Pelicans, as New Orleans failed to replace Davis&rsquo; friend and running mate. Had Cousins stayed healthy, who knows how good New Orleans could have been?
Still, Davis is clearly a great player who was absolutely worthy of the No. 1 pick. He has become an eight-time All-Star and earned a spot on the NBA's 75th Anniversary Team. Davis helped the Los Angeles Lakers win a championship in 2020, and he has career averages 23.8 points, 10.2 rebounds 2.3 assists, 2.3 blocks and 1.4 steals.
Verdict: Success, although not necessarily for New Orleans.
2013 NBA Draft: Anthony Bennett, Cleveland Cavaliers 2014 NBA Draft: Andrew Wiggins, Cleveland Cavaliers 
The Cleveland Cavaliers picked first overall in 2013 and 2014. The strange thing about both picks is that neither Anthony Bennett nor Andrew Wiggins made an impact in Cleveland. Both were sent to Minnesota in a package for Kevin Love. Bennett played one uneventful season with the Cavaliers, and Wiggins was sent out prior to the start of his rookie season. So, which team do we assess? Cleveland or Minnesota? Let&rsquo;s review both.
Technically, getting two consecutive first overall picks and trading them to the Timberwolves helped Cleveland win their first championship in franchise history. That&rsquo;s a big win for the Cavaliers, even if it cost them both players. Cleveland&rsquo;s championship was more so a product of LeBron James (and Kyrie Irving to a lesser extent), but Love was impactful and the trade worked out.
Conversely, Minnesota did not fare well with Wiggins and Bennett. They qualified for the playoffs only once in Wiggins&rsquo; five-and-a-half seasons in Minnesota, and Bennett was off the team after only one season. Wiggins seems to have found a home in Golden State, but he's the team&rsquo;s fourth-best player, which is not what most people expect from No. 1 picks (especially one with Wiggins' hype).
Verdict: Both are failures relative to expectations, but Wiggins has become a significant contributor.
2015 NBA Draft: Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves
Speaking of Minnesota, they fared so poorly following the aforementioned Love-for-Wiggins-and-Bennett trade that they received the No. 1 overall pick in 2015. Yes, that means they technically had the first overall picks from three consecutive drafts on their roster, at least for a short period of time.
The pick in 2015 turned out to be Karl-Anthony Towns, who has now played seven seasons in Minnesota. Until recently, the Timberwolves' front office failed to surround him with the talent needed to compete. Towns has led Minnesota to the playoffs only twice, but regardless how one views the lack of team success, Towns was a good pick. He's a career 20-and-10 guy who shoots an unbelievable 40% from three-point range. The 26-year-old is a perfect big man for today's NBA.
Verdict: The Towns pick is a relative success.
2016 NBA Draft: Ben Simmons, Philadelphia 76ers 2017 NBA Draft: Markelle Fultz, Philadelphia 76ers
We can&rsquo;t really discuss the first overall picks of the past 10 seasons without diving into Sam Hinke&rsquo;s Philadelphia 76ers. Hinke led the &ldquo;Trust the Process&rdquo; 76ers from 2013-2016, during which time he received significant scorn from the NBA, media and basketball purists who felt he was cheapening the game by blatantly losing to increase the odds of being awarded the first overall pick.
Thoughts on Hinke&rsquo;s philosophy aside, he picked first overall in two consecutive seasons. Philadelphia won the draft lottery in 2016, selecting Ben Simmons. Then, they traded up to No. 1 overall in 2017 to nab the rights to Markelle Fultz.
Neither Simmons nor Fultz fulfilled their potential in Philadelphia. Fultz had a misdiagnosed shoulder injury, which resulted in an awkward shooting motion. After two sub-par seasons in Philadelphia, he was traded to Orlando, where he&rsquo;s played better but still nowhere near what's expected from a No. 1 pick.
Simmons was better for the 76ers, co-leading them to the playoffs in four consecutive seasons. But Simmons&rsquo; time in Philadelphia ended infamously last season, culminating with him forcing his way to Brooklyn after a lengthy holdout.
Verdict: Degrees of failure, though Fultz was considerably more disappointing than Simmons. At least Simmons became a three-time All-Star and Defensive Player of the Year runner-up.
2018 NBA Draft: Deandre Ayton, Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns picked first in the 2018 NBA Draft, which is another strange case. Objectively, Deandre Ayton is a major piece on Phoenix&rsquo;s roster. In his fourth NBA season, he averaged an impressive 17.2 points and 10.2 rebounds per game.
Can we really analyze players in a vacuum though? Ayton was picked a few selections before Luka Doncic, who received serious first-overall-pick buzz that June. Imagine if the Suns had paired Doncic with Devin Booker? Like the Rockets and Trail Blazers both did in 1984, the Suns simply overthought this one.
2018 is too recent to accurately judge the long-term impact of this pick. Ayton could very possibly end up being a major contributor on a championship team. Still, this is a push at best, and if he ends up signing elsewhere this offseason, that makes the Ayton selection look even worse.
Verdict: Who the hell knows?
2019 NBA Draft: Zion Williamson, New Orleans Pelicans
New Orleans also picked first overall in 2019, selecting the electric athlete, Zion Williamson, who is the toughest first pick to grade in the last 10 years. In his lone injury-free season, he averaged 27 points and 7.2 rebounds per game while shooting 62% on two-point attempts.
But injuries make it far more difficult to grade him. Williamson has played in only 85 of a possible 202 career games, missing the entire 2021-22 season.
Verdict: Time will tell.
2020 NBA Draft: Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves
Minnesota is experiencing a major resurgence, and the credit belongs to Towns and the 2020 first overall pick Anthony Edwards. Edwards had a good rookie season, but he exploded in his sophomore campaign.
This season, he helped lead Minnesota to the playoffs, averaging 21.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 3.0 threes and 1.5 steals on 44.1/35.7/78.6 shooting splits. In the postseason, he took his game to another level, contributing 25.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 3.8 threes, 1.2 steals and 1.2 blocks on 45.5/40.4/82.4 shooting splits.
Verdict: After only two seasons, Edwards looks like a huge win for Minnesota.
2021 NBA Draft: Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons
Last but not least, the Detroit Pistons selected Cade Cunningham first overall in 2021. Despite playing alongside less talent than most of his peers, Cunningham's rookie campaign was successful. He averaged 17.4 points, 5.6 assists and 5.5 rebounds, was named a unanimous All-Rookie First Team selection and placed third in Rookie of the Year voting.
One season is too small of a sample size to grade a young player, but Cunningham looks like the absolute right pick.
Verdict: Success (so far).&nbsp; &nbsp;
In the last 10 drafts, the first overall pick has clearly been one of the best players in the draft class just four times (2012, 2015, 2020 and 2021). He has been a complete dud twice (2013 and 2017), a good player twice (2014 and 2018), a malcontent once (2016) and an injury-prone player once (2019). Five of the last 10 first picks were traded too. If Ayton is allowed to leave this offseason, then six of the last 10 are no longer with the team that drafted them, erasing the benefit of player development.
For every franchise-changing No. 1 overall pick &mdash; such as LeBron James, Shaquille O'Neal, Tim Duncan, Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar &mdash; there are a handful of players who didn't work out in the long run. Sometimes, there isn't a generational player on the board; other times, the team picking No. 1 overall just overthinks it or goes in the wrong direction.&nbsp;
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The Orlando Magic came out of Tuesday’s NBA Draft lottery with the first overall pick. How successful does history suggest they will be?

Examining the success of teams selecting No. 1 in the NBA Draft

BasketballNews.com's Senior NBA Draft Analyst Matt Babcock presents a series that will peel back the curtain from his time as a sports agent, giving a glimpse at some of his personal experiences working in the sports agency business for over a decade.
In the second entry of the series, Babcock outlines his summer internship at high-powered sports agency Wasserman Media Group before the 2006 NBA Draft. 
When I was 22 years old, I was an intern at Wasserman Media Group's sports agency in Los Angeles, California. The internship not only had me doing typical intern-type tasks, but most importantly to me (because I had ambitions of being a coach), it had me working on the court daily with the company's newest clients &mdash; Shelden Williams, Brandon Roy, JJ Redick (<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/podcasts/the-dunker-spot/episodes/basketballnews-com-episode-105-young-man-the-three" target="_blank" rel="noopener">who guested on The Dunker Spot this week</a>), Jordan Farmar and Joel Freeland &mdash; as they prepared for the 2006 NBA Draft. It was an exciting summer!
At that time, I was admittedly horrible with basic tasks in the office that were typical responsibilities asked of interns. Besides being a ball boy, working basketball camps and helping out at the NBA Draft Combine a few times, I had never had a real job before, as I'd always been busy being a basketball player. Anyway, my low-point while at Wasserman as an intern was being made responsible to send basketballs via FedEx for the agency's players and designated coaches to use at a pro-day workout in Florida that NBA scouts would attend.
I sent the basketballs out just fine. However, I sent them "ground," and they didn't arrive until days after the workout had happened. Greg Lawrence, who was in charge of managing the interns at Wasserman, had every reason to let me have it on that one, but fortunately for me, he didn't &mdash; thanks, Greg! In all honesty, I had some growing up to do. Luckily I did, eventually.
Despite my challenges in the office, I was right at home on the court, which was the main reason I was there from my perspective. I assisted Dave Joerger in working out and preparing all of Wasserman's new clients for the NBA pre-draft process. (Joerger was a D-League head coach at the time and eventually became the head coach of the Memphis Grizzlies and Sacramento Kings. He's currently an assistant coach for the Philadelphia 76ers).
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Former NBA player and current Wasserman agent BJ Armstrong (<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/podcasts/the-rex-chapman-show/episodes/basketballnews-com-episode-41-episode-40-bj-armstrong" target="_blank" rel="noopener">who was recently a guest on The Rex Chapman Show</a>) also worked with the players occasionally. Darren Erman volunteered to help us with the workouts as well. (Erman, a corporate lawyer at the time, went on to have a successful career as an NBA assistant coach, and he is currently an assistant coach for the New York Knicks). An impressive group of coaches &mdash; I was lucky to have had the opportunity to work with them.
I worked on the court with the coaches and players a lot, but I spent a lot of quality time with the players off the court too. We routinely had lunches and dinners, and watched NBA playoff games together. I became close with Shelden, "B-Roy," and JJ; I got along with Jordan Farmar too, but because he had already lived in L.A. &mdash; being from there and attending UCLA &mdash; he wasn't around as much as the other guys, so I didn't get to know him quite as well. But, all in all, we had a great group of guys, and we had a good time together.
After 15 seasons in the NBA, JJ concluded a successful career and is now a rising star in the media. But in 2006, his fame was at its peak. A star at Duke, JJ generated a ton of media attention and was even on the cover of Sports Illustrated. He was treated like a rock star anywhere he would goShelden (JJ's teammate at Duke) once told me that fans would regularly avoid getting autographs from him and his teammates if JJ had already signed the item. Supposedly, if anyone else would sign the memorabilia, it would decrease the value. Think about that for a minute. Shelden was a consensus first-team All-American and one of the top NBA prospects in the country while at Duke!
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While in Los Angeles, JJ and I had a couple of nights out on the town (with the approval of his agents and my bosses, of course). One night, we went to an exclusive nightclub in Hollywood. We stood in a long line just like ordinary people; me, who was not famous, and JJ, who looked like the typical college frat boy. After standing in a hopeless line, I decided to talk to the bouncer to see if I could somehow get us in; I told him I was with JJ Redick. Within moments, we were taken into the club and seated at a table next to reality TV star Kristin Cavallari and former boxer and heavyweight champion Mike Tyson.
Hanging with JJ was a lot of fun.
After a month or so of us establishing a steady daily routine with the players, agent Thad Foucher let Coach Joerger and I know that he had a client named Joel Freeland from England who would be joining our workouts. Thad decided to have Joel enter his name in that year's draft. We needed to get him polished up for a showcase workout that we would be hosting the following week &mdash; every team in the NBA would be in attendance.
Every player we worked with up to that point was well-known. Joel was from England and played for a small team in Spain, so he was virtually unknown by NBA folks. However, at 6-foot-10, Joel was athletic and skilled for a player his size. After working with him, Coach Joerger and I agreed that he was a worthy prospect. Thad knew this already, of course; he wouldn't have signed him otherwise. We thought Joel might make a big splash at the showcase workout, and he did.
Following the workout in front of the entire NBA, Thad called me into his office and explained that Joel's draft stock had suddenly erupted, and he had more teams wanting to bring him into workout than days left until the draft. Therefore, he needed to be aggressive in organizing his schedule. It was the first time Joel had visited the United States, so Thad asked me to accompany him as he traveled around the country visiting different NBA teams. I essentially served as Joel's manager from that point until draft night. I remember vividly walking out of Thad's office to call my dad to tell him the good news. I was so excited to get that opportunity.
Before I knew it, Joel and I were off to Portland for his first team workout with the Trail Blazers. Joel and I shared a hotel room, and the team gave him per diem to cover his dinner. We ate at the hotel that night and had breakfast there the following day. While Joel was at the Blazers' practice facility for his workout, I stayed at the hotel killing time because the team didn't allow me to attend. Following his workout, we flew back to L.A. for one day so Joel could work out for the Lakers. Altogether, the trip to Portland was pretty uneventful for me. However, our journey was just getting started. Our next stop was Phoenix.
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When we landed in Phoenix, we were greeted by a car service: a gentleman in a black suit and tie with a fancy black car. He took us to the hotel, where Joel and I were given our own rooms at The Ritz Carlton. I felt like I was big time. Upon settling into our hotel rooms, the Suns' director of player personnel at the time (and current executive vice president of basketball operations for the New Orleans Pelicans), David Griffin, called to invite Joel and I to dinner at a steakhouse within walking distance from the hotel. He also asked me to attend the workout the next day. I must say that I am very appreciative of the first-class treatment David and the Suns gave me considering I was just a young guy trying to find my place in the business. "Griff" is undoubtedly a class act.
After a terrific trip to Phoenix, Joel and I continued our hectic travel, making stops in Houston, Dallas and Memphis. Aside from the Suns, no other teams allowed me to attend the workouts. Although it was perhaps a bit overzealous, it didn't stop me from trying.
While we were in Memphis, I casually walked into the practice gym with Joel and quietly took a seat, hoping no one would take too much notice of me where I could watch the workout. Shortly after I sat down, Ryan West, a scout with the Grizzlies and the son of the general manager and Hall-of-Fame player Jerry West, told me he wasn't sure if I'd be able to stay for the workout, but that he'd check.
Ryan and I were friends, and his dad and my uncle Pete had a close relationship, so I thought maybe I'd get the Griff/Suns treatment. The next thing I knew, Jerry was making his way toward me. My heart began to race; it wasn't that big of a deal to me whether I watched the workout or not, but the fact that "The Logo" was about to speak to me &mdash; that was a big deal!
As he approached me, he stuck out his hand and introduced himself; a really classy man with such an incredible presence. I'm not even entirely sure what I did or said. I'm not even sure if I responded at all initially. Ironically, I choked when meeting "Mr. Clutch." Anyway, the rest of our brief conversation went something like this:
Jerry West: Matt, would you like to watch the workout?
Me: Yes, I would like to, but it's not that big of a deal if it's an issue.
Jerry West: Do you speak to your father? (My dad worked for another NBA team).
Me: Well, of course, I do but...
(And before I could finish&hellip;)
Jerry West: It's nice to meet you, but we will have to ask you to wait for Joel in the locker room.
And that was my experience meeting Jerry West.
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Following the Memphis trip, we made our way to New York so Joel could work out for the Knicks the morning of the NBA Draft. Because I planned to pursue coaching jobs for the following season, the NBA Draft was when my internship would wrap up, as I prepared to attend Summer League in Las Vegas to hunt for coaching opportunities in July.&nbsp;
So just like that, my time with Wasserman was suddenly coming to an end &mdash; but first, we needed to see how the draft unfolded.
Although I was just an intern who had only known these players for a few months, we collectively put some real work together and created a bond. I cared about those players &mdash; I was invested. I especially cared for Joel, who quickly became like a little brother to me during our travels together as he chased his dream to play in the NBA.
So, our moment of truth was upon us. NBA Commissioner David Stern approached the podium, and the NBA Draft began. I anxiously watched, waiting to hear our guys' names called. Here's how it played out:
<ul>
<li>Shelden Williams &mdash; drafted No. 5 overall by the Atlanta Hawks</li>
<li>Brandon Roy &mdash; drafted No. 6 overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves and traded to the Portland Trail Blazers</li>
<li>JJ Redick drafted No. 11 overall by the Orlando Magic</li>
<li>Jordan Farmer drafted No. 26 overall by the Los Angeles Lakers</li>
<li>Joel Freeland drafted No. 30 overall by the Portland Trail Blazers</li>
</ul>
All of our players were selected in the first round (yes, even my "little brother," Joel Freeland)! I couldn't have been happier for all of the guys, especially for Joel, who played in the NBA for several years and had an incredibly successful career overseas.
The night of the 2006 NBA Draft, Shelden Williams, Brandon Roy, JJ Redick, Jordan Farmar, Joel Freeland, their families, the Wasserman agents and I celebrated the fruits of our labor. It was undoubtedly a great night and a terrific summer, which I will never forget.&nbsp;
Little did I know at that time that it was just the beginning of my involvement in the sports-agency business.
Stay tuned for the next entry of this series: "My past life as a sports agent: The 2006 NBA Draft." 
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/my-past-life-as-a-sports-agent-going-to-california" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Read the last entry of this series</a>: "My past life as a sports agent: "Going to California."
Editor's Note: This article was originally published on <a href="https://www.babcockhoops.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BabcockHoops.com</a>.
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Matt Babcock recounts his summer internship at high-powered sports agency Wasserman Media Group before the 2006 NBA Draft.

My past life as a sports agent: The 2006 NBA Draft

Over the years, I like to think I&rsquo;ve learned a lot about the game of basketball.&nbsp;
And while I still have a lot to learn, I think I have a pretty solid formula for how one should go about learning about the game of basketball.
It&rsquo;s simple, you watch it (obviously), look through stats, read about it, listen to podcasts about it (like <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-dunker-spot/id1547857052" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Dunker Spot</a>), and most importantly, you take notes. (It doesn't stop after school!)
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And with that being said, let's sift through some of my game notes from Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals!
Ball-Screen Coverages
As we are all aware by now, the <a href="https://youtu.be/6pwt3k8PzhU" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ball-screen</a> has become an essential cog in the machine that is modern-day NBA offenses. So, it would stand to reason that the coverages deployed against this play type are paramount to the structure of today&rsquo;s defenses.&nbsp;
Boston continued riding the wave from Game 7 against Milwaukee, opting to start the series in a drop against Miami. By doing this, the Celtics were also taking a page from their former coach, Doc Rivers.&nbsp;
As Couper Moorhead <a href="https://www.nba.com/heat/news/heat-76ers-make-miss-spoelstra-rivers-butler-harden-embiid">pointed out</a>, the Philadelphia 76ers chose to guard ball-screens 2-on-2 with Embiid in a drop, which, in turn, allowed their ancillary defenders to tighten up on shooters and avoid forfeiting open three-pointers. (The Heat lead the league in percentage on <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/teams/shots-closest-defender/?Season=2021-22&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season&amp;CloseDefDistRange=4-6%20Feet%20-%20Open&amp;sort=FG3_PCT&amp;dir=1">open threes</a> in the regular season).&nbsp;
Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro both <a href="https://streamable.com/172a3w" target="_blank" rel="noopener">burned</a> this configuration at times. But for now, I would continue mixing that formation in with switches until the Heat prove they can consistently bury pull-up threes while also fielding a competent defensive lineup.&nbsp;
Meanwhile, Miami came out the gates switching screens pretty often, and with little resistance. This led to favorable matchups for the Celtics&rsquo; ball-handlers, who cashed in on these opportunities by way of paint touches and lay-down passes to their newly reincarnated big man, Robert Williams III.
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/mfsttw" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
In the second half, the Heat continued switching when appropriate, but they also started sending two to the ball more often. And that &mdash; coupled with their tenaciousness and supreme length &mdash; led to a lot more turnovers (16 compared to 7 in the first half).&nbsp;
An interesting wrinkle to this is that Boston did a great job of <a href="https://twitter.com/stevejones20/status/1526737206836183041?s=20&amp;t=KodKp7IPvGdsRt1Ph53OPg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">parking good three-pointer shooters</a> one pass away from its ball-handlers (something the Brooklyn Nets struggled doing in their first-round matchup against the Celtics). So, the natural adjustment for Boston to make in Game 2 should be having the blitzed initiator slow down and survey his options to find that open shooter when the help comes to him.
Off-Ball Matchup Hunting
When most of us think about matchup hunting, the image that most likely comes to mind is that of Luka Doncic demanding a ball-screen from a teammate being shadowed by a relatively weak defender. Said defender then switches onto Doncic, and the Slovenian begins to play with his food a bit before swallowing that matchup whole.
The problem with this tactic is, if the defense doesn&rsquo;t immediately concede the switch, you're forced to re-screen until the team finally waves the white flag. This tug of war eats up precious seconds from the shot clock. And eventually, if they can get the shot clock to under 10 seconds, even the most matador-esque defender has a solid chance of inducing a suboptimal shot.
A more natural/cohesive way of exploiting weak points is by setting up these mismatches off-ball.
In this <a href="https://twitter.com/matissa15/status/1527265386034614272?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">linked clip</a>, you see Boston going at Max Strus. To his credit, he&rsquo;s at least a solid defender. He&rsquo;ll serve as their version of a Pat Connaughton &mdash; an occasional victim of the C's attack. Their real target moving forward (the Grayson Allen of this operation) will be Herro.&nbsp;
(*Whispers from the back corner* Notice how Herro was on the bench for the entirety of the Heat&rsquo;s 22-2 run in the third quarter. Coincidence? I think not...)
Boston did some nice things in this department, but the Heat were the true masters of the dark arts in Game 1. Miami spent a bulk of the second half going at the likes of Derrick White and Payton Pritchard by using Butler as a screener whenever one of them was matched up with the ball-handler (particularly when that person was <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/appreciating-gabe-vincents-game-one-performance" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gabe Vincent</a>).
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/lqy2ag" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
Butler used these opportunities to build up steam going downhill (he commandeered an Embiid-ian 18 free throw attempts) or to operate in isolation with an empty corner.&nbsp;
He was magnificent in Game 1, but it's worth pointing out that Pritchard saw 30-plus minutes in this game. With Marcus Smart <a href="https://www.nbcsports.com/boston/celtics/celtics-injury-updates-marcus-smart-probable-game-2-al-horford-doubtful" target="_blank" rel="noopener">listed as probable for Game 2</a>, it will be interesting to observe these actions unfold with the Defensive Player of the Year patrolling the battlefield.&nbsp;
Unorthodox Rim Protection
As we mentioned earlier, the Celtics manufactured a ton of dribble penetration in the first half, leading to 42 points in the paint on 21-of-26 shooting.
In the second half, Boston was relegated to 6 points on 3-of-16 shooting from that area of the floor.&nbsp;
What gives?
Well, the Heat aren&rsquo;t blessed with a basketball-swatting machine like Williams IIIl; they finished dead last in the league in blocks per game during the regular season. So to compensate, they turned to less traditional means.&nbsp;
This all started with their decision to send two defenders at the ball, which led to fewer defensive breakdowns in the restricted area. They also <a href="https://streamable.com/e3g4ta" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ICE'd</a> a few ball-screens to further enforce that "no middle" philosophy.&nbsp;
Bam Adebayo and <a href="https://theanalyst.com/na/2022/04/how-p-j-tucker-is-impacting-the-miami-heat-at-age-36/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PJ Tucker</a> did an admiral job of denying entry passes into the paint, and when those passes did find a way through, the Heat used their length and great hands to swipe at the ball and create turnovers.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
One of the more subtle adjustments in the 2nd half from Miami was the decision to try and preemptively swipe down on the ball rather than contest shots at the rim vertically. If you don't have the firepower to meet them at their apex, you may as well not let them even get there. <a href="https://t.co/55GskSOess">pic.twitter.com/55GskSOess</a>
&mdash; Mat Issa (@matissa15) <a href="https://twitter.com/matissa15/status/1527326345080246273?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2022</a></blockquote>

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

That was one of the most crucial adjustments the Heat made in the second half. In the first half, Williams III was making a killing because no one on Miami could match his insane verticality. However, great defenders know (or at least figure out quickly) that when you can&rsquo;t challenge a shot straight up, you need to prevent the shot from taking place altogether. And you do this by getting your hands on it while it's still down by the defender&rsquo;s waist. It&rsquo;s safe to say the Heat have a ton of smart defenders.
Oh, and it also helped that Bam decided to <a href="https://streamable.com/zgpu4a" target="_blank" rel="noopener">catapult a few shots into the spacetime continuum</a>.&nbsp;
See, taking notes is important! Look how much you can digest from making notes about things while you watch and read about a game.
Now, get your pen and paper (or reMarkable) out for Game 2 on Thursday.&nbsp;
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Mat Issa shares his observations from Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

NBA Eastern Conference Finals notebook: Heat-Celtics Game 1

BasketballNews.com's Senior NBA Draft Analyst Matt Babcock presents a series that will peel back the curtain from his time as a sports agent, giving a glimpse at some of his personal experiences working in the sports-agency business for over a decade.
In the first entry of the series, Babcock outlines his move to Los Angeles to begin his lifelong dream of working in basketball.
In the spring of 2006, I packed up my car, moved out of my apartment in Tucson, Arizona, and hit the road. In my rear-view mirror was the University of Arizona and my unavailing playing career; however, I wasn't looking back. In my mind, I was destined to follow in the footsteps of my dad and uncles &mdash; working in basketball. It was time for me to turn the page and start my next chapter.
On the other end of that road trip was a summer internship in Los Angeles where I'd be working at one of the biggest agencies in all of sports: Wasserman Media Group. At the helm of the agency's basketball division was famous sports agent Arn Tellem, who is now vice chairman of the Detroit Pistons.
(Before becoming a sports agent, Tellem worked as general counsel for owner Donald Sterling and the San Diego Clippers. Tellem was also instrumental in the team's move to Los Angeles in 1984. In addition, my uncle, Pete Babcock, had been the vice president of basketball operations for the Clippers while they were in San Diego. So my family had a long-standing relationship with Tellem dating back to the early 1980s before I was even born. Likely due to my family's relationship with him, I was offered a summer internship at Wasserman &mdash; and of course, I accepted).
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Having previously worked in the agency business for over a decade, many people ask me how I got started. Many assume I went to law school and had a sophisticated, well-thought-out plan to pursue a career as a sports agent. Well, that wasn't the case at all. Contrarily, I had always wanted to work directly for an NBA team, even as a child. I thought I'd start my career as a coach and eventually transition into scouting &mdash; just like my dad did. I'll elaborate on all of that later.
While working for Wasserman, I had typical intern-type responsibilities, like sending faxes to teams or making airport runs for players and staff members. However, Bob Myers and Greg Lawrence (both agents) explained that my primary responsibility would be to assist in player workouts on the court and helping prepare their new clients for the NBA pre-draft process. It was the perfect starting point for a young, aspiring coach.
I was ready to begin my career working in basketball &mdash; a dream come true. But there was a big problem: where was I going to live? It was a paid internship, but like most internships, it was only entry-level pay, and L.A. is a costly place to live. My dad worked in the NBA for years and my family did well, but I assure you I was not on any "gravy train." I needed help!
To some people's surprise, although I grew up in an NBA family, I was never given access to much money to spend on my own. Still, I have greatly benefited from my family's connections within basketball, especially early on in my career. My first stop in L.A. might have been the best example of that.
After tapping into my family's network and trying to find somewhere to stay for the summer, our family friend, Sam Goldfeder &mdash; an agent for Excel Sports Management and, ironically, a competitor of Wasserman's &mdash; graciously offered to let me stay in his mother-in-law's guest house for the summer &mdash; free of charge!
So I drove my car west on the I-10 across Arizona and into California. Cell phones didn't have GPS yet, so I grabbed my printed MapQuest directions and made my way into the L.A. area. Before I knew it, I was in Beverly Hills &mdash; one of the world's most prestigious neighborhoods. I passed the Beverly Hills Hotel, and it dawned on me that I was at the final steps of the directions:
<ul>
<li>Head east on N Crescent Dr toward Sunset Blvd.</li>
<li>Sharp right onto Sunset Blvd.</li>
<li>Slight right onto Benedict Canyon Dr.</li>
<li>The destination will be on the left.</li>
</ul>
Sam hadn't told me any details about the house or the setup other than that I would simply be staying in the guest house. I was relieved and thankful that I had a place to stay, but I was still curious to see where I'd be living for the summer.
When I finally pulled up to the house, I couldn't believe it &mdash; the place was incredible! It was like a house I imagined where a movie star would have lived. Eyes wide open, I pressed the button at the security gate, and an unfamiliar voice answered, "Hello?" I responded by telling the person who I was and that I was supposed to be staying in the guest house for the summer. Subsequently, the gate opened, and I pulled my car into the wrap-around driveway.
I was greeted by several women who worked for Sam's mother-in-law at the house. They said they would make me dinner, buy groceries and have my dry cleaning taken care of whenever I needed it. They then showed me to the guest house in the back. The whole situation was a bit surreal. I felt lucky, and I was lucky! It was perfect!&nbsp;
I was a young, 22 year-old kid who was fresh out of college, set to spend the summer living in the heart of Beverly Hills among the rich and famous &mdash; all while working for one of the biggest agencies in the sports industry. Finally, after a disappointing playing career that weighed on me heavily, I had a chance to start fresh and pursue my ambitions of having a presence in basketball &mdash; separate from my family.
The following day, I began my first day at Wasserman and my first day working in basketball. With high hopes, I had a world of endless possibilities ahead of me.
Stay tuned for the next entry of this series: "My past life as a sports agent: The 2006 NBA Draft." 
Editor's Note: This article was originally published on <a href="https://www.babcockhoops.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BabcockHoops.com</a>.
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To begin his eight-part series, Matt Babcock tells the story of his move to L.A. to begin his lifelong dream of working in basketball.

My past life as a sports agent: 'Going to California'

After the Philadelphia 76ers were eliminated from the 2022 NBA Playoffs on Thursday night, Joel Embiid was asked about the disappointing play of James Harden, who finished with just 11 points, 9 assists and 4 rebounds. Embiid, who is never afraid to speak candidly, replied: "I'm sure since we got him, everybody expected the Houston James Harden, but that's not who he is anymore."
It's through that pragmatic prism that the Sixers and president of basketball operations Daryl Morey must approach the most pressing offseason issue in Philadelphia: How much is Harden worth?&nbsp;
Make no mistake, Harden is still an elite NBA player. In the 21 regular-season games he played for Philly after arriving in the blockbuster deal with Brooklyn, he averaged 21.0 points, 10.5 assists, 7.1 assists, 2.2 treys and 1.2 steals. The only other players to average at least 20/7/7 over the second half of the season were Kevin Durant, Luka Doncic, Dejounte Murray and Nikola Jokic.&nbsp;
However, Harden's numbers dipped in the postseason when he posted 18.6 points, 8.6 dimes and 5.7 boards per game, while shooting below 41% from the floor. He also averaged 4.2 turnovers. The Beard all but disappeared in Thursday's season-ending loss, taking just two shots over the entire second half.&nbsp;
(It's worth noting that the relationship between Ben Simmons and the Sixers fractured after the team and city seemed to pin last year's loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Simmons, who sinfully passed up an open lay-up. Yet, in that Game 7 loss to Atlanta, Simmons finished with 5 points, 13 assists, 8 rebounds and just 2 turnovers, to go along with a +1 plus/minus. In Game 6 on Thursday, Harden finished with 11 points, 9 assists, 4 rebounds and was -16. Simmons made one shot in the second half of Game 7, or one more than Harden in Game 6).
Watching him this past season, it became abundantly clear that Harden didn't have the same explosive first step that made him arguably the league's most lethal offensive weapon at the peak of his prime. (Harden has scored more points than anyone in the league over the past decade and is the last player not named Giannis or Nikola to win an MVP award).
Harden also shot a career-worst from three-point territory (32.6%) and on <a href="https://www.nba.com/player/201935/james-harden">lay-up attempts (49%)</a> in 2021-22. And according to ESPN Stats and Info, Harden blew by his defender on just 29% of his drives this past season (down from 44% in 2019-20).
When asked if he plans to stay in Philadelphia, Harden gave a short response.
"I'll be here," Harden declared, adding that he would do "whatever it takes to help this team continue to grow."
Well, that's where things get very interesting.&nbsp;
Harden has until June 29 to make a decision regarding his player option for the 2022-23 campaign, which is worth $47,366,760. If he opts in, he would be eligible to sign a four-year extension worth a whopping $233 million.
Here's an annual breakdown of what that max contract would look like:
2022-23: $47.4 million (opt-in) 2023-24: $49.7 million&nbsp; 2024-25: $53.7 million 2025-26: $57.7 million&nbsp; 2026-27: $61.7 million&nbsp;
Summing it all up, that brings the five-year total to a mind-boggling $270+ million, which would be the largest contract in NBA history.
Harden will turn 33 in August and will celebrate his 37th birthday before the start of the 2026-27 season. Recently, we've seen players such as LeBron James and Chris Paul play at an extremely high level on the wrong side of 35, but it's crucial to remember that those athletic freaks are the exceptions to the rule. Most players begin to break down in their mid-30s. Over the last two seasons, Harden has missed 39 games due primarily to nagging hamstring issues.
Committing to pay Harden north of $60 million at age-37 would be a nightmare, bordering on organizational malpractice. But would Harden be willing to meet the Sixers halfway, or might he dig in and back Morey into a corner? Considering all that the Sixers gave up to acquire him (Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond and two future first-round picks), Philly can't afford to let Harden leave via free agency. Even if Harden walked out the door in July, the Sixers would still have more than $105 million in salary on the books for next season. Wasting the window of Embiid's prime would be catastrophic to the franchise.
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If Harden did opt-out, he would be an unrestricted free agent and could sign a four-year deal with another club for roughly $200 million. However, only three clubs (Detroit, Orlando and San Antonio) are projected to have significant cap space, and it's doubtful any of the three would be interested in maxing out Harden (and it seems unlikely that The Beard would have any interest in joining a rebuilding team).
The Sixers could explore some sign-and-trade or extend-and-trade possibilities (the Los Angeles Lakers could make some sense for all parties involved), but that would require Harden agreeing to join his fourth team in the past 24 months.&nbsp;
The ideal scenario for Philly is bringing back Harden at a reasonable rate. On "<a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/6RVNT4C0NVrxqGFJ2BXC7P" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Athletic NBA Show</a>" podcast earlier this month, reporter Sam Amick stated that Harden might be willing to sign for less than the max. 
"When the Sixers got him, their intel was that he would potentially be willing to take less," <a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/6RVNT4C0NVrxqGFJ2BXC7P">Amick said</a>. "And obviously, you know, nobody knows him better than Daryl."
The critical question, of course, is how much less is Harden willing to take?&nbsp;
For the Sixers, they have to look forward, not back. As Embiid sagely explained, "Everybody expected the Houston James Harden, but that's not who he is anymore." Morey and Co. have to determine how much Harden will be worth over the next five years based on the current version of The Beard, not what he would have been worth had he hit the open market three years ago.&nbsp;
All of this makes for a very interesting and unpredictable summer in the City of Brotherly Love.&nbsp;
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Should the Sixers give James Harden a max contract this summer? Tommy Beer breaks down Philadelphia's tough decision.

Giving James Harden a max contract could cripple the Sixers

76ers guard Danny Green has been diagnosed with a torn ACL, according to <a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1525189620568317954" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shams Charania of The Athletic</a>.
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76ers guard Danny Green has been diagnosed with a torn ACL, sources tell <a href="https://twitter.com/TheAthletic?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheAthletic</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Stadium?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Stadium</a>. Brutal outcome for Green, who turns 35 in June and now faces a long rehab.
&mdash; Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1525189620568317954?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 13, 2022</a></blockquote>

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ANALYSIS:&nbsp;That's a tough break for Green knowing his contract situation. Green has a team option for $10 million next season. Knowing the recovery time for ACL tears, Green will either be waived or he'll be traded for someone who will be available to play. Hopefully, this won't be the last time we see Danny Green play on an NBA floor.

Shams Charania reports that Danny Green tore his ACL during Game 6 against the Miami Heat.

Shams: Danny Green has a torn ACL

The ball bounced twice on each side of the rim before going in.
Kawhi Leonard&rsquo;s nearly impossible game-winning fadeaway jumper over the outstretched right arm of Joel Embiid ended a seven-game thriller of a 2018-19 Eastern Conference Semifinals. The series saw the Toronto Raptors escape with a 92-90 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers, in large part due to underwhelming performances from Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons and Tobias Harris all series long. <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/jimmy-butler-is-a-16game-player">Those were expounded upon here just last month</a>. In fairness to Embiid, similar to these 2022 playoffs, <a href="https://www.si.com/nba/2019/05/07/joel-embiid-76ers-injuries-illness-timeline-history-playoffs">he was injured as hell.</a> He tried his best.
Jimmy Butler wasn&rsquo;t perfect for the Sixers that spring, but he was a hell of a lot better. He averaged 22.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 5.6 assists in the series, with by far the team&rsquo;s best offensive rating at 118, not counting Amir Johnson who played a mere (ha, get it? Never mind) 20 minutes. Yet and still, the Sixers were right there, and had Leonard&rsquo;s shot missed, who knows if the Sixers would&rsquo;ve went on to defeat the Milwaukee Bucks and Golden State Warriors as the Raptors did en route to their first NBA championship?
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Regardless, those four bounces led to Butler&rsquo;s fate: he was signed-and-traded to the Miami Heat that very summer. Instead of keeping Butler, the Sixers chose Simmons, Harris, Brett Brown and Al Horford.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Jimmy Butler: &ldquo;Tobias Harris over me.&rdquo; <a href="https://t.co/23K3HgaA0R">pic.twitter.com/23K3HgaA0R</a>
&mdash; Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheHoopCentral/status/1524965729165901824?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 13, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Simmons and Harris both<a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2843932-ben-simmons-76ers-agree-on-5-year-170m-max-contract-extension">&nbsp;received max contract extensions</a> <a href="https://www.inquirer.com/sixers/tobias-harris-signs-sixers-76ers-contract-20190710.html">in the summer Butler was dealt to Miami</a>.
Miami was where Butler wanted to go. <a href="https://www.insider.com/jimmy-butler-wanted-join-heat-dwyane-wade-conversation-2020-9">They were his top choice</a>.
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1. Since &ldquo;why&rsquo;d the Sixers let Jimmy Butler go?!&rdquo; is a big topic today, figured I&rsquo;d do a thread on what I&rsquo;ve put together from the past few years. Some of this I&rsquo;ve written before, some not. Figured would be helpful to put it all in one place. So👇👇👇
&mdash; Yaron Weitzman (@YaronWeitzman) <a href="https://twitter.com/YaronWeitzman/status/1525118168754159617?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 13, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Since Butler became a member of the Heat, the Sixers have still been a playoff team. In the 2019-20 season, which was obviously paused in March due to COVID-19 before resuming in the summer, the Sixers earned the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference and were swept in Round 1 of the playoffs by the Boston Celtics. Simmons didn&rsquo;t play in the playoffs due to injury. Those same Celtics lost to the Heat in six games during the Eastern Conference Finals, and a Butler-led Miami team reached its first NBA Finals since LeBron James&rsquo; 2014 departure. The Heat, who were a five-seed in the East and top three or four for most of the season, lost to the champion Los Angeles Lakers in six games, but not without a historical postseason from Butler.
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In 2020-21, the Sixers were the Eastern Conference&rsquo;s top seed after compiling an impressive 49-23 record in the 72-game season. Unfortunately, they were embarrassingly defeated on their home floor against the fifth-seeded Atlanta Hawks in Round 2. Simmons still hasn&rsquo;t played since, and despite Embiid&rsquo;s play, he was once again let down by those around him.
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Butler and the Heat? Well, after a little seven-week break between the end of the NBA Finals and the beginning of training camp for the 2020-21 season (as opposed to the standard three-plus months even a Finals team would get in a typical league calendar year), the team flamed out and were swept by the Bucks.
Both teams were able to properly reset heading into the 2021-22 season, and as fate would have it, the No. 1 seeded Heat matched up with the No. 4 seeded Sixers in the semifinals. Butler vs. his old team, where Simmons and then-head-coach Brown no longer resided, but Embiid and Harris were among those who remained.
With a 4-2 lead on May 12, 2022, exactly three years after Leonard&rsquo;s four bounces ended Butler&rsquo;s Sixer tenure, he led his team, in a hostile environment that once rooted for his every move, to an emphatic 99-90 victory to end the Sixers&rsquo; season. Sure, 99-90 may not sound like much, but if you watched the game, you saw the Heat grind their way to a 19-4 run to begin the third quarter, mount nine-straight points to begin the fourth and build a 20-point lead as just five minutes remained before the Sixers cut the lead in garbage time.
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In the modern NBA, organizations seem to take on the personality of their stars, for better or worse. But Miami identified one who matched their ethos, and Butler knew it would be the place for him. A place where villains are welcomed, as <a href="https://www.slamonline.com/nba/jimmy-butler-to-joel-embiid-i-know-a-place-where-villains-are-welcome/">he once told Embiid</a>. And a place that is, in their own culture, counter to what their own city is admired for. Miami, to outsiders, is revered for partying, glamour and beaches, but the Heat are respected and occasionally mocked for a culture that is driven by blue-collar work ethic. It's an identity that requires being in &ldquo;Heat shape,&rdquo; playing defense-first, developing undrafted rookies into future rotation players and adding the occasional stars who fit into that identity.&nbsp;
The Heat are also known for their persistent fight, for being a pain in the ass for whoever opposes them and for being an overlooked team that is tailored to those who prioritize winning over highlights.
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James Harden was brought to Philadelphia to lead in moments like these, but he did anything but that. Butler, who had often been compared to Harden as a byproduct of playing similar positions, dropped 32 points with 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks and a steal in a closeout game. Harden had 11 points on 4-for-9 shooting, taking one shot in each of the final two quarters. He said the ball didn't get back to him. That's the guy who had the Sixers' second-highest usage rate in the series. Butler is now averaging 28.7 points, 7.6 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 2.1 steals and on 53/36/81 shooting splits in the playoffs.
Butler doesn&rsquo;t (yet?) have a championship. Most players don&rsquo;t, including many greats, but Butler is a winner, a leader and someone <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amof84tDBnM">Embiid's career misses dearly for good reason</a>, even while he could look at his bench and see another all-time wing in Harden beside him. But basketball isn&rsquo;t strictly about&nbsp; numbers, or strictly in between the lines, or strictly any one thing. It encompasses everything. And that&rsquo;s what the Sixers and many have failed to realize when assessing Butler&rsquo;s greatness.
But in Philadelphia, exactly three years after it all ended, he had the last laugh.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Exactly three years after Kawhi Leonard's shot ended Jimmy Butler's last game as a Philadelphia 76er, he returned -- with the organization people made fun of him for joining -- to lead the Miami Heat to the Eastern Conference Finals. And he did it in Philadelphia. Last laugh. <a href="https://t.co/Fzr3Ug73tT">pic.twitter.com/Fzr3Ug73tT</a>
&mdash; Bryan Fonseca 🇵🇷 (@BryanFonsecaNY) <a href="https://twitter.com/BryanFonsecaNY/status/1524925290367025172?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 13, 2022</a></blockquote>

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After falling short of postseason success with Philadelphia, Jimmy Butler showed the Sixers why it was a mistake to let him go.

In Philadelphia, Jimmy Butler gets the last laugh

Jimmy Butler scored 32 points and waved &ldquo;bye bye&rdquo; to the Philly crowd as he sent the Miami Heat into the Eastern Conference finals with a 99-90 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday night in Game 6.
The Heat will play the winner of the Milwaukee-Boston series. The defending champion Bucks lead that series 3-2, with Game 6 on Friday night in Milwaukee.
The Heat reached the conference finals for the second time in three seasons, again with Butler leading the charge. Philly fans &mdash; and many inside the 76ers organization &mdash; still can&rsquo;t believe the franchise let Butler get away after the 2019 season. He did not mess around and scored 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting in the third quarter when the Heat used a 16-2 run to take control.
Joel Embiid, the NBA scoring champion, scored 20 points for Philadelphia on 7-of-24 shooting.
Coming off a 35-point victory in Game 5, the Heat wore down a battered Sixers team. Embiid looked gassed as he gamely tried to carry the Sixers. He had little lift and had a pull-up jumper blocked by Bam Adebayo in the third.
The Sixers parted with Butler in large part because they chose Ben Simmons over him. Simmons was unhappy and forced a trade this season to Brooklyn for James Harden. Harden, a three-time scoring champion, was supposed to shoulder the load with Embiid for a potent postseason push. Harden instead all but disappeared in the playoffs. He had a fantastic Game 4 at home against Miami but otherwise was a turnover machine. When he lost another ball that led to a Heat bucket and an 80-63 lead in the fourth, the Sixers were booed off the court.
Harden scored all of his 11 points in the first half. He had four turnovers and four baskets.
Few in Philly would give The Beard a passing grade.
Coach Doc Rivers implored his team to &ldquo;fight for this!&rdquo; in the huddle during the fourth. The 76ers just fell flat.
The Heat are thrilled with an NBA championship still in play. Max Strus had 20 points and 11 rebounds. Even another abysmal night from 3-point range &mdash; Miami missed 21 of 28 attempts &mdash;- failed to matter.
Embiid again gutted out a postseason game in his mask (right orbital fracture) and with torn ligaments in his right thumb after he was only cleared to return last week from a concussion. He held the back of his head after he knocked it on the court after a fall late in the second quarter. Embiid still played 22 minutes in the first half and scored 14 points.
Embiid missed the first two games of the series as he recovered from the concussion. The Sixers lost both games in Miami. Would a healthy Embiid have made a difference? Maybe not but it&rsquo;s still another sudden end to the All-Star cornerstone who has yet to taste a conference final.
TRAINER&rsquo;S ROOM
Heat: Kyle Lowry sat out again with his left hamstring injury. He paced the Heat sideline like a coach and called over his teammates during free throws and other breaks in action to talk strategy.
76ers: Danny Green left in the first quarter with a serious left knee injury. Embiid went up for a bucket and crashed on Green as they tumbled to the court. Green, who averaged 5.9 points this season, grabbed his leg and was carried off the court.
TIP-INS
Heat: Are 7-1 in closeout Game 6s since 2006. ... Won their 30th career playoff series.
76ers: Have not advanced past the second round since 2001.

Jimmy Butler scored 32 points and waved “bye bye” to the Philly crowd as he sent the Heat into the Eastern Conference Finals.

Philadelphia 76ers