Unheard. 

Felt. 

Seen. 

The bright beam reverberates through all of Sacramento as a visual sign that the Kings have won again. 

The glow reveals. 

It’s been accompanied by a surprising surge from the League’s most dormant franchise. On the day that the Kings opened the doors of Golden 1 Center to us, the squad had climbed to fourth place in the Western Conference. More winning has been joined by flow ideals, an offense ever in motion. 

In this new tradition of the beam, De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis have shined brightest for the revamped Kings. 

SLAM 242 is available now featuring De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis.

But there had been much darkness before the duo helped bring about this newfound purple illumination. The Kings haven’t made the playoffs since 2006. An ownership change, countless player transactions and nine different head coaches have been part of the last loss-filled 17 years. The days of Chris Webber’s stellar squads were followed by 20-point-guarantee Kevin Martin and then the promise of DeMarcus Cousins. Time and time again, though, nothing happened. Just losing. Almost forgotten up in northern California over these long years, this year’s Kings team came out from all of that darkness with a bright signal sent up into the NBA’s atmosphere—the beam.

“I think we were in L.A.,” Fox says about his first memory of the beam. “I think that was, like, what, three, four games in this season? Yeah,” he checks with Sabonis sitting on his right. “So this is early on, this season. I want to say we were in L.A. when the beam came out and they kept it up for when we came home.”

From the imagination of Tim Anderson, owner and founder of Nu-Salt Laser International, the beam is officially called the Laser Space Cannon. Anderson lives in Folsom, CA, which is about 30 minutes from Golden 1. He’s been operating Nu-Salt for 28 years and has gotten to play a major role in the Kings’ journey from the dark to the light. Somehow, neither Anderson nor anyone on the Kings’ staff told the players about the beam before the season began. 

“Oh, we had no idea,” Sabonis tells us. “Even when it started, like, the first couple of games, we didn’t really pay attention to it. It was only until Kev[in Huerter] hashtagged #BeamTeam and then after that it blew up.” 

Fox jumps in to tell the story of when he first caught it with his own eyes. “I think my first time seeing it was after a home game. I was leaving and, right here on Fifth Street, there’s a light. And if you’re in the driver’s seat, you can’t see it. So I literally got outta the car to see it.”

He says it was too late in the night for any fans to notice him. But that’s pretty much been the only time he’s gone unnoticed this year. Fox has been impossible to miss for fans, opposing players, scouts and coaches. Still possessing all of the untamed speed that made him famous coming out of Cypress Lakes (Katy, TX) High School in 2016, the lefty point guard has totally harnessed his floor general skills, repeatedly capitalizing on drop coverage out of pick-and-roll with mid-range pull-ups or hitting waiting shooters on the wings and in the corners. Most importantly, he’s been unflinching in the clutch, whether those final moments have called for him to shoot or run the offense. 

Over many, many years, the really, very, actually legitimately smartest doctors and scientists around have studied the hippocampus, the part of the human mind that is the center of memory. Those really, very, actually legitimately smart doctors and scientists have found that strenuous physical activity done with peers can form incredibly strong and lasting memories. 

Under the glare of the incredibly strong bulbs of the Golden 1 Center, where Fox and Sabonis have been forging memory after memory, we ask them to share which moment so far has created the most enduring memory. A countdown of 3, 2, 1 produces: 

“Fox’s buzzer-beater,” Sabonis says. 

“You know what’s funny? I was gonna say that one at first,” Fox says giddily. “The one in Orlando, right? Dang. I was gonna say that, too. I also didn’t wanna sound selfish.”

“That shot changed, I feel like, everything, the vibes in the locker room,” Sabonis follows. “Because it was early in the season, too.”

Just the eighth game of the year for the guys in purple, they were knotted at 123 with the Magic in overtime. The crowd was going crazy after the home squad got a steal and tied the game with a dunk. There were 6.6 seconds left on the clock. Sharpshooting big Trey Lyles inbounded the rock to vet Harrison Barnes. Fox was visibly calling for the ball, holding out both of his hands at Barnes. He wanted to take the shot. Four right-handed dribbles got him across the timeline and he transferred the ball into his left hand. 

They weren’t stopping the ball? 

They really weren’t stopping the ball. 

The official NBA box score lists that game-winner as a 31-footer. But he was barely inside of the halfcourt stripe, just above the star in the Magic’s logo. The shot cashed right as the red lights flashed and the horn sounded. They were all seeing him in the light now. It was a clutch moment where Fox had to lead his guys, an extremely important memory that was crafted together. Sabonis was under the hoop, motioning for his point guard to put it up. When the shot dropped, Sabonis ran all the way across the court with both of his arms raised high. 

“I was like, Shoot! Is he gonna shoot? Because he slowed down and I’m like, Wait, what’s he doing?” Sabonis says. “In my mind, he’s so fast. He’s gonna lay it up, and then he slows down and I’m like, There’s two seconds left. What’s he doing?”

“And what I saw was, they started loading up, so I’m like, There’s nowhere to go,” Fox joins in. “So I just kind of started lining up a shot and I was gonna do the, I told you,” he says with a look to Sabonis, “the ‘Gilbert Arenas,’ where you shoot it, turn around. I was starting to turn around because it felt good. I told Malik [Monk], I was like, It felt good when it left my hands, but I didn’t want to turn around and then you miss, now you look like Swaggy P. It felt good. Like you said, it was great vibes for the team after that.”

Team being the key word. In addition to these two, Huerter, Monk, Lyles, Barnes, Keegan Murray, Terence Davis, Davion Mitchell and Chimezie Metu have each had multiple moments in the spotlight. The Kings have a top-five offense because of Fox, for sure. Also because Sabonis can score and pass like very few other centers in the League. He’s a real-ass seven-footer, standing sturdy and immovable. Head coach Mike Brown has fully utilized his playmaking ability. Top of the key, elbow-extended or from the post, that flow ideal movement revolves around him like he’s the sun. There are very few who convert better than him, with more frequency, as the roll man. Huerter leads the League in points off dribble handoffs because Sabonis is the one doing the setups. He’s a two-time All-Star who somehow only shoots 11 times a game and still averages 18 points with ultra efficiency. Predictably, Sabonis downplays his role in establishing this year’s squad as a scoring machine. 

“We have these couple plays that we run,” he says. “[I’m] always looking for the backdoor. We have a lot of shooters, you know, [defenders] try and load up, so [I’m] always looking for that. And then, I don’t know, I see a shooter—I mean, it’s pretty easy on this team. Everyone can shoot. So there’s not much I have to do. I just gotta set a solid screen without getting an offensive foul. And then they take care of everything.”

That’s a rudimentary explanation of an offense only possible with the rare big man capable of spotting cutters on the backline, reading coverages in real-time and being able to go get a bucket by himself when necessary. Fox attributes it all to a feel and knowledge of the game that can’t be quantified.

When pressed just a little harder about his shine this season, Sabonis goes more in-depth. 

“I feel like they did a great job this summer of putting a plan together on the offensive end where it really shows that I can playmake more,” he says of Coach Brown and his staff. “There’s a lot of elbow-catching where I’ve wanted to do in the past, so they’ve really let me be myself. And then the team with the shooters, with Fox, the speed, everything, like, it just makes it so much easier. I don’t even think they knew we could do all this, to be honest, you know?

“And, like Fox said, our chemistry and relationships with different players, that’s what’s making, I think, the offense click so good,” he continues. “Everybody knows each other, and we’re basically reading or making up things as we go on in the game. Very freelance. We’re not playing selfishly, we’re just playing the right way, so it looks good, and coaches agree, and then they just let us do our game.”

The other aspect of this special offense is that the Kings’ best players are both lefties. Because the world’s population is only made up of about 10-15 percent left-handed people, being lefty in any sport is a special advantage. It’s even more specialized in the NBA, where only 5-10 percent of players are left-handed. Nearly every hooper grows up learning to defend righties. Basketball neurogenesis is established early to react to the hand that about 90 percent of players favor. It’s an important distinction that Fox’s speed and Sabonis’ strength result in left-handed baskets. 

Because it’s so rare to be left-handed, most lefties don’t grow up with similarly-handed teammates. Playing with other lefties requires adjustment and discussion in order to fully optimize the uniqueness of the anomaly. 

The majority of lefties favor the right side of the floor so that when they come downhill, their momentum is leaning back to that left side. The February 2022 trade that sent Sabonis to Sac resulted in an early conversation between the Lithuanian star and Fox. 

“Everybody guards me to go right,” Fox says. “And whenever we would play against [Sabonis], we would send the ballhandler left so that he would roll right. So when he first got here, I told him, I was like, Yo, I’ll go right so that you can get back left. And most teams are gonna force me right anyways. It’s worked out.”

How much it works out into April and May remains to be seen. Sabonis is 26 years old and Fox is 25. By the time this issue ships to our printers, they will have just played 50 games with each other, meaning that even if it doesn’t work out in April and May, the darkness that the Kings have gone through is about to be a faded memory, replaced by new stories physically written under the gleam of increasingly glaring lights.

The night is always darkest before dawn. Look to the west for the rising of this new light, a purple among the haze of night, brighter still with hope that had long been missing from Sacramento. 

SLAM 242 is out now in this exclusive Gold Metal Edition and Cover Tee.

Portraits by Atiba Jefferson.

The post De’Aaron Fox, Domantas Sabonis and the Beam Team are Lighting up the NBA appeared first on SLAM.

Everything is going right for this Sacramento team, and this is something that the franchise has been lacking for 16 long years.

Kings head coach Mike Brown has been the missing leader this organization needed; De’Aaron Fox is quietly making a case for himself as an All-Star this year, Domantas Sabonis has settled in well into this Kings offense since arriving from the Indiana Pacers, Kevin Huerter is shooting lights out, and the rookie Keegan Murray is emerging as a promising young talent. 

On Sunday, when Sacramento defeated the Chicago Bulls 110-101 to win their third consecutive game, seven players for the Kings impressively ended the game, scoring in double-digits. Malik Monk led the way with 20 points. Following the victory, Monk told NBC Sports that the Kings are legit this year.

“We’re legit, man. We’re legit, because [Kings coach] Mike [Brown] is going to push us so hard that we can’t not be legit,” Monk told NBC Sports California’s Kyle Draper and Kenny Thomas on “Kings Postgame Live.” “There’s a lot of stuff that goes into it. We’re a young team and a lot of guys that need to get to the playoffs. A lot of us haven’t been there yet, and we all want the same goal.

Sacramento will look to keep up their winning ways against the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday.

The post Malik Monk: the Kings Are ‘Legit’ Playoff Contenders This Season appeared first on SLAM.

ICYMI: 

Most of the fireworks on Friday night happened in Houston in an absolute shoot-out between the Rockets and Atlanta Hawks. Trae Young and Dejounte Murray combined for 83 points, but it wasn’t enough. After leading by as much as 16 points in the third quarter, Atlanta squandered the lead, and the Rockets surged late to capture their fourth win of the season, 128-122.

Despite Murray scoring a career-high 39 points and making a career-high eight threes, the Hawks couldn’t get the job done. A big reason for this was their performance on the boards in the absence of Clint Capela, who was out due to dental pain. Houston outrebounded Atlanta 59-28. This included a 22-6 drubbing on the offensive boards and a 37-22 advantage on the defensive boards.

Most of the headlines after the game were about the aftermath of a third-quarter scrum between each team’s respective backcourt. Young and Murray did plenty of showboating on the way to scoring a combined 83 points, and you get the sense that Green and Kevin Porter Jr. didn’t like it one bit. Green and Porter took to Instagram to mock Young following the game. Green waved goodbye to the Hawks after their 18-point fourth quarter. 

Ja Morant messed around and dropped a triple-double in Madison Square Garden, dropping 27 points, 10 rebounds, and 14 dimes. He’s been highly productive during Desmond Bane, who suffered a sprained big toe injury on Nov. 15 and won’t be back for at least another week.

Postgame, Morant credited New York Knicks point guard and Chicago/Memphis legend Derrick Rose for paving the way for hyper-athletic guards by saying; 

“He really made it to where people believe in guys like me,” Morant told the Commercial Appeal. “Coming in, athletic guards, I felt like he was pretty much the one who kind of made it more famous. With how acrobatic his finish is, his touch around the rim, and how explosive he was. Coming in, he was my comparison. It’s crazy to be out there on the floor sharing a court with him.”

Klay Thompson was off to a rough start on the offensive side of the ball to begin the season, but he’s beginning to get on track. He shot 61.5 percent from the field in Sunday’s win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. Golden State scored 47 points in the first quarter and never really looked back. They had crisp offensive execution the entire game. 

The Boston Celtics continued their winning ways. They have won 12 of their last 13 games. They are a League-best 16-4 on the season. Jaylen Brown had 36 points in their most recent win sans Jayson Tatum against the Washington Wizards. The Celtics are poised for a return to the NBA Finals if they keep playing the way they’re playing. 

Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant, and the Brooklyn Nets are now only a single game under .500 following their 111-97 win against the Trail Blazers on Sunday night. Seth Curry was a big factor in the win against his former squad, with 29 points on 11-15 shooting. 

Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox has been playing out of his mind and is turning some heads. Fox has been shooting a career-high 53 percent from the field, helping him average 25.1 points per game, 4.9 rebounds, and 6.1 assists per game.

Fox has the Kings sitting in sixth place in a jammed Western Conference with a record of 10-8. Fox’s play has been so good that this past weekend, he inked a deal with one of the biggest and most well-known sports agencies in basketball Klutch Sports. For Sacramento, Fox’s recent play and lead role in the Kings’ resurgence could be just what the team needs to end their 16-year playoff drought.

The Kings have the talent and youth to be very disruptive if given a postseason opportunity. The team’s additions of Kevin Huerter and Malik Monk (in addition to Fox’s play) have been a great fit. Hopefully, Fox and the team can continue this momentum.

Over the weekend, the Lakers played the San Antonio Spurs for the third time in their last four games. During the third quarter of Saturday’s game, Russell Westbrook was going up for a layup after previously grabbing a rebound and was fouled on the way up by Spurs center Zach Collins. When Westbrook rose up from the ground heated from the foul, you could see that he had a cut and was visibly bleeding from his forehead.

The two teams got together for what seemed like a couple of seconds after the foul, but everyone was calmly escorted to their respective benches. Westbrook, who was fuming for a good reason, was taken away by LeBron James, who quickly compressed Westbrook’s head wound with a towel and walked him over to the bench to be further examined by the Lakers team doctors.

Once the situation calmed down, a Flagrant 2 foul was given the Collins, and a tech was given to Westbrook. Postgame, James commented on the altercation, saying;

“I saw where the cut was immediately. It was just common sense to put pressure on the cut right away. Don’t let it continue to go. Before we became teammates, we’ve always been like brothers and cool and things of that nature. His health is more important than the game of basketball. We were just trying to stop that and let the training staff do their job after we got him over to the bench.”

Miami center Bam Adebayo has had a quiet yet phenomenal stretch over the Heat’s last six games averaging 25.5 points per game and 10.2 rebounds on 52 percent shooting from the field. However, in Adebayo’s last two games, he has scored over 30 points and has been a key contributor toward the end of games on both the defensive and offensive sides.

The Heat are currently on a three-game win streak led by Adebayo’s diverse and consistent play, and the team looks to carry that momentum into their Wednesday matchup with the 2022 Eastern Conference Champion Celtics. 

QUOTE OF THE WEEKEND:

Ja Morant’s father asked for his son’s jersey for the first time in Morant’s career. Morant stated that it was “special” for him to get a triple-double in the Garden and that it was a place that he always had a special feeling for.

Morant admitted after Sunday’s game that MSG was special for him to have a triple-double since it was a place he watched in so many games on television as a kid — which was why his father made the unusual request for his jersey.

“It’s just the bright lights, man,” Morant told ESPN post-game. “Having a triple-double in the Garden is crazy. Growing up actually watching teams come here and play, watching the Knicks play — everybody loves the Garden. We really called it the bright lights. Everybody is watching. So for me to be able to go out and play like I played tonight was big-time for me.”

The post ICYMI: We Got You Covered With Thanksgiving Weekend News appeared first on SLAM.

They now have the highest offensive rating in the League t. 

DeAaron Fox battled Ja Morant throughout the night, and he finished with a big 32 points, eight rebounds, six assists, and four steals. He also made five three-pointers en route to victory. His backcourt mate and newcomer Kevin Huerter continued his impressive play and great shooting as well; he had 18 points on 60 percent shooting and 57.1 percent from the three-point land.

Domantas Sabonis filled the stat sheet with nine points, 13 boards, and eight dimes. The veteran Harrison Barnes also had 26 points. Malik Monk coolly knocked in two free throws to extend their lead with 3.9 seconds remaining in the game and permanently out of reach (amidst Morant’s heckling). 

Head coach Mike Brown’s new scheme has the Kings playing inspired basketball and has freed up the talented roster for balanced contributions from all over the roster. 

“We made a lot of mistakes down the stretch that could have cost us the game, but we found a way to win,” Brown said following the game. “Hopefully, we’ll learn from that.” 

This is the Kings’ first time winning seven straight games since 2004. Sacramento hasn’t made the playoffs since 2006, but if they continue at this rate, their winning streak might be enough to break their sustained absence. 

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When Brown was asked how to keep the Kings head on straight following their recent successes, Brown said, “you just keep telling them the truth. There’s nothing tricky about it, you know?”

“You play well; you tell them you play well. When you don’t play well, you tell them we’re not playing well,” Brown said. “As long as you keep it real with them, all those guys in the locker are all competitive, and they want the truth. And they’ve responded to the truth. We’ll keep them grounded that way.”

The post Don’t Look Now: the Kings Have Quietly Won Seven Straight Games appeared first on SLAM.

Atlanta is trading Kevin Huerter to Sacramento for Justin Holiday, Mo Harkless and a future first round pick, sources tell EPSN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

That pick can reportedly become a top-12 protected in 2025 or a top-10 protected in 2026, according to Woj.

The Kings are sending a 2024 lottery-protected first-round pick to the Hawks for Huerter, sources tell ESPN. Pick becomes Top 12 protected in 2025, and top 10 protected in 2026.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

The Hawks’ offseason has gone objectively well after acquiring All-Star guard Dejounte Murray for Danilo Gallinari on Wednesday. The Kings have significantly upgraded their wing depth and talent after trading for Huerter, signing Malik Monk, and drafting Keegan Murray fourth overall in the 2022 NBA Draft.

Huerter averaged 12.1 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game on 45.4 percent shooting from the field and 38.9 percent from deep.

The post REPORT: Atlanta Ships Kevin Huerter to Sacramento appeared first on SLAM.

Without further ado, here is the running NBA Trade Rumor Thread:

7/25:

Shams Charania from The Athletic reports that the Wizards, Raptors, Hornets, Kings, Heat, Hawks and the Knicks have expressed interest in Donovan Mitchell.

Per Charania, the Jazz, Knicks and Paces are also reportedly interested in Russell Westbrook and draft capital from the Lakers.

The Boston Celtics have emerged as a potential suitor for Kevin Durant, reportedly offering up Jaylen Brown as the main piece in the initial trade proposal. However, according to The Athletic, that offer was reportedly rejected. Read more here:

The Cleveland Cavaliers reportedly offered Collin Sexton a three year contract in the range of $13.3 million per year for three seasons. Sexton is reportedly “dismayed” with the team’s current offer.

Sexton played 11 games this year before tearing his meniscus.

“Utah had asked about a package involving Mitchell Robinson, and at least 3 first-round picks and the Knicks declined to meet that asking price”@IanBegley with the latest on the Donovan Mitchell trade front, including the Jazz asking for Quentin Grimes in a deal pic.twitter.com/4m1x30mgY5

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) July 15, 2022

REPORT: The Jazz-Knicks deal was “close” on Tuesday night, but the Knicks ended up declining.

The Jazz reportedly wanted Immanuel Quickley, Obi Toppin, Quentin Grimes, Miles McBride, and 6 1st-round picks.

(via @tjonesonthenba) pic.twitter.com/KxUOdLfsZx

— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) July 15, 2022

The Nets asked the TImberwolves for the farm after asking for Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Edwards, and four draft picks in order to acquire Kevin Durant.

REPORT: The Brooklyn Nets asked the Minnesota Timberwolves for Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Edwards, and 4 draft-picks in exchange for Kevin Durant.

The Timberwolves declined.

(via @chrisbhaynes, @VinceGoodwill) pic.twitter.com/EUdjmDXArD

— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) July 7, 2022

According to Marc J. Spears of Andscape, the Warriors are interested in acquiring Kevin Durant. KD won back-to-back titles in three years with the Dubs. Per multiple reports, the Nets have made it clear that their trading partner will have to give up the farm in order to complete the blockbuster trade. Those acquirements consist of an All-Star level player and multiple draft picks.

Marc J. Spears: Warriors ‘have interest’ in trading for Kevin Durant [report]https://t.co/5lar5wEukf pic.twitter.com/bXGN5CDgPk

— KNBR (@KNBR) July 3, 2022

League sources: For now, there are no plans by the Utah Jazz to trade star guard Donovan Mitchell. The Jazz are committed to building around him. The Jazz are not done in trade talks. Expect more activity

— Tony Jones (@Tjonesonthenba) July 1, 2022

The Jazz and Timberwolves have reportedly agreed on a trade to flip Gobert for Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverly, Walker Kessler, Jarred Vanderbilt, and multiple first-round picks, per Woj.

Utah is trading Rudy Gobert to Minnesota, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

The Atlanta Hawks have reportedly shipped Kevin Huerter to Sacramento for Justin Holiday, Mo Harkless, and a 2024 lottery-protected first-round pick per Adrian Wojnarowski.

Atlanta is trading Kevin Huerter to Sacramento for Justin Holiday, Mo Harkless and a future first round pick, sources tell EPSN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Atlanta is trading Kevin Huerter to Sacramento for Justin Holiday, Mo Harkless and a future first round pick, sources tell EPSN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

After KD’s blockbuster trade request was reportedly made official, it seems as though Kyrie Irving is most likely headed out of Brooklyn too. Irving is on the last year of his current deal and listed the Lakers, Clippers, Mavs, Knicks, Heat, and 76ers as his preferred trade destinations.

The latest on Kevin Durant requesting a trade from the Nets from @wojespn.

Join us now on ESPN2 for our NBA Today Free Agency special as we break it all down. pic.twitter.com/dsRBjecW8S

— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) June 30, 2022

BREAKING: Kevin Durant has reportedly requested a trade away from the Brooklyn Nets, per his agent Rich Kleiman to NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski. Durant has targeted Phoenix and Miami as his preferred destinations, per Woj.

Durant requested a trade with the team today, sources tell ESPN. https://t.co/BkNEHwkrc0

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

The Jazz are reportedly trading Royce O’Neal to the Nets for a first-rounder .

Utah is trading Royce O’Neale to Brooklyn for a first-round pick, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

The Bulls are reportedly shopping Coby White, per Sam Amico of Hoopshype.

Bulls Remain Active In Trying To Trade Coby White https://t.co/QblzrfaVuW

— Sam Amico (@AmicoHoops) June 30, 2022

Amico also reports that Julius Randle could be a name to watch on the trade market as the New York Knicks look to make it back to the playoffs next season.

Julius Randle is a name to watch on the trade market, per @AmicoHoops pic.twitter.com/Zd49mnz72R

— NBACentral (@TheNBACentral) June 30, 2022

The Wizards are reportedly exchanging Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Ish Smith for Will Barton and Monte Morris. Should Smith play one game for Denver, it’ll be the record-setting 13th team he’s played for in his career.

Washington is finalizing a trade to acquire Denver’s Will Barton and Monte Morris for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Ish Smith, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2022

The Knicks are sending Nerlens Noel and Alec Burks to the Pistons as well as some draft capital in order to free up $30 million in cap space to acquire Jalen Brunson on Thursday.

The Knicks are trading center Nerlens Noel and guard Alec Burks to the Pistons, sources tell ESPN. The Knicks will unload $19M more in salary, clearing the way for cap space to try and sign free agent guard Jalen Brunson.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2022

The Houston Rockets have reportedly bought John Wall’s contract as of Monday night. The five-time All-Star and the Clippers are reportedly set to reach an agreement once free agency starts, per Adrian Wojnarowski.

ESPN story with @espn_macmahon on John Wall exiting the Houston Rockets with intentions to sign a free agent deal with the LA Clippers: https://t.co/IuLK7oFwP9

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 28, 2022

After a successful postseason run, a key piece for Miami may not come back. PJ Tucker is rumored to take a better offer from the Philadelphia 76ers.

The possibility of Kyrie Irving departing from the Brooklyn Nets gains more momentum by the day, as he has been given permission to seek a sign and trade.

John Wall hasn’t played an NBA game for the Houston Rockets since April of 2021, he is willing to agree to a buyout if it comes down to it.

The San Antonio Spurs have been receiving calls about all-star point guard DeJounte Murray, teams that are included are the Knicks, Timberwolves, Wizards, and Hawks. Murray publicly reacted to the rumor on Twitter.

The Cleveland Cavaliers sacrifice pick 49 in exchange for Sasha Vezenkov, who has been a euro-league stash after being picked in the 2017 draft.

The Pistons traded away Jerami Grant for a 2025 first round pick that belongs to the Bucks, read more here:

The Hawks are looking to level up for Trae Young byfinding him a better co-star, read more here:

After not being offered an extension, DeAndre Ayton’s future with the Phoenix Suns looks to be in doubt. Read more here:

The Dallas Mavericks are going all in for Luka Doncic’s win now window by trading for Christian Wood, first reported by Adrian Wojnarowski.

JaMychal Green was sent from the Nuggets in exchange for the Thunder’s No. 30 pick in this upcoming draft, read more here:

The post The NBA Trade Rumor Tracker appeared first on SLAM.

Hawks forward John Collins has a plantar fascia tear in his right foot as well as damage to his right ring finger, sources tell me and @ChrisKirschner. Collins has been playing through pain for past several weeks, but will now be sidelined indefinitely.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 18, 2022

The Hawks (34-35) have 13 games remaining left to attempt to catch the Hornets (35-35) and the Nets (36-34) before the regular season concludes. The 2021-2022 season hasn’t gone the way Atlanta expected, coming off their Eastern Conference Finals appearance against the Bucks last year. The struggles the Hawks have experienced could be attributed to inconsistent play and injuries to Collins, De’Andre Hunter, Bogdan Bogdanovic, and Kevin Huerter.

The Hawks will look to add to the win column when they face the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday night.

The post REPORT: John Collins Out Indefinitely With Foot and Finger Injuries appeared first on SLAM.

ESPN Sources: The Atlanta Hawks are trading forward Cam Reddish to the New York Knicks for a deal that includes a protected 2022 first-round pick via Charlotte. Knicks also acquire Solomon Hill and a 2025 second-round pick via Brooklyn in trade.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 13, 2022

According to further reporting from Woj, the trade to the Knicks fulfills Reddish’s desire to play for a team that can give him an increased role and an extension this coming offseason. It seems as though Reddish saw the writing on the wall after Atlanta signed John Collins, Kevin Huerter, and De’Andre Hunter to multi-year extensions after the Hawks shocked the NBA during their run to the Conference Finals.

The 10th overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft has one more guaranteed season left on his four-year rookie contract. If he doesn’t sign an extension, he can become a restricted free agent during the 2023 offseason. The 22-year-old forward is averaging 11.9 points and 2.5 rebounds on 40.9 percent shooting from the field and 37.9 percent shooting from downtown this season.

The trade reunited Reddish with former Duke teammate RJ Barrett, who scored 32 points in the Knicks’ Wednesday night win over the Mavericks. The Knicks (21-21) return to action on Saturday against the Hawks (17-23).

The post REPORT: Hawks Trading Cam Reddish to Knicks appeared first on SLAM.

Hawks‘ De’Andre Hunter will undergo surgery on a tendon injury in his right wrist and miss approximately two months.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 15, 2021

Hunter gave it a go, however, on Friday against the Denver Nuggets (9-4), clocking in a little over 21 minutes before being ruled out with right wrist soreness. The Hawks report Hunter had an MRI taken Saturday to confirm the injury and will miss approximately eight weeks. Hunter will be undergoing surgery today in Los Angeles.

In his third season, Hunter is averaging 10.8 points and 2.7 boards while shooting a career-high 39.5 percent from three. With his continued absence through mid-January, the floor has opened up for Cam Reddish, Delon Wright, and Lou Williams to see more impactful minutes with Kevin Huerter being inserted into the starting lineup.

Monday, Atlanta’s next test without Hunter will be against the 3-10 Magic at 7:30 p.m. EST.

The post REPORT: De’Andre Hunter to Undergo Right Wrist Surgery, Expected to Miss Eight Weeks appeared first on SLAM.

In the fourth quarter, Collins caught an alley-oop from teammate Kevin Huerter and dunked right over Pistons’ Kelly Olynyk.

“I don’t even see the (defender) if I was to be genuinely honest with you,” Collins told The Athletic. “I don’t see most anybody because I’m so focused on the rim. My eyes are locked in on the rim. I’m more feel than see.”

When asked about how he manages to make these nasty dunks look easy, his answer was pretty simple:

“Dunking on folks, I’ve been doing this my whole life,” Collins told The Athletic. “It’s almost like a normality for me.”

Collins, who closed the night with 22 points, seven boards, and two assists, revealed that a key part to his dunking mayhem includes working on his hands in the weight room. And, after delivering a monster dunk like he did against Detroit, or the one he did three weeks ago against the Cavaliers, Collins says he feeds off of the energy:

“I’m feeling like the Hulk,” Collins said. “I hear the crowd. I see my teammates jumping up and giving me the strong man (look). I’m just energized because I know I just turned the building on. I turned the energy on. That gives everybody energy, including myself. I just try to feed off of that.”

The post ‘I’m Feeling Like the Hulk’: Hawks John Collins On the Feeling Behind His Monster Dunks appeared first on SLAM.

Huerter, now 23-years-old, was the 19th overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft.

Since coming into the league, Huerter has displayed his playmaking chops in secondary and tertiary roles while earning a respectable reputation on the defensive end. However, with a career 3-point percentage of 37.6 (with a career average of 11.2 points per game), Huerter’s most consistent and prized ability is his outside shooting.

On a team led by a dominant playmaker like Trae Young, Huerter’s skillset compliments what the team needs whether he’s in a starting role or in the second unit. To that point, Huerter has remained professional throughout frequent role changes, and has endeared himself to the Hawks fan base with his passionate play.

Preparing to enter his third season, Huerter’s original contract was set to expire in 2022.

The post REPORT: Hawks, Kevin Huerter Agree to Four-Year, $65 Million Extension appeared first on SLAM.

We broke down Sunday’s games here.

No. 2 Suns 120, No. 4 Clippers 114

PHX Leads Series 1-0

In Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, both teams were without their best player. It came down to which secondary star would step up to the occasion, with Devin Booker taking the edge. While the Suns won the opening matchup of this series, we know all too well the Clippers are still in it after surviving 2-0 deficits in each of their last two series.

Booker led all players with 40 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists. Outside of him, five other Suns scored in double-figures as Phoenix inched by without Chris Paul. For the Clippers, Paul George notched 34 points while Reggie Jackson finished with 24. DeMarcus Cousins provided a huge spark off the bench with 11 points and four rebounds in 13 minutes, but it wasn’t enough.

No. 1 Sixers 96, No. 5 Hawks 103

ATL Wins Series 4-3

The Sixers have been trusting the process for years now, hoping that they would finally get over the hump. They had the chance to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals on Sunday in Game 7 against the Hawks, but fell short at home. Ben Simmons continued to be the weak link in the series, lacking aggressiveness on offense as Philadelphia failed to crack 100 points on the night.

Joel Embiid scored 31 points to go along with 11 boards while Tobias Harris and Seth Curry produced 24 and 16 points respectively. No other Sixers scored in double figures. Kevin Huerter was deadly for the Hawks on offense on Sunday with a team-high 27 points. Trae Young finished with a 21-point and ten assist double-double and Danilo Gallinari gave Atlanta a huge boost off the bench with 17 points. The Hawks will now face the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference Finals.

The post Post Up: Hawks Stun Sixers and Suns Take Series Lead appeared first on SLAM.

We broke down both of Sunday’s games here.

No. 1 Sixers 124, No. 5 Hawks 128

ATL leads series 1-0

Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks came out hot in Game 1 against the Philadelphia 76ers, making a huge statement on Sunday afternoon. The Hawks were up by as many as 26 early in the game after going on a 17-0 run and held a 19-point lead with just over eight minutes remaining. From there, the Sixers would climb back in and nearly pull off a late comeback win, pulling within three points with a minute remaining. 

Young scored 25 of his 35 points in the first half, with Bogdan Boganovic carrying the team late, finishing with 21 points. John Collins produced 21 points of his own while Kevin Huerter led the reserve unit with 15 bench points. Joel Embiid returned to action from his knee injury, notching 39 points and nine rebounds. Ben Simmons finished with 17 points and ten assists while Tobias Harris and Seth Curry both scored 20+ points each. 

No. 4 Clippers 126, No. 5 Mavericks 111

LAC wins series 4-3

Luka Doncic came out with intention in Game 7, notching 19 first quarter points and 29 through the first half. After being down by five points early in the second half, the Clippers went on a 24-4 run to finish the third quarter to go up 15 points entering the final frame. After being down 15 or more nearly the entire fourth quarter, Dallas went on a 13-3 run late in the game to pull within seven points with two minutes left, but couldn’t get within striking distance.

Terance Mann played a huge role in the Clippers’ win, scoring 13 points off the bench in a game where all of his buckets felt like they came at the perfect time. Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and Marcus Morris combined for 73 points, 21 assists and 21 rebounds in Game 7. Doncic finished with 46 points, 14 assists and seven boards. 

The post Post Up: Mavericks Fall While Hawks Soar appeared first on SLAM.

The team expects an update on Hunter’s status in the next two weeks.

An @emoryhealthcare injury update:

D. Hunter will undergo a lateral meniscus arthroscopic debridement procedure on Monday. The surgery will be performed by Dr. Kyle Hammond, the Hawks’ team orthopaedist. An update on his recovery plan will be provided in approximately two weeks. pic.twitter.com/2rFBKKZ1CA

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) February 7, 2021

The Hawk’s third-leading scorer has missed the last four games after leaving the game against the Wizards in January due to what was described as “right knee discomfort.” He had a nonsurgical procedure done on January 30, per ESPN.

According to Sarah Spencer of the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Hawks head coach Lloyd Pierce is optimistic that Hunter will return this season.

It doesn’t sound like a season-ending injury… all signs is that he will be back, we just don’t know when

The No.4 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft out of Virginia has shown plenty of improvements in his second season as his numbers and playing time have increased.

Fortunately for the Hawks, they still have depth at the forward position as Cam Reddish, Kevin Huerter, and Danilo Gallinari will look to fill in for Hunter’s absence.

The Hawks who have been 1-3 since Hunter’s injury, will head to Dallas to play the Mavericks on Wednesday.

The post De’Andre Hunter Set to Have Knee Procedure appeared first on SLAM.

With a good mix of young guys like Cameron Reddish playing well and veterans like Rajon Rondo giving them a lift, Atlanta looks to be one of the better teams in the Eastern Conference. As expected, Trae Young has gotten anything he wants offensively.

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

Cam Reddish	12.8p, 4.8r, 1.5a
De’Andre Hunter	12.0p, 7.0r, 2.5a
Rajon Rondo	6.0p, 1.0r, 7.0a
Trae Young	33.0p, 4.5r, 8.3a
Bogdan Bogdanovic	15.3p, 6.3r, 2.5a
Bruno Fernando	2.5p, 6.5r, 1.0a
Kevin Huerter	12.0p, 2.3r, 3.5a
Brandon Goodwin	4.0p, 1.0r, 2.0a
Solomon Hill	6.8p, 2.3r, 0.0a
John Collins	18.0p, 7.3r, 1.3a
Danilo Gallinari	9.0p, 2.5r, 1.5a
Clint Capela	7.0p, 10.5r, 0.5a

Team-by-Team Breakdown

The post Heat Check 2020-21: Atlanta Hawks appeared first on SLAM.

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

Biggest Questions

• Was it too early to make the switch into win-now mode? The Hawks were starting to build one of the best young cores in basketball. With the addition of the new veterans, will that temper their development?
• Can Danilo Gallinari and Rajon Rondo stay healthy? Both of these guys have had their history of injuries. If the Hawks can stay healthy overall, they should have a good shot at a playoff berth.

All NBA Team Offseason Summaries

The post Atlanta Hawks: Projected 2020-21 Depth Chart appeared first on SLAM.

They may even want to use their cap space to sign one or two high quality free agents to supplement their rotation while using the bulk of it to facilitate the trade for a star.

Nonetheless, with the trade market scarce on All-Star talent, Atlanta may be forced to keep their first-round pick no matter what they desire.

Related: Full Atlanta Hawks 2020 Salary Cap Preview

2020 NBA Draft Picks

Hawks Draft Needs

The Hawks have one of the best young cores in the league and with the sixth overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, they can add a solid young player that will them keep their potential championship window open for a considerable amount of time.

Looking at the roster, Atlanta could use another shooting guard but a combo guard would be ideal. Not just because they need to find ways to address what happens if Trae Young isn’t available but because they need to find ways to generate offense without Young being on the court.

Last season, with Young on the court, the Hawks’ offensive rating was 112.6. With him off of the court, their offensive rating plummeted to 98.5.

Atlanta also needs to address the depth behind starter John Collins. Collins has developed into a big man who’s equally proficient around the rim and the perimeter, so it may be difficult to find a player who can replicate that. However, the 2020 NBA Draft is littered with power forward (and combo forward) prospects.

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 Atlanta Hawks: 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

Projected Dead Money

Projected Renouncements/Waivers

2020 NBA Draft Picks

Exceptions Available

• Room Exception – $4,767,000

Key Offseason Decisions

• Should Atlanta waive Brandon Goodwin? Goodwin showed some promise as a backup for Trae Young and his deal is only for $1.7M for 2021. On the flip side, Atlanta would only need to eat $100K to waive him. The Hawks can always re-sign Goodwin to a minimum deal after they complete other offseason moves.
• Is it time to push in for free agents? Atlanta has good, young player in place at every key position. It is time to supplement them with veteran free agents? If so, how much do you spend and how long do you let those deals run for?
• How much do you offer John Collins in an extension? Collins has proven to be a very good offensive player for Atlanta. He’s capable of spacing the floor at the four or the five. Collins is also a plus rebounder. The question is his defense. How much do you pay for an offensive-minded big on a team full of offensive-minded players?

Projected Team Salary

$62,115,976

The Hawks have been building towards this point for a while now. Most of the roster is still on the first NBA contract. The lone exceptions are Clint Capela and DeWayne Dedmon, who were both acquired at the 2020 trade deadline to stabilize the center position. For Atlanta’s free agents, none of them are part of the long-term vision. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Brandon Goodwin, Skal Labissiere or Jeff Teague return, but all would be coming back for far less than their cap hold. Therefore, the projection is the Hawks renounce all of them to maximize cap space initially. (@KeithSmithNBA)

Cap Space Forecast

$44,329,094 (1^st out of 30)

Team Salary Cap Outlooks

The post Atlanta Hawks: 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.

Hawks NBA 2K21 Ratings

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

The post Atlanta Hawks: NBA 2K21 Ratings 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.

The Magic played incredible, with Terrence Ross recording a season-high 33 points, Nikola Vucevic having 27 points and 10 boards and Aaron Gordon enjoying his first triple-double of his career with 17 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists.

D’Angelo Russell was solid for the Wolves, scoring 28 points and dishing 7 assists with a respectable +8 plus/minus on the night.

Hawks 141 (18-43), Nets 118 (32-36)

This wasn’t just a promising game for the Hawks because they won, but also due to the fact that their young core of players were the biggest contributors to their success. Trae Young dropped 22 and 14 assists. John Collins popped off for 33 and 12 boards. Kevin Huerter scored 15 on an efficient 60% from the field. The rook DeAndre Hunter had 18 points and 10 rebounds and Cam Reddish had perhaps his best game of the season with 26 points on 6-9 from deep.

As for the disappointing Nets, Spencer Dinwiddie did his best with 24 points and 13 assists, but it simply wasn’t enough.

Hornets 99 (21-38), Raptors 96 (42-17)

Well, this was a surprise.

The Raptors usually steamroll objectively inferior opponents, but not tonight, apparently. No Hornets starter even scored 20 points, but they all reached double figures. Solid performances from Pascal Siakam, Norman Powell and Kyle Lowry weren’t enough to offset a bench that only mustered nine points.

Despite all that, there was still a chance to win, with the game tied at 96 with about two seconds left, Hornets ball. But Rondae Hollis-Jefferson was called for an off-ball foul. Tough way to lose.

Heat 126 (37-22), Mavericks 118 (36-24)

This was a very quality win for the Heat, beating a bona-fide playoff team in the West and one of the best offenses in league history. Jimmy Butler predictable led the way in scoring with 26, but Duncan Robinson (24 points, 6-9 from deep, +24 plus/minus) and Kelly Olynyk (13 points, 7 rebounds, 9 assists in only 19 minutes) were the unsung heroes.

For Dallas, despite a Seth Curry explosion of 37 points and stars Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis both scoring in the 20’s, Miami was too tough.

Kings 104 (25-34), Grizzlies 101 (28-31)

The Kings are closer to the 8th seed than you think. After beating the Grizzlies, a team currently above them in the chase, Sacramento is only three games out of a playoff berth. De’Aaron Fox led the way with 25 points in what was a very solid all-around team win.

The Grizzlies are crumbling right now, through no fault of their own. Young bigs Jaren Jackson Jr and Brandon Clarke are out with injuries, and they traded two reliable wings in Jae Crowder and Solomon Hill for a Justise Winslow, who is still recuperating from injury. Dillon Brooks led all scorers with 32.

Bucks 133 (51-8), Thunder 86 (37-23)

This was simply an annihilation. The scary part is OKC is a tough, gritty and respectable team with the second best record in the entire damn league since Thanksgiving. But they were no match for Milwaukee and their unskilled star, Giannis Antetokounmpo, who dropped an easy 32 points, 13 rebounds and 6 assists in 27 measly minutes.

Pelicans 116 (26-33), Cavaliers 104 (17-42)

The Pelicans have now won six of their last 8 games thanks to a mixture of superhuman Zion Williamson efforts and excellent supporting cast members in Brandon Ingram (an All-Star!), Jrue Holiday and Lonzo Ball, plus a deep cadre of role players.

Ingram led the Pels with 29 points, Zion followed with 24 and Holiday had 22.

Pistons 113 (20-41), Suns 111 (24-36)

We were just treated to a throwback Derrick Rose game.

Rose dropped 31 points and the game-sealing bucket, a beautiful driving, off-balance floater. Also, shoutout to Brandon Knight, who has endured many tough injuries, for scoring 19 points in the win.

Jazz 129 (37-22), Wizards 119 (21-37)

Between a losing streak, uncharacteristic drop in efficiency and some epic role confusion over who is starting and sitting between Mike Conley, Joe Ingles and Royce O’Neale, Utah needed this. Donovan Mitchell once again put the team on his back, going for 30 points and this monster dunk on poor Rui Hachimura.

Bradley Beal can’t be happy after dropping 42 points, 5 boards, 10 assists and 2 steals and still coming away with a loss.

Clippers 132 (40-19), Nuggets 103 (40-19)

Big win for the Clips, who inch closer to the Nuggets for 2nd place in the Western Conference standings.

It was quite the balanced victory, with all ten rotation players notching between 19 and 25 minutes.

Paul George had 24 on an efficient 9-15 shooting, and Kawhi had 19 points on 50% shooting.

The post Post Up: Giannis Antetokounmpo Goes Off Against Thunder appeared first on SLAM.

Four of five of Milwaukee’s starters finished in double digits with Giannis Antetokounmpo (33 points) leading all scorers. Khris Middleton was the Bucks’s second-leading scorer with 28 points and Brook Lopez had 19.

Hawks 129 (16-41), Heat 124 (35-20)

With Quavo in attendance, Trae Young put up a career-high 50 points at Phillips Arena on Thursday night. De’Andre Hunter and Kevin Huerter put up 17 points apiece and rookie Cam Reddish added 16 points off the bench.

Hornets 103 (19-33), Bulls 93 (19-37)

Charlotte took care of business in the Windy City. Miles Bridges led all starters with 22 points and Malik Monk added 25 points off the bench.

Malik Monk taking FLIGHT (via @BR_NBA) pic.twitter.com/bkad4zC7GO

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) February 21, 2020

Sixers 112 (35-21), Nets 104 (25-29)

The Nets only scored one point in overtime as Philly prevailed at home. Joel Embiid finished with 36 points and grabbed 16 rebounds. Tobias Harris had a double-double of his own (22 points, 12 rebounds) and Alec Burks had 19 points.

Kings 129 (21-33), Grizzlies 125 (28-26)

Harrison Barnes (32 points) and De’Aaron Fox (26 points) combined for 58 points in the home win. Buddy Hield added 20 points.

Rockets 135 (34-20), Warriors 105 (12-44)

Houston jumped out the gate with a double-digit lead and had that cushion throughout the contest. The Rockets also shot 25 3-pointers, including 15 in the first half.

All five of the Houston’s starters finished in double figures. James Harden put up 29 points in 30 minutes and Russell Westbrook had 21 points and dished out 10 dimes.

The post Post Up: Trae Young Puts Up Career-High 50 Points Against Heat 🤫 appeared first on SLAM.

The Jazz continued their impressive play, defeating the Nets on the road to win their 10th in a row. Joe Ingles led the way with 27 points on 10-14 shooting and 6-8 from three. Donovan Mitchell added 25 points, and Rudy Gobert finished with 22 points and 18 rebounds. For Brooklyn, Kyrie Irving dropped 32 points to go along with 11 assists in his second game back from injury.

Hawks 123 (9-32), Suns 110 (16-24)

Trae Young was cooking in Atlanta, finishing with 36 points and 10 assists in the Hawks win. Kevin Huerter stuffed the stat sheet with 23 points, 15 rebounds and 8 assists, and John Collins added 22 points on 10-16 shooting and 10 rebounds. For Phoenix, Devin Booker continued his red-hot scoring, finishing with a game-high 39 points in the loss. DeAndre Ayton added 20 points and 10 rebounds off the bench.

Grizzlies 121 (19-22), Rockets 110 (26-13)

Ja Morant put on an absolute show in Memphis, leading the Grizzlies to their 6th win in a row. Morant finished with 26 points and 8 assists on 10-11 shooting, including a handful of show-stopping highlight plays. The rookie is turning into a star right before our eyes.

For Houston, James Harden dropped 41 points to go along with 6 rebounds and 6 assists in the loss.

Bucks 128 (36-6), Knicks 102 (11-30)

The Greek Freak completely dominated the Knicks, scoring 37 points in just 21 minutes. Khris Middleton added 17 points in the Bucks blowout win. The Knicks were lead by Julius Randle, who had 25 points and 15 rebounds, and RJ Barrett, who dropped 22 points in the loss.

Clippers 128 (28-13), Cavaliers 103 (12-29)

Kawhi went off for 43 points on 14-22 shooting and 6-10 from three to lead the Clippers to the blowout win. Lou Will added 24 points off the bench. Cleveland was lead by Collin Sexton, who dropped 25 in the loss.

Mavericks 124 (25-15), Warriors 97 (9-32)

The Mavericks dominated the Warriors throughout to secure their 25th win of the season. Dallas was lead by Dwight Powell, who dropped 21 points on 9-9 shooting, and Luka Doncic, who added 20 points.

The post Post Up: Ja Morant Puts On a Show in Grizzlies Win over Rockets 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 Hawks 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

• De’Andre Hunter
• Trae Young
• Cam Reddish
• John Collins
• Kevin Huerter

Barring an unforeseen trade for a star player, the Hawks are unlikely to make significant changes to their up-and-coming core. Injuries and suspension have prevented the front office from assessing the group. Trae Young is sidelined with an ankle injury. John Collins served a 25-game suspension earlier this season and Kevin Huerter was on a minutes restriction until recently. The trio has only been at full strength for one whole game together, which isn’t anywhere near the desired sample size to evaluate their fit.

This, however, doesn’t mean we won’t see trades in Atlanta. Young was visibly frustrated earlier in the season and according to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the point guard was told by a high-ranking team official that help was on the way in the form of upgraded talent on the roster. The team appears to be sniffing around for a veteran big man and, according to Chris Kirschner of The Athletic, have discussed trading for Steven Adams and Dewayne Dedmon.

Biggest Name Available On Market

• Jabari Parker

Jabari Parker filled in admirably for Collins earlier this season, particularly on the offensive end, and it’s fair to wonder whether he’ll opt-out of his contract this offseason in order to try and secure a contract with a more lucrative salary than his current $6.5M figure. While there has been no word on whether the Hawks will shop the former No. 2 overall pick, it might make sense for the team to parse the market for him, considering their other offseason financial priorities like signing Collins to an extension. 

Parker won’t turn 25 until later this season, so he certainly still fits within this team’s young timeline. However, if another team covets the scorer, it would be surprising if Atlanta doesn’t at least listen to offers. Parker is averaging 15.4 points and 6.1 rebounds per game this season.

Logical Trade Pieces

• Chandler Parsons
• Evan Turner
• Allen Crabbe

Each of Chandler Parsons, Evan Turner and Allen Crabbe is on a massive expiring deal and if the team is going to bring in a veteran center like Adams or make other big moves, sending out one of the three (along with an asset) appears to be the most feasible scenario. Parsons ($25.1M) has seen action in just five contests. Turner ($18.6M), who was acquired to be the back-up point guard to Young, sports a career-low 7.5 player efficiency rating and Crabbe hasn’t been much better at 8.3. All three could be buy-out candidates if no trades occur.

Trades Are Possible

• Alex Len
• DeAndre’ Bembry
• Damian Jones
• Vince Carter
• Bruno Fernando

The noise about Atlanta looking for a veteran big despite 26-year-old Alex Len on the roster is telling. Len, who is on an expiring $4.2M contract, doesn’t appear to be in the team’s long-term plans. DeAndre Bembry is the only remaining player from Mike Budenholzer’s stint in the Hawks’ front office. He didn’t come to terms with the team on a rookie-scale extension this fall and he’ll be a restricted free agent this offseason assuming Atlanta or a team trading for him presents him with a qualifying offer. Damian Jones arrived in Atlanta this offseason via a trade with the Golden State Warriors and has seen action in 31 contests and sports a 16.7 player efficiency rating. Bruno Fernando, who was selected in the second round of the 2019 Draft, has seen steady minutes lately, though his time on the court fluctuated earlier this season. Don’t expect the team to move Vince Carter unless the 22-year veteran asks for it.

The post 2020 NBA Trade Deadline Primer: Atlanta Hawks appeared first on SLAM.

Late in OT, Nikola Jokic hit the game-winning bucket over Karl-Anthony Towns to give the Nuggets the win on the road. Jokic had a team-high 20 points to go with 7 dimes and 6 rebounds.

Pacers 109 (6-4), Magic 102 (3-7)

Domantas Sabonis put up a double-double (21 points, 16 rebounds) to give Indiana its third-straight win. T.J. Warren and Malcolm Brogdon had 19 apiece, while Doug McDermott had 18 off the bench.

Sixers 114 (6-3), Hornets 106 (4-6)

Four of Philly’s starters scored in double figures – Joel Embiid (18 points), Al Horford (15 points), Tobias Harris (14 points) and Josh Richardson (11 points).

Bucks 117 (7-3) , Thunder 114 (4-6)

Tied 114-all with under a minute, Brook Lopez knocked down a 3-pointer to give the Bucks the W. Giannis Antetokounmpo had another monster performance, finishing with 35 points and 16 rebounds.

Cavaliers 108 (4-5), Knicks 87 (2-8)

Collin Sexton finished with 21 points at The Garden. Kevin Love was the second-leading scorer with 17 points.

Suns 138 (6-3), Nets 112 (4-5)

All five Suns starters finished in double figures as Devin Booker led the team with 27 points. Ricky Rubio had 22 points and 12 dimes; Kelly Oubre also had 18.

Trailblazers 124 (4-6), Hawks 113 (3-6)

Damian Lillard and Kevin Huerter traded back-to-back buckets to force it to overtime, but the Blazers prevailed at home. Lillard (30 points) and CJ McCollum (23 points) combined for 53 points, and Anfernee Simons finished with 20 points off the bench.

Raptors 113 (6-2), Lakers 104 (7-1)

Toronto extended the lead to 10 in the 4Q and closed it off when the Lakers started to make their run. Last season’s MIP finished with a game-high 24 points and 11 rebounds. Fred VanVleet also had 21 points in the win to snap the Lakers’ 7-game wining streak.

The post Post Up: Pascal Siakam Helps Snap Lakers’ Seven-Game Win Streak appeared first on SLAM.

New NBA and NCAA seasons are here, and we’ve got you covered with our preview issue. SLAM 224 features big stories on the League’s coolest family (D’Angelo Russell, Devin Booker, Karl-Anthony Towns), the Pelicans exciting core (Zion Williamson, Jrue Holiday, Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram), a young sharpshooter in Atlanta (Kevin Huerter) and a blossoming forward in Boston (Jaylen Brown). The mag also spotlights Oregon’s superstar Sabrina Ionescu, Duke’s freshman Wendell Moore and has early rankings of all the top squads in men’s and women’s college hoops. Pull-out poster is of Jimma Gatwech at the SLAM Summer Classic Vol. 2 and Giannis at the FIBA World Cup.

Head to our online store to cop, peep the cover stories at the links below and stay posted for more dope content over the next few weeks!

Karl-Anthony Towns, Devin Booker, D’Angelo Russell: The NBA’s Goodfellas

WELCOME TO THE PARTY: The New Orleans Pelicans Are In the Building

The post SLAM 224 Is On Sale Now 🚨 appeared first on SLAM.

Just over a year ago, Huerter didn’t even think he had a realistic shot at being drafted. So this—all of this—was completely inconceivable.

John Sterling, the famed Yankees announcer he listened to growing up, really said his name during a Hawks-Nets broadcast back in December. He got to exchange No. 3 jerseys with his childhood idol, Dwyane Wade, at AmericanAirlines Arena in March. He shared a locker room with another legend in Vince Carter. At the age of just 21, he established himself as a major piece of ATL’s bright future.

Not bad for a year.

Huerter’s journey began in Clifton Park, NY, a suburb roughly 12 miles north of Albany that doesn’t get the attention of many media outlets. There was little hype surrounding his game until he joined the EYBL circuit as a 17-year-old. He had great size for a guard, could handle the ball well, was a skilled playmaker and showed incredible range on his jump shot. Offers from big programs started to fly in, and Huerter eventually committed to the University of Maryland.

After two impressive seasons in College Park, he decided to enter the NBA Draft, but didn’t truly believe he was bound for the League.

“I honestly just came out to play pickup at the combine,” he tells SLAM. “It was like a measuring stick for me to go there and see how good I thought I was compared to guys who were about to get drafted.” 

Yet Huerter stacked up much better than he anticipated. The feedback was so positive that he had no choice but to stay in the pool. “I fully expected going into it that I would be coming back for my junior year,” he admits.  

Instead, Huerter was taken with the No. 19 overall pick and off to Atlanta to begin his pro career. And by the end of November, he found himself permanently in the Hawks’ starting lineup. He thrived in their fast-paced, run-and-gun system alongside Young, averaging 9.7 points on 39 percent shooting from deep. Despite his laid-back personality, Huerter is assertive on the floor, especially when he’s in rhythm offensively.

“I think my looks are deceiving for a lot of guys,” Huerter says. “You don’t step on the court and guys immediately respect your game and how you play. So for me, it’s amusing to keep proving that and keep waking people up. Proving to them that you deserve to be in the League and deserve to play. So every game, that’s just my mindset—go out there and realize that nobody respects your game and nobody expects you to do much.”

During a win over the Sixers in January, he dropped 29 on 11-17 from the field. He had 27 at home against the Pelicans, including 17 in the second quarter. He knocked down four or more threes 12 different times throughout the season.

Atlanta is building a new identity centered on a young group that includes Huerter, Trae, big man John Collins and 2019 lottery picks DeAndre Hunter and Cam Reddish—two versatile pieces who fit their brand of basketball perfectly. 

“It’s fun—being a part of it from the ground level and being able to grow up and build with everybody,” Huerter says. “Right now we have no egos, we have no bad locker room guys. Everyone is just on the stage of trying to prove themselves.”

Expect the Hawks to maintain a similar style in 2019-20, and expect Huerter’s role to expand within it.

“Hopefully playing a little bit more point guard this year, we’ve been talking about that,” he explains. “Or at least having the mindset to do that—trying to get other guys involved, put the ball on the floor and make plays.”

“I think Kevin’s game speaks for itself,” head coach Lloyd Pierce said following a recent practice. “He’s probably one of the more skilled players we have… We just want to see more. We want to see him with the basketball in his hands a little bit more. We’ve got to find ways to get him more three-point opportunities. He’s got to find ways to get to the foul line… I think his game is already multi-dimensional. We just got to get him more threes and get the ball in his hands a little bit more.”

At some point, Huerter plans to get in the gym with Wade to develop his post game. He spent the summer building strength, working on his finishing ability at the rim, and, of course, making some media appearances. That part is something he’s going to have to get more used to.

He didn’t foresee being here this soon, so it’s hard to envision what’s in store for the future. As a kid, reaching the NBA was never something that was put in front of him. He dreamed of it, sure, but everyone does.

“For me, it was always just playing and getting to whatever the next level was,” Huerter explains. “When you’re in middle school, it’s playing in high school. When it’s high school, it’s playing AAU against the best. And from AAU it’s college and it keeps moving up from that.”

It’s unclear exactly what the next level is now, but based on Kevin Huerter’s past, one thing is certain:

He will get there. Probably faster than expected.

—

Alex Squadron is an Associate Editor at SLAM. Follow him on Twitter @asquad510.

Portraits by Johnnie Izquierdo.

The post SPEED IT UP: Kevin Huerter Is Already Taking Off with the Hawks appeared first on SLAM.

Below is a list of the contract types the Atlanta Hawks 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.

Atlanta Hawks

For a complete list of all the NBA teams and links to each team’s roster breakdown, check out our 2019 NBA Training Camp Index. Follow the curators of this database, Chris Crouse and Austin Kent, on Twitter.

More NBA Training Camp Rosters

The post Atlanta Hawks Roster Count: 2019 Training Camp 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.

Atlanta Hawks 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: Atlanta Hawks appeared first on SLAM.

After you spend a little time in the big man’s world, though, you begin to notice something—this mutual admiration goes much further than the Atlanta bench. It extends to the stands, too. Beyond Young’s No. 11 jersey, our informal survey around the Hawks’ State Farm Arena during a 2018-19 game showed that Collins’ No. 20 is the second most prevalent one on fans’ backs.

The good vibes carry over to the Hawks’ PR department as well. Tell them that you’re trying to talk to Collins for a story and you not only get to come to the locker room for a pregame chat, but you get a precious extra few minutes alone with him because, well, it’s John.

After a while, things get interesting, and you start to wonder exactly how deep this well of well-wishing for the 6-10 gentle giant really goes. So, you keep digging. You contact Wake Forest University, where he first got on the national radar. The Demon Deacons’ 2018-19 season was a rough one so basketball-related interview requests in spring probably aren’t a priority. But remember, we’re talking about John Collins here. The Winston-Salem, NC, school happily makes the connection.

“I think the sky’s the limit [for Collins],” says Randolph Childress, Wake Forest’s associate head coach and one of the most beloved players in the school’s history. “My advice to him is always to stay humble. And he is. I know the kid and I know how hard he’s going to work. He’s not distracted. He’s incredibly focused on what he wants to do.”

You keep chatting with Childress and, though he has nothing but kind words to say about the young man’s spirit and skill set, he does open up about the things that initially caught his eye about Collins when he was being recruited. “When I first saw John,” Childress says, “he was a chubby kid, and he ran up and down the court on his tippy toes.”

When you go back to the tape of Cardinal Newman High School (West Palm Beach, FL) games in 2014, sure enough, there’s JC bodying in the paint with a few extra pounds around the midsection. But even with the girth, Collins had enough game to earn Florida Class 4A Player of the Year honors and Wake’s full attention.

“Before he stepped foot on campus [his freshman year],” Childress adds, “he had already sped up his learning curve with the physical part because he changed his diet. He had dropped all of this baby fat. All he had to do was start adding strength.” Once he started picking up the weights, he also started grabbing the accolades. Two-time ACC Player of the Week. ACC’s Most Improved Player. All-ACC First-Team.

“Coach Randolph was one of the first people who got to see me in my younger stage,” laughs Collins today. “Like he said, I was chubby, running around on my toes. I wasn’t a national prospect or anything. I’m thankful that guys like him saw potential that I didn’t even see or envision.”

Initially, the Demon Deacons’ fifth-year head coach Danny Manning was going to be on the same call with Coach Childress, but his schedule kept getting in the way. All of the reshuffling could have led Manning to throw his hands up with it all. But again, anything for John. Coach found five minutes for a call just before hopping on a flight.

“He had a good feel for the game,” says Manning, of Collins, who wasn’t even a top-100 recruit back in 2015. “He had good feet. He had a really good second bounce and he was really athletic. But his body was not where it is now. He still had some…” Manning pauses. You can almost feel him going through his mental files trying to find a word to politely call Collins rotund. What about “chubby,” coach? “Yeah, that’s accurate.”

Relieved, Manning continues. “He made a commitment to his diet and his body really changed. When he got here to us, he put in the work in the weight room. He started gaining weight. He got stronger. His body put him in a position to do even more things on the court than what he was doing in the past. And he just took off.”

And he didn’t land until the Hawks grabbed him with the 19th pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. During his first year in the League, Collins showed glimpses of greatness—gifted hands, good footwork and a generous amount of time above the rim. Collins, who averaged more than 10 points and 7 boards a night, finished his first year in the top 10 in field-goal percentage. The well-rounded numbers were good enough for a spot on the All-Rookie Second Team.

Coming into his sophomore season, Collins’ individual expectations were understandably high. Unfortunately, a preseason knee issue immediately put a halt to the excitement. He would miss the first 15 games of the ’18-19 tilt.

“I’ve never really dealt with an injury before, ever in my career,” says Collins, who had 12 games with at least 20 points between his November 17 return and New Year’s Day. “For me to have [an injury] at this level is a little nerve-wrecking. Getting hurt the way I did, before the season started, and having to come back during the middle of the season when guys are starting to catch their rhythm made me question myself a little bit. But just the way I came back and played let me know I’m right on track.”

The good times rolled into January (20 and 9 averages for the month). February’s numbers (19.9 and 8.4) were only a pinch less impressive. He was an easy call for the USA squad in All-Star Weekend’s Rising Stars game, where he was paired with the two other sophomores, Boston’s Jayson Tatum and Utah’s Donovan Mitchell, with whom he started to be bunched with in the “Best Second-Year Player” debate.

“I listen to [the chatter],” Collins says of the comparisons to Tatum and Mitchell, who were drafted No. 3 and 13, respectively, in 2017. “It’s sort of inevitable. But I feel like this is where I’m supposed to be. My name is being put up there with guys who went way higher than I did [in the draft]. I’m going late in the first round. Now guys are talking about I’m top five, top three. I worked for it. I’m going to keep playing the way I’m playing.”

Of course, the most glaring difference between Collins and the other two budding stars is that they advanced to the postseason while the Hawks went fishin’.

“In that league,” says Childress, coming to Collins’ defense, “to truly maximize your greatness, you need other great players with you. Let’s just call it what it is. As good as John is playing, no one will really give him the kind of credit that we’re talking about right now until we’re talking about the Atlanta Hawks being one of those [great] teams.”

The Hawks added De’Andre Hunter and Cam Reddish in the 2019 draft and no matter what else they do in pending free-agency to improve as a franchise, Collins knows he’s got some personal things to handle. Sure, he averaged 19.4 points, 9.7 rebounds and at least one thunderous jam for the year, but Collins also had one of the worst defensive ratings in the NBA. He only shot 34 percent from deep. He turned the ball over nearly twice a contest.

“Me getting over possessions [has been huge for my progress],” says Collins. “I feel like my rookie year I was so focused on every mistake I made. Now, it’s sort of a different mindset and knowing that I’m going to mess up. You gotta move on. That next-play mentality is something that was big for me. It helped me slow down the game.”

With things slowing for him, and Trae Young, Kevin Huerter, Hunter and Reddish in Atlanta’s tight young core, brighter days might be ahead. “He’s definitely someone that city can wrap themselves around,” says Childress. “He has that kind of personality. I expect big things in the future.”

Before the coach hangs up, he informs that he’ll happily get on another call if anything else needed. In this line of business, that’s not typically how things work. Usually when an interview is over, so too is your interaction with that person. But not this time. Not for this story.

OK, we get it. Anything for John Collins.

—

GRAB YOUR COPY OF SLAM 222

DeMarco Williams is a SLAM contributor. Follow him on Twitter @demarcowill.

Photos via Getty.

The post HIGHER WE GO: John Collins Is Up to Something in Atlanta 🛫 appeared first on SLAM.

Doncic lived up to the hype during his first year in the league, averaging 21.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game for the Mavericks, establishing himself as a gutsy, clutch-time player that opposing teams will have to deal with for a long time coming.

Young quickly put to rest any concerns after a slow start and showed that his lights out college game translated to the NBA level. Young dropped 19.1 points and 8.1 assists per game as a rookie.

Deandre Ayton, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Marvin Bagley III joined Doncic and Young on the first team. Ayton received 95 of a possible 100 first-team votes after posting an impressive, if overshadowed, 16.3 points and 10.3 rebounds per game.

The All-Rookie second team was led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Collin Sexton, with Landry Shamet, Mitchell Robinson and Kevin Huerter joining them on the list.

NBA All-Rookie First Team
Luka Doncic, DAL
Trae Young, ATL
Deandre Ayton, PHO
Jaren Jackson Jr., MEM
Marvin Bagley III, SAC

NBA All-Rookie Second Team
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, LAC
Collin Sexton, CLE
Landry Shamet, LAC
Mitchell Robinson, NYK
Kevin Huerter, ATL

Other notable players to earn votes include Mikal Bridges and Kevin Knox, the two players with the next most votes, as well as Josh Okogie and Miles Bridges who earned first-team votes despite falling short of either team.

For a complete list of the voting breakdown, check out the league’s press release.

The post Luka Doncic, Trae Young Headline 2019 All-Rookie Team appeared first on SLAM.

Toronto tied its franchise-record 3s made with 21, as Kyle Lowry hit six triples to finish with 24 points. Pascal Siakam, a MIP candidate, had 20 points. Danny Green finished with 15 points.

Pistons 131 (34-31), Bulls 108 (19-49)

Detroit scored 42 points in the third quarter in the rout to win five straight. Four Pistons starters finished in double digits – Blake Griffin (28 points), Reggie Jackson (21 points), Andre Drummond (18 points) and Wayne Ellington (13 points). Langston Galloway added 21 points off the bench.

Sixers 106 (42-25), Pacers 86 (42-25)

Joel Embiid, who returned after missing the last eight games with a sore knee, finished with a team-high 33 points and 12 rebounds. Tobias Harris had 16 points and Ben Simmons had 15. Philly moved into the third place in the Eastern Conference with the win.

Hawks 128 (23-45), Pelicans 116 (30-39)

Kevin Huerter led all scorers with 27 points and John Collins posted a double-double (23 points, 10 rebounds). Alex Len added 19 points and was a rebound short of a double-double, and Trae Young had 10 points and 10 dimes.

Grizzlies 105 (28-40), Magic 97 (31-37)

Mike Conley scored 14 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter, as Memphis closed the game on a 17-2 run. Avery Bradley had 21 points. CJ Miles, Joakim Noah and Delon Wright had a combined 33 bench points.

Rockets 94 (41-25), Mavericks 93 (27-39)

Chris Paul came up huge on the final possession of the game, blocking Jalen Brunson’s shot as time expired. Paul, who finished with nine points and nine assists, ranks No. 7 on the All-Time Assist Leaders list after passing Isaiah Thomas. Eric Gordon posted a team-high 26 points and James Harden had 20 points.

Timberwolves 103 (32-35), Knicks 92 (13-54)

With no Karl-Anthony Towns, Taj Gibson (25 points) filled in the void on the offensive side. Jeff Teague finished with 20 points and Keita Bates-Diop put up 18 points.

Spurs 121 (38-29), Bucks 114 (50-17)

LaMarcus Aldridge and DeMar DeRozan combined for 57 points on Sunday night. Marco Bellineli scored 16 points off the bench. The Spurs have now won five straight.

Suns 115 (16-52), Warriors 111 (45-21)

Devin Booker posted a game-high 37 points and 11 assists on the road in Oakland. Kelly Oubre had 22 points, Deandre Ayton had 18 points and nine boards. Golden State struggled to get it going from the 3-point line, shooting 10-43 from behind the arc. Kevin Durant (25 points) went to the locker room after rolling his ankle and didn’t return to the game.

The post Post Up: Devin Booker Scores 37 Points as Suns Stun Warriors 🔥 appeared first on SLAM.

All five of the Nuggets’ starters scored double-digit points and Trey Lyles added 20 points off the bench, but it wasn’t enough to overcome strong closes to each half from Detroit. The Pistons outscored the Nuggets 34-19 in the second quarter and 32-20 in the final frame.

Andre Drummond scored a game-high 27 points and grabbed 12 boards. Stanley Johnson brought a spark off the pine with 21 points, seven rebounds and two steals in 25 minutes.

Nikola Jokic made the All-Star Game and started acting like a bully (via @BleacherReport) pic.twitter.com/SBOJ7oEsnx

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) February 5, 2019

Hawks 137 (18-35), Wizards 129 (22-31)

Nine Hawks scored double-digit points as Taurean Prince and Kevin Huerter combined for 40 points on 10-for-14 shooting from behind the arc. Vince Carter scored 16 points in 16 minutes of work off the bench.

Four Wizards scored at least 20 points with Bradley Beal’s game-high 27 leading the way.

Trae Young displays patience and great vision for your Heads Up Play of the Day! pic.twitter.com/8eN7wIsc3B

— NBA TV (@NBATV) February 5, 2019

Vince Carter has logged 44,936 minutes in 1,453 NBA games.

It’d take over 31 days to watch all of his game tape. pic.twitter.com/PV2mOcjRFG

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) February 5, 2019

Spurs 112 (32-23), Kings 127 (28-25)

Marvin Bagley scored a game-high 24 points and threw down a jaw-dropping 360 alley-oop slam as the Kings won their third game in a row. De’Aaron Fox added 20 points on 9-for-12 shooting with six dimes and boards.

DeMar DeRozan and LaMarcus Aldridge combined for 46 points.

360 ALLEY SLAM?!

Here for it, Marvin Bagley. (via @SacramentoKings) https://t.co/DOIynuUtuG

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) February 5, 2019

Bucks 113 (39-13), Nets 94 (28-27)

The Eastern Conference-leading Bucks snapped the Nets’ 10-game winning streak in Brooklyn as Giannis Antetokounmpo led his squad in four statistical categories: points (30), rebounds (15), assists (9) and blocks (3).

D’Angelo Russell scored a team-high 18 for Brooklyn.

Tons of Greek fans were waiting for @Giannis_An34 after the game. pic.twitter.com/U4C7ZnACYx

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) February 5, 2019

Pacers 109 (34-19), Pelicans 107 (23-31)

Jahlil Okafor’s hot streak continued with 25 points and 13 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough to hold off the Pacers. Darren Collison shot 9-for-14 from the field en route to 22 points to lead Indiana to the win.

Rockets 118 (31-22), Suns 110 (11-44)

James Harden did James Harden things, racking up 45 points, eight rebounds, six assists and three steals. Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 23 minutes off the bench on 9-for-13 shooting to keep Phoenix in the game.

4⃣5⃣ and counting for the Beard.

It really shouldn’t look this easy (via @nba) pic.twitter.com/RZNJxtCAMp

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) February 5, 2019

The post Post Up: Bucks Stay Hot in Brooklyn, James Harden Goes OFF to down Phoenix 🔥 appeared first on SLAM.

Luka Doncic did what he does best: get buckets in the clutch. The rookie scored seven of the Mavs’ last nine points, including the go-ahead 3-pointer that put Dallas up for good. He finished with 29 points, 12 assists and eight rebounds.

Luka in the clutch. If you know, you know (via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/gachCgmoyh

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) January 12, 2019

Hawks 123 (13-29), 76ers 121 (27-16)

Atlanta pulled out the sneaky road win over the Embiid-less Sixers thanks to a last-second fadeaway jumper by John Collins (25 points, nine rebounds). Kevin Huerter also dropped a career-high 29 points for the Hawks.

John Collins fadeaway game-winner (via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/5ygPb68nqR

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) January 12, 2019

Bucks 106 (29-12), Wizards 113 (18-25)

Washington’s Tom Satoransky registered a triple-double of 18 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists in the home win over the Giannis-less Bucks. Bradley Beal added the scoring punch with 32 points.

TRIP-DUB ALERT

.@Satoransky finished with 18 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists, and became the first Czech player in NBA history to record a triple-double!#WizBucks | #DCFamily pic.twitter.com/P02pNbuF5s

— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) January 12, 2019

Pacers 121 (28-14), Knicks 106 (10-32)

Indiana shot an impressive 52 percent from the field in a comfortable road win. Domantas Sabonis put in 22 points and grabbed 15 rebounds for the Pacers.

DOMAS!

( https://t.co/T6jmxBf6kX ) pic.twitter.com/Bf4WLDAEgN

— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) January 12, 2019

Nets 105 (21-23), Raptors 122 (32-12)

Eight Toronto players hit double digits in scoring, led by Kawhi Leonard’s 20 points in 26 minutes. D’Angelo Russell had 24 points and nine assists for the Nets.

Savage playing bully ball. pic.twitter.com/JCc1rVSE9y

— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) January 12, 2019

Cavaliers 113 (8-35), Rockets 141 (24-17)

James Harden put up a ridiculous triple-double of 43 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds as he continues his MVP campaign. Harden shot 12-of-24 from the field including 8-of-16 from 3-point land.

With this 3-pointer, James Harden has now passed Kobe on the all-time 3PM list (via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/PGDfzD5YNR

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) January 12, 2019

Lakers 95 (23-20), Jazz 113 (22-21)

Donovan Mitchell popped off on national television for 33 points and nine assists, including a nasty poster dunk in the second quarter. The LeBron-less Lakers never had a chance to lead, instead falling behind early as Utah grew its lead throughout the game.

THIS SPIDA AIN'T FRIENDLY (via @utahjazz) pic.twitter.com/Nb4PeKqRCw

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) January 12, 2019

Hornets 96 (19-22), Blazers 127 (26-17)

Portland scored 37 first-quarter points and never looked back. They were led by their backcourt of CJ McCollum (30 points) and Damian Lillard (20 points).

HALF COURT ALLEY-OOP FROM @DAME_LILLARD TO @JLAYMAN10 YES WE ARE YELLING pic.twitter.com/GABoCd06EC

— Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) January 12, 2019

Bulls 109 (10-32), Warriors 146 (28-14)

Steph Curry made history in the Warriors’ easy win as he moved into No. 3 all-time on the career made 3-pointers list, passing Jason Terry. He now only trails Reggie Miller and Ray Allen for the No. 1 spot.

Steph is now No. 3 all-time in made 3-pointers. Respect (via @warriors) pic.twitter.com/mY3dw4N0Wb

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) January 12, 2019

RELATED:
Luka Doncic Amazed By Comparisons to a Teenage LeBron James

The post Post Up: Luka Doncic Steps Up in the Clutch, Leads Mavericks to Win ❄️ appeared first on SLAM.

Boston was able to claim its eighth straigt win in a row. Kyrie Irving (24 points), Jayson Tatum (22 points) and Marcus Morris (20 points) all contributed much-needed scoring. Kevin Huerter had 19 points for Atlanta.

Kyrie is so smooth (via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/tDRFi3jjYV

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) December 15, 2018

Knicks 129 (9-21), Hornets 124 (14-14) 

Charlotte unfortunately couldn’t hold on to a lead, letting the Knicks rally from a 16-point deficit in the fourth to force overtime and ultimately win. Emmanuel Mudiay dropped 34 points and added eight assists in the win.

.@emmanuelmudiay has no fear pic.twitter.com/0umkO8NaoB

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) December 15, 2018

Wizards 118 (11-18), Nets 125 (12-18)

Fresh off a three-year contract extension, Spencer Dinwiddie showed up. The guard scored 27 points in 31 minutes off of the bench, adding six assists and four rebounds. Bradley Beal scored 31 points in the loss.

@SDinwiddie_25 on the key to this team bouncing back: “Players only baby! Players only film session!” https://t.co/CYgdjrSdlj

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) December 15, 2018

Bucks 114 (19-9), Cavaliers 102 (7-22)

Giannis Antetokounmpo tied his career high for points with 44 in Cleveland. The MVP favorite added 14 rebounds and seven assists in the win. Milwaukee led for the entire game from start to finish.

Too easy for Giannis! (via @Bucks) pic.twitter.com/QcRfrag5Vr

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) December 15, 2018

Pacers 113 (19-10), 76ers 101 (19-11)

Turnovers ended up costing the 76ers big time, committing 16 of them compared to the Pacers’ seven. Indiana was led by Thad Young’s 26 points. Joel Embiid had 40 points and 21 rebounds in the loss.

Big play in a BIG moment from @yungsmoove21 https://t.co/zfkXTAiK4V

— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) December 15, 2018

Heat 100 (12-16), Grizzlies 97 (16-12)

Miami enjoyed a balanced attack, having five double-digit scorers including three of them from the bench. Josh Richardson and Kelly Olynyk led the way with 18 points. Mike Conley scored 22 points in the loss.

https://twitter.com/MiamiHEAT/status/1073775701751255041

Thunder 98 (17-9), Nuggets 109 (18-9)

Denver came out on top in this battle of top Western Conference teams. Nikola Jokic paced his team with yet another near triple-double, registering 24 points, 15 rebounds and nine assists. Paul George contributed 32 points for OKC.

The beauty. https://t.co/wJSPoyUSaP

— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) December 15, 2018

Raptors 122 (23-8), Blazers 128 (16-13)

Toronto fell just short on the road without their main facilitator in Kyle Lowry out due to a thigh bruise. Portland had been just 5-10 in their last 15 games but turned it up at home with an astounding eight players scoring in double digits. Kawhi Leonard led Toronto with 28 points.

MEYERS REVERSE ALLEY OOP pic.twitter.com/0G5ZdkJrVT

— Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) December 15, 2018

Warriors 130 (19-10), Kings 125 (15-12)

Golden State outscored Sacramento 17-2 in the last 3:03 of the game to pull out the comeback win. Their three top scorers did what they do best, with Steph Curry (35 points), Kevin Durant (33 points) and Klay Thompson (27 points) helping the Warriors pull a win out in the high-scoring affair. Buddy Hield put in 27 points for the Kings.

Clutch. Klay. (via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/H2k2fL6RuJ

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) December 15, 2018

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But for NBA teams, however, tonight is the culmination of years of preparation. Scouts, analytics experts, general managers, owners and other front office personnel have gathered in war rooms as commissioner Adam Silver calls the names of the latest inductees into the NBA family.

Through watching countless hours of game film, conducting extensive interviews, and holding a myriad of individual workouts, teams have assembled detailed profiles on each prospect—hoping to select a franchise-altering talent.

Tonight, future 15-year veterans, NBA All-Stars, and perhaps even a couple Hall of Famers, will cross the stage at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center. These players will help shape the NBA landscape for years to come.

Let us know which team had the best draft in the comments!

2018 NBA Draft Full Results

1. Suns: DeAndre Ayton (C) – Arizona
2. Kings: Marvin Bagley (F) – Duke
3. Mavs (from Hawks): Luka Doncic (G) – Real Madrid
4. Grizzlies: Jaren Jackson Jr (F/C) – Michigan State
5. Hawks (from Mavs): Trae Young (G) – Oklahoma State
6. Magic: Mo Bamba (C) – Texas
7. Bulls: Wendell Carter (C) – Duke
8. Cavs (from Nets via Celtics): Collin Sexton (G) – Alabama
9. Knicks: Kevin Knox (F) – Kentucky
10. Suns (from Lakers via Sixers): Mikal Bridges (G/F) – Villanova
11. Clippers (via Hornets): Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (G) – Kentucky
12. Hornets (from Pistons via Clippers): Miles Bridges (F) – Michigan State
13. Clippers: Jerome Robinson (G) – Boston College
14. Nuggets: Michael Porter Jr (F) – Missouri
15. Wizards: Troy Brown (G) – Oregon
16. Sixers (from Heat via Suns): Zhaire Smith (G) – Texas Tech
17. Bucks: Donte DiVincenzo (G) – Villanova
18. Spurs: Lonnie Walker (G) – Miami
19. Hawks (from Wolves): Kevin Huerter (G) – Maryland
20. Wolves (from Thunder via Jazz): Josh Okogie (G/F) – Georgia Tech
21. Jazz: Grayson Allen (G) – Duke
22. Bulls (from Pelicans): Chandler Hutchison (G/F) – Boise State
23. Pacers: Aaron Holiday (G) – UCLA
24. Blazers: Anfernee Simons (G) – IMG Academy
25. Lakers (from Cavs via Blazers, Cavs): Moe Wagner (F/C) – Michigan
26. Sixers: Landry Shamet (G) – Wichita State
27. Celtics: Robert Williams (F/C) – Texas A&M
28. Warriors: Jacob Evans (G/F) – Cincinnati
29. Nets: Dzanan Musa (F) – Bosnia and Herzegovina
30. Hawks (from Rockets via Clippers): Omari Spellman (F/C) – Villanova

Second Round

31. Suns: Elie Okobo (G) – France
32. Grizzlies: Jevon Carter (G) – West Virginia
33. Mavs: Jalen Brunson (G) – Villanova
34. Hornets (from Hawks): Devonte Graham (G) – Kansas
35. Magic: Melvin Frazier (G/F) – Tulane
36. Knicks (from Bulls via Thunder): Mitchell Robinson (C)
37. Blazers (from Kings): Gary Trent Jr (G) – Duke
38. Pistons (from Nets via Sixers): Khyri Thomas (G) – Creighton
39. Lakers (from Knicks via Sixers): Isaac Bonga (F) – Germany
40. Nets (from Lakers via Magic, Raptors): Rodions Kurucs (F) – Latvia
41. Nuggets (from Hornets via Magic, Grizzlies, Suns): Jarred Vanderbilt (F) – Kentucky
42. Pistons: Bruce Brown Jr (G) – Miami
43. Nuggets (from Clippers via Knicks): Justin Jackson (F) – Maryland
44. Wizards: Issuf Sanon (G) – Ukraine
45. Nets (from Bucks): Hamidou Diallo (G) – Kentucky
46. Rockets (from Heat via Grizzlies): De’Anthony Melton (G) – USC
47. Lakers (from Nuggets via Jazz, Bulls): Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk (G) – Kansas
48. Wolves: Keita Bates-Diop (F) – Ohio State
49. Spurs: Chimezie Metu (F/C) – USC
50. Pacers: Alize Johnson (F) – Missouri State
51. Pelicans (from Bulls via Pelicans, Heat): Tony Carr (G) – Penn State
52. Rockets (from Jazz): Vince Edwards (F) – Purdue
53. Thunder: Devon Hall (G) – Virginia
54. Sixers (from Blazers via Mavs, Nuggets): Shake Milton (G) – SMU
55. Hornets (from Cavs via Nets, Sixers): Arnoldas Kulboka (F) – Lithuania
56. Mavs (from Sixers): Ray Spalding (F) – Louisville
57. Thunder (from Celtics): Kevin Hervey (F) – Texas Arlington
58. Nuggets (from Warriors): Thomas Welsh (C) – UCLA
59. Suns (from Raptors): George King (F) – Colorado
60. Mavs (from Rockets via Sixers): Kostas Antetokounmpo (F) – Dayton

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Notable prospects not attending include DeAndre Ayton and Luka Doncic, who are both vying to be the No. 1 overall pick, as well as Texas A&M center Robert Williams. Doncic is currently playing in the EuroLeague playoffs.

The combine will be held in Chicago from May 16-20.

Here’s the complete list, via Yahoo:

Rawle Alkins

Grayson Allen

Kostas Antetokounmpo

Udoka Azubuike

Marvin Bagley III

Mohamed Bamba

Jaylen Barford

Keita Bates-Diop

Tyus Battle

Brian Bowen II

Mikal Bridges

Miles Bridges

Bruce Brown Jr.

Troy Brown Jr.

Jalen Brunson

Tony Carr

Jevon Carter

Wendell Carter

Hamidou Diallo

Donte DiVincenzo

Trevon Duval

Jacob Evans

Bruno Fernando

Melvin Frazier Jr.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Devonte Graham

Devon Hall

Jaylen Hands

Kevin Hervey

Aaron Holiday

Kevin Huerter

Chandler Hutchison

Jaren Jackson Jr.

Justin Jackson

Alize Johnson

George King

Kevin Knox

Sagaba Konate

Caleb Martin

Cody Martin

Yante Maten

Brandon McCoy

De’Anthony Melton

Chimezie Metu

Shake Milton

Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk

Malik Newman

Josh Okogie

Jontay Porter

Michael Porter Jr.

Billy Preston

Jerome Robinson

Mitchell Robinson

Collin Sexton

Landry Shamet

Anfernee Simons

Zhaire Smith

Omari Spellman

Khyri Thomas

Gary Trent Jr.

Allonzo Trier

Jarred Vanderbilt

Moritz Wagner

Lonnie Walker

PJ Washington

Austin Wiley

Kris Wilkes

Kenrich Williams

Trae Young

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