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&nbsp;<a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10037274-latest-nba-offseason-intel-does-og-anunoby-want-out-of-toronto" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jake Fischer of B/R</a> has the scoop that Toronto Raptors wing OG Anunoby has been a name to watch for in trade talk.
<a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10037274-latest-nba-offseason-intel-does-og-anunoby-want-out-of-toronto" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fischer states that</a> "word has circulated among rival front offices that Anunoby grew dissatisfied at times with his role in Toronto" but that he has not directly complained to the team about his role or asked for a traded.
If Toronto was open to moving him, the two teams that have come up are Portland and Utah. The Trail Blazers have a $20.9 million trade exception from the CJ McCollum-to-New Orleans deal last season that Anunoby would fit into. According to the report, the Raptors see Anunoby's trade value potential being at least two first-round picks and a promising young player. Anunoby is in the second of a four-year, $72M deal.&nbsp;
Meanwhile, the Jazz could make Rudy Gobert available this offseason and the Raptors have been looking to add a center. However, it would take more than just Anunoby to make the salaries work with Gobert making $38.2 million this upcoming season.
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Toronto Raptors wingman OG Anunoby has been linked to trade rumors with Utah's Rudy Gobert and Portland.

Report: OG Anunoby may want out of Toronto, Gobert possible target

In terms of their title-contending window, the Memphis Grizzlies are perhaps in the best position of any team in the NBA.
The fact is that Memphis forced their window open a few years earlier than anyone would have anticipated. The oldest guys on the current roster are Steven Adams and Kyle Anderson, both 28 years of age. At the start of the 2022-23 season, the top three players for the Grizzlies will be 24 years old (Desmond Bane) and 23 years old (Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr.). The team with the second-best record in the league has a core that has not even scratched its prime.
Memphis is here, and with Morant likely to be locked up through 2027, this franchise will be competitive for quite a while. And moving ahead, recently named 2022 NBA Executive of the Year Zach Kleiman is now tasked with some decisions for Memphis to continue on this fast-rising arc.
&ldquo;There&rsquo;s definitely a lot to be said about core continuity,&rdquo; Kleiman <a href="https://dailymemphian.com/article/28749/zach-kleiman-named-nba-executive-of-the-year" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recently told Drew Hill of the Daily Memphian</a>. &ldquo;We are not going to have any issue paying anyone who we want to pay. There is not going to be any issue with retention here. I&rsquo;m very grateful, and we wouldn&rsquo;t be in this spot without (Grizzlies owner) Robert [Pera]&rsquo;s vision and support and commitment on that end. We are not worried about small-market notions or this or that. We are not going to have any issue whatsoever keeping together who we want as we continue to prioritize continuity.&rdquo;
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There a few names that come to play in regards to "retention." Heading into this offseason, Tyus Jones, Jarrett Culver and Anderson will all be entering unrestricted <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/nba-free-agency" target="_blank" rel="noopener">free agency</a>. The Grizzlies were able to steal Jones and Anderson from their respective teams during their restricted-free-agency summers, but now the question is whether they will retain either of them this offseason.
There should be little to no argument that Jones is the best backup point guard in the NBA. His steady play and care of the ball played a major role in the Grizzlies winning the way they did this season, even when Morant went down with injury. In his exit interview, Jones told reporters that, while he does desire to be a starting point guard, he "loves the organization and playing with this team."
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Paying Tyus starter money to back up Morant is like paying for an expensive insurance policy. You may never get your money's worth, but when you need it in an emergency situation, you are sure glad you have it. With Ja's style of play, having Jones on the roster seems like the most valuable potential signing Memphis could have this summer. They could front load the contract to make the money work long-term, and then draft another point guard to be ready by the end of Jones' next deal.&nbsp;
Anderson, while more likely to return than Culver, has probably played his last game in a Memphis uniform. His veteran presence was important in the playoffs this season, but his inability to shoot leaves Memphis looking for an upgrade. Anderson is a holdover from the Chris Wallace regime, and though he has been a cultural fit in the locker room, it may be time to move on.
Adams, Dillon Brooks and Killian Tillie will all be on expiring deals worth over $30 million combined going into next season, and both Morant and Brandon Clarke are eligibile for their rookie-scale extensions. While Morant will get a max offer the second he is eligible, the decision on Clarke will loom large this summer. Memphis would do well to avoid restricted free agency in 2023 with the springy forward, and should look at a four-year, $50 million dollar extension as the ceiling for him.&nbsp;
With a pair of first-round picks and enough expiring money and cap space heading into the 2022 NBA Draft, will Memphis make a splash? The free-agent market is not enticing enough for them to sign anyone &mdash; especially considering they are going to have to pay Bane soon as well. A reunion with Delon Wright seems to be the best option if Memphis were to lose the Jones sweepstakes. Don't expect the Grizz to put their name in the hat for Zach Lavine this summer either.&nbsp;
Could Memphis pry Pascal Siakam away from Toronto for a package of Adams, Brooks and three first-round draft picks? Or perhaps Utah is open for business and there is a similar package, plus De'Anthony Melton, for Donovan Mitchell. A simpler upgrade for the Grizz could be Brooks and a pick for Bojan Bogdanovic, a veteran shooting presence Memphis needs.&nbsp;
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The Grizzlies' summer will be unpredictable. On one hand, they could be completely silent, doing nothing crazy and opt to run it back. On the other, they could swing for it, seeing their window open before Morant hits his first max contract.
Another big storyline for them will be the development of Ziaire Williams at NBA Summer League. The previous season, Bane went from a low-usage rookie to a summer-league standout to receiving a Third Team All-NBA vote. Williams is on the Bane plan, and if he were to breakout in a similar way, that is a massive development for the Grizzlies' title aspirations.
No matter what Memphis does this summer, the organization is ahead of schedule. Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane make up one of the most lethal trios in the league, and they are just getting started.
The Grizzlies do not care if you believe in them. They believe in themselves, and are going to be in the thick of it for years to come.&nbsp;
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Justin Lewis takes a look at the upcoming decisions the Grizzlies have to make in free agency and with their own roster this summer.

2022 NBA offseason preview: What's next for the Memphis Grizzlies?

At around 6:00 pm on Sunday, June 30, 2019, word began to spread that free agents Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving had decided to team up and join forces in Brooklyn. It was hailed as one of the most important and impactful days in the history of the Nets as a franchise.
Despite the fact that KD was recovering from an Achilles tear, expectations in Brooklyn were sky-high. Euphoric Nets fans were incredibly optimistic, dreaming of the imminent success this dynamic duo would enjoy.&nbsp;
Yet, with both KD and Kyrie sidelined by injury during the 2020 postseason, Brooklyn was swept out of the playoffs by the Toronto Raptors that first year.
Nevertheless, expectations ratcheted up even further once Nets fans watched Durant return fully healthy in 2020-21. And that optimism reached a fever pitch when the team added a third future Hall-of-Famer, James Harden, in mid-January 2021.
However, Kyrie injured his ankle in Game 4 of the Nets' second-round series vs. the Milwaukee Bucks last postseason, and Harden was nursing a hamstring injury that prevented him from playing at full strength. KD put the team on his back and played brilliantly, but the Nets eventually lost Game 7 at home to Giannis Antetokounmpo and the eventual NBA champions.
Still, the team and its fan base were incredibly hopeful heading into the 2021-22 campaign. And for good reason, as KD, Kyrie and Harden were all healthy. Brooklynites were convinced this would be the year their team would advance to the Finals and capture the Larry O'Brien trophy, and sportsbooks in Las Vegas agreed with them, installing the Nets as the heavy preseason favorite to win the NBA title.
Things got off to a rocky start.
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Irving decided to reject the advice of medical experts and refused to get vaccinated against COVID-19. As a result, due to New York City vaccine mandates, Irving could not play in home games. Consequently, in early October, Nets general manager Sean Marks and team owner Joe Tsai informed Irving that he couldn't rejoin the team &mdash; for games or practices &mdash; until he was vaccinated.
"He has a choice to make, and he made his choice," Marks stated. "My job here is to make what we deem as the best choices for the organization moving ahead as a whole... We're looking at putting a group of people that are going to be able to participate fully. That's what this comes down to, and we're not looking for partners that are going to be half-time."&nbsp;
In November, Tsai told the New York Post: "Kyrie talks about it as a sort of personal choice issue, which I respect. But we all need to not forget our goal. A championship team needs to have everybody pulling the same direction."
Even without Irving, the Nets got off to a strong start, winning 21 of their first 29 games. Durant was playing at an MVP level over the first two months of the season, averaging 29.7 points (on 52% shooting), 7.9 rebounds and 5.9 rebounds. Brooklyn had the best record in the Eastern Conference through the first 30 games of the 2021-22 campaign.&nbsp;
However, in mid-December, a COVID outbreak decimated the Nets' depth. Durant, Harden De'Andre Bembry, Bruce Brown, Jevon Carter, LaMarcus Aldridge, James Johnson and Paul Millsap were all placed in health and safety protocols. Unnerved, the Nets front office relented and decided to welcome Irving back to the team.
With KD, Kyrie and Harden reunited, NBA pundits and oddsmakers once again predicted Brooklyn's immense collection of talent would carry them to a title.&nbsp;
However, the Nets' Big Three never seemed to get on the same page. In a Jan. 15 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans, Durant sprained the MCL in his left knee. The injury would sideline KD for six weeks. By late January, rumors began to surface that Harden was fed up with the circus-like atmosphere and wanted out of Brooklyn.&nbsp;
On Feb. 2, Brooklyn was beaten badly by the lowly Sacramento Kings, and Harden's effort (or lack thereof) was appalling. In what would be his final appearance in a Nets uniform, The Beard finished with 4 points on 2 of 12 shooting.&nbsp;
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On the day of the trade deadline, Brooklyn shipped Harden to the Sixers in exchange for Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond and two first-round picks.
Following the blockbuster deal, the Nets remained the consensus favorites to win the 2022 NBA title. Caesars Sportsbook elected to keep the Nets' odds at 4-1 after the trade, ahead of the Golden State Warriors (9-2), Phoenix Suns (5-1) and Bucks (7-1).
In his introductory press conference with Brooklyn, Simmons said he was looking forward to returning to action.
"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."
As we now know, Simmons would not set foot on an NBA court all season. Drummond, who provided much-needed rebounding help for Brooklyn early on, was essentially unplayable by the time the playoffs arrived (he logged less than 4 minutes of action in the Nets' season-ending loss Monday night).
Once Durant returned from his knee injury, Brooklyn got back on track and went 6-1 over a seven-game span in mid-March. Kyrie hung 50 on the Hornets in Charlotte on March 8. KD poured in a season-high 53 points in Brooklyn's victory over the New York Knicks on March 13. Two nights later, Irving scored a franchise-record 60 points in a blowout win over the Orlando Magic.
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Irving and Durant became the first pair of teammates in NBA history to score 50 points in consecutive games. KD and Kyrie are also just the second duo to record multiple 50-point games in a season, joining Jerry West and Elgin Baylor, who accomplished the feat for the 1961-62 Los Angeles Lakers.
Then, in late March, New York mayor Eric Adams altered the city's vaccine mandate, clearing the way for Irving to play in home games. Adams, who initially stated that "it would send the wrong message" to give Irving an exemption when the city's other employees were still subject to the same mandate, said the revised decision was "about putting New York city-based performers on a level playing field."
Thus, the Nets would enter the postseason with their two top guns available (and Irving fresh/well-rested after being a part-time player for most of the season).
Yet, as it turned out, the disjointed Nets were no match for a unified Celtics team that had spent the past three months building its chemistry on both ends of the court.
Boston swept Brooklyn out of the playoffs, effectively locking up both Kyrie and KD.
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Durant played well in Game 4, but disappeared in Game 3 on Saturday night. KD was shockingly passive the entire evening, finishing the must-win contest with just 16 points on 6 of 11 shooting; his lack of aggression and intensity was stunning. In that contest, the most important game of the Nets season, Durant &mdash; a four-time scoring champion and two-time Finals MVP &mdash; finished with 10 fewer points and 8 fewer field-goal attempts than Brown.&nbsp;
Incredibly, over Game 2 and Game 3 combined, Brown scored more points (49) and grabbed more rebounds (16) than both Durant (43 points/12 boards) and Irving (26 points/12 boards).
Irving closed out his season averaging 15.3 points while shooting just 37.2% from the floor and 18.2% from three-point territory over the final three games of the series.
Being swept out of the playoffs in the first round would have been considered almost unimaginable at the start of the season, or really at any point over the past 12 months, assuming KD and Kyrie were both healthy.&nbsp;
In fact, SportsBetting.ag confirmed to BasketballNews.com that the Nets are the first NBA team ever to enter a season as the favorite to win a title, yet fail to win a single playoff game.&nbsp;
It's not hyperbole to suggest that the 2021-22 Brooklyn Nets will go down as arguably the most disappointing team in the history of the National Basketball Association.
That's not the all-time legacy Brooklynites were anticipating this squad would be remembered for. Dating back to the 2021 postseason, the Nets are 1-8 in their last last nine playoff games...
The unforgettable Sunday afternoon in June 2019, when Durant and Irving revealed they were teaming up, was 1,030 days ago.
Imagine telling enthusiastic Nets fans back then that KD, Kyrie and company would win only one playoff series (and a grand total of seven playoff games) over the subsequent three seasons.&nbsp;
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Tommy Beer reviews the Nets' latest playoff shortcoming and how they haven't gotten it done since Kyrie Irving and KD joined forces.

The 2021-22 Nets: Arguably the most disappointing team in NBA history

The NBA sent four teams home from its Play-In Tournament after Friday night, but all four are poised to contend next season.
Though the Charlotte Hornets, Cleveland Cavaliers and San Antonio Spurs exited early, their trio of All-Star guards and exciting young cores mean all three should be back in the hunt &mdash; provided they beef up their rosters in the offseason. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Clippers weren't supposed to make it this far without their franchise cornerstones; that only creates more buzz surrounding a 2022-23 championship contender.
What can these franchises do this offseason to set themselves up for success? I've written up some summer plans for all four squads, including draft assets (via Tankathon), potential free agents (via Spotrac) and a central team-building question (via my deranged mind). If you missed last week, I did the same for the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/summer-plans-for-the-nbas-nonplayoff-teams" target="_blank" rel="noopener">10 teams who did not crack the NBA postseason</a>.
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Let's dive in.
CHARLOTTE HORNETS
Draft assets:&nbsp;First-round pick, First-round pick via Pelicans, Second-round pick, Second-round pick via Toronto (if 55-60)
Potential free agents:&nbsp;Montrezl Harrell, Isaiah Thomas, Miles Bridges (restricted), Cody Martin (restricted), Arnoldas Kulboka (restricted), Scottie Lewis (restricted)
Central question:&nbsp;How can the Hornets construct an interior defense?
Charlotte's bottom-10 defense doomed the franchise several times in the regular season and, ultimately, in the Play-In loss to Atlanta. The Hornets gave up boatloads of at-rim attempts and three-pointers, and simply looked like turnstiles at times. Improvement is necessary across the board, but an on-paper view highlights a clear need for upgrades inside.
Mason Plumlee is a fine basketball player, but he's not anchoring a high-level NBA defense. Neither is Montrezl Harrell, and 2021 first-round pick Kai Jones barely touched the floor in Charlotte. The Hornets don't have a whole lot of salary flexibility with big-money deals in place for Gordon Hayward and Terry Rozier. Miles Bridges' restricted free agency is also a key offseason focal point.&nbsp;
Though the Hornets likely can't throw outright money at a Deandre Ayton-level restricted free agent, perhaps they could work a sign-and-trade for a lesser-known young talent. Maybe Mo Bamba fits the bill from Orlando? Charlotte was tied to trade rumors surrounding Myles Turner before the trade deadline, and the front office could also elect to sign a veteran at a mid-level exception.
Regardless of the pathway, the Hornets have needed to address the center position for years now. With a playoff leap now the expectation in 2022-23, they can't afford to let another summer slip away.
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS
Draft assets:&nbsp;First-round pick, Second-round pick via Spurs, Second-round pick via Heat
Potential free agents:&nbsp;Ed Davis, Rajon Rondo, Brandon Goodwin, Collin Sexton (restricted), Moses Brown (restricted), RJ Nembhard (restricted), Dean Wade (team option)
Central question:&nbsp;What is Collin Sexton's future in Cleveland?
The Cavaliers may have slid out of the playoffs, but this was a banner year for the franchise's long-term trajectory. Darius Garland emerged as a cornerstone point guard, Evan Mobley might win Rookie of the Year, and the frontcourt pairing with Jarrett Allen looks to be a mainstay in the Eastern Conference. Injuries ultimately derailed what was a top-four seed. Most of the rotation is under contract and under 30, hinting at continued growth.
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Darius Garland -&gt; Jarrett Allen -&gt; Evan Mobley (Lob) <a href="https://t.co/nDQz7tkxbs">pic.twitter.com/nDQz7tkxbs</a>
&mdash; Jackson Lloyd (@JacksonLloydNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/JacksonLloydNBA/status/1515354588353728522?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 2022</a></blockquote>

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This seaon's leap makes the situation with Sexton... difficult. Let's not forget that the combo guard is a season removed from a 24-point-per-game season as an efficient primary scorer, and that the Cavs were 19th in Offensive Rating this year. Sexton can meaningfully boost Cleveland simply as a bucket-getter, nevermind if he keeps improving as a playmaker.
What kind of contract do the Cavs offer to a 23-year-old who missed nearly a full season with a knee injury though? If a desperate team decides to throw money at Sexton to force the franchise to match, is there a limit to the front office's willingness? What would an extension mean for Isaac Okoro and Caris LeVert?&nbsp;
Sexton is one of the biggest dominoes in the upcoming offseason, and arguably the most unpredictable.
LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS
Draft assets:&nbsp;Second-round pick
Potential free agents: Robert Covington, Rodney Hood, Isaiah Hartenstein, Amir Coffey (restricted), Xavier Moon (restricted), Ivica Zubac (team option), Nic Batum (player option)
Central question:&nbsp;What does a fully-healthy 10-man rotation look like?
Nobody expected the Clippers to be a playoff contender without Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, and they still almost cracked the postseason with the supporting cast chipping in. L.A. made a splash at the trade deadline by adding Norman Powell and Robert Covington, two players who conceivably make sense next to the franchise's two stars.
This roster is deep. It's a great problem to have, but it's still a problem with several rotation options potentially hitting free agency. Covington will likely command a solid new deal as one of the league's more reliable two-way complements, and Batum could easily decline his $3.3 million team option in search of a raise. Ivica Zubac and Isaiah Hartenstein may both hit free agency; what would happen to the center rotation in that case?
The Clippers have Leonard, George, Powell, Reggie Jackson, Luke Kennard, Terance Mann and Marcus Morris locked down for next season. That's already seven rotation-caliber players, and it doesn't account for leaps from young talents like Brandon Boston Jr., Jason Preston or Amir Coffey. A roster crunch is inbound, and the organization can't let a quality addition slip away as it positions itself for title contention next season.
SAN ANTONIO SPURS
Draft assets:&nbsp;First-round pick, first-round pick via Raptors, first-round pick via Celtics, second-round pick via Lakers
Potential free agents:&nbsp;Lonnie Walker IV (restricted), Devontae Cacok (restricted), Joe Wieskamp (restricted), DJ Stewart Jr. (restricted), Robert Woodard II (restricted)
Central question:&nbsp;How do the Spurs toe the line between developmental patience and consolidation?
San Antonio valiantly fought to get to the Play-In Tournament before losing to New Orleans, but also had one of the more underrated developmental seasons across the roster. Dejounte Murray made his All-Star leap and Jakob Poeltl established himself as <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/jakob-poeltl-san-antonios-newest-watchful-protector" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one of the league's better rim-protectors</a>; the Spurs collectively were just a tick under league-average on both ends of the floor, per Cleaning the Glass.
One of the NBA's youngest rosters is well on track and about to receive another influx of potential. San Antonio could use its three first-rounders (including its own lottery pick) to add to the frontcourt or find another lead guard. However, the Spurs already have 12 players locked down for next season under at least partial guarantees, and 11 of them are under 30. They have a pathway to over $24 million in salary cap space this summer should they move on from restricted free agents like Walker.&nbsp;
There's an avenue, with draft picks, young players and cap space, for San Antonio to make a serious splash. Is that in the programming for this franchise, though? San Antonio hasn't acquired a star via trade in several years, unless you want to count adding DeMar DeRozan in the Kawhi Leonard blockbuster. At the same time, there are only so many minutes to go around for the young guns, especially if the Spurs think they can compete for the playoffs.
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Ethan Fuller sets the stage for the NBA's four Play-In exits approaching the offseason.

Summer plans for the Spurs, Hornets, Cavaliers and Clippers

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

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;
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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

Goran Dragic is signing with the Brooklyn Nets, sources tell&nbsp;The Athletic.
Source: <a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1495815232605855748" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shams Charania/The Athletic</a>
ANALYSIS:&nbsp;Dragic was bought out by the Spurs after being traded to San Antonio from Toronto. The veteran point guard played just five games with the Raptors in his lone season with the team. Dragic should provide stability as a scorer and passer for a Nets team that has floundered in recent weeks, though it's unclear what his role will be since he has not played substantially since his time with the Miami Heat.

Dragic was bought out by the Spurs after being traded to San Antonio from Toronto.

Nets signing Goran Dragic

Goran Dragic has agreed to a contract buyout with the Spurs and is entering free agency, sources tell&nbsp;The Athletic.
SOURCE: <a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1493590284621471753" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shams Charania/The Athletic</a>
ANALYSIS:&nbsp;Several teams are expected to pursue the veteran point guard. Dragic, 35, played just five games with the Toronto Raptors after being traded in the offseason deal for Kyle Lowry. He had spent the previous seven seasons with the Miami Heat, averaging 16.2 points per game with the franchise. Dragic was named an NBA All-Star in 2018.&nbsp;

Dragic is expected to be a target by several NBA teams as a free agent.

Spurs buy out Goran Dragic, several teams expected to have interest

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

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

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

Grading every move from 2022 NBA trade deadline week

The Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks, and Toronto Raptors discussed a three-team trade at length Wednesday night into Thursday morning. The framework would send&nbsp;Cam Reddish&nbsp;and&nbsp;Alec Burks&nbsp;to the Lakers,&nbsp;Goran Dragic&nbsp;and draft pick compensation to the Knicks, and&nbsp;Talen Horton-Tucker&nbsp;and&nbsp;Nerlens Noel&nbsp;to the Raptors, league sources told HoopsHype.&nbsp;Kendrick Nunn&nbsp;was also mentioned as a potential addition to the trade talks, sources said.
Source: <a href="https://hoopshype.com/2022/02/10/nba-sources-lakers-knicks-raptors-trade-talen-horton-tucker-cam-reddish-goran-dragic/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Michael Scotto/HoopsHype</a>
ANALYSIS:&nbsp;This possible deal is notable on a few fronts. The Knicks just acquired Reddish from the Hawks, but the young wing has appeared in just five contests since being dealt. Horton-Tucker has been considered the most valuable available player the Lakers have to offer teams. Meanwhile in Toronto, Goran Dragic has played in just five games all season. He is on an expiring contract and making $19.4 million this season.

Cam Reddish, Talen Horton-Tucker and Goran Dragic were among the players noted in the deal.

Lakers, Knicks, Raptors have talked three-team trade

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

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

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

Examining possible landing spots for Gary Harris

It's that time of year when NBA trade machines and insider gossip hijack basketball discourse. Trade deadline season means absolute chaos for just about anyone involved in basketball from a management, player or media perspective. For better or for worse, I'm pulling the "we live in a society" card and conforming.
The Tank-O-Meter is back for the second time this season to assess how seriously teams should consider folding for the remainder of 2021-22. Teams are rated on a scale from 1 (playoffs or bust) to 10 (do not even think about winning a game again) based on how much a rebuild helps the long-term franchise outlook.
A key part of any good rebuild is maximizing selling out at the trade deadline. It makes sense to get a read on what teams should do before Thursday to build their chests of assets and get out of the limbo of a weak postseason push. You'll see a Tank-O-Meter reading for each of these 10 squads, plus the usual Sour Rankings.
If you're new to the Sour Rankings, here's a refresher: Unlike the typical "power rankings" that repeat themselves throughout sports media, Sour Rankings are a bizarro-world counter. These rankings highlight the top-10 most frustrating NBA franchises throughout the season, and they will be updated every week to match the twists and turns of the league.&nbsp;
This is not merely a bottom-10 of your typical best-to-worst outlooks. You will see championship contenders and playoff hopefuls mixed in with struggling squads. Teams well under .500 may never touch the Sour Rankings because they are on track with their respective processes. Injuries, drama, transactions and generally underwhelming play will earn you a spot on this list.
The central question is ultimately this: How good should you feel about the direction of each franchise? Let's get going.
Escaping the Sour Rankings:&nbsp;The New Orleans Pelicans got Brandon Ingram back from injury and immediately started winning. They're currently on a three-game stampede and have even moved into the Play-In tier of the Western Conference standings. Boston is also rolling on a five-game win streak with perhaps the hottest defense in basketball, suddenly tied with Toronto and Brooklyn for sixth in the Eastern Conference.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
10. Charlotte Hornets (28-26) &mdash; Tank-O-Meter reading: 2/10
The Hornets sink into the Sour Rankings as they tough out a four-game losing streak with defeats against the Los Angeles Clippers, Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat. Their run to the All-Star break is daunting; it features 6 games in 11 days and includes matchups against the Toronto Raptors, Chicago Bulls, Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves and Heat (again). According to <a href="https://heavy.com/sports/boston-celtics/nba-trade-rumor-josh-richardson/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Heavy's Steve Bulpett</a>, Charlotte is also looking to trade PJ Washington, which still doesn't make much sense to me.
Charlotte shouldn't consider bottoming out as long as the team has confidence in its young core. The Hornets have the pieces to either become buyers or sellers at the deadline, and are right in the thick of a competitive East playoff race. At the absolute minimum, this is great experience for guys like LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges, and the Hornets are still a threatening offense on a nightly basis.
(Last week: Unranked)
9. Detroit Pistons (12-41) &mdash; Tank-O-Meter reading: 9/10
Easy reading for Detroit &mdash; the franchise has already been near the bottom of the league all season. The Pistons can really supercharge the current rebuild with how they approach the trade deadline regarding veterans like Jerami Grant and Cory Joseph.
But Detroit still cracks the Sour Rankings, because even in the scheduled losses, it just feels like there's been too much uninspired basketball. Honestly, what young talents on the roster do you feel better about from the start of the season besides Cade Cunningham? I'd say there's an argument for Saddiq Bey and... that's about it. Detroit still has several questions to answer about the team's identity, and those questions can be answered even in losses.
(Last week: Unranked)
8. Utah Jazz (32-21) &mdash; Tank-O-Meter reading: 1/10
Utah battled to a win against the Denver Nuggets and dismantled the flailing Nets this week, bringing some stability after a five-game skid. However, reports are back (this one from <a href="https://www.deseret.com/2022/2/4/22916919/utah-jazz-donovan-mitchell-on-reports-relationship-with-rudy-gobert-has-deteriorated-thats-not-true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ESPN's Brian Windhorst</a>) that Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert are "at each other's throats." Mitchell once again denied the rumors, and who knows at this point what's grounding the reports. But it's never good to hear.
No, the Jazz should not tank &mdash; they're still fourth in the West standings even in this rough patch.
(Last week: 6)
7. Indiana Pacers (19-36) &mdash; Tank-O-Meter reading: 9/10
The Pacers <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/reaction-caris-levert-fills-blended-need-for-cavs-as-pacers-reset" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dealt Caris LeVert to the Cavaliers yesterday in a trade</a> that brought back an expiring (and injured) Ricky Rubio, a lottery-protected first-round pick that will likely convey this season and two additional second-rounders. That's not a bad return for a team that simply needs young talent in waves, and draft picks always add some trade flexibility.&nbsp;
Moving LeVert for that package signals a rebuild is on the way. It's long overdue. Now, the Pacers have to get what they can for Myles Turner, Justin Holiday and their other vets. I do not think Domantas Sabonis is a "must-trade" due to his sheer skill. But Indiana also can't be afraid to accept a good offer. They're one of the primary teams to watch ahead of Thursday.
(Last week: 4)
6. Portland Trail Blazers (21-33) &mdash; Tank-O-Meter reading: 8/10
Here's another team giving off "rebuild" vibes. The Trail Blazers traded Norman Powell and Robert Covington to the Clippers this week for Eric Bledsoe, Justise Winslow, Keon Johnson and a future second-round pick. That return feels underwhelming considering Portland gave up two very good rotation players. But if they like the uber-athletic Johnson, so be it.
With no Damian Lillard return in sight, Portland should really sell at this deadline. What does being in a Play-In race even mean for this franchise? Young trade pieces and the NBA Draft are the best way to find game-changing talent. CJ McCollum and Jusuf Nurkic have been involved in trade rumors recently. I wouldn't be surprised if both had new homes by Thursday evening.
(Last week: 7)
5. New York Knicks (24-29) &mdash; Tank-O-Meter reading: 7/10
One day, Deuce McBride and Immanuel Quickley will join the starting lineup and everything will be alright in New York. For now, the Knicks remain a woefully inconsistent basketball team that can't be trusted &mdash; but can't be counted out &mdash; on any night. If I had my way, Tom Thibodeau would commit to playing the youth; Quentin Grimes, Quickley and McBride would see serious playing time increases, and New York would head into the offseason with a good draft pick and an enticing young core. Then again, it's Thibs.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Julius Randle got into it with a coach on the bench against the Lakers. 😬 (h/t <a href="https://twitter.com/AhnFireDigital?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AhnFireDigital</a>) <a href="https://t.co/NNhrE2XgVt">pic.twitter.com/NNhrE2XgVt</a>
&mdash; theScore (@theScore) <a href="https://twitter.com/theScore/status/1490765945396244482?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 7, 2022</a></blockquote>

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By the way, read this <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/julius-randle-and-the-george-costanza-problem" target="_blank" rel="noopener">excellent piece from Mat Issa</a> that further highlights how the Knicks are leaving Julius Randle out to dry.
(Last week: 5)
4. Sacramento Kings (20-35) &mdash; Tank-O-Meter reading: 9/10
<a href="https://theathletic.com/3113791/2022/02/07/detroit-pistons-nba-trade-deadline-guide-what-im-hearing-about-jerami-grant-trade-tiers/?article_source=search&amp;search_query=jerami%20grant" target="_blank" rel="noopener">James L. Edwards III of&nbsp;The Athletic</a>&nbsp;says that the Kings have reported interest in Jerami Grant. This comes after all the will-they-won't-they drama surrounding a Ben Simmons trade and the availability of De'Aaron Fox and Tyrese Haliburton. Of course, smokescreens exist in trade gossip, but I still can't rationalize most of the reported targets for Sacramento.
This is a bad basketball team. The Kings have the second-worst offensive rating in the NBA over the past few weeks in addition to their perenially-porous defense. Sacramento may be two games out of 10th place, but the team would have to unseat several better squads in the San Antonio Spurs, Trail Blazers and Pelicans. As repetitive as selling is for this squad, it's the logical step.
(Last week: 2)
3. Los Angeles Lakers (26-28) &mdash; Tank-O-Meter reading: 1/10
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
&ldquo;more from an off-ball perspective&rdquo; from TALEN HORTON-TUCKER is just- <a href="https://t.co/LO3LSpvuxR">https://t.co/LO3LSpvuxR</a>
&mdash; Nekias (Nuh-KY-us) Duncan (@NekiasNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NekiasNBA/status/1490191241878851589?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 6, 2022</a></blockquote>
I audibly chuckled reading this reaction from Nekias Duncan on Frank Vogel's rationale benching Russell Westbrook late against the Knicks. L.A. won that game in overtime, but it sure wasn't thanks to either player. Even though the Lakers went 2-1 this week, the lasting image will be the game-winner from Clippers guard Reggie Jackson on Thursday. The purple and gold are now down to ninth in the Western Conference.
The Tank-O-Meter reading remains the same: You don't tank with a healthy LeBron James.
(Last week: 3)
2. Washington Wizards (24-28) &mdash; Tank-O-Meter reading: 5/10
Washington's downward spiral continued last week with two one-sided losses to the Bucks and Suns. The Wizards did manage a 106-103 win over Philadelphia, but they've now been usurped by the Atlanta Hawks for the final Play-In bid. Does being on the outside looking in change anything from a directional perspective?
I think the Wizards are at the most polarizing trade deadline crossroads of any NBA team. They could make a desparation play for a star to help Bradley Beal and <a href="https://twitter.com/JakeLFischer/status/1488860395683168259?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1488860395683168259%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2F8points9seconds.com%2F2022%2F02%2F03%2Findiana-pacers-domantas-sabonis-trade-wizards%2F" target="_blank" rel="noopener">swing on someone like Domantas Sabonis.</a> Or, Washington could send out its solid veterans in return for young talent or draft assets &mdash; at the risk of losing Beal this offseason. Moves have to be made by Thursday, but I couldn't honestly say what the right direction is.
(Last week: 1)
1. Brooklyn Nets (29-24) &mdash; Tank-O-Meter reading: 1/10
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
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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Whew... An eight-game losing streak, complete with some epic meltdowns, has the Nets in the Play-In tournament. And that's not even the worst part amidst the firestorm of rumors surrounding James Harden's potential availability. Whether or not he gets traded, Harden is showing visible disinterest at a critical point in Brooklyn's season. It's hard to consider the Nets a legitimate title contender with the way they've played over the past three weeks.
(Last week: 8)
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Ethan Fuller looks at which struggling teams should sell ahead of Thursday's trade deadline.

NBA Sour Rankings: Tank-O-Meter readings ahead of the trade deadline

The Dallas Mavericks were shopping for a center for much of the season, but have shifted in recent days to pursuing a power forward. Kristaps Porzingis&rsquo; revival this season has made Dallas focus on a stretch four to play next to Porzingis. They&rsquo;ve re-entered the talks for [John] Collins and have made calls about [Pascal] Siakam.
Source: <a href="https://www.actionnetwork.com/nba/nba-trade-deadline-rumors-intel-james-harden-ben-simmons-harrison-barnes-2022" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Matt Moore/Action Network</a>
ANALYSIS:&nbsp;Moore added that two sourced executives said the Mavericks "just don&rsquo;t have the assets" to make a major move at the trade deadline. Siakam has been a driving force in the Raptors' surge since returning from injury, while Collins is a major piece to a Hawks team that has also hit its stride in recent weeks.
Per Moore, the Mavericks are also unlikely to trade Jalen Brunson and are expected to look towards extending him this offseason.

The Mavericks are also reportedly unlikely to trade Jalen Brunson and are expected to look towards extending him this offseason.

Mavs have pursued John Collins, Pascal Siakam in power forward search

After a rare instance where a former lottery pick saw his third-year option declined before the regular season, 2020 No. 10 overall pick Jalen Smith is generating buzz around the NBA.
According to <a href="https://www.actionnetwork.com/nba/nba-trade-deadline-rumors-intel-james-harden-ben-simmons-harrison-barnes-2022" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Matt Moore of The Action Network</a>, Smith is a known commodity leading up to Thursday's trade deadline. For teams in need of a big man, Smith could come in and provide an intriguing skillset.
The Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons, Washington Wizards, San Antonio Spurs and Toronto Raptors are among the teams that have inquired about the former lottery pick.
Smith has been unable to crack the Suns' rotation consistently for his first two seasons as the team is in full-on championship mode. Phoenix simply doesn't have the time to develop Smith while they chase another Finals appearance.
In 27 games this season, Smith has averaged 6.3 points, 5.0 rebounds and 0.7 blocks in 13.6 minutes per game. If you stretch that out over a per-36 minute threshold, Smith is amassing 16.8 points, 13.3 rebounds and 1.8 blocks.&nbsp;
The 21-year-old still has plenty of potential and could become part of a team's long-term plan. It's shocking to see a team decline a prospect's third-year team option, especially with a former lottery pick, but that's exactly what happened with Smith in Phoenix.
Smith is one of the Suns' most enticing trade chips before the deadline, so the probability that he's moved continues to rise. The NBA trade deadline is this Thurday at 3 p.m. ET.

The Suns are in win-now mode, which means former lottery pick Jalen Smith could be on the move before the trade deadline.

Several teams interested in Suns' Jalen Smith ahead of trade deadline

The Toronto Raptors have expressed interest in trading for Atlanta Hawks forward Danilo Gallinari, according to <a href="https://hoopshype.com/lists/nba-rumors-cj-mccollum-anfernee-simons-robert-covington-dorian-finney-smith-danilo-gallinari-jakob-poeltl/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Michael Scotto of HoopsHype</a>.
The 33-year-old is averaging 10.2 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.6 threes in 23.1 minutes per game for the Atlanta Hawks, while shooting 41.6% from the field, 38.8% from three and 91.7% from the free-throw line.
Scotto mentions that a handful of teams have inquired about Gallinari, who is earning $20,475,000 this season and is set to make $21,450,000 next year.
The Raptors are looking to move Goran Dragic's $19,440,000 expiring contract, which could potentially be used to match Gallinari's salary.
As Scotto notes, Gallinari has history with Raptors president Masai Ujiri from their days with the Denver Nuggets. Ujiri ended up trading Danilo to the New York Knicks as part of the Carmelo Anthony blockbuster.
It remains to be seen if the Hawks are open to moving Gallinari or what they'd want in return. Atlanta is currently 25-27, which puts them in 10th place in the Eastern Conference.
Meanwhile, the seventh-seeded Raptors are 28-23 and <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/raptors-looking-to-acquire-center-jakob-poeltl-myles-turner-high-on-their-list" target="_blank" rel="noopener">looking to be buyers</a>.

The Toronto Raptors have emerged as buyers, and they have expressed interest in Atlanta Hawks forward Danilo Gallinari.

Raptors have expressed interest in trading for Danilo Gallinari

The Raptors have searched for a center on the market and expressed interest in trading for several centers, including Jakob Poeltl, Myles Turner, Robert Williams, Nicolas Claxton and Jusuf Nurkic.
Source: <a href="https://hoopshype.com/lists/nba-rumors-cj-mccollum-anfernee-simons-robert-covington-dorian-finney-smith-danilo-gallinari-jakob-poeltl/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mike Scotto of HoopsHype </a>
ANALYSIS: Scotto added that, "Toronto has all its first-round picks looking ahead, which can be dangled as trade bait for a potential starting-caliber center. The Raptors have flirted with the idea of moving a first-round pick to re-acquire Poeltl, HoopsHype has learned."
Yesterday, NBA insider Marc Stein <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/bulls-raptors-have-shown-interest-in-jakob-poeltl-trade" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that the San Antonio Spurs want a first-round pick and a quality player in exchange for Poeltl, who has also drawn interest from the Chicago Bulls.
Scotto also reported that "Indiana is seeking two first-round picks or a promising young player and a first-round pick in exchange for Turner."
The Raptors have also shown interest in Hawks veteran forward Danilo Gallinari, per Scotto.

The Toronto Raptors are showing interest in acquiring Jakob Poeltl from the Spurs.

Raptors pursuing centers; Poeltl, Turner, Nurkic high on their list

To convince San Antonio to surrender Jakob Poeltl, sources say, would require a future first-round pick and a quality player. Chicago is among numerous teams, along with Toronto as I reported on Jan. 14, to register interest in the Austrian 7-footer, who is a proven defensive anchor in Year 2 of an absolute steal of a three-year, $26.3 million contract.
Source: <a href="https://marcstein.substack.com/p/one-more-gust-of-friday-trade-winds" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Marc Stein/Substack</a>
ANALYSIS:&nbsp;Poeltl was selected with the No. 9 pick by the Raptors in 2016, but was traded to San Antonio in the blockbuster Kawhi Leonard trade. The 26-year-old is averaging 13.1 points and 9.0 rebounds per game this season for the Spurs in 43 games (42 starts).

Poeltl was selected with the No. 9 pick by the Raptors in 2016.

Bulls, Raptors have shown interest in Jakob Poeltl trade

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

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

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

Examining potential trade destinations for Richaun Holmes

The Trail Blazers are expected to pursue trade scenarios involving the No. 7 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, according to <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10037274-latest-nba-offseason-intel-does-og-anunoby-want-out-of-toronto" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report</a>. The targets they have in mind are Jerami Grant of the Detroit Pistons and OG Anunoby of the Toronto Raptors.
"The Trail Blazers remain widely expected to pursue trade scenarios with the No. 7 pick in order to add a complementary veteran alongside All-NBA guard Damian Lillard, and Anunoby is believed to be one of their primary targets along with Jerami Grant.
Both contracts would fit into Portland's $20.9 million trade exception from the deal that sent CJ McCollum to New Orleans."
ANALYSIS:&nbsp;The clock is ticking in the Damian Lillard era, so if they're going to trade that pick, they'll need to make it count. The Western Conference is going to get much tougher this coming season. Grant or Anunoby could help them, but it's tough to see how they vault Portland that much higher.

Portland reportedly plans to pursue trades revolving around the No. 7 pick in the 2022 Draft for Jerami Grant or OG Anunoby.

Portland plans to trade No. 7 pick, targets Jerami Grant, OG Anunoby

The 2021-22 season was an absolute nightmare for the Los Angeles Lakers, who went 33-49 and finished 11th in the Western Conference. They had the NBA's 21st-ranked defense and 23rd-ranked offense.
Following those struggles, much of the blame has been placed on Russell Westbrook, who has a player option worth $47,063,478 for next season. It seems highly unlikely that he'll opt out, so the Lakers will undoubtedly explore all possible trade scenarios this offseason.
Which teams could make sense as a possible landing spot for Westbrook if he gets traded?
Oddsmakers from <a href="https://www.sportsbetting.ag/sportsbook/futures-and-props/nba-specials" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SportsBetting.ag</a> have the Oklahoma City Thunder (+350), Indiana Pacers (+400) and New York Knicks (+450) as the teams to watch. Here are their complete odds for Westbrook's next team if he ends up leaving the Lakers:
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 45.2599%; height: 220px;" border="1">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 29.6795%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">Oklahoma City Thunder</td>
<td style="width: 11.789%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">+350</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 29.6795%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">Indiana Pacers</td>
<td style="width: 11.789%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">+400</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 29.6795%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">New York Knicks</td>
<td style="width: 11.789%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">+450</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 29.6795%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">Charlotte Hornets</td>
<td style="width: 11.789%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">+500</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 29.6795%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">Detroit Pistons</td>
<td style="width: 11.789%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">+600</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 29.6795%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">Houston Rockets</td>
<td style="width: 11.789%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">+700</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 29.6795%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">Sacramento Kings</td>
<td style="width: 11.789%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">+750</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 29.6795%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">Los Angeles Clippers</td>
<td style="width: 11.789%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">+900</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 29.6795%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">Cleveland Cavaliers</td>
<td style="width: 11.789%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">+1600</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 29.6795%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">Boston Celtics</td>
<td style="width: 11.789%; height: 22px; text-align: center;">+2000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 29.6795%; text-align: center;">Toronto Raptors</td>
<td style="width: 11.789%; text-align: center;">+2500</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/nba-free-agency" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Check out BasketballNews.com's 2022 NBA Free Agency page, which includes free-agency rankings and a scouting report of each player who could be available this summer.&nbsp;</a>

Oddsmakers have the Thunder (+350), Pacers (+400) and Knicks (+450) among the potential landing spots for Russell Westbrook.

Thunder, Pacers, Knicks have best odds to acquire Russell Westbrook

MIAMI (AP) &mdash; Somewhere, Gregg Popovich must be pleased.
Ime Udoka and Steve Kerr played for Popovich with of the San Antonio Spurs, both served as assistant coaches under him, and neither makes any effort to hide the affinity they have for the NBA&rsquo;s career victory leader.
And now, Udoka and Kerr are about to go head-to-head &mdash; in the NBA Finals.
The title matchup is set: It&rsquo;ll be Udoka and the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics facing Kerr and the Western Conference champion Golden State Warriors, a series that begins Thursday night in San Francisco. The teams split their two regular-season meetings, each winning on the other&rsquo;s home floor.
The Warriors have been waiting for an opponent since this past Thursday after needing only five games to beat Dallas for the West title. The Celtics got there the hard way, winning Game 7 in Miami on Sunday night to capture the East.
&ldquo;We stayed with it. We believed in each other. We made a commitment on the defensive end," said Celtics forward Al Horford, who, after 141 playoff games, is headed to the NBA Finals for the first time. &ldquo;That was the biggest thing, defending."
For the Celtics, it&rsquo;s a chance at an 18th NBA championship &mdash; which would break the tie with the Los Angeles Lakers for the most in league history. For the Warriors, it&rsquo;s a chance at a seventh crown &mdash; which would break a tie with the Chicago Bulls for third-most in league history.
It&rsquo;s also a rematch of the 1964 finals, when Bill Russell and the Celtics topped the Warriors in five games.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve said it many times: You go to the finals, it&rsquo;s almost a two-month journey filled with stress and fatigue and everything else,&rdquo; said Kerr, who gave his team Friday and Saturday off before bringing them back to work Sunday. &ldquo;So, if you can get a little bit of a break, it&rsquo;s very meaningful. Hopefully, we can get healthy and have a few days of really good prep and be ready to go on Thursday.&rdquo;
Golden State won at Boston 111-107 on Dec. 17, behind 30 points from Stephen Curry. The Celtics rolled on Golden State&rsquo;s home floor in the rematch on March 16, winning 110-88 in the game in which Curry injured his foot &mdash; and that&rsquo;s where his regular season ended.
Curry was ready to go for the playoffs. So were the rest of the Warriors. They&rsquo;re 12-4 in the playoffs, getting through Denver, Memphis and Dallas to get to the title round.
&ldquo;It all starts with Steph,&rdquo; Kerr said.
Udoka has a chance to become the 10th coach to win a title in his first season. Eddie Gottlieb (1947 Philadelphia Warriors), Buddy Jeanette (1948 Baltimore Bullets), John Kundla (1949 Minneapolis Lakers), George Senesky (1956 Philadelphia Warriors), Paul Westhead (1980 Los Angeles Lakers), Pat Riley (1982 Los Angeles Lakers), Tyronn Lue (2016 Cleveland Cavaliers) and Nick Nurse (2019 Toronto Raptors) are eight of the coaches who have pulled off the feat.
The other name on that list is Kerr &mdash; who did it with Golden State in 2015, the start of this run of greatness from the Warriors. That was the beginning of six finals appearances in eight years, the two exceptions being when injuries and a roster reset kept them from the playoffs in 2020 and 2021.
&ldquo;You can&rsquo;t take it for granted,&rdquo; Curry said after the West title series. &ldquo;Nothing&rsquo;s ever guaranteed. We understand how hard it is to win. We&rsquo;ve said that until we&rsquo;re blue in the face the last two years. This is definitely special. Proud of everybody that is in that locker room, that came with it all year. Now we have an opportunity to go finish a job.&rdquo;
Udoka played for Popovich and later was a San Antonio assistant. Kerr played for the Spurs, then assisted Popovich with USA Basketball through last summer&rsquo;s Tokyo Olympics &mdash; when the Americans won a fourth consecutive gold medal.
The Warriors&rsquo; Draymond Green was on that Olympic team. So was Boston&rsquo;s Jayson Tatum. They celebrated winning gold together, and now they&rsquo;ll try to go through one another to get their fingerprints on the gold trophy that goes to the NBA champions &mdash; the Larry O&rsquo;Brien.
&ldquo;This is an opportunity that players dream of,&rdquo; Golden State's Andrew Wiggins said. &ldquo;To be put in a position to win it all.&rdquo;
And if nothing else, a Warriors-Celtics matchup made Green seem prophetic.
After the Warriors won the West, Green visited the TNT broadcast set after the game and was prodded by Shaquille O&rsquo;Neal to say which team from the then-undecided East title series that he would like to play.
Green began giving a diplomatic answer, saying that both the Heat and Celtics were tough. O&rsquo;Neal pressed him to be honest, and Green &mdash; never shy with words &mdash; gave in.
&ldquo;You&rsquo;re asking me who I want to play. I&rsquo;m gonna tell who I think we&rsquo;re going to play: We&rsquo;re going to play Boston,&rdquo; Green said Thursday night. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s who we&rsquo;re going to play.&rdquo;
He was right.
&nbsp;

The matchup is set: it will be the Boston Celtics facing the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals.

The Finals matchup: Celtics vs. Warriors for NBA title

After an impressive season that culminated in a third-place finish for the NBA's Rookie of the Year award, Detroit Pistons star Cade Cunningham recently opened up about a valuable lesson he learned during his first year as a pro.
&ldquo;I think the biggest thing I learned is that the league, the media, nobody will care until you&rsquo;re winning,&rdquo; Cunningham <a href="https://www.slamonline.com/the-magazine/cade-cunningham-slam-238/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told SLAM</a>. &ldquo;I could feel bad for myself all I want about [how] people didn&rsquo;t respect or appreciate the season I had or anything, but I didn&rsquo;t win a lot of games.
"I think that&rsquo;s been the biggest thing that I&rsquo;ve locked in on and I decided within: I have to win games if I want people to respect my name. And if not, then I can&rsquo;t be mad at people not watching enough games and how I really play. That&rsquo;s the challenge that I&rsquo;ve tried to take on. I&rsquo;ve talked to teammates [and] we&rsquo;re all trying to take that challenge on. I think that&rsquo;s the next step for us.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Cunningham played well as a rookie, averaging 17.4 points, 5.6 assists, 5.5 rebounds, 1.8 threes and 1.2 steals in 64 games. And he looked significantly better in the second half of the season, posting 21.1 points, 6.5 assists, 5.7 rebounds, 1.3 threes and 1.1 steals per game after the All-Star break.
However, to his point, the Pistons finished the season 23-59, which was the second-worst record in the Eastern Conference (and the third-worst record in the NBA). Detroit boasted the league's 28th-ranked offense (scoring 103.3 points per 100 possessions) and 23rd-ranked defense (allowing 111.1 points per 100 possessions).
Cunningham seems determined to change that. It's not uncommon for a young player to spend years trying to put up numbers and prove he is a star, so it's great to see Cunningham already prioritizing team success over individual accolades and taking a mature approach as a 20-year-old.&nbsp;
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Perhaps Hall-of-Famer Isiah Thomas has helped Cunningham see the bigger picture, as SLAM notes that Thomas has had several conversations with Cunningham about leadership and other topics.
Fortunately, the Pistons are in excellent position to add some some reinforcements alongside Cunningham. Detroit has the No. 5 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, and our <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/nba-draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Senior NBA Draft Analyst Matt Babcock currently projects</a> that the Pistons will select Kentucky's Shaedon Sharpe.
Also, the Pistons currently project to have the second-most cap space in the NBA this offseason ($25.80 million), trailing only the Orlando Magic ($28.67 million). If Detroit is able to add some key pieces alongside Cunningham, perhaps the organization can right the ship and return to the playoffs sooner than later.
Cunningham was also asked about this season's Rookie of the Year award, which went to Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes (with Cleveland Cavaliers big man Evan Mobley finishing as the runner-up). While Cunningham felt he should have won the award, he's happy for his former high-school teammate and he's glad the debate is over.
&ldquo;Scottie is my brother, I&rsquo;m happy that he got that award," Cunningham said. "I feel like it&rsquo;s great that it&rsquo;s him, [my] Montverde teammate. I&rsquo;m super excited [for him]. I mean, it&rsquo;s never really been about that award for me. I&rsquo;ve had a ton of questions asked about it, you know&mdash; 'Rookie of the Year, what do you think about you winning?' So, I&rsquo;ma answer the question, you know? I feel like I should win it. That&rsquo;s natural. But it was never a knock on those guys. I love their game and I&rsquo;m happy that now we can quiet that question down. Congrats to Scottie, man, I love my dog.&rdquo;
While Cunningham didn't win the Rookie of the Year, award there's no question that he has a bright future and the Pistons are thrilled to have him.&nbsp;
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Cade Cunningham learned a valuable lesson during his rookie season — something that many young players take years to grasp.

Cade Cunningham shares valuable lesson he learned as a rookie

In the modern NBA, multi-positional versatility is something all teams covet. Evidenced by the current playoff finalists, pace-and-space offenses finding mismatches on every possession is the name of the game. For 19-year-old Australian combo guard Dyson Daniels, his strengths mesh well within what will be valued most at the next level.
Forgoing the college route as an International import, Daniels instead went the more challenging route by immersing himself into preparing for the 2022 NBA Draft. Daniels spent this past season with the G League Ignite, which is now forming a consistent pipeline of top prospects like Jalen Green and Jonathan Kuminga. Daniels averaged 11.3 points, 6.2 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.9 steals on a 54.0 True Shooting percentage in the G League last season.
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The ability to adapt and play the role of a playmaking wing or secondary ball handler makes the upside with Daniels even more intriguing, especially if he lands in the right player development system that focuses on his long-term outlook.
&ldquo;I always want to be in the gym. I always want to be the best I can,&rdquo; Daniels told <a href="http://BasketballNews.com">BasketballNews.com</a>'s Spencer Davies last September. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t want anyone to outwork me. I want to be the hardest worker there is.&rdquo;
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Daniels bet on himself playing with the Ignite over national NCAA exposure, which is paying huge dividends leading up to the draft. ESPN&rsquo;s Jonathan Givony recently reported that Daniels had one of the most impressive pre-draft workouts he&rsquo;d ever witnessed, and thanks to those workouts, Dyson is seeing his stock soar in the month before the draft.
The jumbo-sized do-it-all playmaker and defender is slotted in at No. 8 overall to the New Orleans Pelicans in <a href="http://BasketballNews.com">BasketballNews.com</a>'s latest mock draft according to our Senior NBA Draft Analyst, Matt Babcock:
&ldquo;At nearly 6-foot-7, Dyson Daniels is incredibly versatile, as he can play several positions effectively on both ends of the floor. After a stellar season with the G League Ignite, Daniels is seemingly on the rise, as there have been rumblings recently that his draft value is increasing. It&rsquo;s looking like he&rsquo;ll have a good chance of being selected in the mid-lottery on draft night.&rdquo;
Daniels is generating buzz to the point where it would be a surprise if he fell past the top 10 picks without being selected. As a likely lottery pick, Daniels&rsquo; versatility could help a needy team immediately. With such a high basketball IQ, the ceiling for Daniels all depends on if he can develop a reliable jump shot (25.5 3PT%). If Daniels rounds into form and becomes a reliable engine to an elite offense, the possibilities truly are endless for the Aussie.
&ldquo;I have a good floater game, but I&rsquo;m also a defender,&rdquo; Daniels described at the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago earlier this month. &ldquo;I like to break it down on the offensive end. I&rsquo;m a little bit like a Tyrese Haliburton kind of guy that&rsquo;s in control. On the defensive end, I like to look at guys like Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso and people like that. I feel like I have the frame, and once the game slows down for me a bit, I hope I could develop into a Luka Doncic-type role.&rdquo;
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While those comparisons are lofty for Daniels, we can&rsquo;t rule it out. Who&rsquo;s to say Daniels doesn&rsquo;t become a valuable rotation piece with the potential to become even more a few years down the line? It&rsquo;s why Daniels is generating immense buzz from teams leading up to the draft. At the combine, he met with the following teams: Sacramento Kings, Portland Trail Blazers, New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Atlanta Hawks, Milwaukee Bucks and Toronto Raptors.
&ldquo;I try not to take it as pressure, but I&rsquo;m trying to do everything to get Bendigo and Australia on the map. Just be the best version of me I can and do my best,&rdquo; Daniels said.
When trying to find the best attributes to fit with where the NBA is heading, a player in the mold of Daniels becomes extremely valuable the more layers you discover in his game. That&rsquo;s exactly why Daniels is regarded as one of this year&rsquo;s biggest pre-draft risers across the board.
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One of the biggest pre-draft risers is versatile Australian guard Dyson Daniels. How he fits the modern NBA explains his huge rise.

2022 NBA Draft: Dyson Daniels fits the modern trends

Here&rsquo;s a bit of trivia for you: Which rookie from this <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/why-they-are-all-special-a-guide-to-the-best-rookies-of-the-2021-class" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stacked</a> 2021 NBA Draft class has played the most minutes in the Conference Finals?
Considering most of the top rookies didn't advance very far, surely the answer has to be the Golden State Warriors' heralded No. 7 overall pick, Jonathan Kuminga &mdash; the same player who earlier this postseason was <a href="https://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/warriors/warriors-jonathan-kuminga-vows-learn-despite-historic-nba-playoff-game" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the youngest rookie to start a playoff game since 1971</a>, right?&nbsp;
Wrong!
The answer, with an impactful 64 minutes played over the course of five games, is none other than Golden State&rsquo;s other rookie: the No. 14 overall pick Moses Moody.
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Our story begins in the fourth quarter of Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, where a 104-76 score prompted both the Golden State and Dallas coaches to empty their benches for the home stretch of the blowout series opener.
In response, Reggie Miller on the call proclaimed: &ldquo;I have a sneaky feeling. I think these minutes are going to be important for [Nemanja] Bjelica and Kuminga because, at some point, those two guys are going to have to play significant minutes in this series.&rdquo;
Unbeknownst to him, he made a glaring omission in his statement; the player who really needed these repetitions was Moody. And during that seemingly meaningless stretch, Moody flashed two features that would prove useful to Golden State later in the series &mdash; his play-finishing and defensive versatility.
Play-Finishing&nbsp;
Nowadays, NBA offenses are so prolific that even the most venerable defenses can&rsquo;t eliminate every piece on the board. This leads to teams having to strategically <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-nba-playoffs-and-the-art-of-concessions-" target="_blank" rel="noopener">concede</a> certain shots in order to hone-in on the player(s) they deem the most dangerous (see the Milwaukee Bucks' defense vs. the Boston Celtics in Round 2).
When you&rsquo;re going up against the Warriors, the Splash Trio receives the highest priority, and these standards lead to open looks for the group&rsquo;s least esoteric marksman.
As of this moment, Moody falls under this designation. And to his credit, he did an excellent job of burning the Mavericks for their negligence in defending him, draining 50% of his triples (albeit in a miniature sample size).
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Cutting and movement rule the day in Golden State's perpetual motion offensive system. Moody got the memo, and he did a great job of knowing when it was appropriate to shag back and maintain his spacing on the perimeter, and when it was time to fill the lane and shake the Golden Gate bridge with a <a href="https://streamable.com/k3xuy0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">seismic eruption</a> at the rim.
Defensive Versatility&nbsp;
As Seth Partnow noted in his <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/seth-partnow-qa-a-sitdown-with-the-author-of-the-midrange-theory" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recent book</a>, "The Midrange Theory," versatility is the key to playoff success &mdash; the ol' Carlos Boozer and Robert Horry paradigm.
This maxim reigns especially true in defense, where we&rsquo;ve already seen multiple playoff runs abbreviated due to a lack of scheme versatility. (I hope the folks in Utah are doing well on this fine Friday afternoon.)
Moody was far from the anchor out there, but the Warriors&rsquo; defense stayed afloat during his minutes, partially because of his ability to wear multiple hats on that end of the floor.
We&rsquo;ll start with his off-ball work and this snag-tastic reception:
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Moses Moody legit Odell Beckham-ed this ball. <a href="https://t.co/tC54YzUzhG">pic.twitter.com/tC54YzUzhG</a>
&mdash; Mat Issa (@matissa15) <a href="https://twitter.com/matissa15/status/1530189122886897664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 27, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Along with that reception, Moody deflected two additional passes in that very same quarter, prompting Warriors writer Marcus Thompson to cite Moody&rsquo;s contributions as an <a href="https://theathletic.com/3332392/2022/05/25/warriors-mavericks-young-game-4/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">integral part of the team&rsquo;s Game 4 comeback</a>.
Despite only authoring 2 steals the entire series, spurts like the one he demonstrated in Game 4 leave room for potential growth into a future defensive playmaker.
Moody also did surprisingly well navigating the <a href="https://medium.com/the-basketball-dictionary/2-9-6fb93080023c" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2.9 spot</a> as a low-man. He was well attuned to his positioning, consistently swaying in and out of the paint to avoid garnering a three-second call, while also timing his re-entries in a manner that enabled him to wall off forays at the rim when the moment presented itself.&nbsp;
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Lastly, Moody even showed some chops as a man defender. On <a href="https://streamable.com/b6cjoa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">this play</a>, he manages to stay attached to Jalen Brunson amid Jordan Poole&rsquo;s hedge endeavor, and then mirrors his movements before hindering his attempt at the rim.
Moody&rsquo;s point-of-attack prowess is more apparent when you understand the amount of leeway he was granted within the Warriors&rsquo; scheme. In my <a href="https://theanalyst.com/na/2022/05/western-conference-finals-can-the-golden-state-warriors-continue-to-slow-luka-doncic-and-the-dallas-mavericks/">recent article</a> on this series, I looked into how Golden State has specific principles for Luka Doncic ball screens. Well, Moody was one of the few players given the green light to switch onto him immediately.
He was also empowered by Steve Kerr to captain the ship of the Warriors' revered Box-and-1 alignment a few times during the third quarter of Game 3. And Moody even got the chance to moonlight as the team&rsquo;s defensive coordinator, <a href="https://streamable.com/a8geaq" target="_blank" rel="noopener">calling for a zone formation on defense</a> at one point in Game 4. (For the Warriors, you can tell it's a zone when the signal-caller executes a <a href="https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/2022/5/21/23133463/warriors-mavericks-game-2-steph-curry-kevon-looney-luka-doncic-film-breakdown" target="_blank" rel="noopener">raised double fist</a>).
To conclude our tale, let&rsquo;s take a gander at Moody&rsquo;s best two-way sequence of the series, where he blocks Doncic and then proceeds to commandeer free-throw attempts at the other end of the floor. A perfect encapsulation of his imprint on this series.
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Nice.
In a class as talent-laden and promising as the 2021 draft pool, who would have guessed that the player picked last in the lottery would be the last rookie standing.
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Mat Issa gives props to Moses Moody for his finishing and defensive contributions to the Warriors when his number was called upon.

Moses Moody: The last rookie standing in the 2022 NBA Playoffs

Bennedict Mathurin bet on himself entering his sophomore season at the University of Arizona.
As an end result, he&rsquo;s reaped huge benefits, with his stock now exploding going into the 2022 NBA Draft.
Mathurin helped lead the Wildcats to a resurgent season, as he averaged 17.7 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.0 steals per game on a 57.6% True Shooting percentage. Mathurin&rsquo;s rise helped him earn Pac-12 Player of the Year honors, and along the way he displayed why he&rsquo;s such a perfect fit within today&rsquo;s modern pace-and-space game.
Offering endless versatility on both ends of the court with explosive athleticism, Mathurin&rsquo;s name is one of the hotter ones in the draft class right now. Mathurin met with the Indiana Pacers, Portland Trail Blazers, New Orleans Pelicans, Minnesota Timberwolves and Toronto Raptors at the NBA Draft Combine.
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Also, during Mathurin&rsquo;s Pro Day in Santa Barbara, California on Wednesday, all 32 teams were well represented. Amongst the flock of scouts, a number of names stood out with notable attendance: Washington Wizards head coach Wes Unseld Jr. and president Tommy Sheppard, New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau and Chicago Bulls general manager Marc Eversley and vice president of player personnel Pat Connelly.
Mathurin&rsquo;s immense upside as a three-level scorer and lockdown defender has him slotted at <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-nba-mock-draft/players/bennedict-mathurin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">No. 7 overall to the Blazers</a> in BasketballNews.com's <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">latest mock draft</a> via our Sr. NBA Draft Analyst, Matt Babcock:
<blockquote>
There is a lot to like about Bennedict Mathurin. At 6-foot-5 or so, he has a valuable combination of attributes. He has a sweet outside stroke, is a high flyer and is an alpha dog. He would have had a chance to be a first-round pick if he had declared to enter last year&rsquo;s draft. Instead, however, he chose to bet on himself and return to Arizona for his sophomore season. I expect Mathurin to be selected in the lottery on draft night, so it&rsquo;s looking like his decision to return to school is about to pay off big time.
</blockquote>
That alpha-dog mentality from Mathurin is what makes him stand out most, because those are the traits you want to bet on most in prospects. Taking developmental leaps in his game every season, Mathurin believes his shooting and defense are his true calling-card attributes.
&ldquo;I think my shooting is the biggest part of my game,&rdquo; Mathurin said. &ldquo;I think I&rsquo;m a two-way player. I think I&rsquo;m able to showcase to get a stop defensively. I give them 30 seconds and we get the (win) because I get a stop or offensively, because I&rsquo;m able to shoot the ball and just have an impact in both ways.&rdquo;
Another promising part of Mathurin&rsquo;s offensive development is being able to take pressure off the offense as a secondary playmaker. It wasn&rsquo;t displayed much throughout Mathurin&rsquo;s collegiate career, but he&rsquo;s eager to prove that it can quickly become a fortified tool in his arsenal.
&ldquo;Often, teams have been asking me what are things I wanted to showcase, and (playmaking) was definitely one thing," Mathurin said. "I feel the USC game (6 assists with only a single turnover) I think a lot of people started noticing I was able to pass the ball. We played in a different kind of system where we have guards &mdash; already one of my biggest strengths is to score the ball, so I just did what the team needed me to do in order for us to win.&rdquo;
There aren't many holes to poke in the game of Mathurin, which is why this late buzz around him is well-deserved.
Offering a tantalizing two-way package with much more room to grow physically, don&rsquo;t be surprised if Mathurin is a pick we look back on a few years from now as a home-run hit wherever he lands next month.
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One of the late risers in the 2022 NBA Draft process, Bennedict Mathurin's upside is immense thanks to his two-way profile.

2022 NBA Draft: Bennedict Mathurin offers unique two-way ceiling

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

The Minnesota Timberwolves are talking to Denver Nuggets president Tim Connelly about their vacant president of basketball operations role, The Associated Press has confirmed.
The talks were confirmed by a person familiar with the discussions, who spoke with AP on condition of anonymity because neither franchise is commenting publicly. The talks were first reported by The Athletic.
Connelly is one of the NBA's rising top executives. He has built the Nuggets into a perennial playoff team that is expected to compete for a championship next season if Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. can return to health and rejoin <a href="https://apnews.com/article/denver-nuggets-nba-sports-nikola-jokic-6b7dc34c311b6810ec67c76ee2208c2d">two-time reigning MVP Nikola Jokic</a> on the court.
Connelly, who succeeded Masai Ujiri as the Nuggets' prime decision-maker in 2013 when Ujiri left to run the Toronto Raptors, has been courted before, by the Washington Wizards for their president of basketball operations position in 2019.
He's built both a solid roster and a respected front office in Denver, where the Nuggets have reached the playoffs the last four seasons under coach Michael Malone, including the Western Conference Finals in the Orlando bubble two years ago.
They <a href="https://apnews.com/article/denver-nuggets-nba-sports-jamal-murray-nikola-jokic-98c0c6136a8c3b14423c54f889a09a5d">won 48 games</a> in 2021-22 despite the absences of Murray (knee) for the entire season and Porter (back) for all but nine games before losing to Golden State in the first round of the playoffs.
In addition to losing Ujiri, the Nuggets lost front office executive Arturas Karnisovas in 2020 when he left to take the Chicago Bulls' executive vice president job. Karnisovas' departure led to the promotion of Calvin Booth from assistant GM to general manager in Denver.
The <a href="https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-timberwolves-memphis-grizzlies-nba-sports-9d7a219a489c09c76fcd763eeed7041d">Timberwolves also are a resurgent team</a>, coming off a season in which they doubled their win total from the previous season to 46. They pushed the second-seeded Memphis Grizzlies hard in a six-game first-round playoff loss.
That was only the second appearance in the playoffs for the club in the last 18 years. With Karl-Anthony Towns inside and Anthony Edwards outside, there is an enviable foundation in place on the floor.
The Wolves have had plenty of turnover in the top front office job over the years, mirroring the franchise&rsquo;s tumultuous and largely unsuccessful history.
They fired Gersson Rosas right before training camp began last fall in response to mounting tension around him in the building. Sachin Gupta was promoted to be president of basketball operations in Rosas&rsquo; place, with the caveat that the position would be evaluated again this summer.
Gupta drew raves within the organization for his humble, steady leadership, notably from head coach Chris Finch. The franchise is currently in an ownership transition, with Glen Taylor in the process of handing over control to co-buyers Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez in a sale that&rsquo;s scheduled to be completed by the end of next year.
If the Wolves were to hire Connelly, or anyone from outside the organization, Gupta would more than likely be given the chance to stay with the team in a prominent position.
___
AP Sports Writer Dave Campbell contributed from Minneapolis.

The Timberwolves are talking to Nuggets president Tim Connelly about their vacant president of basketball operations role.

Report: Timberwolves in talks with Nuggets' Tim Connelly

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.
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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>).
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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>

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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

Izaiah Brockington couldn&rsquo;t help but lick his chops.&nbsp;
On Dec. 9, 2021, highly-touted 2022 NBA Draft prospect Keegan Murray and his Iowa Hawkeyes were traveling to Ames for an in-state rivalry game. The 6-foot-8, 225-pound forward was leading the nation in scoring with an average of just under 24 points per game (on a scorching 59.3% clip from the field), and the Hawkeyes were averaging over 90 points per contest at that point.
Through rigorous film study, Brockington observed Murray&rsquo;s favorite spots on the court, where he liked to catch the ball and how he got his buckets. And from the tip, the 6-foot-4, 200-pound guard followed through. He denied post-entry to Murray time and time again, helped the helper and put pressure on the Hawkeyes on the perimeter.
By the end of the night, Brockington outscored and outrebounded Murray while holding him to the worst game of his season by far (9 points on 4-of-17 from the field), while simultaneously delivering the game's most efficient performance with 29 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals.
&ldquo;I feel like that was definitely one of my best games of the season. I really came into that game wanting to shut him down,&rdquo; Brockington told BasketballNews.com in a phone interview. &ldquo;I went out there and really tried to take away his strengths and mainly speed him up. I feel like he was really good when he was allowed to play at his pace and when guys were giving him space to work and see what was going on on the floor. So, I really came into that game wanting to lock him down on defense. And then, the 29 points, that was a bonus really.&rdquo;
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Unlike Murray, who&rsquo;s projected to be a lottery pick in most mock drafts (including <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-nba-mock-draft/players/keegan-murray" target="_blank" rel="noopener">No. 6 overall</a> in <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BasketballNews.com&rsquo;s latest</a>), you surprisingly won&rsquo;t find Brockington&rsquo;s name anywhere on those big boards. And no, you won&rsquo;t find him partaking in this week&rsquo;s NBA Draft Combine nor the G League Elite Camp. Considering his size at the guard position coupled with his ability to rebound, make <a href="https://twitter.com/SynergySST/status/1507061353076383744?s=20&amp;t=bJGYe1FEeuLkx9hLdfQYuQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">high-difficulty shots</a> and, most importantly, defend at a high level, it&rsquo;s a head-scratcher.
Take into account that Brockington spearheaded a 22-win Iowa State program that won just two games the season before, an NCAA-record turnaround, and it just seems like a downright mistake. So, he&rsquo;ll just have to prove that he stands out and find other ways to turn heads &mdash; just like he did last December.
&ldquo;I feel like my work ethic allows me to catch guys that a lot of people deem 'better' or would rank higher [than me]," Brockington said. "I feel like I have the intangibles that other people don't. I have athleticism, and I have the dog mentality &mdash; somebody who just loves to compete and loves to win and isn't gonna let somebody just walk all over them.
&ldquo;I love to compete. I attribute it to being from Philly. We just never back down from a challenge. The intangibles, I feel like, set me apart. And then, with my work ethic, all of these things that people say I don't have, I'm working every day and I'm ready to show everybody that I do [have them].&rdquo;
Having just worked out for the Atlanta Hawks, Brockington&rsquo;s list of interested teams is growing. According to sources, the Toronto Raptors, Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Clippers, New Orleans Pelicans, Los Angeles Lakers, Indiana Pacers, Sacramento Kings, Utah Jazz and Brooklyn Nets are lined up next &mdash; and he has five other teams who asked to schedule workouts at Tandem&rsquo;s Pro Day on Friday.
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Brockington&rsquo;s lone season at Iowa State went down as the best of his college career, and he considers it the most fun he had playing basketball at the collegiate level because the roster was brand-new and had something to prove.
As a senior, he averaged 16.9 points and 6.8 rebounds per game, was named to the All-Big 12 First Team and earned the 2021-22 midseason John Wooden award. Boasting the Cyclones&rsquo; highest usage rate (27.5%), he took on the most responsibility he had to that point and ran with the opportunity.
Defensively, Brockington attributes much of his success (93.2 Defensive Rating) to the players he had to guard along the way. Starting in the Big 12, a conference he refers to as &ldquo;ridiculous&rdquo; in regards to talent, match-ups against Kansas standout Ochai Agbaji and Baylor&rsquo;s Jeremy Sochan and James Akinjo helped iron sharpen iron. The nights were intense and featured high-level basketball.
This past season, Brockington was adept at cutting off catch-and-drives (0.47 points per possession, per InStat) and defending pick-and-roll ball-handlers (0.54 PPP). It&rsquo;s something that he believes carried over his time at Penn State, where he spent two seasons prior to transferring.
&ldquo;We were really big on defense, so it was really about angles over there. And then, going to Iowa State, Coach TJ [Otzelberger] and our whole defensive scheme was non-stop pressure and to get guys to go into our help,&rdquo; Brockington said. &ldquo;But I feel like... you can push guys to your help, but it's better to be able to guard somebody and not need the help. I feel like, yeah, I definitely would try to cut guys off so that it's not forcing us to rotate and create long closeouts. Little things like that just help you stay more compact on defense and just stay more locked on your man.
&ldquo;So at Iowa State, we would drill things like [pick-and-roll defense] &mdash; getting over screens, being able to communicate and getting over and under, and just sticking on the ball-handler, making it tough for them. But, I also feel like I can thrive in an all-switching situation because I have strength and I have explosiveness. I feel like when I get caught down in the post, I can front or just make it tough for bigger guys to get easy position. I feel like I can thrive in either system, for sure."
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The Work Gonna Show🖤✍🏾&hellip;<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/iPromise?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#iPromise</a>🙏🏾 <a href="https://t.co/K23fSy995m">pic.twitter.com/K23fSy995m</a>
&mdash; Izaiah Brockington (@TheOnlyiZB) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheOnlyiZB/status/1527033907014684682?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2022</a></blockquote>

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During his two years with the Nittany Lions, he took on different roles and began to blossom under Pat Chambers. Again, there was plenty of talent to face-off against in the Big Ten, such as current Chicago Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu at Illinois, San Antonio Spurs forward Joe Wieskamp at Iowa, Indiana Pacers guard Duane Washington and future NBA Draft pick Johnny Davis at Wisconsin. Stylistically, Brockington believes the Big Ten&rsquo;s physicality helped prepare him too.&nbsp;
At Penn State, Brockington reconnected with his longtime friend Lamar Stevens. The now-Cleveland Cavaliers forward performed night-in and night-out for the team, showing Brockington the consistency and hard work it takes to be successful. Stevens has been in his ear throughout the pre-draft process, sharing what needs to be done and how to stick in the league. Brockington appreciates the support and encouragement, and he's taking every bit of that advice.
(Brockington&rsquo;s collegiate basketball odyssey actually began at St. Bonaventure, the first of three schools he&rsquo;d attend. Playing for Mark Schmidt for one year, he and the Bonnies had a solid season led by seniors Jaylen Adams and Matt Mobley. Brockington ultimately transferred to Penn State to be closer to home and ended up sitting out a season, by rule, before suiting up).
As far as translatable skills go at the next level, Brockington states that his defense and rebounding top the list, along with his athleticism and ability to get downhill.&nbsp;
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In addition, Brockington takes pride in being well-versed in any kind of role. At St. Bonaventure and early on at Penn State, he did a bit of everything &mdash; serving as a spot-up shooter, a slasher, a rebounding specialist and a sixth man. He even played spot minutes off the bench at one point.
At Iowa State, he was a go-to guy, a star player and a leader for the first time in his college career, so opposing defenses threw everything but the kitchen sink at him.
&ldquo;Against certain teams &mdash; Texas comes to mind specifically &mdash; [they were], like, face-guarding me. [Texas] Tech would have a guy pressure and they would have dudes sit in gaps and essentially try to force me off of the ball. Seeing double-teams and all of that was new," Brockington said with a laugh. "It was just crazy being guarded like that in college 'cause I'd never had to deal with things like that before. I feel like those things really pushed me to be able to adapt and really try to just make smart decisions."
On the offensive end, Brockington has an appetite for the mid-range. The sly southpaw is able to get to his spots quickly off the ball and fire away with his leaping lefty jumper, and he likes to attack off the catch (with fireworks often following). Though he admits that is the area where he&rsquo;s most comfortable at the moment, Brockington understands the importance of being a three-level scorer.
&ldquo;I've been working on really being a combo guard &mdash; a guy that can use pick-and-rolls and make reads and just really making the right decision every time, a lot of basketball IQ things,&rdquo; Brockington said. &ldquo;And then, just knocking down threes... I've been working a ton and I'm looking to show everybody that I can knock down threes off the kick-out and off the pick-and-roll and off the dribble. I've been working extremely hard on that, and it's been going great.
&ldquo;I mean, [the mid-range] is an underappreciated part of the game. But a lot of analytics guys will tell you that it's inefficient, and that's probably true for most guys. That's just not the case with me. I feel like when I take mid-rangers, I create enough space horizontally and vertically to be able to get a clean look off.&rdquo;
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Despite spending five years in college, Brockington is only 22 years old because he graduated from high school early. Possessing that much experience at his age, he considers it an advantage. At the same time, Brockington says age doesn&rsquo;t have to do with his ability to play the game, pick up new information and improve as a player.
&ldquo;My experience in college has really taught me about consistency and taught me what hard work can do, and it's really about the preparation leading into everything,&rdquo; Brockington said. &ldquo;Games are won way before that time comes. Games are won in the offseason. Games are won in the film room. Games are won in pregame shootaround. So those are things I'll always have with me.&nbsp;
&ldquo;It hasn't been a typical college journey, but one thing that's remained the same is everywhere I go, I put my head down and work. I went out there, I produced and I was out there trying to win."
For Brockington, growing up in Philadelphia, he&rsquo;d always attend his father Antoine&rsquo;s rec-league games and hear stories about him. Antoine was a hell of a pro in his own right, achieving tremendous success overseas after an impressive career at Coppin State, where he won the 1997-98 MEAC Player of the Year award &mdash; and Izaiah looked up to him proudly.
Now, as the pre-draft process begins, it&rsquo;s Izaiah Brockington&rsquo;s time to carve his own path and make him proud.
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Spencer Davies speaks with Izaiah Brockington about his breakout season at Iowa State, unique path and next-level aspirations.

Izaiah Brockington hopes his unique journey culminates in NBA success

For those who don't know, when I am not living the dream as an NBA writer at BasketballNews.com, I moonlight as a law school student at the venerable Michigan State University. (Sidebar: That&rsquo;s also where I got my undergraduate degree. We bleed green for life here, folks).
Over my first year of law school, I like to think I learned a thing or two. However, the bit of information I will rely upon the most as I continue my journey as an analyst is my experience with the argumentative technique of concessions.
Before we continue, a quick vocabulary lesson: The term concessions, as it pertains to argumentative literature, means:
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*Source: SuperSummary.com
This technique is highly prevalent in legal arguments. It&rsquo;s basically the lawyer saying, &ldquo;Yeah, this, this and this may be in the opposition's favor, but my client should win because of this, this and this."
In legal situations, seldomly does one come across a fact pattern that 100% favors their client. There&rsquo;s almost always some small piece that they end up having to heed to their opponent. But that doesn&rsquo;t mean they lose because, in the law, you don&rsquo;t need a bulletproof case to win. You just need to present enough evidence to meet the standard of review necessary for victory in that jurisdiction.&nbsp;
In many ways, the NBA playoffs are like a legal argument. In order to advance, you don&rsquo;t need to best your adversary in every singular component of the game. You just need to beat them four times in a best-of-seven series.&nbsp;
Such conditions open the door to the possibility of concessions. In the NBA, teams are too damn good for one team to completely stymie all their sources of income, so teams need to strategically pick and choose which aspects they will hone in on stopping and what aspects they are willing to concede.&nbsp;
To further paint this illustration in your mind, let&rsquo;s go over some overarching examples of concessions in this year&rsquo;s playoffs.
No Middle For You
After DeMar DeRozan decided it was time to stop playing Mr. Nice Guy and lit the Bucks up for 41 points in Game 2 of the first round, Milwaukee decided it was not going to let him get <a href="https://streamable.com/jnedo4">two feet in the paint</a> anymore.&nbsp;
So, the Bucks chose to turn to <a href="https://medium.com/the-basketball-dictionary/ice-f9ea7d7d7d51">ICE pick and roll coverage</a> on ballscreens featuring DeRozan and his co-star teammate, Zach LaVine.&nbsp;
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The hallmark feature of this alignment is that the point-of-attack defender forces the ball-handler to reject the screen and lures them towards the sideline, in the process hindering their quest for the interior.
Defensive mastermind Tom Thibodeau is <a href="https://nypost.com/2020/07/29/nba-experts-break-down-strengths-of-knicks-tom-thibodeau/">often credited with popularizing this configuration</a>, but the coverage does come with an inherent fatal flaw.&nbsp;
You&rsquo;ll notice in the above plays that the player defending the screener has to sink back into a drop position, which helps protect the interior. But it leaves them vulnerable <a href="https://streamable.com/ac24oq">if the screener decides to pop out for a three-pointer</a>.&nbsp;
The Bucks knew such a shot was a necessary evil in order to execute their gameplan, so they decided to concede this shot to the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/explaining-why-we-need-to-appreciate-screening-more">Bulls&rsquo; most prominent screener</a>, Nikola Vucevic.&nbsp;
To his credit, Vucevic has developed into a pretty solid outside shooter over the last couple of years, but this season he regressed to a <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/player/202696/shots-dash">32.6% conversion rate on wide-open attempts</a>.&nbsp;
The Bucks were willing to surrender these open looks to Vucevic over having DeRozan and LaVine knife their way into the paint. They did the &ldquo;Yeah, but&rdquo; thing. Yeah, you&rsquo;re going to get open threes with Vucevic, but your two best players won&rsquo;t be able to collapse our defense with drives to the paint. Ultimately, this argument worked for Milwaukee, as they held the Bulls to a 91.1 offensive rating over the final three games of the series. For reference, the 1964 Boston Celtics posted a 90.9 offensive rating.&nbsp;
We&rsquo;ve also seen Dallas turn to this <a href="https://streamable.com/o9h6my">defensive philosophy</a> a little more against Phoenix, and it&rsquo;s contributed to their ability to claw their way back into that series.&nbsp;
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Can&rsquo;t Do it Alone
Although the sample size is small, Nikola Jokic experienced a dip in his usual assist rate and an increase in his field-goal attempts from the regular season to the playoffs.
Nikola Jokic Regular Season v. Postseason Stats (Per 100 Possessions)
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 47.9111%;" border="1">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 17.2029%;">&nbsp;</td>
<td style="width: 2.66546%;">Assists*</td>
<td style="width: 9.80786%;">FGA Attempts*</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 17.2029%;">Regular Season</td>
<td style="width: 2.66546%;">11.6</td>
<td style="width: 9.80786%;">26.0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 17.2029%;">Playoffs</td>
<td style="width: 2.66546%;">8.4</td>
<td style="width: 9.80786%;">30.7</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
*Source: Basketball Reference
This change is a byproduct of the Warriors' decision to concede Jokic&rsquo;s individual scoring brilliance in order to mitigate the value of his playmaking.
Golden State did this by playing him straight up in most instances and largely avoiding sending a second defender to dig or stunt at the ball until they were certain he had built up the conviction to score.&nbsp;
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This (and Draymond&rsquo;s prodigious defensive abilities) helped the Warriors limit the amount of <a href="https://streamable.com/cln6xv">double team, kickout, swing, swing power play sequences</a> and forced his motley crew supporting cast to create advantages for themselves. Of course, the Nuggets couldn&rsquo;t manage to do this, and the jury reached a 4-to-1 verdict in favor of the Warriors.&nbsp;
Concessions Don&rsquo;t Always Work
There are plenty of times when an opponent miscalculates the depth of their opponent's powers and lets the wrong person burn them.&nbsp;
For instance, the Minnesota Timberwolves opted to <a href="https://medium.com/the-basketball-dictionary/show-f1461d61b8">hedge/blitz</a> ballscreens captained by Ja Morant, which means after the low man rotates over, they were conceding the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdILqIRFh0A">weakside corner skip pass</a> (please click this hyperlink, Manu is so cool, man).
In these spots, Coach Taylor Jenkins was wise to make sure that the person waiting in that corner was none other than <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/desmond-bane-and-the-truth-about-the-nba-playoffs">Desmon Bane</a>.&nbsp;
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Bane eviscerated the Timberwolves to the tune of 23.5 points on 67.3% True Shooting, and in the end, many cite his contributions as one of the main reasons Minnesota couldn&rsquo;t pull off the Cinderella upset against Memphis.
In this round, the Grizzlies&rsquo; prerogative over the first three games of the series was to try and limit the Warriors' perimeter opportunities, which led to them getting absolutely throttled in the <a href="https://theanalyst.com/na/2022/05/nba-playoffs-how-the-golden-state-warriors-are-beating-the-memphis-grizzlies-at-their-own-game/">points in the paint battle</a>.&nbsp;
Meanwhile, the Bucks&rsquo; decision to concede relatively open catch-and-shoot threes in order to let Brook Lopez and <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/slowing-giannis-the-wall-still-the-way">Giannis Antetokounmpo</a> protect the paint led to the Celtics torching them from downtown in Game 2 (shooting 46.5% from three). This shooting forced the Bucks to switch from allowing more open catch-and-shoot threes to them forfeiting over more lightly-contested pull-ups (which the Celtics also figured out how to exploit in Game 5, but that&rsquo;s for a different article).&nbsp;
As we continue to project the outcomes of playoff series until we move to Mars (I am shagging back on Earth if that happens), it&rsquo;s important that we stop and ask ourselves a few questions: What is each team willing to concede to the other? What are the consequences that come with these concessions? And, most importantly, can they endure these consequences and put together a strong enough counterargument to warrant progressing to the next round?
Huh. Maybe law school isn&rsquo;t so bad after all.&nbsp;
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A big part of NBA Playoff success is practicing the art of making concessions, which some teams have quite well this postseason.

The NBA Playoffs and the art of concessions

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.
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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

The Los Angeles Lakers have received permission to interview Golden State Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson for their head coaching vacancy.
Atkinson, who is in his first season as an assistant with the Warriors, previously spent three-plus years as the head coach of the Brooklyn Nets. He led the team during its recent rebuild where they went 118-190 including a playoff appearance in the 2018-19 season.
The Lakers have cast a wide net in their coaching search and have already spoken with former Warriors coach Mark Jackson, Milwaukee Bucks assistant Darvin Ham, former Portland Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts and Toronto Raptors assistant Adrian Griffin to be their next head coach
Atkinson has also interviewed with the Charlotte Hornets for their head coach opening.
&nbsp;

The Lakers have received permission to interview Golden State Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson for their head coaching vacancy.

Lakers get permission to interview Kenny Atkinson for coaching job

Losing the first game of a playoff series does not inevitably damn a team&rsquo;s chances of advancing. Even for teams with home court advantage, a 0-1 deficit can be easily overcome. But losing the first two games of a series is far less surmountable. At least, that's what recent history tells us. &nbsp;
The idea that one cannot predict the future by examining the past is well established in all walks of life. Still, it&rsquo;s nearly impossible not to use recent trends to reach conclusions and takeaways. So, what does the recent past tell us about going down 0-2 0 in a playoff series?
Keep in mind, the entire history of the NBA isn&rsquo;t relevant since the first round expanded from five to seven games starting in 2003. Examining first-round matchups before that is pointless given that two victories was previously two-thirds of the way to a series victory and now is only the halfway point.
Further, this is a relatively arbitrary analysis. For simplicity&rsquo;s sake, we&rsquo;ll restrict our sample to the past 10 seasons.
Between 2012 and 2021, teams are 12-77 when going down 0-2 in a postseason series, good for a measly .125 winning percentage. 2021 was easily the most competitive for teams down 0-2. Nine teams found themselves in a 2-0 hole in 2021, with five emerging victorious.
Comparatively, teams up 2-0 were undefeated in 2020, 2015 and 2014, going 15-0 across the three playoffs. It&rsquo;s worth pointing out that the COVID-19 pandemic led to the 2020 NBA Playoffs being played at a neutral site with no fans in attendance, which may have contributed to no teams blowing 2-0 leads that season. &nbsp;
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Here&rsquo;s a look at the 12 teams who came back from 0-2 deficits and the teams they did so against in the past 10 playoffs:
2021
First Round
Los Angeles Clippers came back to beat the Dallas Mavericks
Second Round
Los Angeles Clippers came back to beat the Utah Jazz
Milwaukee Bucks came back to beat the Brooklyn Nets
Phoenix Suns came back to beat the Denver Nuggets
NBA Finals
Milwaukee Bucks came back to beat the Phoenix Suns
2019 
Conference Finals 
Toronto Raptors came back to beat the Milwaukee Bucks
2018 &nbsp;
Conference Finals 
Cleveland Cavaliers came back to beat the Boston Celtics
2017 &nbsp;
First Round
Boston Celtics came back to beat the Chicago Bulls
2016 
First Round
Portland Trail Blazers came back to beat the Los Angeles Clippers
NBA Finals
Cleveland Cavaliers came back to beat the Golden State Warriors&nbsp;
2013
First Round 
Memphis Grizzlies came back to beat the Los Angeles Clippers
2012
Conference Finals
Oklahoma City Thunder came back to beat the San Antonio Spurs
To summarize, in the last 10 playoffs, teams came back from 0-2 four times in the first round, three times in the Conference Semifinals, three times in the Conference Finals and twice in the NBA Finals.
Generally, teams do no overcome a two-game deficit when they&rsquo;ve lost the first two games of a series at home. It&rsquo;s markedly more difficult to win four out of five games when only two will be on your home floor. This is reinforced by recent history, as only two teams &ndash; the Los Angeles Clippers in 2021 and the Boston Celtics in 2017 &ndash; have recovered to a win a series after losing the first two games at home. For what it&rsquo;s worth, both of those occurrences happened in the first round.
This spring, NBA teams were 4-0 in the first round of the 2022 NBA Playoffs when winning the first two games of a series.
This is quite applicable at present, as two of the four current series began with a 2-0 lead. Specifically, Phoenix went up 2-0 against Dallas and Miami went up 2-0 against Philadelphia.
None of the teams that began the Conference Semifinals down 0-2 were the higher seed, meaning that none are in the unfavorable position of needing to overcome a two-game deficit and playing three of the final five games on the road.
Teams will always regurgitate meaningless jargon when down 2-0. &ldquo;We just have to win the next one.&rdquo; &ldquo;One game at a time.&rdquo; &ldquo;No different than any other game.&rdquo; But we know that&rsquo;s false, and history backs that&rsquo;s up. So, best of luck to all you Mavericks and 76ers fans out there, but it&rsquo;s a difficult road back from 0-2 whether you look to history as a guide or not.
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Coming back to win a series from an 0-2 deficit is seen as difficult. Recent history tells us that it's even less common than you'd think.

Examining the recent history of NBA teams coming back from 0-2

As the old saying goes: "The great ones will always get theirs."
Despite being stymied by the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-celtics-game-1-defense-on-kevin-durant-showcased-their-greatness" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Boston Celtics&rsquo; physicality</a>, Kevin Durant still averaged 26.3 points per game against them in their recent first-round duel. In 2019, Giannis Antetokounmpo still averaged 22.7 points a night when Air Canada built a wall in front of him. Hell, Dirk Nowitzki stumbled his way into 19.7 points per game when he got punked by the "We Believe" Golden State Warriors in 2007.&nbsp;
When it comes to the great ones, you can try to <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/slowing-giannis-the-wall-still-the-way" target="_blank" rel="noopener">slow them down</a>, but you can never take them out of the dance entirely.
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But what about the really good ones?
For them, we&rsquo;ll need a different maxim. One that reads: Styles make fights.
In the right matchup, a player may dominate to the point where you wonder why he or she wasn't garnering more praise and recognition in the first place. Catch that individual in the wrong matchup, and you may feel the need to <a href="https://twitter.com/LegionHoops/status/462362175257206784?s=20&amp;t=_h9u5Y92QrIaa4uiBSwEBg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hang missing person posters</a> with his or her image and likeness plastered all over them.&nbsp;
Such is the story of Desmond Bane in the 2022 playoffs &ndash; except, fortunately for him, Memphis fans have refrained from doing him as dirty as Brooklyn did <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/ten-years-ago-deron-williams-dropped-57-points-so-lets-talk-about-what-couldve-been" target="_blank" rel="noopener">D-Will</a> (there&rsquo;s still time though).
I hinted at this a bit in my recent article for <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/nba/2022/5/5/23056975/nba-playoffs-2022-young-players-grades-jalen-brunson-ja-morant">SB Nation</a>, but Bane was the primary beneficiary of the Minnesota Timberwolves&rsquo; blitzkrieg initiative for defanging Ja Morant.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
An interesting wrinkle here in these playoffs worth keeping tabs on: Desmond Bane w/Ja Morant (207 minutes): 69.8% TS Desmond Bane w/o Ja Morant (53 minutes): 38.5% TS This disparity marks the highest change in TS% of anyone on the team w/ or w/o Morant. Per PBP Stats.
&mdash; Mat Issa (@matissa15) <a href="https://twitter.com/matissa15/status/1521465156391292928?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 3, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Minnesota regularly sent two at the ball on ball-screens featuring Morant (an alignment commonly referred to as a blitz/hedge). This led to the low-man defender constantly rotating over to tag the roller. And as a result, it created an open opportunity for Bane (a.k.a. the almighty conqueror of the <a href="https://twitter.com/stevejones20/status/1518193886866415618?s=20&amp;t=QaP2dugfYp6ZNzkvC5G9Qg">fly-by closeout</a>).
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Bane was electric against Timberwolves, shredding nylons to the tune of 23.5 points per game on 67.3% True Shooting &mdash; a performance that powered many to call him the Grizzlies&rsquo; best player in that series.&nbsp;
Now, here we are against Golden State, and, as <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-dunker-spot/id1547857052">The Dunker Spot</a> crew likes to say, the math has changed (and, unfortunately, the physical integrity of his <a href="https://www.si.com/nba/warriors/news/desmond-banes-updated-injury-status-for-game-two" target="_blank" rel="noopener">back</a>).
First vs. Second Round Stats
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;" border="1">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 17.3894%;">Desmond Bane</td>
<td style="width: 19.7392%;">Points Per Game*</td>
<td style="width: 16.8672%;">True Shooting*</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 17.3894%;">Minnesota&nbsp;</td>
<td style="width: 19.7392%;">23.5</td>
<td style="width: 16.8672%;">67.3%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 17.3894%;">Golden State&nbsp;</td>
<td style="width: 19.7392%;">7.0</td>
<td style="width: 16.8672%;">38.2%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
*Data Provided by Basketball-Reference
The Warriors have opted to switch or go under on screens, sag off Morant when he's got the ball and contest Ja's <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeVirayNBA/status/1520877541992845312?s=20&amp;t=ZChHUIVIRZnLSMkpyHiN3w" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pull-up attempts softly</a>. This is all in order to avoid conceding interior looks to the league leader in points in the paint. (Hint: It hasn&rsquo;t worked <a href="https://twitter.com/matissa15/status/1522600176413814786?s=20&amp;t=xjgbtFvQNK2kRYODJvxNZw">particularly well</a>.)
The theoretical benefit of this for the Warriors is that they aren&rsquo;t putting their defense in a state of automatic rotation, which negates a good portion of Bane&rsquo;s offensive value (he&rsquo;s made a killing this season capitalizing off the bent floors that Morant materializes for him).&nbsp;
This change in hardwood climate for Bane has coerced an adjustment in his shot diet. According to NBA.com shot-tracking data, Bane has gone from taking 6.2 catch-and-shoot jumpers against the Wolves to a mere 3.5 against the Warriors. With his off-ball volume being down, he&rsquo;s been forced to resort to multi-dribble looks to try and get himself going. And at this point in his development, these situations are just not optimal.
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With all this said, Golden State has still been showing help at the nail on Morant&rsquo;s drives, but every defensive scheme has its own idiosyncratic help principles for different players/matchups.
While Golden State's off-ball defenders may sag off and offer supplementary aid to whoever is tasked with point-of-attack duties, they are hesitant to overhelp off of Bane (which is great for the Grizzlies spacing).
Also, to their credit, the Warriors have been particularly stout in navigating screens when the Grizzlies attempt to feature Bane in his usual off-ball sets; <a href="https://twitter.com/NekiasNBA/status/1521838810694365185?s=20&amp;t=HWJUxLn0B1h-uEC11gW2bw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Steph Curry</a> has been especially diligent in these spots.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-theme="dark">
Warriors clearly locked in on Desmond Mane, comes off this screen, Klay there on the catch. Not giving him room. <a href="https://t.co/CmMwn8gyfJ">pic.twitter.com/CmMwn8gyfJ</a>
&mdash; Steve Jones Jr. (@stevejones20) <a href="https://twitter.com/stevejones20/status/1521671132763545600?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 4, 2022</a></blockquote>

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This situation reminds me of a Mike Prada tweet I often ponder over internally in the doldrums of my mind. (Congrats on the new position, by the way!)
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Bev is well-equipped to guard Booker b/c he hits first. Devin wants to speed into the play, stop, hit you, then pivot off you. You disrupt that by getting into him early, and that's what Bev does. (This is also why Luka fried him. His move cadence is the inverse of Book's) <a href="https://t.co/aLvAd2k7EZ">https://t.co/aLvAd2k7EZ</a>
&mdash; Mike Prada. (PRAY-duh) (@MikePradaNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/MikePradaNBA/status/1408268764886482950?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 25, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Don&rsquo;t get me wrong. Bane is a better basketball player than Patrick Beverley (I have him in the top 50), but the former's current struggles are parallel with the ones the latter experienced last postseason.&nbsp;
Beverley went from starting in Games 1 and 2 against Dallas, to coming off the bench in Games 3 through 5, to never taking off his warmups in Games 6 and 7. In the following round, he was in the rotations, but only garnering 16-to-20 minutes with the second unit against the Utah Jazz.
However, Beverley would find his way back into the starting lineup against the Phoenix Suns in the Western Conference Finals, and administered a <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/player/201976/head-to-head?SeasonType=Playoffs&amp;Season=2020-21">9-of-31 shooting</a> chokehold on Devin Booker in the 35-plus minutes he shadowed the All-Star guard.
Another example of this trend of matchups dictating production can be illustrated through Fred VanVleet, the guy many now call <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/making-all-star-case-fred-vanvleet-toronto-raptors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&ldquo;Freddy All-Star.&rdquo;</a>&nbsp;
In 2019, the smaller guard had no place against the Philadelphia 76ers&rsquo; lengthy backcourt duo of Jimmy Butler and Ben Simmons, and so, he was relegated to 16.9 minutes per game and posted an awful 24.3% TS.
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However, VanVleet's math changed when he was gifted a <a href="https://www.sportscasting.com/fred-vanvleets-child-might-have-won-the-toronto-raptors-the-2019-nba-finals/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">newborn child</a> and a more formulaic backcourt dynamic against the Milwaukee Bucks. In that series, he averaged 27.3 minutes and sizzled his way to an excellent 64.4% TS efficiency.
And then, in the following round, VanVleet's penchant for screen navigation and chasing Curry around off-ball made him an essential ingredient in the Toronto Raptors&rsquo; title-clinching series.&nbsp;
Even looking at the opposite side of this series, Jonathan Kuminga went from playing ~5 minutes per game against the craft-based Denver Nuggets to requiring ~15 per game against this more athletic Grizzlies unit.
We could do this all day, but for the sake of time (although it is a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mhZBLUyybo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">flat circle</a>), we will not be doing that.&nbsp;
The intent of this written soliloquy isn&rsquo;t to argue for less Bane in this series. He&rsquo;s so good that his defensive intensity, and the threat of his marksmanship, is enough to warrant a high-minute load (if he&rsquo;s healthy).&nbsp;
The point of this is to offer an explanation for his recent dip in play, and provide some solace for concerned fans who may fear that his recent slump hampers his long-term potential.&nbsp;
Unless you are a superstar-caliber player &mdash; or possess an incredibly versatile skil lset &mdash; your production on a series-to-series basis is likely to vary quite a bit based on your matchups.&nbsp;
Such is the truth about the NBA playoffs.
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Mat Issa discusses Desmond Bane's last two games in the postseason and how it illustrates the meaning of matchups.

Desmond Bane and the truth about matchups in the NBA Playoffs

Ever since Artūras Karni&scaron;ovas and Marc Eversley took over the Bulls&rsquo; front office two years ago, Chicago has been one of the most aggressive teams in the NBA. Their fingerprints are all over this roster, with notable acquisitions such as DeMar DeRozan, Nikola Vucevic, Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso.
These moves have translated to on-court success, as the Bulls posted their best winning percentage since the 2014-15 season and ended their four-year playoff drought. This year, Chicago was 46-36 &mdash; more wins than they had in the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons combined. (Zach LaVine and Coby White are the only remaining players from that 2019-20 squad).
The Bulls entered the playoffs as the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference while boasting the NBA's 11th-ranked offense (scoring 111.0 points per 100 possessions) and 23rd-ranked defense (allowing 111.1 points per 100 possessions).&nbsp;
While this season marked a step in the right direction, the Bulls&rsquo; first-round series against the Milwaukee Bucks showed that there&rsquo;s still plenty of work to be done. Despite Milwaukee losing their second-best player, Khris Middleton, to a sprained MCL in Game 2, the Bucks completed a gentleman's sweep against the Bulls. Chicago wasn&rsquo;t at full strength either, with Ball sidelined due to a knee injury and LaVine (COVID-19) and Caruso (concussion) each missing Game 5. Still, the reigning champions were a good litmus test.
Entering the offseason, where does Chicago go from here? Are big changes coming?
RE-SIGNING ZACH LAVINE
Entering this offseason, Chicago&rsquo;s top priority should be re-signing LaVine, who is set to hit unrestricted free agency. The 27-year-old has emerged as a perennial All-Star, earning a spot on the Eastern Conference squad in each of the last two seasons.&nbsp;
This year, LaVine averaged 24.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.8 threes, while reducing his turnovers to 2.6 per game and shooting 47.6% from the field, 38.9% from three and 85.3% from the free-throw line.&nbsp;
LaVine will certainly expect a maximum contract from the Bulls, which would <a href="https://hoopshype.com/lists/bulls-offseason-preview-zach-lavines-free-agency-nikola-vucevic-extension-more/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pay him</a> $212.3 million over five years. The most he could receive from another team is $157.4 million over four years. This is a relatively weak free-agent class, so it seems very likely that LaVine will get a max deal from some team.&nbsp;
The Bulls would be wise to re-sign their star shooting guard, as replacing his production would be difficult, and the team would certainly take a step back if LaVine signed elsewhere.
"I plan to enjoy free agency," LaVine said recently. &ldquo;We're going to have to experience A through Z without making any fast decisions. I think that's something me and [Rich Paul] are going to go through and experience."
LaVine was asked if the Bulls are the front-runners to sign him, but he wouldn&rsquo;t say.
"You guys have been a really, really soft spot in my heart," LaVine said to the Chicago media. "I have to do this as a business decision, as a man, to not just be viewed one way and be like, 'I'm automatically coming back,' or, 'I'm automatically leaving.'"
In multiple interviews, LaVine has reiterated that he wants to be paid what he feels he deserves.
"I just want my respect. I think that's the main thing," LaVine <a href="https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/bulls/zach-lavine-prepares-olympic-quarterfinal-bulls-free-agency" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> last August. "I outplayed my contract; I've been very loyal to Chicago, I like Chicago. I just want my respect."
FREE AGENCY
Aside from LaVine, the bulk of Chicago's core is under contract for the foreseeable future.&nbsp;
The Bulls have $103,181,950 in guaranteed salaries on the books for next season, spread across nine players: DeRozan, Vucevic, Lopez, Caruso, White, Patrick Williams, Javonte Green, Ayo Dosunmu and Marko Simonovic. Projections set next year&rsquo;s salary cap at $122 million and the luxury tax at $149 million.
Derrick Jones Jr.,Tristan Thompson and Matt Thomas will be unrestricted free agents. Tony Bradley has a player option worth $2,036,318, so he could opt out and test the market as well.
The team will have three restricted free agents (assuming Chicago extends a qualifying offer to each): Troy Brown Jr. ($7,228,448 QO), Tyler Cook ($1,576,305) and Malcolm Hill ($1,576,305).
Last year, the Bulls were very aggressive in free agency, making splashy moves left and right. Given their cap situation, it seems unlikely that Chicago will be able to go star hunting, but they&rsquo;ll likely try to improve their depth and add certain specialists. For example, Chicago could use a rim protector, as they averaged just 4.0 blocks per game (which ranked 27th in the NBA). Can they afford Mitchell Robinson? Could they throw an offer sheet at or sign-and-trade for a restricted free agent like Nic Claxton or Mo Bamba? Can they add a veteran like JaVale McGee or Hassan Whiteside?&nbsp;
In addition to a rim protector, it would make sense to add other defensive reinforcements as well (especially if Jones signs elsewhere). Caruso and Ball give Chicago a strong defensive backcourt, but they need some help if the Bulls want to improve their 23rd-ranked defensive rating (113.2). Some of the top defensive role players who are hitting the market include Bruce Brown, Gary Payton II and PJ Tucker. Lu Dort and Jae'Sean Tate each have a team option, but it seems unlikely that either will be available given their bargain contracts.
The Bulls will look to add a contributor or two using the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, which is worth $10,349,000. Last offseason, that is how Chicago was able to sign Caruso to a four-year, $37 million deal, which ended up being a terrific addition. Other players who signed for the non-taxpayer MLE last offseason include McGee (Phoenix Suns), Tucker (Miami Heat), Reggie Bullock (Dallas Mavericks) and Khem Birch (Toronto Raptors).
It will be interesting to see what the Bulls do in free agency. However, keep in mind that some of Chicago&rsquo;s biggest additions in recent years were acquired through trades.
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TRADES
After watching the Bulls&rsquo; front office trade for Vucevic, DeRozan and Ball, fans are understandably thinking big when it comes to Chicago&rsquo;s trade targets entering the offseason.
Myles Turner has been mentioned as a possible target for the Bulls since he could solve their rim-protection issues, but the window on acquiring Turner may have slammed shut as a <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/despite-trade-talks-the-pacers-want-to-keep-myles-turner-longterm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recent report</a> suggested that the Indiana Pacers are now expected to keep the 26-year-old long-term.
Another dominant shot-blocker who may become available is Rudy Gobert. The Utah Jazz just had another season end in disappointing fashion, and there has already been a <a href="https://twitter.com/realOCsports/status/1521141215411941376" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> that the Jazz will be forced to choose between Gobert and Donovan Mitchell. If Utah opts to keep their young shooting guard, a three-time Defensive Player of the Year and five-time All-Defensive First-Team selection could suddenly be obtainable.
If that happens, the Bulls should at least reach out and start a conversation. Our Evan Sidery recently <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/examining-potential-trade-destinations-for-rudy-gobert" target="_blank" rel="noopener">broke down potential destinations for Gobert</a> and listed Chicago as the top landing spot. Here&rsquo;s what he wrote:
Imagine the possibilities for Chicago with Gobert patrolling the paint with Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso hawking the perimeter. It&rsquo;s the perfect complement to offensive dynamos Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan. Chicago&rsquo;s new starting lineup of Ball, Caruso, LaVine, DeRozan and Gobert would seemingly have no holes in it from a two-way perspective. I absolutely love this idea for Chicago, and they should be blowing up the Jazz&rsquo;s phone this summer if it seems plausible.
Jazz receive: Nikola Vucevic, Patrick Williams, Coby White, draft compensation Bulls receive: Rudy Gobert
It remains to be seen if either side would do this, but it&rsquo;s an intriguing idea.
With that said, if the Bulls are committed to Vucevic and don&rsquo;t want to trade for a new big man, HoopsHype&rsquo;s Yossi Gozlan <a href="https://hoopshype.com/lists/bulls-offseason-preview-zach-lavines-free-agency-nikola-vucevic-extension-more/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">points out</a> that an extension for Vooch could make sense this offseason.
If that happens, perhaps Chicago just looks for a complementary shot-blocker who can play behind Vucevic like one of the free agents we mentioned above or more of a minor trade target such as New York&rsquo;s Nerlens Noel or Minnesota&rsquo;s Jarred Vanderbilt.
It&rsquo;s also worth noting that the Bulls have a $5,000,000 trade exception that expires on July 7, 2022, from their Daniel Theis deal.
DRAFT
The Bulls have the No. 18 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. In BasketballNews.com's <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2022 NBA Mock Draft</a>, our senior NBA Draft analyst Matt Babcock has Chicago selecting Ohio State forward <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-nba-mock-draft/players/ej-liddell" target="_blank" rel="noopener">EJ Liddell</a>.&nbsp;
The 6-foot-7, 21-year-old junior is a well-rounded, NBA-ready player who makes sense for a Bulls team that wants to win now. Last season, Liddell averaged 19.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 2.6 blocks, 1.4 threes and 0.6 steals, while shooting 49.0% from the field, 37.4% from three and 76.5% from the free-throw line.
&ldquo;Although he is a bit undersized for the position, the Buckeyes often used Liddell as a 4 or 5 in their lineups,&rdquo; Babcock noted in his scouting breakdown. &ldquo;He is physical and versatile on both ends of the floor, scoring both inside and out. He appears more comfortable in the mid-range and paint, which works well for his college system but raises questions in regards to his translatability to the NBA. Liddell filled up the box score and played with great effort and toughness. He has certainly carved out a spot for himself in the 2022 NBA Draft.&rdquo;
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Other players who are projected to be available in that range are G League Ignite wing <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-nba-mock-draft/players/marjon-beauchamp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MarJon Beauchamp</a>, Baylor forward <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-nba-mock-draft/players/kendall-brown" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kendall Brown</a>, LSU forward <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-nba-mock-draft/players/tari-eason" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tari Eason</a>, Notre Dame guard <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-nba-mock-draft/players/blake-wesley" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Blake Wesley</a>, G League Ignite guard <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-nba-mock-draft/players/jaden-hardy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jaden Hardy</a>, Serbian forward <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-nba-mock-draft/players/nikola-jovic" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nikola Jovic</a> and Tennessee guard <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-nba-mock-draft/players/kennedy-chandler" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kennedy Chandler</a>.&nbsp;
If the Bulls aren&rsquo;t interested in any of these prospects, or if Karni&scaron;ovas and Eversley continue to be aggressive on the trade market, Chicago could look to deal the No. 18 pick as part of a win-now move.
It&rsquo;s worth noting that Chicago must forfeit their next-available second-round pick after an NBA investigation revealed that they contacted Ball prior to the start of the NBA&rsquo;s free-agency period. As it stands, the Bulls&rsquo; next-available pick is the team&rsquo;s 2026 second-rounder, but Chicago can&rsquo;t acquire a second-round pick before then because they&rsquo;d have to forfeit it.
***
After a few rough years, the Bulls seem to be back on the right trajectory, and there&rsquo;s no question that this team has the talent to be a perennial playoff squad in the East. Winning 46 games despite trying to get so many new players acclimated is impressive, especially when you factor in the injuries to Ball, Caruso, Williams, etc.
Even if the Bulls bring back largely the same roster, they will benefit from that continuity and improved chemistry. However, given what we&rsquo;ve seen from this front office in recent years, don&rsquo;t be surprised if they look to wheel-and-deal in order to take the roster to the next level.

After winning 46 games and losing in the first round, where will the Bulls go from here? Alex Kennedy previews Chicago's summer.

2022 NBA offseason preview: What's next for the Chicago Bulls?

Yes, the Toronto Raptors were eliminated by the Philadelphia 76ers last week. They demonstrated potential in their first-round series but didn&rsquo;t have the chops to take down the 76ers.
While fan bases are generally indifferent about first-round eliminations, Raptors fans should be ecstatic. Not because they should perceive a playoff appearance as a success. That&rsquo;s nothing to write home about. No, Toronto fans should instead be happy about the quick rebuild from their 2019 championship team, and the underlying foundation they&rsquo;ve built.
Before we dive into exactly how Toronto accomplished their turnaround, let&rsquo;s take inventory of the other 29 teams&rsquo; recent successes, or lack thereof. There are 16 teams that haven&rsquo;t won a championship in 20 or more years and five that haven&rsquo;t won in 40 or more years. There are also 13 teams that haven&rsquo;t made the NBA Finals in 10 or more years and 14 teams that haven&rsquo;t won a playoff series in three or more years.
Juxtapose that with Toronto&rsquo;s situation. As I mentioned above, the Raptors won the 2019 championship in their 24th season in the league. They did so by being ultra-aggressive in adding Kawhi Leonard. While history could view the decision to swap DeMar DeRozan, Jakob Poeltl and a protected 2019 first-round pick for only one year of Leonard negatively, the fact of the matter is that DeRozan and Kyle Lowry led Toronto as far as they could. The only way the Raptors were going to win big was by acting boldly, which is exactly what they did.
But bold moves like adding players on expiring contracts can backfire, as it did for Toronto with Leonard leaving. Leonard was a particularly risky gamble given that his desire to return to Southern California was a badly-kept secret. &nbsp;
As many expected, Leonard signed with the Los Angeles Clippers as an unrestricted free agent in 2019. The Raptors' pursuit (and acquisition) of a championship cost them the ability to compete for the foreseeable future, or at least that&rsquo;s how it was initially perceived.
Surprisngly, 2019-20 went well for the Raptors. They received contributions from nearly everyone on their roster. The next season didn't go nearly as well, perhaps due to the loss of Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka (or maybe something else entirely). Whatever the reason, the 2020-21 Raptors finished the season 27-45, good for the sixth-worst record in the league.
But those struggles were short-lived. The 2021-22 season started out well with victories in six of their first nine games. The Raptors miraculously ended this season with a 48-34 record, good for fifth-best in the Eastern Conference.
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Park Life - Ep.6 Thanks for riding with us all year long! We appreciate y&rsquo;all and can&rsquo;t wait to see you next season. <a href="https://t.co/EzK3bKK05L">pic.twitter.com/EzK3bKK05L</a>
&mdash; Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) <a href="https://twitter.com/Raptors/status/1520117178921537537?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Rebuilds are tricky in the NBA. The 76ers underwent a painful rebuild from 2013-2018. The Knicks have arguably been stuck in a rebuild since 2001. So, how did Toronto accomplish it after just one year? Much of the credit is owed to their president of basketball operations, Masai Ujiri.
Ujiri re-signed with the Raptors last Summer after joining Toronto in 2013. Before landing with Canada&rsquo;s only NBA franchise, Ujiri was the Denver Nuggets&rsquo; general manager from 2010 to 2013, where he won executive of the year in 2012-13.
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Ujiri&rsquo;s fingerprints are all over Toronto&rsquo;s roster. Ujiri&rsquo;s trade for Leonard was bold, but his moves since Leonard left Toronto are arguably more impressive.
Most notably, Ujiri and the Raptors convinced Fred VanVleet to stay in Toronto on a four-year/$85 million deal in November 2020. And they did so anti-climactically, with no free agent meetings or bidding wars.
VanVleet is a key example of Ujiri&rsquo;s brilliance. VanVleet was an undrafted rookie, signed by Ujiri and the team to a multi-year contract after a strong showing in the 2016 Summer League. He played well for the Raptors&rsquo; G-League affiliate, earning a place on the NBA team&rsquo;s roster. He&rsquo;s since become an All-Star.
But Toronto&rsquo;s success is about way more than just VanVleet. Ujiri also traded Norman Powell to Portland for Gary Trent Jr. and Rodney Hood last season. Powell signed a five-year/$90 million deal with Portland but was traded from the Trail Blazers to the Clippers this season. Conversely, Trent re-signed with the Raptors for a comparative bargain, three-years/$52 million. And Trent had a career year for the Raptors in 2021-22, with career-bests in points, assists and minutes per game.
Ujiri also drafted Scottie Barnes over Jalen Suggs. Barnes was seen as a gamble entering the draft. While some made comparisons to Draymond Green, others doubted his offensive ability, whereas Suggs was widely believed to be the fourth-best player in the draft. Barnes was recently named the 2021-22 Rookie of the Year.
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ROTY 4 SCOTTIE Open Gym: Moment presented by <a href="https://twitter.com/Bell?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Bell</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ScottBarnes561?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ScottBarnes561</a> <a href="https://t.co/ZChgqo4nec">pic.twitter.com/ZChgqo4nec</a>
&mdash; Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) <a href="https://twitter.com/Raptors/status/1517922023137288192?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 23, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Additionally, the Raptors agreed on a sign-and-trade with the Miami Heat prior to 2021-22, sending Lowry to the Miami in exchange for Precious Achiuwa, Goran Dragic and a traded player exception (TPE). Lowry was an unrestricted free agent, but Miami didn&rsquo;t have the cap space to sign him outright. So, while this deal fell in Ujiri&rsquo;s lap, the fact that Toronto received Achiuwa, the 20th pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, as part of it was slightly surprising. Achiuwa was sixth in minutes, seventh in points and third in rebounds for the Raptors this season.
Toronto continues to benefit from other moves made by Ujiri, too, including the drafting of Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby. Siakam has grown into the team&rsquo;s best player and leading scorer, and Anunoby has proven himself a wildly versatile wing. Siakam and Anunoby signed extensions with the Raptors in 2019 and 2020, respectively.
Team success is rarely, if ever, the product of one person, especially in basketball. Still, Ujiri has collected great talent and built an impressive culture. He&rsquo;s also developed and retained players better than most other executives. Credit whomever you&rsquo;d like, but the Raptors barely skipped a beat after losing a top-three player, and that is something to write home about.
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Despite losing a top-three player just a few seasons ago, the Raptors repositioned themselves for the future. How did they do it so quickly?