Luka Doncic and the Mavs will get to play at least one more game after beating the Golden State Warriors, 119-109. Doncic finished the elimination game with 30 points, 14 rebounds, and nine assists. Dorian Finney-Smith followed up with 23 points and six rebounds, Reggie Bullock contributed 18 points, and Jalen Brunson put up 15 points, five rebounds, and five assists.

“Our defense,” Doncic said when asked what made Game 4 different than the previous three. “I think our defense was amazing today outside of the fourth quarter. That’s how we gotta play; we play good defense; we share the ball; we’re a dangerous team.”

Luka and the Mavs force Game 5.

30 PTS
14 REB
9 AST

(via @NBATV)
pic.twitter.com/F48nOPm0d1

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 25, 2022

Tuesday’s Game 4 ended up being precisely what Dallas needed as it looks to become the first team to come back from a 3-0 deficit. Facing elimination for the third time this postseason, the Mavs put together their most complete performance, hitting 41-82 fields on 30 total assists. Dallas also knocked down 20-43 three-pointers and outrebounded Golden State Warriors 45-42.

The last time Golden State led was after Moses Moody (10 points) scored on a jumper, giving the Warriors a 31-29. The Mavs subsequently took control of Game 4 from there, with a Davis Bertans (five points, five rebounds) three-pointer giving Dallas a lead it wouldn’t surrender.

The Mavs then went on a 25-6 run over a seven-minute span to firmly take control of Game 4. During that game-altering sequence, the Warriors missed nine of their 10 shot attempts and committed two turnovers.

“We weren’t alert tonight defensively,” Coach Steve Kerr said. “We weren’t sharp, and I thought we let them kinda get into a groove. Once a team like that gets into a three-point groove, it’s tough to get them out of it.”

Beautiful basketball.

(via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/q2fjICRE5o

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 25, 2022

By the time halftime rolled along, the Mavs had held a 62-47 lead. The Mavs ultimately held a 29-point lead heading into the fourth quarter, but the Warriors showed that you could never count them out. The Warriors outscored the Mavs 39-20, cutting the Mavs lead to eight of a Jonathon Kuminga three-pointer. However, that was as close as the Warriors would get even with Stephen Curry (20 points, five rebounds, eight assists) back on the floor.

After Coach Jason Kidd called a timeout, he inserted his starters back on the court to close the game out. Doncic responded immediately, throwing down a dunk in the halfcourt, followed by Bullock hitting his sixth three-pointer of the night.

According to Brunson, the Mavs are looking to take the WCF one game at a time; the next time they will adopt that mentality will be for Thursday’s Game 5 at Chase Center.

“The biggest thing that we took from this was we gotta take it one game at a time,” Brunson said. “Think of it like four Game 7s, win or go home. We gotta give our all every game; we were able to do that for the first three quarters and nine minutes.”

The post Luka Doncic Forces Game 5 With 30-Point Performance appeared first on SLAM.

In the Western Conference, one of the most anticipated matchups is between the Dallas Mavericks (No. 4) and Utah Jazz (No. 5) which is a series that will begin on Saturday night. The Mavericks finished the regular season with a record of 52-30, which gave them the slight edge on the Jazz (49-33) for home court advantage. As such, Dallas will host the first two games of the series and also Game 7 if it’s needed. This could become a huge advantage to get the series off on the right foot and potentially close it out at home.

Any advantage will be key for the Mavs, as their superstar in Luka Doncic is expected to miss Game 1 and potentially Game 2 with a calf strain.

The Mavericks had a fairly slow start to the season, but ultimately got better as it went on. Gradual growth and improvement is a good sign for Dallas, as the team could be peaking at the right time. Early in the season, Jalen Brunson began to emerge as a legitimate piece of the roster. He’ll be a primary scorer for the Mavs during the postseason. Alongside him in the backcourt will be Spencer Dinwiddie, who was the cornerstone piece of the Kristaps Porzingis trade with the Washington Wizards at the deadline.

While defense was something that’s held the Mavericks back during the past few seasons, it’s been a strength in the 2021-22 campaign. They finished the regular season as the seventh-best team on that end of the floor with a defensive rating of 101.9. Additionally, Dallas was well-disciplined and took great care of the ball. The Mavs’ 1025 turnovers on the season were the third-fewest of any team.

Lacking a dominant center could detrimental for the Mavs in this series, as they’ll go up against a a deep frontcourt team. Utah was a top-three rebounding team this season, while the Mavericks finished 24th in the league. On the flip side, if Dallas is able to have success using their unique floor-spacing bigs and small ball lineups, Utah could have to play out of character to match up.

Dallas hasn’t won a playoff series since its championship run back in 2011. As such, the Mavs are on one of the longest active droughts in the NBA when it comes to winning a postseason series. Could this be the first time in over a decade that they advance past the first round?

If the Mavericks are going to have success without Doncic, it will likely come down to Dinwiddie and Brunson. Both have been extremely effective this season whether their superstar teammate is on the floor or not. If they struggle while Doncic is out, the Jazz could jump out to an early series lead before heading back to Utah.

Utah had a strong start to the season, but has really struggled of late. In fact, the Jazz went just 7-8 over their final 15 games of the season. While Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell have been great once again, the production from the role players around them has been fairly inconsistent. There’s no question Utah has the pieces to make a championship push, but will they all come together and play at the top of their games when it matters most? Scoring shouldn’t be a problem, as Bojan Bogdanovic, Jordan Clarkson and Mike Conley are able to score 20 points each on any given night.

During the regular season, the Jazz took second-most shots from deep (40.3 per game) and knocked down 36.0% of them. They also did a great job at getting to the rim and drawing fouls, finishing fourth in the league in free throw attempts this season with 23.4 per game. These are just some of the things that led Utah to the top offensive rating (11.2) in the NBA this season. What’s most interesting about the Jazz offense is that it’s heavily in isolation, as they were bottom five in both assists per game and assist percentage.

However, the playoffs are all about superstars and who can get a bucket when it’s needed, so perhaps that style of play will work in Utah’s favor. The Jazz also don’t take a ton of shots, playing with a slower pace and attempting the sixth-fewest shots in the league this season. This isn’t dissimilar from the Mavericks, who were in the bottom five in terms of field goal attempts in the regular season.

One of the best defenders in the entire NBA, Gobert will be a major factor on that end of the floor against the Mavs. Since the All-Star break, he’s limited opponents to 39.1% when he’s the closest defender.

The duo of Mitchell and Gobert has certainly had its flaws in the past. If the Jazz aren’t able to get out of the first round this season, could it be time for a major roster shakeup? It seems this series could directly impact what the Utah roster looks like moving forward.

In four games during the 2021-22 campaign, the Jazz and Mavericks have split the regular season series. Utah won the first two matchups of the season, while Dallas won the two more recently. That’s indicative of the seasons these two teams have had, as the Jazz looked better to start but the Mavs have been better down the stretch.

Outside of the primary stars in this series, there are several players for both teams that could really impact the outcomes. For Utah, Conley and Rudy Gay are veterans that have the experience to shine in the big moments. However, if they struggle the Jazz could have a rough series. For Dallas, Davis Bertans and Reggie Bullock will be important offensively, as they have the firepower to fill it up from beyond the arc. If they aren’t converting from deep and producing points, the Mavericks’ offense could stall.

The post NBA Playoff Preview: Dallas Mavericks Take On Utah Jazz appeared first on SLAM.

Since that deal was made, Dallas has gone 9-2 and looks as good as it has all season. 

A huge part of the Mavericks’ recent success has been Dinwiddie, who’s playing the best basketball of his 2021-22 season. Since coming to Dallas, he’s averaged 17.5 points and 4.5 assists per contest while shooting 44.2% from deep. 

Splitting time between the bench and as a starter, Dinwiddie has proven to be effective in any role. Whether it’s playing alongside Luka Doncic or facilitating with the second unit, he’s been stellar. 

In fact, on Sunday afternoon against the Boston Celtics, he hit a game-winning triple. 

It’s still unclear whether the Mavs will have the star power to make a splash in the playoffs, but they’ve been solid over the past couple of weeks with their new-look roster. If Dinwiddie can continue playing at this level, Dallas will only continue winning games and climb the Western Conference standings.

The post Mavericks Guard Spencer Dinwiddie Continues to Thrive in Dallas appeared first on SLAM.

During a call with media on Thursday, Wizards beat writer Ava Wallace reported an exciting response from Beal when she asked if he’s leaning towards re-signing with the Wizards this summer.

Bradley Beal will be eligible to sign a 5-year, $246M deal with Washington, if he declines his player option on 2022-2023. https://t.co/W9VidgGA5y

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 3, 2022

During the 2021-2022 campaign, Beal averaged 23.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 6.6 assists on 45.1 percent shooting from the field and 30.0 percent shooting from beyond the arc. Although his scoring dropped from a career-high 31.3 points per game last season, he did put up a career-high mark for assists while he emerged as a lead playmaker for the Wizards.

Bradley Beal's been taking notes on the Black Mamba's bag I see. (via @WashWizards) pic.twitter.com/9SnS2RcNDn

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) November 6, 2021

Beal shut down his season in February after he decided to undergo surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left wrist. The decision came as the Wizards had faltered after becoming an early-season darling, briefly owning the top record in the Eastern Conference before their defense failed them and their offense started to stagnate.

Bradley Beal is like that.

(via @WashWizards) pic.twitter.com/02y1Rdg21r

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) December 19, 2021

Heading into the season, Beal told reporters that he wanted to play for a winner, and Wizards general manager Tommy Sheppard attempted to build a winning team around him after flipping former MVP Russell Westbrook for Spencer Dinwiddie, Montrezl Harrell, Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Hope, and used the Lakers 22nd overall pick to acquire Aaron Holiday.

Sheppard had a fire sale at the trade deadline, trading Harrell to the Hornets for Ish Smith and Vernon Carey, and moved Dinwiddie and Davis Bertans to the Mavericks for Kristaps Porzingis.

On Friday, the Wizards (28-33) are set to play the Hawks (29-32) at Capital One Arena.

The post REPORT: Bradley Beal Eligible For Five-Year Supermax Deal appeared first on SLAM.

Recording his third outing scoring 40+ in the past four games, Luka Dončić is leading the new-look Dallas Mavericks into an era without Kristaps Porziņģis. Dončić now has 30 double-doubles, trailing Chris Paul by only one game for the most double-doubles by a guard this season. The Mavericks are 21-9 in such games. How does he do it? He says a good ol’ cup of Joe.

After shipping off Porziņģis to the Washington Wizards at the trade deadline, the Mavericks have gone 2-0 with the newly acquired Spencer Dinwiddie and Dāvis Bertāns. While their performances aren’t eye-popping, it’s their play styles that are making a difference.

Dinwiddie gives Dallas an added ball-handler with a proven ability to score, though his efficiency is down this season. Bertāns provides the Mavericks with a volume catch-and-shoot big that could go back to his old self with his new team, potentially thanks to Doncic.

This performance by Doncic ties him with Mark Aguirre for the most 45+ points game in Mavericks history with four. He’s also the fourth player in NBA history (Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor, Walt Bellamy) with multiple 45 points, 15 rebounds, five-assist games in a calendar month, with Wilt Chamberlain in January 1966 being the last to do it.

The Dallas Mavericks head into the All-Star break with a 35-24 record with the fifth seed in the Western Conference.

The post Luka Dončić Leads New Look Mavericks Past Pelicans With Near 50 Point Triple-Double appeared first on SLAM.

According to him, the Wizards experienced verbal altercations nearly every single day between players. He pointed to this as a reason Washington hasn’t been able to perform at a high level this season. 

“It’s tough to have team chemistry when every single day, the team is basically fighting with each other about, ‘I want to get more minutes’ and ‘I want a bigger role’,” said Bertans. 

To this point in the season, the Wizards are 25-30, but things are about to get worse. Bradley Beal is out for the season with an injury and Washington just traded away most of its other key veteran pieces. 

With Beal being the face of the franchise, the direction of the Wizards will be interesting to monitor. 

The post New Mavericks Sharpshooter Davis Bertans Gives Insight Into Dysfunction in Washington appeared first on SLAM.

On Thursday, a couple of hours past the trade deadline, The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported that Mavericks forward Dorian Finney-Smith signed a four-year extension worth $52 million.

Finney-Smith has been with Dallas since going undrafted out of the University of Florida in 2016. The 28-year-old forward has more than proven his worth over the past six seasons.

In 368 games played for the Mavericks, Finney-Smith has averaged 7.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game while accumulating 256 career starts. His production has seen a real uptick this season, averaging a career-high 10.1 points and 1.9 assists per game while starting in all 54 games he has played in this season.

Following news of his extension hitting being announced, Finney-Smith was asked by ESPN’s Tim MacMahon about the extension. Finney-Smith said that he wanted to use the money to allow his mom to “kick up her feet and chill.”

The Mavericks were quite busy on Thursday. Before the Finney-Smith extension, Dallas also made one of the biggest trades of the trade deadline, sending Kristaps Porzingis to the Washington Wizards for Spencer Dinwiddie and Davis Bertans.

Finney-Smith’s contract will kick in at the end of the season when his initial three-year $12 million contract was going to expire and make him a free agent.

The post REPORT: Mavericks Give Four-Year Extension to Dorian Finney-Smith appeared first on SLAM.

TRADES:

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

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

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 10, 2022

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

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

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 10, 2022

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

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

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 10, 2022

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

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

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 10, 2022

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

The Celtics will acquire Derrick White from the Spurs.

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

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

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

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 10, 2022

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

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

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 10, 2022

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

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

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 10, 2022

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

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

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 9, 2022

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

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

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 8, 2022

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

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

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 8, 2022

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

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

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 6, 2022

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

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

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 4, 2022

RUMORS:

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

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

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 9, 2022

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

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

— Jason Dumas (@JDumasReports) February 9, 2022

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

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

— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) February 9, 2022

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

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

— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) February 9, 2022

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

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

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

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

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

— Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) February 9, 2022

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

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

— RealGM (@RealGM) February 9, 2022

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

Hachimura has not played a competitive game in seven months after stepping away from the team during training camp due to personal reasons. When he made his return, the third-year forward declined to go into detail about his absence per the Washington Post but did allude to needing a break after a hectic 18 months.

“I’ve been doing OK. It was personal stuff. I’d rather not talk about it. But it’s been great with the team, with everybody understanding my situation.” Hachimura said per The Athletic.

“I just needed time off,”

Since debuting in 2019-2020, the forward out of Gonzaga played in the NBA Bubble, played a quick turn-around 2020-2021 season, and then played for Japan in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, leading the country to their first national team appearance since 1976. Not to mention all the duties he had to fulfill as a media darling in Japan, leading the country’s athletes into the opening ceremony as a flag-bearer

The 23-year-old finished with six points, three rebounds, and an assist on 2-8 shooting in 14 minutes. Hachimura recorded his first points of the season at the free-throw line and logged his first field goal while crushing the rim with a two-hand slam in the opening frame of play.

Hachimura showed a bit of rust and his conditioning will improve over time. After all, his return was delayed after entering COVID-19 protocols, and he didn’t get any chance to play five-on-five in practice. However, that didn’t deter first-year Coach Wes Unseld Jr. or Hachimura at the slightest. If anything, the former ninth overall pick of the 2019 draft looked engaged and appeared to be making sure he was clear on his defensive responsibilities.

Unseld Jr. seemed to be encouraged by Hachimura’s play, who played Hachimura interchangeably at power forward and center.

“He was aggressive,” Unseld said per The Athletic. “I think he gives you that physicality that we lack at times. His size, his ability to play off the bounce (are valuable). He missed a couple open shots I think he’ll make, but they were great looks for him. So I’m excited to see how this unfolds.”

Heading into the 2021-2022 season, Hachimura was expected to play a vital role for a Wizards team determined to make a big leap after firing former coach Scott Brooks and hiring Unseld Jr. WIth the emergence of Kyle Kuzma as possibly the second-best player on the Wizards and a logjam at the forward-center spot, it appears that he will be competing with Montrezl Harrell, Deni Avdija, and Davis Bertans for minutes.

Not to mention Thomas Bryant, who is still rehabbing from a torn ACL, suffered early last season.

The Wizards have Monday off before playing the Thunder at home on Tuesday.

The post Rui Hachimura Makes His Season Debut Against Magic appeared first on SLAM.

Rui Hachimura will miss the start of training camp due to personal reasons. Hachimura’s absence has been excused and the team will provide further updates when appropriate. pic.twitter.com/vQEFf8Yz1c

— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) September 25, 2021

Hachimura averaged 13.8 points and 5.5 rebounds last season in 57 games while shooting 47.8 percent from the field. He averaged 13.5 points as a rookie in 2019-20. The Wizards have projected him to start and will be counting on him to take a step forward in his third season after watching him play well with Team Japan during the Tokyo Olympics over the summer.

In Hachimura’s absence, the Wizards have options with newly acquired Kyle Kuzma and Montrezl Harrell from the Lakers along with Deni Avdija, Davis Bertans and Anthony Gill.

The Wizards open the preseason Oct. 5 at Houston. Their regular-season opener is at Toronto on Oct. 20.

The post Rui Hachimura Gets Excused Absence From Training Camp appeared first on SLAM.

There are a lot of mock drafts out there, but it’s never too late to hit you with a new perspective. Members of the SLAM Fam were assigned a team to pick for, and here are the results and explanations for who they’ve selected.

We’d also like to extend our condolences to the family and loved ones of Terrence Clarke, who tragically passed away in April. Tonight would have been a special moment for him. Rest in Peace.

2021 FIRST ROUND

1. DETROIT PISTONS: Jalen Green (6-6 G, G League Ignite)

Jalen Green is a really, really, really good basketball player. He’s so good that it doesn’t look like he’s trying, for real, for real. But that’s foolish. Underneath the air that he occupies on his ever-elevating jump shots and on his albatross-like soaring dunks is a foundation of respect for the game and what it takes to be a really, really, really great basketball player. He’s a student of high-level basketball, rapidly consuming both mental and physical knowledge. That desire has separated him from his peers and will separate him from the League at some point. His computational capacity moves so swiftly that it doesn’t look like he’s trying, for real, for real. But that’s foolish. He is. And he is numero uno. — Max Resetar 

2. HOUSTON ROCKETS – Cade Cunningham (6-8 G, Oklahoma State)

Whether you’re interested in basketball players versus hoopers, or players with understated skill versus “a bag,” Cade Cunningham is the player for you.

At 6’8” and 220 pounds, Cunningham is a dynamic point-forward prospect that any team could realistically slot into their starting lineup at the 1, 2, or 3, and that’s perfect for a Rockets team with a veteran point guard on a rebuilding team (John Wall), a promising backcourt talent without a true position (Kevin Porter Jr.) and small forwards that are specialists, not polished two-way playmakers with an arsenal of scoring moves (including a stepback game that’s eerily reminiscent of the sensational Luka Doncic) that’s buoyed by his footwork, balance, body control, and ball-handling abilities. — Quenton Albertie

3. CLEVELAND CAVALIERS – Evan Mobley (7-0 C, University of Southern California)

Can’t count out Jalen Suggs here, especially if the Cavs end up moving Collin Sexton—which is a rumor that some reporters have been kicking around. All signs, though, point to Evan Mobley getting the call here. ESPN draft insider Chard Ford said this a couple of days ago: “I had a scout tell me the other night that Mobley is Chris Bosh on offense and Anthony Davis on defense. That’s an NBA superstar. That’s crazy.” If this forecast is accurate, the Cavs would be crazy not to take him.  — Franklyn Calle

4. TORONTO RAPTORS – Jalen Suggs (6-5 G, Gonzaga)

With Kyle Lowry’s likely departure ending an era he defined with professionalism, leadership, and grit, the Raptors can draft someone to continue that high standard. Suggs chose Gonzaga for the accountability and hard coaching, so he’ll embrace a similar situation in Ontario. A rotation of Fred Van Vleet, Suggs, and Malachi Flynn flexes versatility and hustle, while Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby, and Chris Boucher uphold defensive tradition. Toronto won’t rely on Jalen’s on-court abilities immediately, but his leadership should convey from day one. In high school, Jalen was required to carry in two sports. He delivered state championships. At Gonzaga, he needed to be a do-it-all superstar. He delivered an unforgettable run. I don’t know what expectations are in Toronto, but I bet he’ll deliver. — Thilo Latrell Widder

5. ORLANDO MAGIC – Scottie Barnes (6-9 F, Florida State)

Now that the sexy picks are off the board, Scottie Barnes has the best potential that is not in the NBA Draft spotlight. Barnes made himself a top-five prospect dominating the pre-draft process. Teams were impressed with his incredible physical profile, wingspan, a strong bulky frame combined with a quickness.

He’s the perfect player to help set the defensive tone for Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley’s culture. However, his offensive game is limited due to his stiff shooting mechanics and confidence at times. Best case scenario, if he can combine his high energy, versatile defense with a reliable jumper, Scottie Barnes could have All-Star potential. Worst case, he could be a very capable All-NBA defender.  — Ronald Agers

6. OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER – James Bouknight (6-5 G, Connecticut)

While the Thunder are looking to do everything they can to move into the top-five, Bouknight is still a great pick if they’re unable to. One of the most dominant scorers in this class, Oklahoma City would instantly have one of the most intriguing young backcourts in the league with him and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. His assist and turnover numbers are certainly something to worry about, but Bouknight essentially had to carry the offense in college. At the next level, with more spacing and talent, he could look like a completely different player. While he hasn’t been a dominant defender to this point, he’s got the tools to develop into a solid perimeter defender. — Nick Crain

7. GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS – Jonathan Kuminga (6-8 F, G League Ignite)

Jonathan Kuminga is tuff. That’s all that needs to be said. – Theus McBee

8. ORLANDO MAGIC: Kai Jones (6-11 F, Texas)

Since Jonathan Kuminga was snatched up, Orlando will use their second lottery pick on Kai Jones, a raw athlete that fits the mold of a rim running, lob-catching threat. The Magic will continue their defensive theme in the lottery by drafting a player who shows potential with mobile defense with the ability to switch multiple positions. Offensively, he is a project with inconsistent shooting mechanics and no reliable post moves. Assuming Orlando drafts him at the 8th spot, they will need to have patience with him. They’ve done it before with another Texas Longhorn, Mo Bamba. If the Magic passes on Jones, look for a drop near the 20th selection. — Ronald Agers

9. SACRAMENTO KINGS: Franz Wagner (6-9 G/F, Michigan)

The needs of the Sacramento Kings this offseason are clear, they need help on the defensive end. Statistically, Sacramento had the worst defense in the NBA last year, clocking in with a defensive rating of 117.2, dead last in the league. Franz Wagner, a sophomore out of the University of Michigan, is a 6-foot-9 wing who showed the ability to defend multiple positions both on and off-ball at a high level in his two years with the Wolverines. Wagner’s versatile defensive abilities, along with improved jump shooting and playmaking on offense in his sophomore year, make him a great fit for the Kings at ninth overall. — Zach Dupont

10. MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES: Josh Giddey (6-8 G, Adelaide 36ers (NBL)

 Josh Giddey’s game speaks itself, but if we are gonna dive into what makes him such a standout, our editorial intern, Jared, described him best: He’s a gifted passer who thrives in transition with an advanced ability to find the descending big man in pick and roll scenarios. Armed with a bounty of knowledge and experience from mentors, a year playing professionally and a playmaking bag rivaled by the League’s top guards, Josh Giddey is ready for what he’s been waiting for. 

Giddey is already a pro who dominated in the NBL and finished the season with 13 double-doubles, and three triple-doubles. His playmaking ability will only add to the Grizzlies’ roster offensively, especially when he’s alongside a bucket like Ja. – Deyscha “Sway” Smith

11. WASHINGTON WIZARDS: Alperen Sengun (6’9 C, Besiktas (Turkey))

Traded to Washington for the No. 15 pick and Thomas Bryant

Beal. Westbrook. Hachimura. Bertans. Avdija. The core of an exciting playoff team is here, so moving up in the draft makes sense for Washington to grab Turkish big man Alperen Sengun. The MVP of the Turkish Super League last season–who just turned 19 on Sunday–averaged 19.2 points, 9.4 rebounds and 1.7 blocks in under 30 minutes per game. Last season’s emergence of Daniel Gafford made us feel comfortable moving Thomas Bryant and his expiring contract to clear some cap space since both Alex Len and Robin Lopez are also free agents. Sengun, who models his game after reigning MVP Nikola Jokić and MVP runner-up Joel Embiid, should be ready to contribute right away. – Aron Phillips

12. SAN ANTONIO SPURS: Davion Mitchell (6-2 G,  Baylor)

Mitchell is quite possibly the most capable player in the draft to step in and be a major contributor to whichever team drafts him. The Spurs selecting him at 12 is a fantastic fit for an organization known to garner the most out of their young draft talent. Mitchell’s size at 6’3 and age of 23 by the time the 2021 season tips off doesn’t necessarily scream lottery material, yet when you turn on the tape of Mitchell in this past year’s Final Four, those concerns seem to evaporate. — Josh Frohlinger

13. INDIANA PACERS: Corey Kispert (6-7 SG, Gonzaga)

Standing at 6-7 this wing is a walking bucket. I’m talking about a three-point sniper deemed one of the best all-around shooters in the draft. Once he’s hot this kid poses as a true threat from downtown. He may very well be the missing piece that Naptown needs. — Charlie Desadier

14. GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS: Josh Christopher (6-5 G, Arizona State)

With Klay Thompson back in the mix this coming season, the Warriors are gearing up for yet another championship run. With two lottery picks in this draft, the Warriors have the ability to take a bit more of a gamble at 14 as opposed to 7; and that’s what they do snagging Arizona State’s Christopher higher than most mock boards have projected. As a 6’5 shooter with confidence and elite athleticism, Christopher already displays an NBA-ready frame with suburb transition finishing.

15. CHARLOTTE HORNETS (via Washington): Quentin Grimes (6-6 G, Houston)

Just one game away from the 8-seed a year ago, Charlotte is on the cusp of being a regular playoff contender. I tried to keep the team young while also adding guys who can contribute on day one. We moved back a few picks and added Thomas Bryant via the Wizards, who will fight for the starting center job should Cody Zeller take his talents elsewhere. After moving down to 15, adding Quentin Grimes was an easy choice. The Houston shooting guard is uber-efficient as a scorer and showed he can run an offense while at the NBA Combine. He’s a perfect fit to replace Devonte Graham in the Hornets’ guard rotation feat. LaMelo Ball and Terry Rozier, and can play alongside either, or on his own. — Ian Pierno

16. OKC THUNDER: Moses Moody (6-6 G, Arkansas)

There’s a real chance that Moody is taken in the top ten on Thursday, so the Thunder getting him at sixteen would be a pleasant surprise. Although OKC is looking to package No. 16 and No. 18 to move up and grab another lottery pick, they certainly wouldn’t be upset with a lottery talent like Moody falling to them here. While he may not have the ceiling of others in this class, his floor feels high. At a minimum, he projects to be a solid 3-and-D player at the next level. With a long frame and smooth stroke, Moody is a safe pick for a team that’s looking for a solid NBA player. — Nick Crain 

17. NEW ORLEANS PELICANS: Cam Thomas (6-4 G, LSU)

An instant-offense bucket-getter who, when he’s hot, cannot be left open under any circumstance. In other words, the perfect guy to stretch the floor alongside Zion Williamson. Done deal. — Adam Figman

18. OKC THUNDER: Jalen Johnson (6-9 G/F, Duke)

If it weren’t for his off-the-court issues, we could be talking about Johnson going just outside the top five of this draft. One of the most gifted prospects in this class, he’s an absolute force in transition. Johnson has the build of the perfect modern NBA forward and can do a little bit of everything. With their third pick in the top-20, OKC has the ability to take a gamble here, with Johnson being one of the highest risks in the draft but having the potential to be the biggest steal at the same time. — Nick Crain

19. NEW YORK KNICKS: Keon Johnson (6-5 G, Tennessee)

There’s no need to mince words. Keon Johnson is explosive. Watching him is almost akin to watching a bull in a china shop; he drives into the paint with the fury of a battering ram, unconcerned, and largely unbothered, by the less-athletic defender in front of him. The Knicks at No. 19 are a perfect landing spot for Johnson; while he still needs to address some major mechanical issues in his game—including tightening up his shot-motion and handle—his developmental upside will be cultivated and fostered by Tom Thibodeau and a potential rotation of him, Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett long term could end up putting the League on notice. — Jackson Wald

20. ATLANTA HAWKS: Sharife Cooper (6-1 G, Auburn)

Rife is Trae 2.0. Put these two together and you got the new Mobb Deep. Both are small guards, but ready to make any play turn into a highlight reel. Sharife’s short college season left an imprint around the country of his game not slowing down due to all the allegations he faced his freshman year. The Hawks had an incredible season/playoff run making it all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals. Adding Cooper can only elevate their motion offense and create even more three-point possessions. In all honesty, Cooper’s a dawg, and I wish the Knicks were getting him next pick! — Nick Torres

21. NYK: Chris Duarte (6-6 G, Oregon)

Duarte is a proven commodity; he is a plus-defender, a reliable three-pointer shooter (he shot 42 percent last season at Oregon), and someone who will fit seamlessly in the Knicks’ new age grit-and-grind culture. Duarte has arguably the safety floor of any prospect selected after pick twenty. Also, as we saw with Mikal Bridges and Jae Crowder in the NBA Finals, it never hurts to have a solid core of 3-and-D wings. — Jackson Wald

22. LOS ANGELES LAKERS: Tre Mann (6-5 PG, Florida)

You know those players that make you feel like you’re getting punched in the gut every time they make a three against you? Tre’Shaun Mann is one of them. All you have to do is turn on the tape for a couple of minutes and you’ll see not many people in the world possess his combination of size, athleticism, and scoring creativity. It may or may not happen right away, but when Tre gets comfortable in the League he’s going to be one of the most dynamic guards. — Christian Quezada 

*We’re breaking a few rules here and adding another name to this list, too.

BJ Boston (6-7 F, Kentucky)

Say what you want about his performance last season at Kentucky, but BJ Boston says he’s improved his game “tremendously” since his college days. Word is he even recently had a “great” pre-draft workout with the Lakers and dominated their “Mentality Drill.” 

Anyone who has been following BJ’s trajectory will tell you that he’s been ready for the bright lights since the start. He knows how to navigate a spotlight, and how to power through negativity while focusing on his game and the things only he can control. If the Lakers don’t draft Mann, then it sounds like BJ could fit in on a star-studded roster led by the King.  — Sway

23. HOUSTON ROCKETS: Usman Garuba (6-8 PF, Real Madrid (Spain))

After selecting Cunningham second overall, the Rockets’ focus now shifts to their center position. Enter Usman Garuba, a Nigerian-Spanish big man with extensive experience in international competition and a few awards in his trophy case to boot.

At 6’8” and 230 pounds (with a 7’3” wingspan), Garuba is already a high-energy defensive force thanks to an exceptional feel of how to disrupt passing lanes and shot attempts, as well as enough agility and fluidity to guard out on the perimeter or in space. Combined with his abilities as a passer and potential as an outside threat, there are many who see him in the Draymond Green mold.

With a bevy of offensive talents, players willing and capable of thriving without the ball in their hands (and who can be a defensive menace in the same breath) are invaluable. — Quenton Albertie

24. ROCKETS: Josh Primo (6-6 G, Alabama)

The Rockets, all-in on their rebuild, select another of the 2021 NBA Draft’s youngest players: 18-year-old Josh Primo, a one-and-done at the University of Alabama.

Primo’s most NBA-ready skill at this point is his outside shooting, as he knocked down 38.1 percent of his 3-point attempts at Alabama with his 3-point attempts amounting to 57.9 percent of his overall shot attempts. With that said, not only does Primo’s selection fit the Rockets’ current timeline but it addresses the team’s mediocre outside shooting as well.

Due to his youth and need to develop his other guard skills, Primo may not get minutes early on, at least outside of the G League. But he’ll grow alongside Houston’s vibrant young core until his number is called, and likely hit at least one three by the time he leaves the game, no matter how small the role. — Quenton Albertie

25. LA CLIPPERS: Jared Butler (6-3 G, Baylor)

LA is known for helping young guards develop into immediate NBA talent (just look at what Terance Mann was able to do in the playoffs this year)  and Jared Butler is next up for the Clippers. A smooth, consistent guard for the national champion Baylor Bulldogs, Butler’s veteran mindset and consistent shooting will likely make him an immediate rotation staple on the Clippers. — Camille Buxeda

26. DENVER NUGGETS: Ayo Dosunmu (6-5 G, Illinois)

Ayo Dosunmu was, for the large majority of last year’s college basketball season, the best player on the best team in the nation. Dosunmu is an all-around ballplayer; need him to lock down the opponent’s best player? He’s on it. Need him to get you some buckets? He’ll drop twenty-plus. He’ll face a pretty serious adjustment coming into the league, where he will likely never be the main ball-handler or facilitator, but Ayo has the experience and drive to make it in the league for a long time. — Saheem Anthony

27. BROOKLYN NETS: Jaden Springer (6-4 SG, Tennessee)

After declining his player option, Spencer Dinwiddie and the Brooklyn Nets will most likely be parting ways this offseason, which leaves the Nets with a major need for defensive prowess and playmaking. While he needs to fine-tune his shot creation abilities, Tennessee’s Jaden Springer is a great grab for the Nets at 27. Springer could serve as the next young developmental guard in the rotation amidst a roster that has a plethora of shot creation abilities. An energizer on both ends of the floor, Springer averaged 12.5 points a game in his lone season with the Volunteers and is a tenacious on-ball defender. He’s a perfect fit alongside the likes of Bruce Brown for Steve Nash’s small-ball lineup that lacked the ability to effectively defend ball screens and switches this past season. — Jared Ebanks

28. PHILADELPHIA SIXERS: Ziaire Williams (6-8 F, Stanford)

Although Williams had a somewhat underwhelming freshman year at Stanford, he’s still the same Ziaire. Looking past the pressure of being an incoming Top 10 player in the country, Williams showed flashes of high-level scoring mixed with impressive athleticism. Going to the cup more could do him wonders and he simply has too much potential to slip past the first round. At a lengthy 6’8 185, he fits the modern-day NBA’s positionless basketball scheme to a tee. His shooting needs to improve if he wants to get big minutes, but Williams can definitely lighten the scoring load off the bench for Philly in the 2021-22 season. — Caleb Gagne

29. PHOENIX SUNS: Isaiah Jackson (6-10, F, Kentucky)

Although there were hints of returning to Kentucky, Jackson is taking his talents to the NBA. Jackson is an all-around hooper who can get it done on both ends of the floor. He averaged 2.6 blocks per game and was selected to the SEC All-Defense team. Jackson is a versatile player who can do it all for a big man. His playmaking ability stood out as he is able to put the ball on the floor and advance the ball. The Suns could use a player to develop behind star center Deandre Ayton, giving them the bench support they can use in the frontcourt. — Kobe Blackwell

30. UTAH JAZZ: Kessler Edwards (6-8 F, Pepperdine)

Did I just take someone out of Pepperdine in the first round? It’s a hard sell considering just two Waves —Doug Christie and the oft underrated Dennis Johnson— have had a five or more year career in the NBA. How’s that for trivia? I believe Kessler Edwards could become the third. The Jazz could trade out to dump contracts, but after a failed move with Charlotte, I decided to examine team needs. Joe Ingles is getting older and slipping on defense and the loss to the Clippers exposed Utah’s need for perimeter stoppers. Edwards shot 38% from deep on 119 attempts and with a nearly 7-foot wingspan and strong fundamentals, he’s a prototypical 3-and-D wing. — Thilo Latrell Widder

The post SLAM’s Official 2021 NBA Mock Draft appeared first on SLAM.

The club’s existing core of Bradley Beal, Thomas Bryant and Davis Bertans have performed admirably early but they could always use more support from super reserve Ish Smith and intriguing bubble star Troy Brown Jr. who’ve been relatively quiet.

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

Russell Westbrook	19.0p, 13.7r, 12.7a
Raul Neto	9.3p, 1.3r, 1.5a
Isaac Bonga	5.3p, 3.5r, 1.3a
Bradley Beal	32.0p, 4.5r, 4.5a	–
Robin Lopez	5.3p, 4.3r, 0.0a	–
Thomas Bryant	14.5p, 5.8r, 2.0a
Davis Bertans	12.0p, 2.5r, 1.3a
Moritz Wagner	4.0p, 2.0r, 1.0a
Garrison Mathews	0.0p, 0.0r, 0.0a
Jerome Robinson	1.0p, 1.0r, 0.5a
Ish Smith	5.8p, 3.3r, 2.8a
Troy Brown Jr.	3.8p, 3.0r, 1.3a

Team-by-Team Breakdown

The post Heat Check 2020-21: Washington Wizards appeared first on SLAM.

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

Biggest Questions

• How will the Russell Westbrook experiment work? He’s shown to be at his best when he is the primary ballhandler throughout his career. With Bradley Beal’s ability to play off ball and score in a variety of ways, perhaps this will be the perfect duo.
• How effective will Deni Avdija be in his rookie season? Not many thought he would fall to the Wizards in the 2020 NBA Draft. Avdija has the potential to be a long-term starter in Washington, but it’s yet to be determined how much of an impact he makes early in his career.

All NBA Team Offseason Summaries

The post Washington Wizards: Projected 2020-21 Depth Chart appeared first on SLAM.

Last season, Gill played alongside Davis Bertans‘ brother, Dairis, for Khimki of the EuroLeague. Gill averaged 9.3 points (65.6 TS%) and 4.5 boards in 19.9 minutes.

Gill played three seasons at Virginia from 2013-2016, setting a UVA record in career field-goal percentage.

The post Wizards Sign Anthony Gill to 2-Year Deal appeared first on SLAM.

Bertans has long been touted as one of the top free agents on the market this offseason and the Wizards made it a priority to bring him back into the fold next season.

After arriving in Washington as part of a salary dump so that the San Antonio Spurs could make moves last offseason, Bertans exploded in an enhanced role.

Bertans averaged 15.4 points per game for the Wizards, shooting a staggering .424 on 8.7 three-point attempts per game.

The 28-year-old opted out of participating in the bubble with the ninth-seeded Wizards in order to focus on working out and remaining healthy ahead of this free agent period.

The post Davis Bertans to Re-Sign with Washington on Five-Year Deal appeared first on SLAM.

According to Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington, Bertans is starting to gain traction as a sign-and-trade candidate for a contender that is strapped for cap space. In an offseason where very few contending teams have room, these types of deals could be fairly common.

Hughes reports that multiple teams without cap space are preparing to make sign-and-trade offers for the 6-foot-10 shooter who is still just 27 years old.

It’s worth noting that the Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets were interested in trading for Bertans before the 2020 trade deadline in February. This goes to show that contending teams think highly of the value he could bring.

Additionally, even outside of contenders, the Atlanta Hawks, New York Knicks and Phoenix Suns are expected to try to acquire Bertans and have the cap space to do so outright if they choose. Bertans is coming off of a two-year, $14 million deal and has only gotten better.

Whether it’s through a sign-and-trade or signing with someone in free agency, Bertans is among the best players in this free agent class and should have plenty of interested teams. He averaged 15.4 points per game while shooting an efficient .424 from beyond the arc.

The post Davis Bertans Could Be a Popular Sign-and-Trade Target This Offseason appeared first on SLAM.

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

Projected Roster Players

Projected Free Agents

2020 NBA Draft Picks

Exceptions Available

• Non-Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception – $9,258,000
• Bi-Annual Exception – $3,623,000

Key Offseason Decisions

• Can Washington re-sign Davis Bertans before another team makes him a more lucrative offer? A couple of the cap space teams could really use Bertans but he seems to have found a home with the Wizards. Expect him to be back.
• Will Washington guarantee both Isaac Bonga and Anzejs Pasecniks? Bonga is a guarantee to be, well, guaranteed. He was a starter for most of the season and someone the Wizards see as part of their future. Given the relative lack of depth at center behind Thomas Bryant, and his $250,000 guarantee, expect Pasecniks to be back as well.

Projected Team Salary

$153,322,857

Because Washington only has Davis Bertans as a key free to re-sign, and they are so far under the luxury tax, they could be players in free agency. The Wizards could re-sign Bertans and use their full Non-Taxpayer MLE to fill out their rotation. With John Wall expected back to full health, and behind improvement from their young players, that should be enough to put Washington back in the playoff hunt. (@KeithSmithNBA)

Cap Space Forecast

-$44,182,857 (17^th out of 30). $35,048,487 under the Luxury Tax.

Team Salary Cap Outlooks

The post Washington Wizards: 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.

Wizards NBA 2K21 Ratings

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

The post Washington Wizards: NBA 2K21 Ratings appeared first on SLAM.

Nov. 20 Update: The Top 2020 NBA Free Agents Available, 24 Hours In

Rather than focus on specific rankings for players, a process limited by the fact that a given individual’s value fluctuates based on the needs of each team, I’ve broken down the league’s available free agents into general tiers.

Not all of the players that you see listed here will end up hitting the open market. Any team with (player) or (team) next to them has an option built into their contract. If that option is picked up, they’re immediately under contract for a pre-negotiated amount in 2020-21.

Players with (restricted) next to their names are restricted free agents, meaning the teams that they currently play for hold the right to match any contract that they’re able to draw from outside organizations.

The actual date for the start of NBA free agency is unknown but it stands to reason that the official negotiation period will fall after the now locked in Nov. 18, 2020 NBA Draft. Earlier this summer, the league had floated a potential Oct. 15 draft with free agency set three days later. The October dates are moot now but the three-day buffer could still apply.

While I stayed away from floating any potential contract figures for these pending free agents, the tiers were constructed under the assumption that the 2020-21 NBA salary cap would fall in line with what it was in 2019-20 ($109 million). Originally it was set to increase but the league’s economic forecast is less optimistic than it was pre-pandemic.

The exact cap number will impact how teams approach free agency but the value of the players available remains relative. Scroll through the complete list below but remember that different teams will prioritize different tiers depending on where they are as an organization.

The Pre-Packaged Superstar Tier

• Anthony Davis (declined PO)
• Brandon Ingram (restricted)

There are two players in this year’s free agent class that you could envision as the No. 1 option on an NBA playoff team. Anthony Davis and Brandon Ingram are, all things being equal, players that a front office could legitimately plan their offseason strategy around. In reality, it’s hard to imagine a scenario in which Anthony Davis leaves the Los Angeles Lakers given the trouble he went through to get there, even if that means he turns down his player option and signs a new deal. Ingram bet on himself in 2019-20 and fortified his case for max money. If such a deal doesn’t come from the New Orleans Pelicans ahead of free agency, it’ll certainly come via restricted free agent offer sheet, even if the 2020-21 salary cap remains right where it was this season.

The Established Star Tier

• DeMar DeRozan (exercised PO)
• Andre Drummond (exercised PO)
• Gordon Hayward (declined PO) -> Agreement with Charlotte
• Danilo Gallinari -> Agreement with Atlanta
• Mike Conley (declined ETO)

There won’t be too many teams lining up to poach an established star in or at the end of their prime this offseason, even if they come with the All-Star resumes and accolades that this lot comes with. Without question, these are the types of players that could make good teams great but that’s not much help if the price point isn’t feasible for the teams that need them. With a shortage of cap room around the league this year, expect most of the players in this group to exercise their player options. If they do end up on the market, as both DeMar DeRozan and Andre Drummond have at different times implied, their best bet may be to trade a pay cut in the short-term for a longer duration deal like Al Horford and Jonas Valanciunas did last season.

The Emerging Star Tier

• Fred VanVleet – > Back with TO
• Montrezl Harrell – Agreement with Lakers

Both Fred VanVleet and Montrezl Harrell have made their names providing immense value in supporting roles for teams with first-class championship aspirations. As a result, fans and opposing teams alike have no shortage of chances to see what they’re capable of. What nobody truly knows, however, is how either of these teams would fare as a primary or secondary option on another squad, the type of role that comes with max or near-max money. Both Toronto and Los Angeles are well positioned to give their guys a substantial pay raise and keep them in town but things could get complicated in a hurry if outside teams hungry for assets they can grow with start to court them. 

The Brimming with Potential Tier

• Davis Bertans -> Back to DC
• Christian Wood -> Agreement with Houston
• Malik Beasley (restricted) – > Back in Minny

In certain offseasons, teams flush with cap space would be happy to throw money at players who’ve shown the glimpses of high ceiling potential that this group has. This year though, with a shortage of spenders and much of the league’s financial outlook still uncertain, things are different. While all of these particular individuals had shown promising signs with other teams, it wasn’t until they landed on their current squads that they started to truly gain momentum as potential long-term building blocks. For that reason, any outside team eager to pluck one would likely need to spend more on a relatively unproven commodity than they’re comfortable with. That’s a risk that may seem especially hard to justify in 2020, leaving incumbent teams in prime position to bring them back.

The Proven Impact Player Tier

• Serge Ibaka
• Bogdan Bogdanovic (restricted) -> Offer from ATL expected
• Jordan Clarkson -> Back in Utah
• Goran Dragic -> Back in Miami
• Otto Porter Jr. (exercised PO)
• Carmelo Anthony – > Back with Portland
• Evan Fournier (exercised PO)
• Aron Baynes
• Derrick Favors -> Agreement with Utah
• Marc Gasol -> An “option” for Lakers
• Jerami Grant (declined PO) -> Agreement with Detroit

This group of starting caliber impact players can be one of the most interesting to monitor every offseason. None of the players will command max money or even a featured role in any new team’s offense but they can immediately tilt the scales for whichever franchise they land with. These players are safe, often nomadic, with a track record of performing consistently. If the fit and the price are right, it’s a perfect marriage with postseason implications.

The Elite Role Player Tier

• Tim Hardaway Jr. (exercised PO)
• Joe Harris –> Back with Nets
• Marcus Morris -> Back with Clippers
• Paul Millsap -> Back with Denver
• Kelly Olynyk (exercised PO)
• Dario Saric (restricted)
• Dwight Howard -> Agreement with Philly

While these players may not have the luxury of demanding heavy usage wherever they go, they’re capable of specifically thriving in certain ideal situations. Fit is key with these players and that can completely shift the narratives that follow them around for the rest of their career. There’s a thin line between heroic supporting veteran and onerous contract and it usually depends on how competitive the team ends up being after they’ve signed them.

The Re-Purposed Veteran Tier

• Tristan Thompson
• DeMarcus Cousins
• Isaiah Thomas
• Austin Rivers (declined PO)
• Enes Kanter (exercised PO)
• Jeff Teague
• Hassan Whiteside
• Bobby Portis (declined TO) – >Agreement with Milwaukee

This group of players with histories of featuring heavily into team rotations will always garner interest because of their track records but they may be forced to accept reduced roles if they’d like to play meaningful basketball come playoff time. Alternatively, they could opt instead for larger, albeit temporary, roles with developing programs in need of starters.

The High Ceiling Rotation Piece Tier

• De’Anthony Melton (restricted) -> Back with Memphis
• Harry Giles
• Jakob Poeltl (restricted) -> Back with Spurs
• Svi Mykhailiuk (exercised TO)

Teams looking to stockpile assets that they can grow and work with will always have an interest in this mid-level group. Inevitably, these players appeal more to teams with room and patience to focus on player development since there’s no guarantee that they’d be able to consistently excel on a team contending for a title. Not all will blossom into major rotation pieces down the road but they’re simultaneously capable contributors in the short-term and low-risk investment opportunities in the long term.

The Veteran Support Tier

• Jae Crowder -> Agreement with Phoenix
• Nerlens Noel -> Agreement with New York
• D.J. Augustin -> Agreement with Milwaukee
• Mason Plumlee – > Agreement with Detroit
• Nicolas Batum (exercised PO)
• Reggie Jackson
• Kyle Korver
• Michael Kidd-Gilchrist
• Avery Bradley (declined PO) -> Agreement with Miami

Teams less inclined to take on development projects may prefer mid-rotation pieces that they can plug into their lineup without stress. None of these players are going to move the needle for a team on a season-to-season basis but they can still make a difference from game to game. Given that they wouldn’t likely yield big contracts, they’re the perfect building blocks to slide into contending rosters to fortify already impressive lineups.

The Mystery Value Tier

• Rodney Hood (declined PO) -> Back in Portland
• Kenrich Williams (restricted)
• Josh Jackson -> Agreement with Detroit
• Jevon Carter (restricted)
• Juan Hernangomez (restricted)
• Mario Hezonja (exercised PO)
• Chris Boucher (restricted)
• Rondae Hollis-Jefferson
• Allonzo Trier
• Chandler Parsons

Whether a team is ready to compete now or still in the rebuilding phase, they’ll need to fill out the middle portion of their rotation with reliable players. This particular group would appeal more to teams still developing their core as the players within it have room to grow on a personal level. The fact that a young team could commit now and groom a potential long-term supporting cast member carries a lot of weight. The fact that they could settle on a contender and then blossom into something more is scary.

The Veteran Reinforcement Tier

• Andre Roberson
• Alec Burks -> Agreement with NY
• Langston Galloway
• JaVale McGee (exercised PO)
• Michael Carter-Williams ->. Agreement with ORlando
• Kent Bazemore
• Markieff Morris
• Matthew Dellavedova
• Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
• Maurice Harkless -> Agreement with Miami
• Pat Connaughton -> Back with Milwaukee
• Marco Belinelli
• Frank Kaminsky (declined TO)
• Meyers Leonard -> Back in Miami
• Justin Holiday -> Back with Indy

While unlikely to grab many headlines, these veterans are necessary components of the NBA workforce. Equally equipped to slot in as prominent bench players for contending teams or help guide a developing team through a rebuild in more of a leadership role, there’s an impressive amount of flexibility here. They’ll get minutes wherever they end up and can be some of the most affordable sources of value in the league.

The Low-Risk Gamble Tier

• Kris Dunn -> Agreement with Atlanta
• Rajon Rondo (declined PO) -> Agreement with Atlanta
• Evan Turner
• Torrey Craig
• Thon Maker
• Stanley Johnson (exercised PO)
• Bryn Forbes
• Jonah Bolden
• Dragan Bender

Teams don’t necessarily go looking for prominent contributors at the bottom of their rotation but these are players that could start there and work their way up. These players aren’t so much budding prospects as they’re veteran players capable of more if things break right. So long as the price is right, these are low-risk gambles with intriguing rewards.

The Dormant Game Changer Tier

• Shabazz Napier
• Cameron Payne (declined TO)
• JaKarr Sampson
• Anthony Tolliver
• Marvin Williams -> Retired
• Raul Neto -> Agreement with Washington
• Mike Muscala (exercised PO)
• Garrett Temple (declined TO) -> Agreement with Chicago
• Wesley Matthews (declined PO) -> Agreement with Lakers
• Bismack Biyombo
• Brandon Knight
• Robin Lopez (declined PO) -> Agreement with Washington
• J.J. Barea
• Iman Shumpert

It’s unrealistic to expect a deep rotation piece to be able to produce above their weight class consistently but any time a utility player can step up as an injury replacement or even just flex a unique skill set, it provides additional value for the team. These players may slide by undetected in the box score on most nights but are capable of much more.

The Depth on Depth Tier

• Gary Payton II
• Emmanuel Mudiay
• JaMychal Green (declined PO) -> Agreement with Denver
• DeMarre Carroll
• Jeff Green -> Agreement with Brooklyn
• Dwayne Bacon -> Agreement with Orlando
• Wilson Chandler
• Chris Chiozza
• Glenn Robinson III
• Derrick Jones Jr. -> Agreement with Portland
• Wes Iwundu -> Agreement with Dallas
• Treveon Graham
• David Nwaba (exercised TO)
• Wenyen Gabriel (restricted)
• C.J. Miles
• Dion Waiters
• James Johnson (exercised PO)
• E’Twaun Moore
• Solomon Hill
• Isaiah Hartenstein
• Tim Frazier

What can make or break a season is the depth at the bottom of the roster. There are no shortage of quality hoopers in this world who can fill in at the end of the bench for an NBA squad but if those players have the skills, experience and gravitas to make the most of the fleeting action they do get, the sky is the limit. These players won’t demand consistent court time but they’re a luxury to have at the bottom of a rotation.

The Scrapping for Opportunities Tier

• Damyean Dotson (restricted)
• Skal Labissiere (restricted)
• DeAndre’ Bembry (restricted)
• Ian Mahinmi
• Corey Brewer
• Yogi Ferrell
• Caleb Swanigan
• Kyle O’Quinn
• Hamidou Diallo (exercised TO)
• Patrick Patterson -> Back with Clippers
• Willy Hernangomez
• Denzel Valentine (restricted)
• Shaquille Harrison
• Bruno Caboclo
• Alize Johnson (restricted)
• Noah Vonleh
• John Henson
• Frank Mason (restricted)
• Jahlil Okafor -> Agreement with Detroit
• Frank Jackson (restricted)
• Sterling Brown (restricted)
• Tyler Johnson
• Kadeem Allen

Securing a consistent job in the NBA is incredibly difficult, leaving this group the most susceptible to churn as 60 new rookies enter the league every offseason. These players will have their work cut out for them landing new roles and some could even spend time on the outside of the league looking in if they don’t find a good fit. We’ve seen time and time again examples of players that left the league only to return after a brief hiatus in the G League or overseas.

Update #1, Sep. 17, 2020: Post updated with new NBA Draft date, additional free agents added to existing tiers.

Special Offer: Click Here To Get 15% Off NBA Store With Code NBASLAM15

The post Top 2020 NBA Free Agents List appeared first on SLAM.

While lottery pick Rui Hachimura will no doubt see an increased opportunity due to Bradley Beal and Davis Bertans’ absence in Orlando, Napier is an example of a player that was already stepping into a new opportunity when the league was suspended.

Napier averaged 14.0 points per game in March, buoyed by 21- and 27-point performances just before the shutdown.

Expect Thomas Bryant and Moritz Wagner, two valued young players that had seen slight regressions in March, to get every opportunity to reverse those trends at Disney World.

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

Heat Check Washington Wizards

Jerome Robinson
Shabazz Napier
Bradley Beal
Davis Bertans	–
Garrison Mathews	–
Rui Hachimura	–
Ish Smith
Isaac Bonga
Moritz Wagner
Thomas Bryant
Troy Brown Jr.
Admiral Schofield
Gary Payton II
Anzejs Pasecniks

Team-by-Team Breakdown

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Each of the 22 teams chosen to participate in the unprecedented Walt Disney World bubble will play eight games to determine their final playoff seeding.

The opportunity gives those on the cusp of making a postseason appearance one last shot at getting in. Once finalized, the 2020 NBA Playoffs will be played as they traditionally are and a champion will be crowned in October.

These final eight games will be crucial for teams and stakes will be as high as ever. Not only will they be fighting for the final playoff spots, but with how tight the conference standings are, certain teams can still move up or down more than three spots in the standings. For this reason, the strength of schedule for each of the 22 teams is extremely important.

There are certainly many factors that come into play when looking at how difficult a team’s schedule is, but purely based on cumulative opponent win percentage to this point in the season, let’s see who has the easiest schedules.

1. New Orleans Pelicans (.495)

The team with the easiest remaining schedule is New Orleans, who play six of their eight remaining games against sub-.500 opponents. They are also the only team that has a cumulative opponent win percentage under .500. Still 3.5 games out of the playoff picture, not only will New Orleans have to take advantage of this relatively easy schedule, they will have to rely on other teams fighting for the final playoff spot to perform poorly. Although there are many moving parts, the Pelicans may have the best chance of anyone to steal the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference from the Grizzlies due to their schedule.

2. Philadelphia 76ers (.506)

Over half of Philadelphia’s remaining opponents have a losing record. For a team that is only two games out of the No. 4 seed in the East, having one of the NBA’s easiest schedules going forward is a huge advantage. Their potential playoff opponents and how they match up would vary quite a bit based on where they land in the final standings.

3. Sacramento Kings (.529)

The Sacramento King haven’t fared quite as well as some hoped this season. Nonetheless, they still have one last chance to change that narrative and make the playoffs, even if it is unlikely. The Kings are currently 3.5 games out of a playoff spot but will have the luxury of playing five of their eight games against teams that are under .500 on the season.

4. Brooklyn Nets (.544)

Not only will the Nets be without Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in Orlando due to injury, but they’ll also be missing DeAndre Jordan, Spencer Dinwiddie and a number of others due to health concerns related to the current pandemic. While they will likely be heavy underdogs in any first round series they participate in, they do have a manageable remaining regular season schedule. Their first two games will be against the Magic and Wizards, who are both below them in the Eastern Conference standings.

T-5. Boston Celtics (.550)

Although Boston has a pretty difficult start to their schedule, four of their final five games are against teams with a losing record. With the amount of talent the Celtics have, this means they should finish out the regular season on a very positive note. Of the teams with a top-five easiest schedule, Boston is one of the best based on their current record. Jayson Tatum, who was looking like a superstar before the season was paused, will be exciting to watch the rest of the season.

T-5. L.A. Clippers (.550)

On opening night in Orlando, the Clippers have a highly anticipated matchup against the Lakers. After that, they have five straight games against teams they should have no trouble with, followed by Denver and Oklahoma City to round out their schedule. The Clippers do have a chance to move up to the top spot in the West and could even slide down to the No. 3 seed, but it seems likely they will finish out where they are now at the No. 2 spot. A fully healthy and rested Kawhi Leonard and Paul George is scary for opposing teams going forward.

7. Orlando Magic (.551)

The Magic will be playing in Orlando like they have many times this season, only now it will be in a different stadium roughly 20 miles southwest of their home court. Orlando will have a touch stretch of Indiana, Toronto, Philadelphia, and Boston in the middle of their schedule, but have a manageable start and finish. Although they have a losing record, they still sit comfortably in the playoffs and would have to have an extremely poor outing to lose that spot.

8. Dallas Mavericks (.555)

Dallas is a team that started off hot but has fallen off more recently. With a fully healthy Luka Doncic and more time for Kristaps Porzingis to get his knee strengthened, the Mavericks will be a dangerous team heading to Orlando. One advantage on the schedule for Dallas is that they will get to play the Suns twice in eight games, who will be without Kelly Oubre.

9. Utah Jazz (.556)

The Jazz are one of the most intriguing teams heading into the bubble. Considering Rudy Gobert was the main domino that fell prior to the league shutdown and the locker room drama that came with it, all eyes will be on them as they play in the first NBA game in over four months. The Jazz will matchup against the short-handed Spurs twice in the restart, which should play out in their favor. Utah will be without their second leading scorer on the season in Bojan Bogdanovic due to a season ending surgery.

10. Indiana Pacers (.562)

Indiana is currently two games behind Miami for the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference. Luckily for them, they play the Heat twice in eight games and will have every opportunity to make a run at that spot prior to the playoffs. With questions surrounding Victor Oladipo given his uncertainty about playing in the restart, it is hard to predict how good this Pacers roster will be.

11. San Antonio Spurs (.567)

It’s tough to see the Spurs make much noise at Disney World with their star big man LaMarcus Aldridge sidelined after season-ending shoulder surgery. On top of this, their schedule only gets gradually tougher as they go. After matching up against Sacramento and Memphis in their first two games, five of their final six games are against teams who have already locked up a playoff spot.

12. Milwaukee Bucks (.573)

As the best team in the NBA this season, the Bucks have quite a few decisions to make in the final eight games of the regular season. Being 6.5 games ahead of Toronto for the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, they don’t necessarily have to play their best players all that much. With that being said, would they prefer to utilize their regular rotations to rebuild chemistry and knock off some rust? Seven of their eight games are against teams who currently hold a playoff spot.

13. Washington Wizards (.578)

While five teams in the Western Conference are getting a chance to earn a postseason spot that aren’t currently in the playoff picture, the Wizards are the only team from the Eastern Conference that are getting this opportunity. With that being said, they currently sit 5.5 games back of the Magic for the final playoff spot. It would take everything going their way to earn that No. 8 seed in the East but it is not impossible. It does not help that Bradley Beal and Davis Bertans will not be competing with the team at Disney World.

14. Oklahoma City Thunder (.583)

Every team has one back-to-back during these final eight games, but Oklahoma City might have the easiest of any. They will play Washington on the first night and Phoenix on the second night of their scheduled back-to-back. The Thunder have struggled against the eight teams they will match up with, going just 6-10 against them to this point in the season. Behind Chris Paul, the Thunder have shocked the world with their play thus far in the 2019-20 season.

15. Houston Rockets (.587)

Houston will look to continue their small-ball style of play in Orlando and with the way they like to play, this long rest and reset might actually benefit them. Although they are the No. 6 seed as of now, they’re only 2.5 games back of the No. 3 seed in a tight Western Conference race. Their schedule will do them no favors as they only play three teams with a losing record and will also play both the Lakers and the Bucks over the final eight games.

16. Phoenix Suns (.589)

Of all of the Western Conference teams heading to Orlando, the Suns have the worst record of all and are a full six games back of the Grizzlies for the No. 8 seed. Combine that with an injury to one of their best players in Kelly Oubre, Phoenix could be eliminated from the playoff race early on. After starting their schedule against the Wizards, their next seven games are against current playoff teams.

17. Memphis Grizzlies (.597)

The team that five others in the West are chasing for the final playoff spot is Memphis. Currently 3.5 games ahead of the Trail Blazers, Pelicans, and Kings, the Grizzlies have a solid cushion heading into the bubble but nothing is guaranteed. If they can win over half of their games, they will lock up their spot in the playoffs. This won’t be easy though, with one of the toughest remaining schedules in the league. Two of their first three games are against the Trail Blazers and Pelicans who are chasing them, so they hold their own fate early on.

18. Portland Trail Blazers (.600)

After making a trip to the Western Conference Finals last season, the Trail Blazers are on the outside looking in. Getting one last chance to make a playoff push, it will take an exceptional showing for Portland after a disappointing, injury-ridden season. Not only do the Trail Blazers have a top-five most difficult schedule in the NBA, but their one back-to-back features the Clippers and 76ers, which will be a tough task.

19. Denver Nuggets (.618)

The Nuggets have been one of the best teams in the West this season and hold the No. 3 seed. It will take a productive eight games out of Denver to hold onto this position as they have the fourth toughest schedule remaining. They will even have to play the Lakers and the Clippers in consecutive games towards the end of the eight-game schedule, who are the only teams ahead of them in the Western Conference standings. One positive for the Nuggets is that Nikola Jokic seems to have slimmed down quite a bit and looks to be in excellent shape.

20. Los Angeles Lakers (.625)

The Lakers have a comfortable 5.5 game lead over the Clippers for the top spot in the West. Due to this, we may see them rest guys like LeBron James and Anthony Davis down the stretch once they have secured that No. 1 seed. Regardless, they will have to work for it as their first seven games are against current playoff teams. With how good they have played all season, it is likely that they will have no trouble, even with such a difficult schedule. They may be more interested in starting to build chemistry with their newer additions in Dion Waiters and J.R. Smith.

21. Miami Heat (.636)

After a hot start to the season, the Heat cooled off a bit down the stretch before the NBA hiatus. After starting the season 22-8, they’ve gone 19-16 since Christmas. Perhaps this time off will be beneficial for a team like Miami as they will get to reset and get back on the right foot like they had earlier in the season. It will be fascinating to see how much production they get out of new acquisition Andre Iguodala as well. Miami will only have one game against a team with a losing record while in Orlando before the playoffs.

22. Toronto Raptors (.638)

The team with the toughest schedule over the final eight games of the regular season is the defending champion Raptors. Not only are every single one of their opponents current playoff teams, but they will also have to match up against the top team in each conference – the Lakers and Bucks. A full three games above the Celtics for the No. 2 seed in the East, Toronto will need to take care of business throughout this difficult stretch to hold their spot.

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The two didn’t travel with the team as the squad made its way to Disney World for the league restart later this month. Per league protocol, they’ll remain in isolation until they meet public health standards and are cleared by a physician.

Provided they’re able to recover without incident, both Bryant and Payton II could be featured heavily in Washington’s rotation as the young club looks to creep into the Eastern Conference playoff picture.

The Wizards head to Orlando short-handed as offensive focal points Bradley Beal and Davis Bertans join John Wall out of the lineup.

The post Thomas Bryant, Gary Payton II Test Positive for COVID-19 appeared first on SLAM.

Below we’ve published a list of NBA players that have opted out of the Disney World games. This list will be updated if further opt outs are announced in the days ahead.

Although NBA players will forfeit a prorated share of their salary if they opt out of the additional eight regular season games and postseason, they are free to do so without penalty should they choose to.

NBA teams are expected to finalize their rosters on July 1, which means players had to inform their organizations prior to then so that subsequent moves could be made accordingly.

The initial Wednesday, June 24 for such player decisions was treated as a soft deadline and decisions have trickled in in the several days since then.

List of NBA Players Opting Out of Disney Games

Related: Full List of WNBA Players Opting Out of 2020 Season

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Grant will be signed with the roster spot opened by Davis Bertans. We wrote earlier this week about how the Latvian Laser had elected to opt out of the Disney World games ahead of a pivotal offseason for him.

Given that Grant will be a replacement player for Bertans, he won’t be eligible to sign until July 1, that’s when the formal deadline for players opting out of the league restart.

While Grant hasn’t seen time in the big league yet this season, he has 64 NBA starts under his belt. He averaged 4.2 points on .364 shooting in 60 games for the Magic last season.

The post Wizards To Sign Jerian Grant appeared first on SLAM.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, Bertans will sit out the final eight regular season games as a preventative measure ahead of free agency. The team will be eligible to sign a substitute player to fill his spot when games resume in July.

Although he’s already suffered two ACL injuries in the past, the pending free agent is due for a major pay raise after averaging 15.4 points per game on the young Wizards and establishing himself as one of the most effective deep range shooters in the league.

Bertans’ absence will be felt by the team in Disney World but the 27-year-old unrestricted free agent hasn’t necessarily played his last game for the Wizards.

According to Wojnarowski, Bertans is expected to be a top priority of the franchise this summer. He earned $7M with the club in 2019-20.

The post Davis Bertans To Opt Out Of Disney Games appeared first on SLAM.

Also included in the team-by-team breakdowns are all partial/non-guaranteed players for the 2020-21 season, essentially expanding the list to include any individual that could plausibly hit free agency this summer.

Related: CBA Explained – Different types of NBA free agency

Atlanta Hawks

Charlotte Hornets

Miami Heat

Orlando Magic

Washington Wizards

The post 2020 NBA Free Agents – Southeast Division appeared first on SLAM.

Kristaps Porzingis posted a season-high 38 points in the W, his third straight game with 20 or more points. Seth Curry was Dallas’ second-leading scorer with 27 points. Luke Doncic missed Sunday’s action with a thumb sprain.

Bucks 93 (52-8), Hornets 85 (21-39)

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored the last nine points for the Bucks, finishing the day with 41 points to give Milwaukee its sixth straight win. The Greek Freak also grabbed 20 boards. Brook Lopez added 16 points.

Clippers 136 (41-19), Sixers 130 (27-24)

The Clippers had four players who finished with 20-plus points as Kawhi Leonard led all scorers with 30 points. Montrezl Harrell and Lou Williams, one of the L’s top 1-2 bench duos, finished with 24 apieces in L.A.

Nuggets 133 (41-19), Raptors 118 (42-18)

Nikola Jokic messed around and had a triple-double (23 points, 18 rebounds, 11 assists) on Sunday night. This was Jokic’s 43rd triple-double of the season. Jamal Murray finished with 22 points.

Kings 106 (26-34), Pistons 100 (20-42)

De’Aaron Fox sealed the game with a bucket down the stretch, scoring 11 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter. Sacramento overcame a 17-point deficit in front of their home crowd. Buddy Hield put up 19 points off the bench.

Lakers 122 (46-13), Pelicans 114 (26-34)

It was one of those nights from LeBron James, who posted 34 points, 13 assists and 12 rebounds against the Pelicans in the Big Easy. With no Anthony Davis, Kyle Kuzma filled in the void, scoring 20 points in the win. Averly Bradley and Danny Green had 10 apiece.

Wizards 124 (21-37), Warriors 110 (13-47)

Bradley Beal scored 22 of his 34 points in the first half. His streak of 25-plus point games is now at 18 (franchise record). David Bertans went 8-of-10 from beyond the arc and put up 29 points in 30 minutes.

The post Post Up: LeBron Posts Triple-Double in Win Against Pelicans 👑 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 Wizards 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

• John Wall
• Bradley Beal
• Rui Hachimura
• Gary Payton II
• Anzejs Pasecniks

Which direction the Wizards go at the deadline is surprisingly up in the air. Nearly all season, it was assumed that the club would be sellers at the deadline. However, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst indicated in a recent podcast that the team is quietly emerging as a buyer. Regardless of which direction the organization goes, don’t expect them to trade first-round pick Rui Hachimura or star John Wall. Bradley Beal isn’t going anywhere either as he’s not eligible to be dealt until the offseason as a result of signing his extension prior to the season. Neither Gary Payton II nor Anzejs Pasecniks can be traded as each signed with the team recently.

Biggest Name Available On Market

• Davis Bertans

The Wizards’ love for Davis Bertans is not a smokescreen. General manager Tommy Sheppard believes in the 27-year-old’s fit as a long-term piece and it will take a substantial offer for the team to part with the Latvian forward. The wise bet is on Bertans remaining in Washington past the trade deadline.

Logical Trade Pieces

• Isaiah Thomas

Isaiah Thomas inked a one-year deal with the Wizards during the offseason and he’s played a vital role for the club. Seeing 23.1 minutes per contest, the former All-Star is scoring 12.3 points and dishing out 3.6 assists per game while knocking down 41.6% of his shots from downtown. He’s on a veteran minimum deal, so trading for him won’t be too tricky if a rival team has interest.

Trades Are Possible

• Ian Mahinmi
• Thomas Bryant
• Ish Smith
• Troy Brown Jr.
• Moritz Wagner
• Jordan McRae
• Isaac Bonga
• Admiral Schofield

Ian Mahinmi has surpassed the low expectations that he had entering the season. He showcased the ability to excel for 6-8 minute stretches off the bench, which could be just what a playoff team needs. Thomas Bryant has been on fire since returning from a stress fracture in his foot. Ish Smith is in the first year of a two year, $12M contract. He’s been a major contributor for the Wizards this season, playing starters minutes off the bench. Troy Brown Jr.’s sophomore campaign has been up-and-down. He’s under team control for another three seasons. Moritz Wagner recently returned from a left ankle injury. He’s shown promise as a long-term piece in Washington. Jordan McRae offensive ability was on full display while Bradley Beal was sidelined last month. He’s currently nursing an ankle injury. Isaac Bonga, who came over in the Lakers’ three-way Anthony Davis deal this past summer, has started 29 contests for Washington. Coach Scott Brooks has used the 20-year-old German-native at every position but point guard so far this year. Admiral Schofield has been busy making the trips from the Capital City Go-Go to the Wizards this season. The 2019 No. 42 overall pick has seen action in 26 games for Washington.

The post 2020 NBA Trade Deadline Primer: Washington Wizards appeared first on SLAM.

Bradley Beal (36 points) and Collin Sexton (29 points) dueled in Cleveland, but the Wizards came out victorious. Washington also enjoyed 17 points apiece from Davis Bertans and Ish Smith. Larry Nance Jr. put up a double-double of 22 points and 12 rebounds.

Lakers 128 (36-9), Nets 113 (18-25)

Both teams played a tightly contested game, yet L.A. pulled away in the fourth quarter to earn the road win. LeBron James, fresh off being named All-Star captain, posted a triple-double of 27 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists. Kyrie Irving scored 20 points in the loss.

Mavericks 133 (28-16), Blazers 125 (19-27)

Dallas proved to have too much offensive firepower for Portland to overcome. Seven Mavericks scored in double-digits, led by Luka Doncic’s 27 points. Damian Lillard had another heroic effort with 47 points, but his team fell short of the win.

The post Post Up: LeBron, Lakers Win Battle With Nets in Brooklyn 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 Hornets 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

• P.J. Washington
• Miles Bridges
• Devonte’ Graham

In the ashes of the Kemba Walker-era, a new point guard has emerged in Charlotte. Devonte’ Graham is making a serious care for the league’s Most Improved Award, something fueled by his offense. He leads the team in points per game (18.7) and only James Harden and Davis Bertans are making more three-pointers per game than the second-year point guard. While his efficiency (37.8% from the field) leaves much to be desired, he’s given fans hope for the future of the franchise.

Graham is likely to stick in Charlotte through the deadline, though neither he, Miles Bridges nor P.J. Washington is untouchable in trade talks. All three would likely be on the table in talks for a true star, though that scenario doesn’t seem to be in the cards.

Biggest Name Available On Market

• Malik Monk

Charlotte still considers Monk part of its core, though an early season report from Heavy.com’s Sean Deveney indicated that the former No. 11 overall pick could be had in a trade for a star, such as Andre Drummond. Monk will be eligible for a rookie-scale extension this summer and predicting the outcome of negotiations is no easy feat.

Through two-and-half seasons, Monk has yet to show consistency. Pegged as a shooter coming into the league, he has yet to produce a season where he shot at least league average from behind the arc and this season, he’s making just over a quarter of his looks from deep. Still, Monk doesn’t turn 22 until next month, so there’s plenty of time for him to turn his career around. Perhaps a fresh start is just what he needs.

Logical Trade Pieces

• Bismack Biyombo
• Marvin Williams
• Michael Kidd-Gilchrist

It would be surprising if the Hornets don’t look to trade one of their veterans on mid-sized expiring deals. Marvin Williams probably holds the most value due to his long-range shooting. The 33-year-old forward could help a contender by adding another productive floor space to its rotation, though his $15M salary could be tricky to acquire.

Trades Are Possible

• Nicolas Batum
• Terry Rozier
• Cody Zeller
• Willy Hernangomez
• Dwayne Bacon
• Cody Martin
• Jalen McDaniels
• Caleb Martin

Nicolas Batum is making $25.6M this season and has a $27.1M player option for next year. It would be a major upset if he turns that down. Terry Rozier’s first season in Charlotte has been overshadowed by the emergence of Graham but the two point guards have shown they can play next to each other. That’s good considering Rozier’s contract runs through the 2021-22 campaign. Cody Zeller is making $14.5M this season and will receive $15.4M next year. He’s on pace to finish in the top-20 in field goal percentage for the first time in his career. Willy Hernangomez recently received 10 minutes or more of playing time in back-to-back games for the first time this season. Perhaps the trade deadline results in more playing time for the center. Dwayne Bacon will be a restricted free agent after the season. Cody Martin has appeared in 31 games for Charlotte this season and the rookie has struggled from deep (.200 on 40 attempts). Jalen McDaniels should have some frequent traveler miles racked up from trips between Charlotte and Greensboro. He’s spent significant time with the franchise’s G League affiliate. Caleb Martin has also spent significant time with the Greensboro Swarm. Martin is eligible to be traded on January 19.

The post 2020 NBA Trade Deadline Primer: Charlotte Hornets appeared first on SLAM.

The Wiz have played admirably without star guard Bradley Beal. Jordan McRae scored 29 points, Troy Brown Jr chipped in 18 and 10 boards off the bench and Davis Bertans treated us to a surprising flush.

Pelicans 123 (14-25), Knicks 111 (10-29)

Watch out for the Birds. After a pitiful start to the season, they’re finding their stride, with an easy schedule and Zion Williamson on the horizon. In the present, Brandon Ingram went off for 28 points, Lonzo Ball had 11 assists and rookie Jaxson Hayes had 18 points, 10 rebounds and 2 blocks.

No matter how many starting lineups they try, the Knicks still find a way to lose. At least all five starters scored, and we glimpsed signs of life from the mysterious Frank Ntlikina.

Nets 117 (17-20), Heat 113 (27-11)

Spencer Dinwiddie is so under-appreciated. He’s kept the entire Nets boat afloat while Kyrie nurses a shoulder injury, and tonight was no different. Dinwiddie dropped 26 points and 14 assists to take down the Heat.

Pacers 116 (24-15), Bulls 105 (13-26)

Without arguably their best player Malcolm Brogdon (plus Victor Oladipo having missed the whole season thus far), the Pacers still took care of business against an inferior Bulls team. Center Myles Turner produced one of his best games yet, with 27 points, 14 rebounds and 2 blocks.

The Bulls wasted a fantastic Zach LaVine 43-point scoring outburst (he scored 20 in a row at one point), and look poised for another year in the lottery.

Grizzlies 134 (17-22), Spurs 121 (16-21)

The new guard beating the old guard. There’s something symbolic about that, and Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson are the future, but the present is pretty damn good too. Jaren had 24 points on an efficient 8-11 shooting. Ja also had a complete game with 22 points, 14 assists and 7 rebounds.

The Spurs had beaten the Bucks and Celtics in recent games, yet they succumbed to the pesky Grizzlies. DeMar DeRozan had a 36-9-9 stat line, but it was not enough.

Suns 98 (15-23), Magic 94 (18-21)

The Magic were leading the Suns 94-90 with less than a minute to go.

Then, Devin Booker happened. The star shooting guard drained a 3-pointer, then caught a steal on defense and came back down to splash another 3. Game, set, match.

Jazz 109 (26-12), Hornets 92 (15-26)

The Jazz are rolling. Trading for Jordan Clarkson has been a godsend, as the seemingly minor trade simultaneously excised poor, yet consistently injured Dante Exum and brought in a much needed bucket-getter. Clarkson scored 20 points on 8-15 shooting, while Rudy Gobert provided his usual dose of stingy defense with 5 blocks and a modest double-double. The Jazz have won 13 of their last 14 games.

Lakers 129 (31-7), Mavericks 114 (23-15)

LeBron James did LeBron James things with his superstar sidekick Anthony Davis sidelined. Bron dropped 35 points, 16 rebounds and 7 assists to dismantle the Mavs, making him the first Laker to put up such stats since Shaq in 2003. Kyle Kuzma stepped into the starting lineup admirably with 26 points of his own.

Bucks 127 (34-6), Kings 106 (15-24)

Another day, another Bucks win while Giannis doesn’t even play 30 minutes. Khris Middleton (27 points, 11 rebounds) and Eric Bledsoe (24 points, 5 assists) led the way to crush the Kings, who actually stayed competitive through halftime.

De’Aaron Fox was phenomenal stuffing the stat sheet, with 19 points, 9 boards, 10 assists, 4 steals and even 2 blocks in the loss.

Clippers 109 (27-12), Warriors 100 (9-31)

The Dubs played them close, but the Clippers still took care of business even without star Paul George. Kawhi had a monster slam dunk, and 36 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals. Pat Beverley was one assist shy of a triple-double.

The post Post Up: Lakers Defeat Mavericks in Final Regular Season Meeting appeared first on SLAM.

Bertans has averaged 15.4 points and 4.9 rebounds per game for the Wizards and has done so while shooting over eight threes per game (at a .434 clip).

While Washington could certainly retain the pending free agent, as general manager Tommy Sheppard suggested they would, they could also entertain the idea of shopping the red-hot commodity in the weeks leading up to the Feb. 6 trade deadline.

Regardless of whether the Wizards opt to pay the man over the summer or cash in on the asset while they can, his value will always be healthier when he’s healthy.

The post Davis Bertans To Return From Quad Injury appeared first on SLAM.

In an update to the list we published last summer, we’ve expanded our rankings of the top available free agents and removed all of the players that have since signed contract extensions.

Not all of the players you see in this list will be available come July, many have player options or team options, but that’s part of the fun as the offseason approaches and we get a better idea of the type of market that teams and players can expect.

The post 2020 NBA Free Agents: Newswire’s Top 50 appeared first on SLAM.

This was a really solid team effort by Charlotte, with all five starters scoring double digits, as well as Cody Zeller chipping in 14 and 10 off the bench on an efficient 5-6 shooting. Devonte’ Graham continued his absurd breakout season, scoring 29 points, dishing 6 assists and splashing 6 treys.

The Wiz kept it close, thanks mostly to Davis Bertans’ scorching hot hand from deep. The former Spurs forward hit 8-12 from three for 32 points and 9 boards off the bench. Dude is a certified sniper, and one of his threes had Rui Hachimura pretending to give CPR to Bradley Beal on the bench.

But it was not enough, as Miles Bridges drained a dagger corner 3-pointer to seal the win.

76ers 97 (18-7), Nuggets 92 (14-8)

The 76ers are an incredible 13-0 at home after narrowly defeating the Nuggets. Rookie Matisse Thybulle, already one of the stauncher perimeter defenders in the league, was an incredible spark plug off the bench, hitting three 3-pointers and recording a +20 plus/minus. Joel Embiid stuffed the stat sheet per usual, with 22 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 steals, as well as this acrobatic trick shot and subsequent shimmy.

The Nuggets lost Jamal Murray five minutes into the game, but all indications are the injury is nothing serious. Will Barton did an admirable job of picking up the slack, scoring Denver’s first 13 points of the game and compiling a fantasy player’s ideal stat line of 26 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals and 3 blocks.

Heat 135 (18-6), Hawks 121 (6-18)

What a game. We had OT, the Heat going on a 22-0 run to bring their home record to 11-0, Duncan Robinson draining a career-high TEN 3-pointers and a Jimmy Butler cold blooded shot.

It was an awesome game, and the Heat have Robinson (34 points), Butler (20 points, 18 rebounds, 10 assists), Bam Adebayo (30 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists) and Kendrick Nunn (36 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists) to thank. It’s rare when that many players have such ridiculous nights for the same team.

Blazers 115 (10-15), Knicks 87 (4-20)

Yup, David Fizdale really was the problem.

On a serious note, it would be pretty difficult for the best NBA coaches to field a winning record with a Knicks team that just dropped to 4-20 at the hands of the Blazers. It was a demolition derby out there.

Damian Lillard was his usual excellent self, scoring 31 points, dishing 6 assists and bombing 8 3-pointers, while Hassan Whiteside put together a busy stat line with 17 points, 15 rebounds and 5 blocks. Also, sweet revenge for Melo, who must have been enjoying himself.

The post Post Up: Jimmy Butler Ices Shot as Heat Best Hawks in OT appeared first on SLAM.

Spencer Dinwiddie finished a tough, go-ahead layup with 26 seconds left to lift the Nets to their 3rd win in a row and 8th in their last 10. Dinwiddie dropped a team-high 24 points and added 8 assists, and Jarrett Allen finished with 19 points and 11 rebounds in the win. Nikola Jokic stuffed the stat sheet with 24 points, 11 boards, and 6 assists, and Jamal Murray added 21 for Denver.

Hawks 122 (6-17), Hornets 107 (9-16)

The Hawks outscored the Hornets 34-24 in the fourth quarter to secure the win in Charlotte. Trae Young did his thing, dropping a game-high 30 points and adding 9 dimes. The Hornets were led by PJ Washington and Miles Bridges, who both finished with 20 points in the loss.

Clippers 135 (17-7), Wizards 119 (7-15)

The Clippers’ superstars were dominant as LA cruised to a win in Washington. Kawhi finished with 34 points, 11 boards, and 5 assists on 12-18 shooting, and PG dropped 27, 6, and 6. Montrezl Harrell added 20 points off the bench. For the Wizards, Davis Bertans hit 6 threes and finished with 25 points in the loss.

76ers 110 (17-7), Raptors 104 (15-7)

Philly came away with a big win in a battle between two of the top teams in the East. Tobias Harris led the way with 26 points, and Ben Simmons added 16 points, 11 rebounds, and 9 assists. Kyle Lowry dropped 26 on 7-14 shooting for Toronto.

Heat 110 (17-6), Bulls 105 (8-16)

It was the Tyler Herro show in Miami.

The rookie hit big shot after big shot in the Heat’s thrilling overtime win over the Bulls. Herro finished with 27 points, including 16 of the team’s last 18 and 11 of 13 in overtime. It’s safe to say that this young bucket getter has officially arrived.

Jimmy Butler added 23 points, 6 rebounds and 7 assists in the win. The Bulls were led by Lauri Markkanen, who dropped 22 points in the loss.

Kings 110 (9-13), Mavericks 106 (16-7)

The Kings went up big early and held off the Dallas comeback to secure a big road victory. Nemanja Bjelica led Sacramento with 30 points on 13-18 shooting, and Buddy Hield added 26 points on 10-15 shooting. For Dallas, Tim Hardaway Jr. dropped a team-high 29 in the loss. Luka Doncic (27p, 7r, 8a) extended his streak of consecutive games with 20+ points, 5+ rebounds, and 5+ assists to 19, passing Michael Jordan for the most since the ABA-NBA merger in 1976. The 20 year old has been unstoppable all year and is showing no signs of slowing down.

Thunder 108 (10-12), Blazers 96 (9-15)

OKC outscored Portland 26-18 in the fourth quarter to grab their 10th win of the season. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander dropped 14 of his team-high 21 points in the 4th quarter for the Thunder. For the Blazers, Damian Lillard finished with 26 points and 7 assists, and CJ McCollum added 20 in the loss.

Lakers 142 (21-3), Timberwolves 125 (10-12)

There’s something special brewing in LA, and it all starts with the dominant duo of Anthony Davis and LeBron James.

AD went OFF for a season-high 50 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists on 20-29 shooting, his first 50-piece as a member of the Lakers. The King added 32 points and 13 assists on 12-20 shooting in the win. The LakeShow secured their NBA-best 21st win of the season and have won 9 of their last 10.

Are the Lakers the early favorites to win it all? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

The post Post Up: AD Drops 50 to Lead Lakers to Win Over Wolves. appeared first on SLAM.

Bryant is said to have first experienced pain in the foot during a game against the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday night.

The diagnosis and treatment of stress reactions is key for athletes as they can be precursors to more serious fractures. A nagging stress reaction is what sidelined Kyle Kuzma during the FIBA World Cup and start of the NBA season.

Bryant has been solid in his second season with the Wizards. Through 18 games, the 22-year-old has averaged 13.9 points and 8.5 rebounds per game.

Bryant has developed a notable chemistry with star Bradley Beal that stretches back to last season and his ability to keep up with a fast Wizards squad has served the rebuilding team well.

According to Mike DePrisco of NBC Sports, Bryant is a part of two of Washington’s top three offensive lineups, including one with an offensive rating of 130.4 alongside Beal, Ish Smith, Jordan McRae and Davis Bertans.

The post Thomas Bryant Out Three Weeks With Foot Injury appeared first on SLAM.

“I’ve had the opportunity to play alongside some great players,” Anderson told SLAM Newswire. “One thing I’ve learned about them is they want to be pushed. I know Brad wants me to challenge him every day. I want to get my defense better, so there’s no better way to do that then taking him on every single day.“

In addition to Beal, Anderson has played alongside other top players like Dirk Nowitzki and Joel Embiid. The 6’6″ wing, who is entering his fifth season in the league, knows how to make a contribution without the ball in his hands.

“I’m not a guy that’s going to iso and score buckets. That’s not my game. My game is to play a role, fill a void, play defense, play hard, play passionately,” Anderson said.

The Virginia product has been impressive in camp, appearing to be one of the better defenders on the court during the open part of practices. However, Anderson’s spot on the roster is not secure. The Wizards have 13 players with a guaranteed contract, though Anderson’s is not one of them. The team has an open two-way slot, though Anderson is not eligible for that type of deal due to how long he has been in the league.

Which players earn the last couple spots on the roster may come down to what position the Wizards need healthy bodies at. John Wall is expected to miss the entire season. Isaiah Thomas and Ian Mahinmi are each slated to miss at least the start of the season. Troy Brown Jr. and C.J. Miles are each nursing injuries and may share that same fate.

The small forward position in Washington took another hit on Thursday with second-round pick Admiral Schofield limping off the court near the end of practice (it’s unclear what the injury is or how severe it may be).

While Anderson is no lock to make the Wizards, should he stick, he could be in position to start on opening night due to the team’s injuries. Davis Bertans or rookie Rui Hachimura could theoretically man the three, though both players would arguably be out of their best position there.

“In order for us to be complete, we need different pieces to complete the puzzle and I’m just trying to do my part to be my best and hopefully that lands me a spot in Washington,” Anderson said.

Anderson feels like the Wizards believe in him, which is part of the reason he decided to join the team’s training camp in Washington. Yet, the 25-year-old knows nothing is guaranteed with regard to his spot on the team.

“This was my first free agency, it was very appropriate for me to sit back and understand what I was going through,” Anderson explained, “Veterans have always told me to ‘control what you can control’ and I controlled what I could control this summer, working on my game and staying in shape.”

While Anderson’s goal is obviously to make an NBA roster, sticking with the Wizards would be extra special. The Montross, Virginia-native played his collegiate ball at the University of Virginia and he has plenty of family in the DMV area.

“It’s the opportunity of a lifetime,” Anderson said. “We see Kawhi and Paul George, they get to go back home. You see it happen on all levels. Everyone is excited to go back home.“

The post Justin Anderson Auditioning For Role With Wizards appeared first on SLAM.

“It was more than difficult to lose (Davis Bertans),” Popovich said (h/t Luke Adams of Hoops Rumors). “Let’s just say that that was an unfortunate situation that was handled unprofessionally on a couple of different levels. We made that move (trading Bertans) to make the signing that we did, and we got blindsided. Davis was a special player, as we all know. He was young and getting better and better, so we hated losing him.”

San Antonio had initially earmarked its MLE for DeMarre Carroll. Upon agreeing to terms with Morris, the team needed to turn the Carroll signing into a sign-and-trade and the team made it a three-way deal that sent Bertans to the Wizards. Once Morris decided to go in a different direction, the club was already committed to the Bertans trade and there weren’t as many options on the free-agent market to slot into the team’s exception. San Antonio inked Trey Lyles with part of the MLE shortly after the fiasco.

The post Gregg Popovich Addresses Marcus Morris Situation 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.

Washington Wizards 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: Washington Wizards appeared first on SLAM.

Below is a list of the contract types the Washington Wizards 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.

–The Wizards have applied for a disabled player exception for John Wall. If granted by the league, the team would be awarded an additional roster spot.

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 Washington Wizards Roster Count: 2019 Training Camp appeared first on SLAM.

Reggie Bullock and the New York Knicks agreed on a two-year, $21 million pact shortly after free agency began last week but complications have arisen, causing a ripple effect on sought after forward Marcus Morris and two teams’ free agency plans.

As Ian Begley of SportsNet New York reports, an unspecified medical uncertainty that the franchise just learned about has the Knicks eager to restructure their agreement with Bullock. Originally Bullock was expected to get a player option on that deal in 2020-21, now the team’s not so sure he’ll be able to play a full season.

With the cap space freed up in a renegotiated Bullock deal, the Knicks have extended a one-year, $15 million deal to Morris (Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports). Morris, however, had previously agreed to a $20 million, two-year pact with the San Antonio Spurs.

While not unprecedented, Morris reneging on the Spurs commitment would certainly be atypical. It’s a decision that would grow even more unpopular given the hoops that San Antonio went through just to be able to extend their full mid-level exception to the 29-year-old former Celtic.

The Spurs unloaded 26-year-old stretch-four Davis Bertans in a trade with the Washington Wizards and renegotiated a contract with free agent DeMarre Carroll just to be able to afford Morris. If Morris signs with New York, San Antonio will have lost a rotation asset in Bertans and committed more years at a greater annual average value than they intended to for the 33-year-old Carroll.

Morris’ decision could come when the Knicks formally announce their new agreement with Bullock.

The post Reggie Bullock Health Concern Has Ripple Effect On Marcus Morris’ Free Agency Plans appeared first on SLAM.

The removal of Bertans’ cap hit from San Antonio’s books clears enough space for the team to complete its DeMarre Carroll signings and it gives the Wizards a stretch-big that shot .429 from beyond the arc last season.

The 6’10” forward is a legitimate deep threat at 26 years old.

The post Wizards To Acquire Davis Bertans In Trade With Spurs appeared first on SLAM.

Morris has blossomed into a coveted role player over the course of the past half decade with the C’s and Detroit Pistons. In 2018-19, he averaged 13.1 points and 6.1 rebounds per game.

Morris seems to be getting the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, Keith Smith of Yahoo Sports tweets, which is what allowed the Spurs to trade Davis Bertans and still maintain room for DeMarre Carroll.

The post Spurs Agree To Two-Year Deal With Forward Marcus Morris appeared first on SLAM.

This was all an elaborate lie, which should’ve been pretty easy to deduce, considering a big part of that lie was that a living person had expressed interest in trying to become a Phoenix Sun in early 2019.

But it slipped through because, this year, the trade deadline was like having a fever dream while falling asleep to a speed metal song. Only some things were real, and good God would somebody please turn off that noise? Nobody likes that noise.

The noise, in this case, was Shams Charan1a. No, not Shams Charania, the guy at The Athletic who breaks all the trades. I was talking to @ShamsCharan1a, the alphanumeric rumor hustler who won’t tell me any parts of his actual life, except that he somehow waited over two years for this moment.

His first tweet of any significance was a couple of hours ago, just three days before the trade deadline.

“It was always Shams,” he tells me. “No end goal, didn’t even think this would get any attention. Just have had this account for a while and don’t use it, so I figured, why not have a little fun with all the rumors flying around?”

The account was created in January of 2017, though. You waited this whole time to pose as a guy who announces trades and you didn’t even announce a trade?

“I guess you could say that.”

I’d be furious at this dude, but there are so many of these mini NBA Russian trolls every trade deadline. Another guy, maybe piggybacking on not-Shams, tweeted from an account called “Woj_espnNBA” announcing a pretty wonderful fake trade an hour later: Ingram, Ball, Kuzma, Hart and four first-round picks for…Jahlil Okafor. 

Pretty good. Tip your waitresses.

But there’s no joke here. The joke was, quite literally, on the writers. Noted verified NBA Twitter guy Steve McPherson tweeted “Sham Shams slams ‘Cans plans.” Fear The Sword, the very good Cavs blog, tweeted “Fake Shams. Literally a Sham Shams.”

So I wanted something resembling a shred of an answer. Duping the world is a beautiful American pastime. Why do this? 

Twenty-nine years ago, a woman got on a subway midway through the race and “won” the Boston Marathon. That is some solid American criminal ingenuity, right there. She did not take the Green Line so she could come in 4th.

Why not go big? Why not make somebody nervous? Why not “Anthony Davis has been traded to San Antonio for DeMar DeRozan, the rights to Gregg Popovich, several set pieces from Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure and Davis Bertans?”

Why rob a bank just to steal all the lollipops?

“If I get banned, I get banned, I guess. It was all just some good fun and excitement, that’s all.”

That is not good enough. You got some hopes up for fans of the Phoenix Suns for a minute there. Phoenix Suns fans had their hopes up! This isn’t just identity theft, this is unforgivable and maybe unconstitutional. Deeply cruel and unusual.

“I just wanted to cause some extra stir in the NBA world and to draw about more rumors or excitement until either Woj or Shams actually tweeted,” he tells me.

OK, that’s… kind of adorable? Maybe we can be buddies. He can send me fake non-trade trade announcements. Maybe we can go to a Suns ga…

“This account has been suspended.”

“Learn more about why Twitter suspends accounts, or return to your timeline.”

OK, but what if I liked the crazier timeline better?

—

Ben Collins is a writer and reporter for NBC News. He’s also a SLAM columnist and writes The Outlet, a monthly column in which BC muses on…well, whatever he wants. Follow him on Twitter @oneunderscore_.

The post TRUE LIES: An Investigation of Fake NBA Reporters on Twitter 🧐 appeared first on SLAM.

Toronto took care of business at home as four Raptors finished with 20-plus-point performances: Pascal Siakam (23 points), Norman Powell (23 points), Kawhi Leonard (22 points) and Danny Green (21 points).

Spurs 112 (47-34), Cavaliers 90 (19-62)

LaMarcus Aldridge posted a double-double with 18 points and 13 rebounds. DeMar DeRozan, Patty Mills and Davis Bertans had 14 apiece.

Hornets 104 (38-42), Pistons 91 (39-41)

Kemba Walker scored 20 of his 31 points in the first half as the Hornets have won three straight and are doing everything to get that eighth seed.

Thunder 132 (47-33), Timberwolves 126 (36-44)

Russell Westbrook (27 points, 15 assists, 10 rebounds) got his 32nd triple-double of the season in Sunday’s matinee. Paul George also had 27 points, too, and Dennis Schroder had 14 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter. The Thunder are currently in seventh place in the Western Conference.

Nets 108 (41-40), Pacers 96 (47-34)

D’Angelo Russell posted 30 points to give the Nets a playoff berth since 2015. Joe Harris was the team’s second-leading scorer with 19 points. Jarrett Allen had 12 and Spencer Dinwiddie and Caris LeVert had a combined 30 bench points.

Mavericks 129 (32-48), Grizzlies 127 (32-48)

Salah Mejri’s bucket in the fourth quarter kept Dallas’ hopes alive. He then scored the first seven points in overtime, finishing the game with 19 points.

Rockets 149 (53-28), Suns 113 (19-62)

James Harden only needed three quarters to get a 30-piece in the rout. The Rockets also made 27 3-pointers, setting a new NBA record for most made 3’s by a team. Eric Gordon (26 points) led the team with eight triples.

Bucks 115 (60-21), Hawks 107 (29-52)

Giannis Antetokounmpo’s 30 points helped the Bucks get to 60 wins for the first time since 1981. Khris Middleton chipped in 21 points.

Magic 116 (41-40), Celtics 108 (48-33)

The Magic will see postseason play after breaking a seven-year playoff drought. Terrence Ross was Orlando’s leading scorer with 26 points; Nikola Vucevic finished with a double-double (25 points, 12 rebounds) and Evan Fournier dropped 24.

Knicks 113 (16-64), Wizards 110 (32-49)

Mario Hezonja put a 30 points (career high) and hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with under a minute left. Kevin Knox put up 16 points and Dennis Smith Jr had 15 off the bench.

Blazers 115 (51-29), Nuggets 108 (53-27)

Damian Lillard led all scorers with 30 points. Enes Kanter, filling in the void with Jusuf Nurkic out, had 11 points and 13 rebounds. Seth Curry and Rodney Hood had 11 points apiece off the bench.

Pelicans 133 (33-48), Kings 129 (39-42)

Ian Clark had a career-best seven 3-pointers to finish the game with 31 points. Elfrid Payton was big down the stretch, scoring 12 of his 25 points in crunch time.

Lakers 113 (37-44), Jazz 109 (49-31)

Four of five starters finished in double digits. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope had 32 points. Despite finishing with five points, Jemerrio Jones, who was a late season acquisition, grabbed 16 rebounds in his first start in front of the Staples Center crowd.

Warriors 131 (56-24), Clippers 104 (47-34)

It was a special night at Oracle Arena. Golden State brought out the “We Believe” jerseys for their final regular season game at home. Stephen Curry had 27 points as the Warriors clinched the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.

The post Post Up: Warriors Clinch Top Seed in Win Over Clippers appeared first on SLAM.

The San Antonio Spurs plan to sign free agent big man Donatas Motiejunas today, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweets. The 28-year-old has been out of the NBA since playing 34 games with the Pelicans in 2016-17.

News initially broke in March that the two parties had an interest in each other but nothing public developed after the initial report. According to Lithuanian basketball reported Donatas Urbonas, visa issues are to blame for the delay.

Motiejunas has spent the past two season playing for the Shandong Golden Stars in China and could be an intriguing depth add for the Spurs after showing glimpses of potential during his previous NBA stop.

San Antonio will be Motiejunas’ third NBA stop, all in the Southwest Division. He’ll slot into a Spurs rotation bound for the postseason and look to carve out frontcourt minutes alongside LaMarcus Aldridge, Jakob Poeltl and Davis Bertans.

This story will be updated when the move becomes official.

The post UPDATE: Spurs Finally Sign Donatas Motiejunas appeared first on SLAM.

Out in Denver, the Kyrie 5 was a popular option on the night with no less than four different colorways hitting the floor of the Pepsi Center. The models worn included the “Cookies & Cream,” “Just Do It,” the “CNY” and a tough black/red/cement jawn worn by the Nuggets’ Jarred Vanderbilt.

Photos via Getty Images

The post NBA Kicks of the Night appeared first on SLAM.

Paul George: four years, $167 million with Thunder

Chris Paul: four years, $160 million with Rockets

Kevin Durant: two years, $61.5 million with Warriors

Nikola Jokic: five years, $146.5 million with Nuggets

Clint Capela: five years, $90 million with Rockets

Aaron Gordon: four years, $84 million with Magic

Zach LaVine: four years, $78 million with Bulls

Marcus Smart: four years, $52 million with Celtics

Dirk Nowitzki: one year, $5 million with Mavs

Jusuf Nurkic: four years, $48 million with Blazers

Derrick Favors: two years, $36 million with Jazz

Will Barton: four years, $54 million with Nuggets

Dante Exum: three years, $33 million with Jazz

Jerami Grant: three years, $27 million with Thunder

Avery Bradley: two years, $25 million with Clippers

Fred VanVleet: two years, $18 million with Raptors

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope: one year, $12 million with Lakers

JJ Redick: one year, $12 million with Sixers

Rudy Gay: one year, $10 million with Spurs

Joe Harris: two years, $16 million with Nets

Montrezl Harrell: two years, $12 million with Clippers

Aron Baynes: two years, $11 million with Celtics

Wayne Ellington: one year, $6.3 million with Heat

Derrick Rose: one year, $2.1 million with Timberwolves

Davis Bertans: four years, $20 million with Spurs

Raul Neto: 2 years, $4.4 million with Jazz

Monte Morris: three years, $4.8 million with Nuggets

Torrey Craig: two years, $4 million with Nuggets

Raymond Felton: one year, $2.4 million with Thunder

Amir Johnson: one year, $2.4 million with Sixers

Gerald Green: one year, $2.4 million with Rockets

Shabazz Muhammad: one year, $1.8 million with Bucks

Kevon Looney: one year, $1.6 million with Warriors

Ian Clark: one year, $1.6 million with Pelicans

Derrick Jones Jr: one year, $1.6 million with Heat

Salah Mejri: one year, $1.6 million with Mavs

On the Move

LeBron James: four years, $154 million with Lakers

DeMarcus Cousins: one year, $5.3 million with Warriors

DeAndre Jordan: one year, $24.1 million with Mavericks

Jabari Parker: two years, $40 million with Bulls

Isaiah Thomas: one year, $2 million with Nuggets

Julius Randle: two years, $18 million with Pelicans

Trevor Ariza: one year, $15 million with Suns

Tyreke Evans: one year, $12 million with Pacers

Rajon Rondo: one year, $9 million with Lakers

Dwight Howard: one year, $5.3 million with Wizards

Kyle Anderson: four years, $37 million with Grizzlies

Doug McDermott: three years, $22 million with Pacers

Ersan Ilyasova: three years, $21 million with Bucks

Nemanja Bjelica: three years, $20.5 million with Kings

Mario Hezonja: one year, $6.5 million with Knicks

Marco Belinelli: two years, $12 million with Spurs

Tony Parker: two years, $10 million with Hornets

Alex Len: two years, $8.5 million with Hawks

Kyle O’Quinn: one year, $4.5 million with Pacers

Luc Mbah a Moute: one year, $4.3 million with Clippers

Brook Lopez: one year, $3.4 million with Bucks

Channing Frye: one year, $2.4 million with Cavaliers

Glenn Robinson III: two years, $8.3 million with Pistons

Yogi Ferrell: two years, $6.2 million with Kings

Seth Curry: two years, $5.6 million with Blazers

Nerlens Noel: two years, $3.5 million with Thunder

Bryn Forbes: two years with Spurs

Anthony Tolliver: one year, $5.8 million with Timberwolves

Lance Stephenson: one year, $4.5 million with Lakers

Ed Davis: one year, $4.4 million with Nets

Shabazz Napier: two years, $3.5 million with Nets

Michael Beasley: one year, $3.5 million with Lakers

James Ennis: two years, $3.4 million with Rockets

Pat Connaughton: two years, $3.4 million with Bucks

Elfrid Payton: one year, $2.7 million with Pelicans

Vince Carter: one year, $2.4 million with Hawks

Jeff Green: one year, $2.5 million with Wizards

Dante Cunningham: one year, $2.5 million with Spurs

Jose Calderon: one year, $2.4 million with Pistons

Omri Casspi: one year, $2.4 million with Grizzlies

Zaza Pachulia: one year, $2.4 million with Pistons

Greg Monroe: one year, $2.2 million with Raptors

JaVale McGee: one year, $2.1 million with Lakers

Shelvin Mack: one year, $2 million with Grizzlies

Mike Scott: one year, $1.9 million with the Clippers

Michael Carter-Williams: one year, $1.8 million with Rockets

Nik Stauskas: one year, $1.5 million with Blazers

Noah Vonleh: one year deal with Knicks

Troy Williams: one year, $1.5 million with Pelicans

The post 2018 NBA Free Agent Tracker appeared first on SLAM.

This wasn’t the cleanest game of the playoffs, which usually works in Boston’s favor, but it managed to stay a close one to the end of regulation. The Celtics were the aggressors early on, holding Milwaukee to 15 first quarter points and leading by 11 at the half. However, with Jayson Tatum (8 points on 2-7 shooting) and Jaylen Brown (14 points on 5-13 shooting) struggling to make shots, Boston couldn’t put Milwaukee away.

The Bucks shot just 37 percent from the field as a team, but Khris Middleton (23 points) kept them in the game with contested makes whenever they needed one. Giannis (16 points, 10 rebounds, 9 assists) had a solid all-around night yet only took 10 shots and wasn’t able to get as much space as he likes offensively. Credit the return of Marcus Smart for that, at least partially.

Smart lobs it up, Horford throws it down! pic.twitter.com/tyPPXXAHd8

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) April 25, 2018

Jabari Parker and Eric Bledsoe (33 points combined) helped out, and Milwaukee somehow wound down 81-77 with 3:24 to play after a Bledsoe triple. But the Bucks just couldn’t get that next bucket, with missed free throws and open jumpers dooming them.

Al Horford (22 points, 14 rebounds) was probably the best player for either team. He committed six turnovers but spread the floor well, as he usually does, and bolstered Boston’s interior defense which limited what Giannis could do. The Celtics can clinch on Thursday night in Milwaukee.

76ers 104, Heat 91 (76ers win 4-1)

With Meek Mill sitting courtside as his hometown 76ers had the chance to clinch their first playoff series win since 2012, Wells Fargo Center sounded like its roof was going to burst all night long. All Brett Brown’s team needed to do was hold up its end of the bargain, which was in doubt after an even first half. The Heat even took a four-point lead a few minutes before the break.

Then, in the third quarter, Philly started to flex its muscles a bit. A 11-0 run put the 76ers in control and they went up by as much as 18 in the frame. Miami kept it a game, hanging around down 10-12 points the rest of the way, but Philly wasn’t blowing that lead. The final minutes felt like a real culmination of the Process, with fans ready to party and 76ers — namely Joel Embiid (19 points, 12 rebounds) — pumping them up even more.

Joel Embiid posts 19 PTS, 12 REB as the @sixers advance to the 2nd round!#PhilaUnite pic.twitter.com/plOaPYxIve

— NBA (@NBA) April 25, 2018

But it was one of Philly’s veterans — J.J. Redick (27 points) — that pushed the 76ers over the hump in a tough, physical game. It felt like he was constantly open and his off-ball movement wore Miami down as the Heat chased him through screen after screen. He made 5 of Philly’s 7 threes on a night when the 76ers shot just 25 percent from behind the arc.

It’s a frustrating end to a good season for the Heat, who withstood a lot of injuries and a letdown campaign from Hassan Whiteside to get back to the playoffs. Kelly Olynyk (18 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists) did it all for Miami off the bench, while Goran Dragic (15 points) and Tyler Johnson (16 points in just 19 minutes due to foul trouble) anchored a starting lineup that got crushed by Philly’s starters. Josh Richardson was dealing with a shoulder injury that limited him to seven minutes while Whiteside and James Johnson scored a combined total of six points.

Warriors 99, Spurs 91 (Warriors win 4-1)

Without their coach and best player, there was every reason to think the Spurs were going to fold in a decisive Game 5 in Golden State. And, for awhile, it seemed as if they might. The Warriors built a double-digit lead behind big nights from Kevin Durant (25 points, 6 rebounds) and Klay Thompson (24 points) and were ahead 82-67 with 10 minutes left in the game.

Slowly but surely, as the Spurs have done forever under Gregg Popovich, San Antonio crawled back into this one. All of a sudden, a Davis Bertans triple cut the deficit to five. A minute later, the Dubs were up just 93-91 after LaMarcus Aldridge (30 points, 12 rebounds) knocked down a pair of free throws. However, it wasn’t meant to be, as KD drilled a 20-footer on the next possession. When Manu Ginobili threw a pass out of bounds right after, the comeback attempt was foiled.

LA with the bucket and the foul! pic.twitter.com/RVBLlIsjjw

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) April 25, 2018

Aldridge absolutely took over down the stretch and nearly led the Spurs to one of the most improbable playoff comebacks in recent memory. Patty Mills (18 points) hit some huge threes for San Antonio, which might have a very different roster come October. Draymond Green (17 points, 19 rebounds, 7 assists) did it all for Golden State on both ends of the floor. He even assisted KD on the dagger jumper.

With their series win, the Warriors will take on the Pelicans in the second round. KD and Anthony Davis, Jrue Holiday and Steph Curry (should he come back), doesn’t get much better than that.

The post Post Up: 76ers And Warriors Advance, Celtics Sneak Past Bucks appeared first on SLAM.

Dejounte Murray is 21-years-old and has been summoned to replace a future Hall of Famer in Tony Parker as the starting point guard for the San Antonio Spurs.

Parker held the job when healthy from November 6, 2001 until January 21, 2018.

But that merely scratches the surface.

A dynasty that has spanned two decades, hung five banners in the rafters, and resulted in nineteen 50-or-more win seasons, is currently at a crossroads. Tim Duncan is gone. Parker and Manu Ginobili will soon follow. For the first time in awhile, the Spurs are fighting for their playoff lives in the final weeks of the regular season.

The burden now falls on players like Murray to ensure the torch remains lit as it is passed – To prolong the success of one of the most dominant empires in not just basketball, but all of sports history.

Yes, the task is daunting, especially for someone who graduated high school only a few years ago. But Murray isn’t afraid of it.

And Spurs fans worried about the future can find comfort in this: Dejounte Murray is all in.

—

—

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

Photos via Getty Images.

The post Dejounte Murray Won’t Settle For Anything But Greatness appeared first on SLAM.

The Lakers led by seven heading into the fourth quarter. Then Damian Lillard happened. Lillard simply took over, scoring 17 of his 39 points over the last 12 minutes, including a period of just over a minute when he hit a step-back jumper then two threes to put the Blazers ahead. With the win, Portland has now beaten L.A. 15 times in a row. The Blazers have also won six in a row overall, while the Lakers’ five-game win streak came to an end.

Shabazz in March on @NBATV. #RipCity pic.twitter.com/NzLwCXviGx

— NBA (@NBA) March 6, 2018

Cavaliers 112 (37-26), Pistons 90 (29-35)

Larry Nance Jr. and LeBron James combined to put on a show on Monday, leading the Cavs to their 22nd home victory of the year. In his first start for Cleveland and with his father (a former Cav) in attendance, Nance poured on a career-high 22 points and 15 rebounds. James had 31 more to go with seven rebounds and seven assists. Blake Griffin led Detroit with 25 points and eight boards.

LeBron James #CavsPistons pic.twitter.com/ljsL1xYISg

— FOX Sports Ohio (@FOXSportsOH) March 6, 2018

Pacers 92 (37-27), Bucks 89 (34-30)

Bojan Bogdanovic tied his career high with 29 points in his 13th consecutive game in double figures. He went 9-13 from the field and 5-7 from three, but perhaps his biggest play came in the final seconds when he muscled the recovery of a jump ball away from his defender to prevent the Bucks from getting a look at a game-winner. Eric Bledsoe had 26 points to lead Milwaukee.

That pass… pic.twitter.com/YqJ7SEtb9f

— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) March 6, 2018

Heat 125 (34-30), Suns 103 (19-47)

The Heat took another step toward securing a playoff berth behind 24 points and 14 rebounds from Hassan Whiteside. And with the middle-of-the-pack in the East bunched so close together, Miami has plenty to play for down the stretch. Goran Dragic helped Whiteside out with 17 of his own as seven Heat players scored in double figures. The Suns, who have now dropped 13 out of 14, were led by Devin Booker‘s 31 points.

NEW POSTER ALERT pic.twitter.com/5C8E8JVgsK

— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) March 6, 2018

Celtics 105 (45-20), Bulls 89 (21-42)

The Celtics got off to a fast start and never looked back, cruising to a win in a game more lopsided than the final score indicated. Boston led 55-29 at halftime, holding the Bulls to under 40 percent shooting for the game and forcing 13 turnovers. While the Celtics turned it over 18 times themselves, they also shot a hair under 50 percent and won the rebounding battle 53-36. Jaylen Brown had 21 to lead all scorers and Denzel Valentine had 20 for the Bulls.

How??? pic.twitter.com/7XgPkIRFeW

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) March 6, 2018

Spurs 100 (37-27), Grizzlies 98 (18-45)

The Grizzlies came so close to snapping their now-14-game losing streak, but 23 points from Tony Parker and an unbelievable play from Kyle Anderson were too much to overcome. The play came with just under nine minutes to go as Anderson chased a ball headed out of bounds. Not only did he save it, but it ended up being a perfect lob to Davis Bertans, who dunked it.

THIS SHOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE

Is this the pass of the year from Kyle Anderson? (via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/K4VgzbmwaF

— SLAM Magazine (@SLAMonline) March 6, 2018

You don’t come back from that. Memphis shot 53 percent but also committed 20 turnovers. Marc Gasol had 23 points to lead the way and Dillon Brooks had 21 more.

Jazz 94 (34-30), Magic 80 (20-44)

A monster game from Rudy Gobert (21 points, 17 rebounds, 9-10 shooting) was enough to lead the Jazz to their third win in a row. Donovan Mitchell added 19 points and Joe Ingles had 18 points, eight assists, and seven rebounds to provide plenty of firepower. Nikola Vucevic had 15 points and 12 rebounds for the Magic.

(via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/zP1nhNwiDM

— SLAM Magazine (@SLAMonline) March 6, 2018

The post Post Up: 15 In A Row appeared first on SLAM.

Ben Simmons‘ triple-double (19 points, 17 rebounds, 14 assists) was more than enough to lead the Sixers past the Bulls. He set the tone early, nearly getting getting there before halftime. Dario Saric had 21 and Joel Embiid had 22 to help him out. Philly has now won seven of its last 10. Bobby Portis scored 22 for the Bulls.

It’s too easy for @BenSimmons25 tonight. (via @nba) pic.twitter.com/XJhchfFKmk

— SLAM Magazine (@SLAMonline) January 25, 2018

Pelicans 101 (26-21), Hornets 96 (19-27)

Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday each scored 19 points as the Pelicans held off the Hornets. Holiday gave New Orleans the lead for good on a layup with 2:16 to go, then scored again on the ensuing possession. Nicolas Batum hit a three to pull Charlotte to within one, but that was the Hornets’ last field goal of the game, as the Pelicans extended their lead at the line. Dwight Howard had 22 points and 16 rebounds to lead Charlotte, and Kemba Walker had 20 points and seven assists.

Tick, tick…BM #DoItBig pic.twitter.com/eRNktOssAo

— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) January 25, 2018

Jazz 98 (20-28), Pistons 95 (22-24) (OT)

Joe Ingles’ layup in the final seconds of regulation tied the game, erasing a nine-point deficit for the Jazz late in the fourth quarter. The Jazz then led by as many as seven in overtime and held on to hand the Pistons their sixth-straight loss. Andre Drummond posted 30 points and 24 rebounds as he continues to try and show why he deserved an All-Star nod. Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell each scored 15 to lead Utah.

“That’s just downright nasty.” (via @utahjazz) pic.twitter.com/y4OkNT0NAn

— SLAM Magazine (@SLAMonline) January 25, 2018

Pacers 116 (26-22), Suns 101 (17-31)

The Pacers built a 38-point lead in the third quarter and blew out the Suns in a game that was not as close as the final score indicated. Thaddeus Young led the way with 22 points and Victor Oladipo had 21 points and nine assists. Josh Jackson scored 20 for Phoenix and Greg Monroe had a double-double with 16 points and 17 rebounds.

#NBAAllStar pic.twitter.com/aJYxOYcuyJ

— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) January 25, 2018

Raptors 108 (32-14), Hawks 93 (14-33)

Toronto led by 18 at the half and never relinquished the lead as the Raptors earned their 32nd win of the year. Fred VanVleet had 19 points, seven rebounds, and five assists, while Jonas Valanciunas had a double-double with 16 points and 13 rebounds. Dennis Schroder led Atlanta with 20 points as one of only three Hawks in double figures.

It’s a work of art (via @Raptors) pic.twitter.com/W9s3Q9xjUk

— SLAM Magazine (@SLAMonline) January 25, 2018

Rockets 104 (34-12), Mavericks 97 (16-32)

The Rockets won their sixth straight game over the Mavericks and their seventh out of eight overall behind 25 points and 13 assists from James Harden. Harden, Trevor Ariza, and Eric Gordon combined to hit 15 threes on a night in which Houston attempted 51 from long range. For Dallas, Wesley Matthews went 7-14 from three and scored a team-high 29 points.

Perfect lob. Perfect finish. (via @HoustonRockets) pic.twitter.com/bgjWuFXKja

— SLAM Magazine (@SLAMonline) January 25, 2018

Spurs 108 (32-18), Grizzlies 85 (17-30)

Each team was buoyed by a Gasol in this one. With LaMarcus Aldridge resting, Pau Gasol just missed a triple-double (14 points, 15 rebounds, nine assists) and was one of eight Spurs in double-figures. San Antonio forced 17 Memphis turnovers and kept the Grizzlies to just 2-11 shooting from three. Marc Gasol‘s 18 points were a team-high.

Bertans…just rude (via @spurs) pic.twitter.com/UdznMVwGxU

— SLAM Magazine (@SLAMonline) January 25, 2018

Trail Blazers 123 (26-22), Timberwolves 114 (31-19)

Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum combined for 59 points to lead Portland over Minnesota. Lillard scored his 31 on 6-11 three-point shooting. The Blazers shot 55 percent from three for the game. Andrew Wiggins scored 24 for Minnesota.

CJ Connaughton. Wow. (via @trailblazers) pic.twitter.com/FjYAoSbQ9h

— SLAM Magazine (@SLAMonline) January 25, 2018

Celtics 113 (35-14), Clippers 102 (23-24)

Kyrie Irving scored 20 points and Jayson Tatum had 18 as the Celtics snapped a four-game losing streak. Boston also went 21-22 from the line in the game. Blake Griffin had 23 to lead all scorers.

DeAndre’s back (via @LAClippers) pic.twitter.com/tfbDce7QIE

— SLAM Magazine (@SLAMonline) January 25, 2018

The post Post Up: Triple-Double Watch appeared first on SLAM.

But that layup set off a 30-12 San Antonio run to make it a seven-point game at the half. Pau Gasol had nine and Danny Green had eight more in that stretch as the Spurs methodically ate into Oklahoma City’s lead.

Then there was LaMarcus Aldridge, who gave the team a spark and the crowd something to cheer about.

LA THROWS IT DOWN. pic.twitter.com/zfkV3ZG4LV

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) November 18, 2017

He led all scorers with 26 points, seven of them coming in the final 5:41.

The momentum stayed on the Spurs’ side into the third quarter and they finally tied the game on a three from Davis Bertans in the final minute. That was part of an 11-0 run that spanned the third and fourth quarters as San Antonio never relinquished the lead again.

THREEEEEEEEEEE! pic.twitter.com/E8CMtjSwuZ

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) November 18, 2017

That’s not to say the Spurs rolled. Oklahoma City hung tough and trailed by three with less than 30 seconds remaining. That set up a frenetic final possession, where Russell Westbrook grabbed two offensive rebounds and Carmelo Anthony hit what initially looked like could have been the game-tying shot. The review, however, showed his foot was on the line, and the Spurs got the ball back clinging to a one-point lead. Gasol hit a pair of free throws to give San Antonio a 104-101 victory.

MOOD. pic.twitter.com/UX4ufs7N83

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) November 18, 2017

The post Spurs Erase 23-Point Deficit to Beat Thunder in San Antonio appeared first on SLAM.

Malcolm Brogdon and Dario Saric were unanimous selections, with Rookie of the Year frontrunner Joel Embiid, Buddy Hield and Willy Hernangomez rounding out the rest of the First Team.

It’s the first time that four players born outside of the United States have made the All-Rookie First Team.

Congrats to @Dariosaric and @JoelEmbiid on making the @NBA All-Rookie First Team! » https://t.co/X6kz1HIjBH pic.twitter.com/SfajQ5wfBk

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) June 26, 2017

Check out the full results of the 2016-17 NBA All-Rookie Team voting (total points in parentheses):

2016-17 NBA ALL-ROOKIE FIRST TEAM

Malcolm Brogdon (200)
Dario Saric (200)
Joel Embiid (171)
Buddy Hield (154)
Willy Hernangomez (128)

2016-17 NBA ALL-ROOKIE SECOND TEAM

Jamal Murray (123)
Jaylen Brown (106)
Marquese Chriss (91)
Brandon Ingram (83)
Yogi Ferrell (63)

Other players receiving votes, with point totals (first-place votes in parentheses): Rodney McGruder, 61 (7); Caris LeVert, 36 (2); Domantas Sabonis, 19 (4); Tyler Ulis, 10 (1); Patrick McCaw, 8; Skal Labissiere, 7 (1); Kris Dunn, 5; Juancho Hernangomez, 5; Taurean Prince, 5; Isaiah Whitehead, 5; Alex Abrines, 4; Davis Bertans, 3; Dejounte Murray, 3; Thon Maker, 3; Andrew Harrison, 2; Fred VanVleet, 1; Dragan Bender, 1; DeAndre’ Bembry, 1; Jakob Poeltl, 1; Malcolm Delaney, 1.

RELATED:
Joel Embiid Says He’s the Rookie of the Year

The post Joel Embiid, Dario Saric Headline 2016-17 NBA All-Rookie Teams appeared first on SLAM.

Davis Bertans, the 24-year-old rookie from Latvia, takes an extended fall to the floor after what might be the fastest move that Green’s ever made. Watch Bertans stumble to the hardwood below:

Nah, Draymond did him dirty with this crossover pic.twitter.com/WPF8Pf7Nu7

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 21, 2017

The post WATCH: Draymond Green Drops Davis Bertans with Crossover appeared first on SLAM.

One night after taking down the Celtics, Tim Hardaway Jr. and the Hawks convincingly dismantled the Cavs. Atlanta was eating on offense, shooting 50% from the floor, making 16 three-pointers and dishing 39 assists on 45 field goals. Hardaway scored 15 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter to drive the dagger through the Cavs’ fans. Hardaway led the Hawks in scoring with Paul Millsap, Dwight Howard and Dennis Schroder all sat out.

Timmy Jr. really putting in that work. pic.twitter.com/lusDayKiQw

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) April 8, 2017

Raptors 96 (49-31), Heat 94 (38-41)

DeMar DeRozan caught fire, scoring 38 points, including 9 points in the fourth, to help the Raptors survive the Heat. James Johnson scored 22 to lead five Miami players in double-figures, but they couldn’t get stops in the closing moments and they also turned the ball over seven times in the fourth quarter. Miami’s now a game out of the eighth seed in the East.

Deebo's too smooth. pic.twitter.com/rTMTUVtuLe

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) April 8, 2017

Grizzlies 101 (43-37), Knicks 88 (30-50)

Mike Conley drilled 7 three-pointers on his way to 31 points. Though the Knicks were without Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis because of nagging injuries, the Grizzles clamped down on defense, holding them to 6-28 three-point shooting. Memphis, on the other hand, shot 15-27 from outside the arc. With this win, they clinched the seventh seed in the West, setting up a playoff matchup with the Spurs.

JaMychal Green pic.twitter.com/1kVslEv823

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) April 8, 2017

Pistons 114 (36-43), Rockets 109 (53-26)

Boban Marjanovic came off the bench to have a career-high 27 points to go along with 12 rebounds, punishing the Rockets, who were without Clint Capela (rest). Stanley Johnson (13 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists) hit a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 32.4 seconds left before adding two free throws to seal the road victory. James Harden had 33 points, 12 assists and 9 rebounds in the loss.

Spurs 102 (61-18), Mavs 89 (32-47)

The Spurs rested Kawhi Leonard, LaMarcus Aldridge, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, Danny Green and Pau Gasol, clearing the way for rookies Bryn Forbes and Davis Bertans to get buckets. Forbes put in 27 and Bertans hit 5 three’s on his way to 19 points. The Spurs recovered from an early 16-point deficit with their 58 rebounds and by holding the Mavs to 8 third quarter points and 29% shooting in the second half.

Jonathon Simmons brings the juice! pic.twitter.com/0nXfnypqeQ

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) April 8, 2017

Jazz 120 (49-30), Wolves 114 (31-48)

The Jazz clinched their first division title in nine seasons behind a career-best 39 points from Gordon Hayward, 22 points from reserve Joe Johnson, 16 points from Rudy Gobert and 11 points, 8 assists and 5 rebounds from Joe Ingles. Utah had to contend with a combined 83 points from Karl-Anthony Towns, Andrew Wiggins and Ricky Rubio. But the Wolves couldn’t slow down the Jazz’s offensive attack. Utah shot 60% for the game and made 14-25 three-pointers.

Nuggets 122 (38-41), Pelicans 106 (33-46)

Jamal Murray shot 10-14 from the floor to pour in 30 points. Nikola Jokic added 23 and Gary Harris had 20, too. Denver destroyed New Orleans on the glass and had 12 more assists. Anthony Davis scored 25 in the loss.

Jamal Murray! pic.twitter.com/r02h1XfOvo

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) April 8, 2017

Suns 120 (23-57), Thunder 99 (45-34)

Devin Booker scored 26 of his 37 points in the second half, after Russell Westbrook was threatening to pull the Thunder back into the lead. Because of Russ’ slow start–2-13 shooting, 6 turnovers, 6 points in the first half–OKC dug a big hole that they couldn’t get out of.

But Westbrook’s name is officially in the record books as only the second player to ever average a triple-double. Insane.

The historical assist. pic.twitter.com/C7Ucm49B5i

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) April 8, 2017

Lakers 98 (24-55), Kings 94 (31-48)

Julius Randle scored 25 points and Corey Brewer stole an inbounds pass with 5 seconds to play, was fouled and made both free throws to lead the Lakers to win. There were 17 lead changes and 11 ties, but it was Randle’s 10-14 shooting that was eventually the difference-maker.

Julius Randle in his bag. pic.twitter.com/ui7bh8B0Ye

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) April 8, 2017

The post Post Up: Record Books appeared first on SLAM.

While the Knicks got the best of the Spurs on this blustery afternoon (even the Spurs aren’t immune to a 3:30 tip the day after a Saturday night out in New York), San Antonio will win its 42nd game of the season the next night in Indiana, assuring the franchise its 20th consecutive winning season.

On this day, the Knicks and Spurs sit in locker rooms just down the hall from each other, but they may as well be on different planets when it comes to how each organization is run. The Knicks, in the midst of an ugly, public battle between fan favorite Charles Oakley and owner Jim Dolan, are skidding after starting the season 14-10. Their starting point guard, Derrick Rose, chose not to show up to work on a game night in January and team president Phil Jackson has been taking shots at Carmelo Anthony on Twitter while doing seemingly everything he can to run his star player out of town.

The Spurs, who have rarely made a headline for anything other than winning in over a decade, have a drama-free locker room, a franchise player in the MVP hunt and one of the greatest coaches ever running the show. It is remarkable how different the two teams’ fortunes have been since they met in the 1999 Finals.

Since beating New York in those ’99 Finals, San Antonio has a regular season record of 969-383. They have made the Western Conference finals eight times, advanced to the Finals five times and won four more NBA championships. No other team in the NBA has had nearly as impressive a stretch, yet San Antonio remains one of the most underappreciated teams in all of pro sports.

Their prolonged success begs a simple question: How have the Spurs been this good for this long?

Pop served as general manager and vice president of basketball operations for the Spurs before taking over head coaching duties 18 games into the 1996-97 season. That year, the team finished with a 20-62 record—as fortunate a losing season as a franchise can have, as it landed them Tim Duncan in the ’97 NBA Draft. The next season, the Spurs won 56 games. And the following season, Duncan and Pop won their first title together. From there, the Spurs’ dynasty was born.

It is nearly impossible to find a player who has been as important to a team’s personality and success as Tim Duncan, who retired after last season, was to San Antonio’s. Duncan shares the rare distinction of winning a championship and playing for one team his entire career with Willis Reed, Larry Bird and Kobe Bryant. While Pop will go down as one of the greatest coaches of all time, Duncan was the cornerstone that set the precedent for every player that has passed through the sleepy Texas city since.

“It’s pretty usual that a team adopts the personality of the franchise player. The problem is, the personality and the philosophy of the franchise player is not always great,” says Boris Diaw, who played for the Spurs from 2012-16. “The thing with Tim is he was such a great teammate and team player and focused so much on winning and playing the right way that the franchise turned into his character and it’s been a good thing for the team for a long time.”

In 2002, RC Buford, who was an assistant coach for the Spurs under Larry Brown in 1988 and remained in the organization from 1994 on, was hired as GM of the team. Working with Pop, the two were tasked with placing the right players around Duncan to win championships and have developed a working relationship that is unlike most in the League.

“RC and I have done everything together,” says Popovich. “From day one, we’ve done everything together and our groups have done everything together. Managers are in coaches meetings, we’re in the managers meetings and walk in as we please. We talk about it, argue about it, have a beer or wine and move on. We’ve done it all together.”

Since San Antonio won a championship in 1999, the game has been in a constant state of evolution. Through the early 2000s, isolation-minded guards and towering centers dominated the game, until Mike D’Antoni came in and flipped the game on its head with Steve Nash and the “Seven Seconds or Less” Suns. When Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen joined Paul Pierce in Boston, a new precedent of “super teams” was set. When LeBron took his talents to South Beach and teamed up with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, the super team strategy was pumped full of steroids. Today’s game is geared toward small ball, with positionless players roaming freely and favoring the three-pointer over a mid-range jumper. Add in changes to the CBA, gameplay and free agency rules and the NBA has changed drastically during the Pop-Buford era.

And yet, the Spurs have always been either one step ahead of the game or able to immediately adapt on the fly—and have flourished for the past 17 years despite the constant changes.

“Pop is an innovator. He leads the charge in a lot of areas of coaching, especially at this level,” says Golden State Warriors assistant Mike Brown, a member of Pop’s staff from 2000-03. “He does not rest in terms of thinking about the past. He’s always thinking about what he can do to change and make the Spurs better going forward. Yes, they create space and play fast and all that other stuff, but even back in the day, they played small ball with guys like Malik Rose, who was an undersized power forward. Now he’s going back to the traditional way and playing two bigs. He’ll probably end up changing the trend here again going forward because of the success he’s had with the two big guys on the floor.”

From 2002-16, the franchise was able to plug in a rotating cast of players around Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker. The Spurs have scoured the planet to find guys who fit their system, often adding players who flamed out on other teams or in other leagues and turning them into valuable options. Guys like Danny Green, Boris Diaw, Patty Mills, Jonathon Simmons, Bruce Bowen, Rasho Nesterovic, Stephen Jackson and Tiago Splitter have thrived and played major roles on some of the franchise’s best teams.

The front office has been able to pull off crafty moves that have set them up for the coming 10 years, too. Kawhi Leonard, one of the top-10 players in the League right now, was acquired in a 2011 draft night swap for guard George Hill that may go down as one of the best trades ever.

“The Spurs are good at what they do. They are good at finding the right guys who will fit the system, first of all,” says Diaw. “That’s a tribute to RC and the scouting department finding those guys like Manu playing in Europe, even Kawhi or Jonathon Simmons and Danny Green. And then it’s having the right system for them. Those players who were not blossoming somewhere else but are doing great here is because of the system. It’s easier to play in that system and contribute because of your role—you know what you gotta do and Pop makes it comfortable for those players.”

While other coaches have tried and failed to use a no-nonsense, hard-ass approach in the NBA, Pop has been beloved by players because he brings the best out of them on the court. It also helps that he treats every player with the same level of respect—whether it’s the franchise player or the last man on the bench.

“When I did get an opportunity to play, I missed a defensive assignment,” remembers Pops Mensah-Bonsu, who played a handful of games for the Spurs in the 2008-09 season and now serves as a scout for the organization. “Popovich took me out and, rightfully so, he tore me a new one. When I sit down at the end of the bench, I’m thinking that I’m never going to play again. A few seconds later, maybe the next quarter, Tim Duncan makes the same defensive mistake. Popovich takes him out and tears him a new one and basically does the same thing he did to me, to him. It proved to me and showed me why the Spurs have been so successful. Tim Duncan looked at him and said, ‘You know what, Coach? You’re right.’ And goes and sits down at the end of the bench. If the greatest power forward who ever lived does that, what does somebody like myself do?”

Stylistically, the Spurs have played an extra-pass, find-the-open-man, give-up-the-good-shot-for-a-great-shot offense and hard-nosed defense ball that has been dubbed by some as “The Spurs Way.” The offense in place is similar to that found in the EuroLeague; no franchise has had more contributions from international players than San Antonio. Since Pop’s first season, 24 foreign players have suited up in the silver and black—27 if you include Dominique Wilkins (born in France), Steve Kerr (Lebanon) and Tim Duncan (United States Virgin Islands). The system demands that players be skilled in every facet of the game and able to adapt to any style of play based on matchups.

“It is pretty much a European style of play of basketball as far as everyone has a role and everyone contributes,” says Diaw. “Everybody has got to be able to pass and everybody has to be able to think about the game and play defense the right way. It’s not like, OK, we have a shooter and that’s the only thing he can do. Everyone on the Spurs has to be able to do everything and I think in Europe, that philosophy starts at a young age.”

“The better teams in Europe, you have three or four guys who score 10 points or more a game and no one is really a 25-30 point player a game, and that’s kind of what we have here,” adds Latvian rookie Davis Bertans. “I think the games that we have five, six, seven players scoring in double-digits, we’re pretty much unstoppable offensively.”

As the season wears on and teams around the League begin to either make a push for the playoffs, tank for the bottom of the standings or slip into drama-filled disarray, the Spurs (currently 53-16, No. 2 in the Western Conference standings) remain a model of consistency and continue to rack up wins. The precedent and example set by Duncan has officially carried over to the younger guys on the roster. Since TD’s retirement, The Spurs Way won’t be going away any time soon.

“The NBA is full of trends, and other teams try to keep up with the Joneses. The Spurs try to tweak what we’re doing and maintain our principles,” says Mensah-Bonsu. “I think in regards to how we have been able to stay successful is just our personality, and we got that from Tim Duncan and Gregg Popovich. I think it will continue with guys like Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge. They have adopted those personalities and embraced it and that’s how we continue to be the Spurs.”

Peter Walsh is an Associate Editor at SLAM. Follow him on Twitter @Peter_M_Walsh.

All photos via Getty Images

The post Culture appeared first on SLAM.

John Wall and the Wizards put pressure on themselves leading up to Tuesday’s match-up, dressing up in all black for what the team deemed a “funeral game.”

All business. pic.twitter.com/fllTLXusby

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) January 25, 2017

Isaiah Thomas, who wasn’t amused with Washington’s antics, dropped 25 points with 13 dimes while Al Horford added 22 points. The Wizards, however, controlled the action with 66 first half points. Bradley Beal erupted for 13 fourth quarter points (31 overall) as the Wizards pulled away for their 14th straight win at home. Marcus Smart reached his boiling point by the end of regulation, snapping at assistant coaches.

An irate Marcus Smart whipped his towel at Celtics coaches at the end of Tueday's loss. https://t.co/ZCCWlrYNwH pic.twitter.com/DArjhFckRR

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) January 25, 2017

Bulls 100 (23-23), Magic 92 (18-29)

Dwyane Wade fired warning shots early Tuesday that he may not re-sign with the Bulls if they kept up their pedestrian play.

“I wouldn’t lie to you and say no. Of course,” Wade said, when asked if continued mediocrity would influence his decision. “I can’t play this game forever. I just turned 35 and I have a number in my head on how long I want to play. I take my career seriously and where I am and where I want to be. And I will do the same thing this summer.”

Wade’s supporting cast responded well to his remarks, as Jimmy Butler scored 20, and Cristiano Felicio double-doubled in a stellar win over the Magic. Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg altered his rotation, giving Jerian Grant a starting role and having Rajon Rondo serve as his back-up.

The Bulls' PG situation is strange. Remember: If Hoiberg thought any of these guys could really play he would stick with them.

— Nick Friedell (@NickFriedell) January 24, 2017

Spurs 108 (35-9), Raptors 106 (28-17)

Toronto gave the short-handed Spurs a run for their money, as Kyle Lowry dropped 30 points and Terrence Ross added 21 in a close loss. The Raptors, who were playing without DeMar DeRozan, have now dropped four straight and lost 19 of their last 24 games against the Spurs.

Patty Mills scored 18 points off the bench, LaMarcus Aldridge scored 21 and Davis Bertans added 12 in the victory.

David Lee goes for 8 points after 1.@spurs lead @Raptors 29-25 on @NBATV. Lowry: 11p. pic.twitter.com/qPzVgCRspu

— NBA (@NBA) January 25, 2017

76ers 121 (16-27), Clippers 110 (29-17)

The Clippers were flying high at halftime, staked to a 68-59 lead in Blake Griffin’s return game. The Clippers were able to complete a stunning comeback, however, erasing a 19-point third quarter deficit before a capacity crowd of 17,591. Richaun Holmes tallied a career-high 18 points and Nerlens Noel added 19, filling in admirably for the injured Joel Embiid.

.@Sixers completed a 19-point comeback against the Clippers tonight. the highlights here: https://t.co/Esf2CVHYPX pic.twitter.com/aNHp46pZK4

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) January 25, 2017

Timberwolves 112 (17-28), Suns 111 (15-30)

Tyson Chandler double-doubled (22p, 17r) and Devin Booker dropped 26 points, but Andrew Wiggins (31 points) sunk Phoenix with a clutch jumper at the buzzer.

Andrew Wiggins seals the deal in Phoenix! pic.twitter.com/IUrEJ1NikC

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) January 25, 2017

Ricky Rubio recorded a double-double with 14 points and 10 dimes. The Timberwolves are reportedly shopping Rubio, and have a crowded depth chart in the meantime; despite finishing with a +22 in Sunday’s game, Tyus Jones received a DNP against Phoenix.

Nuggets 103 (19-25), Jazz 93 (29-17)

Nikola Jokic stuffed his stat sheet; scoring 23 points with 11 boards, six dimes, three blocks, and a pair of steals in Denver’s upset win over the Jazz. The Nuggets, who have now won five of their last seven, received a stellar performance off the bench from Darrell Arthur, who drained three treys in a 16-point night. Derrick Favors and George Hill had 18 and 17 points, respectively, while Boris Diaw scored a season-high 16 points.

Really good chance this will be the last time in Jazz franchise history they ever play 4 games in 5 nights. #progress #newschedule

— David Locke (@DLocke09) January 25, 2017

The post Post Up: Funeral Game appeared first on SLAM.

Adding to the hilarity was Emmanuel Mudiay. He was in the line of fire between Pop and the refs. Rather than trying to get out of the way, he made an exaggerated ejection motion. Watch it up top.

Video courtesy of Ximo Pierto

The post Gregg Popovich Gets Ejected Against the Nuggets appeared first on SLAM.

After snapping a six-game skid against the Bucks on Friday, the Knicks absorbed another tough defeat in Indiana on Saturday. Kristaps Porzingis committed five turnovers in a 16-point showing, while Carmelo Anthony and Brandon Jennings tallied 17 points apiece. Paul George and Jeff Teague led Indiana’s scoring with 19 points each.

Per the NY Post, the Knicks are now 0-7 in second games of back-to-back contests this season.

Pacers are at the magic 110 point mark, in which they are 13-1 when hitting this season.

— Pat Boylan (@PatBoylanPacers) January 8, 2017

Celtics 117 (22-14), Pelicans 108 (14-24)

Entering Saturday’s game averaging 30.7 points over his last six games, Isaiah Thomas dropped 38 points in a win over Anthony Davis (36 points, 15 rebounds) and the Pelicans. Marcus Smart added 22 points, including five from beyond the arc, and Gerald Green chipped in 15 off the bench. Donatas Motiejunas made his Pelicans debut, scoring 11 points.

https://youtu.be/iPf_vRSVBDg

Thunder 121 (22-16), Nuggets 106 (14-23)

Russell Westbrook recorded 18 triple-doubles last season…following Saturday’s 32p/17r/11a stat line, he’s only one shy of that total this year. Steven Adams contributed 16 points on the night, while Victor Oladipo and Enes Kanter combined for 29. The Nuggets, who played without Nikola Jokic or Gary Harris last night, will look to regroup against the Pacers on Thursday.

Stein: Nuggets "openly shopping" Jusuf Nurkic and others https://t.co/w2Q1UssEtf

— Denver Stiffs (@denverstiffs) January 7, 2017

Jazz 94 (23-15), Timberwolves 92 (11-25)

Tom Thibodeau recently remarked his team is “finding new ways to lose,” and Saturday’s match-up against Utah was no exception. Despite solid performances from Zach LaVine and Karl-Anthony Towns, the Jazz ended Saturday’s game on an 11-0 run.

Rudy Gobert with the in Utah's come-from-behind win. https://t.co/Vs4HU1x134

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) January 8, 2017

The T’Wolves now own a gaudy 2-7 mark over their last nine games.

Bulls 123 (19-18), Raptors 118 (24-12)

In an overtime thriller, Jimmy Butler’s 42 points lifted Chicago over Kyle Lowry (27 points, 12 boards) and the Raptors. DeMar DeRozan had 36 points in the close loss, and Dwyane Wade added 20 for the Bulls. Fred Hoiberg has continued to leave Rajon Rondo out of his rotations, which could lead to an awkward moment Monday night.

Rajon Rondo bobblehead night is Monday at the United Center

— Nick Friedell (@NickFriedell) January 8, 2017

Spurs 102 (30-7), Hornets 85 (20-18)

Entering Saturday, Davis Bertans’ previous career-high was 15 points; the 24-year-old had only scored in double-digits twice this season. Bertans went off for 21 points against Charlotte, however, including this impressive slam:

https://vine.co/v/5VLUFKJUaVB

Kawhi Leonard scored 19 points in the W, and LaMarcus Aldridge added 15 points with 11 boards. The Hornets felt Nic Batum’s absence on the offensive end, scoring just 35 second half points.

Hawks 97 (21-16), Mavericks 82 (11-26)

Everyone knows the Hawks are in sell mode, but Mike Budenholzer’s squad improved to a six-game winning streak against the Mavericks. Paul Millsap scored 17 points with nine rebounds, Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 22 and Dennis Schroder added 20. If the team continues their hot play, will GM Wes Wilcox reconsider trading impending free agent Paul Millsap?

Mike Budenholzer comments on Hawks direction https://t.co/zMpuWOOGzi

— Peachtree Hoops (@peachtreehoops) January 7, 2017

The post Post Up: Overtime Buckets appeared first on SLAM.

It took the Spurs a little bit of time to wake up for this early game in Boston. The Cs led by 14 in the first quarter thanks to a slow start from the Spurs’ starters. David Lee then led a big charge from San Antonio’s bench. The second unit finished with 56 points, including 15 points and 12 rebounds from Lee. With 19 from Patty Mills and a career-high 15 from rookie Davis Bertans, they outscored the Spurs starters.

The Celtics won the assist battle and had fewer turnovers than the Spurs, but they shot only 9 free-throws, compared to 25 from the silver & black. Isaiah Thomas had 24 and 8 for Boston, Jae Crowder chipped in 18 and Avery Bradley got 19 points and 8 rebounds.

David Lee goes strong to the rim. https://t.co/hIWlNnlhxT

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) November 25, 2016

Wizards 94 (5-9), Magic 91 (6-10)

John Wall jumped on the Magic early, helping the Wizards build a 26-7 lead. He had 5 dimes and 3 steals midway through the first. But Orlando slowly climbed back into the game by keeping the Wizards out of the lane after that big first quarter. Washington had just 10 free-throw attempts.

In the end, Wall proved too much for Orlando. He scored the final 8 points for the Wizards. The Magic had 19 turnovers and 18 assists. Serge Ibaka had 19 points and 4 blocks and Nik Vucevic had 17 points and 17 rebounds. Wall led the ‘Zards with 26 points and 10 helpers. All five starters scored in double-figures for Washington. Bradley Beal had a season-high 8 assists.

Bradley Beal got Evan Fournier in a chokehold tonight. (via @BleacherReport) pic.twitter.com/7h4romcHd0

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) November 26, 2016

Cavs 128 (13-2), Mavs 90 (2-13)

The Cavs are on fire. A game after scoring 40, Kevin Love led Cleveland with 27 points and 10 rebounds. He was backed up by 25 from Kyrie Irving and 19 points and 11 assists from LeBron James. The wine & gold led by as many as 45, limiting Dallas to 8-35 from downtown and 8-12 from the foul line. The Cavs made 20 threes and every player on their roster scored. Dirk Nowitzki had 15 for Dallas.

Knicks 113 (8-7), Hornets 111 (8-7)

There were 22 lead changes and 17 ties in this one. The Knicks led early, then the Hornets took control between the second and third quarters. During the fourth, they traded body blows, eventually needing overtime to decide a winner.

Carmelo Anthony stepped up for New York, registering a season-high 35, making the game-winner with 3 seconds remaining. The Knicks have now won six in a row at the Garden and three straight overall. The Hornets get a shot at revenge when they host the Knicks on Saturday night.

Game winner for @carmeloanthony. Slight work. pic.twitter.com/xAUx24lkgu

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) November 26, 2016

Bulls 105 (10-6), Sixers 89 (4-12)

The Bulls ended their six-game road trip with a 4-2 record, capping off two weeks on the road with a wire-to-wire win against Philly. Dwyane Wade and Jimmy Butler both had 26. Rajon Rondo had team-highs in assists and rebounds, with 10 and 8, respectively. Without Joel Embiid (rest), the Bulls built the lead up to 28, giving their starters some much needed rest towards the end of this game.

Pistons 108 (8-9), Clippers 97 (14-3)

The Clippers suffered just their third loss of the season because of a balanced team effort from Detroit. The Pistons grinded their way to this win with 17 from Marcus Morris, 16 from Andre Drummond, Ish Smith and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, 15 from Tobias Harris and 11 from Jon Leuer. They simply outplayed LA, earning this win with pure determination. The Pistons had more rebounds, three-pointers and steals, and fewer turnovers than the Clippers.

LA grabbed an 82-80 lead thanks to a JJ Redick barrage late in the third. But there was no way Detroit was losing this game, overcoming 24 from both Redick and Griffin, and a season-best 15 assists from Chris Paul.

.@AndreDrummond coming through for the big finish! https://t.co/7IlTOCfCcz

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) November 26, 2016

Jazz 95 (9-8), Hawks 68 (10-6)

The Hawks hadn’t scored fewer than 92 points all season. But Utah put the clamps on them. Atlanta also had season-lows in assists and field goals, getting only 11 dimes and 26 buckets. Dennis Schroder scored 16 for the Hawks, but needed 19 shots to do it.

Utah had their best defensive performance of the season, which is saying a lot. The Jazz currently have the second-best Defensive Rating in the League, trailing only the Hawks. The Jazz had 55 total rebounds, 9 blocks and 9 steals. It marked the third time this year that they’ve gotten at least 50 rebounds. They’ve won all three of those games.

Rudy Gobert had 5 rejections and Shelvin Mack had 4 takeaways. Gordon Hayward led the Jazz in scoring with 24, while George Hill had 23.

Gordie with the swat! https://t.co/SzeFZsWigd

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) November 26, 2016

Raptors 105 (10-6), Bucks 99 (6-8)

Somebody gotta stop DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry in the clutch. DeRozan hit a downhill midrange jumpers with two defenders in his face, Lowry drilled a 27-footer with 1:06 left, then he got a steal to put the dagger in Milwaukee. The duo combined for 45 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists. They scored Toronto’s final 13 points.

Meanwhile, Giannis Antetokounmpo had 29 points, 11 assists and 6 rebounds on 12-17 shooting. But that monster performance will go unnoticed because of how lethal DeRozan and Lowry were. DeRozan led Toronto in rebounding and Lowry led them in assists.

Gonna take more than two defenders to stop @DeMar_DeRozan these days. https://t.co/WQD4S31vB3

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) November 26, 2016

Heat 90 (5-10), Grizzlies 81 (10-6)

The Grizzlies inexplicably brought Mike Conley off the bench tonight in their loss to the Heat, citing minutes-management as the reason. Conley still led the team in scoring, but didn’t get any help. JaMychal Green was the only other member of the Grizz to score in double-figures. Without Zach Randolph (indefinite leave of absence to mourn the passing of his mother), Memphis didn’t have the firepower.

Tyler Johnson had 22 for Miami. Four other Heat players scored at least 10 points and Miami led for the whole game.

.@dionwaiters3 with the ill crossover. https://t.co/R7GvSDttzu

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) November 26, 2016

Pacers 118 (8-9), Nets 97 (4-11)

The Pacers are dealing with some major injury problems at the moment. Paul George sat out yet another game, and will miss the next three because of injuries to his left ankle and back. CJ Miles’ return is uncertain and Kevin Seraphin will also miss at least the next three games to rehab his sore knee. With three rotation players out, the Pacers used their depth to rout the Nets.

Glenn Robinson III made the most out of his second appearance in the starting lineup, dropping 20 points. Al Jefferson and Rodney Stuckey combined for 34 of Indiana’s 48 bench points. Myles Turner, Monta Ellis and Thad Young all scored at least 11 points.

After a close first quarter, the Pacers blew the game open and were up by as many as 31. Jeremy Lin hasn’t played since November 2 and his absence has really made a difference for the Nets, who have now lost six in a row.

Thunder 132 (9-8), Nuggets 129 (6-10)

Russell Westbrook put up yet another triple-double tonight, going for 36 points, 12 rebounds and an NBA season-high 18 assists. It’s his sixth of the season and 43rd of his career. He’s now sitting with season averages of 32 points, 10.9 assists and 9.8 rebounds. Yeah.

OKC had trouble putting the Nuggets away. Behind Wilson Chandler’s 32 points and a no-fear performance from 19-year-old Jamal Murray (20 points), Denver was able to keep Westbrook under wraps for three quarters. Even when Russ scored 24 points in the fourth and OT, the Nuggets were still right there, narrowly missing out on this win.

Wolves 98 (5-10), Suns 85 (5-12)

Zach LaVine had one of the best dunks of the season and the young Timberwolves were able to outlast the Suns for an impressive road victory, just their second win away from Target Center this season. Andrew Wiggins broke out of his three-game shooting slump to lead Minnesota with 25 points. Along with 22 from Karl-Anthony Towns, the Wolves pulled off a 23-point turnaround in the fourth quarter. The Wolves also got good minutes from Tyus Jones. The Suns committed a season-high 26 turnovers and scored only 10 points in the fourth.

Blazers 119 (9-9), Pelicans 104 (6-11)

This wasn’t an easy win for the Blazers. Anthony Davis and the Pelicans hung tough till late in the fourth, trailing 105-101. Then the Blazers responded with a quick 8-0 burst to seal the game. Davis went for 31 and 13. Jrue Holiday had 16 points off the bench. Langston Galloway and Terrence Jones helped New Orleans stick around, making timely buckets and key defensive stops.

Damian Lillard went off late in the third, pushing the Portland lead to 94-78. He finished with 27 points and 11 helpers. CJ McCollum had 24, Mason Plumlee had 12 points, 14 rebounds and 8 assists, Mo Harkless had 19 points and 11 boards. Portland outrebounded New Orleans 52-34.

Warriors 109 (14-2), Lakers 85 (8-9)

No Nick Young, Julius Randle or D’Angelo Russell meant for trouble for the Lakers tonight. They played hard but Golden Sate’s on a roll. The Dubs last loss was on November 4, to the Lakers. They’ve seemingly figured out how to play together since then. Tonight, they had 31 assists on 43 field goals, getting 29 from Kevin Durant, 24 from Stephen Curry and 18 from Klay Thompson. That trio combined for 8 of GSW’s 11 triples on the night. Durant also chipped in a season-high 9 assists and 6 rebounds.

Jordan Clarkson had 20 for the Lakers. Luke Walton got great minutes of out Tariq Black and Thomas Robinson. They combined for just 14 points and 15 rebounds, but they infused LA with much needed energy and a willingness to compete.

Rockets 117 (10-6), Kings 104 (6-10)

The Rockets set a single-game NBA record with their 50 attempted three-pointers tonight. They made 21, paced by Trevor Ariza, who hit 6-11. Of the 10 Rockets that played, only Nene, Clint Capela and Montrezl Harrell didn’t make or attempt a three-ball. Everyone else hit at least one.

James Harden picked up his fourth triple-double of the season, getting 23, 10 and 10. He was one of seven Rockets to score in double-figures. Houston had 27 dimes on 40 baskets.

They held Sacramento to 9-32 shooting from outside. And though DeMarcus Cousins had 32, no other King had more than 12. Cousins made a career-best 5 three-pointers, but that couldn’t overcome the Rockets’ lead of as many as 29.

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