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Elsewhere, Klay Thompson is also set to leave Golden State and is not short of suitors, with the Sixers, Lakers, Nuggets, Magic and Clippers all reported to have shown interest.
The Mavericks, however, are said to be the leading contender and it could mean Australian Josh Green is on the verge of being traded to the Warriors.
Follow along in our live blog below for the latest updates as the free agency window opens!
There is also a full list down the bottom of every deal as it happens.
Lakers select… Bronny! Joins dad in LA | 01:48
KLAY THOMPSON
It looks like the end of an era for Thompson.
The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported on Sunday that there has virtually been no talks between Thompson and the Warriors in recent weeks and that the sharpshooter is “determined to find a new home”.
Charania wrote that according to team and league scores, “Thompson and the Warriors have had close to no communication since the negotiating period opened for incumbent free agents nearly two weeks ago and no offer has been made”.
“Warriors, after other business, have wanted to circle back and negotiate with Thompson. But he isn’t expected to be there waiting as a willing secondary priority in their summer plan, with his side feeling that the Warriors’ interest in a reunion has been disingenuous,” he added.
With that in mind, who shapes as the likely candidates to land Thompson?
Well, the Magic and Nuggets had been linked to him but it seems like the Mavericks and Lakers are at the top of the list.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski also reported that Thompson plans to have discussions with the Clippers and 76ers.
Stein reported that “barring an 11th-hour resuscitation of Thompson’s relationship with the Warriors”, Dallas and L.A. “projected to be the two teams at the forefront of Thompson’s thinking”.
Stein wrote that LeBron James could be willing to take a paycut if what Chris Haynes described as one of the “right targets” was happy to take the Lakers’ $13 million midlevel exception.
In spite of that, league sources told Stein “there will be strong mutual interest between Thompson and the Mavericks”, with Dallas expected to free up enough money to make a competitive offer after trading Tim Hardaway Jr. to Detroit.
The Mavericks may have to offload Australian Josh Green for salary matching purposes in the event of a sign-and-trade with Golden State.
That would elevate Quentin Grimes into a more prominent role after the Mavericks traded for him as part of the Hardaway Jr. deal.
If Green was dealt he would become the third Australian to be traded this summer after Dyson Daniels was moved to Atlanta and Josh Giddey was sent to Chicago.
The Mavericks had hoped to keep Derrick Jones Jr. too but he plans to sign a three-year, $30 million deal with the Clippers according to Shams Charania.
Klay Thompson has several suitors. Ezra Shaw/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP
THUNDER ARE MAKING MOVES
The Oklahoma City Thunder were one of the biggest risers last season, finishing the regular season as the top seed in the West before coming up short in the conference semi-finals.
Only a few weeks have passed since the end of the season and already Thunder general manager Sam Presti has made it clear the team is not playing around.
Instead, Oklahoma City has made aggressive moves to put itself in an even stronger position to contend in what once again shapes to be an extremely competitive Western Conference.
First, the Thunder traded Josh Giddey for Alex Caruso and then in free agency added free agent big man Isaiah Hartenstein on a three-year, $87 million deal according to multiple reports.
OKC didn’t stop there though, re-signing key role players Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins on shrewd deals to complete what looks like one of the deepest rosters in the NBA next season.
Joe extended on a four-year, $48 million deal while Wiggins is coming back on a five-year, $47 million contract.
RUSSELL WESTBROOK
While Westbrook picked up his $4 million player option with the Clippers, it appears he is poised for a sign-and-trade as opposed to staying put in Los Angeles.
And the Nuggets look the likely landing spot for him.
Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports reported Westbrook was a potential target for the $5.2 million taxpayer midlevel exception and the Nuggets are said to be looking to part ways with Zeke Nnaji in under to get under the second tax apron and open up their MLE.
The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported Denver “has shown a level of interest” in Westbrook, who the Clippers are said to be “actively working on trades to move”.
OTHER SITUATIONS TO WATCH
* Chicago took a big step towards a rebuild, or at least a re-tooling of sorts, by trading Alex Caruso for Josh Giddey. So, what does that mean for DeMar DeRozan, the team’s top scorer and free agent, who turns 35 in August?
* LeBron James has opted out of his deal with the Lakers, declining a $51.4 million player option, but is expected to agree to a new contract that could create financial flexibility to help the team target more players to bring to L.A.
* Tyrese Maxey is tipped to sign a five-year extension worth in excess of $200 million as Philadelphia looks to go all-in this summer.
* The Orlando Magic are declining Joe Ingles’ $11 million team option according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, but both sides are expected to continue dialogue in free agency next week, opening the door for the Australian to potentially return.
EVERY REPORTED DEAL SO FAR
* Paul George has agreed on a four-year, $212 million deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski
* Chris Paul has agreed on a one-year, $11 million-plus deal with the San Antonio Spurs, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski
* Derrick Jones Jr. plans to sign a three-year, $30 million deal with the Los Angeles Clippers, per Shams Charania
* Isaiah Hartenstein plans to sign a three-year, $87 million deal with the Thunder, per Shams Charania
* Jonas Valanciunas has agreed to a three-year, $30 million deal with the Washington Wizards, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski
* Naji Marshall has agreed on a three-year, $27 million deal with the Dallas Mavericks, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski
* Isaiah Joe has extended on a four-year, $48 million deal with the Thunder, per Shams Charania
* Aaron Wiggins has agreed to a five-year, $47 million contract with Oklahoma City, per Shams Charania
* Tobias Harris has signed with the Detroit Pistons on a two-year, $52 million deal, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski
* Kelly Oubre Jr. has agreed on a two-year, $16.3 million deal to stay with the Philadelphia 76ers, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski
* Kentavious Caldwell-Pope set to sign a three-year, $66 million deal with the Magic, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski
* Andre Drummond to return to Sixers on a two-year deal worth around $10 million, per Shams Charania
* James Harden to re-sign with Clippers on a two-year, $70 million deal, according to Shams Charania
* Kevin Porter Jr. has signed a two-year minimum contract with the Clippers, per Law Murray
* Obi Toppin extends with Pacers on a four-year, $60 million contract, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN
* Kevin Love staying with the Heat on a two-year deal worth over $8 million, per Shams Charania
* Luke Kornet is returning to Boston on a one-year deal, per Jared Weiss
* OG Anunoby staying put in New York on a five-year, $212.5 million contract, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN
* Neemias Queta is remaining in Boston on a multi-year deal, per Shams Charania
* Eric Gordon has agreed to a deal with the 76ers, per Shams Charania
* Mason Plumlee has agreed on a one-year deal with the Phoenix Suns, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN
LIVE BLOG:
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The Boston Celtics went up 2-0 in the NBA Finals after defeating the Dallas Mavericks 105-98 in Game 2 at the TD Garden, although there could be one injury concern out of the win.
Celtics big man Kristaps Porzingis, who was an absolute menace on both ends in Game 1 and had 12 points and two blocks on Monday, pulled up with a calf issue in the fourth quarter.
Porzingis had been sidelined for around a month with a right calf strain before returning for the Finals, where he hardly looked hampered as he led the way with an 11-point first quarter.
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Porzingis again wasn’t showing any rust early on Monday but was struggling late in the game as he tried to run back in defence.
“This is a big deal,” Doris Burke noted in commentary as Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla called a timeout, subbing Porzingis out of the game as he was worked on by a trainer.
Crucially, the latest issue was with Porzingis’ left leg — not the right — and Mazzulla said post-game he had “zero” concern that his star big man would be unavailable for the next game.
Jrue Holiday dribbles the ball against Josh Green. Maddie Meyer/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP
The 115-112 loss to Chicago guaranteed Dallas had no hope of appearing in the play-in tournament, where it could have tried to go on an unlikely run to the NBA Finals.
Instead, despite making a move for superstar guard Kyrie Irving at the trade deadline, the Mavericks made a clear concession that the team — as constructed in that moment — was not good enough to win a title.
So, Dallas lost. But in reality, the Mavericks won in a big way.
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Doncic x Gafford combo sink Timberwolves | 01:00
By throwing away the game against the Bulls, Dallas improved its chances of keeping its first-round pick in that year’s draft.
Quickly for context, in case you have forgotten by now, the Mavericks still owed a first-round pick to the New York Knicks as part of the trade for Kristaps Porzingis in 2019 at that point.
But if the draft lottery handed them a top-10 selection, they wouldn’t have to give it up. A lower finish in the overall standings, of course, gave them better odds of drawing a top-10 pick.
The Mavericks were fined $750,000 after that league investigation was completed but it mattered little as they drew the No.10 pick, later trading back on draft day to select rookie big man Dereck Lively II at 12th overall.
The same Lively II who has been a rookie revelation this season, exceeding everyone’s expectations — including his own — and developing an immediate connection with Luka Doncic.
The same Luka Doncic who, according to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, had “publicly and privately expressed extreme frustration” during the 2022-23 season.
Team sources told ESPN at the time a “fear” existed that Doncic “could consider requesting a trade as soon as the summer of 2024 if Dallas doesn’t make significant progress by then”.
Again, it is funny how quickly things can change.
Luka Doncic is through to the NBA Finals. David Berding/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP
Now Dallas is just four games away from lifting the Larry O’Brien Trophy.
Doncic, meanwhile, is on the verge of joining the likes of Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo as recent NBA champions who could have so easily become the latest superstars to force their way out as part of the league’s player empowerment era.
Instead they stayed patient. Instead, they trusted their front offices to do right by them.
Now both have rings to show for it. Soon, Doncic could too.
“He’d like to be here the whole time,” Mavericks co-owner Cuban told ESPN at the time.
“But we’ve got to earn that.”
Dallas did just that at this year’s trade deadline, making a pair of strategic moves to build around Doncic, having already put the perfect co-star next to him in Irving.
But not everyone believed Irving was the ideal fit, with one ESPN writer giving the trade a ‘D’ grade — and Irving hasn’t forgotten it.
The Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving partnership has paid off. Stephen Maturen/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP
There has been plenty written about the eight-time All-Star over the years and with time, Irving has found his own way of dealing with that reality.
“All the stories and narratives are going to exist forever,” he told reporters after Dallas clinched its NBA Finals berth.
“I’m sure I’ll hear it until I retire. But again, this is what comes with this industry.”
It doesn’t mean Irving isn’t allowed to have a little bit of fun with it though. He has a folder in his phone, exclusively for memes — and there is one that is particularly satisfying to look back at.
“ESPN gave us a grade D for the trade of me coming here,” Irving said after a 109-95 win over Atlanta, which secured Dallas’ spot in the playoffs.
“I think us clinching a playoff spot and putting ourselves in a great position definitely answers some of those questions that were asked last season by some of the naysayers and all of that stuff.”
Some of the naysayers pointed to on-court concerns, questioning whether Irving and Doncic would be just the latest example of two ball-dominant superstars failing to co-exist.
Most, however, were more worried by the off-court distractions, cautious to completely buy into the idea of an Irving and Doncic backcourt given the way things ended in Boston and Brooklyn.
And there was a chance things could end even more abruptly in Dallas given Irving was a chance of becoming an unrestricted free agent after just a few months with the Mavericks.
In other words, Dallas were gambling on giving up Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith and an unprotected 2029 first-round pick for a short-term rental.
Trading for Kyrie Irving was a risk. David Berding/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP
“The Mavs could either have four seasons of the best backcourt in the league. Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic. Are you kidding? That’s incredible.
“Or they could have six months of that, flame out in the playoffs and then Kyrie goes to the Lakers.
“Or they could completely alienate their star who is supposed to be the saviour of the franchise after Dirk Nowitzki left by bringing in a combustible second star who may not totally want to be there long-term, leaving Luka even more barren and alone in Dallas.
“All three of those are really on the table here for Dallas.”
Fortunately for Dallas, it ended up being the first option as Irving re-signed on a three-year, $126 million deal and formed what Stan Van Gundy described as “arguably the best offensive backcourt in the history of the NBA”.
Irving has been the perfect sidekick, if that is even the right word for what he has been doing these playoffs, averaging 22.8 points, 3.9 rebounds and 5.2 assists while shooting 42.1 per cent from deep.
He has been playing the best postseason defence in his career too and that has been bringing the best out of Doncic, who has also been much-improved on that side of the floor.
Doncic stars as Mavs go 3-0 over Wolves | 00:50
“Those two worked at it,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said.
“It just didn’t happen overnight. That’s a beautiful thing. It’s alright to be wrong. We’re not always right. But it’s a beautiful combination.
“Those two play off each other. You can see that they care about one another. They’re in competition with each other on who’s playing the best defence and that’s kind of cool to see because when you used to look at Kai and Luka, a lot of times we’re not known for our defensive guys but they’re competing.”
More than anything though, even if it is a simplistic way of looking at it, the most important thing is that, finally, Irving is just playing basketball.
And that hasn’t always been a guarantee with Irving, who was both a walking human highlight reel on the court and walking human headline off it during his time at Brooklyn.
In his final season, it was the refusal to get vaccinated for Covid-19, which saw him miss two-thirds of the season, and the promotion of a video that shared anti-Semitic views.
Even on the court Irving wasn’t a stranger to drama, stomping on the Celtics logo in his second game back at TD Garden and flipping off fans who yelled explicit chants at him.
“Kyrie Irving has been great. He came to Dallas and there’s no drama there. We haven’t heard anything out of him,” Dan Patrick said this week on his show.
“And that’s good, because we do just want to see him play basketball. The other stuff, the off-the-court stuff, if he revisits that when he’s done, great.
“I like to see a player who has that much talent to be back on the big stage again, and he’s been through an awful lot. But at 32, all the sudden you look around and go ‘this isn’t going to last much longer, how do I want to be remembered?’
“Does he care about how he wants to be remembered? But when he does play, when he wants to play, he’s remarkable. Was Dallas desperate? Maybe.
“But Mark Cuban was not afraid to take a chance. Kyrie had to respect Luka, had to respect Jason Kidd. He had to be willing to be a great team player and realise that you’re not going to be the guy.
“He had to be a bit submissive to Luka, because it’s Luka’s team. And Kyrie has done a wonderful job.”
Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving have brought out the best in each other. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
A frank Irving admitted he “wasn’t my best self” during his time at Boston, but equally told reporters this week there could have been “a little bit more grace extended my way”.
“Especially with what I was dealing with during that time as a human being,” he added.
It also seems like Irving has come to terms with the fact that no matter what he does and no matter what he says, people are always going to have opinions on him — another sign of the 32-year-old’s growth since his Boston days.
“When you’re in a professional environment such as this and you can only be judged by your on-court performances and what people say off the court, and they don’t know who you are, I think that’s a little unfair,” Irving said.
“But that’s the life we live in and life is just not fair all the time. I just stopped being a kid towards this industry and just grew up and grew wings. I just developed a mentality to be able to brush off a lot of that stuff.”
Celtics sweep Pacers to reach NBA Finals | 01:17
Of course, as much as Irving has obviously helped lift the ceiling of this team, any discussion on Dallas’ charge to the NBA Finals has to involve the moves it made around the margins.
Starting with the trade deadline acquisitions of Daniel Gafford and P.J. Washington, who bolstered the Mavericks’ frontcourt after an underwhelming start to the season.
It can be easy to forget that Dallas had a 29-23 record before the deadline, ranking just 22nd in defensive rating, 12th in offence and 17th in net rating.
A lot of that came back to Irving and Doncic not being healthy, missing 22 and eight games respectively.
But either way, provided the superstar duo were on the court when it mattered most, it was still clear that the Mavericks needed more — especially on the defensive end.
Adding Washington gave Dallas a disruptive defender and extra scoring option, with the former Hornet coming up clutch in the playoffs with a number of big-time shots in big-time moments.
P.J. Washington has been a welcome addition. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Gafford, meanwhile, eased the pressure on rookie Lively II to perform right away while his effective rim protection proved particularly important against the Minnesota frontcourt.
Beyond Gafford and Washington, Derrick Jones Jr. has proven a shrewd free agency pick-up after Dallas signed him to a veteran’s minimum one-year deal in the summer.
Even coach Kidd, meanwhile, deserves plenty of credit after being questioned for his rotations in the regular season before finding a formula that helped Dallas to a 22-9 record after the trade deadline and, now, an NBA finals appearance.
Of course, it goes without saying that the Mavericks wouldn’t be in this position without Doncic, who ranks first for points, rebounds, assists, steals, field goals, 3-pointers and free throws this playoffs.
DOMINANT DONCIC (Playoffs)
Points: 489 (1st)
Rebounds: 164 (1st)
Assists: 150 (1st)
Steals: 28 (1st)
FG: 166 (1st)
3-pt FG: 57 (1st)
FT: 100 (1st)
But everyone already knew Doncic was good. He was never the one holding this team back. In fact, the conversation was always about how the Mavericks were holding him back.
Now, nothing is holding Doncic and Dallas back from winning the team’s first championship in 13 years and like reigning champions Denver, there is something to be said about the way the Mavericks patiently waited, knowing with the right pieces, they could reach this point.
It took a bit of time for the Doncic-Irving backcourt combination to flourish too but now, as Gafford put it after Dallas’ series-sealing win over Minnesota, we are witnessing “greatness”.
“In all honesty, I’d say it’s the patience when it comes to just being around each other,” Gafford said.
“When I was first seeing the trade when Kyrie got here, they said, ‘Oh, him and Luka is not going to work’. They’re working pretty good together right now, if I do say so myself.
“So whoever said that, they obviously need to go get their eyes checked. Just watching it, to me, it’s just greatness.”
From the year he entered the league, putting Yuta Watanabe on a poster before a month later exploding for a 42-point haul against the Suns, Anthony Edwards has always been special.
How special?
Special enough to warrant Minnesota using its first overall pick in the 2020 draft to select the Georgia guard, with the kind of tantalising combination of athleticism and playmaking to transform a franchise.
And that goes without even mentioning his personality which Tom Crean, Edwards’ coach at Georgia, described as “infectious”.
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Gobert hits a frankly absurd fadeaway | 00:23
“He’s a pied piper personality,” Crean told The Athletic in 2020.
“People gravitate to him. They want to be around him and people really want him to like them. It’s a tremendous aura for a 19-year-old.”
Some people have a quiet confidence in the way they go about things. Anthony Edwards is not one of them.
There is nothing quiet about the way he operates. Nothing quiet about the way he dunked on Watanabe as a rookie, or the way he trash talked Kevin Durant after hitting a 3-pointer over the Suns superstar as Minnesota won Game 1 and went on to sweep the Phoenix series.
Edwards averaged 31 points, 8.0 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 2.0 steals in that series and Durant said after Game 4 that the 22-year-old was his “favourite player to watch”.
“[He has] just grown so much since he came into the league,” added Durant.
“His love for the game shines bright. That’s one of the reasons I like him the most. Love everything about Ant.”
He is one of those players who makes it hard not to like them and now Edwards is rapidly rising towards superstardom after helping take Minnesota to the Western Conference Finals.
Like Edwards, there was nothing quiet about the way the Timberwolves took it to the defending champion Nuggets, claiming the opening two games on the road before obliterating Denver by 45 points in Game 6 and clinching the series with a historic second-half comeback.
Anthony Edwards is taking over the league. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
While the basketball world has been so used to the likes of Durant, LeBron James and Steph Curry dominating the playoffs conversation, the Suns and Lakers were eliminated in the first round while the Warriors didn’t even make it out of the play-in tournament.
Even Milwaukee’s superstar duo Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard are out of the picture after battling injuries in an opening round series defeat to Indiana.
The same goes for three-time MVP Nikola Jokic, leaving Edwards as one of the biggest names left in the postseason along with Dallas superstars Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, Celtics duo Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum and the much-improved Tyrese Haliburton.
But it seems like Edwards belongs in a separate category, probably along with Doncic and maybe one of either Brown or Tatum, depending on how the rest of the playoffs shake out, as the leading candidates to be the next face of the league.
Edwards in particular though seems purpose built for the role, with highlight-reel plays and an equally loud personality to match. Put simply, Anthony Edwards the player and person cuts through.
Want proof? According to the NBA, Edwards generated more than 100 million video views across the league’s social and digital platforms in the opening round of the playoffs.
That number was second behind only one player: LeBron James. Edwards had also gained the most Instagram followers among players since the start of the playoffs.
It wasn’t just the playoffs either, with Edwards finishing the regular season as the seventh most viewed player on NBA social media pages.
Edwards could be the next face of the league. (Photo by C. Morgan Engel/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
“I’ve been saying that. He hate when I say it but it’s true.”
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, meanwhile, said on NBA Today that Edwards is “the future of American basketball”.
“The thing that is so great about him is he plays both ends and he cares about both ends and he truly loves his teammates,” added Windhorst.
“He is not a conventional leader but he is an effective leader.”
That means taking responsibility when you don’t play as well because as much as a confident Anthony Edwards is an unstoppable Anthony Edwards, self-accountability is just as important.
It wasn’t like Edwards’ output of 19 points, six rebounds and six assists in the Game 3 loss to Denver was that bad either. He just has such high expectations of himself and what he is capable of.
“It’s on me,” Edwards said after that game.
“I’ll take the blame for this loss. I came out with no energy at all. I can’t afford to do that for my team. I let my team down, the fans down.”
This was a different side to the Edwards who appeared on ESPN’s NBA Today in January 2022 and was asked who is the hardest player to guard in the league.
“Myself because I’m unstoppable,” a confident Edwards replied.
Confident. Not cocky. There is a difference, according to the man himself, who later told Malika Andrews ahead of this year’s playoffs series that is the one thing people don’t understand about him and the way he goes about his game.
“A lot of people be calling me cocky,” he told Andrews.
“That’s the main thing. It’s not cocky, it’s not arrogance. I’m just a confident person. I just think I’m the best in everything that I do.”
And by the end of last season when championship-winning guard Bruce Brown was asked who the hardest player is to guard in the league, he mentioned Edwards’ name alongside Thunder superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Anthony Edwards is a rising superstar in the NBA. C. Morgan Engel/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP
Nuggets coach Michael Malone, meanwhile, said ahead of Game 7 that Edwards had “proven to be unguardable”, with second-year bench player Christian Braun Denver’s best bet of trying to limit his effectiveness.
Edwards averaged 27.7 points throughout the series against Denver, scoring 43 points in Game 1 and 44 in Game 5, when he warned a Nuggets locker room staffer that he’d be back.
“I told them,” explained Edwards, “I said ‘I’ll see y’all motherf*****s for Game 7.’”
It is that fierce competitiveness, confidence and swagger that has people across the league, including Edwards’ own teammates, drawing parallels with Michael Jordan.
“I’ve never met a guy or been a teammate with a guy who believes more in himself than Anthony Edwards,” Mike Conley said on ‘Inside the NBA’ of Edwards, who reminds him of a “young Michael Jordan”.
Former teammate Patrick Beverley even made the comparison back in 2022 on J.J. Redick’s podcast, declaring Edwards “has a chance to be really special” in the NBA.
“If I say this, I know you guys are going to look at me like I’m crazy and I’m going to put all that pressure on that kid,” Beverley said at the time.
“But, I told him, ‘Man, you got a chance, man. You got a chance, brother, to be Michael Jordan. You really do. You really do.’
“I’ve been around a lot of them and the kid doesn’t indulge in anything negative — just all positivity, all video games. His talent level, his skill level, it’s crazy. He has a chance to be really special. Really special in this league.”
Jordan himself also called Edwards “special” after Game 1 against the Suns, according to Stephen A. Smith.
Edwards has consistently dismissed the comparisons, telling FOX Sports he can’t be compared to somebody of Jordan’s calibre.
“I want it to stop,” Edwards said. “He’s the greatest of all time. I can’t be compared to him.”
Meanwhile, in that sit-down interview with Andrews before the playoffs, Edwards was asked the same question and said he doesn’t want to be known as “the next Michael Jordan”.
Instead, he would prefer to be “the first Anthony Edwards”. In other words, he just wants to be himself and that is what makes Edwards so easy to root for and so marketable for the league according to assistant coach Micah Nori.
NBA Wrap: Wolves storm back to KO Nugs | 01:00
“I think that the people gravitated to him because he was just a likeable dude,” Nori said earlier this month after a practice session.
“He doesn’t change. He is who he is. I think anytime you’re not putting on a front or you’re not fake, you don’t have to change who you are, whether you’re in front of the media, or you’re out doing commercials or playing a game.
“Anthony Edwards is who he is, he knows who he is, and I think that’s why he’s able to accept it and handle it so well.
“… There’s obviously a big difference between confidence and arrogance. He’s just a very, very confident person and trusts his ability.”
It is why when Edwards told that Denver staff member he would see them in Game 7, it didn’t seem like just talk, and it is why when he said he “wins two championships this summer”, the rest of the league should have been taking notice.
If they weren’t then, they are now and all signs point to this just being the start of Edwards’ time in the spotlight as one of the most prominent characters in a new era for the NBA.
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MAVERICKS VS TIMBERWOLVES SERIES SCHEDULE
Game 1: Mavericks vs. Timberwolves, Thursday, May 23, 10.30am
Game 2: Mavericks vs. Timberwolves, Saturday, May 25, 10.30am
Game 3: Timberwolves vs. Mavericks, Monday, May 27, 10am
Game 4: Timberwolves vs. Mavericks, Wednesday, May 29, 10.30am*
Game 5: Mavericks vs. Timberwolves, Friday, May 31, 10.30am*
Game 6: Timberwolves vs. Mavericks, Sunday, June 2, 10.30am*
Game 7: Mavericks vs. Timberwolves, Tuesday, June 4, 10.30am*
Dante Exum came up clutch to make two crucial free throws and a pair of 3-pointers to help the Dallas Mavericks to a 113-107 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday afternoon.
Exum, who missed 22 games across January and February with a plantar fascia sprain in his right foot and then right knee bursitis, has been solid since making his return off the bench for Dallas.
The Australian had been given a starting role before suffering the injury, rewarded for a stellar stretch in December which saw Exum average 15.3 points and 4.5 assists.
But even if Exum didn’t start on Wednesday the Mavericks coaching staff clearly trusted him, keeping the versatile guard on the floor down the stretch and he repaid the faith.
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Exum’s eight points in the fourth quarter brought his total to 16 to go with a pair of assists and a rebound while the 28-year-old also finished with a game-high plus-minus of +16.
“Exum down the stretch was huge, hit big threes,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said post-game.
Those clutch shots from Exum were particularly important as superstar teammate Luka Doncic had a rough shooting night, going 6-for-27 from the field on the way to 18 points.
Still, Doncic had a triple-double after also recording 10 rebounds and 16 assists in the win.
“… Luka had a lot of great looks tonight, it just didn’t fall for him but being able to find his teammates and trust them down the stretch is what a leader does and he did that tonight,” Kidd said.
Kyrie Irving, meanwhile, started the game 7-for-7 from the field and finished with 28 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals.
Exum’s production though was particularly important as too often the Mavs have been overly reliant on their superstar duo of Irving and Doncic to lead the way on the offensive end.
That is particularly true as Dallas prepares for a possible postseason run in a stacked Western Conference that is headlined by deep Denver, Minnesota, Oklahoma City and Clippers rosters.
“Exum has missed some time this year… but he’s not afraid of taking big shots,” former NBA point guard Derek Harper said in commentary for Bally Sports Southwest.
“A lot of people make a big deal out of starting. He doesn’t start anymore but who finishes the game? The staff obviously has a lot of confidence in Exum. He’s a special, special player.
“The coaches certainly trust the guy that can make plays but more importantly make shots. That’s what he’s done here in the fourth quarter.
“He’s a quiet type of a personality but when he’s on the floor he’s just comfortable and I think he gives his coach a sense of comfort when he’s out there. He’s kind of like a coach out on the floor.”
NBA Wrap: Wild double buzzer beater! | 01:20
“Super high IQ player, unquestionably,” added fellow commentator Mark Followill.
Exum’s 16 points on Wednesday marked his highest effort off the bench according to Mavericks PR, while Dallas improved to 7-1 this season when he has scored over 15 points.
The Australian has also now shot 50 per cent from deep this season, easily a career-high mark given Exum’s previous top mark stood at 35.1 per cent in his 2019-20 campaign at Cleveland.
He was averaging 1.5 attempts per game then compared to 1.9 this season too, which makes the transformation of Exum’s outside shooting even more incredible.
“It’s tough playing on the road but we stick together as a team and a unit and that’s what we’re going to need going forward, so I’m proud of everyone tonight,” Exum told Bally Sports Southwest post-game.
“… It’s just basketball. I’m just a competitor and want to win. So no, not nervous at all [down the stretch].
“It’s a team game. Luka is going to do what he does. When he gets doubled he’s going to pass it and facilitate and that’s what he did.”
If it wasn’t obvious enough already, the Boston Celtics are the biggest threats to the reigning champions going back-to-back this season.
And while the Nuggets, who have won six games since the All-Star break, deserve plenty of respect as defending champions it’s not hard to see why Boston is favoured to win its first title since 2008.
Of course, Boston has been in and around the championship picture the last five seasons, going to the Conference Finals twice while also going down to Golden State in the NBA Finals.
But this feels different and this looks different.
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NBA Wrap: Tatum talks up Celtics | 02:41
Just ask the Warriors, who had turned a corner recently to rise up the Western Conference standings and firmly into the playoff picture.
Golden State had won 13 of its past 16 games before running into Boston on Monday morning. It was supposed to be an early litmus test of sorts — and the results were resounding.
The Warriors were no match for the Celtics, who ran up a score to take the largest halftime lead (82-38) in franchise history.
The numbers laid out just how dominant Boston was, shooting 60.0 and 62.5 per cent from the field and downtown respectively compared to just 34.9 and 16.7 for Golden State.
Superstar duo Jaylen Brown (25 points) and Jayson Tatum (22) combined to outscore the Warriors by themselves while Derrick White had 11 points and six assists in the first half.
What made Boston’s blowout opening half even more impressive was the fact it came without Kristaps Porzingis, who missed Monday’s game with a left quad contusion.
Richard Jefferson described it as a “perfect half of basketball” from the Celtics, declaring they had put the entire league on notice.
The Celtics put on a show. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
“This is maybe as good as any team has played in the first half this season,” Jefferson said.
“I think the entire league needs to be watching what the Boston Celtics are doing and understanding that they are the team to beat.
“I understand that the Denver Nuggets are the defending champions but to me there is no greater threat to them really going on a run and winning a couple than what the Boston Celtics are presenting this season.”
“They are so jaw-droppingly good right now, you just feel the need to keep exclaiming [that fact]. They are just in such an incredible rhythm right now,” Ryan Ruocco added.
“Up and down the roster, Brad Stevens has to be enamoured with the way this squad is playing.”
It wasn’t just on the offensive side of the ball that the Celtics were excelling, also putting the clamps on Warriors superstar Steph Curry, who missed all nine of his 3-point attempts in the half.
“They are just harassing him… he is just not seeing any daylight,” Jefferson said.
Golden State’s 38 points were the fewest it had scored in any half this season while the 82 scored by Boston was the most it had given up.
Despite finally snapping their losing streak, there’s drama in the Lakers’ locker room as pressure mounts on Darvin Ham.
Plus the Warriors’ identity crisis and Milwaukee’s big issue it needs to solve amid the championship race.
That and more in our latest NBA Talking Points!
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Heat demolish Lakers without Butler | 01:10
‘TIP OF THE ICEBERG’: STARK REALITY AMID LAKERS’ LOCKER ROOM DISCONNECT
While Darvin Ham remains calm – at least on the surface – a storm is brewing in the background and, if you believe multiple reports, it could result in the Los Angeles Lakers coach losing his job.
The Lakers did what they needed to by making a statement against the Clippers – and a few more wins will do a whole lot of good when it comes to silencing the noise surrounding Ham’s future.
For it seems like an eternity ago the Lakers were crowned the inaugural winners of the NBA’s in-season tournament (IST), when Anthony Davis made a statement in a 41-point, 20-rebound performance against the Indiana Pacers.
Funnily enough, it was only a fortnight prior to that win that the Lakers had suffered a 44-point blowout loss to the 76ers, which prompted LeBron James to declare “a lot” needs to change.
The way the Lakers quickly turned things around before the IST could lend some weight to Ham’s argument that Los Angeles may not be too far away from looking like Western Conference contenders once more.
There is a difference though. The Lakers had won eight of their last 10 games before that match-up with the Pacers.
Can the Lakers turn around their season? (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)Source: FOX SPORTS
Right now, L.A. has lost 10 of its last 14 games.
“I’m tired of people living and dying with every single game we play… it’s ludicrous… this is a marathon,” Ham said after the Lakers’ latest loss to the Grizzlies.
He has a point. People can be too reactionary, too quick to overreact to one loss or one bad play. But this isn’t that.
This is a losing skid that has the Lakers 10th in the Western Conference. A losing skid that had a clearly frustrated James admitting “we suck right now” after the 127-113 defeat to Memphis.
On the other hand, Ham said it “seems to be” a “pattern” of rival players “stepping their game up when they come into our building”.
Or maybe the real pattern is there for everyone to see in the numbers, with the Lakers allowing more wide-open 3-point attempts a game (22.5) than any other team in the league.
That is despite having a defensive stopper like Davis that should naturally allow the Lakers to more heavily crowd the 3-point line and force opponents to beat them in the paint.
Whereas Ham has consistently called for patience and pointed towards the team’s injuries to explain their recent string of losses, the messaging from the Lakers’ players has been very different.
“We’ve got to do better as players to affect them to miss shots,” Austin Reaves said after the Memphis loss.
“They shot 51 per cent from three tonight. That’s not acceptable. We have to take it upon ourselves to do better.”
The Lakers were supposed to be in a strong position to take a swing for the title this season after making shrewd moves in the summer while also finding a way to keep five key players in James, Davis, Reaves, D’Angelo Russell and Rui Hachimura together.
Giddey guides Thunder to statement win | 01:38
They added some much-needed outside shooting while maintaining enough continuity to set up the offence for a smooth transition from the 2022-23 season.
Injuries have played their part, with the loss of Gabe Vincent (knee) in particular proving a tough blow, but more important than anything else in recent years has been the health of James and Davis.
That has been hard to rely on in the past but so far this season the superstar duo have only combined to miss five games.
It is part of the reason why Ham needs a greater sense of urgency and understanding of why people are “living and dying with every game we play”, as he put it.
If multiple reports are to be believed Ham himself could be “living and dying with every game” he coaches too, with The Athletic claiming there is a “deepening disconnect” between the Lakers coach and the locker room.
That is according to six different sources, who “described that the disjointedness between the coach and team has stemmed from the extreme rotation and starting line-up adjustments recently from Ham”, according to The Athletic.
That is consistent with reporting from Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer, who said on a recent episode of the No Cap Room podcast that player agents have even started voicing their concerns about Ham.
“I think this is the tip of the iceberg of this guy being legitimately on the hot seat right now,” Fischer said.
“There’s just a lot of chatter from people around the organisation that he’s not the guy that’s going to be able to get this thing over the hump. Now, look, they were able to overcome a 2-10 start last season to make the Western Conference Finals so he’s proven the ability to right a ship and steer them out of stormy waters to some beautiful island somewhere else in the postseason picture.
“But the noise is very loud. There’s a lot of people very frustrated. A lot of agents calling the front office frustrated about their guys not getting the right opportunities.”
If there is anything working in Ham’s favour it is his relationship with Lakers owner Jeanie Buss, with The Athletic revealing she sent the Lakers coach a “lengthy text message of support” in the wake of the publication’s report detailing the team’s locker room disconnect.
IDENTITY CRISIS AT THE HEART OF WARRIORS’ WOES
Speaking of coaches under pressure, while Steve Kerr isn’t in the hot seat just yet he is certainly seeing plenty of criticism for his role in Golden State’s slow start to the season.
Most notable has been Kerr’s misuse of young forward Jonathan Kuminga, with a report from The Athletic last week claiming he had “lost faith” in the veteran coach allowing him to “reach his full potential”.
“(Thursday night) was the straw that broke the camel’s back,” one of the sources told The Athletic.
Thursday night, in that instance, referred to Kuminga spending the final 18 minutes of Golden State’s 130-127 defeat to Denver on the bench despite having scored a productive 16 points to go with four rebounds and four assists in 19 minutes of action.
Kuminga was not the only one to be frustrated with a lack of consistent playing time, with Jason Dumas of KRON4 also reporting that people around Moses Moody are “frustrated with the lack of having a role and the lack of consistency”.
The issue for Kerr is the fact that Kuminga and Moody’s reported frustration speaks to a broader problem for the Warriors, who for a few years now have been trying to delicately balance their championship ambitions while also looking forward towards the future.
A two-timeline strategy is always hard to pull off and while the Warriors did win a championship that was largely on the back of their already established superstar trio Steph Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson.
Plus, Jordan Poole also had a breakout year while Andrew Wiggins was a hero in the NBA Finals.
Now Poole is no longer on the team while Wiggins struggled earlier in the season. Then you have the ticking time bomb that has been Green and the reality that Thompson is not the player he once was.
And that is at the root of Golden State, and specifically, Kerr’s dilemma right now. He does not seem completely willing to accept that this Warriors team as a whole is not what it once was.
Younger players like Kuminga aren’t just pieces for the future, they are the team’s best options right now and need to be given more minutes to reflect that.
There was an interesting contrast in the loss to Denver which spoke to just where Kerr is going wrong and where a Western Conference contender like the Nuggets are going right.
Whereas Kerr opted to leave Kuminga on the bench, Denver coach Michael Malone showed no hesitation in pulling the more experienced Michael Porter Jr. from the line-up to play second-year wing Peyton Watson.
It proved the right call too as the 21-year-old made a clutch 3-pointer and then grabbed an important defensive rebound before Nikola Jokic tied up the game down the stretch.
There’s been frustrations from the Warriors younger players (Photo by Takashi Aoyama/Getty Images)Source: FOX SPORTS
Malone had the confidence in Watson and even if it didn’t pay off the Nuggets have shown a willingness to give their young guys opportunities, with Christian Braun repaying them for it in the NBA Finals after seeing consistent minutes off the bench throughout the regular season.
To his credit, Kerr has leaned more heavily on impressive rookies Trayce Jackson-Davis and Brandin Podziemski, rewarding them for strong early season form with more minutes.
It may take time for Kerr and the Warriors to tighten up their rotations and given the competitive nature of the Western Conference, time isn’t something that is on Golden State’s side at the moment.
Perhaps the Warriors will make a big swing before the trade deadline in a desperate attempt to stay in the championship hunt.
Or maybe they will move some veteran pieces to further plan for the future in an admission that this indeed is the end of Golden State’s dynasty and start of a new chapter.
As Curry said himself last week, more than anything else the Warriors need to figure out who they are before anything else.
“It’s the nature of this team,” Curry said.
“It’s kind of materialised throughout the year. We’ve experimented a lot. Some for forced reasons. Some for us searching for an identity of what are our strengths and playing into that, and we haven’t found that.
“It’s frustrating for sure – we’re 32 games in and any team that is a seriously competitive contender, a good team, can usually answer that question. So, we have to get to that point for sure, before it’s too late.”
Maybe it already is for the old version of the Warriors. But it doesn’t have to be that way for the next one.
ISSUE BUCKS ‘NEED TO SOLVE’
Defence was a key question mark hanging over the Bucks after their big off-season moves … and it remains.
It was always going to take a hit after Damian Lillard took over from Jrue Holiday as the starting point guard, not to mention Adrian Griffin replacing Mike Budenholzer as head coach and implementing a whole new system.
But Milwaukee’s defence is ranked bottom third in the NBA over the course of the season.
Sure, it’s only January and the Bucks sit second in the East at 25-11 and look primed to go deep in the playoffs behind their potent offence that’s ranked third overall. However there’s legitimate concerns around whether or not they a defensive system that can win a championship – and it’s very much championship or bust for Griffin, Lillard, Giannis Antetokounmpo and company.
The Bucks have had defensive issues (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)Source: FOX SPORTS
After all, regular season records only mean so much and it’s also important to look at other data and teams’ process in assessing their overall profile, and in the Bucks’ case, championship credentials.
So how much do we read into it as we near the midway point of the season? With a juggernaut offence led by Lillard and Antetokounmp, can they simply score their way to a title if they become at least solid defensively? They might have to if they’re any chance of going all the way.
This was basically the model of 2023 champion Denver last season – it was ranked fifth in offence during the regular season, but ranked only 15th defensively (though the latter improved in the playoffs). It seems to be the direction the NBA is heading in, where defence is no longer seen as the be-all and end-all
It’s worth noting the Bucks’ current profile is the complete opposite to previous seasons where they were known as a stingy defensive team. Last season they were ranked fourth in defensive rating but were just middle of the road on offence.
And in losing Holiday, they lost the frontline of their defence that at times compensated for others, while Lillard’s backourt partner Malik Beasley, like Lillard, is also not regarded for his defence.
In saying this, Milwaukee has improved to the point where it has the 16th-best defensive rating since November compared to it being among the worst few teams in the first few weeks of the campaign. There was always going to be an adjustment made by Griffin, plus more data painting a clearer picture of where they sat.
Wemby cooks the freak in star showdown | 00:28
And so it’s not time to ring the alarm bells, but it’s something to monitor.
Because, again, when the Bucks come up against the best teams in the post-season, they’ll at least need to be able to hold their own defensively to contend for the major prize.
“They’re not dominant like they were last season, but they’re not at the complete bottom of the barrel like they were in the first couple of weeks of the season,” The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor said on The Mismatch Podcast.
“It’s partially schemes still and partially personnel – obviously you lose Jrue Holiday and replace him with Damian Lillard and you have Malik Beasley, that’s not great point of attack defence. (Pat) Connaughton is not the same guy right now.
“Part of it is a lack of hustle – last season they were eighth best in points allowed in transition, this year they’re eighth worst in points allowed in transition.
“I think it’s a lot of little things adding up to make them average since they made the switch (to playing tighter and higher up). I don’t think it’s unfixable by any means … but they definitely do have to solve it.”
SLEEPING GIANT … OR A WASTED SEASON?
Are the Memphis Grizzlies the sleeping giants in the championship race? Or is this a mountain too tall to climb?
One thing’s for sure – the clock is ticking on their season.
It was always going to be a slow start out of the gates for Memphis while Ja Morant served his 25-game suspension. Then things became even more tough when Steven Adams suffered a season-ending injury on the eve of the campaign followed by Marcus Smart’s nasty ankle setback in the opening weeks.
It all added up to a disastrous 3-13 start to the season for Taylor Jenkins’ team to make for a worse scenario than most anticipated. It included the Griz sitting 6-19 prior to Morant’s return to the court, however when he did, the dynamic quickly shifted.
Memphis has gone 7-4 with Morant back in the fold to look much more like the title contender of recent seasons compared to the lottery side of the first quarter of the campaign.
“It’s a competitive team with Morant … I’m starting to see what their team could actually look like,” ESPN’s Zach Lowe told The Bill Simmons Podcast.
“Morant, Bane and Jackson – we know that’s a good foundation.
Grizz net biggest score to down Lakers | 00:39
But has too much damage already been done?
The Grizzlies currently have a 13-23 overall record as we approach the midway point of the season, sitting 13th in the West and 4.5 games outside a play-in spot.
That mightn’t seem like much, but Memphis would need to make up a fair bit of ground in the always tough and competitive Western Conference.
Based on current standings, the Griz would need to jump both the Jazz and Warriors plus at least one of the Lakers, Suns, Rockets or Pelicans, who currently sit 7-10th, to just feature in the play-in.
Both teams that finished 10th in either conference (OKC and Chicago) at the end of last year’s regular season notched 40 wins. Based off those numbers, Memphis would need to go a minimum of 27-19 for the rest of the way to just make the play-in.
Locking in a guaranteed playoff spot is an even harder road and appears unlikely right now.
Of course, if Memphis was to limp into the playoffs, it’d likely be on the road for any series it plays in in anything key factor in its overall prospects.
No matter, the Grizzlies have enough talent and time on their side in a marathon NBA season, even if the clock is ticking. They frankly can’t afford many, if any, more bumps along the way – and they might need other teams in their conference to experience a couple.
UNSUNG HERO IN KNICKS’ RISE
From “some dude named Hartenstein” to the heart of the Knicks’ surge.
Nobody has played more minutes on the Knicks since the OG Anunoby trade than Isaiah Hartenstein, who has aptly replaced Mitchell Robinson while leaving every game looking like he went through a meat grinder.
The German-American draws blood regularly these days, showing off the latest scratches on his arm and hand following Sunday’s blowout triumph over the Wizards.
And while Hartenstein isn’t quite the same height as Robinson or as proficient an offensive rebounder, he does hold a very large and important advantage over the frequently injured starting centre.
Hartenstein is crazy durable.
Despite absorbing an inordinate amount of gashes and blows, Hartenstein is riding a consecutive games played streak of 157 — by far the most on the Knicks.
He was one of only 10 NBA players last season to log all 82, a point of pride and probably a prominent bullet point on his résumé for free agency negotiations this summer (yes, his contract is expiring).
But now his role is expanded and a lot more strenuous. When Robinson was around, Hartenstein was playing less than half the game.
But Tom Thibodeau doesn’t have much faith in the other centres on the roster — Jericho Sims and newcomer Precious Achiuwa — which means Hartenstein rarely leaves the floor.
He acknowledged that was an adjustment.
Brunson, Knicks beat 76ers, Embiid hurt | 00:50
“I think I had a slight little period on the road — I think it was at Orlando, at OKC, that road trip (last week) — where I kinda felt my body kind of going down a little bit,” Hartenstein said. “But I think now my body has gotten used to it. I take care of my body pretty good. So now, it’s just keep getting better in that role, and I think that’s something I can do on a consistent basis. … Now, my body is used to it. I don’t really get tired.”
In Sunday’s game, for instance, Thibodeau subbed out Hartenstein in the fourth quarter and tried to go small with Julius Randle at centre.
It lasted 65 seconds.
The Knicks gave up five points and Thibodeau quickly summoned Hartenstein.
“I just sat down. I put a towel around my shoulders and Thibs was like, ‘Isaiah,’ ” said Hartenstein, who finished with eight points and 19 rebounds, one short of his career high. “So I got back up.”
It’s hard to argue with the results. In the four games since the trade, Hartenstein is averaging a double-double (10.5 points, 13.5 rebounds) while leading the Knicks in steals (2.3) and blocks (3.0).
He’s also increased his play-making role, finding cutters such as Anunoby from the elbow while dishing out 2.8 assists per game since the trade. It has made ESPN analyst and Knicks fan Stephen A Smith look irrational for dismissing the centre on air when he said recently, “I got to deal with some dude named Hartenstein.”
“It’s fun,” Hartenstein said about his new responsibilities. “I think it’s definitely a role that I always envisioned myself being in.”
The NBA’s February 9 trade deadline (all times AEDT) isn’t too far away.
And there’s suddenly a big enough sample size for NBA teams to have a good idea on where they sit in the pecking order – and potential moves that make sense with their direction.
Plus with players who signed new contracts in the off-season now eligible to be traded, the rumour mill is heating up ahead of another silly season of wheeling and dealing.
Below, Foxsports.com.au runs through all the key things to watch and narratives at large ahead of the trade deadline.
See how the NBA trade deadline is shaping up.Source: FOX SPORTS
Do the Bulls blow it up?
The Bulls are probably the most intriguing team to watch given they’re considered most likely to make a move as sellers – or at least do something.
Frankly, it’s time to rip off the band-aid. For despite a recent resurgence, the 10-17 Bulls have again underwhelmed and are a ways off contending despite being in win-now mode.
Both DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine have been linked to exits, and though neither player’s value would be particularly high, they’d still be sought after by contending teams, with the Lakers and Kings considered the prime suitors for LaVine.
The Bulls have in fact turned around their season since LaVine, who’s in the second year of a five-year, $215 million deal, has been sidelined through injury, going 6-3 without the star guard. It’s crucially allowed the team’s younger players, most notably Coby White, to flourish with extra opportunities and touches.
DeRozan is meanwhile on a $28 million expiring salary, so not only could the forward help a contender, he could also help open up salary cap space for a rival team next off-season.
You sense at least one of LaVine or DeRozan will be in another jersey by the deadline in exchange for long-term assets, while Alex Caruso has also drawn interest and would command a nice package as one of the league’s premier defenders.
Warriors getting creative to extend golden era
It’s been a disappointing season for the once almighty Warriors, mainly due to the Draymond Green drama. Could this be the last straw and the veteran forward is off-loaded?
Green problems aside, Golden State has just been mediocre on court, with Steph Curry’s brilliance at times masking over their issues. And so it seems a shake-up could be coming and the end of an era – or potentially in an attempt to extend the current one – even though Steve Kerr has already changed up his rotation over the past week by moving Brandin Podziemski and Jonathan Kuminga into his starting line-up.
The Warriors simply can’t afford to waste Curry’s still elite production at age 35. If Golden State makes a move – and it’s not Green who’s traded – you’d think the likes of Kuminga, Wiggins, Moses Moody and Chris Paul (who’s basically on an expiring $30 million contract) would be the candidates to be moved. Could they make a play for Pascal Siakam or OG Anunoby?
Klay Thompson too faces an uncertain future in Golden State, with the sharpshooting champ eligible for free agency next year. But you’d think the Warriors would ride it out with Thompson instead of dealing such a loved player and four-time champion.
Memphis and Morant sink Pelicans | 01:42
Fascinating sharpshooter
Just like seemingly every other year, Pacers sharpshooter Buddy Hield is again one of the most fascinating players to watch ahead of the deadline after extension talks with Indiana have stalled.
Starting the season on the bench and seemingly being out of favour, Hield has in recent weeks moved into the starting line-up and picked up his production. Though Hield is clearly Indiana’s next best three-point shooter after Tyrese Haliburton and provides elite floor spacing, the Pacers do have similar players in Aaron Nesmith and Bennedict Mathurin.
Hield is probably the most impactful of the trio, but if he’s not helping the team win games in a meaningful way, it could be the ideal to trade his modest $19 million contract for long-term assets, unless of course he agrees to an extension (which would mean he can’t be traded for six months), or it was an extend-and-trade deal. You sense contenders would be willing to pay up for Hield, too.
Big man on the move?
Another player that feels likely to be on the move by the deadline is Hawks centre Clint Capela.
Capela has been starting for Atlanta over Onyeka Okongwu through the first quarter of this season, but things have gone south quickly for Quin Snyder’s team over the past few weeks including a recent five-game skid. It feels inevitable that Atlanta at some stage hands the centre keys to Okongwu, but it’d only make sense if a Capela trade happens first.
If not, Capela’s trade value, just like the Hawks’ season, would quickly plummet, plus he’s still a high-level contributor that could help sides wanting to bolster their frontcourt.
Doncic dominates in loss to Nuggets | 01:41
LeBron getting more help
Does the Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka have anything up his sleeve this year to further bolster LeBron James and Anthony Davis’ supporting cast?
Pelinka pulled off some of the craftiest moves ahead of last deadline, bringing in the likes of D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt and Rui Hachimura despite having limited trade capital and sending away Russell Westbrook.
If LA does anything meaningful this year, Russell and Hachimura are two names that have been linked to potential moves, with the pair not eligible to be traded until January 15, which is interestingly when Zach LaVine is slated to return from injury.
LaVine is the one who could raise the ceiling of this Lakers team on the offensive end. But there’s an injury risk with him, not to mention the likely big cost it’d take to acquire the star guard – so it could be argued the Lakers are better served standing still with the current roster, which seems capable of making a deep playoff run.
Just a team to watch at this stage, whereas last year it had much bigger issues to navigate.
Do Raptors tear it down?
Another team that feels like a ticking time bomb in terms of entering full-blown tear it down mode. The two most obvious names that would net the Raptors a nice return are Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby, who can both become free agents at the end of the season.
Given the duo’s impending status and the team’s indifferent form, it could be the perfect time to trade at least one of them, particularly Siakam. For Anunoby is still only 26 and would still be a desired player if they move into rebuild, even if he’d yield the Raptors multiple picks/assets in a trade.
You have to think at least one of the two is moved though, particularly given Fred VanVleet left for nothing via free agency.
The other Raptor who could be dealt is Gary Trent Jr, who’s on an $18 million contract, has had his minutes cut back and has previously been linked to teams searching for outside shooting.
Warriors clinch win over Trail Blazers | 01:01
Jazz selling their parts
A team that was somewhat hard to get a gauge on after last season was a tale of two halves. Well, it’s proven to be the team that struggled down the stretch of that campaign and now looks like a potential seller ahead of the deadline. The question is, how aggressive do they get in off-loading their parts?
Utah has a host of veterans, like Jordan Clarkson, Colin Sexton and Kelly Olynyk, that could help playoff teams and would net the franchise’s draft picks to help with its rebuild. Then there’s the recently acquired John Collins, who’s reportedly on the trade block, or the nuclear option — trading star forward Lauri Markkanen.
Reports have suggested Markkanen could be available, but that the Jazz have put a big price tag on the All-Star. The 26-year old is in the third season of a now bargain four-year, $67.5 million deal, but would a team really be willing to pay up for a potential one and a half season rental? And do the Jazz instead see him as part of their long-term plans?
Wizards unloading more pieces
Washington already hit the reset button in the off-season, trading away Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porzingis for a collection of young players and draft picks as the franchise moved into all-out tank mode.
And they mightn’t be done wheeling and dealing key pieces yet. Jordan Poole and Tyus Jones, who only just arrived at the Wizards in the off-season, have been linked to trade rumours and could well land at their third NBA stop in a matter of months.
Both players have had indifferent starts to their Washington tenures and have curiously had their minutes monitored at times as Wes Unseld Jr hasn’t opted to lean heavily into his big guns in favour of a balanced approach. You get the impression that perhaps outside Pick 7 draftee Bilal Coulibaly, everyone and anyone would be up for grabs for the 4-22 Wizards.
Bucks blast Pistons in Milwaukee | 01:48
Pistons navigating their disaster
It’s been some sort of horror run for the Pistons amid their franchise worst 24-game losing streak. It’s felt like nothing has gone right for the struggling side as it ponders what levers to pull in bid to turn its woeful season around – or at least in a better direction.
That includes potential front office moves given the current mix clearly isn’t working, plus the franchise has just about already guaranteed itself another high-end draft pick regardless of possible changes. It also at times feels like Monty Williams has too many options in his inconsistent rotation and may need management to come over the top and force him to play a group of eight to nine guys.
Jaden Ivey has struggled and been underutilized at times, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if he was moved for a fresh start elsewhere.
Bojan Bogdanovic is the one who could yield Detroit a nice haul, but he provides invaluable leadership, stability where there otherwise isn’t much and has been one of their few consistent producers this season. Plus he just re-signed on a two-year deal in a great showing Detroit is where he wants to be. All the while, the Pistons will be praying Cade Cunningham stays patient with the franchise through the current mess.
Do the Knicks take their big swing?
Is this finally the year the Knicks make their big move? It’s probably more a question of whether or not there’s a move to make given there isn’t a really big fish on the market (or so we think?), while those that are either don’t make much sense – like a Zach LaVine or DeMar DeRozan – or they’re on an expiring deal – like a Pascal Siakam or OG Anunoby.
What we know though is that the Knicks are in the market superstar and have a host of draft picks they’ve accumulated in recent years, so there’s probably no team better placed to land a big name. The Knicks’ current big three of Jalen Brunson, Julius Randle and RJ Barrett are also similar-ish types of players, particularly the latter two, so they could use a different skill or genuine upgrade to take the team to the next level.
New York should be thinking big though — like Joel Embiid, Karl-Anthony Towns or Donovan Mitchell big – and bide their time until a star of that quality becomes available.
Brunson Burner drops 50 on Suns! | 01:30
Curious case of Cleveland
Speaking of Mitchell, the superstar guard’s Cavs have a bit to ponder and are another team that could look to shake things up. They haven’t had the same spark as last season, stalling in the middle ranks of the Eastern Conference standings. And it’s frankly hard to pinpoint why.
But there’s suddenly question marks over whether the Mitchell-Darius Garland backcourt makes sense, plus if the Jarrett Allen-Evan Mobley froncourt is viable long-term. After a hot start to Mobley’s career where he looked to have superstar traits the big man hasn’t quite come on in his second or third seasons. The Cavs also added Max Strus over the off-season to bolster their wing shooting, but other problems have now arisen.
If any major piece is moving by the deadline – and it’s not Mitchell (more on that in a moment) – Allen might be the odd one out to change up the dynamic. One thing seems clear though, the Cavs, as constructed, don’t seem capable of competing with the best teams in the Eastern Conference.
… so do the Cavs jump off the Mitchell train?
Cleveland’s most important decision is what it does with Donovan Mitchell. In the third season of a five-year, $163 million deal – a deal he can opt out of at the end of next season – the Cavs will be pondering whether or not they’re confident the superstar guard is going to re-sign with them. If not, they risk losing him for nothing instead of getting a lucrative package right now. If the team’s lacklustre form continues, they’d surely have their doubts.
This is of course a player the franchise only last year dished up a huge haul for including Lauri Markkanen, three first-round picks and two pick swaps – assets Cleveland would’ve effectively given away for nothing if Mitchell does eventually walk. Multiple teams are queuing up for Mitchell’s services including the Knicks, who are probably the biggest threat, Nets and Heat. But can the Cavs convince him to stick around long-term?
Wemby double double lifts Spurs | 01:06
Does Morey go all in?
To pull the trigger or not? The Sixers have a strong draft hand after James Harden’s trade to the Clippers where they racked up a host of draft picks.
Philly general manager Daryl Morey would now be pondering whether he goes all in with the current roster by trying to land another star with that draft capital – if there’s indeed a move to make. Or whether he sticks the course with the current team, which is currently third in the East with a 18-8 record, and sees how far it can go under the lead of new coach Nick Nurse and superstar duo Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.
As already mentioned, there just might not be the right player available on the market, plus Maxey’s breakout season means a potential addition would likely have to slot in as the third star. Zach LaVine? DeMar DeRozan? Lauri Markkanen? Pascal Siakam? OG Anunoby? Klay Thompson? These are the sort of names Philly would surely be looking at.
How about Presti?
There might never have been a team better placed than the OKC Thunder right now. Not only do they sit second in the West with the fifth-best record in the entire NBA – and one of the youngest rosters in the league – they’re also sitting on an unprecedented mountain of draft picks. It’s a collection that could dwarf any other side in terms making mega offers.
There’s perhaps now greater urgency for highly regarded general manager Sam Presti to use those draft picks given the team this season has arrived ahead of its time, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander among the MVP contenders and Chet Holmgren adding a new dimension to this team as the big its lacked in recent years.
So does Presti swing for the fences? Given the amount of draft stock he has, he could yet pry a name we haven’t yet even heard about potentially being on the market. Maybe the most obvious move would be to put another quality big in the frontcourt next to Holmgren. There’s also been some calls for the team to entertain a Josh Giddey trade, but given the Aussie’s current off-court drama, it’s hard to see that happening.
Kerr endorses Green’s indefinite ban | 00:59
Is Zion happy?
A Zion Williamson trade hasn’t necessarily generated any buzz, and while a move feels unlikely, stranger things have happened. We saw frustrations start to surface from the former Pick 1 earlier this year during the team’s struggles, while there’s also been questions of his commitment to staying in peak physical condition and overall professionalism, having been cruelled by injuries early in his career.
It comes amid a weird season from both Williamson and the Pelicans. At times New Orleans, now 16-12, has looked like a force and Williamson a potential All-Star. But at other times, they’ve underwhelmed and felt dysfunctional. It just feels like a situation that could blow up at any moment, even if Williamson, 23, has so far shown commitment to the franchise including signing a five-year, $197 million deal with the team – a deal he’s in the first season of.
Other potential buyers … one particularly interesting
Let’s call this the teams that have looked good, but are probably lacking another strong piece for them to compete with the best teams in the NBA. We’re mainly looking at the Miami Heat, Dallas Mavericks, Sacramento Kings, Indiana Pacers and Orlando Magic, all of which have been linked to rival stars at different stages.
The Heat are probably the most interesting and coming off an NBA Finals appearance, so they’re clearly not far off. They were of course seen as the only suitor for Damian Lillard in the off-season. But when they weren’t able to meet Portland’s demands in a trade, the Bucks swooped in. Would Miami be ruing a potential missed opportunity? The Heat were also linked to Bradley Beal at one point, and more recently, Donovan Mitchell, so it certainly seems they’re canvassing the market.
The other aforementioned teams have all enjoyed strong starts to the season, but aren’t yet quite seen as on the same level as the upper echelon sides. Who can the Mavs find to help Doncic compete with the top teams in the West? Same goes for Indiana and Haliburton. Can the Kings upgrade somewhere? Could Orlando consolidate/cash in with its spread of exciting pieces for another star? Even if it’s not a massive slam dunk play, these sides could look to make changes in some form.
The San Antonio Spurs’ star rookie has lit it up at both ends of the floor, averaging 19.4 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2.6 blocks — the third-most in the NBA — in just under 29 minutes for a 3-4 Spurs outfit that looks improved under his lead.
The numbers themselves are off the charts for a rookie, though his impact has gone well beyond the box score even if there have been some growing pains while he adjusts to the huge step up to the game’s premier league against star-studded opposition.
As advertised. Victor Wembanyama has made an immediate impact.Source: FOX SPORTS
In fact, he’s already had the game to put him on the map and get everyone talking.
Though he’d already had some big performances, it was a proper breakout game where his confidence went to another level — and his teammate started to really trust, and lean, on Wembanyama.
“Oh my god, what happened!? I don’t even believe what I saw last night (the second game against Phoenix). That kid is 19-year old and he was doing that!?,” NBA writer Zach Lowe said on ESPN’s NBA Today.
“The jumpers in people’s faces with the game on the line, the crowd is roaring, KD (Durant) and Booker are doing their thing. And he’s like: ‘Nah, I’m putting the game away’.
“He’s too tall, the Spurs offence is just going to have plays that are cut to the rim and throw it high to the air where nobody else can reach it.
Wemby torches Toronto on both ends! | 00:53
“Those are smart plays and reads of the flow, those aren’t scripted sets or broken fast breaks. That’s a dude thinking the game and then being way taller than everyone else, that stuff is scary.”
You only had to see the near 7-foot Durant playing on Wembanyama to get a proper grasp of the spindly rookie’s freakish size.
Durant was clearly left impressed after playing against Wembanyama in consecutive games too, emphasising that the exciting prodigy shouldn’t be compared to previous or current champions of the NBA including the Suns superstar himself.
“I don’t see anybody else in his game. I know we’re both skinny and I’m sure he’s said he watched me growing up, he’s his own player,” Durant said.
“He’s an enthusiasm for the game, you can tell that through the TV and playing against him. He’s his own player and personal and he’s going to create his own lane much different to anyone who’s ever played.
“You can try to compare, but he’s going to carve out his own lane.”
The No.1 pick went toe to toe with Kevin Durant.Source: FOX SPORTS
Indeed, while Wembanyama has been likened to names such as Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, it’s clear he’s his own player — and a special one of that.
Direct comparisons aside, US sports media personality Colin Cowherd said Wembanyama is a once-in-a-generation level pure talent.
“If you’re really honest about this, here’s the truth. The NBA only gives us one jaw dropping talent every 8-10 years — Wilt in the 60s, Kareem in the 70s, Magic and Bird in the 80s, MJ in the late 80s then 90s, Shaq in the early 2000s, LeBron 2010s, then Steph,” Cowherd began on The Herd.
“I’m not talking just because they won titles, I’m talking stuff you’ve never seen before. I’m talking: ‘Wow, OMG’, jaw dropping stuff.
“It is totally different — 7-foot-4, gets any shot he wants, fourth quarter, all stars on the floor, and he’s unstoppable.
“This guy is going to last a long time and win a lot of titles. You get about one every eight years.
“LeBron was great when he came in, but it wasn’t this. This guy gives you Giannis on one end and KD on the other.”
Wembanyama is already setting records for one of the game’s most successful ever franchises, and even the league at large.
He became the second-youngest player in NBA history with at least 35 points and 10 rebounds in a single game, with only Durant reaching those numbers at a younger age.
Wembanyama also joined Tim Duncan and David Robinson (who did it five times) as the only other Spurs rookies to record a 35-plus point double-double, while the 38 points marked the third-most ever by a San Antonio rookie.
In a separate game, Wembanyama also became the first Spurs rookie since Duncan to record to record 20 points and five blocks in a game.
ESPN already had Wembanyama ranked the third-best player aged under 25 behind only Luka Doncic and Anthony Edwards and ahead of the likes of Tyrese Haliburton, Ja Morant and Zion Williamson.
Again, all of this just seven games into his career.
While the young gun has been lauded for his defensive impact including remarkably blocking shots no other NBA players are capable of, a graphic on NBA Today showed his offensive versatility and incredible shooting touch all over the floor and beyond the arc.
Wembanyama is hitting shots from all over the floor (source: ESPN’s NBA Today).Source: FOX SPORTS
After that second game against Phoenix, Wembanyama had shot a total of 38-for-76 field goals (50 per cent), with those shots quite literally coming from everywhere.
He also astonishingly ranked third in the entire NBA in clutch points this season (defined as points in the last five minutes when the score is within five), with Wembanyaa’s 21 trailing only LeBron James (23) and Luka Doncic (22) and ahead of Steph Curry (2o).
Not bad company.
He’s also currently shooting 16-for-22 (72 per cent) from the field in fourth quarters, per NBA journalist Marc Stein.
“Every player in the NBA has to earn the right to lead their team, no matter how good you are. What we saw in the first Suns game is his teammates realising: ‘This is the guy, he has earned it through his clutch play’,” WNMBA player Chiney Ogwumike told NBA Today.
“The second Suns game you saw an emerged confidence. I think what we have seen is the confidence and real time build among his teammates.
“Because the first game of the year Victor Wembanyama played, his teammates weren’t really passing him the ball the way we were all excited and expected. If you watched last night’s game (second game against Phoenix) they were feeding him the ball.
“They know he is the one that’s going to take them where the need to go. No matter how good you are as an NBA player or any professional athlete, you have to earn that right, and he has done so in such a short amount of time.”
Though Devin Vassell’s groin injury opened up more scoring opportunities in the San Antonio side, it was only a matter of time before this really became Wembanyama’s team.
Wemby crosses Durant in crazy clutch win | 00:47
It just might’ve happened sooner than anyone anticipated.
“I think he’s exceeding everybody’s expectations. I don’t think anybody predicted in the fifth game of his career he outplays Kevin Durant and Devin Booker by kind of a significant margin,” NBA analyst Chris Broussard said on First Things First.
“This dude is doing stuff that’s crazy. I honestly think he could be averaging in the mid-to-high 20s already.
“The thing I really like about him, he’s got the dog about him. He’s saying with all these expectations: ‘I want it’.
“Midway through the season I think he may be one of the top 10 players in the league.”
While so much has been made of Wembanyama the individual, one of his key attributes is his commitment to the team.
That’s something legendary coach Gregg Popovich will only further ingrain in him, but being able to park his ego and recognise the need for complete team buy in from others is special for such a young player.
“When you talked to people (in San Antonio) this summer … they would say a couple of things,” ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said.
“Every day he would do two, three or fours things you have never quite seen anybody quite do on a basketball court. People didn’t want to miss practice and be doing something else in the building, because they were seeing something they had never seen before.
“It is the character and all the intangibles he brought to the NBA that people around him and people that have scouted him have known since he was 14, 15 and 16.
“The kind of teammate he is in San Antonio. The whole world wants to make this all about him, and he is so determined to include his teammates and always talk about the team. That’s a really unique thing with a 19-year old player who is going to be the face of the NBA maybe even sooner than anyone imagined.”
Unstoppable.Source: FOX SPORTS
The scary part about Wembanyama is that we’re only scratching the surface of his potential.
Not only does his he have so much individual scope to improve, so do the rest of the Spurs as whole, among the youngest and least-experienced NBA sides this season.
The San Antonio core is aged 24 and younger, while the team is still very much in experiment and trial-and-error mode.
That includes Popovich currently trialling 6-foot-8 Jeremy Sochan as his pseudo point guard while shifting Tre Jones into a sixth man role — a move that’s had mixed results.
As sports presenter Rachel Nichols highlighted, the prospect of eventually pairing Wembanyama with a more seasoned point guard would only further ascend the French prodigy’s game.
“Just wait until he gets an upgrade at point guard. That’s the other thing we’re not talking about, this is such a young team,” Nichols said on Undisputed.
“The Greg Poppovich experiment at point guard — I have to say, he’s a Hall of Fame coach and knows better than me — but I would not go this direction on this team, I think there’s other guys on the roster who might step in better there.
“That being said, at some point they are going to get a truly great point guard to be alongside him, and then it’s going to open up an entire other level of his game. You have to remember who he’s playing with right now.”
NBA superstar guard Damian Lillard made a spectacular debut with the Milwaukee Bucks, scoring 39 points on Friday to spark a 118-117 home victory over Philadelphia.
The 33-year-old American, obtained in a trade last month from Portland, had the highest-scoring debut in Bucks history in the season opener for both clubs.
Lillard made 9-of-20 shots from the floor, including 4-of-12 from 3-point range, and sank all 17 of his free throws while adding eight rebounds and four assists as Milwaukee fans roared with delight.
Seven-time All-Star guard Lillard scored 14 points in the final four minutes to deliver the Bucks over a stubborn Sixers team that battled to the final second.
Giannis Antetokounmpo had 23 points and a game-high 13 rebounds for the Bucks, combining well in his first contest with Lillard as an inside-outside dual threat.
Tyrese Maxey scored 31 points, Kelly Oubre added 27 off the bench and reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid had 24 points for the Sixers, who were without star guard James Harden, left off the travel squad over fitness concerns.
Two-time NBA MVP Antetokounmpo, who signed a three-year contract extension worth $186 million with the Bucks on Monday, combined with Lillard on early baskets, a positive sign for their ability to unite.
Oubre sank a jumper, a 3-pointer and a dunk in a 14-0 run that lifted the Sixers ahead 102-94 with 6:47 to play.
Lillard hit a 3-pointer and added a 3-point play for nine points in a 19-2 run for a 113-104 Bucks lead.
KP cooks New York on return! | 01:03
The Sixers answered with a 7-0 run but Lillard sank a dramatic 3-pointer over Oubre and added two clutch free throws with 11.1 seconds remaining.
De’Anthony Melton’s 3-pointer at the buzzer only trimmed the final margin of defeat for the Sixers.
Lillard scored 21 points in the first half, making his first basket for the Bucks on a jump shot with 3:57 elapsed. He netted 17 in the second quarter as Milwaukee pulled to a 63-54 halftime lead.
There was one contentious moment in the final quarter where Giannis Antetokounmpo appeared to pass to himself on an airball, later kicking it out to Lillard for a 3-pointer.
Harden didn’t play in the pre-season for Philadelphia. Last season’s NBA assists leader has missed practices for what the team called personal reasons.
His absence could be a violation of the NBA’s new participation policy, adopted to ensure top players were more available for games televised nationally.
LAKERS STAR INSPIRES NARROW VICTORY AS DUO’S ABSENCE PROVES LETHAL FOR SUNS
In the night’s only other NBA game, Anthony Davis scored 30 points and grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds while LeBron James contributed 21 points, nine assists and eight rebounds in a 100-95 Los Angeles Lakers triumph over visiting Phoenix.
“We can play better but we’re also a team that’s still trying to come together,” James said. “We’ve got a lot of room for improvement. Today was a good step in the right direction but we’ve got to be better.”
NBA all-time scoring leader James and Suns star Kevin Durant, who had a game-high 39 points, played against each other for the first time in a regular-season game since Christmas Day 2018 and hugged after the contest.
“We don’t take them moments for granted. We don’t have many left,” James said.
“We try to embrace it, have fun with it, enjoy it. Two of the best to ever play this game. It’s always a treat to be on the floor with one of the greats.”
Durant passed Hakeem Olajuwon for 12th on the NBA’s all-time scoring list and sparked the Suns, who were without injured stars Devin Booker and Bradley Beal.
