The former lottery pick scored nine points and grabbed three rebounds during the 10 minutes he played off the bench to help the Cavaliers beat the Trail Blazers 119-113. He also won the junkyard dog chain for his efforts in his first game since suffering a season-ending torn ACL in December 2021.

“It felt good,” Rubio said of his first game, per ESPN. “It felt weird in the beginning, especially the first time, but after that, it felt back to normal. Of course, rhythm and all that stuff will come, but today was a lot of emotions out there. Working hard all year just to be healthy and grateful to be out there playing basketball again.”

Ricky Rubio with his first bucket of the season!

Welcome back, @rickyrubio9 pic.twitter.com/95Zx4AIGWO

— NBA (@NBA) January 13, 2023

The 32-year-old point guard was a critical part of Cleveland’s success last season. After he suffered his knee injury, he was traded to Indiana for Caris LeVert, but come back via free agency because of the chemistry and camaraderie he saw in Cleveland. Donovan Mitchell, who played with Rubio in Utah, was excited to see his teammate back on the court.

“I couldn’t stop smiling,” Mitchell said. “It felt like my rookie year. For me, it’s just a full-circle moment, but it’s great to see him out there after the ACL. And also, hitting two big 3s for us, leading the offense.”

Never too high, never too low.@ThatsJared | #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/TnDCLMMgpp

— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) January 13, 2023

Cleveland head coach J.B. Bickerstaff told reporters during a pre-game scrum that he wanted to play Rubio in two stints in the first half. However, Rubio played six minutes, so Bickerstaff played Rubio for a third stretch in the third quarter. After the game, Rubio said he felt good physically because the cardio workouts he did in rehab were more challenging than game action.

The Cavs admitted Rubio has been ready to play “for a long time,” but Rubio understood why they held him out. Regardless, Rubio said the process of coming back was “frustrating” but he’s happy to be “playing the game I love,” after 380 days.

“I didn’t work just to come back today,” Rubio said. “I worked hard to come back stronger than ever. It’s not just about today. I’m looking forward to having a strong season, not just a comeback season.”

Cleveland (27-16) is set to play the Minnesota Timberwolves on the road on Saturday.

The post Ricky Rubio Feels ‘Back to Normal’ After Comeback Game appeared first on SLAM.

The Pacers are reportedly intent on trading Turner if a new extension can’t be negotiated before the trade deadline comes in February. As of Thursday, Turner is averaging a career-high 17.0 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game on 55.2 percent shooting from the field and 37.9 percent from beyond the arc.

Turner has been involved in numerous trade rumors over the last few seasons, including last season when he was linked to trade rumors linking him to the Clippers and the Lakers. The Clippers could utilize Turner’s two-way dominance, and he would be a welcomed addition to a veteran-laden team.

The Pacers (23-19) are seventh in the Eastern Conference and could undoubtedly use Turner, and signing him to a long-term extension would help them make a run to the playoffs.

The post REPORT: Knicks, Clippers, and Raptors Interested in Acquiring Myles Turner appeared first on SLAM.

“I would expect him, if things go the right way, sometime early next month,” Bickerstaff said. “So we’re definitely progressing in the right direction.”

#Cavs J.B. Bickerstaff on Ricky Rubio’s progression: “I would expect him, if things go the right way, sometime early next month. So we're definitely progressing in the right direction.”

— Kelsey Russo (@kelseyyrusso) December 27, 2022

Rubio was averaging a career-best 13.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, 6.6 assists, and 1.4 steals per game on 36.3 percent shooting from the field and 33.9 percent from beyond the arc when he suffered the injury on Dec. 28. At the time, Rubio played a significant role in Cleveland’s massive turnaround to becoming a play-in tournament participant.

As a veteran point guard, Rubio helped Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen become All-Stars. The positive impact he had was so palpable that after he got traded to Indiana for Caris LeVert, Cleveland re-signed him over the summer to a three-year pact despite Rubio missing a chunk of time rehabbing his knee.

The post J.B. Bickerstaff: Ricky Rubio’s Torn ACL Rehab ‘Progressing in the Right Direction’ appeared first on SLAM.

Through the first six games of the young season, Cleveland ranks first in three-point accuracy and fourth in made triples per game. Nearly 40 percent of Cleveland’s total points have come from beyond the arc, ranking them around other analytically driven teams like Boston, Utah, and Indiana. The Cavs are also the fifth-most accurate team from the corner and second-best at hitting threes from above-the-break

While Cleveland continues to thrive from beyond the arc, they’ve nearly erased mid-range jumpers from their shot profile. As of Tuesday, Cleveland is shooting mid-range shoots five percent of the time, tied for 25th in the NBA.

“It’s all about our spacing,” Dean Wade told cleveland.com. “Our spacing is unbelievable. There are so many open shots, and it’s obviously a lot easier to hit shots when you’re open. We just let the ballhandler make plays and find open windows. Our confidence is super high. Everyone put in a lot of work this summer. The coaches believe in us. That raises our confidence too.”

*sound on*

let’s go cavs pic.twitter.com/sWZTkhIqCK

— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) October 31, 2022

The surge in three-point shooting came after the Cavs added the dynamic scoring Donovan Mitchell over the summer. The three-time All-Star has averaged 7.7 long-range attempts over his career. Last season, he shot a career-high 9.8 three-point shots (654) per game while making them (232) 35.5 percent of the time. Spida is shooting 9.2 threes per game this season on a career-best 45.5 percent clip.

Last season, Kevin Love led Cleveland in both categories, taking 477 and drilling 187.

Mitchell’s sharpshooting has unlocked another level that has transformed Cleveland’s offense into a dynamic, spaced-out, drive-and-kick-heavy offense.

“Watch the way the game is being played and how teams are defending and what you can do to attack it. If you’ve got the right people who can get in the paint, then you can find those shots,” Coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “I knew we’d be able to get open ones. Then it’s just a trust in the guys who have put in the time to make them. At the end of the day, that’s what it comes down to.”

Cleveland is thriving despite the absence of Darius Garland, who’s missed the last six games due to an eye injury. Because of Mitchell’s flamethrowing, Caris LeVert’s drive-and-kick game, and Garland’s shifty, probing dribble-drive attacks, multiple Cavs have had career-best starts to the season. Their backcourt has also created a lot of “wide-open” shots for Cleveland to cash in.

Dean Wade is shooting an insane 62.5 percent from beyond the arc, hitting 80 percent of the “wide-open” looks he gets. Love is lighting up the rim at a 47.2 percent rate from deep; he’s already got four games where he’s hit multiple triples in one night, including eight in Sunday’s win against New York. Out of the 36 threes Love has attempted, only four have come with a defender within four feet.

Cedi Osman is shooting 36.7 percent from deep, with 29 of his 30 being open or “wide-open,” and LeVert is hitting triples at 48.5 percent. He’s had just two of his 31 attempts get contested. Mitchell is Cleveland’s most heavily guarded shooter, but only 20 of his 55 attempts were contested.

“It’s just what the defense gives us and the type of 3s that we get,” Bickerstaff explained. “Can you create the open look and make the right pass? The way our guys have been shooting the 3, it’s hard to tell them not to take open shots, no matter the number of them.”

pic.twitter.com/Fa4snPIaJu

— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) October 31, 2022

It doesn’t matter if the Cavs get harder closely from outside; they are knocking down 41 percent of their heavily contested three-pointers, the third-best in the NBA.

From the beginning of training camp until now, Cleveland has been confident they could be more than capable of adopting a new identity as a three-point shooting team. Evan Mobley said he “didn’t know how good it could have been.” Wade remembered how during Cleveland’s third practice, the Cavs “didn’t miss a shot in like four days.” He went on to remark that “the amount of shooters we have on this team is crazy. So many different teams.”

“We’re creating open shots, and we’ve got the right guys taking those shots,” Bickerstaff said. “I hope we took lessons from last year. You go back and look at the numbers; we created open shots at a high level. We didn’t make them.”

Cleveland will continue their long-distance revolution when they host Boston on Wednesday.

The post How Cleveland Transformed Into A Record-Setting Three-Point Shooting Team appeared first on SLAM.

Over the past couple of seasons, Turner has been linked to multiple trade reports and rumors. However, he has yet actually to be acquired by another team. These trade rumors have happened so often and been so persistent that Turner has become ‘numb‘ to them.

“If I’m the Lakers, I take a very hard look at this with the position that you’re in. I know what I can provide for a team. My leadership, my shot blocking, my three-point ability, and just my ability to make plays out there on the floor.”

Turner is entering the last year of his contract with the Pacers, and in his time there thus far, he has been a dominant force. Since coming into the League in 2015, Turner has averaged 12.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game throughout his eight-year career. Turner is also shooting a career 48.8 percent from the field and 34.9 percent from beyond the arc.

The Lakers could use a defensive presence like Turner right now, as they rank 26th in overall defensive rankings this season. It is still very early in the season, but the Lakers just secured their first win of the season, bringing their overall record to 1-5.

This could be a win-win move for the Pacers and Lakers if a deal were to be done. There’s still a long season ahead, and if the Lakers do get it turned around, it’s unlikely they’ll give up such high picks. Only time will tell what is to come for both Turner and the Lakers, but it is definitely a situation to keep an eye on.

The post Myles Turner Speaks on What He Could Possibly Bring to Lakers if He’s Traded appeared first on SLAM.

The injury happened in Charlotte and started a wild string of injuries for the Nets.

Before Dinwiddie was injured, numerous trade rumors were swirling around involving Dinwiddie and eventual-now-former Net James Harden. If Dinwiddie had not gotten hurt, then there is a huge chance he might have been involved in a trade deal for Harden. Had Dinwiddie stayed in Brooklyn, he would have played a significant role as the primary point guard because of the vaccination rules situation with Kyrie Irving.

Due to the injury, Dinwiddie was traded as part of a 5-team sign-and-trade that dealt him to the Washington Wizards.

Let it fly pic.twitter.com/W3U2W50lL6

— Dallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) October 26, 2022

Dinwiddie was always a media favorite during his time as a Net. After the Maverick’s win against the Nets Thursday night, Dinwiddie was asked if he ever thought about how his career would look if his time in Brooklyn never ended on an ACL tear.

“I don’t know if the trade still happens or not or if I’m in it,” Dinwiddie said per The Athletic. “Regardless of whether it happens or not, I believe the Nets are a championship team. Just because if you look how close that team was, we were steamrolling people before I got hurt. Even if they make the trade and I’m in it, that means they probably get to keep one of Caris (LeVert) or Jarrett (Allen), which obviously really would have been needed. Or I’m not in it; it means I’m still here, and I’m with Harden. So either way you slice it, all three of those scenarios, the team probably wins the championship.”

The Nets would definitely benefit from an energetic rim protector like Jarrett Allen right now, who has emerged as an All-Star center since signing a five-year deal worth $100 million with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Though Nets coach Steve Nash said a while ago, he wasn’t sure the team would have been able to offer Allen the five-year, $100 million contract he got from the Cavs. Ironically since all this, Allen and Caris LeVert have reunited and are once again on this year’s Cavs squad.

One thing is for sure; both guys are currently making huge differences for their respective teams. It is still early in the season, so there is still a ton of optimism for Net’s fans that the team will be able to turn things around. The team, without question, has enough talent to make a deep playoff run with a lineup headlined by Irving, Kevin Durant, Patty Mills, and Ben Simmons.

Just need to give them some time and let the chemistry develop because they still have a long season ahead.

The post Spencer Dinwiddie Opens Up About Getting Traded After His Knee Injury appeared first on SLAM.

The USC product suffered an ankle injury and was forced to sit out at the end of training camp and Cleveland’s first three preseason games. Because of that untimely injury, Mobley lost the valuable opportunity to play alongside the combination of Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, and Caris LeVert.

Without sizable time to find a rhythm post-injury and to build chemistry with the Cavs’ new backcourt in Garland and Mitchell, Mobley feels like he has “gotten off to kind of a slow start,” per The Athletic. 

Following Sunday’s OT win against the Washington Wizards, the 21-year-old hadn’t taken double-digit shot attempts this season. On Sunday, Mobley shot 28.6 percent from the field and finished with two field goals. 

After Tuesday’s practice, Bickerstaff said, “we’ve gotta get him more involved.” 

“Again, it’s a mix of time together and where he was in the preseason and then him coming back and then Darius being gone. There are some things that we’re still working through. He’s so skilled and so talented, and we want him involved in our offense in a bunch of different ways.”

pic.twitter.com/9PmVr6NJaY

— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) October 27, 2022

Bickerstaff likes the shots Mobley is taking but wants him to take more. The Cavs believe Mobley is “the guy who can help take [them] to the next level.” In his rookie season, the center averaged 15 points on 50.8 percent from the field, 25 percent from three, and 66.2 percent from the free-throw line. For Cleveland to rise to a championship-level team, they need Mobley to continue to improve his strength and consistency. 

“Evan’s basketball IQ is what we teach every single day,” Bickerstaff said during training camp. “We were talking about teaching guys how to play basketball; that’s what Evan excels at naturally. He just understands the game at a higher level than most second-year players do, and even as a rookie.”

Mobley is looking to play with more freedom and ease on offense, becoming a simultaneous creator and attacker. 

At Wednesday morning’s shootaround, he said he is “going to stay consistent with it.” 

“I know shots are going to start falling,” Mobley said “And I’m going to be in a better position to take those shots as well.”

On Wednesday night against the Orlando Magic, Mobley seemed to have regained some of his flow. The second-year center finished with 22 points on 9-15 shooting, including 17 points in the second half. 

“He was determined to help us win this game,” Bickerstaff said. “We know what he’s capable of. We believe in him a lot. And he was attack-minded, and he went out to prove a point. I think he did that.”

Step back 2⃣ #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/24Vi3YypFd

— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) October 27, 2022

Teammate Dean Wade added: “every time he touched a ball, he’s looking to be aggressive. That’s always good to see, especially out of him. Sometimes he goes to make a play but doesn’t look to score, and I think tonight he was always looking to score, and that’s what we needed him to do. So wh n he plays like that, we’re a hard team to beat because he’s going to take at least two guys to stop him. And he’s obviously a great passer, so he can make those passes out. Tonight was exciting to see him just attack every time he touched it. It was fun.”

Mobley’s bounce-back game helped the Cavs seal a 103-92 win over the Magic and earned him the infamous Junkyard Dog Chain award for the night.

While he may have gotten off to a slower start to the season, Mobley looks to build on his 22-point performance against the Boston Celtics tomorrow night.

The post J.B. Bickerstaff On Getting Evan Mobley ‘More Involved’ Offensively appeared first on SLAM.

“This is my fifth offseason with trade rumors going on,” Turner said per Hoops Wire. “‘He’s going to land here; he’s going to do this. He going to do that.’ I am finally numb to it, in a sense. So that’s another thing that I was proud of myself for as well. I was able to immerse myself in the experience of Africa as opposed to my own personal life or my own selfish reasons.”

Turner had been previously linked to the Hornets and Cavaliers, and he was also caught up in a debate about whether the team should keep him or Domantas Sabonis.

“The way I’m perceiving everything now, my outlook is I’m in great shape right now,” he said, “I’ve worked my way back for my injuries. And just carry myself as a professional as I always have. Whether that’s in [Pacers] training camp or whether that’s a training camp somewhere else, I’m going to go and be myself.”

Turner’s focus remains on the court, regardless of who he suits up for this year. He played in only 42 games this year, averaging 12.9 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 2.8 rejections before a foot injury stopped all that.

The post Pacers Center Myles Turner Has Become ‘Numb’ to Persistent Trade Rumors appeared first on SLAM.

So far we have seen the Knicks land, Jalen Brunson, on a massive four-year deal, and Nikola Jokic and Karl-Anthony Towns have re-signed to their teams on supermax deals. Zach LaVine and Bradley Beal will remain with the Bulls and Wizards respectively after signing max deals. Young All-Stars like Ja Morant, Darius Garland, and Zion Williamson have also signed max extensions with their teams.

The Warriors will also look to be putting a different bench mob on the court this coming season after they let Gary Payton II, Otto Porter Jr., and Juan Toscano-Anderson walk away in free agency. The decision seems to imply that the Warriors will invest 100 percent into their win-and-develop model as they keep their championship core intact while empowering Andrew Wiggins, Jordan Poole, Jonathan Kuminga, James Wiseman, and Moses Moody.

Dallas Mavericks forward Maxi Kleber is finalizing a three-year, $33 million contract extension, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Kleber was entering the final year of his deal, now under contract through 2025-26.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 8, 2022

Montrezl Harrell is headed to Philly after a tumultuous offseason where he dealt with some legal troubles surrounding marijuana trafficking that was later reduced to misdemeanor possession in a Madison County (KY) courthouse. The charge will be expunged from his record in 12 months if Harrell doesn’t get in any more legal trouble.

James Harden recruited Harrell due to their relationship as teammates on the Rockets. Harrell is expected to bring some toughness and grit to a Philly team that needed a backup big man behind two-time MVP runner-up Joel Embiid.

ESPN Sources: Free agent C Montrezl Harrell is signing two-year deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, including a player option. Harrell brings more toughness to a team searching for it this offseason. He was Sixth Man of the Year with Doc Rivers/Sam Cassell in 2019-2020 w/ Clippers.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 6, 2022

Sources: The Toronto Raptors signed Thaddeus Young to a two-year, $17 million extension, which includes player incentive bonuses and a $1 million partial guarantee for the 2023-24 season, @hoopshype has learned.

— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) July 5, 2022

Gary Harris’ two-year extension with the Orlando Magic is flat $13M each season. The second season is fully non-guaranteed, a league source told @spotrac.

— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) July 5, 2022

Sumner is fully recovered from a torn left Achilles that cost him the entire 2021-2022 season. He had been coming off his best NBA season with the Pacers prior to the injury, and now he’ll join the Nets’ backcourt rotation. https://t.co/5HfzZmkDZN

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 5, 2022

Free agent TJ Warren has agreed to a deal with the Brooklyn Nets, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 5, 2022

Free agent center Gorgui Dieng has agreed to a one-year deal with the San Antonio Spurs, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 5, 2022

Cole Swider signed a two-year Two-Way contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, a league source tells @spotrac.

— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) July 4, 2022

Free agent center Serge Ibaka has agreed to a one-year deal to return to the Milwaukee Bucks, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 4, 2022

The Brooklyn Nets signed Wake Forest Alondes Williams to a 2-way deal.

— Mike Vorkunov (@MikeVorkunov) July 4, 2022

Dragic is signing a one-year, $2.9M deal with the Bulls, sources said. https://t.co/f6VK9np1cf

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 3, 2022

Free agent Josh Okogie has agreed to a one-year deal with the Phoenix Suns, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 3, 2022

New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson has agreed on a five-year, $193 million designated maximum rookie extension that could earn him as much as $231 million, CAA Sports’ Co-Head of Basketball Austin Brown tells ESPN. pic.twitter.com/z4lnVLD1GM

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 2, 2022

Restricted free agent Cody Martin has agreed to a four-year, $32 million deal to return to the Charlotte Hornets, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 2, 2022

Free agent G Eugene Omoruyi has agreed to a two-way contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder, his agent Mike George of @OneLegacySports tells ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 2, 2022

Cleveland Cavaliers All-Star guard Darius Garland has agreed on a five-year, $193M maximum designated rookie contract extension that could be worth as much as $231M, @KlutchSports CEO Rich Paul tells ESPN. It is the largest deal in franchise history.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 2, 2022

Free agent guard Damion Lee has agreed to a one-year deal with the Phoenix Suns, source tells ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 2, 2022

Free agent Donte DiVincenzo has agreed to a two-year, $9.3M deal with the Golden State Warriors, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Free agent guard Raul Neto is signing with the Cleveland Cavaliers, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2022

Free agent center Kevon Looney has agreed to a three-year, $25.5M deal to return to Golden State, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Free agent forward Derrick Jones Jr. has agreed to a two-year, $6.6 million deal to return to the Chicago Bulls, with player option in second season, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2022

Free agent center Robin Lopez has agreed to a one-year deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Free agent F/C Drew Eubanks is returning to the Portland Trail Blazers on a one-year deal, his agent James Dunleavy of @excelbasketball tells ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

John Wall officially agrees with the Clippers on a two-year deal for the taxpayer midlevel. https://t.co/5yCuV4cePg

— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) July 1, 2022

Free agent C Jusuf Nurkic has agreed on a new four-year, $70 million deal to stay with the Portland Trail Blazers, @KlutchSports CEO Rich Paul tells ESPN. pic.twitter.com/6vmHrdOZI3

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

NBA All-Star Zach LaVine has agreed to a five-year, $215.2 million maximum contract to return to the Chicago Bulls, with a player option in Year 5, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul told @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2022

The defending champs lose another valuable two-way star after Otto Porter Jr. signed with the Raptors on a two-year deal that has a player option.

Free agent Otto Porter Jr. — vital member of Golden State Warriors championship team — reached an agreement with the Toronto Raptors on a two-year deal with a player option, league sources tell @YahooSports. https://t.co/ck81fptKZh

— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) July 1, 2022

Free agent G Theo Pinson is returning to the Dallas Mavericks on a one-year deal, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Free agent Aaron Holiday has agreed to a one-year deal with the Atlanta Hawks, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2022

Free agent center Mitchell Robinson has agreed on a new four-year, $60 million contract to stay with the New York Knicks, his agents Thad Foucher and Joe Smith of @Wassbasketball tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/dnKtVQmln9

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Bruce Brown has agreed to a 2-year, $13M+ deal with the Denver Nuggets, sources tell ESPN.

— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) July 1, 2022

#Pistons to re-sign Marvin Bagley III, add Kevin Knox as free-agent frenzy begins: https://t.co/WVHahAmeKR

— Rod Beard (@detnewsRodBeard) July 1, 2022

Ricky Rubio played an integral part in the Cavs’ resurgence to the playoff scene last season before suffering a season-ending torn ACL in December. Rubio was traded to the Pacers near the trade deadline but the Cavs and Rubio were mutually interested in bringing back the former lottery pick point guard.

Free agent guard Ricky Rubio is nearing a deal on a return to the Cleveland Cavaliers, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Zion Williamson, the 2021 All-Star phenom, has locked in on signing a max extension deal with the Pelicans. Williamson missed all of the 2021-2022 season while he recovered from foot surgery. The deal keeps Williamson in New Orleans through 2027-28.

Williamson said after the season ended, “I couldn’t sign it fast enough.” Indeed, the All-Star locks in commitment to New Orleans.

The deal is expected to include protections that both sides were sorting through overnight and will finalize, sources said. https://t.co/n0hyRwRk9e

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2022

The Golden State Warriors lose one of their best and most versatile defenders after Gary Payton II decided to head towards playing for the Portland Trail Blazers on a three-year deal. Payton led the League in steals per 36 minutes.

Warriors were unwilling to meet that high of a price tag (and resulting tax spike) for Gary Payton II and have now lost their defensive ace off the bench to the Blazers. He led the NBA in steals per 36 minutes last season. https://t.co/iaY6xmUrG7

— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) July 1, 2022

Free agent center Andre Drummond is finalizing a deal with the Chicago Bulls, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2022

Free agent Kevin Knox has agreed to a two-year, $6 million deal with the Detroit Pistons, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2022

Free agent Kevin Knox has agreed to a two-year, $6 million deal with the Detroit Pistons, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2022

Free agent JaVale McGee has agreed to a three-year, $20.1 million deal with the Dallas Mavericks, with player option for third season, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Ja Morant is locked in with the Grizzlies after his agent told Woj that he signed a five-year max extension to lead Memphis as its lead guard for the foreseeable future.

Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant has agreed on a five-year, $193M designated rookie maximum extension that could become worth $231M, his agent Jim Tanner of @_TandemSE tells ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Karl Anthony-Towns has reportedly agreed to a four-year super max extension per his agent. KAT’s contract will begin during the 2024-2025 season.

Minnesota Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns has agreed on a four-year, $224M super max extension, his agent Jessica Holtz of @CAA_Basketball tells ESPN. Deal begins with the 2024-25 season and delivers Towns’ total contract value to six years and $295M.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Jalen Brunson has reportedly agreed to the four-year deal that the Knicks offered him. Woj reported that the near-max deal includes a player option on its final season.

Free agent guard Jalen Brunson has agreed to a four-year, $104 million deal with the New York Knicks, his agents Aaron Mintz and Sam Rose of @CAA_Basketball tell ESPN. The deal includes a player option on the final season.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

The Wizards have added three veteran guards to join Bradley Beal in recent days — Will Barton, Monte Morris and now Delon Wright leaves the Hawks for Washington. https://t.co/4YFMxR2o7Z

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Kyle Anderson has agreed to a two-year, $18M deal to join the Timberwolves, his agents Thad Foucher and Joe Smith of @wassbasketball tell ESPN. https://t.co/fWzhFhVfkx

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Orlando Magic guard Gary Harris has agreed on a two-year, $26 million contract extension, his agents Austin Brown and Aaron Mintz of @CAA_Basketball tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Anthony Gill is signing a two year-deal with the Washington Wizards, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Restricted free agent C Nic Claxton has agreed on a two-year, $20 million deal to return to the Brooklyn Nets, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Free agent Troy Brown Jr. has agreed to a minimum deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Lonnie Walker IV is signing a one-year, $6.5M deal with the Lakers, sources said. https://t.co/7xBnStLWfo

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Rockets restricted free agent Jae’Sean Tate has agreed to a three-year, $22.1 million deal to return to Houston, his agents E.J. Kusnyer and Jordan Cornish of @beyond_am tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Free agent center Dewayne Dedmon has agreed to a two-year, $9 million deal to return to the Miami Heat, agents Mike Silverman and Brandon Grier of @steinbergsports tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Free agent Davon Reed has agreed to a two-year deal to return to the Denver Nuggets, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Free agent guard Jevon Carter has agreed to a two-year deal to return to Milwaukee, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Free agent Wesley Matthews has agreed to a one-year deal to return to the Milwaukee Bucks, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Free agent G Trevelin Queen has agreed a deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Free agent F Nic Batum has agreed to a two-year deal to return to the Los Angeles Clippers, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Free agent G Lu Dort has agreed to a five-year, $87.5M deal to stay with the Oklahoma City Thunder, his agent Thad Foucher of Wasserman tells ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Chris Boucher is returning to the Toronto Raptors on a three-year, $35.25M deal, his agent Sam Permut of @RocNationSports tells ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Jones’ agent, Austin Brown of @CAA_Basketball, tells ESPN the second year is a player option.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Amir Coffey has agreed to a three-year, $11M deal with the Clippers, his agents Bill Duffy and Marlon Harrison of @BDA_Sports and WME Sports tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Free agent G Tyus Jones is returning to the Memphis Grizzlies on a two-year, $30M deal, his agent Kevin Bradbury of @REP1Basketball tells ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Free agent Danuel House has agreed to a deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Free agent Bobby Portis has agreed to a four-year, $49 million deal to return to the Milwaukee Bucks, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Deal includes a player option in Year 4.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Free agent PJ Tucker is finalizing a three-year, $33.2 million fully guaranteed deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, his agent Andre Buck (@andrebuck14) told @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Free agent Victor Oladipo has agreed to a one-year, $11 million deal to return to the Miami Heat, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Free agent center Isaiah Hartenstein has agreed to a two-year, $16 million-plus deal with the New York Knicks, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Fully guaranteed deal for Hartenstein.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Free agent center DeAndre Jordan has agreed to a deal with the Denver Nuggets, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Sources: Malik Monk is signing a two-year, $19M deal to join the Kings. https://t.co/spgbvRZspx

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Devin Booker and the Phoenix Suns have reportedly finalized a four-year supermax extension that he will likely sign sometime next week. Shams Charania reports that he will be the cover athlete for NBA 2K23.

The Phoenix Suns and All-NBA guard Devin Booker are finalizing a four-year, $214 million supermax contract extension that he’s set to sign as soon as next week, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

Booker will also be the cover athlete for NBA 2K23, per sources.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Nikola Jokic has reportedly signed the richest deal in NBA history after signing a supermax contract extension with the Nuggets on Thursday.

Two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic has agreed to a five-year, $264 million supermax contract extension with the Denver Nuggets, the richest deal in NBA history, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Fifth season (2027-28) will be a player option at $60M.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Bradley Beal will stay in the Nation’s Capital after he reportedly signed a five-year max deal.

All-Star guard Bradley Beal has agreed to a five-year, $251 million maximum contract to stay with the Washington Wizards, his agent Mark Bartelstein of @PrioritySports tells ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons has agreed on a four-year, $100 million contract extension, his agent Bill Duffy of @BDA_Sports + WME Sports tells ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

The Spurs are pulling the qualifying offer on Lonnie Walker IV, making him an unrestricted free agent, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Expect a strong market for Walker immediately.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Jalen Brunson is headed to New York after Shams Charania reported that he intends on signing a four-year deal with the franchise.

Free agent Jalen Brunson intends to sign a four-year, near $110M deal with the New York Knicks in free agency, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. The Mavericks never received chance to make offer, sources said.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

According to Alex Schiffer of The Athletic, P.J. Tucker will be pursued by Atlanta, Minnesota, Brooklyn, Chicago. and Philadelphia during the free agency period of the NBA offseason. Furthermore, Schiffer reports that Tucker is unlikely to return to South Beach.

Multiple teams — including Atlanta, Minnesota, Brooklyn, Chicago and Philadelphia — are expected to compete for PJ Tucker in free agency. All are expected to offer the full mid-level/TPMLE exception. He is unlikely to return to Miami, per sources.

— Alex Schiffer (@Alex__Schiffer) June 30, 2022

Trent Forrest will be an unrestricted free agent after the Jazz decided not to extend a qualifying offer to the point guard out of Florida State.

The Utah Jazz will not extend a qualifying offer to point guard Trent Forrest, making him an unrestricted free agent, League Sources tell The Athletic. There is interest in working something out during free agency. Forrest was a member of the rotation this past season

— Tony Jones (@Tjonesonthenba) June 30, 2022

Per Marcus Thompson of The Athletic, Juan Toscano-Anderson will be an unrestricted free agent once the free agency period of the NBA offseason begins on Thursday. The 29-year-old became the first Mexican-American to win an NBA title after the Warriors won the 2022 NBA Finals.

“I got a championship with my hometown team,” JTA told Thompson during a phone interview Wednesday night.

“I’m stamped in the Town. I’m stamped in my country. That shit can’t nobody take from me. You’ve got to give a little to get a little. And I gave up playing time to, you know, become a legend. I’m a legend in the Town. I’m a legend in Mexico. And I’m not saying that myself. It’s showing, know what I mean?”

Juan Toscano-Anderson is at peace with leaving the Warriors.

“I’m stamped in the Town. I’m stamped in my country. That shit can’t nobody take from me.”

It’s time for the next chapter of his storybook journey.https://t.co/m94B7ILm2u pic.twitter.com/5OxoGWXG6P

— Marcus Thompson II (@ThompsonScribe) June 30, 2022

According to Tim Reynolds, the Heat does not have a meeting scheduled with restricted free agent Jalen Brunson on Thursday.

The Heat are not planning to meet with Jalen Brunson today, and they did not have such a meeting scheduled, per league source.

— Tim Reynolds (@ByTimReynolds) June 30, 2022

The Cavs are reportedly expected to match offers given to restricted free agent Collin Sexton. Multiple reports say Sexton wants a “starting guard” extension. The Alabama product is coming off a season-ending torn meniscus.

Cavs Expected To Match Outside Offers For Collin Sexton – Hoops Wire https://t.co/9k5zuRmUAd

— Sam Amico (@AmicoHoops) June 30, 2022

The Jazz won’t extend a qualifying offer to forward Eric Paschall, sources tell @Tjonesonthenba.

He will become an unrestricted free agent.https://t.co/fcOCtqEmMN pic.twitter.com/ok07Xpx9Dr

— The Athletic NBA (@TheAthleticNBA) June 30, 2022

Kemba Walker and the Pistons have reportedly agreed to a contract buyout. Walker will be a free agent after he clears waivers. Walker last played for the Knicks last season before he was traded to the Pistons as New York clears space to sign fellow free agent Jalen Brunson.

Four-time All-Star guard Kemba Walker and the Detroit Pistons are finalizing a contract buyout, sources tell ESPN. Once Walker clears waivers, he’ll join free agency.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Per Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald, the Heat have guaranteed the contracts of Max Strus, Gabe Stevenson, and Omer Yurtseven as of Thursday morning.

Max Strus, Gabe Vincent and Omer Yurtseven are still on the Heat’s roster this morning, which means their full $1.8 million salaries for next season are now guaranteed. This was seen as a formality. Carry on.

— Anthony Chiang (@Anthony_Chiang) June 30, 2022

The Sacramento Kings are exercising the option on PF/C Chimezie Metu for the 2022-2023 season, sources tell ESPN. Metu averaged 8.9 points and 5.6 rebounds in 21 minutes a game for the Kings last season.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2022

Patty Mills will be exploring his options on the free-agent market after declining to sign his player option with the Nets on Wednesday afternoon.

Brooklyn Nets guard Patty Mills declined his $6.2M option and will become a free agent, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2022

The Kings won’t be offering a qualifying offer to Donte DiVencenzo, making him an unrestricted free agent.

The Sacramento Kings are declining to offer Donte DiVencenzo a qualifying offer, which will make him an unrestricted free agent, sources tell ESPN. There will be significant interest in DiVencenzo on the open market.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2022

Lu Dort will be a restricted free agent after the OKC Thunder decided to not sign Durt’s team option for the 2022-23 season, per Shams Charania.

The Oklahoma City Thunder are declining the $1.9 million team option on froward Lu Dort for 2022-23 season, which makes him a restricted free agent and allows sides to negotiate a new deal in free agency, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 29, 2022

James Harden will hit the free-agent market for the first time in his career but he is likely to re-sign with the 76ers.

ESPN Sources: 76ers star James Harden has declined his $47.3M option and become a free agent. He keeps real the possibility of negotiating a new deal that would deliver the Sixers roster-building flexibility in free agency – including use of the full $10.5M exception.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2022

Bobby Portis told the Bucks that he’ll decline his player option and will instead become a free agent.

Portis has early bird rights in Milwaukee.

The maximum that he can sign for is 4 years/$49M.

The contract has to be for a minimum of 2 seasons and cannot include an option in year 2. https://t.co/Nu5KC9G8D9

— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) June 29, 2022

Bradley Beal has made his long-awaited decision and will become a free agent for the first time in his career after declining his player option.

Washington Wizards star Bradley Beal has declined his $36.4M option and become a free agent, his agent Mark Bartelstein of @PrioritySports tells ESPN. Beal is eligible to sign a 5-year max to return to Wizards – or sign elsewhere on a 4-year deal.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2022

Jae-Sean Tate will be a restricted free agent after the ROckets declined his team option for the 2022-23 season. Shams Charania reports that Houston and Tate are mutually interested in signing a new deal once free agency begins on Thursday.

The Houston Rockets have declined forward Jae’Sean Tate’s $1.8 million team option for next season, making him a restricted free agent, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Rockets and Tate have mutual interest in discussing new deal in free agency beginning Thursday night.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 29, 2022

The Cavaliers have reportedly elected to not offer Moses Brown a qualifying offer to Moses Brown, per Michael Scott of the Hoopshype. The decision allows Brown to enter the free-agent market as an unrestricted free agent.

Sources: The Cleveland Cavaliers won’t tender a qualifying offer to center Moses Brown, @hoopshype has learned. The 7-foot-1, 22-year-old center will become an unrestricted free agent. Brown could be an intriguing development option for NBA teams around the league.

— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) June 28, 2022

According to Adrian Wojnarowski, Taurean Prince and the Timberwolves have reportedly agreed to a two-year contract extension.

Minnesota Timberwolves F Taurean Prince has agreed on a two-year, $16 million contract extension, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2022

Ivica Zubac and his reps have reportedly agreed to a three-year extension with the Clippers, per Woj. The Clippers declining to sign his team option led to the agreement with Zubac.

Los Angeles Clippers center Ivica Zubac has agreed on a three-year, $33 million extension, his agents Jeff Schwartz and Mike Lindeman of @excelbasketball tell ESPN. The Clippers declined his $7.5M team option for 2022-2023, clearing the way for Zubac’s new deal.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 28, 2022

Tony Bradley is reportedly opting into his player option and will remain with the Bulls next season, per Woj.

Chicago Bulls center Tony Bradley is exercising his $2M player option for next season, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 28, 2022

The post 2022 NBA Free Agency Tracker appeared first on SLAM.

Where the Cavs front office and Sexton may disagree is the amount of money Young Bull will make. According to NBA insider Michael Scott of the Hoopshype podcast, the Cavs want to retain Sexton, and Sexton will be demanding “starting guard money.”

“The Cavaliers want to retain Collin Sexton,” NBA insider Michael Scotto said on the HoopsHype podcast. “He’s going to demand starting guard money, I’m told.

“There are some teams who will be in the market for a point guard this summer, including the New York Knicks and Washington Wizards, who would have to acquire Sexton in a sign-and-trade if they want to get him. Last season, no restricted free agent signed an offer sheet, and players such as Cavaliers forward Lauri Markkanen switched teams via sign-and-trade.”

Sexton led the Cavs in scoring in 2020-21 (24.1 points per game) and 2021-22 (16.0 points per game) before he suffered a season-ending torn meniscus in his left knee 11 games into the season.

Should Cleveland decide to extend Sexton, he will be joining a team with a new pecking order after Darius Garland, and Jarrett Allen broke out and earned All-Star nominations. With Allen, Garland, and Evan Mobley as their franchise cornerstones, the Cavs (44-38) earned a spot in the Play-In Tournament thanks to their identity as a top-five ranked defense.

The Cavs also acquired Caris LeVert at the trade deadline. Both Sexton and LeVert play the same position. If Sexton returns, the Cavs will be facing a question of who starts and who comes off the bench. Both guards have experience playing a reduced role, with Sexton embracing the Cavs and asking him to take fewer shots for the team’s benefit. LeVert went from key weapon to coming off the bench to playing second-fiddle in his short time in Indiana.

The experience the two have in different roles will help make whatever transition Coach J.B. Bickerstaff will make. The main question will be if Cleveland wants to pay Sexton when they have a logjam at guard and will also need to prepare for extension talks when Garland becomes eligible in 2023. The other question will be does Cleveland believe they will repeat their success with Sexton next to Garland, LeVert, Allen, and Mobley.

Regardless, Cleveland has a bright future with Bickerstaff and GM Koby Altman at the top of the helm and Garland’s rise as the team’s face combined with the rapid development of All-Rookie center Mobley.

The post REPORT: Collin Sexton Wants ‘Starting Guard Money’ in New Cavs Deal appeared first on SLAM.

With countless tunnel fits to choose from, the All-LeagueFits Teams were carefully selected by a voting system that include one-third of fan votes, one-third of votes from LF’s Survival of the Fitted Podcast, and the remaining votes from an exclusive panel that includes designer Mamadou, former WNBA star Ty Young, fashion publicist John Guidry, NBA champ Axel Toupane, NFL star and designer Rodney McLeod, designer Caroline Bentley Noble, Los Angeles Sparks’ star Liz Cambage, fashion Tik Tok influencer Ayeeron, former NBA standout and designer/ ‘Bucks in 6’ legend Brandon Jennings, Richard aka @thehapablonde and stylist Devon Byrd.

Here are the official results of the First, Second and Third Teams, as well as the All-Rookie and Honorable Mentions. Stay tuned for the individual award selections.

Jordan Clarkson is truly in a class of his own. This is his third consecutive first team selection, and he was one of only two unanimous picks between the panel, fans and pod. Kelly Oubre Jr. was the first-ever LeagueFits MVP, and he makes an epic return to the first team after showing out in a major way with charlotte this past season.

As for SGA, no debates to be had this time around. He showed off his versatility this season and rightfully secured his spot on the top team. Then there’s Devin Booker, who has the most defined aesthetic in basketball. he was one of two players to be unanimously voted to the first team.

Meanwhile, D-Lo elevated his looks to another level this season, and he did it in the classiest way possible.

These five did it their way and one time for some of the tunnel’s tuffest. Russ came back to Hollywood this year, and he owned the tunnel at STAPLES for the full 82, while CP3 has yet to miss out on the LeagueFits teams since we started doing this in 2018. Jerry Lorenzo’s favorite hooper, Frank Jackson is making his return to the LF teams, and so is Kuz, who was the first-ever LF Rookie of the Year and has turned up the heat more and more. He’s never afraid to push the boundaries of self-expression and is a permanent LF mainstay.

While these awards are based on the regular season, we’ll admit that JT is the last guy we want to see on the court, or in the tunnel, during this postseason.

Jalen Green claims his spot on the third team after a heavy dosage of love from the fan vote and bringing in some unique looks his rookie season. Caris LeVert is maybe the most underrated tunnel star in the League. No more sleeping on Levert, he’s like that on the court and in the closet.

One time for Myles Turner, who’s gotta be the tallest dude to ever make a LeagueFits team standing at 6’11. We’re also not going to let y’all snub Jared Vanderbilt this year because he deserves this one, and Pj Tucker is gonna have a permanent spot on the LeagueFits teams as long as he plays in this League. True legend and true drip OG.

Nobody in the freshman class went harder post All-Star Game than Scottie Barnes. He’s surely cemented as a future LeagueFits and NBA star. Jonathan Kuminga’s been doing it his own way his entire life. No surprises he’s the same way in the tunnel.

Josh Christopher was the first (and we think the only) high school player to ever be posted on LeagueFits. This has been in the works for years. And, if you watched even five seconds of the 2021 NBA draft, you knew Jalen Green was going to be a superstar.

David Duke Jr held nothing back with his bold play on the court and in the tunnel his rookie campaign. The undrafted rook surpassed every expectation that was set, and it’s just the beginning.

Consistency matters in a season that’s 82-plus games long and Nickeil Alexander-Walker routinely delivered. Then we’ve got the LF fan favorite, Tyler Herro, who burst onto the scene as our rookie of the year a few years back and has kept the bar high since.

Jordan Poole might be from the midwest, but he embraced the laid-back California style to the fullest this year, while Thanasis Antetokounmpo used the Milwaukee winters as the perfect reason to consistently layer up, earning his first-ever LeagueFits award.

James Harden might be an OG in the tunnel, but he’s been dressing since before LF was even an idea. Tristan Thompson played in a few cities this year, and he dressed up in all of them. He earns LeagueFits awards honors for the second straight season.

And last but definitely not least, we confirmed on the Survival of the Fitted Pod that Gary Trent Jr. had the fit of the year. It’s only right he gets an LF awards nod.

The post The 2021-22 All-LeagueFits Teams Awards Results appeared first on SLAM.

First winning season secured since 2017-18 #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/nE2FXoPDcI

— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) March 29, 2022

The Cavs’ turnaround to seventh place in the Eastern Conference was created by GM Koby Altman, who has built this franchise around a mix of youth in All-Stars Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen, and Evan Mobley, who have been guided by the leadership of veterans like Kevin Love, Rajon Rondo, two former NBA champs, and Caris LeVert who arrived in Cleveland at the trade deadline.

Keys to the City. : @CGatewood_ pic.twitter.com/CKnUHz6COk

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 29, 2022

Garland has posted career-high numbers across the board at 21.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 8.6 assists per game. He’s also shooting a career-best 46.3 percent from the field. Allen has also averaged a career-high 16.1 points and 10.8 rebounds per game.

Mobley is averaging 14.9 points and 8.3 rebounds per game in his first season out of USC.

The Cavs are ranked fourth in the League in defensive rating (108.0) but 20th in offensive rating (110.4) with a net rating of 2.5, which sits them at 11th.

Cleveland (42-33) return to the hardwood on Tuesday when they host the Mavericks.

The post Cavs Achieve First Winning Season Since 2017-2018 Campaign appeared first on SLAM.

On the positive side, when he wasn’t stuck on the bench, Jackson was clearly having an impact. A big impact, especially for a 20-year-old still adjusting to the NBA. The versatile forward was considered a project heading into the 2021 Draft, where he was selected with the No. 22 overall pick and immediately traded to the Pacers. At 6-10, with an absurd 7-5 wingspan and elite athleticism, his potential was glaring. But Jackson hadn’t put up huge numbers in his one season at Kentucky—averaging 8.4 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.6 blocks—and was expected to need time to develop, particularly on offense.

Still, the Pacers liked his ability to protect the rim on one end (Jackson led the entire SEC in blocks per game) and attack it relentlessly on the other (he was an obvious lob threat that could pair well with Indiana’s many playmakers). He logged just 50 total minutes through October, November and December before his role started to grow. Two-time All-Star Domantas Sabonis entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols at the end of January, leading Jackson to receive his first start on Jan. 31, in a home game against the Clippers. The rook was ready for the moment (despite finding out that afternoon, when he showed up to the arena), putting up a career-high 26 points (including four dunks and a three), 10 rebounds, 2 blocks and, most importantly, 0 fouls. His performance helped the Pacers secure a 122-116 win, snapping a four-game losing streak. 

“When a guy like him starts getting consistent minutes, when he hasn’t been playing much all year, he’s excited, he’s hyped up and the game is fast,” head coach Rick Carlisle reflected afterwards. “NBA players do things to make you react. Just the reminders for him over the last several days [were]: stay on your feet, be the second guy off the ground—because with as quickly as you jump, you’ll still be able to get up and contest or block the shot—and play without fouls because we need you on the floor. And, man oh man, he did such a great job in every area tonight. When we talked in the Draft—picked him at 22—about the need for athleticism and a rim threat, this is what we were talking about. Caris [LeVert] threw him some lobs. Justin Holiday threw him one. Two, three other guys got into the fray. And this is a dimension that this team has not had, so it was really great to see.”

Asked about his heightened role, Jackson told reporters: “It’s helped me a lot. Just getting the experience—that real game experience—has helped me a lot. I think today I took a step forward in my progress, as far as staying down [on defense] and not really [making mistakes]. I made a couple mistakes, but I’m a rookie, so I’m going to make those mistakes, but I’m trying to build off those mistakes as well. I think today was a big step forward in my progress—staying down on defense and just improving my game overall.”

With Sabonis now in Sacramento (along with Justin Holiday and Jeremy Lamb, the big man was dealt to the Kings in exchange for Tyrese Haliburton, Buddy Hield and Tristan Thompson at the deadline), and Indiana looking toward the future, Jackson’s role has only expanded. He is now a fixture in the starting lineup, building chemistry alongside the new backcourt duo of Haliburton and Malcolm Brogdon. Since the All-Star break, Jackson is averaging 11.4 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game, shooting 67 percent from the field. At this point, the evidence is clear: as long as he can stay on the floor. Jackson is—and will continue to be—a real difference-maker.

The post SLAM x Panini Rookie Spotlight: Isaiah Jackson appeared first on SLAM.

Unfinished business. That’s the only thought that will be on Josiah Harris’ mind until the end of March. Having turned down options to leave The Land to attend any prep school in the country, he only has one goal on his list at the moment: a state championship.

“I just felt like this year is the year to bring a state championship back to Richmond, and we definitely have the pieces to do it,” the Richmond Heights senior, who has previously reached the Final Four, explains. “Coach Q [Quentin Rogers] and the coaching staff can get me prepared to go to West Virginia and can definitely get me right.” 

Originally from Canton, OH, Harris attended GlenOak HS his freshman year and was next in line to follow CJ McCollum, Errick McCollum and Kosta Koufos as that next dude out. Ultimately, his family decided to move to Cleveland to be closer to his grandmother for his sophomore campaign, and the love that the city has shown Josiah ever since hasn’t gone unnoticed. “The community is much more tight-knit [in Cleveland],” he says, “and the basketball environment is much better with everyone coming out to support the program.”

When it came to college options, the 6-7 forward with a 7-1 wingspan had his pick. He chose to play for Bob Huggins at West Virginia over Ohio State, Virginia Tech and a myriad of others. It was the love that the coaching staff and fans showed when he visited campus that made him pick Morgantown in the end.

“My relationship with the coaches, and then once I saw the atmosphere there myself, it was absolutely amazing,” he recalls. “Having the whole state come out to support you and having such a winning culture made me want to be a part of it.”

In today’s positionless era, Josiah is a dream for any coach. He uses his long wingspan to routinely lock down four different positions defensively. If you throw a smaller guy on him, he’s going to take you to the block. If you put a bigger guy on him, he’s going to face you up on the perimeter and go to work.

Harris agrees, telling SLAM he’s going to bring his “versatility and being able to play just about any position on the floor. I can post up smaller defenders, then take bigger ones off the dribble.”

Running on the AAU circuit with All Ohio Red in the EYBL has prepared him to step in and make an immediate impact in the Big 12. He led the squad in both scoring and rebounding, playing against the nation’s finest all summer. Quentin Rogers, former coach of AOR and now the head coach at Richmond, believes that the range Josiah showed defensively will be his calling card as his offense follows. 

“Buying into defense will help him get on the floor earlier [at WVU] as opposed to his offense,” says Rogers, who has coached the likes of Jared Sullinger, Terry Rozier and Caris LeVert. “He’s a very inquisitive player who is real knowledgeable and an absolute sponge.”

Aside from being a talented hooper, Josiah has put in just as much work in the classroom. Owning over a 4.0 GPA at press time, he’s set to graduate with his Bachelor’s degree in communications from WVU by the time he’s 19.

“I’ve taken all college classes since my sophomore year and got my associate’s degree at the end of my junior year,” says Harris, who has gone to school on a college campus since he was 15. “I am working toward my Bachelor’s degree now and should have it finished by the end of my freshman year.” 

SLAM Presents All-Star Vol 2: The Land is available now!

Portraits Courtney Payton.

The post West Virginia Commit Josiah Harris is Transcending on the Court and in the Classroom appeared first on SLAM.

Cleveland guard Rajon Rondo will be out two weeks with a toe sprain, team says.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 25, 2022

Rondo has put up 7.5 points and 5.0 assists per game in 14 appearances. The two-time champ has brought a veteran presence to a young Cavs team that has shot up the Eastern Conference playoff standings. His injury further depletes a Cavs backcourt that is missing Collin Sexton and Caris LeVert due to injury. Darius Garland is also day-to-day with a back injury.

The Cavs (35-24) have 23 games remaining on their schedule, including a matchup with the Wizards coming on Saturday.

The post Rajon Rondo Out Two Weeks With Toe Sprain Per Cavs appeared first on SLAM.

On Thursday, Yahoo Sports’ Chris Haynes reported that Cavs guard Caris LeVert would be out up to two weeks with a right foot sprain.

LeVert is a very recent acquisition for the Cavaliers, making his way to Cleveland at the NBA trade deadline two weeks ago from the Indiana Pacers. To acquire LeVert, the Cavs had to send the injured Ricky Rubio, a 2022 first-round pick and two second-round draft picks.

Since coming to Cleveland, LeVert has played just four games but has an average of 13.3 points and 3.8 assists per game. LeVert is capable of much more, and with more time, Cavs fans may soon watch the LeVert, who was averaging 18.7 points and 4.4 assists per game with the Pacers, emerge.

The Cavaliers (35-24) are fifth in the East and are 3.5 games back of the first-place Chicago Bulls.

If LeVert is out for two weeks, he could miss up to seven games for the Cavaliers, including matchups against teams at the top of the East in the Philadelphia 76ers and Miami Heat, and a rematch with his former team, the Pacers.

The post REPORT: Caris LeVert Out Up to Two Weeks With Foot Injury appeared first on SLAM.

“The door’s not closed on that,” James told The Athletic. “I’m not saying I’m coming back and playing, I don’t know. I don’t know what my future holds. I don’t even know when I’m free.”

During his last tenure with the Cavaliers, The Chosen One finally delivered on his promise to lead the Cavs to a championship after leading the franchise to a title in 2016, famously climbing back from a 3-1 hole to upset the 73-9 Golden State Warriors in seven games, the first such comeback in League history.

If he were to return for the third time, he’d be joining a young team that, barring an epic collapse, would be making their first playoff appearance since he left Cleveland to join the Lakers in 2018. Playing with an exciting core of Darius Garland, Caris LeVert, and Evan Mobley Bron will be a free agent after the conclusion of the 2022-2023 season.

“I think Koby and those guys have done an unbelievable job drafting and making trades,” James said. “I think big fella (Allen), that acquisition was amazing for them to make that trade. Obviously, Darius Garland is a big-time player. And I think the role that Kevin (Love) is playing right now has kind of uplifted those young guys, seeing a veteran that could sacrifice, a champion that’s won a championship, all the things that he’s done, to come off the bench and play this role. I am not surprised by anything that they’re doing right now.”

The King has averaged 29.1 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 6.5 assists per game in his third season with the Lakers (27-31) and 19th overall season. As a Cavalier, James won two MVPs, won a scoring title, made six All-Star teams with three All-Star Game MVPs, was named to 10 All-NBA teams, and made two All-Defensive teams.

The post LeBron James On Return to Cleveland: ‘The Door’s Not Closed On That’ appeared first on SLAM.

Full trade: Indiana sends Caris LeVert and a 2022 second-round pick via Miami to Cleveland for Ricky Rubio, lottery-protected 2022 first-round pick, 2022 second-round pick via Houston and a 2027 second-round pick via Utah, per sources.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 6, 2022

LeVert scored 22 points, including some huge baskets down the stretch to help his new team rally against his old team for a 120-113 comeback victory on Friday night. LeVert received a standing ovation from the Pacers fans during pregame introductions. The Pacers also honored the 27-year-old guard with a special highlight package during the first timeout.

Pacers President Kevin Pritchard spoke with ESPN about Caris LeVert before the game how he struggled with his decision to trade LeVert about one week prior.

“He was one of the hardest people I’ve ever had to trade,” Pritchard said. “He is a special person, and I want to thank Caris. He’s probably going to go score 50 tonight.”

Caris LeVert (22 PTS) with a HUGE clutch bucket for the @cavs late in the 4th!

Watch Now on NBA League Pass: https://t.co/oz9UCQxdQa pic.twitter.com/TTs3NXTxum

— NBA (@NBA) February 12, 2022

With the win, Cleveland notched their fifth straight (35-21) to stay in contention for the Eastern Conference’s top seed behind the Miami Heat. After the game, LeVert couldn’t hide his excitement after playing with his new teammates.

It didn’t take @CarisLeVert long to realize that this is a special, resilient, fun @cavs team, and he can’t wait for what lies ahead.#LetEmKnow | @SerenaWinters pic.twitter.com/JmKq1klZaA

— Bally Sports Cleveland (@BallySportsCLE) February 12, 2022

The post Caris LeVert Helps Cleveland Cavaliers Burn His Old Indy Team After Trade appeared first on SLAM.

TRADES:

The Lakers and Knicks didn’t make any moves according to Adrian Wojnarowski, the Lakers will reportedly be focusing on the buyout market.

No deal for the Lakers, source tells ESPN. THey’ll focus on the buyout market.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 10, 2022

Houston is trading Daniel Theis to the Celtics for Dennis Schroder, Bruno Fernando, and Enis Freedom. Freedom has been waived by the Rockets.

Boston is sending guard Dennis Schroder to the Rockets in the deal, source tells ESPN. https://t.co/4RFdjoULq3

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 10, 2022

The Wizards are trading Davis Bertans and Spencer Dinwiddie to the Mavericks for Kristaps Porzingis.

The Wizards will send Davis Bertans in deal too, source tells ESPN. Mavericks send a second-round pick to Wizards. https://t.co/RJdybUd0Lw

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 10, 2022

The Wizards are flipping Montrezl Harrell for Charlotte’s Vernon Carey and Ish Smith.

Charlotte is acquiring Washington center Montrezl Harrell for Vernon Carey and Ish Smith, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 10, 2022

The Pacers are reportedly working on a deal to send Torrey Craig to the Suns for Jalen Smith.

The Celtics will acquire Derrick White from the Spurs.

Romeo Langford and Josh Richardson are included in the deal to the Spurs.

The Celtics are trading PJ Dozier and Bol Bol to the Magic for a future second-round pick.

The Celtics are trading PJ Dozier and Bol Bol, a future second and cash to the Magic for a future second-round pick, sources tell ESPN. Dozier and Bol are both out for the season. Cost-savings for Boston.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 10, 2022

The Spurs are working on a trade for Goran Dragic and are expected to buy out his contract. The Mavericks, Bucks, Bulls, and Clippers are reportedly interested in the Dragons services. Thad Young, Drew Eubanks, and a 2022 second-round pick are headed to the Raptors.

The Raptors are trading Dragic and protected 2022 first-round picks to the Spurs for Thad Young, Drew Eubanks and a 2022 second-round pick via Pistons, sources tell ESPN. Pick is protected 1-14 in 2022; 1-13 in 2023 and would turn into two seconds beyond that. https://t.co/SN0sFyVurm

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 10, 2022

The Bucks have traded Rodney Hood and Semi Ojele to the Clippers, Serge Ibaka to the Bucks, Donte DiVencenco to the Kings and Marvin Bagley is headed to the Pistons on Thursday according to Woj.

ESPN Sources:
Full trade participants:
Kings: Donte DiVincenzo, Trey Lyles and Josh Jackson.
Bucks: Serge Ibaka, two future second-round picks, cash.
Clippers: Rodney Hood, Semi Ojele.
Pistons: Marvin Bagley Jr.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 10, 2022

According to Adrian Wojnarowski, the Utah Jazz is receiving Nickeil Alexander-Walker and the Juancho Hernangomez of the Spurs in a three-way deal. Spurs receive Tomas Satoransky and a second-round pick, and the Blazers get Joe Ingles, Elijah Hughes, and a second-round selection.

The Utah Jazz are acquiring guard Portland’s Nickeil Alexander-Walker and the Spurs’ Juancho Hernangomez in a three-way deal, sources tell ESPN. The Spurs gets guard Tomas Satoransky and a second-round pick, and the Blazers get Joe Ingles, Elijah Hughes and a second-round pick.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 9, 2022

The Pacers are sending Domantas Sabonis, Jeremy Lamb, and Justin Holiday to the Kings for Tyrese Haliburton, Buddy Hield, and Tristan Thompson. 

Jeremy Lamb AND Justin Holiday. https://t.co/0GbRwKcRBP

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 8, 2022

The Pelicans receive CJ McCollum, Larry Nance, and Tony Snell in a trade with the Blazers. Portland gets Josh Hart, Tomas Satoransky, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Didi Louzada, and a protected first-round pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. 

Full trade, per sources:
Blazers: Josh Hart, Tomas Satoransky, Nickeil Walker-Alexander, Didi Louzada, 2022 protected first-round pick, two second-round picks.
Pelicans: CJ McCollum, Larry Nance, Tony Snell.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 8, 2022

The Pacers trade Caris LeVert and a 2022 second-round pick from Miami to Cleveland for Ricky Rubio, a lottery-protected 2022 first-round pick, 2022 second-round pick from Houston, and a 2027 second-round pick from Utah.

Full trade: Indiana sends Caris LeVert and a 2022 second-round pick via Miami to Cleveland for Ricky Rubio, lottery-protected 2022 first-round pick, 2022 second-round pick via Houston and a 2027 second-round pick via Utah, per sources.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 6, 2022

The Clippers and the Blazers agreed to a trade last week. The Clippers move Eric Bledsoe, Justice Winslow, Keon Johnson, and a future second-round pick to the Trail Blazers for Norman Powell and Robert Covington. 

The Clippers are trading Eric Bledsoe, Justise Winslow, Keon Johnson and future second-round pick to the Trail Blazers for Norman Powell and Robert Covington, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 4, 2022

RUMORS:

REPORT: James Harden is pushing for a trade to Philadelphia by ‘screaming in every way he possibly can,’ to get out of Brooklyn.

James Harden is pushing for a trade and is ‘screaming in every way he possibly can’ to get out of Brooklyn, per @WindhorstESPN. https://t.co/D7l2VI9IZq pic.twitter.com/GcFCoivKjF

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 9, 2022

REPORT: Philadelphia refuses to include Maxey in any deal, causing Brooklyn to counter with an asking price of Simmons, Curry, Thybulle, and Drummond. Philadelphia is hesitant to have Curry, though Mills would reportedly end up in Philadelphia.

Update: Sixers have refused to include Tyrese Maxey in any deal with Brooklyn. Nets have countered with an asking price of Simmons, Curry, Thybulle, and Drummond. Sixers are hesitant to include Curry. Any deal would likely send Patty Mills to Philly aside from Harden.

— Jason Dumas (@JDumasReports) February 9, 2022

Brooklyn needs to see Curry in the deal alongside Simmons for them to be willing to move Harden.

This is from Sunday night’s BS Podcast and nothing has changed — Brooklyn wants Seth in any Harden deal. (And Embiid loves playing with Curry.) pic.twitter.com/sTD2vyY1co

— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) February 9, 2022

Teams around the League think a deal between Philadelphia and Brooklyn is close to being done and that it would open the ‘floodgates’ if the agreement were to be done before tomorrow’s deadline.

It sounds like rival teams think a deal between Brooklyn and Philadelphia may be getting close. One team told me “They’ve kind of put other talks on hold. If that deal finally happens, then the floodgates will open around the league for a lot more to happen.”

— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) February 9, 2022

Philadelphia has talked to Oklahoma City about Tobias Harris, though it may be a ploy to put more pressure on Brooklyn to trade Harden before tomorrow’s deadline.

Now arrives another stretch of uncertainty, with the trade deadline approaching Thursday afternoon and sources telling The Inquirer that the Sixers have explored trading Tobias Harris. https://t.co/Kv6MEFjDDh

— The Philadelphia Inquirer (@PhillyInquirer) February 9, 2022

Buddy Hield may not end up in Indiana after claims of Pacers opening to flipping him to another team before the Thursday deadline.

Small trade note: As of now — and everything can change in the next 26 hours — the Indiana Pacers do not plan to trade Buddy Hield despite some interest from other teams, sources tell ESPN.

— Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) February 9, 2022

Detroit is listening to offers for Jerami Grant but may wait until the offseason to move him. Detroit wants two first-rounders in exchange for Grant, and the Portland Trail Blazers have shown the most interest. 

Pistons Listening To Offers On Jerami Grant, Could Wait Until Offseason For Trade https://t.co/nImk0qLAHF

— RealGM (@RealGM) February 9, 2022

The post LIVE: NBA Trade Deadline Tracker appeared first on SLAM.

The Pacers are trading Domantas Sabonis, Jeremy Lamb and Justin Holiday to the Kings for Tyrese Hailburton, Buddy Hield and Tristan Thompson, per @wojespn. pic.twitter.com/VwjKcZ0BkA

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) February 8, 2022

The Pacers are also sending Jeremy Lamb and Justin Holiday to the Kings and will be receiving Tyrese Haliburton, Buddy Hield, and Tristan Thompson.

Sabonis has been involved in trade rumors since December. When the reports first came out, it was reported that the Pacers not only wanted to trade Sabonis but Caris LeVert and Myles Turner to jumpstart their rebuilding process. So far, only LeVert has been moved after the Michigan product was traded to the Cavaliers over the weekend.

The Kings moving Haliburton comes as a surprise after Sacramento told potential trade partners they wanted to keep De’Aaron Fox and Haliburton and build around the budding backcourt. However, the NBA is a business, and when you get a chance to acquire an All-Star, you have to pull that trigger sometimes.

Sabonis averages 18.9 points and 12.1 rebounds per game, one of seven players in the League to put up similar numbers.

The Pacers (19-36) face the Hawks (25-28) on the road on Tuesday.

The post Update: Pacers Sending Domantas Sabonis to the Kings appeared first on SLAM.

“We are very excited to add a dynamic young player of this caliber and experience,” Cavs GM Koby Altman said in a statement on Monday. “Caris LeVert fits uniquely into our culture, and his Ohio roots brings an immediate connection to our community. We look forward to seeing what type of impact he can make on this roster. We also want to send our best wishes to Ricky Rubio and his family. Ricky has been the consummate professional, and his leadership both on and off the court was invaluable, and we respect everything he brought to this franchise.”

OFFICIAL: #Cavs acquire F Caris LeVert.

DETAILS: https://t.co/AvCpnTb3av pic.twitter.com/28cLLHjmvl

— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) February 7, 2022

LeVert will reportedly take on the off-guard spot opposite All-Star point guard Darius Garland who has been hampered by a sore lower back as of late. The acquisition of LeVert adds scoring punch to a lineup that is missing Collin Sexton since he went down for the season with a knee injury in February.

“He and Garland in the backcourt is really dynamic,” Carlisle said. “These guys have improved a great deal today.”

LeVert has been in trade rumors since December when the Pacers were rumored to be looking to trade former All-Star Domantas Sabonis, Myles Turner, and LeVert to help speed up their rebuilding process. When the Cavs and Pacers agreed to the exchange, it was about 90 minutes before tipoff of their game against each other on Sunday. Pacers Coach Rick Carlisle confirmed the news pregame with assembled media.

News of the trade was delayed so Carlisle could notify LeVert was headed down the hall.

With the Cavs (33-21) squarely in the driver’s seat as the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs, LeVert can help raise the ceiling of a team that has blasted away any preseason expectations many around the League had for them. Cleveland still has time to make one more move as well. The NBA’s trade deadline isn’t until Thursday.

LeVert signed a three-year, $52 million contract with Brooklyn in 2020. Since re-signing with Brooklyn, he’s been moved to Indiana and now Cleveland. The 27-year-old guard averaged 18.7 points and 4.4 assists for the disappointing Pacers (19-36). The Cavaliers will return to action on Wednesday when they play the Spurs at home.

The post Cleveland Cavaliers Trade Ricky Rubio For Caris LeVert appeared first on SLAM.

Giddey talked about his relationship with LeVert when he initially met him in 2018 at a Basketball Without Borders camp in India.

LeVert was Giddey’s coach for the camp, and he said he recalls that LeVert “was really big on believing in me.”

Giddey has since made a name for himself in the basketball world, getting drafted sixth overall by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2021 NBA Draft after a stellar rookie season with the Adelaide 36ers in the NBL. Giddey has had a solid start to his NBA career, too, putting up 11.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 6.1 assists per game.

In 2018 LeVert was entering his third season in the NBA with the Brooklyn Nets and is now in his sixth season since being drafted out of the University of Michigan. Over his career, LeVert has averaged 14.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game.

The duo played each other for the first time in the NBA on Friday night. The Pacers won the game 113-110 in overtime, with LeVert scoring 10 points and grabbing seven rebounds, while Giddey had a double-double scoring 15 points and snatching 10 rebounds to go along with five assists.

The post Josh Giddey Discusses Relationship With Caris LeVert: ‘He Believed A Lot in Me’ appeared first on SLAM.

“He’s got a certain kind of makeup that I think is really special,” Donovan said. “He’s ultra-competitive and he has unbelievable confidence and belief in himself. But it’s not cross-the-line arrogant. That’s really a hard combination.”

Dosunmu had just scored 14 points without missing a shot in merely his sixth NBA outing. It was clear to Donovan then that the 6-5 guard, who fell to the Bulls in the second round of the 2021 Draft, was already worthy of a spot in the rotation. After three years at Illinois, in which Dosunmu led the team in scoring every season and was a finalist for the Wooden Award and the Naismith Trophy as a junior, the Chicago native came in ready to contribute right away. Throughout the month of November, he averaged 6.8 points on 52 percent shooting from the field and 42 percent from three.

In December, as more and more players began testing positive for COVID, Dosunmu stepped into a bigger role. He made his first career start on December 6^th, recording 11 points, 8 assists and 6 rebounds in a 109-97 win over the Nuggets. Coach Donovan reiterated the same message about the rook afterwards: “For me, so much—and I said this way back when—it’s his makeup. It’s who he is as a competitor. There may be guys that shoot it better than him. There may be guys that are faster than him. There may be guys more athletic than him. But he’s got a big heart and he competes and he impacts winning.”

Over the past week, with several key guys sidelined due to injury or COVID, the Bulls have struggled to find consistency. Dosunmu has been a massive bright spot, however, continuing to make significant strides with an increased opportunity. On Saturday, he got the starting nod again and notched a career-high in points (21) and assists (10). He shot 9/10 from the field as well, becoming the first rookie in NBA history to have at least 20 points and 10 assists while shooting 90 percent. Though the Bulls narrowly lost to the Celtics, 114-112, Dosumnu did a little bit of everything, including defend Jayson Tatum for much of the night. According to NBA tracking data, in two matchups against Boston, Dosunmu has held the former All-Star to just 4/13 shooting.

Making history as a rook @AyoDos_11

21 points | 10 ast | 9-10 FG | 3-3 from three pic.twitter.com/FwovG8mrBA

— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) January 16, 2022

Two days later, on his 22^nd birthday, Dosunmu put up another ridiculous stat-line in a nationally-televised game against the Grizzlies: 15 points (on 7/12 shooting), 10 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 steals and 2 blocks. He also accepted the challenge of guarding superstar Ja Morant, blocking his shot once and forcing him into multiple turnovers. 

The Bulls were in desperate need of a win on Wednesday, and Dosunmu delivered yet again. He tallied 18 points (on 7/8 from the field and 3/4 from three), 8 assists and 3 rebounds, helping Chicago grab a 117-104 victory over Cleveland. That string of three games, beginning in Boston, is about as good as it gets from a rookie.

The rook from Chicago is fearless.@calamos | #BullsNation pic.twitter.com/2SJZAWEKE3

— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) January 20, 2022

Dosunmu doesn’t play out of control on offense, but he isn’t tentative, either. He attacks off the bounce, navigates to the paint and kicks it out to open shooters. When his teammates do the same (mainly DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine), he spots up behind the arc and lets it fly without hesitation. His three-point percentage (45.7) ranks first among rookies who have attempted more than 12 this season (Dosunmu is 32/70). He looks comfortable as a playmaker out of pick-and-rolls, using a little floater in the lane or pulling up for midrange jumpers. 

On the other end, he hasn’t backed down from guarding the opposing team’s best perimeter player. He defends with high energy and does whatever he possibly can to disrupt his matchup’s rhythm. So far this year, he has done an impressive job on elite scorers such as Bradley Beal, Trae Young, Luka Doncic, Caris LeVert, Cade Cunningham and the aforementioned Tatum and Morant. With Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball expected to miss 4-6 weeks after a procedure on his left knee, Dosunmu should continue to get big minutes and take on tough defensive assignments.

Of course, the major reasons Dosunmu has thrived in his increased role have been obvious to the Bulls organization from day one: he is ultra-competitive, extremely confident in his abilities and utterly fearless. Now those things are becoming obvious to everyone. 

The post SLAM x Panini Rookie Spotlight: Ayo Dosunmu appeared first on SLAM.

Long before the Lakers’ 111-104 loss to the Pacers, Vogel and his staff were reportedly given assurances that the franchise would support him “in taking a hard line while coaching the star.” ESPN says that the Lakers’ message can be described as “You got to do what you got to do.”

Vogel decided to test that power in the final 3 minutes, 52 seconds of the fourth quarter against Indiana. Westbrook was 5-for-17 from the field when Vogel benched Westbrook for Malik Monk, with L.A. trailing 101-94. Westbrook’s defensive effort was also crucial in the benching after Caris LeVert blew by Westbrook for a layup early in the final frame of the game.

“Playing the guys that I thought were going to win the game,” Vogel said when asked about his decision to bench Westbook.

As reported by multiple outlets, Vogel’s job security as Lakers head coach has been in jeopardy due to the Lakers’ tough start to the season. At 22-23, the Lakers have underperformed despite acquiring multiple Hall-Of-Famers, most notably trading for Westbrook in a blockbuster draft-day trade.

Westbrook reportedly left Crypto.com Arena before speaking to reporters. On the season, Westbrook is averaging 18.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 7.8 assists per game on 43.3 percent shooting from the field. He is currently the all-time leader in triple-doubles and averaged a triple-double in four seasons. He sports a 142-51 record when he records the feat as well.

“It’s frustrating. I can tell you that,” Carmelo Anthony said in defense of Westbrook per ESPN. “It’s frustrating as a player who’s trying to make it right, trying to do things right. This is new for him. This is a new situation. This is a new environment. We got to help him through it. I mean, that’s the only thing we can do, is make sure his mental is right. That’s the only thing I care about. I don’t care about any basketball stuff when it comes to Russ.

“As long as his mental is right, then I’m good.”

The post REPORT: Lakers Front Office Gave Coach Frank Vogel Greenlight to Bench Russell Westbrook appeared first on SLAM.

According to The Athletic, the Kings will remain active in trade conversations but have informed teams in the trade market that are intent on building their franchise around Fox and Tyrese Haliburton. The Kings reportedly informed Fox and his representation that they do not want to trade him and want to center the team around him and Haliburton as well.

The Athletic further reports that a deal for Domantas Sabonis will not happen. It remains to be seen how the Kings decision will impact their ability to trade for Ben Simmons.

According to Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee, the Sacrament Kings are shopping De’Aaron Fox in trade talks for Indiana Pacers All-Star Domantas Sabonis and Ben Simmons ahead of the NBA’s trade deadline in February,

Fox was reportedly off the table in trade discussions during the offseason, but the Kings (18-28) are 11th in the Western Conference and have reversed course as they fight for a spot in the play-in tournament.

The Kings were also rumored to have been involved in trade talks with the Philadelphia 7ers for Simmons during the offseason, but negotiations stalled since the Kings didn’t want to give up Fox. That has reportedly changed, per Anderson, The Athletic’s Sam Amick reported on The Athletic NBA Show podcast that he sees Sabonis and Simmons as the KIngs’ two biggest priorities ahead of the trade deadline.

The Kings rewarded Fox with a five-year contract extension after the 24-year-old point guard averaged a career-high 25.2 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 7.2 assists per game last season while shooting 47.7 percent from the field and 32.2 percent from deep. The front-office brass reportedly had lofty expectations of Fox, expecting the Kentucky product to match or exceed those numbers during the 2021-2022 season.

Through 42 games, Fox is putting 20.9 points, 5.1 assists, 3.7 rebounds on 45.7 percent shooting from the field, and a career-worse 25.3 percent from downtown.

For Sabonis, his name has been involved in trade talks since December. The Pacers are 15-29, 13th in the East, and are reportedly looking to rebuild and move Sabonis, Caris LeVert, and Myles Turner. The two-time All-Star has put up solid numbers, averaging 18.9 points, 11.9 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.0 steal per game on top of shooting 57.3 percent from the floor.

Exchanging Fox for Sabonis or Simmons could reverse the fortunes of the Kings who have toiled through two decades of perennial futility. Sacramento hasn’t reached the playoffs since 2005-06, the longest active drought in the League by 10 years. Trading Sabonis, LeVert, and Turner will only accelerate the Pacers’ reported intent to rebuild.

The post REPORT: Kings Intend On Keeping De’Aaron Fox and Building Around Him and Tyrese Haliburton appeared first on SLAM.

According to ESPN, he is expected to be sidelined beyond the Feb. 10 NBA trade deadline.

Pacers center Myles Turner is expected to be sidelined beyond the February 10 NBA trade deadline, sources tell ESPN. Team says he will be re-examined in two weeks, but teams interested in trading for Turner will have to do due diligence on injury as they weigh offers.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 18, 2022

Turner was held out of the Pacers Monday 139-133 loss to the Clippers after Coach Rick Carlisle said that Turner was dealing with a sore left foot on Sunday. The two-time block leader is still traveling with the team as it embarks on a five-game Western Conference road trip.

Since December, Turner has been involved in trade rumors, is on public record saying he wants a more prominent role than what he’s been provided with, believing that the Pacers see him as a role player.

“It’s clear that I’m not valued as anything more than a glorified role player here, and I want something more, more opportunity,” Turner told The Athletic in December. “I’m trying really hard to make the role that I’m given here work and find a way to maximize it. I’ve been trying to the past two, three seasons. But it’s clear to me that, just numbers-wise, I’m not valued as more than a rotational role player, and I hold myself in a higher regard than that.”

As of Tuesday, Turner is averaging 12.9 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks per game this season. He’s shooting 50.9 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from the three-point line.

On Wednesday, Indiana (15-29) will face the Los Angeles Lakers (22-22).

The post Pacers Announce Myles Turner Out For Two-Weeks After Suffering Foot Injury appeared first on SLAM.

According to Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer, the Pacers’ Caris LeVert has drawn the eye of two NBA teams, but the asking price may be too high.

“Caris LeVert has known suitors in Cleveland and New York, but so far Indiana has requested multiple first-round picks for the 27-year-old guard as well, sources said.”

LeVert is in his seventh season in the NBA and his second with the Pacers, joining via trade from the Brooklyn Nets last season.

Over his career, LeVert has averaged 14.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game, but those numbers have taken a jump since joining Indiana. LeVert has posted 19.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game through 64 games since becoming a Pacers.

While LeVert could be on the move, Fischer reports that center Myles Turner still looks to be the most likely candidate to find himself traded before the deadline, with a laundry list of teams interested including “Dallas, Minnesota, New York, Sacramento, Charlotte, and Portland.”

Fischer reports in the same article that Indiana has put in calls for several players themselves. The Pacers seem to be looking for help on the wing, with Fischer reporting interest in acquiring Torrey Craig, Justin Holiday, or Jeremy Lamb.

The NBA trade deadline is now less than a month away, taking place on Thursday, Feb. 10.

The post REPORT: Pacers Caris LeVert ‘Has Known Suitors’ Ahead of Trade Deadline appeared first on SLAM.

Update: On Tuesday, League commissioner Adam Silver announced in an interview with Malika Andrews that the NBA would not be pausing the season for the second season since the 2019-2020 season. Silver also said that the Omricon is ‘beyond dominate’ while constituting 90 percent of positive tests.

REPORT: Per League insider Adrian Wojnarowski, the NBA, and the players union have reached an agreement to lessen the quarantine period for COVID-positive players. Players that tested positive for COVID-19 can clear protocols after five days if their “CT values” are above 30.

If a team has three positive results, two replacement signings are required. For four or more positive tests, three replacement players will be required. Two-way players will reportedly also have no limit to the number of games they can appear in as well. If a team has 13 players available for a game they do not have to sign any players to a hardship exemption.

A game will only be postponed if a team doesn’t have at least eight players available to play. A tactic the NBA frequently utilized last year when officials postponed 31 games. The League has decided to postpone nine games in total.

Below is the list of players and coaches currently in the League’s health and safety protocols.

Atlanta Hawks (three players, head coach)

• Chris Clemons
• Gorgui Dieng
• Cameron Oliver
• Nate McMillan

Boston Celtics (one player) 

• Payton Pritchard

Charlotte Hornets (one player)

• Vernon Carey Jr.

Chicago Bulls (one player)

• Alex Caruso

Dallas Mavericks (two players, head coach)

• Jason Kidd
• Boban Marjanovic
• Kristaps Porzingis

Denver Nuggets (one player)

• Petr Cornelie

Detroit Pistons (one player)

• Frank Jackson

Houston Rockets (one players)

• Usman Garuba

Indiana Pacers (six players)

• Justin Anderson
• Goga Bitadze
• Torrey Craig
• Isaiah Jackson
• Caris LeVert
• TJ Warren

LA Clippers (three players)

• Luke Kennard
• Xavier Moon
• Ivica Zubac

Memphis Grizzlies (three players, head coach)

• Taylor Jenkins
• John Konchar
• De’Anthony Melton
• Xavier Tillman

Miami Heat (three players)

• Marcus Garrett
• Udonis Haslem
• Gabe Vincent

Milwaukee Bucks (four players, head coach)

• Grayson Allen
• Mike Budenholzer
• Pat Connaughton
• George Hill
• Jrue Holiday

New Orleans Pelicans (one player)

• Tomas Satorasnky

Oklahoma City Thunder (one player, head coach)

• Isaiah Roby
• Mark Daigneault

Orlando Magic (one player)

• Robin Lopez

Philadelphia 76ers (three players)

• Tyrese Maxey
• Paul Reed
• Jaden Springer

Phoenix Suns (two players)

• Abdel Nader
• Landry Shamet

Portland Trail Blazers

• Norman Powell

Sacramento Kings (one player)

• Richaun Holmes
• Chimezie Metu

San Antonio Spurs (five players)

• Keldon Johnson
• Doug McDermott
• Devin Vassell
• Derrick White
• Thaddeus Young

Toronto Raptors (one player)

• Yuta Watanabe

Utah Jazz (two players)

• Rudy Gobert
• Joe Ingless

Washington Wizards (four players)

• Anthony Gill
• Tremont Waters
• Brad Wanamaker

The post NBA Health and Safety Protocol Tracker appeared first on SLAM.

KD has now surpassed Stephen Curry for the highest single-game scoring performance of the season. In November, Curry dropped 50, hitting nine three-pointers on 14-28 shooting from the field in the Golden State Warriors’ 127-113 win over the Atlanta Hawks.

Most elite scorer of all-time? (via @SportsCenter) pic.twitter.com/yfqhf0UHjp

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) December 13, 2021

The two-time Finals MVP’s performance in the Motor City set the record for most points scored in Little Caesars Arena; Nets teammate and former Piston forward Blake Griffin previously held the record with 50.

With James Harden sitting out of Sunday’s game for rest, the Nets continuously turned to Durant throughout the entirety of his 41 minutes on the court. Durant’s MVP-caliber performance tied him with Caris LeVert and Vince Carter for fifth-most in a single game in Nets history with his seventh all-time 50-piece.

“We’re missing James (Harden), we’re missing Paul Millsap, so I felt like I had to pick up the scoring a little more,” Durant said in his postgame interview. “This team, Detroit, was playing back in the pick and roll, they wasn’t doubling as often as other teams, so I just tried to take advantage.”

The post Kevin Durant Drops 51 Points for Highest Scoring Performance This Season appeared first on SLAM.

In an interview with The Atheltic’s Jared Weiss, Turner indicated he was unhappy with his current situation with the Indiana Pacers.

“It’s clear that I’m not valued as anything more than a glorified role player here, and I want something more, more opportunity,” Turner told The Athletic Tuesday. “I’m trying really hard to make the role that I’m given here work and find a way to maximize it. I’ve been trying to the past two, three seasons. But it’s clear to me that, just numbers-wise, I’m not valued as more than a rotational role player, and I hold myself in a higher regard than that.”

During much of his seven-year tenure with the Pacers, Turner has been in and out of trade rumors. However, despite being unhappy with his role, Turner has put up big numbers, averaging 12.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game over his career. He has also led the League in blocks per game in two seasons.

The Pacers haven’t had the success they would like to start the season. They’re currently 13th in the Eastern Conference with a record of 11-16. Despite this, Turner has played well, averaging 12.9 points, 7.3 rebounds, and an NBA-best 2.8 blocks per game.

Turner isn’t the only Pacer recently involved in trade rumors, with Domantas Sabonis and Caris LeVert being named as others potentially in the mix.

The post Myles Turner on Current Role With Pacers: ‘I Want Something More’ appeared first on SLAM.

According to reports, the Pacers have been receptive to trade talks centered around potentially moving Caris LeVert, Domantas Sabonis, or Myles Turner. All three have received interest from rival teams, in particular Sabonis and Turner, who have garnered frequent calls about their availability over the past several seasons.

However, newly hired Coach Rick Carlisle wants to keep the two big men together and have them around to help grow with the current roster. Sabonis is regarded as the Pacers’ best player and through 26 games this season, the 25-year-old is averaging 17.8 points, 12 rebounds, and 4.1 assists. Sabonis’ scoring is at its lowest since the 2018-2019 season, but he remains a valuable asset for the franchise.

It’s unclear to rival teams how quickly the Pacers will begin to make moves, but teams around the League expect the franchise to be patient with its trade prospects and decide on the best offers they can negotiate.

Since Malcolm Brogden is coming off a freshly signed two-year extension, keeping him around until 2025, he is ineligible to be traded during the 2021-2022 season. NBA bubble star TJ Warren has yet to play this season, battling a persistent foot injury that has only allowed him to play four games since last season. Warren reportedly told the front office that he wished to remain with the team.

The Athletic further details that Chris Duarte and Isaiah Jackson are primed to gain more playing time if Sabonis and Turner are moved. The 13th and 22nd overall picks respectively in the 2021 NBA Draft. Thus far in his rookie year, Duarte has shown to be a dependable two-way favorite of Carlilse, averaging 13.1 points, 4.1 boards, and 2.0 dimes a game.

The Pacers, led by owner Herb Simon, are a team that’s avoided going into a rebuild and have always attempted to put the best they can on the floor, even if that means being a bottom two playoff seed or losing in the first round of playoffs. With the Pacers dead last in fan attendance, the Pacers might be asking themselves, how much worse can it get?

The post REPORT: Pacers Open To Trading Domantas Sabonis, Caris LeVert, Or Myles Turner appeared first on SLAM.

For starters, he is 24 years old. That makes him the oldest player in the 2021 class. In fact, when the Pacers drafted him with the 13th overall pick back in July, he became the oldest player selected in the first round since 2002. But with age comes experience, composure, confidence and toughness—all of which Indiana’s staff identified in Duarte right away.

“We wanted the best player available at 13,” head coach Rick Carlisle told reporters shortly after the draft. “[Duarte’s] maturity—when you watch him play, he plays like a pro. He plays at his pace. He has a great feel for change of pace. He never plays in a hurry. A lot of the young kids in college, when you see them play, there’s kind of a franticness at times to the college game. This kid plays the game at a different tempo.”

“All the coaches we’ve talked to both at Oregon and that have played against him and coached against him rave about his toughness, his ability to shoot the ball,” added general manager Chad Buchanan. “Our league today is about shooting and guys being able to create their own shot, create their own space. He’s got a beautiful NBA stroke and I think it’s going to translate from day one.”

It has. With TJ Warren still sidelined by a foot injury, Duarte was inserted into the starting lineup immediately, and has been able to provide a crucial scoring spark. His skill set is extremely advanced and, as Buchanan alluded to, a perfect fit for the modern NBA. Duarte shoots it at a high clip from behind the arc and attacks the rims effectively, using his 6-6 frame and soft touch to finish inside. He can create for himself with a smooth handle or spot up to space the floor when one of Indiana’s other playmakers, like Malcolm Brogdon, Caris LeVert or Domantas Sabonis, is orchestrating the offense. Just look at the array of ways Duarte was able to score in his first NBA game, when he set a Pacers rookie debut record with 27 points on 9/15 shooting. (Also note the poise and change of pace that both Carlisle and Buchanan referenced. Duarte never seems rushed or out of control, even with the clock winding down. He plays at his speed.)

As of this writing, Duarte is averaging 14.8 points (third among rookies) on 43% shooting from the field and 40% from three. He’s attempting and hitting about the same number of catch-and-shoot threes as pull-up threes off the dribble. He recently joined Reggie Miller as the only players in Pacers franchise history to score 10 or more points in their first nine career games. On defense, Duarte competes with a lot of energy and uses his quick hands to be disruptive (he averaged almost two steals per game at Oregon last season). He also takes advantage of his size and length to help Sabonis and Myles Turner clean up the glass. Of the Pacers who have appeared in more than half the games this season, Duarte currently has the best plus-minus on the team.

Of course, Duarte’s age is what deterred a lot of NBA scouts and executives this past summer. Organizations tend to target younger—albeit less polished—prospects in the draft, betting on their future growth and development. Front offices are often more fixated on “what if” than “what is”—a fact that, as Duarte admitted in an interview with NBA.com, once got to his head a little bit. “I got mad one time,” he said, referencing a pre-draft camp. “I was like, ‘OK guys, everybody keeps talking about this age thing. The age, the age. You’re old, Chris.’ I got mad and said, ‘Hey man, I don’t want to hear nothing about my age anymore. If you want to win games, get me. If you want to win in four years, go ahead and draft a 19-year-old kid. Then you can develop him and make him a superstar in three, four or five years. But you don’t know if he’s going to be a superstar—you don’t know, who knows?’”

It’s true—who really knows? Some gambles are safer than others, but with rookies, you rarely know beyond any doubt. Duarte might be closer to his ceiling than most rooks; but when the draft took place a few months ago, he was also much closer to a “sure thing.” Indiana felt very, very confident that they knew exactly what they were getting in the guard from Oregon. And they’ve gotten it so far.

After his historic NBA debut, Duarte was asked whether his early success had impressed even him, given how rare it is for rookies to thrive from day one. “I always play around, telling some of my teammates that I’m not a rookie,” he responded with a laugh.

Well, certainly not your typical one.

The post SLAM x Panini Rookie Spotlight: Chris Duarte appeared first on SLAM.

According to SNY’s Ian Begley, the Indiana Pacers and 76ers have reportedly discussed a trade involving Caris LeVert—a player many in and around the league believe to have All-Star potential—and Simmons.

However, the Pacers aren’t the only team who have reported interest in Simmons, with the Portland Trail Blazers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Los Angles Clippers, and more rumored to be engaged with Philadelphia as well.

LeVert is a recent addition for Indiana, getting sent that way from the Brooklyn Nets following the multi-team trade that sent James Harden to the Brooklyn Nets and Victor Oladipo to the Houston Rockets.

Last season, LeVert missed time after a medical with the team discovered that he had a cancerous mass on his kidney that needed surgery. Following the surgery, LeVert managed to play in 35 games for Indiana with averages of 20.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game.

Simmons himself had a strong regular season in Philadelphia, being named to his third All-Star game while averaging 14.3 points, 6.9 assists and 7.2 rebounds per game.

Until he is traded, Simmons is refusing to play for the 76ers and was not present for the team’s opening preseason game on Monday night.

The post REPORT: Sixers Discussing Potential Simmons-LeVert Trade with Pacers appeared first on SLAM.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Pacers found that LeVert has a stress fracture in his back and will likely be out for the preseason.

However, Wojnarowski reports that there is optimism from the Pacers camp that this injury won’t cause LeVert to miss significant time, and he should return “sometime around the start of the season.

LeVert missed time last season after being traded from the Brooklyn Nets to the Pacers when a medical revealed a cancerous lump in the guard’s kidney. Thankfully, he had successful surgery and returned to action for Indiana in March.

LeVert was traded to the Pacers in January as part of the multi-team trade that saw James Harden make his way to the Nets, Victor Oladipo make his way to the Houston Rockets and Jarrett Allen make his way to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

LeVert managed to get 35 games in for the Pacers before the end of the season, averaging 20.7 points, 4.9 assists and 4.6 rebounds per game. In LeVert’s five-year career, he has played in 260 games, averaging 14.1 points, 3.9 assists and 3.9 rebounds per game.

The post REPORT: Pacers Guard Caris LeVert Sustains Stress Fracture, Likely Out for Preseason appeared first on SLAM.

Jarreau originally played on the Miami Heat’s Summer League team and averaged a robust stat line of 11.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 1.4 steals per game in Las Vegas. His near triple double performance against the Atlanta Hawks showed his skillset as a playmaker.

With the uncertainty of what type of contract the Heat was going to offer (Exhibit 10 or two-way), Dejon took the safer offer from Indiana. If Jarreau makes the opening night roster, he’ll be eligible to spend 45 days with the Pacers during the season unless the team restructures the deal.

Jarreau finished his college career playing three seasons at the University of Houston after transferring from the University of Massachusetts. Jarreau was the American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year and was named the 2021 NCAA Tournament Midwest Regional Most Outstanding Player when he helped lead Houston to the Final Four in Indianapolis.

By trading Aaron Holiday during the NBA Draft for the rights to the 22nd pick, Isaiah Jackson, the Pacers found themselves in need for another ball-handler behind Malcolm Brogdon and T.J. McConnell. With Caris LeVert and Edmond Sumner also considered as options, Jarreau could be getting valuable time in the G-League.

The post DeJon Jarreau Signs Two-Way Contract With the Indiana Pacers appeared first on SLAM.

Per ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, Carlisle has agreed to sign a four-year, $29 million contract by the Indiana Pacers.

Carlisle spent 13 seasons in Dallas, accumulating a 555-478 record, and leading the Mavs to their first and only NBA championship in 2010-11.

Prior to his gig in Dallas, Carlisle was the head coach of the Pacers from 2003-04 to 2006-07. He boasted an 181-147 record, and led the team to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2003-04.  

Carlisle stepped down from his role as head coach a day after it was announced longtime president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson was leaving the franchise. There’s were also reports that there was tension between Carlisle and the Mavs’ young superstar Luka Doncic.

However, Carlisle stated that Nelson’s departure and any potential conflict with Doncic was not the impetus for his resignation. 

Pacers are hiring Rick Carlisle as their new head coach, per @espn_macmahon

He was their coach from ’03-’07 pic.twitter.com/5VRor7WikW

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 24, 2021

“”You never want to get to a point where you ever feel like you’re overstaying your welcome, and I just felt like this is the right time,” Carlisle said Thursday. “I just have such great respect for [Mark Cuban] and everyone there, and I’m fortunate to move on to another great opportunity.”

Mavericks owner Mark Cuban also announced that he will not be seeking compensation for Carlisle’s departure (as Carlisle still had two years left on his contract with the Mavericks) as he did not want to interfere with Carlisle’s hiring process. 

Carlisle takes over a highly talented, but often injured, team in the Pacers.

Under Nate Bjorkgren, who was relieved of his duties as head coach after a disappointing 38-44 season, the team struggled to find a rhythm and was eliminated from the play-in tournament (the first time they missed the playoffs in five years).

However, Carlisle is still optimistic about the roster—which includes blossoming players such as Domantas Sabonis, Malcolm Brogdon, and Caris Levert—and is excited to try to replicate the magic he once found as a coach in 2010-11. 

“[General manager Kevin Pritchard] and I have talked extensively about the roster. I like their roster. It’s a team of skilled, unselfish guys that play hard. It’s always possible that moves could be made before the season, but I think Kevin and I are both very excited about getting the roster healthy and seeing what this team can be,” said Carlisle.

The post Rick Carlisle Agrees to Four-Year Deal to Become Next Pacers HC appeared first on SLAM.

But there’s also Jeff Green, who helped the Nets pull out a huge win to take the lead in the second-round series 3-2.

Jeff Green set a Nets’ franchise record scoring 27 points off the bench—the most points by a player off the bench since Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot dropped 26 in 2020 and Caris LeVert also had 2016 the year before.

27 points
7/8 from downtown

@unclejeffgreen keeps stepping up for this team pic.twitter.com/PV2gZaKPOZ

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) June 16, 2021

With performances like this while playing his most efficient basketball of his career, one would believe that Jeff would be in the team’s plans next year right?

History teaches that it’s not a guarantee for Jeff Green. The Nets currently are the 10th team Green has played for since he was drafted by the Seattle Sonics in 2007. He’s two teams shy of the record shared by Chucky Brown, Jim Jackson, Tony Massenburg and Joe Smith.

Despite being productive for much of his career, he has not cashed in on long-term deals. He’s played with seven of his 10 teams since the 2014-15 season. His last five contracts with the Nets, Houston Rockets, Utah Jazz, Washington Wizards, and Cleveland Cavaliers being one year veteran’s minimum deals. One of those was a 10-day contract with the Rockets.

The consistent level of play that outperforms contracts confuses many around the NBA, including Green himself.

“It confuses me, but it isn’t frustrating,” Green told the New York Times. “You know, this stuff, that’s out of my control. I go out and just do the work. And I let my agent handle the logistics of the contract terms, but it is confusing to the point of, ‘What else do I need to do to prove that I’m not a minimum guy?’”

Green also expressed his desires to stay with Brooklyn after this year.

“I’d love to settle down in one place,” he added. “There’s Brooklyn. I’d love to settle down in Brooklyn. I’m not too concerned with the NBA record or how many teams. When you think about it, if I was to play 22 years, played on 15 teams, what does that say? It has no teeth behind it.”

Still, one thing he makes clear is that, regardless of what team he plays for, he’s ready to continue competing.

Uncle Jeff Green Appreciation Post pic.twitter.com/rwUdwLErHl

— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) June 16, 2021

The post Jeff Green Looks To Find A Permanent Home With Brooklyn Nets appeared first on SLAM.

After a tumultuous 34-38 season, the Pacers announced this morning that they have decided move on from the 45-year-old Bjorkgren.

The Indiana Pacers announced that Nate Bjorkgren will not be retained as the team’s head coach.

More info:https://t.co/2d2BIaO1W5

— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) June 9, 2021

Indiana missed the playoffs for the first time since the 2014-2015 season under Bjorkgren, who replaced Nate McMillan (currently the interim head coach of the Atlanta Hawks) in Oct. 2020. The team’s six-year playoff streak was broken after the Pacers were trounced by the Washington Wizards, 142-115, in the NBA’s inaugural Play-In Tournament.

Reportedly, Pacers management met with Bjorkgren on Tuesday to discuss his future with the team and concluded the disconnect was too large between him and a veteran-packed locker room with playoff aspirations.

According to ESPN, the Pacer’s front office believed in Bjorkgren’s basketball mind and might have retained him if the organization was headed toward a rebuild. Instead, the front office remains committed to its young core of Domantas Sabonis, Caris LeVert, Malcolm Brogdon and Myles Turner to lead them toward Eastern Conference contention.

While a year ago, Indiana interviewed over 20 applicants for the position, they’ll most likely comb over that list once again while three other head-coaching positions have opened up in Portland, Boston and Orlando.

Bjorkgren only had one guaranteed year left on his original three-year contract that he signed after winning the 2019 NBA Finals with the Toronto Raptors as an assistant coach under Nick Nurse.

Before his pit stop in Toronto, Bjorkgren was an assistant coach and player development coordinator for the Phoenix Suns, and the head coach for two G League teams (the Iowa Energy and Bakersfield Jam; now named the Iowa Wolves and Motor City Cruise).

The post Nate Bjorkgren Out as Pacers Head Coach appeared first on SLAM.

Specified as “small left navicular stress fracture,” Warren originally underwent surgery for the injury on Feb. 5 after suffering the injury in just his fourth game of the season.

Warren, one of the outstanding performer’s during the NBA’s 2019-20 restart, hasn’t seen the court since playing against the Boston Celtics on Dec. 29.

After averaging a career-high 19.8 points per game last season (on an absurdly high .610 true shooting percentage), Warren will end his 2020-21 campaign with a scoring average of 15.5 points per game. He’s averaged 19.2 points per game on .510 percent shooting from the field and .374 percent from 3-point range since the 2017-18 season.

The 27-years-old, suffered a similar stress fracture injury in 2016 while with the Phoenix Suns but returned fully healthy for the following season.

The post T.J. Warren Ruled Out for Remainder of 2020-21 Season with Stress Fracture appeared first on SLAM.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, LeVert is on track to return to the lineup in the second half of the season. The Pacers plan to be patient with him throughout his recovery, especially considering the uniqueness of the situation. While there’s no timetable for his return, it appears LeVert will be making his Pacers debut at some point in the regular season.

Prior to his trade and surgery, LeVert played in 12 games for the Nets to start the 2020-21 season and averaged 18.5 points, 6.0 assists, and 4.3 rebounds per game. Based on his versatile style of play, he should fit in well with the young core of Domantas Sabonis, Malcolm Brogdon and Myles Turner in Indiana. 

The Pacers are also still missing T.J. Warren, who was one of the most dominant players in last seasons’ bubble. While Warren is still out of the lineup at this point, LeVert will be a huge addition to the production and success of the team.

Even with a diminished roster for most of the season, Indiana is still 16-19, which is good for the No. 10 seed in the Eastern Conference. When fully healthy, there’s no reason to think that the Pacers won’t climb back into the top portion of the East standings. 

The post Caris LeVert Set To Return In Second Half Of Season appeared first on SLAM.

Last season, Nick Nurse of the Toronto Raptors won the NBA Coach of the Year Award. While there is quite a bit of season left for him and the Raptors to turn things around and make a run at the award once again, he’s got plenty of competition.

A third of the way through the 2020-21 season, we broke down our top five Coach of the Year candidates.

Nate Bjorkgren (Indiana Pacers)

2020-21 Record: 15-14

In his first season as Head Coach of the Indiana Pacers, Bjorkgren has been excellent. He’s got the Pacers in the top-four of the tough Eastern Conference and has gotten the most out of nearly all of his players. 

Even short-handed as the team awaits Caris LeVert making his debut with Indiana, the Pacers have looked great. Bjorkgren seems to be the guy going forward for the Pacers. 

Tyronn Lue (LA Clippers)

2020-21 Record: 22-10

Taking the head job for the Clippers this offseason has worked out well for Lue thus far. In a stacked Western Conference, the Clips have looked as good as anyone. 

Playing a slightly different style than last season with new personnel, Lue has the team looking fresh. It appears he’s also been able to put Paul George in a position to be the best player he can be. 

Doc Rivers (Philadelphia 76ers)

2020-21 Record: 20-11

Rivers recently moved from a Western Conference contender to an Eastern Conference contender. Even while coaching a brand new team, he hasn’t skipped a beat. 

After an odd 2019-20 season for the Sixers in which they could never play with consistency, Rivers has them looking like a completely different team this season. Philadelphia is currently at the top of the East standings under their new head coach. 

Quin Snyder (Utah Jazz)

2020-21 Record: 24-6

Snyder has been among the best head coaches in the NBA for the last half-decade or more. This season, he’s got the Jazz looking like one of the best teams in the League and is definitely a potential sure-candidate for NBA Coach of the Year. 

Even this early in the season, he’s helped Utah along on a recent 11-game win streak as well as a streak of winning 20 of 21. Ensuring that his teams play great defense, Snyder has kept the Jazz competitive no matter who they go up against. 

Monty Williams (Phoenix Suns)

2020-21 Record: 19-10

Williams has been a respected coach in the NBA for a very long time. Building a winning culture in Phoenix over the past year, while also helping make the Suns as attractive destination for players around the league has been impressive. 

Although the Suns haven’t made the playoffs since the 2009-10 season, Williams has put together an impressive season thus far and is trending towards breaking that dry spell. The relationship between Chris Paul and Monty Williams is special and will pay off in the long-run. 

The post NBA Award Watch: 2021 Coach of the Year appeared first on SLAM.

Through his first five games of the season, Lamb has averaged 14.0 points per game while shooting .364 from deep. The timing of his return couldn’t be more perfect, as Victor Oladipo was traded to the Houston Rockets around the time Lamb made his debut. While the Pacers wait for LeVert to recover from a recent surgery to treat renal cell carcinoma of his left kidney, Lamb will be an excellent stopgap when it comes to scoring the ball.

Lamb recently made his first start of the season, showing just how impactful he has been on this Pacers roster. He’s already notched two games of 20+ points this season and has been instrumental in Indiana winning three of their last four games.

The post Jeremy Lamb Making Big Early Impact For Pacers appeared first on SLAM.

However, when Pacers team doctors discovered a small mass on his left kidney, the immediate concern became the Ohio native’s health. He’s now out indefinitely as he undergoes further testing to determine if the mass is cancerous, although Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard expects him to return to the court.

For his part, LeVert says that he “didn’t have any symptoms” and “was feeling 100 percent healthy” prior to last week’s blockbuster trade.

Nonetheless, with a family medical history that includes a father that passed away due to heart failure at 46-years-old and a mother with multiple sclerosis (MS), LeVert is well aware of the seriousness of the situation.

“So, in a way, this trade definitely showed and revealed what was going on in my body; so I’m definitely looking at it from that side and definitely humbled to know that this trade could’ve possibly saved me in the long run.”

LeVert, long seen as one of the most promising young players in the league, is averaging 18.5 points, 6.0 assists, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per game this season.

The post Caris LeVert: ‘This Trade Could’ve Saved Me In The Long Run’ appeared first on SLAM.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Nets will the Rockets four first-round picks and four pick swaps as part of the package. Shortly after, Shams Charania of The Athletic reported that the Pacers and Cavaliers would get involved in the transaction as well, making it a four-team trade. (Read our full coverage of the deal here.)

When it was all said and done, this blockbuster deal has four different teams around the league looking very different. We broke down the deal below.

Houston Rockets

The Houston Rockets got a haul of draft picks in exchange for their superstar guard. While they were short on future draft capital entering today, they replenished their stash of picks while also acquiring an All-Star caliber player in Victor Oladipo. With that in mind, Oladipo is expiring and will require quite the payday this offseason if Houston wants to keep him long-term.

Brooklyn Nets

The Brooklyn Nets went all in today as they acquired James Harden to complete their superstar trio with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. While they essentially gave up all of the future draft picks they possibly could, they instantly became the favorite in the Eastern Conference.

Indiana Pacers

The Indiana Pacers becoming the fourth team in today’s transaction was something that nobody saw coming. With Victor Oladipo on the verge of free agency this summer as he plays out the final year of his contract, the Pacers were able to flip him to Houston to acquire Caris LeVert who is under a longer-term and very manageable contract.

Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cleveland Cavaliers were sneaky winners in the blockbuster deal that sent Harden to the East. While they gave up an interesting piece in Dante Exum, the first-round pick they surrendered will likely be a late pick via Milwaukee. The Cavs now have a young center in Jarrett Allen who can be their guy going forward as Andre Drummond plays out the final year of his deal in Cleveland.

The post A Closer Look at the Four-Team James Harden Trade appeared first on SLAM.

Although they’ve already experienced injury troubles with Spencer Dinwiddie going down for the year with a partially torn ACL, they are still deep enough to be a top team in their conference. Bruce Brown has gotten off to a slow start, but could turn into a key piece off the bench down the road.

For more information about the numbers behind our Heat Check series, hop over to our main Heat Check 2020-21 post.

Caris LeVert	15.6p, 4.6r, 6.2a
Chris Chiozza	14.0p, 1.0r, 4.0a
Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot	8.8p, 1.8r, 1.0a	–
Jarrett Allen	9.6p, 12.0r, 1.2a	–
Joe Harris	13.8p, 4.0r, 1.6a
Kyrie Irving	28.3p, 3.8r, 6.0a
Jeff Green	4.4p, 1.4r, 1.0a
Landry Shamet	6.0p, 1.4r, 0.4a
DeAndre Jordan	3.6p, 8.0r, 2.0a
Rodions Kurucs	1.5p, 1.0r, 0.0a
Tyler Johnson	1.5p, 0.5r, 0.0a
Taurean Prince	5.8p, 2.2r, 0.2a
Spencer Dinwiddie	6.7p, 4.3r, 3.0a
Bruce Brown	1.0p, 1.0r, 0.5a

Team-by-Team Breakdown

The post Heat Check 2020-21: Brooklyn Nets appeared first on SLAM.

We broke down the Nets’ depth chart for the 2020-21 season below. We’ve also previously published a summary of the Nets’ offseason.

Biggest Questions

• How long will it take for the team to mesh? Like we’ve seen with new superstars playing together in the past, sometimes the first season can be full of ups and downs.
• What version of Kevin Durant will we get? The injuries he is coming off of are some of the most devastating in the sport. If Durant is able to get back to the player he once was, the Nets will be a scary team.

All NBA Team Offseason Summaries

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While new head coach Steve Nash is still working on configuring the best rotations for the upcoming season, he was asked Sunday if LeVert will serve as a starter or reserve. According to Kristian Winfield of New York Daily News, Nash says it’s still yet to be determined. 

“Caris is a starter. Will he start for us? I’m not sure. He’s so good with the ball in his hands there’s a case to be made that he plays that Manu Ginobili role.”

LeVert was perhaps the best player on Brooklyn last season while Kyrie Irving was injured. Whether he starts for the Nets this season or plays the role of sixth man, there’s no question that LeVert is a starting-caliber NBA player. 

During the 2019-20 season, LeVert averaged 18.7 points, 4.4 assists and 4.2 rebounds per contest. The 26-year-old will certainly be one of the most important pieces in Brooklyn as they look to compete for an NBA title this season. 

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Brooklyn Nets forward Jeff Green says that as a team, the Nets are the very definition of the word. They’ve got centers who are “mobile” and guards that can play multiple positions. It’s a sentiment being echoed by superstar Kevin Durant.

According to Kristian Winfield of the Daily News, Durants says he’s ready to play any position that head coach Steve Nash wants him at, whether it be small-ball forward or at center.

“As far as schemes and how I fit on the offense and defense, I think coach is going to use me in a variety of ways, especially as a small-ball five and four sometimes and bringing the ball up too,” Durant said in a conference call on Wednesday. “It’s more so where everybody can utilize their strengths. They can handle the ball. Anybody can bring it up, and guys are going to be switching on the defensive side of the ball. So, I think as the game goes and as it ebbs and flows, each player, I think guys are going to be playing different positions.

“On one possession, Kyrie might be the two, Caris might be bringing it up,” Durant added. “So, you’ve just got to be ready for anything. Coach is just going to throw me out there and see how I respond.”

The Nets have a stacked roster this season with Durant, Kyrie Irving, Caris LeVert, Spencer Dinwiddie and others. The real question for Nash is figuring out what to do with all of that versatile talent.

“I couldn’t tell you what’s going to happen to the rotations yet, there’s a lot of competition for spots and minutes which is a positive as well,” Nash said. “It’s tough on a coach but it’s positive for our group and program but they are. They’re gaining connectivity which I always preach that familiarity that chemistry’s coming and so that’s something where I’ll say a few days in I’ve been really positive and excited about it.”

KD says there’s been a lot of “healthy competition” in practice, too:

“We’ve got such a talented group. You’ve got guys who can do multiple things on the floor with the basketball. It brings the best out of everybody, having Spencer and Caris going at it every day, Kyrie, myself going at it, DJ and Jarrett going at it every day,” Durant says. “That just breeds that competition. It’s a healthy competition. It’s not like guys are, you know, wanting another guy’s spot. It’s more so we want to push each other because we know it’s going to help with the end goal. So, it’s been healthy, it’s been good and guys are getting better.”

He’s optimistic about the team’s potential:

“I’ve never been one to predict anything, but I like our chances of going out there and competing at that high level every single night,” Durant says. “And as tough as that is in this league, I think we’re capable of doing that,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of guys who have experienced so much in this league. We’ve got champions on this team, we’ve got guys that have been in playoff runs, been in Game 7s, so, it’s always important to have that much experience and knowledge within the group. We’ll see where we go from here.”

The post Kevin Durant Open To Playing Small Ball-Five For Nets This Season appeared first on SLAM.

With three championships combined between KD and Kyrie, there are championship expectations but there shouldn’t be any particular pressure on them to win it in 2020-21. This is especially true in light of both stars’ recent injury history.

This offseason should be about bolstering the roster around those two and with a top-20 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, the Nets should be able to add a quality piece.

Related: Full Brooklyn Nets 2020 Salary Cap Preview

2020 NBA Draft Picks

Nets Draft Needs

There should be two main focuses for Brooklyn heading into the offseason: making a decision on re-signing sharpshooter Joe Harris and deciding how to improve their play at forward (outside of Durant).

Harris is a great fit in the starting lineup because of how his off-ball scoring complements both Durant and Irving’s ability to get into the teeth of the defense with the ball in their hands. However, after being paid a total of $16 million over the past two seasons, Harris may be in line for a pay raise.

The 29-year-old has been shooting an absurd .448 percent from 3-point range since 2018-19 (on 5.5 attempts per game) and he’s as professional as veterans come.

There’s quite a few prospects who excel as perimeter shooters in this year’s draft so, if Brooklyn feels the need to replace Harris, they should be able to.

At power forward, Taurean Prince could be a solid three-and-D option for the Nets. Nonetheless, they have a plethora of lower-level players — Dzanan Musa, Rodions Kurucs and Wilson Chandler — who can be replaced.

2020 NBA Draft Prospect Watchlist

What The Mocks Are Saying

Projected Roster

Team-by-Team NBA Draft Guides

More: SLAM’s 2020 NBA Draft Preview

The post Brooklyn Nets: 2020 NBA Draft Preview appeared first on SLAM.

In addition to a summary for each of the 30 teams (accessible in the link grid below), we’ve also tiered the top NBA free agents league-wide and published a general comparison of all teams’ cap space. Follow @SLAMnewswire on Twitter for constant offseason updates as we head into free agency.

Projected Roster Players

Projected Free Agents

2020 NBA Draft Picks

Exceptions Available

• Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception – $5,718,000
• Bi-Annual Exception – $3,623,000

Key Offseason Decisions

• How much can Brooklyn afford to offer Joe Harris to retain him? Harris is a great fit for the Nets when Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving return, but Brooklyn is already over the tax. If the tax is a concern, could a team offer Harris more than the Nets will match?
• With the returns of Durant and Irving looming, does Brooklyn look to rebalance the roster by moving another high usage player like Caris LeVert or Spencer Dinwiddie?
• How do the Nets fill the hole at power forward? This is the most glaring need on the roster.

Projected Team Salary

$163,282,027

Brooklyn’s projections are pretty easy to make. The one question may be picking up Garrett Temple’s team option. He’s worth at least $5M as a veteran combo-guard, so it’s likely he’ll be back. Beyond that, the Nets will retain rights for their free agents, as they all have some value to the team. (@KeithSmithNBA)

Cap Space Forecast

-$54,142,027 (26^th out of 30). $892,918 over the Luxury Tax.

Team Salary Cap Outlooks

The post Brooklyn Nets: Salary Cap Space 2020 appeared first on SLAM.

We’ve listed the entire roster with comparisons to last year’s launch rating below. We’ve also identified some general NBA 2K21 ratings trends for the league as a whole.

Nets NBA 2K21 Ratings

View the NBA 2K21 player ratings for other teams below.

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This year’s version of the game faced unusual circumstances as the 2020-21 version of the game is technically dropping before the conclusion of the previous campaign. Such is life in the year 2020.

Without so much as a 2020 offseason, let alone a rookie draft, the rosters themselves in the launch version of NBA 2K21 are in line with where they were in the most recently updated patch of NBA 2K20 but discrepancies among the ratings still exist. The game is geared toward next season, after all.

We’ve rounded up and sifted through the team-by-team overall rating data below. It’s on you to hit us here or on Twitter with the decisions you think the 2K developers nailed – and where they struck out.

Below the team-by-team grid, we’ve broken down additional trends, so scroll liberally.

The average player ratings were down across the board compared to last year which could indicate a slight game-wide recalibration but the numbers are indicative of how the teams stack up from top to bottom. Any generic average that weighs every single player on a team equally will be flawed, so don’t read more into this than you should, but it’s interesting to note the relative differences between the teams. It’s also a good reminder of just how scary the Warriors and Nets can be when fully healthy.

Average Overall Rating By Team

Biggest NBA 2K21 Ratings Increases

Biggest NBA 2K21 Ratings Decreases

The post NBA 2K21 Ratings: Team-by-Team Lists appeared first on SLAM.

Here’s our breakdown of Sunday’s action.

No. 3 Celtics 110 at No. 6 Sixers 106

BOS wins series 4-0

The Celtics kept their foot on the gas against a vulnerable Philadelphia team and ended up holding on to a fourth consecutive win in their first-round series. Sixers forward Tobias Harris suffered a head injury scare after a nasty fall in which his face hit the hardwood. Fortunately, despite the unbraced fall, he managed to avoid significant damage and returned to the game with a facial laceration. Harris and Joel Embiid paced Philly with 20 and 30 points respectively but the well-oiled C’s, led by Kemba Walker’s 32 points, were too much to overcome.

No. 2 Clippers 133 at No. 7 Mavericks 135 (OT)

Series tied 2-2

Luka Doncic had a triple double with eight minutes left in the third quarter on Sunday and that wasn’t even the most impressive thing that he did. The superstar 21-year-old, who wasn’t even a sure bet to play due to the ankle sprain he suffered in Game 3, toyed with the Clippers all day long eventually nailing a game-winning three at the buzzer in overtime. Doncic finished with 43 points, 17 rebounds and 13 assists while continuing to exceed any rational human being’s expectation of what a second year NBA player should be capable of. The Mavs win came without Kristaps Porzingis, who ended up sitting out with a sore knee and despite a 36-point performance from uber reserve Lou Williams. This was a Hardwood Classic in real time, catch it on League Pass if you missed it.

No. 2 Raptors 150 at No. 7 Nets 122

TOR wins series 4-0

The Raptors hit the 100-point threshold with over three minutes remaining in the third quarter of their Game 4 win over the Nets, ultimately settling with 150 points in a lopsided victory to close out their series sweep. Not only did every Raptors player score in this one but every one recorded at least one assist. It wasn’t all good news for Toronto, however, as the team lost veteran leader Kyle Lowry to a foot injury in the first quarter. Caris LeVert hit 35 points in the losing effort.

No. 3 Nuggets 127 at No. 3 Jazz 129

UTA leads series 3-1

The Nuggets and Jazz went toe-to-toe for four quarters but only one team could come out on top. Thanks to yet another impressive performance from elite closer Donovan Mitchell, Utah will take a stranglehold on the series. Mitchell finished with 51 points, his second 50-piece of the series, but it was the late buckets that put the nail in the coffin for Denver. Jamal Murray added 50 points of his own but will now face elimination despite a remarkably improved showing after a disastrous Game 3.

• Aug. 22: Post Up: Lakers Hit Next Level
• Aug. 21: Post Up: Kawhi Carries Clippers
• Aug. 20: Post Up: The Empires Strike Back
• Aug. 19: Post Up: The Cavalry Has Arrived
• Aug. 18: Post Up: Crazy Eights
• Aug. 17: Post Up: Donovan Mitchell Makes History

The post Post Up: Where Luka Happens appeared first on SLAM.

Heading the first team is Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard, also named the MVP of the Bubble. Joining him are household names James Harden and Luka Doncic who helped steer their Western Conference powerhouses into the postseason.

Devin Booker, fresh off an 8-0 run with the Phoenix Suns, earned the nod, while T.J. Warren received praise for his star turn as an unstoppable scorer. Warren cracked 53 points once and averaged 28.0 per game.

Only three players were tabbed as unanimous first-team selections: Lillard, Booker and Doncic.

All-Bubble First Team

Michael Porter Jr. and Caris LeVert wasted no time taking advantage of their opportunities in the bubble and proved just how scary their teams can be if they end up consistently hitting their ceilings as players.

Giannis Antetokounmpo was the only second-team player to receive first-team votes. He was joined by All-Stars Kawhi Leonard and Kristaps Porzingis on the roster.

All-Bubble Second Team

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Which players were the hottest and coldest when the league shut down on March 11? I did the math – lots of it – and laid out the impact that the suspension could have on each of the league’s 22 bubble squads.

I’ve already written extensively about how the hiatus impacted player health around the NBA so my focus with this one was to boil down data provided by Sport Radar and compiled by Sports.ws to display, at an elementary level, just who was performing the best in March relative to how they were doing previously.

For those keeping track at home, I’ve included the math at the bottom of this post.

My main motivation for crunching the numbers was to get insight into what we might be able to expect from teams in the bubble. For some squads and players, the Disney World restart represents a complete shakeup but for others, those otherwise forgettable late-season March matchups could provide glimpses into where teams are going with their rotations.

Is Shake Milton for real in Philadelphia? Is Kristaps Porzingis finally, truly, back to New York form in Dallas? What does a Caris LeVert-led Brooklyn team look like and will that even matter when Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving are healthy? Do we need to worry about New Orleans’ Brandon Ingram?

Only 16 teams will make it out of the seeding round into the postseason. The rest of us – in the bubble and at home – can at least take the opportunity to start mapping out what the future might hold.

Team-by-Team Breakdown

The fire and snowflake icons in the team-by-team player lists correspond to that player’s net output in March vs. their output in October – February. Output was determined by a weighted scoring algorithm compiled by Sports.ws.

Output = PTS + def_reb + (off_reb x 1.5) + (AST x 2) + (STL x 2.5) + (BLK x 2) – (TO x 1.5) – (FG miss x 0.5) – (FT miss x 0.5)

The post Heat Check (Hiatus Edition) Introduction appeared first on SLAM.

Such an opportunity came during Irving’s absence in the first chunk of the 2019-20 campaign. In five March games before the shutdown, LeVert had averaged 27, 6 and 6 and while that may be buffed by a 51-points March 3 outing, we may see similarly impressive command of the squad in Orlando.

Don’t sleep on guard Chris Chiozza either, the point guard saw his workload double in March and averaged 10 points per game during that period (up from 2.1 previously). Now with Spencer Dinwiddie sidelined, too, he’ll get even more of an opportunity to show what he’s made of.

Jarrett Allen saw a reduced role in March (21.2 minutes per game, down from 26.1) but with so many absences in Brooklyn’s frontcourt, it’s hard to imagine his opportunities won’t ramp back up again.

SLAM’s Heat Check series compares each individual player’s personal production in the month of March with their production prior. The goal is to get a sense of the direction in which players were trending when the league stood still. For a more in-depth description, check out our Heat Check (Hiatus Edition) introduction.

Brooklyn Nets Heat Check

Caris LeVert
Chris Chiozza
Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot
Jeremiah Martin
Joe Harris	–
DeAndre Jordan	–
Rodions Kurucs
Spencer Dinwiddie
Garrett Temple
Theo Pinson
Wilson Chandler
Taurean Prince
Jarrett Allen

Team-by-Team Breakdown

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Last Week’s Notebooks: East || West

• Dallas Mavericks – The Mavs are about as healthy as they’re going to be the rest of the season. Luka Doncic is dealing with some right ankle and left thumb soreness, but is playing through it. That’s good news for Dallas, as Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis have developed some great chemistry. The Mavericks are only two games out of the fourth spot in what is shaping up to be a wild finish in the Western Conference.
• Denver Nuggets – Denver added Troy Daniels after he was cut by the Los Angeles Lakers and that should just about finish the Nuggets roster. Mike Malone was already able to go 10-deep in his rotation, but with Daniels and Noah Vonleh, he’s now got some experience vets behind his main guys. Denver is only a game behind the LA Clippers for the two seed, but they also have to keep an eye behind them as Houston and Utah have closed to with 2.5 games.
• Golden State Warriors – Steph Curry is back and Steve Kerr says that is a springboard into next season for the Warriors. Kerr will get a look at Curry playing with Draymond Green and Andrew Wiggins over the last 20 or so games. It won’t make a bit of difference for the rest of the season, but it could help lay a nice foundation into the offseason and the start a bounce-back season for Golden State next year.

• Houston Rockets – Just when it looked like the Rockets cracked the small-ball code with six wins in a row, they lost at the Knicks and got blown out at home by the Clippers. No one needs to overreact, as the Knicks game seemed like a fluke loss and the Clippers are really good, but a couple of troubling items did emerge. New York scored 64 points in the paint and LA defended the arc well, holding Houston to just 7-of-42 shooting. For the Rockets to work with this makeup, they need to hold their own inside and hit shots. It was either one of those weeks for Houston, or signs of trouble.
• LA Clippers – The Clippers seem to have settled on their playoff rotation and it’s deep with solid NBA talent. Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Patrick Beverley and Marcus Morris are a tough group to score on. Ivica Zubac can be productive in the right matchups in the starting group as well. And when Doc Rivers goes to his bench, he’s got Lou Williams, Montrezl Harrell, Landry Shamet, Reggie Jackson and JaMychal Green. That group brings a lot of offense to the table. That’s hard to match for any other team in the league.
• LA Lakers – Not enough is being made of LeBron James leading the NBA in assists at 10.7 per game. The days of “Can LeBron average a triple-double?” are gone, especially with Anthony Davis gobbling up so many rebounds, but James has become the NBA’s preeminent playmaker. It’s almost gotten to a point where teams might be better of letting James shoot, as he’s under 50% from the floor for the first time in five years. Oh, and the Lakers will soon add Dion Waiters to the mix for some additional bench scoring. Waiters will be on a short leash, but seems motivated to make it work in LA.

• Memphis Grizzlies – Just when it looked like Memphis’ playoff hopes were teetering on the edge, the Grizzlies hammered the Lakers and then won two-straight on the road by 39 points apiece. Now Memphis is back to .500 on the season and has pushed their lead for the West’s last playoff spot back to 3.5 games. The baby bears might just do this thing.
• Minnesota Timberwolves – Ryan Saunders said the Wolves hope to have an update on Friday for Karl-Anthony Towns’ eventual return from a fractured left wrist. The Wolves have 21 games left and would love to see a chunk of them with Towns playing alongside a bunch of new teammates, including D’Angelo Russell and Malik Beasley.
• New Orleans Pelicans – The Pelicans have lost three-straight games as of this writing and have fallen five games behind the Grizzlies. Just as important, there are now three teams between New Orleans and Memphis. The Pels still have an easy closing schedule, but that’s a lot to overcome. And sharpshooter JJ Redick is still sidelined for another week or so. Starting to look like it might be next year for this group’s playoff debut.
• Oklahoma City Thunder – OKC is now just 1.5 games out of homecourt advantage in the playoffs. That still isn’t enough to stop swirl around Chris Paul’s future. Reports surfaced this week that the New York Knicks are monitoring Paul and could consider a trade for him this summer. It’s probably not a coincidence that Paul’s former agent, Leon Rose, now runs the Knicks. And this report came after one that the Chicago Bulls want to hire Sam Presti to run their basketball operation. Despite it all, the Thunder just keep quietly winning games.

• Phoenix Suns – Forward Kelly Oubre Jr. is likely out for the season. He underwent a procedure to repair a torn meniscus and will be re-evaluated in four weeks. That timeline is almost to the end of the season. With the Suns out of the playoff picture, they should be cautious and keep Oubre out. Yet again, it’s “Wait till next year” time in Phoenix.
• Portland Trail Blazers – Damian Lillard is back for Portland and the Blazers are about the same place as they were when he strained his groin. The Trail Blazers are 3.5 games behind the Grizzlies for the eighth spot in the West. Portland has a far easier closing schedule than Memphis, and may eventually get Jusuf Nurkic and/or Zach Collins back in the lineup. That’d go a long way towards helping make up that difference in the standings.
• Sacramento Kings – Sacramento has won six of their last eight games to push back in the playoff picture. They’re four games behind Memphis, but have a pretty easy schedule to wrap up the season. Unfortunately, the Kings have two games left against the Lakers. Sacramento has to hope LA is in coast mode for those April matchups.
• San Antonio Spurs – The Spurs are clinging to playoff life, as they’ve fallen four games behind the Grizzlies now. San Antonio’s frontcourt is a mess, as LaMarcus Aldridge has missed four straight games with a shoulder injury with no update on a potential return date. Jakob Poeltl is also on the shelf, as he’s got a sprained MCL in his right knee and will be out 2-4 weeks. That leaves Trey Lyles and untested youngsters manning the middle for the Spurs as they try and extend their playoff streak to 23 years.
• Utah Jazz – Utah has seemingly righted the ship, as they’ve won three games in a row as of this writing. Despite all the recent turbulence, the Jazz are just 3.5 games out of the two-seed. On the flip side, they’re only two games away from the seventh spot in the West. Right now, Quin Snyder is focused on getting his finally-healthy roster to fit together. The early returns were bumpy, but guys seem to be figuring out their roles. That’s good news for Utah heading into the postseason.

The post Newswire Notebook: Steph Curry Is Back and More appeared first on SLAM.

Spencer Dinwiddie scored a team-high 24 points in Brooklyn, including two clutch free throws down the stretch. Joe Harris and Caris LeVert each had 23 apiece.

Pelicans 120 (28-36), Timberwolves (19-44)

Jrue Holiday (37 points) was one rebound and two assists away from a triple-double. Zion Williamson was the Pels’ second-leading scorer with 23 points and had a MEAN windmill dunk the fourth quarter.

Lakers 112 (49-13), Clippers 103 (43-20)

LeBron James (30 points) and Anthony Davis (28 points) combined for 58 points in Sunday’s matinee against the Clippers. Avery Bradley was the other starter who finished in double digits, scoring 24 points.

Suns 140 (26-38), Bucks 131 (53-11)

All five Suns starters finished in double digits – Devin Booker (36 points), Ricky Rubio (25), Aron Baynes (24), Mikal Bridges (24) and Dario Saric (11).

Thunder 105 (40-24), Celtics 104 (42-21)

Dennis Schroder made the game-winning layup after stripping the ball from Jayson Tatum with 8.5 seconds in the 4th quarter. The Thunder overcame a 18-point deficit due to the stellar play of Schroder (27 points) and Chris Paul (28 points).

Heat 100 (41-23), Wizards 89 (23-40)

Bam Adebayo finished with a double-double (27 points and 14 rebounds) in the Nation’s Capitol. Ducan Robinson caught fire from deep, knocking down six 3-pointers, en route to a 23-point performance.

Pacers 112 (39-25), Mavericks 109 (39-26)

Victor Oladpio scored the final six points to give Indiana the W in Dallas. Domantas Sabonis finished with 20 points and 17 rebounds, TJ Warren and Myles Turner had 16 apiece.

Magic 126 (29-35), Rockets 106 (39-24)

Orlando’s bench came up huge in H-Town – D.J. Augustin scored a team-high 24 points, and Michael Carter-Williams and Terrence Ross each had 16. Aaron Gordon finished with 19 points.

Knicks 96 (20-44), Pistons 84 (20-45)

New York pulled away in the fourth to get the win at The Garden. Julius Randle had 22 points and 12 rebounds, Elfird Payton finished 16 points and RJ Barrett added 12.

Queensbridge’s finest. (via @nyknicks) pic.twitter.com/BTUvAOyhTd

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 9, 2020

Cavaliers 132 (19-45), Spurs 129 (26-36)

After Rudy Gay hit a jumper to force OT, Kevin Love’s late-game 3-pointer gave the Cavs the lead. Love finished with 14 points, Andre Drummond had 28 points and 12 rebounds and Collin Sexton finished with 26.

Raptors 118 (45-18), Kings 113 (28-36)

Both teams went back and forth, but Pascal Siakam made some huge plays to give Toronto the edge on the road. Siakam finished with 23 points. Norman Powell finished with 31 points and Kyle Lowry had 30 points.

The post Post Up: LeBron & AD Combine for 58 Points in Battle for LA appeared first on SLAM.

Bradley Beal went off for 35 points on 7-of-10 shooting from deep to help the Wizards earn the home win. Cam Reddish scored 28 points for the Hawks.

Spurs 120 (26-35), Nets 139 (28-34)

Caris LeVert notched his first career triple-double (27 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists) in the Nets’ victory over the Spurs. DeMar DeRozan led San Antonio with 24 points.

Thunder 126 (39-24), Knicks 103 (19-44)

The duo of Danilo Gallinari (22 points) and Chris Paul (21 points, 12 assists) took charge against the Knicks, guiding their team to a win. Six Thunder players hit double-digit scoring against New York.

Jazz 99 (40-22), Celtics 94 (42-20)

The two hopeful playoff contenders fought valiantly in this tight contest, but it was the visitors that came out on top. Mike Conley contributed a team-high 25 points to the Jazz’s winning effort.

Pacers 108 (38-25), Bulls 102 (21-42)

Indiana received a boost from their All-Star big man, Domantas Sabonis, to overcome the Bulls. Sabonis posted a double-double of 24 points and 12 rebounds. Bulls rookie Coby White continued a string of strong performances with 26 points against the Pacers.

Magic 132 (28-35), Timberwolves 118 (19-43)

Nikola Vucevic (28 points, 12 rebounds) and Markelle Fultz (24 points) led a two-headed attack to fend off the Wolves. Malik Beasley impressed with 29 points.

Heat 104 (40-23), Pelicans 110 (27-36)

Miami made a late run to pull within one bucket, but New Orleans locked down in the final minutes to send the Heat packing. Jrue Holiday led a balanced attack for the Pelicans with 20 points and 6 assists.

Grizzlies 96 (31-32), Mavericks 121 (39-25)

Kristaps and Luka continue wreak havoc on opposing defenses. Porzingis put up a team-high 26 points and 11 rebounds, while Doncic added 21 points and 6 assists in the Mavs’ home win.

Blazers 117 (28-35), Suns 127 (24-38)

Aron Baynes notched a career-high 37 points as the Suns overwhelmed Portland. CJ McCollum’s 25 points weren’t enough for the Blazers.

Bucks 103 (53-10), Lakers 113 (48-13)

This matchup of heavyweights didn’t disappoint. The duo of LeBron James (37 points) and Anthony Davis (30 points) proved too much to beat for the Bucks. Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 32 points for Milwaukee.

The post Post Up: Caris LeVert Notches First Career Triple-Double in Nets’ Win appeared first on SLAM.

Last Week’s Notebooks: East || West

• Atlanta Hawks – With Dewayne Dedmon out and Clint Capela yet to make his Hawks’ debut, Atlanta has gone to some minutes with their “core five” as a lineup. In 181 minutes over 20 games, the Hawks are +25 with Trae Young, John Collins, Kevin Huerter, De’Andre Hunter and Cam Reddish on the floor together. That might not sound like a lot, but considering Atlanta is -8.1 points per game on the season it’s meaningful. Those five are the Hawks building blocks, so it’s good to see them able to share the floor together.
• Boston Celtics – Boston was expected to struggle with interior defense after losing Al Horford in the offseason. Instead, the Celtics rank fifth in the NBA in blocks per 100 possessions. Some of that is long wings like Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown blocking jumpers, but most of it comes at the rim. Boston actually ranks ahead of much bigger Philadelphia in blocks/100, which is one of the surprises of the season.

• Brooklyn Nets – Kyrie Irving underwent successful surgery on his right shoulder impingement. As expected, Irving will join Kevin Durant on the sidelines for the rest of this season. The Nets are hanging in there without Irving though, as Caris LeVert exploded for 51 points in an upset win over the Celtics in Boston. LeVert scored 37 of his 51 points in the fourth quarter and overtime. He went for 26 in the fourth and then scored all 11 of the Nets points in overtime.

• Charlotte Hornets – With the focus on youth, the Hornets are giving almost all their minutes to players who are 26 years old and under. That’s given increased opportunities to rookies Cody and Caleb Martin and Jalen McDaniels. Those three combined with PJ. Washington and Mile Bridges give Charlotte a really interesting group of forwards. None of the five can really play up and defend the five, and only Cody Martin has shown the ability to play down and defend the two. That makes it a challenge for James Borrego and Mitch Kupchak to figure out how they call fit, but that’s what rebuilding seasons are for.
• Chicago Bulls – Last week we wrote about how banged up the Bulls were. Well, they’re finally getting healthy! Zach LaVine went down with a quad injury, but it’s not expected to be a long-term thing. Otto Porter Jr. returned to the lineup for the first time since early-November. Lauri Markkanen got back after missing over a month. And Wendell Carter Jr. is back as well. That’s important as Chicago can use the last month of the season to see exactly who fits together and how. Look for Coby White to possibly take over as the starting point guard, as it’s getting harder for Jim Boylen to keep White on the bench. White has averaged 28 points per game on 51/49/95 shooting splits over his last six games.
• Cleveland Cavaliers – Cleveland is a mess with injuries. Andre Drummond (calf), Darius Garland (groin), Tristan Thompson (knee) and Dante Exum (ankle) are all out. Drummond, Garland and Thompson aren’t expected to be down long-term, but the Cavs also lost Kevin Porter Jr. to a head injury against Boston on Wednesday night. This point in the year should be about evaluation and development and injuries are robbing Cleveland of that.
• Detroit Pistons – How much are the Pistons hurting for guard depth? Jordan McRae was claimed off waivers on Wednesday afternoon and then played 25 minutes on Wednesday night. McRae did what he does and scored 15 points, but that says a lot about where things are at for the Pistons. Also, keep an eye on Christian Wood. He scored 29 points on Wednesday, bringing his average to 20.1 points per game since the start of February.

• Indiana Pacers – The Pacers lost Jeremy Lamb last week and now Victor Oladipo is back on the shelf with right knee soreness. Indiana knew that they’d have to deal with that as Oladipo works his way back from last season’s knee injury. What the Pacers weren’t expecting is for Malcolm Brogdon to continue to get nicked up. Brogdon left Wednesday’s loss against his former team in Milwaukee with a sore left hip. Injuries to their top three guards have Indiana relying heavily on Aaron and Justin Holiday and T.J. McConnell in the backcourt.
• Miami Heat – The Heat got back home after a tough road trip and ripped off a four-game win streak. That improved their record to 27-4 in Miami. More importantly, the Heat now have a three-game lead over both the Pacers and 76ers in the race for homecourt advantage. And Miami is quietly only 2.5 games behind Boston for the third seed.
• Milwaukee Bucks – The Bucks actually lost a game in the last week! They were handled fairly easily by the Heat in Miami. But it doesn’t really matter. Milwaukee is 12-2 in their last 14 games. And if you’re looking for a weakness on the road, it doesn’t really exist. The Bucks and Lakers are tied at an NBA-best 25-6 away from home. By any measure, Milwaukee is dominant.
• New York Knicks – RJ Barrett played one of the best games of his career this week as the Knicks upset the Rockets in New York. Barrett scored 27 points on 10-of-18 shooting to go along with five rebounds and five assists. Overall, Barrett has scored 14 or more points in seven of his last eight games and is averaging 16.8 points per game during that stretch. It’s incremental, but signs of improvement are there for the Knicks young wing.

• Orlando Magic – Just when things were looking up for Orlando, they dropped three straight games to fall back behind Brooklyn in the standings. The Magic still have a healthy 4.5 game lead over the Wizards for the eighth spot in the East, but could be on a collision course with the Bucks in the first round. That’d be bad news for Orlando, as they are 0-3 against Milwaukee and have lost by an average of 19.6 points per game in those three losses.
• Philadelphia 76ers – Shake Milton stepped up on Sunday with a career game. He scored 39 points, which topped his previous career-high of 27. And Milton sent an NBA record with 14 consecutive made three-pointers over a two-game stretch. Philadelphia’s roster is expensive and will only get more expensive down the line. Milton on a minimum contract through 2022-23 is huge for helping to keep a mounting tax bill down.
• Toronto Raptors – One man in, one man out for the Raptors. Toronto got Norman Powell back, but lost Serge Ibaka. Without Ibaka and Marc Gasol, the Raps have gone small with Pascal Siakam and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson starting at the five. They’ve also given increased minutes to Chris Boucher. He responded with 19 points and 15 rebounds in Tuesday’s win at Phoenix. That play has helped keep Toronto just ahead of Boston in the race for the second seed in the East. And despite it all, Toronto can clinch a playoff spot with a win on Thursday at the Golden State Warriors.
• Washington Wizards – The Wizards are clinging to life in the Eastern Conference playoff race. They’ve dropped 4.5 games behind Orlando and a full five games behind Brooklyn. Injuries continue to be a challenge for Washington, as Thomas Bryant can’t play back-to-backs due to foot soreness and Ish Smith went down with hamstring soreness. Once Washington falls out of the race fully, look for the team to actively sit some of their veterans and focus on the younger players the rest of the way.

The post Newswire Notebook: Caris LeVert Goes Off and More appeared first on SLAM.

In Tim Duncan’s head coaching debut, the Spurs picked up a win in a tight game on the road in Charlotte. San Antonio was led by Dejounte Murray, who finished with 21 points, 6 assists and 5 rebounds. For the Hornets, Terry Rozier dropped 20 points to go along with 5 assists and 6 rebounds, and PJ Washington added 19 in the loss.

Nets 129 (27-33), Celtics 120 (41-19)

It was an absolutely wild one in TD Garden.

The Nets trailed by as many as 21-points in the second half, and were down 17 heading into the fourth. Then Caris LeVert put on a show. The Nets outscored Boston 51-34 in the fourth to force OT behind an insane 26-POINT quarter from LeVert. He stayed hot in OT, scoring all 11 points for Brooklyn and lifting them to the win. Despite having just 14 points at the start of the fourth quarter, LeVert finished with a career-high 51 on 17-26 shooting and 5-10 from downtown. The Boston defense just had no answer for the Michigan product, who put on one of, if not the best performance of the 2019-2020 season thus far.

The Celtics were led by Jaylen Brown, who dropped 22, and Kemba Walker, in his return from injury, who added 21. Marcus Smart stuffed the stat sheet with 14 points, 10 assists, 6 rebounds, 2 blocks, and 2 steals in the loss.

Timberwolves 139 (18-42), Pelicans 134 (26-35)

In a high-scoring affair, the Timberwolves outscored the Pelicans 30-23 in the final frame to pick up the win on the road. Malik Beasley led the way, finishing with 28 points on 11-13 shooting and 4-5 from three. DeAngelo Russell added 23 points and 8 assists in the win, and James Johnson dropped 19 points, 5 assists, and 6 rebounds off the bench.

Zion Williamson extended his streak of 20-point games to 12, finishing with 25 points and 8 rebounds on 10-19 shooting. Zion was one of five Pelicans to finished with 24 or more points. Jrue Holiday was awesome, completing a triple-double with 27 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds. Lonzo Ball added 26 points (including 7 threes), 8 assists and 5 rebounds, and Brandon Ingram dropped 24.

Clippers 109 (42-19), Thunder 94 (37-24)

In a battle between two Western Conference playoff teams, the Clippers picked up the impressive win on the road, their 5th straight victory. Kawhi Leonard scored 25 to go along with 8 rebounds, and Paul George added 16 to lead the way. For OKC, Dennis Schroder dropped a team-high 24 in the loss. Chris Paul added 14 points and 7 assists.

Warriors 116 (14-48), Nuggets 100 (41-20)

The Warriors picked up one of their most impressive wins of the season, beating the Nuggets by double digits in Denver. Andrew Wiggins showed out, finishing with 22 points, 10 assists and 5 rebounds to lead Golden State. Eric Paschall added 22 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists off the bench. Paul Millsap and Will Barton each dropped 18 in the loss for Denver. Nikola Jokic added 16 points, 13 rebounds, and 7 assists.

Raptors 123 (43-18), Suns 114 (24-38)

Trailing by 7 at the break, the Raptors rallied in the second half to beat the Suns in Phoenix. Pascal Siakam was dominant, dropping 33 points on 12-20 shooting and 5-9 from deep. Kyle Lowry added a very solid stat line of 28 points, 6 assists and 5 rebounds, and Norman Powell dropped 26 in the Raptors win. Devin Booker scored a team-high 22 and added 10 dimes, and Cam Johnson finished with 21 points on 5 made threes in the loss.

Lakers 120 (47-13), 76ers 107 (37-25)

The Lakers blew the game open in the second quarter, outscoring Philly 37-19, and maintained the lead in the second half to secure the home win. Anthony Davis went off, scoring 18 of his game-high 37 in the second quarter. AD also finished with 13 rebounds and 4 blocks. LeBron added a light 22 points, 14 assists and 7 rebounds on 9-16 shooting in the win. Without Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid, Philadelphia was led by Glen Robinson III, who dropped 25 points on 10-15 shooting off the bench.

Kings 133 (27-34), Wizards 126 (22-38)

The Wizards stormed back after being down by 28, outscoring Sacramento 46-19 in the third quarter to tie the game heading into the fourth. But Washington responded, winning the final frame 38-31 to secure the win on the road. The Kings were led by De’Aaron Fox, who dropped 31 points on 12-19 shooting in the win. Bogdan Bogdanovic added 21, and Buddy Hield scored 17 off the bench. For the Wizards, Bradley Beal finished with a game-high 35 points in the loss.

The post Post Up: LeVert Erupts for 51 in Win Over Celtics appeared first on SLAM.

Sacramento led the entire game until the Clippers took the lead with 8:29 left in the fourth. But the Kings battled back in crunch time to secure the dub.

Kent Bazemore dropped a team-high 23 points with 6 boards and 4 steals.

Nets 115 (26-29), Hornets 86 (19-37)

After taking a 10-point lead into halftime, Brooklyn ripped open a huge lead in the third quarter, outscoring the Hornets by 15 points in the period.

Caris LeVert dropped 17 points with 6 steals. Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot added a game-high 21 points off the bench.

Mavs 107 (34-23), Hawks 11 (-1.5)

Atlanta erased a 13-point deficit in the fourth quarter to defeat the Mavs who were without Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis.

John Collins dropped a game-high 35 points with 17 boards. Trae Young added 25 points and 10 dimes.

Unhappy with the calls during the game, Mark Cuban took to twitter to roast the refs. Prepare for a fine from the League.

Cavs 105 (15-41), Heat 124 (36-20)

The Heat blew out the Cavs on the night that Dwyane Wade’s No. 3 jersey went up into the rafters.

Kendrick Nunn dropped a game-high 24 points with 8 dimes.

Suns 112 (23-34), Bulls 104 (19-38)

After falling behind by 17 points late in the second quarter, Phoenix outscored the Bulls by 18 points in the second half to get the win.

Deandre Ayton dropped 28 points with 19 boards and 3 blocks. Devin Booker added a team-high 29 points.

Chicago has now lost a dismal 8 straight games.

Sixers 98 (35-22), Bucks 119 (48-8)

Milwaukee dismantled the Sixers, building a 25-point lead by the third quarter.

Giannis Antetokounmpo dropped a game-high 31 points with 17 boards and 8 dimes.

Rockets 120 (36-20), Jazz 110 (36-20)

Down by 4 at halftime, Houston outscored the Jazz by 19 points in the third quarter to take control of the game.

James Harden dropped a game-high 38 points with 7 dimes. Russell Westbrook added 34 points.

The post Post Up: Heat Rout Cavs on D-Wade’s Jersey Retirement Night ⚡ appeared first on SLAM.

Cleveland jumped ahead with 33 points in the first quarter and never looked back. Tristan Thompson registered a double-double of 27 points and 11 rebounds.

Pistons 112 (19-38), Magic 116 (24-31)

Both teams hit clutch threes to send the game into overtime, but it was the Magic that came away with the win. Orlando featured a two-headed attack by Aaron Gordon (25 points, 9 rebounds, 9 assists) and Markelle Fultz (22 points, 10 assists).

Raptors 91 (40-15), Nets 101 (25-28)

Toronto’s 15-game wining streak came to an end Wednesday in Brooklyn. Five Nets players hit double digits, including four of their five starters, led by Caris LeVert’s 20 points.

Bucks 111 (46-8), Pacers 118 (32-23)

Milwaukee fell short in Indiana as Giannis Antetokounmpo missed his second game due to the birth of his son. TJ Warren set the tone for the Pacers with 35 points and 4 steals.

Wizards 114 (20-33), Knicks 96 (17-38)

Washington turned it on in the fourth quarter, scoring 37 points to seal their road win. All-Star Bradley Beal paced his team with 30 points.

Blazers 104 (25-31), Grizzlies 111 (28-26)

The Grizzlies’ young duo of Brandon Clarke (27 points) and Ja Morant (20 points) helped fend off Portland. CJ McCollum scored 23 points for the Blazers.

Hornets 115 (18-36), Timberwolves 108 (16-37)

Minnesota reclaimed the lead in the closing minutes, but Charlotte rallied and earned the victory. Devonte’ Graham put up 28 points for the Hornets, while his teammate Malik Monk added 25 points.

Kings 111 (21-33), Mavericks 130 (33-22)

Luka Doncic was back to normal in his return after a seven-game absence due to a sprained ankle. Doncic posted 33 points, 12 rebounds and 8 assists in the Mavs’ home win; Kristaps Porzingis added 27 points and 13 rebounds of his own.

Warriors 106 (12-43), Suns 112 (22-33)

Devin Booker’s 27 points led Phoenix in their victory over Golden State. Andrew Wiggins scored 27 points for the Warriors.

Heat 101 (35-19), Jazz 116 (36-18)

Utah received an offensive boost with three 20-point scorers: Donovan Mitchell (26 points), Bogdan Bogdanovic (22 points) and Jordan Clarkson (21 points). Jimmy Butler put up 25 points for the Heat.

Lakers 120 (41-12), Nuggets 116 (38-17)

Anthony Davis (33 points) and LeBron James (32 points) gave L.A. the firepower it needed to top the Nuggets in overtime. Davis and James connected for two straight threes in the extra period that sealed Denver’s fate. Jamal Murray led the Nuggets with 32 points.

The post Post Up: Luka Doncic Puts Up 33 Points in Return From Ankle Injury appeared first on SLAM.

The Raptors’ win streak seemed to be in jeopardy after they entered the half trailing 63-48, but a second half charge secured a franchise-record 12th straight win for Toronto. The win put the Raptors one game ahead of where they were through 51 games a season ago.

Pascal Siakam had 25 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals, Kyle Lowry had 32 points and 10 assists and Serge Ibaka scored 30. Ibaka’s clutch 3 sealed the win.

Nuggets 98 (36-16), Jazz 95 (32-18)

The Jazz looked ready to cruise to victory, but they were only able to muster up five points in the final six minutes of the third quarter as the short-handed Nuggets clawed their way back in to the game.

Nikola Jokic put the team on his back, racking up 30 points, 21 rebounds, 10 assists and 2 steals. The Nuggets were only able to dress seven players due to injuries and a pending trade.

Heat 111 (34-16), Clippers 128 (36-15)

The Clippers’ stars carried them to victory as Kawhi Leonard recorded a +24 plus-minus in 31 minutes and Paul George notched a +22 in 26 minutes. The Clippers hit 24 threes — a franchise-record.

Landry Shamet and George each scored 23 points to lead the Clippers and Derrick Jones Jr. scored 25 off the bench for Miami.

Suns 108 (20-31), Pistons 116 (19-34)

The Suns’ young core of Devin Booker (22 points, 7 assists), Kelly Oubre Jr. (30 points) and DeAdnre Ayton (26 points, 12 rebounds) showed up, but 21 team turnovers plagued Phoenix.

Despite allowing the Suns to shoot 54.5 percent from the field, the Pistons were able to take care of business thanks to 31 points, 19 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals from Andre Drummond. The Pistons also had 14 offensive rebounds as a unit.

Magic 100 (22-29), Celtics 116 (35-15)

Jayson Tatum did a little bit of everything as he picked up 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals and 2 blocks to accompany his 33 points on the stat sheet.

Warriors 88 (12-40), Nets 129 (23-27)

D’Angelo Russell (17 points) received a warm welcome in his return to Brooklyn, but his new squad suffered the largest loss in Barclays Center history as six Nets players scored at least 10 points. Caris LeVert’s 23 points and 8 assists led the way for Brooklyn.

Hawks 127 (14-38), Timberwolves 120 (15-35)

The Timberwolves dropped their 13th straight game as Vince Carter hit a game-clinching 3 for the Hawks on the 22nd anniversary of his NBA debut.

Trae Young had 38 points and 11 dimes for Atlanta.

Cavaliers 103 (13-39), Thunder 109 (31-20)

The Cavaliers had a well-balanced offensive attack with seven players scoring double-digit points (Kevin Love’s 20 and Collin Sexton’s 23 led the way), but they couldn’t stop Oklahoma City’s bench.

Dennis Schroder was a team-best +13 as he scored 30 points and dished out 6 dimes off the pine. No Thunder bench player had a negative plus-minus.

Grizzlies 121 (26-25), Mavericks 107 (31-20)

Memphis’ offense was nearly flawless, shooting 52.8 percent from the field and 48 percent from deep while turning the ball over just 10 times.

Jaren Jackson Jr. (19 points, 4 threes), Ja Morant (21 points on 10-for-12 shooting), Brandon Clarke (18 points on 7-for-10 shooting) and Tyus Jones (19 points on 8-for-8 shooting) pushed the Grizzlies’ scoring effort.

Kristaps Porzingis had 32 points, 11 rebuonds, 2 steals and a block in just 29 minutes for Dallas.

The post Post Up: Raptors Win Franchise-Record 12th Straight after 19-Point Comeback appeared first on SLAM.

Markelle Fultz registered a double-double of 12 points and a career-high 14 assists to beat the Hornets on the road. Teammate Nikola Vucevic added 22 points and 7 rebounds.

Knicks 139 (15-36), Cavaliers 134 (13-38)

Amid swirling trade rumors, New York came out with a win. Marcus Morris Sr. led the team with 26 points. Kevin Love put up 33 points in 41 minutes.

Mavericks 112 (31-19), Pacers 103 (31-19)

It was a battle of the big men as Kristaps Porzingis (38 points, 12 rebounds) and Domantas Sabonis (26 points, 12 rebounds, 9 assists) dueled in Indiana. Dallas grew its lead in the second half to secure the victory.

Warriors 125 (12-39), Wizards 117 (17-32)

Golden State enjoyed double-digit scoring from six players, led by Alec Burks’ 30 points. Bradley Beal impressed with 43 points, but fell short of the win.

Celtics 123 (34-15), Hawks 115 (13-38)

Boston featured three 20+ scorers against Atlanta: Jayson Tatum (28 points), Gordon Hayward (24 points) and Jaylen Brown (21 points). Trae Young dropped 34 points and 7 assists for the Hawks.

Suns 97 (20-30), Nets 119 (22-27)

Brooklyn took control after the first quarter, growing their lead to as large as 26. The Nets shot 48% from the field and 44% from deep to sink the Suns. Caris LeVert led Brooklyn with 29 points.

76ers 106 (31-20), Heat 137 (34-15)

Jimmy Butler feasted against his former team. He scored 38 points in the first three quarters, sitting for the entire fourth as the Heat cruised to a win. Goran Dragic also contributed 24 points for Miami.

Pistons 82 (18-34), Grizzlies 96 (25-25)

Jonas Valanciunas set the tempo for Memphis, leading the team with 26 points and 17 rebounds in the home win. Andre Drummond registered a double-double of 25 points and 18 rebounds for Detroit.

Timberwolves 109 (15-34), Kings 113 (19-31)

The losing woes continue for Minnesota, who just dropped their 12th straight game. De’Aaron Fox (31 points) and Bogdan Bogdanovic (23 points) gave Sacramento the scoring edge.

Spurs 105 (22-27), Clippers 108 (35-15)

The Clippers used a late run to retake the lead and beat San Antonio. Paul George (19 points) hit the dagger to put the game out of reach.

The post Post Up: Jimmy Butler Drops 38 Points in Win vs. 76ers appeared first on SLAM.

Yes, Irving says that even once Kevin Durant suits up, Brooklyn will still have a “glaring” hole.

The injury-riddled Nets (18-22) have lost two in a row, and are clinging on to the eighth and final playoff seed in the Eastern Conference.

Per The NY Post:

“It’s transparent. It’s out there. It’s glaring in terms of the pieces that we need in order to be at that next level,” Irving said after scoring just 14 points in the Nets’ 117-106 loss to the 76ers on Wednesday night. “I’m going to continue to reiterate it: We’re going to do the best with the guys that we have in our locker room now, and we’ll worry about all the other stuff — in terms of moving pieces and everything else — as an organization down the line in the summer.

“It’s just something that we signed up for. We knew what we were coming into at the beginning of this season. Guys were going down left and right, [Garrett Temple] is out, [DeAndre Jordan] just got hurt, Wilson [Chandler] just came back. We’ve got complimentary young guys as well that’ve done a great job the last three years; collectively, I feel like we have great pieces. But it’s pretty glaring we need one more piece or two more pieces that will compliment myself, KD, DJ, GT, Spencer (Dinwiddie), Caris (LeVert), and we’ll see how that evolves.”

Though Irving seems to think the Nets need not only Durant but possibly another piece to hoist a trophy, his boss’ boss doesn’t agree, (owner Joe) Tsai saying there’s enough talent on this roster to win a title.

“Absolutely. I think the fans expect that we win a championship,” Tsai said on YES. “And the good thing is I believe that we do have the pieces in place. Now, we have some injuries and people are coming back. But the fundamental pieces are in place to perhaps go all the way, so I’m absolutely comfortable that if we pay the luxury tax that’s fine.”

Either way, Irving conceded that for the time being, they can’t use Durant’s absence as an alibi.

“It’s glaring that you’re missing a big piece here,” said Irving, who shot 1-for-7 in the fourth quarter. “We all know that. But we can’t continue to make that excuse. We’ve got to go out there and compete and continue to lock in and see where we end up.”

Related Kyrie Irving: ‘I Love the Game, I Missed it So Much’

The post Kyrie Irving: ‘It’s Glaring That You’re Missing a Big Piece Here’ appeared first on SLAM.

In this post, just one of a series of 30, we’ll break down the reports that have started to trickle out about Nets players that may or may not be on the move. While there’s no guarantee when it comes to a league as wild as the modern NBA, it doesn’t hurt to brush up on each squad’s roster as the deadline draws near.

Players Unlikely To Be Traded

• Kevin Durant
• Kyrie Irving
• DeAndre Jordan
• Taurean Prince
• Caris LeVert

Brooklyn didn’t sign Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving this summer just to deal them away before the duo has a chance to play together on the court. Durant, who is recovering from a torn Achilles, seems unlikely to return this season. Irving, who has only appeared in 11 games during his first season in Prospect Heights, is dealing with a serious shoulder injury and as of this writing, there’s no timetable for him to return. DeAndre Jordan’s relationship with Durant played a role in him signing with the franchise, which from the outside, makes a trade for him hard to envision.

The Nets could certainly trade Caris LeVert and Taurean Prince, though doing so will be difficult. Each player signed a contract extension this fall, which will likely extend their stay in Brooklyn. Should the team trade either player, they’d be subjected to the Poison Pill Provision, which makes salary matching a chore.

Biggest Name Available On Market

• Joe Harris

It’s hard to find a major move for the Nets to make given that they are in a state of limbo with their star players. 

Joe Harris is making just $7.7M this season in the last year of his contract and if the team feels like he will be too pricey (he’s expected to garner a significant raise on that figure), perhaps the team deals him away for future assets. General manager Sean Marks and company haven’t given any indication that Harris is on the block, though if he’s available, there would be no shortage of suitors for the career .427 three-point marksman.

Logical Trade Pieces

• Garrett Temple

Again, this team is in the midst of a wacky season where the franchise’s short-term intentions aren’t exactly clear. If the Nets decide bringing Irving back is too risky regardless of the progress he makes with his shoulder woes, then selling a veteran like Garrett Temple could make sense.  

Trades Are Possible

• Spencer Dinwiddie
• Jarrett Allen
• Dzanan Musa
• Rodions Kurucs
• Wilson Chandler
• Theo Pinson
• Nicolas Claxton

Where would the Nets be without Spencer Dinwiddie? The potential first-time All-Star has kept the team in the playoff picture and it’s hard to envision the franchise trading away the combo guard. However, it’s worth noting that Atlanta will get Brooklyn’s 2020 first-round pick if the team makes the postseason, so the Nets would have an incentive to “focus on player development,” especially if Irving never returns. Jarrett Allen will be eligible for a rookie-scale extension this summer. His playing time has increased slightly this season despite the presence of Jordan on the roster. Second-year wing Dzanan Musa, who was the No. 29 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, has seen spotty playing time for the Nets lately, which coincides with the return of Wilson Chandler. Chandler is on the veteran’s minimum. Rodions Kurucs appears to have made his way into Kenny Atkinson’s rotation. He has two seasons left on his deal after this one, including a team option in 2021-22. Theo Pinson has the right to veto any trade by virtue of re-signing with the club on a one-year deal with an option. 2019 No. 31 overall pick Nicolas Claxton is the only rookie on the team. He hasn’t played since November.

The post 2020 NBA Trade Deadline Primer: Brooklyn Nets appeared first on SLAM.

It was the Melo show in Toronto tonight. He dropped a season-high 28 points on 10-17 shooting, including a game-winning pull-up jumper with 3 seconds left to lift the Blazers to the impressive road win. Damian Lillard added 20 points and Hassan Whiteside finished with 14 points and 16 rebounds for Portland. For the Raptors, Kyle Lowry dropped 24 in the loss.

Pistons 115 (14-24), Cavaliers 113 (10-27)

Detroit outscored Cleveland 31-18 in the fourth quarter, and Derrick Rose hit a smooth go-ahead floater with 26 seconds left to secure the win on the road. The bucket gave Rose 2 of his team-high 24 points, and Andre Drummond was a monster again, finishing with 23 points and 20 rebounds. Kevin Love led the Cavs in the loss, dropping 30 points on 12-15 shooting.

Thunder 111 (21-16), Nets 103 (16-20)

After Chris Paul tied the game with a pull-up jumper, Spencer Dinwiddie missed a free throw in the final seconds, sending the game to OT. The Thunder outscored the Nets 10-2 in overtime, giving struggling Brooklyn their 7th straight loss. CP3 was awesome, dropping 20 of his game-high 28 in the fourth quarter and OT. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander continued his stellar play, dropping 22 for OKC. The nets were lead by Taurean Prince, who finished with 21 points and 8 rebounds, and Caris LeVert, who dropped 20 off the bench.

Grizzlies 119 (16-22), Timberwolves 112 (14-22)

The Grizzlies scored 37 fourth quarter points to secure their third win in a row. Memphis was led by Ja Morant, who finished with 25 points (12-18 FG) and 7 assists, and Dillon Brooks, who dropped a game-high 28 points. Jaren Jackson Jr. added 21 points in the win. For Minnesota, the rookie Jarrett Culver finished with a season-high 24 points on 8-11 shooting.

Kings 114 (15-23), Suns 103 (14-23)

The Kings stormed back late to beat the Suns, winning the fourth quarter by a score of 36-16. De’Aaron Fox led the way with 27 points and 6 assists, and Nemanja Bjelica added 19 points and 7 rebounds. For Phoenix, Devin Booker dropped 34, his seventh straight game with 30+ points. Deandre Ayton added 21 points and 9 rebounds in the loss.

Lakers 117 (30-7), Knicks 87 (10-27)

The Lakers dominated the Knicks throughout to pick up their 30th win of the season. LeBron James led the way, finishing with 31 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists. Anthony Davis left the game in the third quarter after a scary fall, but x-rays on his lower back were negative. For the Knicks, RJ Barrett dropped a team-high 19 points.

The post Post Up: Melo’s Game-Winner Lifts Blazers Over Raptors appeared first on SLAM.

The injury, that can and often does come with as much as a year’s worth of recovery time, comes at a particularly unfortunate time for the Brooklyn two-guard. Nwaba’s role in the Nets rotation had increased throughout the month of December.

Nwaba played well enough to secure his job with the Nets franchise at a time when the club was forced to cut a healthy body when Wilson Chandler returned from his suspension.

Nwaba suffered the non-contact injury to his right leg in the fourth quarter of the team’s game as he motioned to cut toward the net for an offensive rebound.

The setback gives Brooklyn their fourth significant injury as Kevin Durant, Caris LeVert and Kyrie Irving all nurse various ailments. If the league rules that LeVert and Irving could be out for two additional weeks, the team could be granted a hardship exception.

A hardship exception would allow Brooklyn to ink a 16th player to their roster less than a week after having to cut one for Chandler.

The post David Nwaba Suffers Torn Achilles appeared first on SLAM.

The Nets ended up inking Iman Shumpert shortly thereafter and haven’t been afraid to use him. Shumpert has averaged 18.9 minutes per game in the 12 contests he’s spent as a Brooklyn rotation piece and the Nets have thrived with him in tow.

The Nets were 4-7 when they signed Shumpert and have gone 9-3 in the dozen games since. What’s more impressive is that they’ve won those games despite zero appearances out of Kyrie Irving and Caris LeVert.

When Chandler serves the 25th game of his suspension on Saturday night, the team will need to move him back to the active list. Given that sliding Chandler back to the active list would give the team 16 players on standard contracts, somebody has got to go.

The Nets have a number of options for who to cut but none stand out as necessarily obvious choices. While Shumpert’s non-guaranteed deal makes him a ripe candidate from a financial standpoint, his skill set as a wing defender and the team’s success with him aboard complicates matters.

Brooklyn could elect to waive Chandler himself. Chandler was added as an intriguing depth piece following a 2018-19 campaign split between the Sixers and Clippers but only has a one-year contract.

The Nets had little to lose by holding onto Chandler throughout the 25-game suspension and doing so allowed them to keep their options open while actively auditioning a replacement player.

If Shumpert didn’t move the needle during his time in the spotlight, the Nets could simply release him and add Chandler back to the fold. If Shumpert thrived, they could dispatch Chandler, who they haven’t even seen suit up in a regular season contest yet.

The question is if Shumpert’s impact is enough to convince the Nets to eat dead money. Every player aside from Shumpert has a guaranteed deal for 2019-20, so Brooklyn would be on the hook for Chandler or any other player’s contract in the event that the team parted ways with them.

In Brooklyn’s case, eating a minimum contract isn’t going to devastate the franchise. The Nets are well above the salary cap but aren’t exactly in jeopardy of crossing the luxury tax threshold.

For that reason, if the Nets are content eating salary in 2019-20, then a number of players emerge as potential candidates to be released in order to accommodate Shumpert. The Nets could rather painlessly release Chandler given his modest $1.6 million cap hit but they could also waive players like David Nwaba and Theo Pinson.

Nwaba’s contract is guaranteed for this season but non-guaranteed in 2020-21 when contract extensions for Caris LeVert and Taurean Prince kick in, putting the team in a serious financial bind with tax complications. Pinson’s deal has a team option in 2020-21.

The Nets haven’t exactly leaned on Pinson or Nwaba heavily this season but both have provided adequate backcourt depth at a critical time for the franchise. Pinson has seen a steady workload since LeVert and Irving went down while Nwaba’s minutes have been more erratic.

Cases could be made for each of the four players mentioned as potential candidates to be released.

The post Nets Must Waive Player Before Wilson Chandler Returns appeared first on SLAM.

Heat 108 (8-3), Cavaliers 97 (4-7)

How can you not love this Heat team? With a hard-working culture cultivated by coach Erik Spoelstra and enforced by star Jimmy Butler, the Heat have gotten off to an excellent start to the season. Rookie sensation Kendrick Nunn did it again, going for 23 points, five rebounds, eight assists and two steals.

The Cavs have performed above expectations thus far this season, and it’s great to see Kevin Love back to his old double-double ways (he dropped 21 points, 10 boards and four steals).

Pelicans 132 (3-8), Clippers 127 (7-5)

Jrue Holiday (36 points, seven assists, six steals) and Derrick Favors (20 points, 20 boards) spoiled Paul George’s first game as a Clipper in a stunning upset.

George stuffed the stat sheet in his debut with 33 points, nine rebounds and four assists with a perfect 10-10 from the free throw stripe in only 24 minutes, but it simply was not enough.

Bucks 124 (8-3), Bulls 115 (4-8)

Giannis Antetokounmpo continued his stellar campaign, taking care of business against the Bulls by scoring 38 points, inhaling 16 rebounds and swiping three steals. The Greek Freak is on another level right now, and there’s nothing anybody can do to stop him.

For the Bulls, rookie Coby White once again showed his high-confidence, shooting 23 times and scoring 26 points off the bench, while Zach LaVine chipped in 25 points, seven assists and three steals.

Knicks 106 (3-9), Mavericks 103 (6-5)

What a thriller! Anytime a star player returns to the city they left, there are usually some fireworks, and this game did not disappoint. We had Frankie Smokes and Luka Doncic fighting for a loose ball, Dwight Powell tipping a shot with 0.1 seconds left on the shot clock, deafening boos and finally, an icy Marcus Morris step-back dagger to seal the Knicks win.

In what is becoming a regular occurance, Luka indeed dropped another triple double with 33 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists, while Porzingis added 20 points, 11 boards and three blocks.

Behind a balanced Knicks effort led by Morris’ 20 points, The Garden was rocking once again.

Suns 128 (7-4), Hawks 112 (4-7)

The Phoenix Suns, man. They were completely disrespected all preseason, and have been taking care of business so far. Kelly Oubre (a League Fits stud by the way) scored 30 points, while Devin Booker (27 points) and Dario Saric (23 points) followed suit.

It was not one of Trae Young’s more efficient games, but the man still put up 21 points, 13 assists and two steals. A respectable effort amidst defeat.

Nuggets 101 (8-3), Nets 93 (4-7)

In a very rare occurrence this season, not one player in this game scored at least 20 points. And while the aesthetics haven’t been pretty, the Nuggets keep gutting out wins. Nikola Jokic contributed 18 points and 10 rebounds, which are modest numbers for the Serbian stud, but hey, whatever it takes.

Expectations were slightly tempered for the Nets because of a certain 6’11 superstar-sized gaping hole in the lineup. A 4-7 start though causes for some mild concern, especially with guard Caris LeVert missing a month of action due to injury. The team lacks shot creation and playmaking outside of Kyrie Irving and Spencer Dinwiddie, and they just haven’t been able to click as of yet. Definitely a situation to monitor.

The post Post Up: Knicks Beat Mavs in Madison Square Garden Thriller appeared first on SLAM.

The Nets, who already have 15 players on their roster, don’t need to waive a player to accommodate the veteran. Brooklyn was permitted to move Wilson Chandler to the suspended list after the fifth game of his suspension.

Brooklyn can have a 16th player until Chandler’s suspension expires in mid-December.

Shumpert joins the Nets after a campaign split between the Houston Rockets and Sacramento Kings in 2018-19. He served a valuable role as a locker room leader for the young Kings and eventually joined the Western Conference contender Rockets at the trade deadline.

The post Iman Shumpert Inks Deal With Brooklyn Nets appeared first on SLAM.

The news will set the already short-staffed Nets back as LeVert had been averaging 16.8 points per game for the squad through the first ten games of the 2019-20 campaign.

LeVert has struggled with various injuries throughout his young career and another prolonged absence will throw a wrench in the plan for the former Michigan Wolverine to take his game to the next level in Year 4.

LeVert suffered a severe right leg injury in 2018-19 and was limited to just 40 games that season.

The post Caris LeVert To Miss Several Weeks With Thumb Injury appeared first on SLAM.

It took a balanced Nets effort to beat the explosive Rockets, and ultimately Kyrie Irving‘s late-game heroics were too much to handle. Irving had himself a 22 point, 10 assist double-double, while Taurean Prince (27 points, 12 rebounds) and Caris LeVert (25 points, four rebounds, four assists) also aided in the victory.

The Rockets may have had their three-game win streak snapped, but their superstar pairing is still putting up monster numbers. Russell Westbrook had 27 points, seven rebounds, eight assists and four steals, while James Harden, in what has become a regular occurrence, scored 36 points and tossed eight assists, which is actually his AVERAGE for the season. Dude is just ridiculous.

Pacers 102 (2-3), Cavaliers 95 (2-3)

Both teams struggled to reach 40% from the field, but ultimately the Pacers came out on top through the brute force of Domantas Sabonis (18 points, 17 rebounds and two blocks) and Malcolm Brogdon‘s continued breakout season (25 points, eight rebounds and six assists).

Despite Kevin Love‘s super-charged double-double of 22 points and 17 rebounds, 95 total points just is not going to cut it in today’s fast-paced NBA.

Bucks 123 (3-2), Magic 91 (2-3)

Despite getting off to a rusty start, the Bucks made easy work of the Magic, stomping them by 31 points. Giannis Antetokounmpo had another phenomenal game, scoring 29 points, grabbing 14 rebounds, dishing six assists and snatching six steals.

No one stood out too much for the Magic, although Evan Fournier chipped in 19 points on an efficient 7-12 shooting in just 22 minutes.

Celtics 104 (4-1), Knicks 102 (1-5)

Thanks to a magnificent Jayson Tatum fade-away buzzer beater, the Celtics buried the pesky Knicks in regulation. Kemba Walker has really started to acclimate well to his new environment, scoring 33 points and making all 14 of his free-throw attempts.

For the Knicks, Marcus Morris dropped 29 points and 9 rebounds, but overall, it looks like it will be another tough season in the Big Apple.

Bulls 112 (2-4), Pistons 106 (2-4)

A battle of two middling Eastern Conference playoff teams may not look exciting on the surface, but in reality, we were treated to some quality entertainment. First off, any time Derrick Rose returns to Chicago, emotions run high, and that was reflected when the fans chanted “MVP” as Rose checked in for the first time. And while labeling Rose as an MVP is obviously superlative, he’s been a godsend to a Pistons team lacking playmaking options with Blake Griffin sidelined.

Rose added 23 points and seven assists off the bench, while center Andre Drummond continued his stat-stuffing binge, scoring 25 points and swallowing 24 rebounds. For the Bulls, Zach LaVine and Otto Porter led the team to victory with 26 and 22 points, respectively.

Lakers 119 (4-1), Mavericks 110 (3-2)

This game has an early case for Game of the Year. We were treated to a vintage LeBron James performance, as the King put up a crazy 39 points, 12 rebounds, 16 assists and four steals, as well as the perfect pass to Danny Green to force OT. In addition, the King hit a dagger step-back 3 to seal the deal. Anthony Davis also showed out with 31 points and eight rebounds.

The Mavericks took a tough loss, but they have to be even more ecstatic with Luka Doncic‘s progression from star to superstar. Doncic was phenomenal last season, but many Mavericks games were not competitive. To see him absolutely ball out to the tune of 29 points, 13 rebounds and 15 assists in a primetime game is a sight to behold. Long live Luka.

Kings 102 (1-5), Jazz 101 (4-2)

The Kings are winless no more! After a surprising 0-5 start, Sacramento gutted out a gritty victory over the Jazz. Guard De’Aaron Fox led the way with 25 points, five rebounds and four assists, as well as this acrobatic circuit shot. It’s hard to explain how this even went in:

But it would have been all for nothing if Harrison Barnes didn’t come up clutch with the put-back.

Spurs 127 (4-1), Warriors 110 (1-4)

Patty Mills exploded for 31 points off the bench as the irrepressible Spurs moved to 4-1, while the Warriors embarked on life without Stephen Curry, who tragically broke his hand against the Suns.

D’Angelo Russell enjoyed the increased spotlight, as he dropped 30 points and eight assists in the loss, albeit on 9-24 shooting. After five years of dominance, it’s going to be a tough season for the Dubs.

The post Post Up: LeBron Leads Lakers Over Mavs in Thrilling OT Victory appeared first on SLAM.

Prince came over from Atlanta in the Allen Crabbe trade last June and will now slot into a Nets rotation that has since been fortified with the addition of several stars.

Despite the monumental investments in Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant and DeAndre Jordan, however, Brooklyn hasn’t shied away from doubling down on their rotation players.

Although Prince didn’t play for the team in 2018-19, he joins Caris LeVert and Spencer Dinwiddie who have agreed to contract extensions with the team since the initial haul of free agents was signed.

Prince averaged 13.5 points per game for the Hawks last season and will have a direct line to minutes this season while Wilson Chandler serves a suspension and Kevin Durant recovers from his Achilles injury.

The post Nets, Taurean Prince Agree To Two-Year Extension appeared first on SLAM.

Durant adds that “this is a fresh start for everybody” in Brooklyn.

KD also gushed about new All-Star teammate Kyrie Irving.

Per The NY Post:

“I’m excited about this group,” Durant told sneakerhead/gaming influencer Chris Henderson in a YouTube video. “Obviously with me not starting off the season and obviously being injured, you’re going to see a lot of guys step up and do some things and go to another level as a player.”

Still, until Durant returns, much of the burden is going to fall on Kyrie Irving. Durant gushed about his fellow All-NBA star.

“He’ll make you feel a certain way when you watch him,” Durant said. “His movements, his mentality out there, his smarts for the game, his efficiency, he’s an all-around player.”

Durant also spoke about the Nets’ underrated depth and balance that they hope will let them stay afloat until his eventual return, whenever that may be.

“Like Caris [LeVert], Joe Harris, Taurean Prince, even the older guys like Garrett Temple, Kyrie, DeAndre [Jordan], I feel like everybody in this environment in going to step up, especially due to circumstances with me not being available,” Durant said. “I think everybody’s going to step up and take it to the next level. We’ve got great coaching, great front office, great fanbase that’s excited for something new. This is a fresh start for everybody, I feel.”

Related Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving Pushing Nets To Sign Carmelo Anthony

The post Kevin Durant: ‘I’m Excited About This Group’ appeared first on SLAM.

We’ve broken down the overall ratings for each player and sorted them by team so that you can see how your squad stacks up against the rest of the league.

Brooklyn Nets NBA 2K20 Ratings

This table is updated as of Nov. 22, 2019

Can’t get enough 2K? SLAM’s dedicated gaming channel, @SLAMftw, is blowing up. Hit us with your best uploads and watch our streams!

More NBA 2K20 Ratings

The post NBA 2K20 Ratings: Brooklyn Nets appeared first on SLAM.

LeVert averaged 13.7 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game in 2018-19 and flourished when given an even larger role. In games in which he played at least 30 minutes, the Michigan product averaged 19.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game.

The 20th pick in the 2016 NBA Draft will earn $2.6 million in 2019-20, the last year of his rookie contract. The extension, worth $17.5 million annually, will be the second most lucrative rookie scale contract extension for a player drafted in the 20s, ESPN’s Bobby Marks adds.

The addition of LeVert’s $16.2 million 2020-21 cap hit will give the Nets over $110 million in guaranteed money that season across just five players.

While LeVert could look to build off of a solid third season in his fourth campaign, he’ll need to share the ball with at least two other scoring options when Kevin Durant returns from his Achilles injury in 2020-21.

The post Nets, Caris LeVert Agree To Three-Year Extension appeared first on SLAM.

Below is a list of the contract types the Brooklyn Nets have heading into training camp. This resource will be updated as players are signed and waived. Check back often to see if your team’s roster configuration has changed.

Brooklyn Nets

Jaylen Hands signed a contract with Brooklyn’s G League affiliate; the Long Island Nets.

For a complete list of all the NBA teams and links to each team’s roster breakdown, check out our 2019 NBA Training Camp Roster index. Follow the curators of this database, Chris Crouse and Austin Kent, on Twitter.

More NBA Training Camp Rosters

The post Brooklyn Nets Roster Count: 2019 Training Camp appeared first on SLAM.

Today, Ian Begley and Anthony Puccio of SportsNet New York report that the 35-year-old veteran has recently participated in informal workouts and scrimmages with Brooklyn Nets players in Los Angeles.

Anthony, who played parts of seven seasons with the New York Knicks, would be the latest in a long line of stars at various stages in their careers who’ve joined the Brooklyn Nets franchise this summer.

In order for Brooklyn to accommodate Anthony and keep him when rosters drop from 18 players down to 15 in October, they would need to waive another player to clear space. Given that a large contingent of their rotation is already made up of fresh faces, that may not be something the team is eager to do.

Earlier this month, Anthony spoke with ESPN, mentioning that he and his camp have been in touch with several franchises about a 2019-20 contract. The Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers were mentioned as potential suitors at the time.

There’s no indication that the Nets organization is specifically interested in signing Anthony to a contract. As Puccio and Begley relay, Nets forward Caris Levert has already revealed that it was Nets addition Kyrie Irving who organized the team workouts in which Anthony has participated.

Anthony played 10 games for the Houston Rockets last season after spending the 2017-18 campaign with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Knicks, for whom Anthony played prior to OKC, recently revealed that they considered the option of bringing Anthony back if they managed to sign other big name free agents this offseason. They didn’t and pivoted when players like Irving and Kevin Durant opted to sign with Brooklyn instead.

The post Free Agent Carmelo Anthony Participates In Informal Nets Workouts appeared first on SLAM.

“We did a lot of different cool things,” says LeVert. “We went to the Nike headquarters [and] talked to the execs there. They went to a Nets game, got to talk to Sean Marks and things like that, so it’s been huge for the kids so far.”

In addition to their trip to the Nike office and meeting with the Brooklyn Nets GM at Barclays Center, the kids had the opportunity to visit both the ESPN and Bleacher Report studios and also met with BSE Global CEO Brett Yormark. On each of their trips, the students were given a chance to ask questions to the executives from each company, who in return provided them with insight into the business world and overall sports industry.

After a year of mentoring the kids, the only thing left to do was celebrate. To wrap up the school-year long initiative, Caris hosted a bowling party at Bowlmor Times Square for all the participating students and their families. Not only was LeVert there early, moments later, his teammate Rondae-Hollis Jefferson also made an appearance in the bowling alley—surprising both Caris and all of the participating students to cap off an incredible year.

When Levert was a teenager his mother was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, which ultimately prompted his entrance into charity work once he was established in the NBA. He now participates with his mother, Kim, in the annual Walk MS event to raise awareness and money for fighting MS. The former Michigan star has always been charity and community minded, with the inspiration for his own initiative coming directly from the kids he is able to impact. 

“I’m huge with helping kids out [and] mentoring. Growing up I had dreams of being an NBA player but I never really knew any of them so I always said that when I did make it I wanted to give back to the community.” 

Caris found himself constantly absorbing knowledge and new-found energy from the very same kids he was mentoring, and therefore he’s quick to note the benefits of working with the youth.

“Kids watch everything. Kids are super smart. You can learn from kids almost more than they learn from you, and it’s a constant learning environment so I just love being around people of all ages but especially young people cause they are so observant.”

LeVert hopes that his mentees will not only learn professional skills through their exposure to business executives in sports, but also, and most importantly, essential life skills and lessons from their bond with him and their peers.

“I think the most important thing in life is building relationships and the people you meet,” he says, adding that in the end the program’s efforts are only a success if it leads to the kids wanting to further expand their network to broaden their options down the road. “I wish that they’re working, I really wish they’re working”

Caris will take on 22 new students in September with the start of what looks to be a promising Brooklyn Nets 2019-20 campaign. As LeVert’s career rapidly develops, so will the lives of another 22 local high school students fortunate enough to participate in his one-of-a-kind initiative.

—

Max Weltz is a contributor to SLAM.

Photos via UWantGame.

The post Caris LeVert Makes Lasting Impact Off The Court in Brooklyn appeared first on SLAM.

Nwaba averaged 6.5 points and 3.2 rebounds per game for the Cavaliers last season and has established himself as a rugged defensive threat on the perimeter.

Nwaba will compete for minutes in Brooklyn’s rotation with Caris Levert, Garrett Templ and Joe Harris.

The Nets will have a team option on the second year of Nwaba’s contract, The Athletics Michael Scotto reports.

The post David Nwaba, Nets Agree To Two-Year Deal appeared first on SLAM.

Well, I hear that, and for that reason I give you permission to avert your eyes from the table below… if you must. Maybe go sit back and relax in a hammock or something. When you’re done, come back here and peep this early list of what we can expect from free agency next summer. This league…

This table could look significantly different come this time next year, not just because players’ values will fluctuate over the course of the 2019-20 campaign but because we might see some players avoid free agency altogether.

Players and teams can pick up options for the 2020-21 seasons and the two parties can even work together for contract extensions, as seems likely to be the case for Ben Simmons.

Disagree with this list? Weigh in with the comments below or find me on Twitter at @AustinKent. I’ll be the one in the middle of a 73-tweet thread about my love for Thomas Bryant.

The post The Top 25 2020 NBA Free Agents appeared first on SLAM.

Despite Joel Embiid being a late scratch due to a nagging knee injury, the 76ers regained home court advantage with a dominant outing against the Nets, making them the first team since the 2003 Mavericks to score back-to-back 130 point games in the playoffs. Paced by playoff career highs from Ben Simmons (31 points) and Tobias Harris (29 points), as well as 26 points from sharpshooter J.J. Redick, the 76ers were too much for the Nets to handle. Also, Simmons shot 9-11 in the half court. Thought we should mention that.

Brooklyn, a team that prizes themselves on their 3 point marksmanship, only converted a meager 20.5% percent of their attempts from beyond the arc, compared to the 76ers’ 40.7%. On the bright side for the Nets, D’Angelo Russell and Caris LeVert each dropped 26 points in the loss, and LeVert looked like his old self.

Game 4 is on Saturday.

Nuggets 108, Spurs 118 (Spurs lead 2-1)

World, meet Derrick White.

The second-year Spurs guard had a dominant performance against the hapless Nuggets, scoring a career-high 36 points, grabbing 5 boards, dishing 5 assists and swiping 3 steals on a ridiculously efficient 15-21 from the field. “DeMarvelous” DeRozan (I’ll show myself out) also chipped in 25 points.

For the Nuggets, Nikola Jokic had another respectable outing (22 points, 7 assists and 8 rebounds), with Malik Beasley adding 20 from the bench, but ultimately, it wasn’t enough to withstand the Spurs and their excellent home crowd.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go day-dream about a Derrick White-DeJounte Murray backcourt next season.

Warriors 132, Clippers 105 (Warriors lead 2-1)

After blowing a humiliating 31 point lead in Game 2, the Warriors made quick work of the Clippers this time. Kevin Durant, who was held to only 21 points and nine turnovers last game, was all business at Staples Center, scoring a game-high 38 points. Stephen Curry also contributed 21 points on 7-11 from the field in only 20 minutes.

It was always going to be a difficult task to beat an angry Warriors squad, but the Clippers did not do themselves any favors by shooting a lackluster 36.6% from the field and 21.9% from beyond the arc as a team. To make matters worse, Ivica Zubac was the only Clippers starter that reached double-digits in scoring, and most of his points came in garbage time.

RELATED: Post Up: Kyrie Irving Goes Off For 37 Points As Celtics Rally vs. Pacers

The post Post Up: Derrick White ERUPTS for Career-High 36 Points in Key Spurs Win appeared first on SLAM.

Brooklyn jumped out to a 9-point first quarter advantage and led for the rest of the game.

D’Angelo Russell dropped a team-high 26 points with 4 dimes. Caris LeVert added 23 points and had a +18 plus/minus.

Cameras caught Amir Johnson and Joel Embiid looking at a cell phone on the bench while the Sixers were losing. It’ll be interesting to see how the team handles the situation.

Magic 104, Raptors 101 (Orlando leads 1-0)

Making their first playoff appearance since 2012, the Magic stunned the Raptors behind DJ Augustin’s game-winning three-pointer.

In addition to the dagger three-ball, Augustin dropped a game-high 25 points (9-13 FG) with 4 treys and 6 dimes.

Clippers 104, Warriors 121 (Golden State leads 1-0)

While the casts are different, the intense matchups remain the same.

The Clippers took the lead after going on a run early in the second quarter, but the Warriors responded like a true championship team. The Warriors would lead the rest of the game, and by as much as 19 points during the fourth.

Stephen Curry caught fire for game-high 38 points (11-16 FG) with 15 boards, 8 treys, 7 dimes and a +27 plus/minus. He also passed Ray Allen to become the NBA’s all-time leader in three-pointers made in the playoffs.

Kevin Durant and Pat Beverley were ejected during the fourth quarter after both pick up a pair of technical fouls.

Spurs 101, Nuggets 96 (San Antonio leads 1-0)

San Antonio took a 5-point lead after the first quarter and led for the rest of the game.

DeMar DeRozan dropped a team-high 18 points with 12 boards and 6 dimes. Derrick White added 16 points (7-10 FG) with 5 assists and one major poster dunk on Paul Millsap.

The post Post Up: DJ Augustin, Magic Stun the Raptors in Game 1 appeared first on SLAM.

After the Sixers faced the Nets on March 28, Brown expressed his concern of facing Brooklyn in the playoffs.

“Dangerous. Completely dangerous. They got a bunch of players that can play out of a live ball or a pick-and-roll. And when I assess where are we weak, where do we need the most help, it’s pick-and-roll defense. […] The matchup scares you.”

The Nets boast three explosive guards in newly minted All-Star D’Angelo Russell, Sixth Man of the Year candidate Spencer Dinwiddie and the emerging Caris LeVert.

We’ll soon find out if Brown’s concerns are warranted, as the Nets visit the 76ers on Saturday to kick off the Playoffs!

RELATED: Joel Embiid: ‘I’m The Most Unstoppable Player in the League’

The post Brett Brown on Nets Matchup: ‘Dangerous. Completely Dangerous’ appeared first on SLAM.

Toronto took care of business at home as four Raptors finished with 20-plus-point performances: Pascal Siakam (23 points), Norman Powell (23 points), Kawhi Leonard (22 points) and Danny Green (21 points).

Spurs 112 (47-34), Cavaliers 90 (19-62)

LaMarcus Aldridge posted a double-double with 18 points and 13 rebounds. DeMar DeRozan, Patty Mills and Davis Bertans had 14 apiece.

Hornets 104 (38-42), Pistons 91 (39-41)

Kemba Walker scored 20 of his 31 points in the first half as the Hornets have won three straight and are doing everything to get that eighth seed.

Thunder 132 (47-33), Timberwolves 126 (36-44)

Russell Westbrook (27 points, 15 assists, 10 rebounds) got his 32nd triple-double of the season in Sunday’s matinee. Paul George also had 27 points, too, and Dennis Schroder had 14 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter. The Thunder are currently in seventh place in the Western Conference.

Nets 108 (41-40), Pacers 96 (47-34)

D’Angelo Russell posted 30 points to give the Nets a playoff berth since 2015. Joe Harris was the team’s second-leading scorer with 19 points. Jarrett Allen had 12 and Spencer Dinwiddie and Caris LeVert had a combined 30 bench points.

Mavericks 129 (32-48), Grizzlies 127 (32-48)

Salah Mejri’s bucket in the fourth quarter kept Dallas’ hopes alive. He then scored the first seven points in overtime, finishing the game with 19 points.

Rockets 149 (53-28), Suns 113 (19-62)

James Harden only needed three quarters to get a 30-piece in the rout. The Rockets also made 27 3-pointers, setting a new NBA record for most made 3’s by a team. Eric Gordon (26 points) led the team with eight triples.

Bucks 115 (60-21), Hawks 107 (29-52)

Giannis Antetokounmpo’s 30 points helped the Bucks get to 60 wins for the first time since 1981. Khris Middleton chipped in 21 points.

Magic 116 (41-40), Celtics 108 (48-33)

The Magic will see postseason play after breaking a seven-year playoff drought. Terrence Ross was Orlando’s leading scorer with 26 points; Nikola Vucevic finished with a double-double (25 points, 12 rebounds) and Evan Fournier dropped 24.

Knicks 113 (16-64), Wizards 110 (32-49)

Mario Hezonja put a 30 points (career high) and hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with under a minute left. Kevin Knox put up 16 points and Dennis Smith Jr had 15 off the bench.

Blazers 115 (51-29), Nuggets 108 (53-27)

Damian Lillard led all scorers with 30 points. Enes Kanter, filling in the void with Jusuf Nurkic out, had 11 points and 13 rebounds. Seth Curry and Rodney Hood had 11 points apiece off the bench.

Pelicans 133 (33-48), Kings 129 (39-42)

Ian Clark had a career-best seven 3-pointers to finish the game with 31 points. Elfrid Payton was big down the stretch, scoring 12 of his 25 points in crunch time.

Lakers 113 (37-44), Jazz 109 (49-31)

Four of five starters finished in double digits. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope had 32 points. Despite finishing with five points, Jemerrio Jones, who was a late season acquisition, grabbed 16 rebounds in his first start in front of the Staples Center crowd.

Warriors 131 (56-24), Clippers 104 (47-34)

It was a special night at Oracle Arena. Golden State brought out the “We Believe” jerseys for their final regular season game at home. Stephen Curry had 27 points as the Warriors clinched the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.

The post Post Up: Warriors Clinch Top Seed in Win Over Clippers appeared first on SLAM.

“Brooklyn’s back on the map, I’m not bragging. Defeating all foes, bring your styles.”

Jeru the Damaja introduced that lyric to the world in “Brooklyn Took It,” which dropped in 1994. It’s been 25 years since then, but for the Brooklyn Nets, it still holds weight today. The Nets are most definitely back. They’re in the middle of the playoff picture, holding on to a future that’s shimmering with potential, while rolling through a fast-tracked rebuild in the present. Their nimble turnaround from a team burdened with horrible contracts, aging centerpieces and no draft picks is a credit to great coaching, fluid team-oriented offense, a sound defense and, most importantly, D’Angelo Russell.

Russell earned his first All-Star selection this season, convincingly evolving into the best player on a team headed to the postseason. He’s fought through years of deafening criticism to become one of the League’s most effective and entertaining point guards. He’s an artist in the pick-and-roll, a ballplayer with no fear. Give him the rock in the clutch and get out the way.

The all-around growth is simple. It’s come down to confidence, opportunity and patience. Because all of this was supposed to happen—the All-Star appearance, being the clear-cut franchise cornerstone, making the playoffs. Ever since he was little, growing up in Louisville, KY, Russell has been putting in work on the court.

“We got our first rim in our grannie’s backyard and we used to shoot all the time,” Russell remembers. “I used to shoot really high. It was just my thing. All the kids would come over—you shoot high, you shoot high. And they just started calling me Rainbow.”

“He wasn’t strong enough to shoot it, to really shoot it,” his older brother Antonio says. “He would have to throw it. And it always went in. Everybody around the neighborhood used to call him Rainbow. ‘Rainbow, there’s Rainbow.’” While cracking a smile, Antonio brings his voice up higher, imitating the kids from their hometown.

Antonio, who’s two years older than D’Angelo, goes on to say that his brother’s skill-level was advanced from the very start.

“We had a few neighborhood friends that would come over,” Antonio says. “And he was the youngest. Everybody was my age group or a year older than me. They would all come over there and everybody would be going at it. I think that’s where he developed that toughness. Everybody would try to go at him. He was already equipped as to how to handle them. He knew that the only way to get everybody’s respect was to go at them. He had to.”

D’Angelo’s mental stamina was already being developed, and he would need it early on in his career. After a standout freshman season at Central High School in Louisville, he transferred to Montverde Academy, a national powerhouse in Florida that’s become a breeding ground for future pros. But he got benched immediately. His head coach, Kevin Boyle, was always dogging him, cursing him out. Russell’s tolerance was running low.

“I remember coming in, I was coming off the bench,” Russell says. “I would dominate practice. I didn’t understand why I wasn’t playing. I called my dad after, like, a month or two and I was like, ‘I wanna come home.’ He was like, ‘Nah, stick it out. You wanna win a national championship or a state championship?’ I was like, damn, OK. Then we ended up winning. The pain, the storm that you go through, it’s always brighter on the other side when you just deal with it.”

The lefty wasn’t done with the pain, though. When he was selected by the Lakers in the 2015 draft, things looked like they were going to be all good. 

“We had a lot of players there that could dominate the game,” Russell says. “You go back to Julius Randle, Jordan Clarkson, Brandon Ingram. We had a lot of dudes there.”

But shit got rocky and he could sense a trade was coming. A deal announced two days before the 2017 draft sent him to the Nets. Instead of being salty, he was hype for the opportunity.

“When he first got traded, I remember exactly where I was at,” Antonio says. “I was in Kentucky at a movie theater. I called him right away. I was like, ‘Yo, what is it?’ He was just like, ‘Bro, you do not know how excited I am right now to have a clean slate.’”

“For me to get traded first, I knew that I was prepared to go dominate wherever I went,” Russell says. “I was ready.”

Nonstop hate and doubt followed him from L.A. to BK, but Russell was never shook.

“It’s just this…” Russell says about the internet’s and the media’s constant desire for drama. He makes a talking, Pacman-like motion with his hands. “I knew my circle. We were tight and we knew what it was.”

It was a chance to start fresh with a young team that was squarely off the national media’s radar. Russell’s first season in Brooklyn was solid. He put up good numbers, posting averages of 15 points and 5 assists. But he only played in 48 games after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his left knee in November of 2017.

When the season ended and the Nets missed the playoffs for the third consecutive time, Russell took a long look in the mirror. He’s always been able to assess whatever’s going on in his life, good or bad, and be honest with himself about it. For only being born in 1996, he’s mature for his age, a psyche battle-tested by years of living in the spotlight and performing under pressure. He was just 22 when last year’s campaign wrapped up, but he knew it was time for a change. The 2018-19 season was going to be his.

So rather than going home to Louisville or spending the summer in Los Angeles, Russell stayed in Brooklyn with a hunger that was totally revived. He damn near lived in the gym. He made adjustments that he never had before. He worked on basketball and updated everything about his body.

Antonio says his brother cut out junk food and that his renewed dedication to eating right has rubbed off on the entire Russell family. They’re all following in D’Angelo’s footsteps. But D’Angelo wasn’t following in anyone else’s. He made the decision to switch up his eating habits by himself.

“I didn’t know, you know? As soon as practice was over I remember I was the first one to leave,” Russell says. “I’d get my shots up, but I wasn’t getting treatment. I wasn’t getting massages, ice cold tub, doing all of that, because I didn’t know.”

So who told him?

“Man, I’ve picked so many peoples’ brains,” he says. “[Rajon] Rondo, Chris Paul, James Harden, LeBron. All those dudes. There’s a reason they’re there. They know the secret, they know what it takes off the court. Everybody can play but what are you doing for your body to be prepared for every practice, every game?”

After a summer spent renovating everything about his game and physique, Russell took a backseat to Caris LeVert and Spencer Dinwiddie to start the season.

“It was tough to begin the season,” Nets’ forward Jared Dudley says. “He was getting benched in fourth quarters. He was struggling offensively, trying to find his role. Caris took off and to see [Russell] cheer on the bench, take constructive criticism in film sessions and it finally clicked. I think it took Caris’ injury and him to be a little more aggressive and the coaches to have a little more faith. But he’s responded. Once he got his rhythm, his confidence just kept building.”

But the confidence, according to his brother, has never been an issue.

“Yeah, the confidence has been there. Been there, man,” Antonio says with a laugh. “There’s not much that can take that from him. And when the opportunity came and he needed to display it, he took it and ran with it.”

Russell flipped everything about his game once he was given the reins. Floaters, midrange fadeaways, rainbow three-pointers, ice-in-his-veins buckets in close games, they all started to fall. Forty points and a game-winner in Orlando. Thirty-six points, 8 assists and 7 boards to outlast the Cavaliers in a triple-overtime marathon. A 34-point outing against the Celtics; a night with 14 dimes against the Raptors; a 22-point and 13-assist performance in a win over the Lakers. An absurd 44-point performance in Sacramento, that included 27 points in the fourth quarter, en route to a 28-point comeback. Averages of 23.6 points and 7.7 assists since January 1. And a wild performance on his 23rd birthday, one that both D’Angelo and Antonio count as their favorite moment of the season.

“I surprised myself,” Russell says about that night in Charlotte when he scored the Nets’ final 12 points. “I just looked up and I had 40. Damn.”

“And [the Nets] having the lead, losing the lead and then coming back,” Antonio remembers. “And [D’Angelo] being the catalyst for that comeback. That was special.”

Even more than the stats and individual performances, though, Russell’s teammates say the biggest leap he’s made is as a leader. They repeat the word over and over.

“He’s a great leader,” rookie Rodions Kurucs says. “He gives me all the tips. Always coming to talk to me. Just explaining things, trying to motivate me also.”

“From what I’ve heard, I’ve heard he’s matured a lot,” Ed Davis says. Davis, a defensive-minded veteran, has been in the League since 2010 and his locker is right next to Russell’s. “Since I’ve been here, he’s been a great teammate, a good leader.”

“He’s the best player on this team and [he’s] leading us,” high-flying center Jarrett Allen says. “I’ve seen him grow in that area. People don’t understand. They understand he’s taken a step but not how big of a step it is.”

“He’s 50 percent more vocal now than he was in the beginning of the year,” Dudley echoes. “He leads our huddle, leads our breaks. People critiqued that early in his career, being young. I would say that he was quiet early in the year and he’s definitely vocal now. It’s been a nice, natural progression.”

Russell’s progression, both on and off the court, has been all about finding his way through landmines of drama. High school, his brief time with the Lakers, his start with the Nets, they were all tests. Perseverance and persistence have been Russell’s calling cards for years now.

It’s led to the photos you see here. The tribute to Biggie, crown on his head, Brooklyn across his chest, that means something. That’s earned.

“I get so focused on what I’m trying to achieve and I just look up and all of this is here,” Russell says about the playoffs, All-Star Weekend, his career-best season.

“If the game shakes me or breaks me, I hope it makes me a better man, take a better stand. Stay far from timid, only make moves when your heart’s in it. And live the phrase ‘Sky’s the limit.’”

Christopher Wallace introduced that lyric to the world in 1997. It’s been 22 years since then, but for D’Angelo Russell, it still holds weight today. 

—

GRAB YOUR COPY OF SLAM 221 FEATURING D’ANGELO RUSSELL

Max Resetar is an Associate Editor at SLAM. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram.

Portraits by Justin Borucki.

The post THE NOTORIOUS D-LO: D’Angelo Russell Is Built for This appeared first on SLAM.

DeMarre Carroll dropped 22 off the bench to lead the way as eight Nets scored at least eight points and four (Rodions Kurucs, Spencer Dinwiddie, Caris LeVert and Carroll) scored at least 16.

Luka Doncic had 16 points and six rebounds.

Clippers 113 (37-29), Lakers 105 (30-34)

The Lakers ran out to a quick start, leading by double-digits in the first quarter, but the Clippers’ bench duo of Lou Williams (21 points) and Montrezl Harrell (14 points, 11 rebounds) provided a spark to push the Clippers into the driver’s seat. Danilo Gallinari scored a team-high 23.

LeBron James finished the night with 27 points, eight rebounds and six assists.

Hawks 113 (22-43), Heat 114 (29-34)

Vince Carter hit seven 3’s en route to 21 points while Dwyane Wade scored a game-high 23 points off the bench for Miami.

Wade’s bucket with 46.6 seconds to go iced the game as the Heat went up 3 and held on the rest of the way.

Bucks 105 (48-16), Suns 114 (14-51)

Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 27 points and had 13 boards as the Bucks suffered a loss in the final game of their West Coast trip. The Suns outscored the Bucks 38-23 in the final period to earn their second straight win and third of their last four contests.

Pelicans 115 (30-36), Jazz 112 (36-27)

Anthony Davis was ultra-efficient in his 22 minutes of play, racking up 15 points, 11 rebounds, three steals and three blocks in just 22 minutes of action. Julius Randle was the star of the show, though, with 30 points, eight boards, five dimes and two steals to go along with a game-high plus-minus of +17 in 39 minutes.

Kyle Korver, Jae Crodwer, Rudy Robert and Donovan Mitchell combined for 58 points for Utah.

Knicks 108 (13-51), Kings 115 (32-31)

Alonzo Trier scored a game-high 29 off the bench, but 17 turnovers plagued the Knicks.

Buddy Hield scored a team-high 28 points for Sacramento and Harry Giles continued to shine with 17 points and seven rebounds in 22 minutes.

Nuggets 103 (42-21), Spurs 104 (36-29)

The Nuggets trailed by 18 with 7:14 to go and cut that deficit down to one after a Jamal Murray 3-pointer with 49.6 seconds to go, but the comeback effort ended there as the Nuggets ended the game with three missed field goals and a turnover.

DeMar DeRozan and LaMarcus Aldridge combined for 46 points to lead San Antonio.

The post Post Up: Suns Upset Bucks, Dwyane Wade and Vince Carter Duel in South Beach appeared first on SLAM.

Philadelphia enjoyed a high-scoring night from JJ Redick (34 points, 6-7 on threes) as they held off the Denver Nuggets at home. Jimmy Butler added 22 points and new arrival Tobias Harris put in 14 points in his Sixer debut, adding yet another weapon to a team that has high playoff aspirations in the Eastern Conference.

Welcome to Philly, Tobias Harris (via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/vpJovasTkp

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) February 9, 2019

Knicks 103 (10-44), Pistons 120 (25-29)

The Pistons’ formidable frontcourt of Andre Drummond (29 points, 20 rebounds, three blocks) and Blake Griffin (26 points, six rebounds, four assists) led the way in securing a home win. Dennis Smith Jr. paced the Knicks with 31 points and eight assists, including a very casual in-game 360-degree dunk.

DSJ making an in-game 360 look casual (via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/DwowN8oQSe

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) February 9, 2019