The DJ Vasiljevic-inspired Adelaide 36ers saw off a furious second-half fightback by the Sydney Kings on Friday night to score an entertaining 10-point victory and make it three wins in a row.
Playing in an at-times heated contest against his old side, Vasiljevic shot a game-high 26 points to stretch the Sixers’ winning run at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre to seven games.
The Kings started brightly but were hampered by injuries, with Jaylen Adams unable to take part in the second half and Xavier Cooks hampered throughout.
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Despite those setbacks, Sydney was still well in the contest late until Montrezl Harrell iced the game in his trademark style, the fan favourite taking flight to stuff home an athletic two-handed jam with a minute left on the clock.
Harrell was quiet early but instrumental down the stretch, finishing with 18 points and 14 rebounds, with Kendric Davis and Isaac Humphries also double-digit scorers.
Sydney coach Brian Goorjian had to reach deep into his bench, but was unable to find a winning combination, import Cam Oliver with a team-high 16 points.
DJ GETS HOT
Adelaide ranked near the top of the league in most offensive statistics after four games, but was last in defensive rating heading into the clash with the high-scoring Kings, so a shootout was always on the cards and that’s exactly how proceedings kicked off.
Most of the action was from long range in the opening minutes, with the Sixers the league’s top-ranked three-point percentage shooting team, with both teams averaging just over 11 triples made per match.
The visitors blasted out of the blocks with an 8-0 run and were 3-from-3 from outside the arc in the early going, with the 36ers missing their first two three-point attempts in a disjointed start.
But as Vasiljevic got hot, the Kings went cold, going 0-from-5 from three-point range, with the home side charging to a four-point lead at the first break on the back of 12 points to DJ.
Former MVP leads Kings to road win | 01:11
MEDICAL ROOM
Sydney star Adams went to the bench in the second quarter with a lower back complaint and couldn’t make it back onto the court in a major blow to the visitors.
Cooks was also subdued with just six points in the first half, with some suggestion the star skipper was battling illness.
The Kings didn’t have a double-digit scorer at the main break, Keli Leaupepe with a team-high eight points.
With Davis and Humphries warming to the task, Adelaide went on 21-9 run to lead by as much as 16 before settling for 12-point halftime lead.
But with their backs against the wall, the Kings defied the odds to fight back, Cameron Oliver stepping up with nine points in the third quarter as the visitors went on a 13-3 run to slash the margin to just six points heading into the final term.
Dante Exum suffered an injury scare and Josh Giddey led the way with 19 points as the Australian Boomers cruised past Puetro Rico 90-75 in Saturday morning’s pre-Olympics exhibition game in Orléans (all times AEST).
Exum late in the first quarter landed awkwardly after driving to the paint, colliding with teammate Duop Reath and appearing to hurt his neck as he fell to the floor grimacing in pain.
The guard remained floored for some time as he was treated to by a trainer and surrounded by some teammates. He sat out the remainder of the game as a precaution due to a sore neck.
Exum has a gruelling injury history across his career, so whenever he hits the hardwood like that, it’s cause for concern, particularly a week out from the Boomers’ Paris Olympics opener.
The 29-year old played in the NBA season for the Dallas Mavericks all the way through to June in the NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics.
Giddey continued his promising form through the exhibition games with 19 points, four rebounds and five assists and just one turnover.
The new Chicago Bulls guard led five Boomers in double figures including Patty Mills (15 points, 5-of-9 from 3-point range), Jock Landale (12 points, six rebounds), Joe Ingles (11, 3-of-3 from 3-point range) and Josh Green (10 points).
Boomers give Team USA a scare | 02:17
Jack McVeigh, who this week signed a two-way contract with the Houston Rockets, dropped nine points off the bench and Dyson Daniels added five points, three rebounds, five assists, two steals and a block.
Reath, who’d been out of Australia’s rotation the last three games, played back-up to Landale to suddenly challenge Will Magnay for the reserve centre role, with the lopsided victory a good chance for Brian Goorjian to go deeper into his bench.
It continued the Boomers’ promising preparation for the real stuff after challenging USA and defeating Serbia.
Australia plays its final warm-up game against host nation France and twin tower stars Victor Wembanyama and Rudy Gobert on Monday at 5am before opening its campaign proper on July 27 against Spain.
The NBA offseason is in full swing now and there have been a number of Australians in the headlines, with Josh Giddey traded to Chicago early in the piece while Josh Green was the latest countryman to land on a new team.
With all of that in mind, foxsports.com.au has you covered with all the latest news on every Australian in the NBA and what is in store for those who will be wearing new colours.
JOSH GIDDEY (Chicago Bulls)
Starting with the biggest name of the lot because for the last three years, Giddey had been one of the faces of the Oklahoma City rebuild.
But, as has been well-established by this point, he was forced into a role that didn’t play into his strengths as the talented Thunder roster rose to new heights in the 2023-24 season.
That is all old news though. So, what is new for Giddey in Chicago?
Well, for starters he won’t be coming off the bench given what the 21-year-old said at his introductory press conference for the Bulls.
Giddey opens up on trade to Bulls | 01:12
“I just said to him at this point in my career, I’m 21 years old, it wasn’t something that I was overly eager to do,” Giddey said of his chat with Thunder GM Sam Presti.
You would suspect Giddey wouldn’t be eager to do that at the Bulls either, especially when you consider he would have been a lot closer to contending for a title at Oklahoma City.
At this stage it looks like Giddey will be starting in the backcourt alongside Coby White, who is a nice fit alongside the Australian after shooting 38 per cent from deep on seven attempts per game last season.
Ayo Dosunmu, Chicago’s young guard who emerged down the stretch, looks more likely to settle into a bench rotation role.
Elsewhere, DeMar DeRozan’s departure for Sacramento will only further open up more opportunities for this to be Giddey’s team.
That is true to a degree, of course, given the Bulls won’t want to just give Giddey the keys entirely considering how much White showed in a prominent role last season.
But it will still be a much better set-up for Giddey in terms of getting his hands on the ball more while the Bulls won’t be expected to compete for a playoff berth either, meaning there should be less pressure and hence more chances for Giddey to make — and learn from — mistakes.
Gaze: Bulls a ‘better fit’ for Giddey | 00:59
“It was going to be hard to tap into my full potential, in my opinion, on a team like [Oklahoma City] with so many talented guys who needed the ball in their hands, who were great with the ball in their hands,” Giddey said.
“A change of scenery was going to maybe unlock more of that for me. Being able to make the game easy for everybody, being able to get guys involved, distribute the ball and get other players confident around me is the thing I pride myself on doing.
“And it’s hard to do that in a role when the ball isn’t in your hands a lot. … That’s probably the big thing coming in here. I want to be the pass-first point guard I am.”
Bulls fans will get a look at the pass-first point guard in Giddey at this year’s Olympics after the 21-year-old thrived in a similar role at the FIBA World Cup.
The big question for the Bulls as a whole is what happens with Zach LaVine, who is due to make $43 million next season, $46 million in 2025-26 and has a $49 million player option for 2026-27.
At this stage, the Bulls are still looking to offload him but may find it hard to get the kind of return they are after given LaVine’s contract and the fact they have so little leverage in negotiations.
JOSH GREEN (Charlotte Hornets)
As will be consistent with all the younger Australian players moved this offseason, this trade takes Green further away from competing for a title but will ultimately help his development.
At Dallas, Green was restricted to a rotation role where he was more of a 3-and-D guy than anything else, complementing Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.
There were times that Green excelled in that role, most notably in Game 5 of the NBA Finals when he made four 3-pointers on his way to 14 points off the bench in a loss to the Celtics.
But for the most part Green’s form would fluctuate depending on how he was shooting the ball.
Josh Green was traded to Charlotte. (Photo by Graham Denholm/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
What didn’t falter though was the energy and hustle Green offered on both ends of the floor and he will be an important player in setting the tone and culture for a Charlotte team that is still in the early stages of forming its own identity.
Green has an opportunity to start at the two for the Hornets but either way he will see more minutes than he did at the Mavericks and have more freedom, like Giddey, to make mistakes and learn from them.
At Dallas, if Green made too many missteps he risked having his minutes squeezed in the rotation for a team that has title aspirations.
It is easy to forget Green is still only 23 years old and he has previously shown his potential when operating as the primary ballhandler in games without Doncic or Irving.
He may not have as many wins on the board in Charlotte but don’t be surprised if Green emerges as a breakout player of sorts with the added responsibility.
DYSON DANIELS (Atlanta Hawks)
Likewise, Daniels is another player who will benefit from getting a fresh start in the upcoming season.
New Orleans traded Daniels as part of a move that saw the Pelicans land Dejounte Murray and it is expected to be just the start of more major changes at Atlanta, who may be heading towards a rebuild of sorts.
With that in mind, Daniels also has a legitimate chance to see playing time — at least more than he was getting at New Orleans, another Western Conference contender on the rise.
In fact, there is every chance he could share the backcourt with Trae Young, should he stay at the Hawks, given the Australian’s elite defence would be the perfect match alongside him.
Dyson Daniels will have more opportunities with the Hawks. (Photo by Graham Denholm/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Daniels’ point of attack defence in particular will keep him on the court, while any growth on the offensive side of the ball will determine just how high his ceiling is.
The young guard out of Bendigo looked hesitant and lacked confidence at times when playing for the Pelicans, whether it was with his shot or driving to the rim.
If Daniels can overcome that mental battle and develop his perimeter shooting, he could end up being a key piece of Atlanta’s future but at least his defence gives him a solid floor and an asset the Hawks desperately need right now as constructed.
JOE INGLES (Minnesota Timberwolves)
It wasn’t supposed to be like this for Ingles, who told reporters after Australia’s second warm-up game against China that he hoped he would be a one-team player in his NBA career.
“The crazy thing is I only wanted to play for one. I really just wanted to play for one,” Ingles said, per ESPN.
Instead Ingles played eight seasons at Utah until he tore his ACL and was traded to Portland, where he remained sidelined by injury and didn’t see a single minute on the court before becoming a free agent.
The veteran wing then secured a one-year contract with the Bucks, only to then agree to another short-term deal with the Magic the following season and now Minnesota is the next stop for the Boomers legend.
Although Ingles revealed he could have easily already been on the Timberwolves this time last year.
“They actually tried to get me last year as well,” Ingles said.
Ingles landed at Orlando instead, where he was the oldest player in a young roster that exceeded expectations and will likely continue to rise up the Eastern Conference standings.
Ingles signs one-year deal with Wolves | 00:39
But unlike Giddey, Green and Daniels, Ingles is heading to a team that is a genuine title contender next year.
The Timberwolves knocked off defending champions Denver in this past season’s playoffs before going down to the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference semi-finals.
In Minnesota, Ingles will reunite with former Jazz teammates Mike Conley and Rudy Gobert.
He will also team up with one of the league’s most rapidly ascending superstars — and best trash talkers — in Anthony Edwards.
“He’s good,” Ingles said of Edwards’ trash talk.
“I’ll save it for someone else. (But) it’s exciting. It’s obviously a really good team. Western Conference finals this year. Just going in there fully understanding the role they have for me. Trying to help Rudy, trying to help Ant, trying to help all these guys get better and hopefully go further.”
Ingles described it as a “basketball opportunity that was too good to give up”.
Realistically, the 36-year-old will slot into a similar bench role to Kyle Anderson, who signed a three-year contract with Golden State.
He can still shoot the ball and is a valuable veteran locker room presence while his familiarity with Conley and Gobert is obviously also a plus.
JOHNNY FURPHY (Indiana Pacers)
From an Australian veteran to the country’s newest NBA export.
Furphy was projected as a mid-to-late first round pick but was instead made to wait until the early stages of the second round for his name to be called.
The Indiana Pacers traded up to land the Victorian, who Pacers coach Rick Carlisle told ‘The Wake Up Call’ on 107.5 The Fan was actually the 14th-ranked prospect on their big board.
“He is a guy that our scouts had as the No. 14 player in the entire draft, and we got him at 35, so we feel pretty fortunate there,” Carlisle said.
At19 years old, Furphy offers plenty of upside with his combination of shooting, athleticism and length at 6-foot-9.
Johnny Furphy during his time at the Kansas Jayhawks. (Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
But Furphy is very much a developmental player who still needs to add plenty of weight to his frame to be able to handle the physicality of the NBA.
That is something both Furphy and Chad Buchanan are aware of though, with the Indiana general manager telling reporters the team believes the former Kansas wing has “a lot of room to grow”.
“Both his body physically and his game,” Buchanan said.
“He’s obviously very young in age, but we liked a lot of things about him that felt like aligned with who we are as an organisation and how we play.”
Specifically, Indiana likes to push the pace and that is a stylistic fit for Furphy, who had highlight finishes in transition during his time at Basketball Australia’s Centre of Excellence.
The way Furphy moves, or more accurately, glides down the court also makes him an ideal piece for the high-tempo offence Indiana runs.
“I think the Pacers run a super exciting play style. Their team dynamic is something I can envision myself fitting in really well,” Furphy said in his introductory press conference.
“Just how fast they play. How different players impact the game. I can kind of envision myself doing that.”
Pacers nab exciting Aussie with pick 35 | 01:48
Furphy, who said slipping out of the first round of the draft is “definitely a motivation” for him moving forward, will likely struggle to find playing time early in his Pacers career and Buchanan hinted at as much.
“The reality is our roster is in a situation where it’s going to be tough for a young guy to come in and play,” the Pacers GM said.
“We have a lot of good young players already on the roster. We have a lot of established roles already. We feel like we’re willing to be a little bit more patient with a young player like Johnny.”
But that is honestly for the best since Furphy was viewed as more of a high-upside project player heading into the draft, so the Pacers are taking the right approach with him.
One of the key focuses for Furphy will be developing his game off the ball as it is his best chance of seeing playing time on an Indiana team that is not short of playmaking options.
“That’s something I’ve had to do my whole life,” Furphy said.
“Playing with a lot of different teams, learning how to play without the ball in my hands. That’s something I feel like I do really well.
“Being able to impact the game without the ball. Playing in transition, rebounding, cutting. That’s something I can see myself doing.”
BEN SIMMONS (Brooklyn Nets)
It all comes down to this for Simmons. A contract year and potentially the season that will decide if he still has a career in the NBA.
After multiple injury setbacks and false starts, could this finally be the season when Simmons puts it all together and shows glimpses of the talent that made him a three-time All-Star?
If it is another disappointing season for Simmons, the Nets will likely just count down the days until his $40.3 million contract expires because it is hard to see any team being incentivised enough to take on his salary without a sudden turnaround in form.
Of course, on the flip side, the best case scenario for the Nets is that Simmons does start to show signs of improvement — or at least enough to increase his trade value.
Ben Simmons is on an expiring contract. Sarah Stier/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP
The worst case scenario is that Simmons is playing poorly, stays on the roster and walks in free agency next summer.
But at least they’d be rid of his salary at that point as the Nets play towards the future.
If anything, trading Mikal Bridges should theoretically give Brooklyn the chance to feature Simmons more in the offence, if that is still a feasible plan at this stage of his career.
Should Simmons return to health and remind everyone of his potential when running the offence, maybe a team could come to the negotiating table?
PATTY MILLS (Miami Heat)
Mills is a free agent and while he would obviously welcome the chance to return to Miami, the ball is in the Heat’s court.
Although the fact Milwaukee added Delon Wright in free agency would only increase the veteran guard’s chances of scoring another contract.
If Mills is offered the chance to re-sign with Miami it would be on a one-year, veteran-minimum deal where he would be a depth piece more than anything.
DANTE EXUM (Dallas Mavericks)
With Green out of the picture, it leaves Exum with even more responsibility should Doncic or Irving go down injured as the team’s next best option at point guard.
Otherwise, Exum will remain locked into a key rotation role for the Mavericks given his energy on both ends along with his playmaking and distributing chops.
Outside of Exum, 22-year-old guard Jaden Hardy also stands to benefit from Green’s move while the Mavericks also traded for Quentin Grimes, who will help fill the void left by the Sydney native.
JOCK LANDALE (Houston Rockets)
It looks at this stage like Landale’s $8 million salary with the Rockets for next season has been fully guaranteed, although it is hard to see the Australian having a prominent role given he is now behind Alperen Sengun and Steven Adams.
Regardless, Landale’s salary could be used in a future trade alongside Houston’s growing draft capital should the Rockets decide to make a big, all-in move.
For now, Landale will be a frontcourt depth piece and may see some minutes in the rotation after proving himself down the stretch for Houston as he finished the season strong.
Landale averaged 8.8 points and 4.1 rebounds in his final two months for the Rockets after an injury to Sengun saw him take on greater responsibility in the Houston frontcourt.
MATISSE THYBULLE and DUOP REATH (Portland Trail Blazers)
Not much is expected to change for Thybulle and Reath, who will likely both settle into rotation roles off the bench for a Trail Blazers team that is still in the early stages of a rebuild.
The only real notable addition Portland made this offseason via free agency or trade was Deni Avdija while Jerami Grant and Anfernee Simons are staying put for the time being despite speculation they could be on the move.
Elsewhere, the Trail Blazers added Donovan Clingan in the draft, which specifically will make it harder for Reath to see significant minutes in a crowded big man rotation which includes Deandre Ayton and Robert Williams III.
JAYLIN GALLOWAY (Milwaukee Bucks)
Galloway is currently signed on a two-way contract for next season and will feature for Milwaukee’s G League affiliate, the Wisconsin Herd.
In the meantime, Galloway will be in action for the Bucks at the NBA Summer League again, where he will play alongside NBL Next Star AJ Johnson, who Milwaukee drafted in the first round this year.
AUSTRALIANS AT THE NBA SUMMER LEAGUE
The NBA’s Summer League is also already underway as rookies, second-year players and some NBL-rostered Australian talent will be looking to make an impression.
Melbourne United’s Jack White impressed enough at the Summer League back in 2022 to earn a contract with the eventual NBA champions, the Denver Nuggets.
Here are a few names to look out for at this year’s edition:
The 2024 NBA Draft is here and while there isn’t a jaw-dropping prospect like Victor Wembanyama in this year’s class, that doesn’t mean it won’t be intriguing.
In fact, there is an argument that the first round in particular could be must-watch television given the fact there is so much uncertainty surrounding how teams value certain players.
The Ringer’s Bill Simmons said in his draft preview podcast that he feels like “teams are going to draft by need and all hell is going to break loose”.
“Nobody really knows what is going to happen, even one day out,” replied Kevin O’Connor, who produces The Ringer’s annual mock draft and big board.
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HUGE Furphy dunk gets scouts salivating | 00:26
That is what you get when there is a lack of top-end talent in a draft class, although there seems to be some clarity around which players will be taken with the first two picks.
At this stage the Atlanta Hawks are expecting to draft Zaccharie Risacher, a 3-and-D wing out of r JL Bourg in the Betclic Elite League in France.
Fellow Frenchman and NBL Next Star Alex Sarr, who played for the Perth Wildcats, is tipped to be taken second by the Washington Wizards after declining a pre-draft workout with the Hawks.
The Houston Rockets hold the third overall pick and that is where things are expected to get really interesting.
The Rockets already have an established young core to build around and are instead set to approach this year’s draft as an opportunity to further consolidate their position in the Western Conference with win-now moves.
With that in mind, ESPN insider Jonathan Givony reported that “a lot of NBA teams think there will be a trade at number 3”.
“They’re pointing at teams like Memphis, OKC or Portland as possible options to trade up to 3 with Donovan Clingan in mind,” he added.
The Grizzlies, who are picking at ninth overall, shape as the most likely trade-up candidate given they have a glaring need at centre after trading away Steven Adams to Houston last season.
Clingan is also not expected to be on the board when the Grizzlies pick, should they stay pat.
Outside of those three, G-League Ignite’s Matas Buzelis and Kentucky guard Reed Sheppard, who is the best shooter in this year’s class, are also projected as possible top-five picks.
Both players responded to the talk that the 2024 class is one of the weakest in recent memory in the lead-up to Thursday’s first round.
“How do they know? How do they know what we’re going to be? That’s the question,” Buzelis said.
“They can say what they want, but how do they know what we’re going to be at the end?”
“At the end of the day, people say what they say, I’m not going to let what they say bother me,” Sheppard added.
“I know how good all these guys are in this draft class, growing up with them and playing against them. I think this whole draft class is really good. Everyone’s kind of excited to prove [the detractors wrong].
“… This draft class is really good, and everyone in here is really good at basketball. There’s going to be a lot of people surprised.”
According to ESPN, Furphy has been generating interest as high as ninth overall but has been routinely mocked to Orlando at No.18, where he could team up with fellow Australian Joe Ingles.
He worked out with Phoenix, who is picking at No.22, before the draft but is expected to go in the second round given he is a few years away from being ready to produce at the NBA level.
WHEN IS THE DRAFT?
The first round of the NBA Draft takes place on Thursday June 27 and the second round will occur on Friday June 28.
WHERE IS THE DRAFT?
This year’s NBA Draft takes place at two different locations.
The first round will occur at the Barclays Center, the home of the Brooklyn Nets.
ESPN’s Seaport Studios in New York City will play host to the second round.
WHAT TIME IS THE NBA DRAFT?
Coverage of the 2024 NBA Draft kicks off at 9:30am AEST, with the first round to commence at 10am on Thursday.
The second round takes place at 6am AEST on Friday.
NBA DRAFT FIRST ROUND ORDER
1. Atlanta
2. Washington
3. Houston (from Brooklyn)
4. San Antonio
5. Detroit
6. Charlotte
7. Portland
8. San Antonio (from Toronto)
9. Memphis
10. Utah
11. Chicago
12. Oklahoma City (from Houston)
13. Sacramento
14. Portland (from Golden State via Boston and Memphis)
15. Miami
16. Philadelphia
17. Los Angeles Lakers
18. Orlando
19. Toronto (from Indiana)
20. Cleveland
21. New Orleans (from Milwaukee)
22. Phoenix
23. Milwaukee (from New Orleans)
24. New York (from Dallas)
25. New York
26. Washington (from LA Clippers via Dallas and Oklahoma City)
27. Minnesota
28. Denver
29. Utah (from Oklahoma City via Toronto and Indiana)
30. Boston
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The Brooklyn Nets have made two huge trades including sending Mikal Bridges to the New Yok Knicks.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported the first trade on Wednesday (EST), with the Knicks surrendering five first-round picks — four unprotected — an unprotected pick swap and Bojan Bogdanovic to acquire Bridges.
Brooklyn followed it up with a second trade with the Rockets — sending its 2025 Suns pick swap, 2027 Suns first-rounder and a first-rounder and swap in 2029 to the Houston Rockets in exchange their own 2025 pick swap and 2026 first-round from the James Harden trade.
Mikal Bridges has been traded to the Knicks.Source: FOX SPORTS
Wojnarowski reports Houston did the above trade with the intention of making a big play for Suns star Kevin Durant or “be aggressive on deals elsewhere.”
While the Suns reportedly have no desire to part ways with Durant and plan to run it back with their current group, it’s believed that could change.
It marks New York’s big all in-move after sitting on a mountain of assets in recent years amid links to several superstars including Donovan Mitchell. Despite this, New York is reportedly still keen to re-sign free agent OG Anunoby.
Bridges, 27, averaged 19.6 points last season, shooting 43 per cent from the field including 37 per cent from downtown.
The Nets meanwhile commit to a proper rebuild in a move that figures to put Aussie Ben Simmons into a bigger role along with the likes of Nic Claxton, Cam Thomas and Cameron Johnson.
The Aussie is on an expiring US $40 million deal and himself could be used as a trade chip.
It’s the second big trade domino to fall this NBA off-season after Josh Giddey and Alex Caruso were traded last week.
The involved players seemed to be excited.
After the trade was leaked Tuesday, Hart tweeted, “YOOOOO @mikal_bridges FINALLY HIT MY LINE!!!!!” and “YO WE F—KIN LIT.”
Brunson kept it simple with an “omg” tweet.
Bridges added, “this is crazy lol.”
Earlier this season, Bridges was a guest on Brunson and Hart’s podcast, ‘The Roommates Show,’ and the conversation was steered by Hart to the Knicks’ immense popularity compared to the Nets’.
“No matter how big the Nets get, that’s Knicks city,” Hart said. “I was in L.A. No matter how good the Clippers are going to be, L.A. is always going to be Lakers. ….”
Bridges mostly nodded along, looking annoyed at the reality of generational fandom in New York. Hart then said the “vibes got to be tough” in Brooklyn given the fan dynamic, and asked if Bridges ever looked across the river to play.
That was Bridges’ chance to emphatically declare his allegiance to the Nets and defend their fans, and he instead made a joke about looking at Brooklyn from across the river because he lives in Manhattan.
That was followed by awkward silence, and, months later, a trade to the Knicks.
In an NBA Finals series full of superstars, headlined by masterful teammate Luka Doncic, Australian duo Josh Green and Dante Exum won’t be getting that much attention.
Doncic has been the one constant amid a revolving door of role players and co-stars in Dallas over the past few years, and while the Slovenian sensation is still more than capable of being a one-man wrecking crew, this season the Mavericks finally put the right pieces around him.
Obviously that starts with Kyrie Irving and then extends to the drafting of rookie big man Dereck Lively Jr. and addition of trade deadline targets P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford.
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Even forward Derrick Jones Jr., who signed a one-year veteran minimum last offseason, has averaged 9.8 points in the postseason to become a free agency bargain given his calling card is the work he does on the other end of the floor.
But at various points during the regular season and even in the playoffs, Exum and especially Green have emerged as key role players in what could be a championship-winning team.
Dante Exum guards Mike Conley in the Western Conference Finals. Stephen Maturen/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP
For both Exum and Green though, even making it to the NBA Finals in the first place is an achievement in itself given the position both players found themselves in at the end of 2022.
Green, a 2020 first-round pick, had seen his playing time significantly reduced as the Sydney native averaged just 7.6 minutes per game in Dallas’ 2022 playoff run, which ended with a Conference Finals exit at the hands of Golden State.
Exum, meanwhile, was in the middle of his second season abroad, playing in Europe for Partizan Belgrade, wondering if he — a former fifth overall pick — would ever get another shot in the NBA.
Both Exum and Green were at a crossroads of sorts in their careers, still with so much left to give but not sure where the next chapter would take them.
It ended up reuniting the Boomers teammates, pairing Green with the same player he used to look up to when he was only 17 years old and honing his craft at Florida’s IMG Academy.
But things could have been very different for Green if he had not put in the work during a “big summer” after the 2022 playoffs, sparking an “incredible” two-month transformation.
Josh Green wanted to improve his game. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
THE ‘BIG SUMMER’ BEHIND GREEN’S BUMPER MAVS PAYDAY
Not even 24 hours had passed since Dallas had been eliminated by Golden State before Green reached out to veteran trainer Joe Abunassar, founder of Impact Basketball and a pioneer in player development.
“I love players like Josh that are really kind of at the crossroads of their career and really need to grow up into the game,” Abunassar told foxsports.com.au last year.
“To make themselves a name in the league.”
Abunassar said at the time that the program had put “about” 300 players into the NBA over the past 25 years, including former stars like Garnett and Chauncey Billups and more recent ones such as Tyrese Haliburton and Ziaire Williams.
Although, it is not a case of Abunassar taking any player he can get. He is selective about who he works with, at a point in his career where he doesn’t “like to work with a lot of guys that I don’t enjoy working with”, as he put it in 2023.
Which brings us back to Green, because even from the first time Abunassar met Green — at that point just a 19-year-old draft hopeful — there were already signs of “something special”.
Green just needed to refine a few things. That required putting in the extra hours, which was no problem for Green, who Abunassar said “worked his arse off” even in his teenage days.
Green needed that same work ethic after a disappointing post-season, which he told foxsports.com.au in late 2022 had “helped me become motivated and ready to go”.
Celtics sweep Pacers to reach NBA Finals | 01:17
“He did not have a great playoffs run in the sense that he lost his minutes and so many players when that happens, they point the finger,” Abunassar said.
“But what Josh did is he called me the day after or maybe the night of and said, ‘I’ve got to get better’. He said, ‘I have to have a big summer. I have to get better’.
“And of course, somebody like myself, who sometimes fights with players to understand that, was extremely pleased to hear that. It spoke to his focus.”
The result was that Green moved to Las Vegas about a week after the postseason ended, working with Abunassar for two months on his shooting, ball-handling and finishing.
Those were three key areas of improvement Dallas wanted to see in Green and it was particularly important that the Mavericks saw it from him the following season too given he would be rookie extension eligible in the summer of 2023.
All that work Green put in that summer with Abunassar ended up paying off in a big way, with the Australian agreeing to a three-year, $41 million ($A61.5m) extension with Dallas.
Green’s emergence as a willing and confident shooter helped open up his game, only adding to the 23-year-old’s value for Dallas off the bench as the ultimate glue guy with quick hands and high energy that make him disruptive on the defensive end.
In fact, former Celtics champion Kevin Garnett put Green’s name forward as one of the secret weapons Boston has to look out for in the upcoming Finals series.
Josh Green has gone to new heights. (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
“He’s the [Lu] Dort of Dallas,” Garnett said on the latest episode of the ‘KG Certified’ podcast.
“You see how Dort played Luka… he was in his arse making him fall. He really beat Luka up that series. That’s what Green is going to do… he competes, he will run your arse over. “Australians should wake up looking for the smoke, he plays D like a stronger Caldwell-Pope… he’s got fight in him.”
Most recently, Green had a pair of steals and showed off his improvement as a passer with slick playmaking to set up Washington in Dallas’ Game 5 blowout win over Minnesota.
Green had an injury-disrupted start to this season before an impressive stretch in February, where he averaged 11.7 points and 4.2 rebounds while shooting 46.8 per cent from downtown.
When Green was out of line-up Exum was often the one to benefit from the additional playing time, although the 28-year-old guard also had his own injury setbacks this season.
HOW LUCKLESS EXUM TOOK A ‘RISK’ AND WAS REWARDED
That, unfortunately, was nothing new for Exum, whose early years in the NBA were plagued by injuries — most notably an ACL tear after his promising rookie season in Utah.
Exum had played all 82 games of his rookie campaign, starting 41 of them, but missed the entire 2015-16 season and then later underwent shoulder surgery in October, 2017.
An ankle sprain, bone bruise and partially torn patellar tendon in his right followed, with Exum suffering all three injuries in the 2018-19 season before being traded by the Jazz.
Dante Exum had a bad run with injuries. (Photo by Gene Sweeney Jr/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
“I didn’t think it was gonna happen that fast. But I was happy, relieved, and just ready for that next chapter,” Exum told Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports earlier this year.
“I needed a fresh start. I think it was just something I needed for my mental [health], just to get back to playing basketball.”
But that didn’t happen at Cleveland, with Exum playing just 24 games in his first season with the Cavaliers and only six in his second year before being traded to the Houston Rockets.
There, Exum didn’t see any playing time and was waived in late 2021, seven years after he was first drafted into the league at fifth overall.
It left him at risk of simply fading into the background, becoming just another top prospect that promised so much but amounted to so little, through no fault of his own, of course.
But instead of asking what could have been, Exum asked himself what could still be.
He made the decision to move to Europe, first with FC Barcelona and then Partizan, finding the best shooting touch of his career and simply getting back to enjoying basketball again.
Finally, after giving so much of himself to the sport for so many years, it was starting to give a little back. Although nothing else was guaranteed.
Dante Exum in Melbourne at a Footlocker store after being drafted. Picture: Ellen SmithSource: News Corp Australia
“It’s always a risk,” Exum told Yahoo Sports.
“Not many people go to Europe and are able to come back. It’s hard to get back.”
But the Mavericks came calling, impressed by Exum’s development in Europe after the Australian averaged 13.2 points for Partizan in his final season in Europe.
“The expectations were off the charts for him when he was drafted at 18,” Dallas coach Jason Kidd said, “but sometimes it just takes people a little bit longer”.
In the case of Exum, there was little he could do to speed up that journey, the victim of a career that to most people would be viewed as one of misfortune. But Exum sees it differently.
Because without that adversity and the time spent in Europe, which Exum described as a “different beast”, he would not be the same person or player he is today.
And while Exum has gradually seen his minutes reduced this postseason, it does not take away from the impact he had at Dallas in various stages of the regular season, at one point rewarded with a starting role before an injury again derailed the momentum he had built.
Dante Exum is back in the NBA and thriving. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
“Honestly, he’s been amazing so far,” Doncic said of Exum after he had 19 points and five assists in a 132-122 win over the Warriors.
“I know we’re looking for a buzzword or something different in the world, but he’s a basketball player — playing his role and being a star in his role,” added coach Kidd at the time.
“It’s a pretty cool thing because he’s not a max player. But he’s playing like a max player.
“It’s a beautiful thing to watch. He deserves everything he’s getting right now.”
Both Exum and Green have put in the work to get to this point, four wins away from becoming NBA champions.
They have taken different roads — Exum’s a long and winding one, while Green himself has had to overcome a few speedbumps along the way.
But it will only make the moment they lift the Larry O’Brien Trophy that much more special and while the focus will be on Doncic and Irving if that does happen, both Exum and Green will know — regular season or postseason — they played a part in making NBA history.
The Atlanta Hawks will have the top selection in the 2024 NBA draft next month after beating the odds to come out on top in the draft lottery in Chicago on Sunday.
The 14 teams that failed to make the playoffs took part in the lottery to determine the early draft selection order, the weighted system giving the 14-68 Detroit Pistons and the 15-67 Washington Wizards each a 14% chance of landing the top pick.
The Charlotte Hornets and Portland Trail Blazers had the next best chances but it was Atlanta — who actually made the Eastern Conference play-in and only had a 3% chance — that came out on top in the drawing.
The Wizards will pick second followed by the Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs.
The Spurs won the lottery last year and selected French phenomenon Victor Wembanyama, who scooped this season’s Rookie of the Year award after an impressive debut campaign.
Unlike last year, when Wembanyama was a virtual certainty to go No. 1, the top selection is less ironclad.
Alex Sarr is in the conversation as the potential first pick of the draft. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
However, plenty of analysts have predicted French prospect Alex Sarr is the likeliest top pick, with compatriot Zaccharie Risacher right behind him.
Sarr, 19, is a 7-foot-1 centre who played for the Perth Wildcats in Australia’s NBL for a season and caught the eye of NBA executives in two exhibition games in Las Vegas against the G League Ignite.
Risacher, 19, plays for JL Bourg-en-Bresse in the LNB Pro A French League. Other players who could figure in the top five selections are University of Connecticut centre Donovan Clingan and guard Stephon Castle, and Serbian guard Nikola Topic.
Draft prospects will have a chance to showcase their skills at the draft combine that began on Sunday in Chicago.
The draft will be held June 26-27.
2024 NBA DRAFT ORDER
1. Atlanta Hawks
2. Washington Wizards
3. Houston Rockets
4. San Antonio Spurs
5. Detroit Pistons
6. Charlotte Hornets
7. Portland Trail Blazers
8. San Antonio Spurs (via Toronto Raptors)
9. Memphis Grizzlies
10. Utah Jazz
11. Chicago Bulls
12. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Houston Rockets)
13. Sacramento Kings
14. Portland Trail Blazers (via Golden State Warriors)
Boban Marjanović may have been playing for the Houston Rockets but he had Los Angeles Clippers fans cheering on Monday.
The Clippers ended up losing the relatively meaningless game 116-105, resting their big-name stars having already secured fourth seed in the Western Conference.
It meant Marjanović was more than comfortable to intentionally miss a free throw in the fourth quarter to keep Clippers supporters happy.
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A man of the people.Source: FOX SPORTSThe fans got what they wanted.Source: FOX SPORTS
Why exactly? Well, the Clippers had a promotion that meant fans would get a free Chick-fil-A sandwich if the visiting team missed two consecutive free throws in the fourth quarter.
Enter Marjanović to do just that, with the Rockets commentator declaring “he’s a man of the people” as it became obvious what the Houston big man was doing.
The NBA’s play-in tournament is just over a week away and already the top 10 teams in each conference are already locked in.
Beyond that point there is still plenty to be decided over the final few days of the season, with the Western Conference in particular looking wide-open ahead of the playoffs.
Elsewhere in the East, Boston remains the clear contender to beat but the sliding Bucks are at risk of tumbling down the standings with a cluster of teams fighting for home court advantage.
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‘Drunk uncle’ Ingles taunts & rips Bulls | 01:12
Read on for a full breakdown of just where every team stands in the NBA playoff race!
EASTERN CONFERENCE (Percentage chance of finishing in specific spot)
1. Boston Celtics (62-16)
Locked into No.1 seed
2. Milwaukee Bucks (47-31)
Locked into playoffs, with a possible seeding of No.2-6 (40% No.2, 19% No.3, 21% No.4, 14% No.5, 6% No.6)
3. Orlando Magic (46-32)
Possible seeding of No.2-8 (26% No.2, 20% No.3, 18% No.4, 16% No.5, 8% No.6, 7% No.7, 5% No.8)
4. New York Knicks (46-32)
Possible seeding of No.2-8 (12% No.2, 24% No.3, 27% No.4, 26% No.5, 10% No.6, 1% No.7, less than 1% No.8)
5. Cleveland Cavaliers (46-33)
Possible seeding of No.2-8 (21% No.2, 29% No.3, 21% No.4, 15% No.5, 10% No.6, 3% No.7, 1% No.8)
6. Indiana Pacers (45-34)
Possible seeding of No.2-8 (1% No.2, 8% No.3, 11% No.4, 18% No.5, 39% No.6, 18% No.7, 6% No.8)
7. Philadelphia 76ers (44-35)
Possible seeding of No.3-8 (Less than 1% No.3, less than 1% No.4, 7% No.5, 18% No.6, 38% No.7, 37% No.8)
8. Miami Heat (43-35)
Possible seeding of No.3-8 (Less than 1% No.3, 1% No.4, 5% No.5, 9% No.6, 34% No.7, 51% No.8)
9. Chicago Bulls (37-41)
Locked into play-in tournament, with a possible seeding of No.9-10 (92% No.9, 8% No.10)
10. Atlanta Hawks (36-42)
Locked into play-in tournament, with a possible seeding of No.9-10 (8% No.9, 92% No.10)
ELIMINATED
Brooklyn Nets (31-48)
Toronto Raptors (25-53)
Charlotte Hornets (19-59)
Washington Wizards (15-64)
Detroit Pistons (13-65)
At this point it seems almost inevitable that Boston will be representing the Eastern Conference in the NBA Finals, although given the Celtics’ postseason struggles in recent years nothing is guaranteed.
Milwaukee has dropped four straight games and finds itself vulnerable, with the Magic, Knicks and Cavaliers all still a chance of sneaking ahead of the Bucks to claim home court advantage.
The Bucks have a tough run home with the Celtics, Thunder and Magic (twice) on the schedule, giving third seed Orlando a big opportunity to jump Mikwaukee in the standings.
Elsewhere, Chicago and Atlanta is locked into the play-in tournament, although both teams will count themselves fortunate to be in that position despite owning a losing record.
Miami will have no issue with having to fight its way out of the play-in tournament, having made the NBA Finals last year from a similar position, although Philadelphia will be particularly desperate to avoid that fate given Joel Embiid has only just returned from injury and any extra rest will be welcomed.
Booker needs to be separated from Aussie | 00:21
WESTERN CONFERENCE (Percentage chance of finishing in specific spot)
1. Minnesota Timberwolves (54-24)
Locked into with a possible seeding of No.1-3 (55% No.1, 36% No.2, 9% No.3)
2. Denver Nuggets (54-24)
Locked into with a possible seeding of No.1-4 (34% No.1, 31% No.2, 34% No.3, less than 1% No.4)
3. Oklahoma City Thunder (53-25)
Locked into playoffs, with a possible seeding of No.1-4 (11% No.1, 32% No.2, 57% No.3, less than 1% No.4)
4. Los Angeles Clippers (50-28)
Possible seeding of No.2-7 (Less than 1% No.2, less than 1% No.3, 98% No.4, 1% No.5, less than 1% No.6, less than 1% No.7)
5. Dallas Mavericks (48-30)
Possible seeding of No.4-8 (2% No.4, 97% No.5, 1% No.6, less than 1% No.7, less than 1% No.8)
6. Phoenix Suns (46-32)
Possible seeding of No.4-10 (Less than 1% No.4, less than 1% No.5, 25% No.6, 27% No.7, 27% No.8, 19% No.9, 1% No.10)
7. New Orleans Pelicans (46-32)
Possible seeding of No.4-10 (Less than 1% No.4, 1% No.5, 49% No.6, 27% No.7, 11% No.8, 9% No.9, 4% No.10)
8. Sacramento Kings (45-33)
Possible seeding of No.5-10 (Less than 1% No.5, 19% No.6, 33% No.7, 33% No.8, 14% No.9, 1% No.10)
9. Los Angeles Lakers (45-34)
Possible seeding of No.6-10 (5% No.6, 12% No.7, 23% No.8, 36% No.9, 24% No.10)
10. Golden State Warriors (43-35)
Possible seeding of No.6-10 (Less than 1% No.6, 1% No.7, 6% No.8, 22% No.9, 71% No.10)
ELIMINATED
Houston Rockets (38-40)
Utah Jazz (29-49)
Memphis Grizzlies (27-51)
Portland Trail Blazers (21-57)
San Antonio Spurs (19-59)
Welcome to the wild West, where the top seed is still up for grabs and the surging Lakers are a chance of avoiding the play-in tournament after once looking at risk of missing the post-season entirely. Minnesota has winnable games against the Wizards and Hawks down the stretch and it is a similar story for Denver, with the defending champions facing the Jazz, Spurs and Grizzlies.
A Thursday match-up between the Timberwolves and Nuggets though could very well decide top seed in the West.
Both teams have already wrapped up home court advantage along with Oklahoma City while the Clippers are in prime position to also do just that despite strong recent form from Dallas.
The Mavericks look all but locked into the five seed and a first-round match-up against Los Angeles.
Elsewhere, the Western Conference play-in tournament could very well be stacked with superstar talent and specifically three of the teams under the most pressure this post-season — the Suns, Warriors and Lakers.
Phoenix currently sits sixth in the West ahead of New Orleans but face the Clippers (twice), Kings and Timberwolves in a tricky run home. The Pelicans (Trail Blazers, Kings, Warriors, Lakers) don’t have it much better though.
Sacramento (Thunder, Pelicans, Suns, Trail Blazers) also has a brutal few games to end the season while the Lakers (Warriors, Grizzlies, Pelicans) have a mixed bag of fixtures left.
There is still the distinct possibility the Lakers and Warriors could finish in the 9th and 10th seed, meaning LeBron James or Steph Curry could be facing a do-or-die blockbuster game to save their season.
Tari Eason, a Houston Rockets player who did not play against the Golden State Warriors, wore on the bench of the Houston franchise a T-shirt with the phrase ‘Warriors, come out to play’, a famous quote from the movie ‘The Warriors’.
The result of this provocation by the power forward was forceful and the opposite of his intention. The Warriors obeyed him, came out to play and won by a resounding 110-133.
“That’s pretty boring, especially if you’re not even playing…. You’re just trolling off the bench. Like bro, what are we doing?” said Klay Thompson after the game after being asked about Tari Eason Jersey.
Steph Curry and Klay Thompson (7 of 11 three-pointers) scored 29 points each to lead the Warriors to six consecutive wins, virtually assuring their presence in the playoffs.
“We know we can score against most teams, but defense has been our calling card,” warned Curry.
Jabari Smith Jr. (24 points) and rookie Cam Whitmore (17 points) were the best for the Rockets.
